Time For School

 

The Three-Berry Academy by Joseph Helgerson

Quiet Quickthorn, the teacher at the Three-Berry Academy, needs to get her river troll students to school. The problem is they don't want to go.  She has to catch them first.

This is a fun, quirky book.  Quickthorn has to trick her students into coming to school.  Each chapter is the story of a different student, told in the voice of the student.  I like how each chapter is told in a distinctive voice.  They all have the same concept but Helgerson manages to make them all individual stories.  I enjoyed reading about the river trolls and learning about their lives and what they treasure enough to get caught.  I think children and adults will like this one.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers.

Who doesn't like a narwhal?

 Legend of the Narwhals by Robert Skead

When Prince Asgar's mother disappears he decides to go looking for her.  Joining him are his best friend, Tuka, and his little sister, Kari.  Along the way is danger, adventure, and legends.

This was okay.  It is a fun little adventure, fantasy story.  But I don't like Prince Asgar.  I don't like the way he treats his father, his best friend or his sister.  So the idea of him being a hero was not appealing to me.  The black and white illustrations were cute, with bold clean outlines, almost like they came out of a coloring book.  And I'm glad they put some narwhal facts at the end.   I like a story with Snow Monsters and I'm glad they didn't make them the bad guys here.  And though I like the idea of the narwhal connection it was awkwardly constructed in the the story.  It had a few moments that I enjoyed but I don't think it ever came together completely.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers.

Eww, slimy!

 Amorphous Breaking the Mold by Steven Burgess

In the near future, an eclectic group of friends finds themselves in the center of an alien invasion.  When an interstellar object crashes into Earth and releases an alien lifeform that starts to subsume people the friends are surprised to find that they are the best chance to save the human race.

I can't say I didn't like this book, but it was not what I expected.  For an alien invasion story there was a lack of alien lifeforms in the first two thirds of the book.  I was also surprised by the fact that most of the book is conversation.  Even after the alien lifeform arrives, almost everyone (even the often mentioned AI) sits or stands around having philosophical discussions.  I was often left waiting for something to happen.  Anything.  Some of the discussions were interesting, but for me, it was too much.  Too much of the book takes place around a restaurant table.  I do like the interesting take on an alien invasion.  There were some fun moments.  But the write up is misleading and I was left slightly disappointed.  

I received a free copy of this book for review from Library Thing Early Reviewers.

Need a Tow?

 Towed by Toad by Jashar Awan

Toad loves to help others with his tow truck.  But what happens when Toad needs help?

This book won me over right from the start.  As soon as I saw Pop frying up a fly for breakfast I was sold.  From Davey Dog who hit a log or Mayor Hop who forgot to stop, a lot of people need Toad's help.  But Toad learns that sometimes even the helpers have to ask for help.  The illustrations are adorable.  Toad's desire to help makes him an endearing character and I love how his father is always there in the background ready to offer support.  It is a sweet, cute story that I think any child will love and it teaches them that you should not be afraid to ask for help.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Library Thing Early Reviewers.

Where's me pot of gold?

 The Golden One by W.T. Kosmos

The Lumberjack Leprechauns have been felling trees for years, looking for a pot of gold.  But when the first democratic election results in deforestation regulations the Leprechauns hold a costume contest to find the next golden leader and get back to cutting trees.

This is a one act play.  It is goofy nonsense with a message.  It is nice and short which in this case is a good thing.  I think if it had been any longer, I would have lost interest.  It is funny and silly, but it does make you think.  I don't think this is going to change the world, but it might make some people think about who they are following and why.  And maybe plant a couple of trees.  If you are a fan of satire (or just like leprechauns) you should give it a try.

I got a free copy of this book for Librarything.com Early Reviews.

Beware the Beast

 In The Lair of Legends by David Buzan

Jolon Winterhawk is a Native American in the US Cavalry during the Civil War.  Every day is a struggle, as he tries to honor dual allegiances, to the Cavalry and his tribe.  Things get even harder when he is the only survivor when someone tries to steal a gold shipment he was transporting.  As he tries to get himself and the gold out of the wilderness, he comes face to face with a horrifying monster straight out of legend.

    

This book is nonstop action.  Right from the start there are explosions, gun fights, and escapes, some of them improbable but all of it exciting.  I like the idea of seeing Winterhawk's struggle between his two loyalties and with the prejudice against him.  Winterhawk is a very interesting character.  There are a few things here that I was not a fan of, however.  Buzan has a lot of sentences end in the middle, I understand the point, but I don't like it myself.  There is also a lot of technical gun information that seems excessive.  But the thing that I found most disappointing was the monster part of the story.  That was actually what attracted me to the book in the first place, but it felt out of place here. Whenever he shows up it feels it is outside of the rest of the story and has nothing to do with anything else.  I feel it would have been a better story without it.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Who Doesn't Like a Good Tort?

 

Send in the Tort Lawyers by T.C. Morrison

Where do you go when you find out your Belgian chocolates were not made in Belgium?  Or, despite what the adds say, the milk your ice cream is made from is not from happy cows?  You go to Pap and Pup, of course.  Twin brothers and the lawyers who will get you what you deserve.  As long as they think they can come up with a winning class action lawsuit that is.

Send in the Tort Lawyers is a farce that does not try to be subtle.  It can feel like you are being beat over the head with the puns sometimes.  But I did enjoy reading it.  It kept me amused and entertained throughout the entire novel.  There were people with names like Faith Heeler and Holly Woods and law firms with names like Fine and Dandy, but if that does not put you off then this is a book for you.  I can't really say there was a plot exactly, just an account of several of the cases that the law firm was handling (and some of the courtroom transcripts went on a little long for me) but I feel the book came to a satisfying ending.  Enough so that I am interested in reading the others in the series.

 I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Gwen, I Am Your Father

 An Otherwise Perfect Plan by Ken Schafer

Gwen Pendergrass has never met her father.  Her mother will not tell her much.  But when events in her life convince her to search for him, Gwen is determined.  With only a photo booth photo strip she sets out on an adventure to find her father.  

A coming-of-age story about a child looking for the father they never knew may not sound like the most original idea.  But there are enough unexpected incidents, so it does not feel like it has all been done before.  Some of those incidents are improbable, but not so outrageous that you can't believe them if you try.  It was not uninteresting to see all of Gwen's well-intentioned plans come to ruin and sometimes she was witty, but I had trouble connecting to this story.  My main problem is that I found Gwen annoying.  With all of her stream of consciousness and constant babbling and going off on long tangents that had nothing to do with the story I had trouble paying attention to her.  By the end, I will admit, I was interested and wanted to know how it would all work out.  But that didn't happen until I was three quarters of the way though the book.  I'm sure some people can relate to Gwen, some people will find her endearing.  Unfortunately, I am not one of those people.  

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Look Up

Secrets of the Moon: Myth and Mysticism, History and Science by Andrew Oslow

Secrets of the Moon explores the moon from all angles.  From the myths and legends, to the moon landing, to the belief that it caused lunacy and everything in-between.  

Secrets of the Moon is a good overview of all things moon.  It starts off a little dry and I was worried it was going to be boring, but it quickly picked up and became a very readable account.  You learn a lot, and it is very approachable.  You don't have to do any research to understand the science here.  (Although, I have to admit, when it started talking about DNA it lost me a little.)  It talks about all the beliefs, myths, legends and stories told about the moon as well.  So, you get to hear why life on Earth would not exist without the moon and also why the moon became connected to werewolves and lunacy.  If you are doing research this is not the book for you.  But if you are interested in understanding all the ways the moon has influenced the daily lives of people since there were humans to look up at it, read this book.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Out of the Frying Pan...

 Keyhole by George Morrison

Nick has a gambling problem.  A problem that has become so big it is now a matter of life and death.  But not to worry, his friend. Egrog. has a scheme that will make them both rich and solve all of Nick's problems.  But Egrog's plans don't always work out and this new scheme might turn out to be more dangerous than the thugs following Nick.

This is a fun, light, silly, slightly goofy book.  It poses questions like 'is God real?' and 'in an advanced society why is there still crime?' which may sound like heavy reading material, but don't worry, there is very little thinking needed here.  The characters are interesting and the plot has enough excitement and surprises to keep you reading without getting bored.  It moves at a good pace and you will find that it will not take you very long to read.  If you like comic science fiction this is worth a look.  It would be a good choice when you just want to be entertained without putting a lot of work or thought into it.  I enjoyed it and I think if you like science fiction and fun you will too.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Give Until It Hurts

 Panacea Project by Catherine Devore Johnson

Calla has lived her whole life shunned by most people because of a skin condition that leaves white patches on her skin.  But one day doctor's discover that the cure for cancer might be in her blood.  Now everyone wants a piece of her, literally.  

Is this book believable?  Not really.  Did I enjoy reading it?  Yes, I did.  I don't know much about medicine but I think a lot of the science here wouldn't hold up and I'm pretty sure a hospital would not let a lot of this happen.  But I wasn't looking for science when I read the book so I was alright with that.  I do think that Calla seemed a little too naïve for someone who had to look out for herself her entire life, but I still liked her.  She was trying to do the right thing, trying to help people, and people took advantage of that.  So I felt for her.  And maybe the medical science here is unbelievable but the people's reaction to her is not.  You can imagine what people would do if they found out that there was a cure for their, or a loved one's, cancer.  What would you be willing to do if you thought you could save your dying child?  What is Calla's responsibly to other people when she could help so many?  Does she have one at all?  It does make you think about things.  Calla makes all the decisions seem like easy ones, and I wish she was a little more conflicted because I don't think it would be as easy as it seemed here.  And I wish Johnson had left out the romance angle completely.  It was unnecessary and felt very forced.  But the story moved at a quick pace and was compelling enough that it kept me up reading long after I should have been in bed.  

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Her sting packs a punch

 The Wasp Queen by Julie Stielstra

An impulsive curse changes the course of the lives of several people, including the royal family.  Some people have benefitted but some have not.  Can they all figure out how to reverse the curse?  And does everyone want to?

It is a fairytale.  It is a fun story with a cast of interesting characters.  The story moves fast and keeps your interest all the way through.  I like the whole concept of it.  There is someone to root for, someone to hate, and the conflicted character that you hope does the right thing in the end.  The story was rather simple, in keeping with the fairytale feel.  What let me down a little was the very convenient circumstance that came up without reason and disappeared when it was not needed any more (also without reason.)  And the solution to the problem was simple and I knew it all along, as will most readers, while the characters seem unable to figure it out.  But I still enjoyed the book.  It is a fun. light read you will be able to finish in a day or two.  

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

That's Quite A Banana

 Banana by Zoey Abbott

A dad does everything with his daughter.  Thay always have a great time together.  But then dad gets a banana.  At first, they have fun together with the banana but then dad starts spending all his time with the banana instead of his daughter.  What should she do?

I think it is fun that it is banana that distracts the father.  The point is it could be anything.  So why not a magic banana?  And I think it is cute that when the dad feels bad the daughter knows exactly what to do to make him feel better.  But.  I do think this is a cautionary tale aimed more at the parent reading the book than the child the book is being read to.  Which is not necessarily a bad thing.  If you can inform the parent while entertaining the child that is a good thing.  But the major problem I have is the message it gives the child that if they think something is taking too much of their parent's time, they should destroy it.  I think this book encourages children to just get rid of things they don't like and I don't think that is a good message.  Probably not something I will read to my nieces.  

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

If Clothes Could Talk

Deetjen's Closet by Debbie Noble Black

Sara has moved to a new town where she is being bullied for her belief in magic.  On her quest to prove that magic is real she stumbles upon a coat that talks and introduces her to more talking clothes.  Is this the proof she needs to stop her tormentors from bothering her?

Being so far removed from my 10 years old self I probably don't connect with Sara as much as someone from the target audience would, but I like her.  She is a girl who just wants to be herself.  But it's hard since being herself gets her bullied and teased.  I'm glad Sara doesn't decide to fight back in a traditional way, instead she decides to try to understand the girls who are terrorizing her.  Maybe there is something in their lives that makes them so mean.  It is a very mature approach and watching Sara come to this decision was a pleasure.  I also enjoyed the real historical stories that the clothes told.  (Although I have to admit I learned more about Levi Jeans than I really needed to know.)  But I felt the story of Sara's plight was put on hold to listen to the clothes tell their stories and the clothes became more of a means to tell the history instead of a part of Sara's story.  I did like that at the end certain connections were made so it didn't all seem so random.  But it ended too abruptly for me.  I know it is meant to be a series, but I wanted some sort of conclusion or wrap up and I got none.  It is an interesting concept, and it will probably appeal to a certain young audience, but I was never intrigued enough to wonder what happens next.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Lunch at Midnight

Night Lunch words by Eric Fan pictures by Dena Seiferling

Owl runs a lunch cart for all the animals who come out at night.

The illustrations are beautiful.  I like how the sepia tones and lack of hard lines give it all a dream like quality.  And all of the animals that come to the cart are fun.  The story is nice, watching Owl make lunch for everyone and sharing what he has with a poor mouse who has nothing.  But I wish the words had more of a rhythm to them.  At times it starts to fall into a rhythm but never quite does.  It's a pleasant enough picture book but it isn't one I see myself reading to my niece and nephew over and over again.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

I feel like I'm drowning in this book

 Watersong by Clarissa Goenawan

Shouji runs afoul of some very important people and has to flee for his life.  But he has to do it without his girlfriend who is no where to be found.  Will he ever see her again?  Where could she possibly be?

I had a hard time deciding how I felt about this book.  There are some interesting concepts here.  But nothing ever really took full shape for me.  Everything felt hazy and unreal.  Shouji, and the reader, just seem to be floating along.  Going no where in particular, just letting the current take us... wherever.  And in the end I never got back to shore.  I was still lost at sea.  I can't say it was not entertaining to read.  But at the same time I can't tell you any particular part of the book I liked.  I didn't connect with any of the characters and none of the plot lines or scenarios felt very real.  And the whole thing left me feeling unresolved.  Like a trip that didn't go anywhere.  I will not be reading anything else by Goenawan.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Ever Wish You Were a Warlock?

 

Dylan Dover: Into the Vortex by Lynne Howard

Dylan was a typical bullied teenager until one day he falls into a vortex that takes him to a whole new world.  He not only finds out that he is a warlock but that he has siblings that he never knew about.  Now with the help of his newly found brother and a wizard friend they have to solve the mysteries that surround his and his siblings birth and the prophecy that might foretell the dangers to two worlds.

Dylan is an ordinary boy.  Or so he thinks.  Then one day he finds out he is extraordinary.  It is not the most original of story starting points.  But the idea of an immortal world on the other side of a vortex is new and interesting enough to give the concept a new spin.  Dylan is a likeable enough hero that you root for him right from the start even when he is still in the human world.  And I'm glad that both Dylan and his birth parents worry about Dylan's poor adoptive parents who just lost a child.  But I think everyone is just a little too accepting of this situation.  This son that they were told didn't survive birth shows up and the parents just accept 'I don't know what happened' as an answer from the doctor who delivered them.  Dylan and his brother just settle into family life together like everything isn't extremely odd.  But the bad guy is appropriately sinister and creepy, and his minions are interesting characters because you can't really figure out whose side they are on.  And the mystery of the prophecy and what it means and how it relates to Dylan is enough of a draw that it keeps you reading.  It is a fun story and it leaves you wondering what will happen next.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Jurassic Parts by Byron Frimp and Maggio Slooter

Charlemagne Caine, a slacker and part time sleuth who seems to attract trouble, is going on a pre-wedding honeymoon with his fiancé, Fallon.  Along the way they run into mobsters, fossil thieves, serial killers, vigilantes, and maybe even Bigfoot himself.

I have to say, this really isn't my cup of tea.  There are four or five plots going on at the same time.  Some of the characters and places overlap but they never actually come together to form one story.  You have a vigilante running around and serial killers and a carnival town and plots and schemes and, and, and.  It was all too much for me.  It had some funny moments and wordplay and puns that I enjoyed.  I just wish the authors had picked one or two of these story lines instead of throwing them all at me at once.  We start with some stolen fossils and then we move on to so many other things that by the time we got back to the fossils I had forgotten about them.  And there are bits that I don't understand the point of.  At one point we are reading a whole radio broadcast.  The radio host does play a part in the story, but I didn't need to read four pages of his radio show.  And there is a van full of mystery solving teens with a dog who anyone can guess who they are supposed to be, but they had no impact on the story, they were just shoved in there.  I think Charlemagne and Fallon are interesting characters.  And I did enjoy the humor for the most part.  I think I would have liked a version of this that was about 300 pages shorter.  All the stuff going on should have kept the excitement up.  But there were so many plots and so many side trips, outside the plots, that seemed to go nowhere, that the whole book dragged for me.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.

Of the Earth Review

Of the Earth by Kim Cousins

(from the back of the book) Following the lives of several people and animals, this story explores relationships in the midst of trials.  Living in a time of tribulation, the characters maneuver through precarious situations - a government reeducation program, a train hijacking, an earthquake - circumstances that occur with little warning.  But despite these hardships loyalties are tested and battle lines drawn.  Eyes are opened and hearts are pierced.

This is not your mother's bedtime story.  Starvation, disease, and natural catastrophes plague the earth in this futuristic account.  For readers who are daring, willing to step into a world of betrayals and miracles, fear and wonderment, crack open this cover

This is a Christian fiction novel.  The plot takes a back seat to the gospel message Cousins is trying to send here.  I don't think that is a bad thing.  I'm glad she didn't compromise her message to make the story more main stream.  But it will make the audience for this book much smaller.  It is a good story about what God will do for His people if they believe and follow Him.  When the 'World Government' takes over and the people are required to get a mark, Christians (and a few others) refuse.  Which not only makes them outlaws but, cuts them off from society.  So they start their own.  These people of faith see miracles and witness wonderous things and God is ever present with them.  But I was glad to see that Cousins didn't make it a fairytale; bad things still happen.  I like the bible verses in the footnotes so you can look up the relevant scripture for yourself.  But I'm not a fan of the animals talking.  Even though they can't talk to humans, it always struck me as slightly goofy and distracted from the message.  And most of the characters are black and white.  You are either a good guy or you are horribly evil.  There is no middle ground.  And there were a couple of thing in the plot that didn't add up for me.  The Peacekeepers (the police) arrest people without the mark and send them off to camps.  The Peacekeepers know where this whole community of unmarked Christians are and, although they harass them some, they let them stay together and free.  It is a good, strong Christian message, which is nice, but as a story I couldn't connect enough with it.  It is the first in a series but I will not be reading the others.

I got a free copy of this book from Librarything.com, Early Reviewers.