March 2012

"Daughter of the Blood" by Anne Bishop         

"Daughter of the Blood" shows a corrupt society, which has twisted the notion that women rule and men serve.  Rather than service being a soft leash, it is pain, torture and humiliation.  Dorothea, the High Priestess, has conducted a campaign to brutalize female children before they can come into their power and destroy and maim strong men.  Foreseen by a black widow is a Queen who will rule the Blood and reverse the damage that has been done.  Jaenelle is born to a powerful family, but one who believes she is crazed and tainted. 

     I have to admit right away that this is my favorite book series and Anne Bishop is my favorite author.  This is probably the dozenth time I've read this book, and it was just as good as the first.  The characters and their interaction are fascinating and the magic system is interesting.  I loved the interaction between the three realms and as always, look forward to (re)reading the next book.

"Nowolipie Street" by Jozef Hen and Krystyna Boron         

Jozef grew up in a middle-class Jewish family on Nowolipie Street in Warsaw prior to the German invasion.  He provides a wealth of details about his childhood and idyllic youth.  When Germany invades Poland his life changes almost overnight and he is forced to make the difficult decision to leave his family.

     I thought this book would be very suitable as a family-type memoir.  I found it a bit boring, after all, things that may have been interesting as a child, aren't that interesting to read about as an adult.  I do think that it is an important contribution to literature and provides a little known portrait of life before the German invasion of Poland.  Overall, not a bad book, just not one I would re-read.

"A Portrait of Pacifists:  Le Chambon, the Holocaust, and the Lives of Andre and Magda Trocme" by Richard Unsworth

This book is based on the unpublished memoirs of Andre and Magda Trocme as well as interviews and authors research.  The book outlines the tradition of pacifism in Europe and throughout the world.

     I found the book fairly dry and a bit hard to read.  It is written in an odd tense that blends past and present tense.  It isn't really written in a "story" format but rather seems to read as a series of essays.  Overall, I think this reads more like a dissertation than anything.

"Gate to Kandrith" by Luiken Nicole        

Sarathena, a wealthy pampered noblewoman has been given the mission of discovering the secret of slave magic.  Sara is immediately glad to get away from potential suitors, the burden of being polite and social and the nature of city life.  However, she finds herself on the journey with Lance, a former slave who rescued Sara from an amorous lover.  As one of the members of Kandrith, or Slaveland, Lance knows the secret of magic but is wary of Sara's motives.

     I found this to be a delightfully refreshing novel.  I thought the magic system was brilliant and the characters well developed.  I think anyone who enjoys fantasy books will find this one hard to put down.  Overall, highly recommended.

"The City's Son" by Tom Pollock         

After being betrayed by her best friend, Beth runs away from home only to find that everyday London is much darker and mysterious than she had thought.  After meeting Filius, the underground "prince" she discovers a new world of monsters and miracles.

     Overall, I found the beginning of the book a bit slow.  Not a lot was explained and the jumping back and forth between Beth and Filius didn't add a lot to the story.  I do think that fans of urban fiction and some young adults will find this book fascinating.  It is a bit unusual, but very well written and the characters are well developed.

"Experiment Eleven" by Peter Pringle         

This book outlines the discovery of streptomycin, the first cure discovered for tuberculosis, and the ensuing controversy between Albert Schatz and Selman Waksman.  As a Ph.D. student, Schatz was working on a project for microbiology professor Waksman.  During his eleventh experiment, he discovered streptomycin.  Waksman took credit for the discovery and worked to undermine Schatz credibility.  Outraged, Schatz sued Waksman, and was awarded the title of co-discoverer.  Several years later Waksman alone received the Nobel Prize for streptomycin.

     I found the book to be fascinating.  I had no idea that farmers and agriculturalists were involved with medicine and microbiology.  Although the book was slow at times, it was easy to read and did not bog me down with scientific terms and phrases.  Overall, I recommend this to anyone with an interest in the history of medicine.

"Big Cat, Small Cat" by Ami Rubinger         

Big Cat, Small Cat is a picture book designed for young children learning about rhymes, shapes, colors and sizes.  It felt as if the author was trying to write a book in a Dr. Seuss manner, but I felt she missed the mark.  Dr. Seuss' books always seemed to have a real meaning or story behind them, which this book lacked.  I do not think this is a must read for young children.

"Innocent Darkness" by Suzanne Lazear         

This is a steam punk novel that takes place in 1900, yet features steam powered flying cars, hovercrafts and airships.  After crashing a flying car, Noli is sent to reform school in order to learn how to be a lady.  Reform school, designed to take the individuality and spark out of girls, quickly wears on Noli and she and her friend Charlotte make plans to run away.  Before they can execute their plan, Charlotte's uncle returns and takes Charlotte from the school.  Meanwhile, in the land of faery, they are desperately searching for a sacrifice, a young girl who will be killed in order to stabilize magic.  Without the sacrifice, magic and human creativity will die out.

     I have to admit that this is my first steam punk novel.  I really enjoyed it.  The mix of technology with old world beliefs and customs was fascinating.  The beginning of the book, with Noli at the reform school, was also pretty interesting.  Once she got to faery I thought the book moved a bit slowly, but it was still interesting.  Overall, I thought this was a great read.

"A Touch of Fate" by Christine Amsden         

Marianne has always been able to predict the future through a series of signs and feelings.  However, as she learned the hard way, she is powerless to change the future.  After her gift/curse has cost her a marriage, Marianne moves across country with her daughter to start over.  She is quickly drawn to a group of women who share her ability.  Suddenly she feels welcome and appreciated, and then one of her new friends is murdered.

     I found this book a bit hard to get into.  The characters seemed a bit one dimensional.  The plot was a bit slow and kept repeating the same themes over and over.  Overall, I think this book was a bust. 

"Child of the Mountains" by Marilyn Sue Shank         

Lydia has lost her Gran, younger brother BJ and now her mom has been sent to jail.  She has moved to her Uncle William's house, where she feels ostracized and alone.  With the help of a teacher, and his fiance, Lydia continues to fight to free her Mom from jail.

     The book is written in a journal style and uses an Appalachian dialect.  It is slow to reveal why her mom is in prison and what happened with her brother.  I enjoyed the book, but wish it had moved at a faster pace.  I also wanted to know more about the appeals trial, but what happened was almost completely left out.  I felt the ending jumped a bit too much in time and left out important details.  Overall I did enjoy reading the book, mainly because Lydia was such a well-written and likable character. 

"Famous Chefs and Fabulous Recipes" by Lisa Abraham         

This isn't just a cookbook but a history of the Western Reserve School of Cooking.  It contains an eclectic mix of recipes and information about the famous chefs who passed through the school.

     I was reading an Advanced Readers Copy, which did not include any pictures of the recipes.  I think this would have been a valuable addition and hope that pictures are included in the final copy.  At times I thought the introductions about the chefs was a bit long, I was ready to get to the food.  Overall, I enjoyed this book and intend to try out some its recipes. 

"The Wednesdays" by Julie Bourbeau         

On Wednesdays strange things happen in Max's town.  Cars refuse to start, bumpers fall off, anything bad that can happen will.  Most townsfolk stay inside their homes on Wednesdays and hope that nothing bad happens.  On his birthday, Max irritates his parents until they put him outside with the Wednesdays.

     Overall, I thought the book was a bit silly.  But I think it is a perfect chapter book for younger children.  It contains humor and a sense of danger that I think will excite and enthrall children.  Overall, I thought it was well written and the characters were interesting and dynamic.

"The Raft" by S. A. Bodeen        

After spending time with her aunt in Hawaii, Robie decides to catch an earlier flight home to Midway.  Unfortunately, she wasn't able to get a hold of her parents to let them know she was on her way.  The flight begins smoothly, but soon encounters turbulence.  The engine dies and the plane crashes into the water.  Max, the co-pilot, throws her out of the plane and helps her onto a life raft.

     I thought that this book was wonderful.  It was engaging and very hard to put down.  The crash scene was particularly well written as well as scenes dealing with Robie's emotions.  I really felt for Robie as she encountered one struggle after another.  I think this book is good for many ages, particularly teenagers.  Overall, I thought this was a home run.

"Sick from Freedom" by Jim Downs          

After (and during) the Civil War, former slaves suffered from sickness, disease and death.  This is something that is little discussed and little known in United States History.  Union troupes were unable to cope with the large number of freed peoples, who were often shuttled from one place to another as they sought help.  Yellow fever, smallpox, cholera, dysentery, hypothermia, malnutrition and more were all encountered by those just grateful to finally have their freedom.

     I don't think that I could describe this as a casual reading book.  It is extremely detailed and very well researched.  I think it adds knowledge to the academic and educational world about emancipation.  I think it can also be used to discuss the effect of current wars on indigenous and local populations. 

"Wonder" by R. J. Palacio         

Imagine being born with facial deformities.  Not only are you forced to have multiple surgeries, but people stare at you, are frightened by your face and whisper about you behind your back.  August is a very special looking child but inside his is just an everyday ordinary kid.  When his parents decide that he would go from home school to a regular school, August is scared and apprehensive.  This is a story of courage, acceptance and kindness.

     Overall, I really enjoyed this book and its message. The book begins with Augusts’ point of view and then switches to various people in his life.  My only criticism is that at times the author repeated events from multiple points of view, which became a little tedious.  I think this book is very appropriate and valuable for middle and high school students. 

"American Rose" by Karen Abbott         

Gypsy Rose Lee, known by her family as Louise, transformed herself from vaudeville to burlesque during the Great Depression.  As a child, she took a backseat to her younger sister Jane, who was a magnificent dancer and singer.  Jane, unable to adapt to the great depression was left behind when Louise decided to do whatever it took to succeed.

     I thought this was a fascinating book.  The childhood of Jane and Louise was particularly interesting.  I enjoyed learning about vaudeville as well as the time period they lived and worked in.  My only critique is that the book jumped in time.  I wish it had been more chronological.  Otherwise, I highly enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.

"A Night To Remember" by Walter Lord         

This is a fairly comprehensive book detailing the passengers on board the Titanic.  It describes events from multiple points of view, including staff and steerage.  I thought that the book was well  and very factual.  At times it did feel like the author was throwing out a lot of names.  At times it was hard to follow and keep track of the variety of people.  Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about the Titanic or a history buff.

"Unfair to Genius" by Gary Rosen         

This book chronicles the long and litigious life of Ira B. Arnstein.  Although he never one a single case, rulings handed down in these cases have come to define some of the basic parameters of copyright law.  In-between stories of Arnstein, the book provides details about the era through a musical context.

     I had a hard time getting into this book.  It was well written, but I found the subject matter a bit stale.  I think copyright attorneys or musicians may be more interested in the book than I was.  I definitely think this is a book for casual reading.

"No-Name Baby" by Nancy Bo Flood         

Sophie's pregnant mother falls and goes into premature labor.  With the help of Aunt Rae and her grandmother, the baby is safely delivered however Sophie's mother is weak and on death's door.  Sophie finds herself returning to the row of gravestone where three non-name babies are buried, her mother's previous three miscarriages.

     I thought the book a bit heavy for teenagers and a bit simple for adults.  I thought it was extremely well written and engaging.  Sophie is very relatable and your heart goes out to her family.  Overall, not a bad read.

"White Lies" by Jeremy Bates         

On her way to a new town Katrina picks up a hitchhiker during the middle of a storm.  Once she realizes he is drunk, and a bit creepy, she makes up a lie and dumps him out of the car.  When Katrina begins her new job as a teacher, she runs right back into the hitchhiker and in order to cover up for her first lie, she makes up another, and then another.  Towards the end of the story the lies culminate in one murder, and then another.

     I found the beginning of the book interesting.  But the idea that her little white lie lead to murder was a bit far fetched to me.  Her actions and decisions seemed to make no sense.  Part of me wishes she had been locked up next to her insane boyfriend.

"Cross my Heart" by Sasha Gould         

When 16 year old Laura is recalled from the convent, she learns that her oldest sister Beatrice has drowned in the canals of Venice. Her father demands that she marries Beatrice's fiancee, an older unpleasant man.  At the last moment, the Segreta, a secret society of women, come to her aid, arranging that her fiancee leaves the city in disgrace.  However, Laura is now beholden to the Segreta, who may be more dangerous than she ever imagined.

     This book was very engaging.  It was faced paced and the characters were very interesting.  The book was filled with surprises and twists and turns.  Overall, I thought the author did a wonderful job.  I highly recommend this book to adult and teenagers alike.

"Watchers Last Stop" by Peter Lerangis         

David's father was slowly losing his mind before he disappeared six months ago.  David has begun to give up on finding him when he see's him on an abandoned subway station.  With the help of a friend, he is determined to crack the mystery and find out what is really going on.

     I thought the book was extremely short.  Although the mystery was solved, nothing was really explained.  I realize that there will be more books in the series, but I thought too much was left out of this book for it to make much sense.  Overall, I was disappointed with this book.

"Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride and Breaking Free" by Elissa Wall

Elissa Wall was born into an FLDS family who practice polygamy.  The book provides an outline of her tumultuous childhood, teenage marriage and how she lost her family members one-by-one to the outside world.  She struggled to follow the prophet Warren Jeffs while remaining true to herself and her values.  After suffering from several miscarriages and a still birth, she found the courage to break away from the FLDS and eventually testify against Warren Jeffs. 

     One thing that is hard to understand is the stark differences between the FLDS world and the outside world.  From birth FLDS children are taught to fear outsiders and their way of life.  Breaking away is not only an act of courage, but an act that FLDS members believe will send them to hell.  This book did a wonderful job of presenting those differences and the challenges faced by former-FLDS members.  The book was well written and presented a clear time line of Elissa's life.  Although I thought the beginning moved slowly, the pace picked up after her marriage.  Overall, this is a wonderful book, one I highly recommend.

"Mariana" by Susanna Kearsley         

Julia, a children's illustrator, stumbles across an old farmhouse she knows instantly that it belongs to her.  She impulsively purchases the house and immediately moves in.  However, she begins to experience a different life, the life of Mariana, a woman from the 17th century.  Although the experiences are frightening, she quickly becomes obsessed and does everything she can to continue experiencing these time slips.

     This book was very well written.  It was an engaging story and the characters were fresh and unique.  My only criticism is that the book ended abruptly with everything just falling into place.  the author reminds me a bit of Barbara Erskine and I can't wait to read more from her.

"Up Cat" by Hazel Hutchins         

This is a very cute picture book for children.  It reminds me exactly of my kitten and all of the things she gets up to in a day.   It is beautifully illustrated and catches the joy and whimsical nature of kittens.  Overall, highly recommended. 

"Promising Light" by Emily Ann Ward         

Grace, a lady of the court has been secretly courting Dar for six months.  After Dar abruptly ends their courtship, Prince William takes an interest in Grace and begins courting her.  Although Grace realizes that something is off, she doesn't uncover their secrets until she is kidnapped by Dar's family.  Ten years ago a curse was placed against the magical race of shape changers, and they are unable to have children.  However, based upon a prophecy, they believe that Grace will be able to break the curse.  Unsure, Grace is torn between the world she knows and helping Dar's family.

     Overall I thought that the book was well written.  The characters were engaging and realistic.  I did think that the theme of "chase, capture, escape" happened way too many times.  I stopped counting when I got to five.  Towards the end of the book characters were added and I felt that they weren't as flushed out as ones introduced at the beginning of the story.  However, despite these problems, the book was interesting and I found myself not wanting to put it down.  I am interested to read future books by the author and see how she progresses with her storytelling.

"The World in Your Lunch Box" by Claire Eamer         

I had a lot of fun reading this book.  It was colorful, engaging and full of fun facts and trivia.  It basically follows a kid through seven days of lunches.  For each lunch, four food items are picked out and a brief history is given.  I really loved this book and think many will enjoy its style and pizzazz. 

"Cowgirl Trail" by Susan Page Davis         

Maggie's family owns a cattle ranch during the late 1800's.  After her Mom dies Maggie returns to the ranch only to discover that the cowboys are threatening to strike for improved wages.  Rather than give in to their demands, Maggie gets together a group of women who roundup the cattle and work the cattle drive. 

     This is a story about girl power and perseverance.  It is very engaging.  The plot moves quickly and the characters are interesting.  I had a hard time putting this one down.

"Buried in the Sky" by Zuckerman and Padoan         

In 2008 eleven climbers died on K2, one of the worlds most dangerous mountains.  This book differs from prior books about the K2 disaster, because it is written from the perspective of the sherpas.  It discusses the history of K2, and discusses in detail the lives of sherpa's Chhiring and Pasang.

     The book started out a bit slow.  It threw a lot of names out, which made it difficult to get to know anyone.  Once the book got to the actual event, it was shocking how one or two missteps led to the death of so many.  Overall, I thought the book was very well written.  It was apparent that a lot of research and interviews went into writing this book.

"Sisters of Glass" by Stephanie Hemphill         

As the younger daughter of a Venetian glassmaker, Maria was supposed to be sent to the convent.  Instead her father insisted that she be married to a senator, even though Giovanna, her elder sister was prepared for that role.  As her mom prepares her to be a lady, Maria comes to resent her position, wishing that she could blow glass and work in the family business.

     I thought this book had a very odd writing style.  At times it seemed to be written in prose.  The dialogue was more sing-songy than believable.  Further the majority of sentences were short and chopping.  The book skipped from scene to scene, at times going into great details and at others skimming over important events.  I'm not quite sure how I felt about this book.  The writing style left a lot to be desired, but it had an interesting plot line and lovable characters.

"American Horse" by William Panzarella         

Frank Keller is particularly stricken by the attack on Pearl Harbor and joins the army.  He returns home to his high school sweetheart and builds a home in the suburbs.  I found this book extremely hard to get into.  The writing style seemed a bit detached, making the book seem a bit surreal.  This made it very hard to get to know the characters and really relate to them.  Also, there were some pretty basic grammatical errors present throughout the book, for example, using "their" instead of "there."

"Child Molesters, Child Rapists, and Child Sexual Abuse:  Why and How Sex Offenders Abuse: child Molestation, Rape, and Incest Stories, Studies and Models" by Lynn Daugherty

This book attempts to explain why and how sex offenders abuse children.  It is written in a question and answer format, which seems particularly directed towards a younger audience.  It includes descriptions of particular behaviors and characteristics and then often has a story written in the child molesters own words.  It could also be used by a counselor or therapist to help a younger child understand why something bad happened to them.  It emphasizes that it is not the child's fault, which I think is a very important message.  Overall, I thought this was a great book, for a younger audience.  Older teenagers and adults may find the language used a bit simplistic. 

"Precious Bones" by Mika Ashley-Hollinger         

10 year old Bones lives in the Florida swamps with her mother and father Nolay, an Indian.  During the summer two Yankee real estate agents come down to their land.  When Nolay hears they want to purchase the land he scares them off.  A few days later one of the Yanks is missing.  I found this book a bit difficult to read.  The writer utilized a lot of country sayings, metaphors and similes which I found a bit distracting.  I also thought the book moved a bit slowly.  I do think that middle school aged children will enjoy and appreciate the book.  It just wasn't my style.

"Who Were the Accused Witches of Salem" by Laura Hamilton Waxman         

This is a children's book that discusses the who, what when, where why, and how of the Salem Witch Trial.  It provides a time line of events and discusses the major players involved.  It is colorful and well written for its age group.  It defines words that may be unknown and includes information about the time period.  Overall, I thought that this was a well written and concise history.