Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
March 19: Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy...But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread
I'm late to the party this week, but I didn't want to miss this topic. My "mood reading" means that often a book I couldn't wait to read ends up not fitting my mood by the time I get to it. Sometimes it's the second book from a debut author whose first novel I loved...and then I start reading reviews of book number two.
WEDNESDAYS IN THE TOWER by Jessica Day George: I read this to my six-year-old daughter and we were both enchanted. My daughter immediately asked for the first book in the series, TUESDAYS IN THE CASTLE, and I agreed we couldn't miss it. Celie is a princess in Castle Glower, a strange place that adds and subtracts rooms, mostly in accordance with the family's needs. Celie has been working hard on an atlas to keep the castle geography straight, and one day, she finds herself in an odd tower she's never seen before. And in the tower is an egg, which Celie hatches, finding herself caring for a baby griffin. The castle doesn't seem to want her parents to know about it (the door disappears when she so much as thinks about telling them), so she manages with the help of her brother, Bran, and his friend Pogue. The three embark on a research project to find out about the history of Castle Glower and griffins (which are thought to be purely mythical), but their project is compromised by the appearance of the shifty Wizard Harkower.
This was a delight to read aloud, a gentle fantasy that feels like an enduring classic. Celie is a thoughtful child, and (unlike many heroines of children's fantasy) her first instinct is to go to her parents for help with the griffin. It is only when the castle makes it clear that they must not know that she settles into raising the griffin in secret. Her siblings, Lilah, Rolf, and Bran, are fully realized secondary characters, and Pogue and Lulath charming nonfamily characters. What a magical read. Descriptions of Celie flying with her griffin are riveting, and her affection and care for the beast are charming. The castle is fascinating, its whimsical changes taking on a menacing air as more and more rooms appear for no reason. Celie's disappointment at being replaced as the castle's cartographer by an adult mapmaker rings true, and her panic at the difficulty of keeping a roaring, shoe-chewing griffin a secret is both funny and authentic.
Available May 7.
Source disclosure: I received an e-galley from the publisher.
I'm trying to avoid bad puns like "fluffy" and "confection" when describing this book, which I read aloud to my six-year-old daughter, but I'm not sure that's possible. This is the third in a series by a mother and her nine-year-old daughter, and the first my daughter and I read. I'm doubt that we'll seek out the first two books in the series, as we both pronounced WINNER BAKES ALL merely "okay."
Fifth-grader Sadie, a great soccer player, is struggling with math and anxious about her cupcake club/business's upcoming televised competition on BATTLE OF THE BAKERS. She's also worried about her parents, who are fighting constantly about money, and about the economy, which is taking its toll on the profits of Peace, Love, and Cupcakes. The girls (Sadie, Kylie, Lexi, and Jenna) work together very well and support each other. Since I wasn't familiar with the first two books and the background was dribbled out inefficiently, it took me a bit to get up to speed. The girls have a cupcake club under the advisement of Miss Juliette, the drama teacher at school, that is also a business. It's not a small business, either - one order of 250 cupcakes is supposed to bring in $1,200. I'm not really sure how elementary school students manage to keep up with running a business (not to mention health department issues with selling food made in a home kitchen), but my daughter enjoyed their brainstorming about cupcake ideas quite a bit. She had less patience with the "serious" issues given cursory treatment - Sadie's concern about her parents is repetitive, with Sadie hearing them fight about money and worrying about divorce until, at the end, her parents tell her she has nothing to worry about. Problem solved. The BATTLE OF THE BAKERS competition was cute. The other competitors are caricatures and PLC randomly brings in an extra friend to help them bake with the competition, but their brainstorming and careful execution of ideas are entertaining. Recipes included at the end are a nice bonus.
I'm not sure what tweeners would make of this book. My daughter and I are both outside the target audience for WINNER BAKES ALL, and she enjoyed it more than I did. There are many children's books that transcend their target audience and are a delight for adults to read, but this is not one of them. The divorce issue is a red herring that makes the book initially seem deeper than it is, and honestly, it would have been fine without that storyline. Divorce is a serious issue, and one that certainly concerns children, but it's not treated with any depth here. The same is true with the money problems - while Sadie seems to feel that making more money from cupcakes might help her family, what are the stakes, really, for a child-run business?
I'm giving this one three stars for the positive relationships among the girls and for the cupcake fun.
Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.
Booking Through Thursday can be found right here.
Does your current mood affect your reading? Affect your choices? I know there are plenty of books I enjoy, but only if Im in a particular kind of mood–or books that can lift me out of a bad mood without fail. Surely I’m not alone?
Oh, you are not alone. My mood and setting always affect my reading choices. There is comfort reading for tough times (the Harry Potter series, the Thursday Next series, Louise Penny). I'm rarely in the mood for memoirs, but I'm reading one now. I'm not sure what that mood is called - adventurous, since I'm branching from my norm? If I'm frazzled, I love the clarity of a murder mystery. If I'm pensive, I go for fantasy or science fiction. When I finish a book, I sometimes know immediately which book is next (after finishing LIFE AFTER LIFE, a very layered and melancholy book, I craved light fantasy), but I sometimes prowl through my bookshelves or through the Kindle list before I hit on just the right book. In some cases, I read the first few pages of several before hitting on the right read.
AFTERNOON OF THE ELVES was first published in 1989. I was twelve, so I missed this one. It was an excellent readaloud with my six-year-old daughter, and I think it would be a good read for any age. This rerelease includes "A Personal History of Janet Taylor Lisle" and a photo album at the end. Hillary isn't friends with Sara-Kate, the odd, shabbily dressed girl whose backyard abuts her own. But one day, Sara-Kate seeks Hillary out to show her the tiny village she claims elves built in the ruins of her trash-filled yard, and Hillary is enchanted. In fact, she suspects Sara-Kate herself may be an elf. Hillary's best friends warn her against Sara-Kate, but Hillary spends more and more time with her, until one day she discovers Sara-Kate's tragic secret.
This is an odd book, a bittersweet and ambiguous story with an ending that is either perfect or maddening, depending on your personality (I found it perfect; my daughter found it maddening: "But what HAPPENED, Mommy!?" It will be clear from early on to an adult reader (and older children) that Sara-Kate, though only a child, is the head of a shabby household, her mother unable to care for her. Because the story is told through Hillary's eyes, though, Lisle teases out the possibility that Sara-Kate is, in fact, an elf, and that there is magic afoot. And there is, in a way. When Sara-Kate is "rescued" (again, according to the reader's perspective), Hillary is devastated and shows her loyalty to her friend by caring for the elf village. There are so many layers to this story, and all of them with some level of tragedy and pain, that I was reminded of BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, one of the books from my childhood that still haunts me. But where there is tragedy, there is hope. Was Sara-Kate a true friend, or was she using Hillary out of desperation? There's no way to be sure, but Hillary finds her own peace with the answer she constructs.
All this seems like heavy stuff to read to a six-year-old, but as it is couched in the language of elves and magic, it becomes relatable. My daughter concluded that Hillary's friends were being mean about Sara-Kate just because she's different, and she also understood that Sara-Kate had a very hard life. She was positive, though, that Sara-Kate had cared for Hillary - positive enough to convince me. The ultimate "what happened" question is thorny: Hillary doesn't view Sara-Kate as having been "rescued" from a dire, untenable situation, and so the reader doesn't either. My daughter and I talked a bit about why Hillary's mother reveals Sara-Kate's secret. Sometimes things are simply too much for a child to handle on her own.
A beautiful, tragic story. Highly recommended.
Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher.
I am currently reading CRAZY BRAVE: A MEMOIR by Joy Harjo. It is a beautiful book, exactly what one would hope for in a memoir from a poet. She shares her life through stories, poems, legends, and narrative, and I've highlighted particularly lush or evocative passages on practically every page."In the end, we must each tend to our own gulfs of sadness, though others can assist us with kindness, food, good words, and music. Our human tendency is to fill these holes with distractions like shopping and fast romance, or with drugs and alcohol."
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
March 12: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2013 TBR list!
This is a hard one, as my TBR is pretty much the size of Everest.
5.
6.
WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading.
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?
Currently reading: THE PALACE JOB by Patrick Weekes and FROZEN HEAT by Richard Castle
Recently finished: LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson
Read next: FLIGHT BEHAVIOR by Barbara Kingsolver, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER by Ellen Meister
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week, I'm going with HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Louise Penny, the upcoming Inspector Gamache novel. This is one of my very favorite series, and I am always excited about a new installment. Penny's mysteries are so much more than that - she adds layers of humanity like thick paint in each book. This one will be out August 27. The series begins with STILL LIFE.
Here's a Guilty Pleasure confession...I love the Nikki Heat books by "Richard Castle." Sometimes you just need something silly and fun.
"'...I know you felt blindsided.'
'Why? Because you ditched me, and a couple of hours later, I find a naked dead man in your apartment?'"
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
March 5: Top Ten Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet
1. Henkel Manning's Kurt Wallander mysteries (FACELESS KILLERS)
2. Laurie King's Mary Russell mysteries (THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE)
3. Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse mysteries (DEAD UNTIL DARK)
4. Nora McFarland's Lilly Hawkins mysteries (GOING TO THE BAD)
5. Melvin Starr's Hugh de Singleton mysteries (THE UNQUIET BONES)
6. Malcolm Price's Aberstwyth Noir series (ABERSTWYTH, MON AMOUR)
7. Christopher Fowler's Bryant & May mysteries (FULL DARK HOUSE)
8. Scott Westerfield's steampunk series (LEVIATHAN)
9. Scott Westerfiend's Uglies series (UGLIES)
10. Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax series (THE UNEXPECTED MRS. POLLIFAX)
THE SLITHER SISTERS by Charles Gilman picks up where PROFESSOR GARGOYLE left off, with Robert, Glenn, and Karina the only children at Lovecraft Middle School who know that monsters lurk in the halls. Sarah and Silvia Price, who disappeared during the first book in the series only to return without explanation, are campaigning for school president - part of an plot for total domination. Fighting tentacled monsters is one thing, but Robert must run for office and win to spare the middle school a fate worse than death.
The first book in the series built up a creative world and introduced memorable characters; the second takes that premise and starts the high-stakes adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to the third in the series, TEACHER'S PEST.
My review of #1 in the LOVECRAFT MIDDLE SCHOOL series, PROFESSOR GARGOYLE, can be found right here.
Source disclosure: I purchased this book.
THE BOARDWALK MYSTERY by Tim Jessel (THE BOXCAR CHILDREN created by Gertrude Chandler Warner): I read this chapter book aloud to my six-year-old daughter, and we both enjoyed it. Tim Jessel continues the adventures of the Alden children as they visit the seaside with their grandfather. Their host, Mr. Hanson, new owner of an amusement pier, finds himself grateful for the Aldens' help as his pier is subject to nasty rumors and acts of sabotage. Suspects include Mr. Hanson's own children, Will and Wendy, who ostensibly help their father but resented the move from Colorado to New Jersey for their father to fulfill his dream, Mrs. Reddy, the older woman who sold the pier to Mr. Hanson but seems to regret her decision, and Mr. Cooke, owner of a rival amusement pier. Naturally, the Aldens figure out the culprit, helping out and enjoying seaside fun along the way.
Tim Jessel keeps the old-fashioned charm of the original series while adding such modern touches as cell phones. One of the things I've always liked about the Alden children is their resourcefulness, and that's in full view here as they collect clues and discover leads. They are also polite and helpful, but not in an annoying way. A fun entry to a classic mystery series for younger children.
Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.
Booking Through Thursday can be found right here.
One of those quick, easy questions that I ask periodically because the answer is always changing:
What are you reading right now? (And, is it good? Would you recommend it? How did you choose it?)
I am currently reading THE PALACE JOB by Patrick Weekes, a fantasy take on an Oceans Eleven-ish plot. After finishing the Kate Atkinson book, I needed something fun and light, but not dopey. I read the first page of several books on the TBR list, but nothing was quite right until I started THE PALACE JOB. Smart AND funny. That's the ticket.
MUMFIE'S QUEST: THE BEGINNING OF THINGS by Britt Allcroft (BRITT ALLCROFT'S MAGIC ADVENTURES OF MUMFIE: BOOK ONE): I read this to my six-year-old daughter and we were both perplexed. Her assessment: "That was weird, and it stopped in the middle of the story." That about sums it up, but I'll add that it seemed an odd mishmash of THE WIZARD OF OZ and ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and Mumfie looks exactly like Dumbo. The premise is fine, with Mumfie coming across a scarecrow and taking him along on an adventure. The two meet up with other animals, helping when needed, until they end up trapped on an island. That's it. It ends with them trapped on the island, with no resolution at all. Apparently, we're supposed to pick up the next book for more of the story. I'm accustomed to series fiction, but each entry needs to be self-contained, and that was not the case here.
Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.
THE MISSING CUCKOO CLOCK: A MYSTERY ABOUT GRAVITY by Lynda Beauregard and Der-shing Helmer is number five in the Summer Camp Science Mysteries. I helped my six-year-old daughter read the dialogue in this graphic novel. We both agreed that the illustrations of the idyllic camp are beautiful, and we were entertained while we learned something. It's Megan's first time at science camp, and a cuckoo clock goes missing. How can the campers crack the case? I'll tell you how: by making it fun to learn science. Not only is this book in kid-friendly graphic novel form, the explanations for the forces involved (gravity, friction, center of mass) are so simple and engaging that my six-year-old had no trouble understanding why a feather falls more slowly than a rock. Camp counselors help the children design experiments to examine various questions, the children also do more traditional "camp" activities like horseback riding, incorporating what they've learned about gravity, and of course, they search for clues in the mystery of the missing clock. As if that weren't enough, there are experiments and a glossary at the end of the book. My daughter was immediately ready to conduct the experiments.
This is an absolutely brilliant series for introducing science concepts to children in a high-interest, well-explained way. We'll be checking out the other books in the series!
Source disclosure: I received an e-galley of this title from the publisher.
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week, I'm going with Lisa Lutz's next Izzy Spellman novel, THE LAST WORD. I have to wait for this until July 9. It will feel like an eternity!
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
February 26: Top Ten Authors That I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List (basically an auto-buy list is no questions asked. You love this author so much that no matter what they wrote next you'd buy regardless of genre or subject matter)
1. Kate Atkinson
2. Jasper Fforde
3. Jincy Willett
4. Ha Jin
5. Christopher Moore
That's it, I think. I have series whose next installments are auto-buys for me, but I might not follow the author across genres. I have authors who've written books that are favorites, but I don't assume everything they write will be my cup of tea.
I'm currently reading THE PALACE JOB by Patrick Weekes. I was craving a fun, smart read and tried about a dozen books before hitting on this one. Perfect.
"Loch kicked Orris in the shin. As he howled and brought the saber down, she raised her shackled arms, caught the saber on the shackles, crossed her wrists to trap the blade, and spun away, yanking the sword from his grasp."
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