Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors, and she already owns a rather pointy sword.
There’s only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.
But Hilary is not the kind of girl to take no for answer. To escape a life of petticoats and politeness at her stuffy finishing school, Hilary sets out in search of her own seaworthy adventure, where she gets swept up in a madcap quest involving a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn’t exist, a talking gargoyle, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.
The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates: Magic Marks the Spot is the first book in the new middle grade series, Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates. The second book in the series is due out in September.
I loved that the main character is a girl who wants to be a pirate. She tries hard to be very fearsome and doesn’t really have any feminine qualities. Hillary’s best friend Claire is feminine though so it’s a good balance. Because of that, this book will appeal to both boys and girls.
This book is very funny for kids but also had some dry wit that probably only parents would get. So if you read this book with your child, you will be entertained as well. My favorite character was Hillary’s governess, Miss Greyson. The things she said made me smile. She’s very prim and proper and nicely tries to keep Hilary in line. But pirates aren’t prim and proper so she has a tough time.
While this book doesn’t have any pictures, it does have drawings of letters and scrolls. Some of these are written in cursive so if your child can’t read cursive, you can help them with that.
This was a very fun book to read and my nine-year son loved it as well.
For more reviews of books for children and teens, check out Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection, posted on Saturdays. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, you can go to her site to leave a comment and your link .
(I received this book courtesy of Amazon Vine.)
April 3rd, 2014 in
Books |
4 Comments
Fallen Women by Sandra Dallas
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: October 22, 2013
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
It is the spring of 1885 and wealthy New York socialite Beret Osmundsen has been estranged from her younger sister, Lillie, for a year when she gets word from her aunt and uncle that Lillie has died suddenly in Denver. What they do not tell her is that Lillie had become a prostitute and was brutally murdered in the brothel where she had been living. When Beret discovers the sordid truth of Lillie’s death, she makes her way to Denver, determined to find her sister’s murderer. Detective Mick McCauley may not want her involved in the case, but Beret is determined, and the investigation soon takes her from the dangerous, seedy underworld of Denver’s tenderloin to the highest levels of Denver society. Along the way, Beret not only learns the depths of Lillie’s depravity, but also exposes the sinister side of Gilded Age ambition in the process.
I loved Sandra Dallas’s novel Tallgrass so I was I was excited to read her latest book, Fallen Women. I have to say I was a little disappointed. I liked it but I didn’t love it as I did Tallgrass. This book centers around the mystery of who killed Lillie Osmundsen. While I was surprised by who the killer was and enjoyed the journey getting that point, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the ending. That’s I’ll I say so I don’t spoil it for you.
It’s also a character study of Lillie’s sister Beret. Beret is a strong independent woman, usual for that time period. Along the way, we learn what made her that way. She is by far the most developed character and the most interesting. I liked how her back-story was revealed in bits and pieces. The other characters were good as well. I really liked how the author made an air of creepiness surround Jonas. It jumped off the page and made me cringe.
While not Ms. Dallas’s best work, Fallen Women is a solid offering.
(I received this book courtesy of Amazon Vine.)
April 2nd, 2014 in
Books |
No Comments
Timelines of Science by DK Publishing
Publisher: DK Adult
Release Date: September 16, 2013
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
From the discovery of penicillin to the advent of the Internet, science has been an invaluable part of the human experience.
Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution and highlighting the theories, breakthroughs, and key thinkers that shaped the history of science, Timelines of Science is an informative guide to the history of scientific discovery and technology that follows the path chronologically, and explores everything from ancient Greek geometry to quantum physics.
This book is packed with information. It has colorful photographs and charts throughout that make it much more interesting to read than if was just narrative with no words. Because it’s so dense, it’s not the kind of book you would sit down and read cover to cover. It’s more of a reference book. When you are thinking something like, “I want to know more about zeppelins and when they were first invented,” you can look it up using the very comprehensive index in the back. Or pick a certain time period and read about it. This book starts at 2.5MYA and goes through 2013 so that covers pretty much everything that’s every happened in the history of science!
There is also a reference section with tables including units of measurement, laws of physics and much more that is very handy to refer to if you just need a quick piece of information. Also included is a large glossary and a who’s who of scientists.
Although this is a book meant for adults, my children enjoyed leafing through it as well. It’s an excellent resource for the many questions kids ask about the world.
All in all, I found this book very helpful and informative. If you are interested in science, this is the book for you.
(I received this book courtesy of Amazon Vine.)
April 1st, 2014 in
Uncategorized |
1 Comment
Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son by Lori Duron
Publisher: Broadway Books
Release Date: September 3, 2013
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Lori Doron is the blogger behind raisingmyrainbow.com. It’s a blog about parenting her son C.J. and that’s what this book is about too. C.J. is considered gender nonconforming because he prefers to play with toys typically for girls and wear feminine clothing. Not surprisingly, most of his friends are girls.
I was impressed with how Lori’s incredible honesty. She’s not afraid to admit the mistakes she’s made along the way and not afraid to confess how difficult it can be raising C.J. She cops to the fear and insecurity she sometimes feels. At the same time, she describes the joy it is to parent C.J. He sounds like a really neat kid.
She also discusses C.J.’s older brother Chase and how C.J. being gender nonconforming affects his life. Chase’s life at school is definitely different and harder than it would be if C.J. was gender conforming but Lori and her husband are helping him through it wonderfully.
This book was informative and fun to read. Lori seems like a friendly and funny person and her story is one that everyone should read.
(I received this book courtesy of Amazon Vine)
March 27th, 2014 in
Books |
No Comments
S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared by L. Marie Adeline
Publisher: Broadway Books
Release Date: October 15, 2013
My rating: 4 .5 of 5 stars
S.E.C.R.C.R.E.T. Shared is the second book in the S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy and this review may have spoilers for the first book, S.E.C.R.E.T.
Publisher’s Description:
Still wounded from a recent heartbreak over her boss and lover, Will, Cassie Robichaud throws herself into service with S.E.C.R.E.T., the mysterious organization that changed her forever by bringing her deepest sexual fantasies to life, one step at a time. Now, it’s Cassie’s turn to guide the group’s newest candidate, Dauphine Mason, recruiting men to execute a new set of fantasies.
At thirty-one, Dauphine is the proprietor of a New Orleans vintage clothing store. She’s been harboring a crush on Mark Drury, a local rock star, but is too shy to put herself out there with him. She turns to S.E.C.R.E.T. to reignite her sexual flame and find the confidence to risk her heart again with another man.
As Cassie worries that the right time will never come for her and Will, she finds inspiration helping Dauphine in S.E.C.R.E.T. Both women navigate the rocky path between their hearts and their passions, hoping to discover what they truly want in life and in love.
Like S.E.C.R.E.T., this book had an engaging plot. There were plenty of sex scenes but a sturdy plot held the story together. The first book left Cassie and Will hanging in the balance so I was glad to find out what happened to them. I really liked the new character, Dauphine. She’s plus sized but that doesn’t hold her back once she starts S.E.C.R.E.T. She’s still sexy and has great sex. It’s nice to see a real woman in this type of book.
In my review of the first book, I noted that the descriptions of sex organs was pretty vague. I think the author read my review because that was not a problem in this book! I was glad for the change but fainter hearted readers may want to proceed with caution.
My only complaint about this book is that the word “drama” was overused. I may be over-sensitive to that since I find the word irritating in general. But on the whole I think there are better words that can be used to describe conflict. A minor quibble but I thought I would mention it since the author obviously reads my reviews and will take care to avoid that word in the final book, S.E.C.R.E.T. Revealed, which comes out in May.
If you are an erotica reader who also appreciates a great story then you should definitely check out the S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy.
(I received this book courtesy of Amazon Vine.)
March 25th, 2014 in
Books |
No Comments
Last week, I reviewed the book Divergent by Veronica Roth. Today’s review is of Divergent, the movie based on the book.
I have mixed feelings about the movie. To avoid spoiling the book or movie, I’ll have to be somewhat vague. While the movie followed the basic outline of the book’s plot, there were some key scenes either condensed or left out all together. For instance, the ferris wheel scene was truncated and I feel like that scene is important to developing Four’s character and his interaction with Tris in that scene is important too.
At the same time, I understand why the changes were made. Since the book is written from Tris’s first person point of view, a lot of the story is told in her head, revealed in her thoughts about people and the action. Unless a voice-over narration is used, which it wasn’t, what Tris is thinking has to be shown in her actions and in other people’s reactions to her.
Also, the book is almost five-hundred pages long so condensing the story somewhat was necessary to make the movie a reasonable length, I’m sure. In doing this, the action was made more “Hollywood”, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
If I hadn’t read the book, I think I would have enjoyed this movie more. In and of itself, it’s fun and action packed. The directing of the fight scenes was impressive as well. I was pleasantly surprised with how well Shailene Woodley played Tris. She acted a lot more tough than I thought she could. And her physicality in the fight scenes was impressive. I still think of her as Amy from The Secret Life of the American Teenager but she’s clearly come a long way since that show.
I think my expectations for this movie were too high. If you’ve read the book, go into it with your expectations in check and just enjoy the ride.
March 24th, 2014 in
Movie Reviews |
1 Comment
Free Four: Tobias Tells the Story by Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 2012
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I know you have probably read my rants about how annoying it is when authors/publishers release extra e-books that are part of a series. I mean, I’m glad to have more content for the series I love. But on the other hand, it seems like a ploy to get another dollar or two out of loyal readers. Also, it’s so hard to keep track of the e-book only add-ons to various series. The only way I find out about them is through tracking all the series I read on Fict Fact – which is a great site by the way, you should check it out.
I loved Divergent so much that I gave myself permission to purchase the e-booklet Free Four for 99 cents. It’s a 13 page rewrite of the knife throwing scene from Divergent told from Four’s point of view. I ended up being glad that I shoved my inner cynic aside and bought it. Four is kind of a mysterious guy and I liked getting into his head a bit.
By the way, Veronica Roth is coming out with a four-story compilation that is a prequel to Divergent. It appears that it’s about Four’s back-story before and during his initiation into Dauntless. It’s supposed to be released in July. You can find more information on Veronica’s blog.
March 21st, 2014 in
Books |
1 Comment
Divergent B&n Edition by Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books, an imprint of HarperCollins
Release Date: 2011
My rating: 4.5of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
I know I am the last among fans of YA dystopian fiction to read this book. I like to wait to read trilogies until after all three books have been released so I don’t have to wait months between books. With the movie adaptation of Divergent coming out this week, I decided it was time to dive into this series.
I am pleased to report that Divergent lived up to the hype that has surrounded it in the years since it was first released. I thought the idea of grouping people in separate factions according to their personality traits was a fresh take on dystopian world building. I was confused about how kids choose which faction to join though and that’s why I docked this book half a star. The kids are given aptitude tests when they turn 16 to determine which faction they belong in but then they are allowed to choose to join a different faction than the one they tested into if they want. So what was the point of the testing? I know that it was to set Tris up as being Divergent but I think that could have been set up in a way that would have made more sense.
Once that part was over, I was all in. I loved Tris and how introspective she was about how she was changing during the initiation process. Roth does a fantastic job with descriptive language throughout the book. I loved the metaphors she used. Usually in a book with a lot of action scenes, I have trouble picturing the choreography of the action while I’m reading it but that wasn’t usually a problem while reading this book.
Roth also does a wonderful job of building tension between Tris and her love interest. The relationship is fairly chaste but still so fraught with emotion. Roth just writes so beautifully, whether she’s describing action or interaction between people.
The edition of Divergent that I bought has bonus materials that include a Q&A with Veronica Roth, discussion guide, faction manifestos and more. I loved it because the bonus pieces gave me even more insight into how Divergent came together.
Needless to say, I loved this book and I can’t wait to see the movie!
Come back here tomorrow – I’ll have a mini-review of the e-pamphlet Free Four, which is the knife-throwing scene in Divergent as told from Four’s point of few.
March 20th, 2014 in
Books |
4 Comments
Tuesday, I reviewed the book Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. Today’s review is of the 2005 movie Because of Winn Dixie which is based on the book.
I have to start out by saying that when I saw Dave Matthews’ name in the opening credits I was kind of shocked. I thought what the heck is he doing in a kids’ movie?! He played Otis and I was pleasantly surprised at how well he can act. And of course he also sang and played guitar in the movie as Otis did in the book. It turning out to be great casting, even if it did make me feel old that a musician that I was a fan of in college is now being cast in films for children! This movie actually has some great casting all around. Jeff Daniels is Opal’s dad, Cicely Tyson is Gloria Dump, Eva Marie Saint is Miss Fanny the librarian and little Elle Fanning plays Sweetie Pie .
The movie was not as melancholy as the book. A bumbling sheriff and a grumpy old landlord that were trying to get Winn Dixie to the pound were added. I have a feeling it was not only for comic effect but also to make the movie longer since the book is fairly short. I’m not a big fan of physical or screwball comedy but my children loved watching those two characters and thought they were hilarious. I think it was good comedic relief and kept the movie from getting to heavy for little kids. My son West, who is seven years old, did cry at the end of the movie. Opal saves up to buy Winn Dixie a red collar and although she does end up getting it, the movie doesn’t show her actually putting it on Winn Dixie. For some reason, this really upset West. I’m fairly certain that it won’t phase other kids.
Overall, I think this a great movie for a family movie night – both parents and kids will be entertained.
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Publisher: Candlewick (2009 reprint)
Original Release Date: 2000
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
When 10 year-old India Opal Buloni moves to Naomi, Florida with her father, she doesn’t know what to expect – least of all that she’ll adopt Winn-Dixie, a dog she names after the supermarket where they meet. With such an usually friendly dog at her side, Opal soon finds herself making more than a few unusual friends. And soon, Opal and her father realize – with a little help from Winn-Dixie, – of course – that they while they’ve both tasted a bit of melancholy in their lives, they still have a whole lot to be thankful for.
This book was a selection for the intergenerational book club that my nine-year old son and I are in together. I really like Southern literature for adults and I found this to be a very charming example of middle-grade Southern fiction. Part of our book club discussion was trying to figure out in what time period the book is set in. Some of us thought the 1950s or 60s while others thought maybe as long ago as the 1920s. That the time period is left vague serves to make this book timeless and one that present day children can relate too as well as children in the future.
The characters in Winn-Dixie were each very well developed, especially considering this book is narrated in first person by a child of around 10 years old. Her narration was authentic for a child of that age and still so descriptive. Each character served to teach Opal some sort of moral lesson but it wasn’t heavy handed or preachy. The ensemble cast of varied characters in a small town reminded me of the Fannie Flagg novels (for grown-ups) I read and she’s one of my favorite authors.
Everyone in the book club agreed that this is a great book.
Side note: We try to have snacks at our meetings that are tied in some way to the book we have read. For the discussion of this book we had a big jar of pickles and a bag of Werther’s Original candy. You’ll have to read the book to find out why!
For more reviews of books for children and teens, check out Booking Mama’s feature, Kid Konnection, posted on Saturdays. If you’d like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children’s books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, you can go to her site to leave a comment and your link .
March 11th, 2014 in
Books |
3 Comments
