October Accomplishments

2:29 PM Nikki

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in October 2010.

Some things start before other things. 

In the beginning there were nine of us. We left when we were young, almost too young to remember. Almost.

It was a pleasure to burn. 


I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears, and I tell you he's the one. Or at least as close as we're going to get.

Ask Paris if a phone call can be deadly. She'll tell you. She learned the truth of it last night.

 

October's Top Five Ten:

They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group. Susan Campbell Bartoletti.
The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett.
Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett.
Doomsday Book. Connie Willis.
The Odyssey. Gareth Hinds. 
One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia. 
Touch Blue. Cynthia Lord.
Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong.

Number of Board Books: 2

ABC, Baby Me! Susan B. Katz. Illustrated by Alicia Padron. 2010. September 2010. Random House. 28 pages.
Baby Baby Baby! by Marilyn Janovitz. 2010. October 2010. Sourcebooks. 24 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 16


Ninja Cowboy Bear Presents The Way of the Ninja. David Bruins. Illustrated by Hilary Leung. 2010. September 2010. Kids Can Press. 32 pages.
Tuck Me In. Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt. 2010. Candlewick Press. 40 pages.
Cat the Cat, Who Is That? Mo Willems. 2010. HarperCollins. 24 pages. 
Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion. Mo Willems. 2010. September 2010. HarperCollins. 52 pages.
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. Mo Willems. 2009. Hyperion. 40 pages.
Goodnight Goon. Michael Rex. 2008. Penguin. 32 pages.
The Runaway Mummy: A Petrifying Parody. Michael Rex. 2009. Penguin. 32 pages.
Furious George Goes Bananas: A Primate Parody. Michael Rex. 2010. May 2010. Penguin. 32 pages.
The Adventures of Granny Clearwater & Little Critter. Kimberly Willis Holt. Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith. 2010. October 2010. Henry Holt. 32 pages.
My Mommy Hung the Moon. Jamie Lee Curtis. Illustrated by Laura Cornell. 2010. September 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages.
The Gobble Gobble Moooooo Tractor Book. Jez Alborough. 2010. September 2010. Kane/Miller. 32 pages.
Mad at Mommy. Komako Sakai. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 40 pages.
Miles to Go. Jamie Harper. 2010. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
How To Raise a Dinosaur. Natasha Wing. Illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi. 2010. October 2010. Running Press. 24 pages.
Spork. Kyo Iona Maclear. Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. 2010. Kids Can Press.  32 pages.
Babyberry Pie. Heather Vogel Frederick. Illustrated by Amy Schwartz. 2010. October 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 2

We Are In A Book! Elephant and Piggie Series. Mo Willems. 2010. September 2010. Hyperion. 64 pages.
I Will Surprise My Friend: An Elephant and Piggie Book. Mo Willems. 2008. Hyperion. 64 pages.


Number of Middle Grade: 4

Touch Blue. Cynthia Lord. 2010. August 2010. Scholastic. 192 pages.
One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia. 2010. [January 2010] HarperCollins. 218 pages.
Ballet Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 1937. Random House. 256 pages.
The Memory Bank. Carolyn Coman. Illustrations by Rob Shepperson. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 288 pages.

Number of YA: 12

The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett. 2003. HarperCollins. 400 pages.
I Am Number Four. Pittacus Lore. 2010. August 2010. HarperCollins. 440 pages.
The Lighter Side of Life and Death. C.K. Kelly Martin. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 240 pages.
Dark Sons. Nikki Grimes. 2005. Hyperion. 218 pages.
Inside Out. Maria V. Snyder. 2010. April 2010. Harlequin Teen. 320 pages.
Restoring Harmony. Joelle Anthony. 2010. May 2010. Penguin. 320 pages.  
A Hat Full of Sky. Terry Pratchett. 2004. HarperCollins. 288 pages
The Maze Runner. James Dashner. 2009. Random House. 384 pages.
Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett. 2006. HarperCollins. 325 pages.
Behemoth. Scott Westerfeld. 2010. October 2010. Simon & Schuster. 485 pages.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett. 2001. HarperCollins. 242 pages.
Lockdown. Walter Dean Myers. 2010. HarperCollins. 247 pages.

Number of Adult: 7

Evil Genius. Wilkie Collins. 1886. 348 pages. 
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Alan Bradley. 2009. Random House. 304 pages.
Elizabeth, Captive Princess: Two Sisters, One Throne. Margaret Irwin. 2010. Sourcebooks. 352 pages.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Shirley Jackson. 1962. Penguin. 214 pages.
Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 1953. 179 pages.
Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages. 
Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 2010. October 2010. Crown Publishing. 352 pages.  

Number of Christian: 10

God's Mighty Acts in Salvation. Starr Meade. 2010. August 2010. Crossway. 87 pages.
The Road to Paris. Nikki Grimes. 2006. Penguin. 160 pages.
I Will Rejoice. Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Amy June Bates. 2007. Zondervan. 32 pages.
Mortimer's Christmas Manger. Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Jane Chapman. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
Embers of Love (Striking a Match #1) Tracie Peterson. Bethany House. 352 pages.
The Evangelicals: What They Believe, Where They Are, And Their Politics. Christopher Catherwood. 2010. August 2010. Crossway. 168 pages.
While We're Far Apart. Lynn Austin. 2010. October 2010. Bethany House. 416 pages.
Snow Day. Billy Coffey. 2010. October 2010. FaithWords. 195 pages.
Cottonwood Whispers. Jennifer Erin Valent. 2009. Tyndale. 352 pages.
The First Christmas: A Changing-Picture Book. Illustrated by Sophy Williams. 2010. Candlewick. 14 pages.

Number of Nonfiction: 4

They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group. Susan Campbell Bartoletti. 2010. August 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 172 pages.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong. 1998. Random House. 144 pages.
Just One Bite: 11 Animals and their Bites at Life Size! Lola M. Schaefer. Illustrated by Geoff Waring. 2010. September 2010. Chronicle Books. 40 pages.
The Life of Rice: From Seedling to Supper. Richard Sobol. 2010. Candlewick. 40 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels: 12

Ender's Game: Battle School. (Graphic Novel) Orson Scott Card. Pasqual Ferry. Christopher Yost. 2009. Marvel. 128 pages. 
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation. Ray Bradbury. Illustrated by Tim Hamilton. 2009. July 2009. FSG. 160 pages.
The Odyssey. Gareth Hinds. 2010. October 2010. 256 pages.
Binky to the Rescue. Ashley Spires. 2010. Kids Can Press. 64 pages.
Beowulf. Gareth Hinds. 2007. Candlewick Press. 128 pages
The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets. Roger Langridge. 2009. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet Robin Hood. Tim Beedle. 2009. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet Peter Pan. Grace Randolph. 2010. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet King Arthur. Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck. 2010. Boom. 112 pages.
Nothing But Trouble. Adapted by John Green. 2010. Disney. 32 pages.
The Chronicles of Meap. Adapted by John Green. 2010. Disney. 32 pages.
The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci. Jim Rugg. Minx. 176 pages.

Number of Poetry: 1

Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich. Adam Rex. 2006. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.


Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 0

I've partially reviewed one book: Ray Bradbury, Part One; Ray Bradbury, Part Two; Ray Bradbury, Part Three;

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Frankenstein's Monster

1:25 PM Nikki

Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 2010. October 2010. Crown Publishing. 352 pages. 

I killed my father again last night.

I'm not sure I can say I loved this one. At least not love, love, love. But. I really liked this one. There were places that I just LOVED it--and other places where I began to have doubts. Frankenstein's Monster is a sequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. For the most part, it is set ten years after the original novel.

Time has not treated Robert Walton well. For his brief friendship with Victor Frankenstein has led to madness. After Walton speaks with the monster--the creature--he has no choice (or he claims to have no choice) but to follow in Frankenstein's footsteps. He must see to the destruction of the creature. He must make sure the earth is rid of such a monstrous beast. For better or worse, Walton gives himself over to this one path, one obsession. (It doesn't help that his first 'battle' with the creature lost him a finger.)

But while this is a story of madness, of obsession, of the consequences of extremes, it isn't Walton's story. It is the story of the ever-hunted monster. A monster who is still pondering philosophy--does he have a soul; is he a man, monster, or beast--and dealing (sometimes surprisingly well) with his anger, his frustrations. (After all, he could kill Walton at any time. Why let this mad man chase him all over the world?)

In Frankenstein's Monster we meet the Winterbournes. Margaret, Robert Walton's sister, her husband, who becomes (for a brief time) a father-figure to the monster (now calling himself Victor Hartman), and their daughter, Lily, whose madness is already evident. Lily teases and provokes him like no other woman has ever done. He's drawn to her beauty. And there are times she seems to like him, to accept him, to treat him (almost) decently. But then there are times he sees hatred in her eyes, repulsion, anger, madness. Lily has her violent moments. Her rages. She's self-destructive. In a way, Lily 'reflects' some of his own weaknesses. Could Lily be the companion he's wanted for years? 

Frankenstein's Monster is about the monster coming to terms with who he is. He's learning to accept the fact that he can make his own decisions, his own choices, that he doesn't have to be the 'monster' Frankenstein created him to be. He can choose to be better than that. He can choose to live with hope.

The writing was good. I thought it was a compelling story. I thought O'Keefe did a good job with Victor Hartman--showing his strengths and weaknesses, balancing his good and bad impulses. Lily was an interesting character--as were her parents and uncle. I thought the relationship--complicated as it was, complicated as it would have to be--added depth to this one. It took Victor finding a Lily for him to realize some things about himself. And though O'Keefe made a few decisions that I'm not completely happy with--I still enjoyed this one. (There was one scene that I could have done without completely. One of Victor's lowest moments.)

I did like the ending. I would recommend this one to fans of the original. To any reader who has had a little sympathy (or perhaps compassion is the better word?) with 'the monster' Shelley created. It is definitely my favorite sequel/retelling of this classic.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Sunday Salon: Reading, Read, To Read #44

12:29 PM Nikki


Happy Sunday! October has been a great month for me! I've read so many amazing books. Discovered--and rediscovered--some great authors. My 'monthly accomplishment' post will be up later today. But. You'll probably notice that some authors are dominating! Do you go through periods like that--where you want to read everything an author's ever written? I've also read more graphic novels and short stories.

What I've Reviewed:

Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 2010. October 2010. Crown Publishing. 352 pages.
Behemoth. Scott Westerfeld. 2010. October 2010. Simon & Schuster. 485 pages.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett. 2001. HarperCollins. 242 pages.
Lockdown. Walter Dean Myers. 2010. HarperCollins. 247 pages.
Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 1953. 179 pages.
Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.
The Memory Bank. Carolyn Coman. Illustrations by Rob Shepperson. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 288 pages. 
 The First Christmas: A Changing-Picture Book. Illustrated by Sophy Williams. 2010. Candlewick. 14 pages.
 The Life of Rice: From Seedling to Supper. Richard Sobol. 2010. Candlewick. 40 pages.
Babyberry Pie. Heather Vogel Frederick. Illustrated by Amy Schwartz. 2010. October 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.
I Will Surprise My Friend: An Elephant and Piggie Book. Mo Willems. 2008. Hyperion. 64 pages.
Nothing But Trouble. Adapted by John Green. 2010. Disney. 32 pages.
The Chronicles of Meap. Adapted by John Green. 2010. Disney. 32 pages.
The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci. Jim Rugg. Minx. 176 pages.

Coming Soon:


A Pleasure To Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories. Ray Bradbury. 2010. Subterranean Press. 300 pages.


Passionate Brood: A Novel of Richard the Lionheart and the Man Who Became Robin Hood. Margaret Campbell Barnes. 1944/2010. Sourcebooks. 368 pages.


Blackout. Connie Willis. 2010. Random House. 512 pages.


Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean. Sarah Stewart Taylor. Illustrated by Ben Towle. 2010. Hyperion. 96 pages.



Chains. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 320 pages.


Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 2010. October 2010. Crown Publishing. 352 pages.

Currently Reading: 


Desiree: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon's First Love. Annemarie Selinko. 1953/2010. Sourcebooks. 608 pages.


East of Eden. John Steinbeck. 1952/2003. Penguin. 608 pages.


He Knew He Was Right. Anthony Trollope. 1869/2009. Oxford University Press. 992 pages.

What I'm Hoping to (Properly) Begin Soon:


Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal. 2010. Tom Doherty. 304 pages.


Bellfield Hall: Or The Observations of Miss Dido Kent. Anna Dean. 2010. St. Martin's Press. 300 pages.


Miss Hargreaves. Frank Baker. 1940/2009. Bloomsbury. 336 pages.


I Shall Wear Midnight. Terry Pratchett. 2010. HarperCollins. 355 pages.


The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. 2010. Hyperion. 576 pages.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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R.I.P Challenge Completed

12:29 PM Nikki

What I've read for the challenge:

1. Paul is Undead. Alan Goldsher.
2. Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
3. Bleak House by Charles Dickens
4. Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
5. The Maze Runner. James Dashner.
6. Jane Eyre, the Graphic Novel;
7. Frankenstein, the Graphic Novel
8. Jane Slayre by Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin.
9. I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
10. A Pleasure to Burn by Ray Bradbury (review coming Tuesday)
11. Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 

Short Stories: Ray Bradbury, Part One; Ray Bradbury, Part Two; Part Three; 


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Weekly Geeks: Books You Waited Too Long to Read

8:51 AM Nikki

This week's weekly geeks asks us to share books we wish we'd read sooner. 
Once in a while I read a book I have had for years and I think “How the hell did I miss this one?  Why did I not read this one before?

Is there a book that has hang around your reading pile for far too long before you got to it, A book that probably got packed away until you accidentally got to it or a book that you read a few pages in and never got back to.

If so share or ask your readers about that book that really made an impression on them (good or bad) after having it or hearing about it for far too long?
Connie Willis' Doomsday Book. As much as I loved, loved, loved To Say Nothing of the Dog, WHY didn't I pick up this one too?! As much as I am fascinated by time travel, by science fiction, WHY didn't I make this one a priority?! As much as I love historical fiction, WHY didn't I "know" that I would love this one?! I read Doomsday Book this past week. I more than loved it. I LOVED it. This is one I want to recommend to everyone!

My next choice isn't really a particular book--it's an author! Terry Pratchett. I wish I'd known how much I was going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him! I wish I'd read The Wee Free Men, Hat Full of Sky, and Wintersmith sooner. And then there's The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. I'll be reading I Shall Wear Midnight next. But where should I go from there?!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Book Review: Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe

8:36 AM mixagrip

Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe
Publisher: Tribute Books
Publication date: November 2008
ISBN: 9780981461953
Source: Review copy provided by publisher

Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly Maguires - Mom’s Choice Awards® Silver Recipient 

Katie is growing up in the coal districts of Philadelphia, right at the beginning of the Civil War.  Her family, and most of her friends' families, depend almost exclusively on the coal mine owners for their entire sustenance, including where they live.  When her father suffers an accident that renders him unable to work, it falls to her and her mother to help pay the bills.  But, when Katie takes a job working for a rich mine owner, she finds herself getting caught up in much bigger affairs, especially when her friend becomes embroiled in a dangerous draft protest.  Will she be able to save him before he gets arrested or killed?

Things I Liked:
It was a very interesting and unique look at a familiar time period, a look at the Irish immigrant and coal mining experiences at the start of the Civil War.  I really liked Katie for her intelligence and determination to do what she could for her family and friends.  The setting is really the best part about the book.  It felt very complete and helped you feel like you were right there experiencing everything Katie did.  Times were hard, yet the people were resilient.  While the main character is somewhat older, I think it will appeal to tweens more.  An good story with some interesting history.

Things I Didn't Like:
The ending was a little too neat.  Though, I did like Katie's romantic choice, which was not what one expected.  It's great with its unique portrayal of time and culture, but doesn't have quite the spark and character to stand out from other narratives of the time period.

Read-alikes: 
the Dear America series by various authors

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some, but not a lot

Overall rating: ***

Any historical fiction from Civil War era that you particularly love?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Doomsday Book

7:27 AM Nikki

Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages.

Mr. Dunworthy opened the door to the laboratory and his spectacles promptly steamed up.
"Am I too late?" he said, yanking them off and squinting at Mary.

I loved Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog. I just LOVED it. But I think I loved Doomsday Book a little bit more. It was incredibly compelling. It was intense, emotional, and impossible to put down.

The writing was as great as I expected. Willis does a wonderful job with her characters. They feel very real--very human. The setting--the world building--is also amazing. She does a great job building the past--the fourteenth century--and the "present" which is a time-traveling future. (The story alternates between past and present.) She blends mystery, science fiction, and historical fiction--and blends them well!

Doomsday Book is dramatic. Kivrin--our heroine--is a historian traveling to the Middle Ages--to 1320 to be exact. The fourteenth century has just been opened up to historians. And this is a dream come true for Kivrin. While, certain years will most likely remain "too dangerous" to visit--like the year 1348--the year the Black Death was first recorded in England--there is much to learn, to explore. And Kivrin is excited--thrilled--to be the one to go. She'll be spending two weeks in the past--in a small village--during Advent. Mr. Dunworthy, however, has his doubts. And he's not afraid to voice them. Kivrin thinks he's being too cautious. That he's just being silly, ridiculous. Of course, she'll take all the necessary precautions--like her vaccinations and such--but she's an educated woman capable of taking care of herself--no matter the century.

But. From the start, there is something wrong with the drop. It starts with the technician, Badri, becoming ill. Soon the whole area is quarantined. Cases start coming in--and soon medical staff are overwhelmed. What is this disease--this illness? How is it spread? Where did it come from? Is it fatal? Is there a cure? Is Badri the first case? Did he have a chance to pass this on to Kivrin before she went through the Net? What was Badri trying to communicate to Dunworthy at the last minute?

Readers meet dozens of characters in both centuries as this mystery unfolds. And while it is serious--dramatic--and emotional--people will die--it's not without its lighter moments of wit. I loved the narrative. I loved the way this story was told. This one I'll definitely be recommending!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Library Loot: Sixth Trip in October

6:18 PM Nikki

New Loot:

Impossible Things by Connie Willis
The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen
A World of Love by Elizabeth Bowen
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Naomi and Her Daughters by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
Frankenstein's Monster by Susan Heyboer O'Keefe
Dark Water by Laura McNeal
Miss Hargreaves by Frank Baker
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
The October Country by Ray Bradbury
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhon
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Spoils of Eden by Linda Lee Chaikin

Leftover Loot:

Michael Townsend's Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunders.
A Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories by Ray Bradbury
The Odyssey by Homer. Translated by Robert Fagles
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
The Good, The Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll's History and Her Impact On Us by Tanya Lee Stone
I Sing the Body Electric and Other Stories by Ray Bradbury
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Waiting for Odysseus by Clemence McLaren
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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The Memory Bank (MG)

7:10 AM Nikki

The Memory Bank. Carolyn Coman. Illustrations by Rob Shepperson. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 288 pages.

"Don't forget your whistle!" Hope reminded Honey--every morning of every day. Honey needed that whistle, in case of emergency, in case things went terribly wrong. Hope and Honey Scroggins were the closest of sisters, had been right from the start. Truly, they were lucky to love each other so! Not so lucky when it came to their parents, though. Mr. and Mrs. Scroggins were simply awful people.

The Memory Bank is told through words and pictures. (Though not to the extent that The Invention of Hugo Cabret is.) It reminded me--in a way--of several Lois Lowry novels--The Willoughbys and The Giver. It stars a young girl, Hope, who is doing the best she can to cope with incredibly cruel parents. How cruel? One day they leave Hope's younger sister, Honey, on the side of the road. They tell Hope to forget her. And they mean it. Not a word about Honey is allowed. Hope is an only child now. There is nothing good about Mr. and Mrs. Scroggins. Fortunately--for everyone--they enter into the story very little.

For Hope becomes terribly depressed. She stops living life--and starts dreaming it. It's just too painful to be awake. To live her "new" life. She'll spend most hours of the day and night sleeping. She dreams of her sister mostly. While her parents don't notice--or don't care--someone does notice. The powers that be of The World Wide Memory Bank. (They notice that she's not contributing her quota of memories.) And while the strangers that arrive in her home to arrest her seem intimidating at first, Hope soon realizes that there's hope at last for a better life.

It's an interesting book. The "fight" between the World Wide Memory Bank and the Clean Slate Gang. The connection between memories and dreams. I found it an entertaining read.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Rot & Ruin

7:00 AM Nikki

A not-so-funny thing happened. We confused the release of this novel with that of another. We feel pretty awful, because Jonathan Maberry is one of our favorite authors. So, we offer our sincere apologies to one of the greats in the Horror genre. With that said, we feel we should mention how completely awesome ROT & RUIN is. It is...uh...completely awesome!

ROT & RUIN is an expansion of the short story "The Family Business" that was found in the anthology THE NEW DEAD. It ranks as one of our absolute favorite anthologies of the year, and we said so in the review we wrote. In that anthology, Maberry's YA zombie story was one of our favorites. Maberry then dropped the bomb on us that he was expanding that short story into a full novel. We were hesitantly excited. After all, how much could we enjoy a novel where we already knew most of the story?

YA zombies. YA with no TWILIGHT-esque romances involved. YA with all sorts of awesome violence and a solid coming-of-age story. Hmm. Yeah. Sounds like a recipe for a winner. In case you don't know, this story is about young Benny Imura. His parents were killed on First Night, the day that started the unstoppable zombie apocalypse. Benny's older brother Tom Imura escaped with Benny, and they all now live in a small settlement with other people. Tom Imura is famous as a zombie hunter, but Benny doesn't want to be a part of that legacy. As it turns out, Tom is far more than just a zombie hunter, and he wants Benny to be a part of "the Family Business." The first part of the novel follows pretty closely with the short story, after which it deviates into a huge, detailed and horrific adventure. Then the story goes back to its short story roots to end the way that short story did. Mostly.

As good as the short story was, the novel ROT & RUIN is the definitive edition of the story. Enjoying the short story did absolutely nothing to diminish our enjoyment of the novel. This novel had all the details we felt were missing from the short story. The characters were better, and easier to root for/hate. The emotional impact of what the Family Business really is has been bumped up tremendously in importance.

As most zombie stories go, the idea is the exploration of what it means to be human. ROT & RUIN is one of the strongest examples of this them that we have read. The understanding that Benny comes to is directly linked to his coming-of-age. It seems like people are beginning to tire of zombies, and we don't blame them. But this story succeeds at becoming more than "just" a zombie story due to the focus on characters and and the themes of what it means to lose your history, and perhaps your humanity in the process.

ROT & RUIN is terrific. Maberry has proven again that he is one of the best Horror authors out there. His YA Horror is just as solid as his adult Horror, and each are perfectly pitched to their respective age groups. By now everyone who knows us, or who reads our reviews should know we have a very low level of tolerance for YA. For us to say a YA novel is not only good, but exceptional, is pretty much as good of a compliment as possible from us. ROT & RUIN might very well be our favorite YA novel so far.

Recommended Age: 14 and up.
Language: A little.
Violence: Zombies. Duh. But it isn't anywhere near as gratuitously awesome as Maberry's Joe Ledger novels.
Sex: Some disturbing situations are alluded to, but noting is ever shown.


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Slumping NOT Over

1:57 PM mixagrip

It's official.  I'm in a rut.  I've been trying to plow through lots of books recently, both library and review copies and I'm just plain tired.  I'm feeling sad that I feel like I have to "plow" through books at all.  I need some kind of literary pick-me-up.  Something that reminds me of just how much I love reading.  I'm open to your suggestions, cause I've got nothing.

Not only is it a reading slump, I'm feeling very unmotivated to blog as well.  You may have noticed a proliferation of book reviews and not a lot of anything else.*  That is a symptom of my slumpage.  I've just been taking my huge back log of reviews (from July - yes, I'm almost four months behind on my reviews) and posting them once a day.  It's almost as tiresome for me as it is for you.

What I'm really hoping will pull me out of both slumps is a chance to mingle with some awesome local and one awesome non-local YA authors this Saturday.  My library is having a teen book festival of sorts, and I'm hoping I'll at least get some food for thought if not my excitement for reading back.  I've got an author-love post brewing on my back burner and this event might just move it out of the dark recesses of my mind and into the public view.  

But, until then, I've only got more reviews from way back when (and a few from not-so-way-back-when) to post.  Thanks for sticking with me, everyone!

*I'm even so slumpy right now that I can't even think of a nice picture to include to break up the dull text of this post. 

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Lockdown (YA)

6:57 AM Nikki

Lockdown. Walter Dean Myers. 2010. HarperCollins. 247 pages.


"I hope you mess this up! I hope you blow it big-time! You're supposed to be smart. You think you're smart, right?"

Reese, just fourteen, is serving time at Progress--a juvenile detention center. Because he's shown promise in the twenty-two months he's been there, he's chosen for a new work program. He'll be working ten days a month at Evergreen, an assisted living center for senior citizens. He's hoping that his good behavior and his new and improved attitude, will help him get released sooner.

But. Nothing is ever that easy. Life at Progress isn't easy. No matter how much he tries to stay out of fights, tries to not let himself be provoked into bad situations, Reese struggles. Daily. Reese never expected to find a role model at Evergreen. Especially one as cranky as Mr. Hooft. This "friendship" is a struggle too. But it's worth it.

I liked Lockdown. I liked Reese. It was an easy read, a compelling one. I would recommend this one.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Book Review: The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

1:24 PM mixagrip

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9780385736626
Source: Library 

The Cardturner 

Alton Richards was not intending to spend his summer turning cards for his old, rich, blind uncle.  But, when the opportunity arises, his mother can't wait to volunteer him.  Despite knowing nothing about bridge, Alton is willing to earn a little money driving him to his bridge club and telling him what cards he has.  Little does he expect to become fascinated with the game and with his Uncle Lester's interesting past. 

Things I Liked:
There is definitely nothing I've ever read quite like this story.  While telling us the story of what happens, Alton throws in short sections describing how the game of bridge works, rules, tactics, etc.  I loved how Alton felt like a real person - he would have been someone I would want to be friends with in high school.  His sometimes snarky and sarcastic style of narrating kept the laughs coming, even when you didn't really think you would be interested in more information about bridge.   I was a big fan of Trapp as well (Uncle Lester) simply because he was so stubbornly ornery about everything.  And he had an interesting history.  Sachar really has a way of making you like the book because you like the characters, even if you think it is a boring topic.  A fun, interesting, and very unique story.  Some favorite parts:
Have you ever been in a situation where you've been with someone for a while and you don't know that person's name? It's too late to ask, but you know the longer you go without asking, the more awkward it will become.  ...That's how I'm feeling right now, only in reverse.  By the way, my name is Alton Richards.  A talented author would have skillfully slipped that in earlier, probably on the very first page. p 7
I realize it's a cliche for a teenager to be embarrassed by his parents.  Cliff often complained about his paretns, but I always thought they were pretty cool.  Was it possible, I wondered, that there was somebody, somewhere, who thought my parents were cool? p 89
Things I Didn't Like:
I admit that about half-way through, when a certain event happens, I lost a bit of interest in the story.  I thought it went a little wacky from there, which was probably what it intended to do, but it made it less enjoyable for me.  Interesting, yes, but just not where I would have taken the story.
 
Read-alikes:
probably just because it is also by Sachar, but it felt a bit like Holes
Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt
Big Slick by Eric Luper

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
very few (impressively enough)

mrg-factor: X
a hint or two, nothing much

v-factor: ->
a little mention of domestic violence

Overall rating: **** 

Anything you've surprisingly enjoyed recently?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (MG/YA)

7:33 AM Nikki

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett. 2001. HarperCollins. 242 pages.

Rats! 
They fought the dogs and killed the cats, and--
But there was more to it than that. As the Amazing Maurice said, it was just a story about people and rats. And the difficult part of it was deciding who the people were, and who were the rats.
But Malicia Grim said it was a story about stories.
It began--part of it began--on the mail coach that came over the mountains from the distant cities of the plain.

I loved The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. I just LOVED it. I loved the characters. Maurice, the cat, and many of the rats--including Hamnpork, Dangerous Beans, Peaches, Darktan, Sardines, etc. And the humans, Keith and Malicia. I loved seeing these characters interact with one another. I loved the story too! It was such a great adventure story. And the writing--of course--I just loved it! Terry Pratchett is a new favorite of mine!!!

What is this one about? Maurice has a scheme to get rich. He travels with a human piper, Keith, and 'his' educated rodents (rats). (Both the rats and the cat can talk.) They go from town to town--or village to village--though never in places too close together. First, they'll be an outbreak of rats. Then Keith will appear as a rat piper to save the day and lead the rats away. For a fee, of course. They split the money between them.

Readers see their "last" adventure in the town of Bad Blintz. All does not go according to plan...

One of my favorite things about this one is Mr. Bunnsy Has An Adventure. These rats LOVE the book Mr. Bunnsy Has An Adventure. And many of the chapters begin with a quote from this book.

One day, when he was naughty, Mr. Bunnsy looked over the hedge into Farmer Fred's field and saw it was full of fresh green lettuces. Mr. Bunnsy, however, was not full of lettuces. This did not seem fair. (1)

Mr. Bunnsy had a lot of friends in Furry Bottom. But what Mr. Bunnsy was friendly with more than anything else was food. (20)

The important thing about adventures, thought Mr. Bunnsy, was that they should not be so long as to make you miss mealtimes. (49)

There were big adventures and small adventures, Mr. Bunnsy knew. You didn't get told what size they were going to be before you started. Sometimes you could have a big adventure even when you were standing still. (79)
I would definitely recommend this one!


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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The Ragged Man

7:00 AM Nikki

As you all are well aware, we reviewed the first three novels in Tom Lloyd's Twilight Reign series and basically said they were the best thing since sliced bread. So with the release of THE RAGGED MAN, the fourth book in the series, it really became a question of "What more can we say?"

As it turns out, quite a bit.

Those of you who recently read THE GRAVE THIEF are probably still picking your jaw off the ground after that COMPLETELY INSANE ending. Main characters dying, other characters becoming the Mortal-Aspects of Gods, Gods dying, and Styrax being completely awesome. It seems like after every novel in this series we say to ourselves "How is Tom Lloyd going to top this?" Somehow he always does, and his endings leave us completely floored. This novel was no exception.

THE RAGGED MAN picks up right after the bloodbath at the end of THE GRAVE THIEF. The Land is in turmoil. Styrax has become even more vicious in his conquests. Civil war is blooming everywhere. Times are grim. THE RAGGED MAN features a fairly common theme: the tragedy and loss that come from war. Just because many of the characters in Tom Lloyd's series are larger-than-life doesn't mean they have nothing to lose. It is really in this aspect of the novel that Tom really drives home the cost of war. There is a section toward the latter quarter of the novel where Carel is ripping into Vesna about how much everyone has lost. It is in these losses that the great and powerful should realize they are no better than the lowborn. It is particularly powerful to see how Styrax copes with his own losses.

Another of the themes that is illustrated in THE RAGGED MAN to near perfection is the idea of duty. Characters are literally bargaining their souls away because of the duty they feel towards the Land, and towards their Lords and Gods. No matter the cost, there are a few characters that realize just how bad events are becoming with Azaer pulling everyone's strings. You see, with this novel we are getting people's full motivations. It's more than just conquest. Far, far more, and Tom does an amazing job of raising the stakes in a way that makes the reader cognizant of the current and coming dangers. Only those who are willing to sacrifice everything will be able to save the Land.

We've said constantly that we love this series. We recommend it to everyone. However, with our recent reading of Jordan and Sanderson's TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT, we realized WHY we love this series so much. Lloyd's Twilight Reign contains all the things we feel are lacking in the Wheel of Time. Danger. Death. Consequences. This series even touches on some similar themes--the long dead king that was living in Isak's head for example. Sound familiar? Only the handling of it in Lloyd's series is so much better, and the purposes behind it feel much more immediate. Where the WoT gets bloated, repetitive and passive, The Twilight Reign is focused, dark, aggressive and active. THE RAGGED MAN really hammered home this sense of fulfilled literary promises that have been withheld by WoT and many other stagnant, epic fantasy series. Another comparison? OK. A few years ago we were at a convention where Lloyd was said to be in a similar vein as Steven Erikson. This is 100% accurate. That's all you need to know.

If there is one thing we wish we could see more of in Lloyd's stories, it is a bit more variety in the Land. We end up being plopped down in the same areas. If you look at the map, we pretty much stick to a extremely small area of the world. Other places are mentioned, but we never see them. Granted, this is part of what gives the story its focus, but there is a huge and rich world to explore here--not to mention the various cultures we barely get glimpses at. With only one book left in the series, it's obvious we aren't going to see these places. We are holding out for some stand-alone sequels like Joe Abercrombie is doing. And by "holding out" we mean begging.

The ending. What can you say. Holy. Freaking. Crap. A portion of the ending was expected--big huge battle with all sorts of death and destruction. But just because you know generally WHO is going to show up to save the day doesn't mean you know HOW it is all going to happen. Trust us, the ending of this book was completely fantastic. In a sense, it was reminiscent of book 1 where the prophecy was broken. The last few lines of the novel really illustrate just how crazy things are probably going to get in the final book.

In THE RAGGED MAN, Tom Lloyd has once again raised the stakes in his series. The action was amazing like usual. Tragedy often strikes just when things seem to be going well. Consequences are real and powerful. This is a grim, dark world that somehow still has glimmers of hope as the incredible characters fight tooth-and-nail for their futures. But now comes the hard part: finishing it all off. With a solid ending, this series could become a cornerstone of the genre. The wait for THE DUSK WATCHMAN is already killing us.

If you aren't reading this series, you are doing yourself an immense disservice. Fortunately, this is easily fixed. Go buy this book, and the three before it right now.

Recommended Age: 17 and up.
Language: There is quite a bit more this time around due to the focus being more on soldiers.
Violence: Tom writes awesome action. He writes very visual and visceral violence. This is a bloody, bloody novel.
Sex: Nope. None.


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Book Review: It Started With a Dare by Lindsay Faith Rech

10:37 AM mixagrip

It Started with a Dare by Lindsay Faith Rech
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (Graphia)
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9780547235585
Source: e-book provided by NetGalley

It Started with a Dare 

When CG Silverman moves to a new town and a new school, she's determined to be a new person.  When she manages to worm her way into the good graces of the most popular cliche at the school, she must maintain her new persona of rebel and dare devil.  But, she finds lying about her past, her present, and just about everything else is required to maintain all those intricate and complicated relationships she has.  Will she be able to keep all her secrets?

Things I Liked:
The book showed a complicated look at popularity and the kinds of things people will do to be popular.  It was also quite interesting in its depictions of the carelessness we feel toward other peoples' feelings.  CG was not a person I liked or related to at all, especially in the way she treated others, but I did see that I can become just as cavalier with the feelings of other people.  It played kind of a cautionary story for me.

Things I Didn't Like:
I actually really didn't like the characters or story much.  CG is a sarcastic, crass, potty-mouthed jerk, to pretty much everyone throughout.  She toys with people over and over and doesn't even seem to care, until she loses friends.  I really got tired of her.  The story was fairly interesting, but held nothing original or terribly entertaining to me.  When CG does "figure it out," the message is pounded into our heads so obviously that it lacks any kind of subtlety.  In short, I just wasn't impressed.  

Read-alikes:

The Real Real by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Snap by Carol Snow

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
plenty throughout, some strong

mrg-factor: XX
lots of discussion of it, not much actual descriptions

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **

I really liked the cover of this one, but it seems a bit deceptive. It looks light-hearted and even sweet, but totally isn't on the inside. What covers have you seen that seem deceptive?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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The Plain Janes (YA)

7:20 AM Nikki

The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci. Jim Rugg. Minx. 176 pages. 

Metro City. Last spring. When it happened, I fell. There was a pop and then nothing. I didn't know what was happening. 

I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed The Plain Janes. I didn't expect to like it so much. I didn't expect it to be so compelling. I was surprised by the depth, the substance, of the characterization.

Jane, our heroine, is just one of many Janes in her new school, new town. And at first, she finds her new world to be uninviting. But. After meeting the other Janes, she finds hope and makes a plan. A plan that will include bending a few rules. She'll start a club--a secret club--called P.L.A.I.N. People Loving Art in Neighborhoods. Her role--while anonymous--brings some great people into her life. But it isn't without some risk.

The focus is on family, friends; life at home and school. I would definitely recommend The Plain Janes.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Name That Book, Episode 3

12:45 PM mixagrip

Name that Book is a biweekly game where you get to guess a book title from the photo clues.  Occasionally there will be prizes for the winner.

Hopefully these ones will at least give you some pause before you can rattle off the answer.  Feel free to make your guesses in the comments, I don't have a prize this week.


Book 1:


Book 2:

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Kitty Goes to War

7:00 AM Nikki

Carrie Vaughn's urban fantasy series about werewolf Kitty Norville who hosts a paranormal call-in radio show adds #8 to list with KITTY GOES TO WAR (there are two more slated to finish the series). Vaughn's series is the kind where you can read each book as a standalone, but they're that much more layered if you've read the others. The same applies to WAR, you can enjoy the story on its own.

In KITTY GOES TO WAR, Kitty is contacted by a doctor at the government's center for paranatural biology to help with a problem. Three Green Beret soldiers have been brought back from Afghanistan after their unit went haywire. Unfortunately, they're werewolves and incapable of reintegrating into a non-militarized setting, especially after the death of their alpha. Being cooped up in a government facility where the walls are coated in silver doesn't help their attitude, either.

Since this is Kitty, problems are never simple. At the same time she's trying to help three very violent werewolves, the CEO of the Speedy Mart franchise, Harold Franklin, is suing her for libel. You see, she spent one of her shows speculating with callers about mysterious events happening at Speedy Marts around the country. Franklin's overly quick reaction to mere speculation--and to a late-night spook show, even--makes Kitty reasonably suspicious that perhaps there is something unusual going on after all.

Kitty has changed a lot over the series, and in a good way. Here she continues to have doubts about whether she's doing the right thing, but she puts on a good front for the sake of those she's responsible for. She makes a great heroine, in that she's still completely female and soft-hearted, but she's got the courage to do what's difficult. She's been a werewolf long enough that she's accepted it, and feels compelled to help others cope, too. With her is her lawyer-werewolf-husband Ben, whose intelligence, voice of reason, and support makes them a great team. And finally there's Cormac, the third-wheel, former paranormal bounty hunter, who's finally out of prison, sporting secrets of his own.

Vaughn's prose is no-nonsense storytelling that's quick-paced, but flows easily. Kitty's first-person PoV is filled with humor and insight, making situations that should be ridiculous easier to swallow. Vaughn's a solid storyteller, consistent and polished, even if a little predictable; but, hey, that's what her readers like, and makes for great pool-side summer reading.

Complaints? Not a whole lot. It's hard to be sticky knowing what kind of genre it is going in. The secondary characters could have more depth. The climax could have been less contrived with Cormac's big reveal of what really went on in prison. These are, unfortunately, pitfalls of using first-person PoV. Compared to the early books in the series, there's more about how werewolf behavior stands out, how it's a culture within a culture that must be taken seriously. However, Vaughn could have done more with the werewolf culture, as WAR only shows its surface when there's a whole lot more to explore. There's also hints about what else is out there, such as wizards, faerie, and vampires, but while those will take the form of friends or enemies in the series, we don't get a lot of background detail. If Vaughn gave the setting more depth, this series could really have some meat on its bones.

Recommended Age: 16+
Language: Just a handful.
Violence: Mostly a lot of werewolf posturing, but the end does have fighting and blood that's moderately graphic.
Sex: With Kitty happily married it's toned down compared to previous novels.


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Behometh

6:02 AM Nikki


Behemoth. Scott Westerfeld. 2010. October 2010. Simon & Schuster. 485 pages.

Alek raised his sword. "On guard, sir!"
Deryn hefted her own weapon, studying Alek's pose.
His feet were splayed at right angles, his left arm sticking out behind like the handle of a teacup. His fencing armor made him look like a walking quilt. Even with his sword pointed straight at her, he looked barking silly.

Behemoth is the sequel to Leviathan. It's a science fiction action-packed historical novel that presents an alternate what-if to the Great War. Its alternative world is fascinating. A world divided into two camps: Clankers (those who love machines and technology) and Darwinists (those who love splicing together 'incredible' new beings).

The books have two narrators: Alek, a young boy who is trying to hide his real identity, and Deryn, a young woman who is trying to keep her gender hidden so she can be in the British Air Service. She's living her new life as Dylan Sharp. In the first novel, these two begin an unpredictable friendship. After all, he's a Clanker, she's a Darwinist. Both have secrets--if his secret is revealed, he'd become a prisoner--if her secret is revealed, then her military career would be over. (She's guessed his secret. But he doesn't have a clue about hers.) Can they trust each other? Can they help each other?

The setting for Behemoth is interesting. It's set in Istanbul, the Ottoman Empire. It's a compelling novel. I enjoyed it more than the first novel.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Sunday Salon: Reading, Read, To Read #43

1:10 PM Nikki

Happy Sunday! I thought I would talk a little today about obsessions. Though I'm not sure obsessions is the right word. I'm talking about discoveries and journeys. But I'm also talking about needing wanting more, more, more of something. Like Greek Mythology. Like Terry Pratchett. Like Ray Bradbury. Like graphic novels.

Which leads to me joining the Odyssey readalong hosted by Love, Laughter, and A Touch of Insanity. Since reading the graphic novel, I've been wanting more. I've checked out Robert Fagles' translation of Homer's Odyssey. And The Penelopiad. And The Lost Books of Odysseus. And Waiting for Odysseus. And King of Ithaka.

What books/authors/series have you become obsessed with lately?

What I've Reviewed:

Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett. 2006. HarperCollins. 325 pages.
One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia. 2010. [January 2010] HarperCollins. 218 pages.
Ballet Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 1937. Random House. 256 pages.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Shirley Jackson. 1962. Penguin. 214 pages.   
While We're Far Apart. Lynn Austin. 2010. October 2010. Bethany House. 416 pages.
Snow Day. Billy Coffey. 2010. October 2010. FaithWords. 195 pages.
Cottonwood Whispers. Jennifer Erin Valent. 2009. Tyndale. 352 pages.
Binky to the Rescue. Ashley Spires. 2010. Kids Can Press. 64 pages.
Beowulf. Gareth Hinds. 2007. Candlewick Press. 128 pages
The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets. Roger Langridge. 2009. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet Robin Hood. Tim Beedle. 2009. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet Peter Pan. Grace Randolph. 2010. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet King Arthur. Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck. 2010. Boom. 112 pages.
The Gobble Gobble Moooooo Tractor Book. Jez Alborough. 2010. September 2010. Kane/Miller. 32 pages.
Mad at Mommy. Komako Sakai. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 40 pages.
Miles to Go. Jamie Harper. 2010. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
How To Raise a Dinosaur. Natasha Wing. Illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi. 2010. October 2010. Running Press. 24 pages.
Spork. Kyo Iona Maclear. Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. 2010. Kids Can Press.  32 pages.

Coming Soon: 


Behemoth. Scott Westerfeld. 2010. October 2010. Simon & Schuster. 485 pages.


The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci. Jim Rugg. Minx. 176 pages.  


The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett. 2001. HarperCollins. 242 pages.


Lockdown. Walter Dean Myers. 2010. HarperCollins. 247 pages.


The Memory Bank. Carolyn Coman. Illustrations by Rob Shepperson. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 288 pages.

Currently Reading:


Passionate Brood: A Novel of Richard the Lionheart and the Man Who Became Robin Hood. Margaret Campbell Barnes. 1944/2010. Sourcebooks. 368 pages.


The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. 2005. Canongate Books. 224 pages.


Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1993. Random House. 592 pages.


The Odyssey. Homer. Robert Fagles (translator). Penguin. 2006. 560 pages.


The Danger Box. Blue Balliett. 2010. Scholastic. 320 pages.

What I'm Hoping To Start Soon:


The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. 2010. Hyperion. 576 pages.


Blackout. Connie Willis. 2010. Random House. 512 pages.


I Shall Wear Midnight. Terry Pratchett. 2010. HarperCollins. 355 pages.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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