Review: At the Queen's Summons

At the Queen's Summons by Susan Wiggs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I had the misfortune of not being able to tell where this book fell in the series before reading it, so I ended up reading this one first, despite its being the last book in the trilogy. For what it's worth - I did not feel as though I had missed anything by not reading the previous books. This would have worked just fine as a stand-alone novel, and I am hoping that the other two books in the trilogy are equally as enjoyable.



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Review: Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Romantic Night, and One Woman's Quest to Become a Mother

Waiting for Daisy: A Tale of Two Continents, Three Religions, Five Infertility Doctors, an Oscar, an Atomic Bomb, a Romantic Night, and One Woman's Quest to Become a Mother by Peggy Orenstein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Even though the circumstances that led us to infertility are very different, the fact remains that I, like Peggy, am coming into my late 30s and trying to conceive a child. This book voiced many of the concerns I have - am I too old? Will this ever work? Should I just give up? Financial considerations aside, each couple has their own emotional limits, and each family can only stand so much heartache.

I enjoyed the matter-of-fact way that Peggy presented her experiences with infertility treatments. It was also interesting for me to see someone else's perspective on the roller coaster that is infertility.



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Review: Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects: Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy

Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects: Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy by Joan of Dark a.k.a Toni Carr

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



So many fun project ideas, so little time!! There are many projects in this book I would love to create.



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Review: Fifty Shades Darker

Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Once again, I would have preferred to give this book three and a half stars. And once again, the comedy in the book is what swayed my hand from three to four when deciding which way to go.

There is still sex in the book, but the sex scenes seemed less graphic, and less prevalent. This book was less about Christian's dominance over Ana and more about her figuring out a way to tell him how she feels without it causing both of them to shut down.

I am not loving these books, and I don't find them to be particularly erotic, but I am enjoying them.



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Review: One Eye Laughing, the Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria, to New York, 1938

One Eye Laughing, the Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria, to New York, 1938 by Barry Denenberg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed the character of Julie because she reminded me a lot of myself at that age (12). She frequently mentions how much she loves to read, and how important books are to her. One quote in particular really jumped out at me:
"I HATE borrowing books from the library. I don't like being compelled to return them by a certain, specified time. . .All last night I imagined I could hear the book loudly ticking away as I tossed and turned, vainly trying to go to sleep.

TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK, READ ME NOW, OR TAKE ME BACK"

As someone who frequently has fines at the library due to keeping things past their due dates - this really resonated with me - as well as making me laugh.

I do question her name, though. Julie does not strike me as an Austrian name. It seems to me a name chosen specifically so that during the story, someone can make fun of her and use her name to point out the fact that she is Jewish by calling her "Jew Lee."



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Review: The Wheel on the School

The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Strangely enough, I had been thinking of this story only a month or so ago - trying to remember more than just the story of a little Dutch girl who wondered about storks. Then I was at the library and it caught my eye on the shelf. I just could not resist picking it up and reading it again.

I think the version I read as a child must have been a condensed version - possibly in an elementary-level Reading book. I remembered some but not all of the children's adventures as they look for a wheel, and usually once I re-read something, I remember having read it before. In this case, portions of the story were new to me.

This will be a book I read to my children some day.



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Review: Paper, Scissors, Death

Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell-Slan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book. I do some scrapbooking, but not much (yet) so I found most of the tips to be helpful. Some of them may be helpful later, when I get more time (and money) for scrapping.

I loved the character of Kiki. I feel as though I am not far off from her - personality wise. I have felt like a doormat most of my life, and, like Kiki, I am making some changes in my attitude towards my own self-worth. When it comes to money - well, after George dies we're in about the same boat financially - figuring out how to stretch the paycheck to meet the bills is difficult in a single-income household.
I found the social commentary on class divisions in the USA to be bold and surprising for what I was expecting to be a fluff-murder-mystery book, but spot-on as well. These statements are made somewhat regularly, but within a chain of thought and not viciously - comments on how wealthy people have freebies showered upon them while poor people get nothing for free is not only true but helps to perpetuate the situation of the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer. It is very difficult to move up the food chain of class in the USA, but exceptionally easy to fall down. Kiki mentions feeling like a piece of furniture or scenery while at her job, and that is a very true-to-life feeling for someone working retail - even upscale retail like a scrapbook shop.



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Review: Wicked Appetite

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Same level of fluff and fun as the Stephanie Plum novels, and just as quick to read. Another series I am sure to enjoy. :)



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Review: A Gift of Grace

A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I loved this book - adored it - until the end. I will read the other books in the series because I enjoyed the characters enough to want to know what happens next. But I simply can't get over what happened at the end of the book that led to my disappointment.

As a woman who has struggled with infertility, it was surprising (and a little refreshing) to discover a book with an Amish woman who is also infertile - who has been told by a doctor that she can never naturally conceive. And I know that God can cure anything and everything happens in God's time. But after a 15 year marriage, the lack of fertility, while still painful, is something that one comes to accept. When everyone around her either has several children or are falling pregnant (because the Amish do not believe in birth control), Rebecca has to swallow her pain and show happiness for her family and friends. I could definitely relate to that.

So WHY is it necessary to have the infertile woman suddenly fall pregnant?? And after an estrangement with her husband that has left him sleeping on the couch for over a month? Suddenly, right when they're about to apologize to each other and make up - she discovers that she is pregnant?

It felt like a slap in the face. Rebecca's pregnancy upset me more than any of the other Amish women's pregnancies. I have a friend (also infertile) who usually likes these types of books. I will suggest that she avoid this one.



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Review: Switched

Switched by Amanda Hocking

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This was recommended to me by a co-worker who enjoyed it. I'm so glad she loaned me this book (and the two sequels in the trilogy).

Yes, it's a fluff piece. Yes, it reads at around a high-school level, and seems to be designed to appeal to high school girls. In some ways, it's reminiscent of the Twilight series in that way. However, that is what I like about it.

For me, it's a quick, fun read that lets me escape from reality for a short time. By having books like this available to read during my breaks at work, I am able to take my 15 minutes (or hour lunch) and read my fun fluff, and then go back to work slightly refreshed and ready to once again deal with the crazy people who are separated from me by a counter that is way too damn small.

Sometimes all you need is a little fluff.



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Review: The Plains of Passage

The Plains of Passage by Jean M. Auel

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I really enjoy this series, but I would say that this is my least favorite of the Earth's Children series. The scenes where Ayla and Jondalar are with other people are great, and truly do carry the book. However, they are few and far between - with good reason. People were few and far between in that era, and when two people are traveling on horseback, they will not run into other people very often.

To fill the gaps, we are given a large amount of descriptions of plant and animal life (much of it repetitive - I did not count how often it's mentioned that different animals lived in different areas and therefore were able to thrive, but it is often enough to feel repetitive). When not marveling at the expansive view of flora and fauna, we are provided with overly descriptive sex scenes - sometimes of the animals, but usually of the people. I don't mind sex scenes in a book, but when I read two scenes that seem almost identical within the same chapter, I wonder if the author simply wanted to fill space. And no matter how wonderful of a lover someone is, the sex will not be perfect every time - yet in this book it is, of course, perfect every time. At times, I felt like I was reading a soft-core porn book - the level of detail provided is simply not necessary each time.

I truly feel that this book could have been much shorter and still have provided the pertinent information, and also been just as integral a book to the series.



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Review: The Red Queen

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this book, but I have to admit that I much preferred the previous book in this trilogy, The White Queen. Margaret's attitude towards everything and everyone, especially as she ages, really grated on me. Regardless of whether that attitude is true to history, it still made it difficult to feel much sympathy for someone who is so full of her own "perfection" in the eyes of God. The first several chapters - before the birth of her son - were my favorites within the book.



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Review: Disney on a Dime: Money-Saving Secrets for Your Walt Disney World Vacation

Disney on a Dime: Money-Saving Secrets for Your Walt Disney World Vacation by Chris Carlson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The timing of me finding this book was a little off, as the trip we were planning was rather close and most of the tips and tricks for this book involve longer planning/saving times - at least 6 months if not a year.

That being said, the book was a great source of ideas to make a Disney vacation affordable on any budget, and several of the tips can be applied to other amusement park destinations, not just Disney.

I will probably get this book from the library again in about 6-8 months, because I am planning a Disney trip sometime during 2013.



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Review: Shoeless Joe

Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Having loved the movie "Field of Dreams" for years, I was sure I'd enjoy the book.

This went so far beyond enjoyment. This was a journey. What I enjoyed was seeing the sections I remembered from the movie, but there was so much more to love in the book. More characters, more details, more everything.

I absolutely loved this book, and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the movie.



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Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I read this because it was recommended to me, and the book flap made it sound interesting. Sad to say, I was disappointed with this book. Belly seems to be a stereotype of a teenaged girl whose parents have money (though it is mentioned that Susannah's family has more money - Belly's family obviously has plenty of their own money). She is shallow and never satisfied (her father buys her a piano, but she doesn't like it because it's out of tune; anything her mother asks of her is cause for high drama). She can't be happy with Cam because she can't believe that he thought she was pretty when she felt that she was ugly - she thinks he's lying to her so she never fully trusts him. When she doesn't get her way she pouts. Flashbacks show this to be a pattern that has been present throughout her lifetime. Is it any wonder the boys never wanted her around? She was a whiny tattletale as a child, and now she is a whiny self-centered teen.

The ending was confusing - it seemed to just drop off in the middle of a thought. It wasn't until I came online to record having read this book that I discovered that this was the first of a trilogy. I'm not currently planning to read the other two books.



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I read this book as part of the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

Review: Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far

Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far by Bristol Palin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Bristol Palin has obviously led quite a sheltered life. She still has a lot of maturing to do, and this book is aptly subtitled: My Journey So Far (emphasis mine). Rather than market the book to adults, it would be better as a Young Adult selection - it definitely reads as such.

That said, I did enjoy the book. Bristol may come to regret how harsh she was when describing Levi, simply because Tripp will someday read this book. No matter what relationship (if any) Tripp has with his biological father, the fact remains that Levi donated half of his DNA to create Tripp. And if you detest the person who helped you to create this child, it's not a large leap (as the child) to wonder if you are detested as well.

I have felt sympathy for all of the Palin children since the 2008 campaign. Bristol had the unfortunate experience of her private mistake having very public consequences, and everyone in the country feeling as though it made Bristol and her siblings fair game - from accusations that her younger brother was truly her child to those that her sister Willow was pregnant as well - it seems as though making jokes at the expense of a Palin is accepted policy. Maybe it would have been better for them had Sarah been a Democrat; it seems as though the "children of the candidates are off-limits" policy only applies to Democratic candidates.

Her supposed money woes are definitely not real. No matter what she may claim, at no time was she ever in danger of not putting food on her table or diapers on her child. Her parents may have forced her to work to contribute to her own expenses, but there is no way anyone in her family would have allowed her or her child to go without. Bristol would never have needed WIC, food stamps, or a state-supported Medicaid health insurance. People who need these programs truly understand the worries she claims to have regarding money. And who knows, maybe she did worry about it. But when she talks about how much her family is always so supportive of each other, it's hard to believe she ever questioned where the next box of diapers would come from.

Something she mentions her aunt saying to her really resonated with me as well - if Bristol only wants to be left alone and allowed to live her life in peace, why is she constantly putting herself out there into the public eye?



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Review: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I truly enjoyed this book - I read it in just over a day and I DID sleep, eat, watch television, and worked for over 12 hours during that time. I can't wait to see what the next two books have in store, and I'm glad I don't have to wait long!



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I read this book as part of the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

2012 Support Your Local Library Challenge

Yet another challenge I found through my wonderful friend Heather at Proud Book Nerd.  This one is hosted by The Eclectic Bookshelf and involves reading books from your local library - which for me is a snap because that is where I get 95% of the books I read.

The rules are simple: the book must come from the library (ebooks are allowed, as long as they are from the library) and it must be a book you have not read prior to this challenge.  The challenge goes from January 1 to December 31, 2012.  I am aiming for the highest level in this challenge: Level 4 - 37+ library books.

Review: Kirsten's Surprise: A Christmas Story

Kirsten's Surprise: A Christmas Story by Janet Beeler Shaw

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I read this years ago when it was a much newer book and there were only three American Girls. Kirsten was my favorite because she looked the most like me, and because I have always had a soft spot for stories about frontier life, though I have to admit I always loved Samantha's clothes.

In this book, Kirsten is about to experience her first Christmas season in America. She wants things to be the same as they were in Sweden, and that includes having all of the same items they had in Sweden, some of which are in storage in a town ten miles away. Ten miles seems like nothing these days - I drove more than 10 miles today alone. But in 1854, during winter in Minnesota, ten miles was a long way, and it is questionable whether they will be able to make it to town to get the trunks before being snowed in until Spring.



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Third Sentence Thursday: Night Embrace

 

"You know, Talon, killing a soul-sucking Daimon without a good fight is like sex without foreplay.  A total waste of time and completely un . . .  satisfying."
Talon grunted at Wulf's words while he sat a a corner table at the Cafe Du Monde, waiting for his waitress to return with his black chicory coffee and beignets.  He had an ancient Saxon coin in his left hand that he rolled between his finger as he scanned the dark street in front of him and watched the tourists and locals drift by.

This is the first through fourth sentences of this book - the third being in bold.  The third sentence alone means so much less than in the context of the others around it. :)

I'm getting close to the end of this book, and enjoying it immensely.  This is the third I'm reading of the books that take place in this setting, the second in the Dark-Hunter series (the first book I read was a prequel to the rest).

 Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Proud Book Nerd.

1. Take the book you are currently reading, and share the third sentence in the first chapter (NOT the preface, preamble, introduction, etc. – Chapter 1). Feel free to share more (maybe the first three, the second through fourth, or the third plus the two following) if you’d prefer.
2. Share your thoughts, if any, on the snippet (or sentences).

Review: Sam's Letters to Jennifer

Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I loved this book. I enjoyed the fact that we don't find out exactly who Sam is in relation to Jennifer until the second chapter. The prologue and the first chapter, while both quite short, leave you wondering who Sam is - is Sam a boyfriend? brother? long-time male friend who wants more? Obviously, Sam is a very important person in Jennifer's life, because Jennifer leans on Sam a lot.


This is a wonderful story that I truly enjoyed.



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Review: Peter Pan

Peter Pan by James M. Barrie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I realized recently that I had never read this book, so I decided to get it from the library. I have seen many movies depicting the story, so I thought I knew the basics of it. And I was right. I knew the basics.

What I didn't know was astonishing. I did not know (or did not remember) the language used in the story. Granted, it was written in another time and place, but the terminology ("Redskins" being a prime example) is considered offensive by many these days, and to those who do consider it offensive do not consider the time it was written to be a valid excuse for using such language/terms.

This alone means that Peter Pan is no longer a children's story. It is one that needs to wait until children are old enough to understand that words like that are no longer appropriate.

I gave this four stars because the story is, ultimately, still a very enjoyable tale. :)



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I read this book as part of the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge.

2012 Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

I originally found this challenge through my friend Heather at Proud Book Nerd.  Thanks, Heather! 

This is a challenge to read books recommended by other book bloggers and is hosted by Reading With Tequila.  There is a list (and complete rules HERE) of recommended books.  Rereads do not count, which will challenge me to pick something different than what I usually read (this list is over 400 books long, I think I'm going to find plenty of books I haven't read on it).

I attempted this last year but, due to several factors (one of them being hand surgery), stopped recording what I was reading shortly after starting.  So I am going to give it another shot since I now have the entire year to work with.

Reviews are not required, but I am trying to get into the habit of reviewing what I read so I am going to attempt to review the books I read for this challenge.

I'm keeping track of the books I read for this challenge with this list.  I intend to get to Level IV of the challenge, which is to read 20 of the recommended books.

Review: Rebekah in Danger: Peril at Plymouth Colony (1621)

Rebekah in Danger: Peril at Plymouth Colony (1621) by Colleen L. Reece

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I was disappointed in what felt like a recycling of characters. This takes place only one year after the first book, and both books are by the same author. So why did she choose to use the same family/friends dynamic for both books without keeping it the same family? Also, if she IS going to change the family, she should keep in mind that in such a small group, the two families would run into each other frequently. Mentioning that the families know each other would go a long way towards smooth continuity in these two books.

I know that the intended age range is 8-12, but even at that age, I would have thought this was a poor character setup.

It was a good overview of that first winter in Plymouth Colony, and that is what earned it the third star.



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Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Detroit Tigers: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Detroit Tigers History (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Detroit Tigers: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Detroit Tigers History (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) by George Cantor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



As a Tigers fan, I enjoyed the Tigers trivia, but overall was a little disappointed with this book. The cover features two photos, one on the front and one on the back. Both photos are from games that took place between 2004 and 2008.

Only FOUR of the anecdotes take place after 2000. Eight more (for a total of 12) take place within my lifetime. The overwhelming majority (22) take place in during the 1960s and 70s, with the rest taking place between 1900 and 1959.

For a book with only two cover photos and both of them within a very recent four year time frame, I was expecting more anecdotes that I had a chance of honestly remembering, rather than those that I simply remember hearing about from other people.

This would be a good book for those who remember the 1968 Tigers - most of the anecdotes are from that era and the fans from then will love re-living these memories.



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