January, 2018

"Running on the Roof of the World" by Jess Butterworth         

Tash's community in Tibet is occupied by Chinese soldiers. When the soldier's come for Tash's family, Tash grabs her best friend Sam and flees across the mountains. Blizzards, nomads, hunger, and thirst are only a few obstacles they face.         

I thought this was a great book for pre-teens. It is an adventure story that also shares a different culture and perspective. Overall, well worth picking up.

"In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills" by Jennifer Haupt         

After the loss of her mom, Rachel is looking for information about her father, who abandoned her at a young age. The search leads her to Rwanda, where she meets Lillian Carson. Lillian left the U.S. after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and opened a quasi-orphanage. As Rachel learns about the genocide, and the aftermath, she also discovers information about her father, and who she really is.         

This was a fantastic book. It was engaging, well written and fast paced. The characters were fascinating, and really felt alive. This may be one of the best books I've read throughout the year. I look forward to reading more from this author.

"Wanderers No More" by Michelle Saftich         

After WWII, the Saforo family flee Italy for Australia. Told from the point of view Martino, the youngest boy, the book follows them for about twenty years.         

I didn't realize this was the second book in a series when I picked it up. Still, it was easy to understand and follow the story line. It felt as if the situations and solutions that occurred throughout the book were overly simplistic. The entire book felt very detached. Overall, a bust.

"Prime Meridian" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia         

Amelia works as a rent-a-friend, spending time with others in exchange for a little money in her pocket. All the while, she dreams of mars and a life different from her own. This was more of a short-story than a novel. I didn't get a real feel for the characters. The entire book felt bleak, making it feel as if it was going nowhere. Overall, not a book for me. 

"Storm on Mars" by Kate Rauner         

This is the 5th book in the Mars Colonization series. Now that basic survival needs have been taken care of, the colonists have time to focus on their own interests. From childhood, Zeker has been receiving special neuroplasticity treatments, designed to auto-correct his psychopathic tendencies. Zeker travels from his home at the northern ice mines to join the elite guilders at the Tower Guilds. As an apprentice, Zeker is forced to work on others projects, rather than his ambitious project of ending the storms on mars. When Zeker turns off the neoroplasticity treatments, he chafes against the tasks he has been assigns and leaves the apprenticeship. Zeker ends up in a lawless community, ruled by two rival factions. Surrounded by people who are only out for themselves and unused to bargaining for his basic needs, Zeker must find his own way to survive.

     This was an interesting next-step in the Mars Colonization series. Zeker was an unexpected, yet fascinating character. It was interesting to see how the neuroplasticity treatments curbed his natural tendencies, and how Governor interacted with him one-on-one. Like the other books, this was well written and a quick read. I look forward to reading more in the series. Overall, highly recommended.

"Along the Indigo" by Elsie Chapman

Marsden works as a cook at the b&b while her mother works as a prostitute. Both try and protect Wynn, Mars' younger sister, from the harsher realities of life. The family property, a covert the size of two baseball fields, is a local spot, where people come to commit suicide. Jude, whose older brother committed suicide in the covert, is searching for a time capsule that he believes his brother has hidden.         

Although the book had a good start, it quickly became tedious. It seemed that in each chapter the author went over and over the covert's history and description. The author also seemed to dwell on the same events over and over. Unfortunately, this one was a bust.

"The Big Water" by Andrea Curtis         

When Christina's twin brother dies, she runs away and boards the steamship Asia. While on the Great Lakes, a storm topples the boat, leaving Christina scrambling in the water. With a dozen others, Christina finds shelter on a lifeboat, only to have it turn over and over in the water. By the end of the night, only Christina and one other are alive.         

Based on a true story, this was an interesting look at a little known disaster. Christina was a strong and dynamic character, one I found myself rooting for. I think the writing style is well suited towards young adults, particularly those who want a little adventure and romance. Highly recommended.

"I was Anastasia" by Ariel Lawhon         

At the end of her life Anna Anderson tells the story of her battle to be recognized as Grand Duchess Anastasia. Told backwards in time, each chapter unravels and illuminates her story a little more. Told forward in time, is Anastasia's imprisonment and the events leading up to her alleged death.         

I've always found Anna Anderson's story to be fascinating, and this book was no exception. It was well written and engaging and kept me at the edge of my seat. I didn't particularly enjoy the backwards in time element, but I understand why the author did it. Overall, highly recommended.

"The Taster" by V.S. Alexander         

When Magda's Uncle finds her a job with the third reich, the last thing she imagines is that she will be tasting Hitler's food for poisons. Work at the Berghof seems almost glamorous, until it becomes obvious that Germany is losing the war. As Magda falls in love with an SS officer, she is both excited and terrified to find out that he is one of many plotting an assassination attempt.         

This was a quick read and interesting story. Some of the secondary characters felt a bit bland and stereotypical. However, Magda's relationship with other staff at the Berghof and with Eva Braun was well developed. Overall, four out of five stars.

"The Trials of Nellie Belle" by Sydney Avey          

Nellie has left her husband to work as a traveling court report. What follows is the story of her and her daughter, as they make a life at the turn of the century.         

I'm not sure what to think about this book. The first part of the book was well written and engaging. Then, it seemed that it moved into a series of short stories rather than a novel. The author has serious problems with the passage of time. In one chapter, Opal is getting married and having a baby. In the next chapter, the baby is six and the author is going back in time to explain how the dad died and how Opal came to live with Nellie. With about a hundred pages left in the book, it switched from Nellie's point of view to her granddaughter Leone's. With some editing, I think this could be a good book, but how it stands, I cannot recommend it.

"Daughters of the Winter Queen" by Nancy Goldstone         

James I, marries his daughter Elizabeth to Frederick V of the Palatinate, with the unspoken agreement that he would support Frederick's desire to ascend the throne of Bohemia. Instead, James does nothing when Frederick is deposed and Elizabeth and family are forced into exile. This is a slow and boring book. The author seems to waiver between telling a story and giving a bland recitation of facts. Overall, a bust.