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Archive for the ‘Best & Worst Books’ Category

  • Tuesdays at the Castle (a book review by my kids)

    Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

    You know when you see a book from a room-width away and KNOW it’s a going to be a good one? Like you can taste the quality? Yes. THAT. Well, that’s exactly how it happened with Jessica Day George’s TUESDAYS AT THE CASTLE. I was furtively eyeing it on the Barnes and Noble Children’s shelf (while pretending to browse the Classic Literature section like any nerd who takes her book snobbery seriously) during a recent coffee date with the Husband. The book sang my name and I answered. I read the back cover, followed by the quaintly written first page, and then carried it to the Husband with the comment that, “This is written as a classic. Our children need it.”

    Being my husband, he sweetly just nodded and tried to conceal the look on his face that said, “Uh-huh. Our CHILDREN need it? Riiiight.” So, of course, we bought the book. And I read it to our cute children, who loved it (so much so that one of them promptly reread it).

    And they are here today to review it for you.

    Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

    (as reviewed by Rilian, Avalon, and Korbin)

     

    Our Summary: Castle Glower is full of fun personality, especially on Tuesdays when it decides to grow another room or secret passageway. Eleven-year-old Princess Celie, daughter of King Glower the seventy-ninth, likes to explore the changes and add them to her atlas. When Celie’s parents go missing and some unwanted visitors try to take over Castle Glower, Celie and her brother and sister must defend the Castle at all costs until they discover what has happened to their parents and older brother, Bran.

    What We Liked:

    • “I liked everything, especially when the girls are in the tower.” (Korbin, age 6)
    • “My favorite parts in the book were the pranks.” (Avalon, age 9)
    • “Mine too!” (Rilian, age 12) “I thought the author wrote the story so well—the excitement kept up the whole way through.”
    • “Yeah, I thought the book was exciting and fun and full of action! And I loved Castle Glower, especially how Celie could talk to it and it would do stuff. I like that it had feelings.” (Avalon, age 9)
    • “I loved that the castle was alive too. That made it so much cooler than if they’d just lived in a regular old castle.” (Rilian, age 12)
    • “My favorite room in Castle Glower is the throne room.” (Korbin, age 6)
    • “My favorite character was Celie.” (Avalon, age 9) “I loved her relationship with the castle. I also liked her and Rolf’s relationship.”
    •  “My favorite character was Prince Lulath. He’s so humorous, and his accent makes it even better. Oh, and his affection for his dogs. I liked Lulath’s dogs.” (Rilian, age 12)
    • “My favorite part is when the dog pees.” (Korbin, age 6)

    So, basically, we’d recommend it. ;0)

    And now Dear Readers, we’d like to know: What was YOUR favorite book as a child?

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    What’s the mood noise of the moment? Sarah Mclachlan: Happy Christmas

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    Posted in Best & Worst Books, Book Reviews | 16 Comments »

  • The Silent Gondoliers (a guest review)

    Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

    Meet Kristen Evey, an old friend and new book blogger! Kristen is funny, sweet, and writes awesome book reviews over at her pretty website, and today we get her reviewing a book for us! **clap, clap, clap, clap, clap** *whistles* Check it out, leave a comment (have you read Goldman’s stuff?), and then go visit her blog and become a follower. You’ll like her cool style, I promise. ;0)

    Hello, everyone! My name is Kristen. I’m a recent addition to the book blogging community and Mary is graciously allowing me to bestow her blog with a few of my words. I love books and writing, talking to others about books and writing, and of course (cuz’ I don’t think she’d allow me to post on here if I didn’t) I love food! Now without further ado, on to the review! (And, yes, sometimes I pretend to be a poet…)

    The Silent Gondoliers: A Fable: Goldman, William

    Summary:  Luigi is one of the most talented gondoliers in Venice, but his truest desire is to sing out loud with his whole heart, mind and soul. And since “everyone knows that the gondoliers of Venice are the greatest singers in the world,” Luigi must have a remarkable voice. Unfortunately, the Venetians do not appreciate Luigi’s singing. When he sings, Luigi’s gondola is pelted with fish and vegetables. Soon no one wants to hire him, and Luigi is forced to quit his profession. Thus Luigi begins a journey to fulfill his desire of learning the art of singing. He returns home years later in defeat, fearing that he will live out his days in mediocrity. But when disastear strikes the city, Luigi is quick to help, and he may just find his happiness where he least expects.

    Thoughts:  William Goldman is my inspiration as a writer. Every book and screenplay he writes is genius, in my somewhat biased opinion (e.g. The Princess Bride is the best book and movie ever written/made). The Silent Gondoliers is short, sweet, and funny. Goldman is a master of creating offbeat characters, to the point of making them almost ridiculous, but stopping just shy of over the top. (Okay, so some of them may be over the top. A deaf music teacher, perhaps?) In any case, we come to love and admire these characters, yet we laugh at them as well. So it is with Luigi, the lovable gondolier who wants to sing, even though he has no talent whatsoever. He shows us the heartache, struggle, beauty, and satisfaction of reaching for the stars.

    Some of my Favorite Things:

    1. William Goldman’s writing. Wonderful and witty.
    2. Luigi. He is lovable and ridiculous at the same time.

    Criticisms:  None.

    Recommended For:  Those looking for a quick and entertaining read by a master craftsman.

    Quoteworthy:  “A girl and a boy bump—surely an accident. A girl and a boy bump and her handkerchief drops—surely another accident. But when a girl gives a boy a dead squid—that had to mean something.”  – William Goldman, The Silent Gondoliers

    Oy! I can’t believe I’ve never read this book! *kicks self in annoyance and promises to grab it from the library* It sounds super fun and witty! THANK YOU KRISTEN!!!  -m

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    Posted in Best & Worst Books, Book Reviews | 9 Comments »

  • A Wrinkle in Time (a book review – well, sort of)

    Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

    WrinkleInTimePBA1.jpg

    So, I’ve just finished reading Madeleine L’Engle’s  “A Wrinkle in Time” for the first time. Yes, you heard that right: FOR. THE. FIRST. TIME. Why I never read it in grammar school is beyond me; currently I’ve decided to blame my mother for this oversight, which I’ll be reminding her of from here on out every time I need to borrow her Amazon card (right before I hold up a photo of her grandchildren looking all book-needy and cute).

    Anyhow, a few days of pondering this Wrinkle in Time book, and I’ve decided that my issues with it boil down to one major complaint: Basically, my parents intentionally ruined my life. My proof? Why did they not become government scientists housing a secret lair in our basement while indulging in a little tessering now and then? I know, right? Instead I grew up in a world devoid of off-planet vacations, fuzzy alien encounters, and the chance to battle a gigantic oozing brain nicknamed IT. I feel robbed.

    And while we’re on the subject, would it have hurt them to produce among their offspring a small genius boy who was all contemplative and charming and could’ve been fondly referred to as Charles Wallace? I mean, they had six of us regular kids, after all. They couldn’t pop out just one highly-intelligent boy child? No offense to my brothers but…well, you know. And for the record, having our fair share of creepy witch friends didn’t actually count like the Wrinkle in Time ones did since ours weren’t actually magical. They were just creepy. As were the large, furry blind beasts who used to feed and rock me to sleep.

    Anyhow, enough of my complaints. I’ll be working past them once I find a good therapist.

    In the meantime, mom and dad, I love you. And if either of you HAD been locked in a cell for years and years on another planet and everyone began doubting you’d ever come home, and then you almost gave in to the oozing brain’s mind control? I would’ve tessered to save you.

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    Posted in Best & Worst Books, Book Reviews | 14 Comments »

  • Crocodile on the Sandbank (a guest review)

    Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

    Meet my friend Mekenzi Stephens. She’s sweet and silly and marvelously full of spunk, which is why I like her and why I’m thoroughly convinced you will too. I recently invited her to write up a book review for us, and shortly thereafter she sent me her thoughts on Elizabeth Peters’ “Crocodile on the Sandbank.” I actually squealed when I got them and ran off to grab my sister’s copy of the book, which I hadn’t read in YEARS even though it’s one of my all-time favorite adventures! If you haven’t checked it out, YOU MUST DO SO. And in the meantime, have fun with Mekenzi’s review!

    Hi Everyone!

    So when Mary offered to let me do a book review for her blog, I was first of all psyched out of my mind that she offered cuz I think she’s basically really super cool, and second, I was convinced THAT would never happen.  Me, with the three amazing and crazy kids five and under…with the bedroom floor covered in laundry needing to be done…with free time between 12am and 6am?  Do a book review?  Ha! Yeah right! Or…maybe I was just a chicken.

    And then I picked up an old book that I had first read forever ago, called “Crocodile on the Sandbank,” and reintroduced myself to one of my favorite heroines ever, Miss Amelia Peabody.  I think she is also basically really super cool, and I was inspired by her dauntless courage and use of a parasol to put on my big girl panties, take a deep breath, and write a review already!  If Amelia can take on an ancient curse and a long dead mummy come back to life, I can do one book review right?  Right.  So.  Here goes nothin’…

    The story starts out by introducing its heroine, Miss Amelia Peabody, an extremely intelligent, efficient, and capable wealthy lady of Victorian Era England. (Think bustles, imperialism, and tea.) As she has reached the ripe old age of 31 without finding a husband sensible enough to tempt her, Amelia has decided to spend her resources and time imbibing the decadence and wonder of Egypt and the archeological marvels of that time. She is in Italy, getting ready to embark on her tour when her hired companion deserts her, being too delicate for the vibrant germs and parasites of abroad.  But fortunate enough, she comes across a young and beautiful lady who has just fallen unconscious in the middle of a public square.  After literally picking her up and dusting her off, Amelia discovers the girl is a deserted lady of questionable past, alone and destitute.  Amelia’s compassion and need for someone to dress up and set to rights motivates her to engage the lady, Miss Evelyn Barton-Forbes, as her new traveling companion, getting a sweet, gentle, and loyal true friend in the deal.     

    The story follows Amelia and Evelyn as they make their way to Egypt.  Upon arrival in Cairo, they visit the National Museum of Antiquities where they have a run-in with two English archeologist brothers over some pottery shards.  Well, technically, Amelia has a run-in with the eldest brother, Mr. Radcliffe Emerson, who is as formidable as Amelia herself. Evelyn, on the other hand, falls immediately in love with the younger brother, Walter Emerson, intelligent, gentle and handsome.  You can see where this is going, I’m sure…

    After the aforementioned run-in, Amelia and Evelyn continue on their pleasure cruise up the Nile.  Determined to grant Evelyn and Walter a little more time to get to know each other (*wink wink*), Amelia schedules a stop at Amarna, the site where the Emerson brothers are excavating.  Their “impromptu” visit turns much more serious as they find Emerson in the grips of a rampaging illness and it is only Amelia’s sensible and capable ministrations that save his life.  A true hero in distress.  Amelia decides to stay on for a week to make sure he doesn’t relapse and during that time discovers a love of archeology blossoming within her.  And that isn’t the only thing she falls in love with…

    However, the week is a turbulent one, as an ancient curse and a long dead mummy arise to haunt them!  With the help of Emerson, Amelia uses her indomitable powers of reason, her dauntless courage, and her trusty parasol to solve the heinous mystery!

    What I liked:

    1. Probably my favorite thing about this book is Amelia’s tone.  It is a first person narrative so Amelia is telling the story from her own viewpoint.  Elizabeth Peters, the author, does such an immensely entertaining job of giving Amelia the right balance of sensible practicality and delightful disregard for encumbering social precepts that you can’t help but love her!  She has a will of iron, a capability to take on whatever is thrown her way and yet is completely proper at every turn.  She always has everything under control, and if she ever has to wing it, she’ll never let on. (I think she would have liked to borrow your throwing knives, Mary.)
    2. Emerson is one of my favorite leading men EVER.  He’s got that passionate, manly vibe that is just so sexy, you know?  I also love the interaction between Amelia and Emerson.  Watching Amelia awaken to the possibility of finding love is super fun, like, in a perfectly girlie, giggly type of way.
    3. I really like how Peters uses factual information in the archeological aspect of this book.  The tools and methods Amelia and Emerson use in the book are the same tools and methods the actual archeologists of the day used.  So you are learning and being entertained at the same time.  Two-fer.
    4. This is the first of at least seventeen books in the Amelia Peabody mystery series.  THAT is a selling point in and of itself—am I right?  The rest of the series follows Amelia and her budding family through escapade after escapade with lots of romance, suspense, and laughter thrown in.

    So I hope you pick up this book and check it out.  Then you can be inspired by Amelia’s kick-butt attitude to do something epic too, like uncover a crumbling pavement decorated in the days of the pharaohs, or hike up a pyramid, or take out a zombie mummy, or write your own book review!

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    What’s the mood noise of the moment? The super cute Cleopatra Stratan

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    Posted in Best & Worst Books, Book Reviews | 8 Comments »

  • Harry Potter Rabid Fan Pics

    Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

    Well, rabid fan peeps, did you see Harry Potter??? Annnnd? Did you love it?

    Peter and I did our rabid fan thing opening night (which mainly looks like me being the rabid fan and Pete being my arm-candy) with the most awesome groupies ever! Some of them had been there since the wee hours of the morning and STILL had energy! Like these ladies. Check out the pillow.

    I caught this group walking by us in full character, looking way too fabulous. Love the lady in the back!

    And lucky us—right after we got in line, THIS cool fan dropped by to hang out with us for the long wait. Hey, Jay Asher! (Sadly, I’m not in costume…blame the long work day. I do have my cool purple hair streaks though. They’re very “Tonks” looking, don’t ya think?)

    For much of the evening we held the honored place of Very Last in Line. Until THIS guy came and stole it. We dubbed him “random end of the line guy.” He embraced the title, so, of course, we had to get a pic with him.

    Once inside, the theater hosted a costume contest. These two almost won. Aren’t they adorable? I dig her hair.

    And apparently Batman is a huge Potter fan. Who knew?

    Finally, the show began. My sister, her hubs, and Pete and I sat in the front row with our cool Harry Potter 3D glasses.

    My sister cried. I ate gobs of buttered popcorn.

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    Posted in A bit of brag, Best & Worst Books, Genre Savvy | 20 Comments »

  • “Wither” by Lauren DeStefano (a book review)

    Sunday, May 15th, 2011

    “For Males twenty-five is the fatal age. For women it’s twenty. We are all dropping like flies.”       Rhine (from “Wither” by Lauren DeStefano)

    Wither by Lauren DeStefano cover.jpg

    Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery lives in a dystopian future where genetic engineering has passed a death sentence on the human population. Males live to age twenty-five. Females to twenty. The cure that freed the world from disease also single-handedly freed its inhabitants from a future. Shorter life-spans means fewer people, forcing civilization to exist in survival mode where poverty is rampant and human traffickers (Gatherers) kidnap girls as young as thirteen to sell into polygamous marriages for the sake of repopulation. Those who aren’t desirable marriage material are sent to brothels or killed.

    After the Gatherers seize Rhine, she is sold with two others to Linden, a young man of wealth who offers them a vibrant and luxurious life within the walls of his estate. Angered and grief-stricken, Rhine befriends her new husband in an attempt to become his favorite wife (minus the physical benefits), thus increasing the possibility of escape. Except, the longer she’s near him and his suffering (due to a personal tragedy), and the realization that things are not quite as they seem, the greater her compassion for him grows. As does it for the two other wives. So much so, that she can almost allow herself to surrender into this new life if not for the beloved twin brother she left behind. Or Gabriel, the gentle house-servant. Or Housemaster Vaughn, Linden’s geneticist father (one of the last from the original generation), whose obsession with finding an antidote to the shortened lifespan lends itself to frightening research in the basement. Of which Rhine and her “sister-wives” may be his next test subjects.

    What I liked:

    1. The voice. Lyrical and mature. Fanciful and vulnerable.
    2. The author, Lauren DeStefano’s, brilliance with words. Unbelievably gorgeous.
    3. The characters. They linger with you.
    4. The tricky way in which DeStefano takes real (and complex) social issues, places them in the future, and then allows the reader to experience them just enough so as to consider the context and emotions from multiple perspectives. And yet, in doing so, she manages (for the most part) to maintain the innocence of the readers and the characters.
    5. The scope and pacing. DeStefano uses an interesting (and risky) technique in “Wither,” and she manages to pull it off incredibly well. Basically, at times the story almost feels slow and confining, and as a reader I wanted to pull out of the pages to see the world beyond the house and beyond the minute details of tedious life (albeit a life full of vibrant flavor and appeal). To the point that it frustrated me. Which is the beauty of it. DeStefano forces her readers to participate in the story BEYOND the average expectation by trapping them to those pages, to the house, and to those details. Just like Rhine.
    6. Okay, I rarely comment on book covers simply because (from my perspective) they have nothing to do with whether a story works or not. However, in this case, I picked up the book specifically for the cover. It’s amazing.
    7. Knowing there are more books to come.

    All right, ladies and gents…there you have it. ;) Have you read it?

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    Posted in Best & Worst Books, Book Reviews, Book Trailers | 15 Comments »

  • How Many Books? (Plus a Cozy Dinner Recipe)

    Monday, March 21st, 2011

    Every couple of months someone sends me the BBC list meme (which I love and have fun with) asking how many books I’ve read out of the 100 on it. My answer currently sits at thirty-two, but that tends to fluctuate as, from what I can tell, the books change every so often (a few are added, a few removed), and in fact not everyone stands convinced the list is even legit. However, for me it’s a good reading challenge and an introduction to some tomes that, to be honest, I may not have looked at otherwise.

    Well…I’ve got another list for you! And this one will seriously kick your nicely-shaped mental faculties. Like, I think I’ve only read six out of the entire 100. Ouch. *cringes and looks bashfully down at my toes*

    It’s called 100 Essential Reads for the Lifelong Learner.

    Check it out, and then come back and tell us how many you’ve read. Or perhaps which ones interest you the most. Or perhaps which ones you plan to read….

    Good luck, me reading hearties! Oh, and here’s a rainy day recipe to go along with all this wintry weather. Enjoy.

    potato corn chowder

    A Recipe for Potato Corn Chowder

    1pckg chopped bacon

    1 tsp crushed garlic

    1 lg onion chopped

    3 cans creamed corn

    2 cups milk

    4 or 5 lg potatoes diced

    Cook the bacon in a heavy pot until crisp; then remove and set aside, leaving 1 Tab. of grease. Add the garlic and onion and sauté. Add the creamed corn, milk, bacon, and potatoes, and cook on low for 45 min – 1hour, stirring regularly until potatoes are tender. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and serve with bread (San Luis Sourdough!). Quick note: you can hasten the cook time by using already-baked potatoes.

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    Posted in Best & Worst Books, Genre Savvy, Reading Recipes | 26 Comments »

  • The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead

    Monday, March 14th, 2011

    If you haven’t heard me rave about Stephen Lawhead at some point, then we probably haven’t talked books enough. This guy is like the Gwen Stefani of the literary world—meaning he’s been around for forever and still continues to reinvent his art. And it’s always epic.

    Looking for history? Inquire within. Looking for fantasy? Inquire within. Looking for sci-fi? Inquire within. Looking for the best retelling of Robin Hood ever? Yeah…you get the idea. Twenty-four books straddling the lines of both literary and commercial, and he’s still at it. And this is his latest. The Skin Map. Which I plan to read on my upcoming vacation (which will involve a lot of sitting around on a chaise lounge at the beach with food and books and cute kids).

    But tell me—have you read him? If so, which book is your favorite? If not, do you want to???

    And by the way, did you know the complete skin covering of the average human body measures about 20 sq. feet? Just sayin’. *nods at twitter for that juicy piece of randomness*

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    What’s the mood noise of the moment?  No Doubt:  Spiderwebs

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    Posted in Author Tidbits, Best & Worst Books, Book Trailers, Genre Savvy | 17 Comments »

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