Some Local Library Love: Orem Public Library

Well, as some of you may know (I haven't mentioned it in, like two days) I moved recently.  I grew up in Utah and I couldn't leave my home town without giving a shout out, with my Libraries Around the World feature, to my childhood library.  This is the place where I grew up on words.  These are the stacks where I checked out every Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley Twins, Boxcar Children, and Babysitters Club book religiously.  My love for libraries was born and raised in the walls of this place.  It fed the fires of my book-lust and also, in later years, the fires in my pockets when I got a job there as a page.  But enough of the ridiculously overblown praise.  I took a few photos of this nostalgic building before we left.  It didn't always look like this, having received a few make-overs in the years since I caressed Nancy's yellow bindings (well, sometimes they were more of a grayish brown...).  But it will always hold a special place in my heart.  Or something like that (oh the cheese in this post is simply delicious).  I introduce you to the unimposing, but well-beloved Orem Public Library.

Many a time I remember running up those spiral stairs. It was like being in a book. A book with a castle and a fabulous collection of kids reading material.

Speaking of straight from a book, these windows are one of my favorite things. Done by a local artist, they span one entire wall near the collection of fairy tales (which, by the way, is quite extensive). They were not there for my early years, but I remember when they were put in. At least, I remember being completely jealous that one of my friends was a model for one of the characters in the window. Details, details.

And here's a close-up of one part. Not a very interesting part, but my hubby took the photo, so blame him. It's not even the part that my friend modeled for. Still, love these windows. And love this library.

What memories do you have of your "first" library?

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Posted in libraries around the world , not a review

June Reflections

June was a very exciting month! I read some great mysteries. I read a little Rex Stout, a little Dorothy Sayers, a little Agatha Christie, a little Lilian Jackson Braun. I also read some middle grade and young adult books! I haven't been reading as many of those in recent months, so it was nice to get back to that. I had some reading lows (books that I had to keep forcing myself to read) and some reading highs (books that I didn't want to put down at all). There were times I was super-excited to be reading, and a few times where I didn't want to read ANYTHING at all.

As far as challenges go, I was able to read at least one book for each of these challenges: New Author Challenge,  TBR Pile Challenge, Historical Fiction, Cruisin' Thru the Cozies. I also joined the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge and the Not-so-Mini Nero Wolfe challenge. 

This month I read 56 books! It helped that I participated in two read-a-thons, the Spring Into Summer Readathon and the 48 Hour Readathon! I also completed two challenges: The Once Upon A Time challenge and the Spring Reading Thing challenge. 

Picture Books: 3; Children's Books: 3; Middle Grade: 8; Young Adult: 7; Adult: 16; Christian Nonfiction: 5; Christian Fiction: 10; Nonfiction: 2; Graphic Novels: 2.

Review Copies: 27; Library Books: 23; Books I Bought: 6.

My top five:

The Golden Spiders. Rex Stout. 
The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic. Jennifer Trafton.
Doggirl. Robin Brande.
To Dream in the City of Sorrows. (Babylon 5: Book #9). Kathryn M. Drennan.
A Monster Calls. Patrick Ness. 

Reviews at Becky's Book Reviews

Our Only May Amelia. Jennifer L. Holm. 1999. HarperCollins.
A Monster Calls. Patrick Ness. Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd. 2011. September 2011. Candlewick Press. 224 pages.
Doggirl. Robin Brande. 2011. Ryer Publishing. 269 pages.
The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic. Jennifer Trafton. With illustrations by Brett Helquist. 2010. Penguin. 352 pages.
The Rumpelstiltskin Problem. Vivian Vande Velde. 2000. Houghton Mifflin. 116 pages.
William's Midsummer Dreams. Zilpha Keatley Snyder. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages.
Small Acts of Amazing Courage. Gloria Whelan. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages.
The Boy at the End of the World. Greg van Eekhout. 2011. Bloomsbury. 224 pages.
As I Wake. Elizabeth Scott. 2011. September 2011. Penguin. 224 pages.
Beauty Queens. Libba Bray. 2011. Scholastic.  400 pages.
Legend by Marie Lu. 2011. November 2011. Penguin. 336 pages.
Ruby Red. Kerstin Gier. 2011. Henry Holt. 336 pages.
Rage. Jackie Morse Kessler. 2011. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 228 pages.
Front and Center. Catherine Gilbert Murdock. 2009. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 256 pages.
Miles from Ordinary. Carol Lynch Williams. 2011. St. Martin's Press. 208 pages.
Crocodile on the Sandbank. Amelia Peabody Mystery #1. Elizabeth Peters. 1975/2002. Hachette Books. 272 pages.
The Golden Spiders. Rex Stout. 1953. Random House. 206 pages.
True Grit. Charles Portis. 1968. Overlook Press. 224 pages.
Too Many Cooks. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1938/1993. Bantam. 240 pages.
Death of a Doxy. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1966/1996. Chivers Press. 202 pages.
Three at Wolfe's Door. Rex Stout. 1960. Viking. 186 pages
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1966. Compass Press. 227 pages.
The Cat Who Turned On and Off. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1968. Penguin. 265 pages.
The Cat Who Saw Red. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1986. Penguin. 250 pages.
The Cat Who Played Brahms. Lilian Jackson Braun. 1987. Penguin. 256 pages.
Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance. Gyles Brandreth. 2007. Simon & Schuster. 368 pages.
Fer-de-lance. A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Rex Stout. 1934/1997. Random House. 304 pages.
Clouds of Witness. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1927/1966. Avon. 224 pages.
Nemesis. Agatha Christie. 1971/2011. HarperCollins. 304 pages.
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1928/1995. HarperCollins. 256 pages.
To Dream in the City of Sorrows. (Babylon 5: Book #9). Kathryn M. Drennan. Based on the series by J. Michael Straczynski. 1997. Random House. 352 pages. 

Reviews at Young Readers

Should I Share My Ice Cream: An Elephant and Piggie Book. Mo Willems. 2011. Hyperion. 64 pages.
Back to School with Betsy. Carolyn Haywood. 1943. 176 pages.
Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator. Mo Willems. 2011. HarperCollins. 72 pages.
How To Get a Job By Me The Boss. Sally Lloyd Jones and Sue Heap. 2011. Random House. 40 pages.
Slightly Invisible: Featuring Charlie and Lola. Lauren Child. 2011. Candlewick Press. 40 pages.
Press Here. Herve Tullet. 2011. Chronicle. 56 pages.
Just Being Audrey. Margaret Cardillo. Illustrated by Julia Denos. 2011. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet. Leslie McGuirk. 2011. Random House. 48 pages.
Babymouse Mad Scientist (Babymouse #14). Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. 2011. Random House. 96 pages.
Squish Super Amoeba (Squish #1) by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. 2011. Random House. 96 pages.

Reviews at Operation Actually Read Bible

Hope Rekindled. Tracie Peterson. 2011. Bethany House. 352 pages.
In Grandma's Attic. Arleta Richardson. 1974/2011. David C. Cook. 144 pages.
More Stories from Grandma's Attic. Arleta Richardson. 1979/2011. David C. Cook. 144 pages.
Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself. Joe Thorn. Foreword by Sam Storms. 2011. Crossway Books. 144 pages.
How Huge the Night. Lydia Munn and Heather Munn. 2011. Kregel. 304 pages.
China Cry. Nora Lam with Richard Schneider. 1991. Thomas Nelson. 260 pages.
Saint Training. Elizabeth Fixmer. 2010. Zonderkidz. 256 pages.
Pompeii: City On Fire. T.L. Higley. 2011. B&H Publishing Group. 368 pages.
Mirror Ball. Matt Redman. 2011. David C. Cook. 176 pages.
Troo Makes A Splash (Rainforest Friends). Cheryl Crouch. Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. 2011. Zonderkidz. 32 pages.
Troo's Secret Clubhouse. Cheryl Crouch. Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. 2011. Zonderkidz. 32 pages.
Troo's Big Climb. Cheryl Crouch. Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. 2011. Zonderkidz. 32 pages.
Tombstones and Banana Trees: A True Story of Revolutionary Forgiveness. Medad Birungi with Craig Borlase. 2011. David C. Cook. 208 pages.
Am I Really A Christian? Mike McKinley. Foreword by Kirk Cameron. 2011. Crossway. 160 pages.
Martha. Diana Wallis Taylor. 2011. Revell. 256 pages.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2011 Reflections

Book Review: Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef

Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication date: June 2011
ISBN: 978-0547370217
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley

Jane Austen has remained a household name for hundreds of years, an author many readers love to love.  But how much do we actually know about this historical figure?  Catherine Reef creates a biography of this mysterious woman, whose feelings and thoughts come to us only in bits and snatches. 

Things I Liked:
Yeah, I know that description was pretty crappy.  I'm not much good at non-fiction descriptions.  I enjoyed reading this biography.  Despite my being such a huge fan of Austen, I've read very few biographies about her.  I know quite a bit of the "facts" about her life, simply from online reading and such, but I wasn't as certain about other aspects of her life.  This was a good introduction to what we know and what we don't know about Austen.  I particularly appreciated that Reef clearly avoids speculation and other theories about why her letters were burned or what happened during some of her romantic escapades.  It was helpful also to get more of a perspective on the general historical time period.  A good biography for those just getting their feet wet in the Austen world.

Things I Didn't Like:
I wasn't that thrilled with the summaries of her books, which seemed sometimes to draw me out of the narrative, but which might be helpful for those who haven't read them.  It was also pretty short and I didn't think it was very original in its insights, but I'm definitely not an expert.  I became a bit frustrated with the format of this e-ARC, which I read on my Kindle and the images were absent or interrupted the text obnoxiously, but this was entirely the fault of the Kindle.  I looked at the images on the computer and they were fabulous.  I really liked what they seemed to bring to the story as well.  Good intro for younger fans of Austen.

Read-alikes:
Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin
Jane Austen: Her Life And Letters, A Family Record by William Austen-Leigh
Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

Do you have a favorite biography or other non-fiction book about Austen?

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Posted in 3 stars , biography , e-book , non-fiction , review copy , Young Adult

Boy At The End of the World (MG)

The Boy at the End of the World. Greg van Eekhout. 2011. Bloomsbury. 224 pages.

This is what he knew:
His name was Fisher.
The world was dangerous.
He was alone.
And that was all.

I definitely enjoyed Greg van Eekhout's The Boy At The End of the World. If you like survival stories or action-adventure stories or post-apocalyptic stories, then this one may be for you. Fisher, our hero, is truly the boy at the end of the world. There's a good possibility that he's the only human left on earth. At least the only human awakened from his pod. And if the other arks on earth look like Fisher's, well, the world could be in trouble.

But he's not completely alone in the world. He's guided by a robot, Click, and together they set out on a journey. To find other arks--other survivors, perhaps, and to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the bad guys--the evil robots that have destroyed Fisher's ark. (Not that it was *his* ark. But the ark that housed his pod.)

The Boy at the End of the World is imaginative. The author has created quite a world--an unfriendly world--for our hero to try to navigate. Some of the creatures that have evolved or survived-long-enough-in-the-world-to-evolve are quite interesting. (Though they take some getting used to perhaps.) I did enjoy this one. It was a quick read with plenty of action and suspense.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2011 , Bloomsbury USA , J Action , J Adventure , J Fiction , J Science Fiction , postapocalypse , review copy , Survival

City of Ruins

Back in 2009 we read Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s DIVING INTO THE WRECK. With its incredible accessibility to all sorts of readers and its awesome idea of wreck diving in space, it instantly became one of our favorites that year. We waited patiently for the sequel, and it finally came out.

CITY OF RUINS follows up a bit after DIVING. Boss is back, and this time she’s made a company that investigates the stealth tech discovered in the first novel. On a hunch she heads to city of Vaycehn to investigate the possibility of stealth tech on the planet. With her are a slew of historians, archeologists and the other six people who can safely navigate the stealth fields. The people in the city are suspicious, and the city itself falls victim to a weird phenomenon called "death holes" that swallow whole sections of Vaycehn. It's partly the mystery behind this city that makes the book so enthralling.

We were worried. It’s a kind of paranoia we have. We tend to assume that the second book in a series—especially when following such a pleasantly surprising one like DIVING—will fail to live up to the quality of the first. It's a legitimate fear. CITY OF RUINS takes place nearly entirely on a planet. Our initial thoughts were, “Well crap. The whole reason we liked the first one was because of the deep-space wreck diving.” What would happen when Rusch took that away?

We were absorbed into the story within a few pages, and then when the major “twist” type moment happened about 1/3 through the book, we were absolutely sold. Not only was this as good as the first novel, it was better in every way. We mean it. Every. Single. Way.

The writing is better. The pacing is fluid and effortless. You may recall from our review of DIVING INTO THE WRECK that Rusch’s first novel in this series felt more like a couple novellas stuck together rather than a true novel. CITY OF RUINS has none of those problems that slightly knocked the first novel. What’s more is just how easily Rusch recaptured our imagination. How? With her main character, Boss. She is a fantastic example of a strong female protagonist that has baggage and flaws. Boss’ obsession with finding more stealth tech (including the reason behind her obsession) not only gives the character depth, but the universe as well.

One of the real awesome parts of this novel is just how much is really brewing beneath the surface. Without giving anything away, this is the novel that really makes you ask the question, “What is really going on here?”

CITY OF RUINS is a perfect evolution of this series. Everything you think you know about this universe is stood on its head and spun a different way. Even the slow bits of the novel were extremely interesting. What more can a guy ask for? Remember, we don’t particularly care for Science Fiction. But this series? We’ll gobble up every story in this universe that we can. Twice.

It can get a little difficult to convey just how thrilled we are with this book. You should read this book. You should read both the novels in this series. You should pre-order the third novel, BONEYARDS, coming out next January. You should probably also buy copies for all your friends and family. You know, just to be safe.

Recommended Age: 15 and up
Language: Some. Not too much at all really.
Violence: Nothing major.
Sex: Nope.

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Posted in Books We Love , Kristine Kathryn Rusch , science fiction

To Dream in The City of Sorrows

To Dream in the City of Sorrows. (Babylon 5: Book #9). Kathryn M. Drennan. Based on the series by J. Michael Straczynski. 1997. Random House. 352 pages.

From the prologue: Marcus Cole walked with a limp, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the young Minbari acolyte as Marcus entered the small temple. Marcus didn't recognize the rather chubby Minbari and briefly wondered where Sech Turval was, but as he was not in the mood for conversation, he simply made a note to seek out the venerable Minbari teacher at a later time.

From chapter one: "Alpha 7 to Alpha Leader, I'm hit!" 

I almost don't know where to start with this review. I could start by asking you if you've discovered how wonderful a show Babylon 5 is. I could mention that at the moment, at least, you can watch the first season online at the WB. (Though I discovered--the hard way--that these moments of "generosity" (aka availability) aren't to be taken for granted. What is available for a few weeks at a time, may disappear suddenly leaving folks a bit disgruntled.) Amazon also offers individual episodes for download--for a price, of course. If you're a fan, I'd be curious to know how many episodes it took for you to get hooked, for me, it was five. Once I saw Parliament of Dreams, well, I knew that it was the start of a beautiful friendship. Or obsession. You know, whichever you prefer.

So the framework of To Dream In The City of Sorrows--the prologue and epilogue--take place shortly after season three's "Grey 17 is Missing," and are narrated by Marcus Cole. (I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Marcus Cole!) But most of the book focuses on what was happening with Jeffrey Sinclair after he left Babylon 5. (The gap between the last episode of season one, "Chrysalis," and the incredibly intense two-part episode "War Without End" of season three.)

IN the first episode of season two, viewers learn that Jeffrey Sinclair has been suddenly removed from his position on Babylon 5 and reassigned to Minbar. Officially he is the "ambassador from Earth" on Minbar. The FIRST human ambassador to Minbar. Unofficially, well, he's out of favor with Earth Alliance. But that may just prove to everyone's advantage.   


In the introduction, J. Michael Straczynski writes, "What you hold in your hand is an official, authorized chapter in the Babylon 5 story line. This is the definitive answer to the Sinclair question, and should be considered as authentic as any episode in the regular series."

Read To Dream in the City of Sorrows

• If you want to know what Sinclair was doing in season two and three
• If you want to know what became of Catherine Sakai, to learn if these two were able to make their troubled relationship work...with the added drama of Shadows and Rangers
• If you want to know more even more about the Shadows' movements during this time
• If you want to learn about how Sinclair became Ranger One and re-energized the Rangers (first started by Valen)
• If you want to learn more about Minbari prophecies (also their culture and caste system)
• If you want to learn more about the Vorlons; in particular readers are introduced to Ulkesh. (Loved Sinclair's first impression of him! And his insights about the Vorlons in general. How Kosh may not be the most representative of his race.)
• If you want to learn more about Marcus. Readers meet William Cole AND Marcus Cole. Two brothers with an imperfect relationship. William is an eager ranger-in-training trying to get Marcus to join him, but, things don't always go as planned. Viewers get some of this story--was it in "Ceremonies of Light and Dark?"

I just LOVED this book. I loved learning more of Sinclair's story. I loved the introduction to Marcus Cole. Granted, I already loved him, but learning more of his story, well, it makes me love him even more! It's just a GREAT book.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in adult fiction , Adult Science Fiction , book I bought , series

Book Review: Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: April 2011
ISBN: 9781416994473
Source: ARC sent by publisher

 

Ever since their mother died, people have been hoping Elissa, Angeline, and Kat, will not take after her.  Especially their stepmama, who nearly faints at the word magic.  But, when Kat discovers she might just have taken after the mother she never knew, she is determined to use her abilities for good.  Like saving her sister from marrying a potential wife-killer and finding a way for both her older sisters to marry who they want.  

Things I Liked:
Reading this book was a frolicking good time!  I loved Kat and wanted to know more about her and read more about her antics.  She is spunky, unconventional, and also still learning about family relationships.  Her determined choices are so fun to watch unfold and I couldn't help but laugh at her mistakes and cheer at her triumphs.  It was a fun historical fantasy read complete with sweet romance and hysterical characters.  Can't wait for more from Burgis (sequel Renegade Magic out next April).

Things I Didn't Like:
I was actually expecting more tricks and craziness from Kat than I got.  Perhaps I had higher expectations for this book than I thought, but I wish she had done a few more incorrigible things in society.  Still, I enjoyed every minute of the read and kids are sure to love watching Kat get out of scrapes.

Read-alikes:
Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Kat reminded me a bit of Anne of Green Gables and Flavia de Luce

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some very minor perilous experiences

Overall rating: ****

Who's your favorite spunky, incorrigible heroine?

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

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Posted in 4 stars , historical fantasy , middle grade , review copy , tween tuesday

Listless Monday, Dress Up Edition

Listless Monday was inspired by both Amanda at A Bookshelf Monstrosity's feature Books by Theme and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature.  Be sure to check out their lists!

Well, I've been having a hard time coming up with good ideas for lists recently, and this idea isn't exactly an original one, but I figured I may as well throw it out there.  I've noticed that a lot of covers recently have gorgeous dresses on them, so, here are a just few I find fantastic:

Dress Up Edition

(Suggested by Inside a Book)

Any additions?

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

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Posted in listless monday , lists , not a review

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1928/1995. HarperCollins. 256 pages.

"What in the world, Wimsey, are you doing in this Morgue?" demanded Captain Fentiman, flinging aside the "Evening Banner" with the air of a man released from an irksome duty.

Lord Peter Wimsey's skills will be tested in The Unpleasantness at The Bellona Club. For a great deal of money depends on his preciseness, his thoroughness. General Fentiman, a ninety-year-old man, died at his club (and Peter's club). No one thought anything of it at all.

Until they learned that the General's sister, Lady Dormer, had also died that morning. Until they learned that there was some question as to inheritance.

If the General died first, then Ann Dorland would inherit most of Lady Dormer's money, Major Robert Fentiman and Captain George Fentiman would receive a little money. If Lady Dormer died first, then the General would have inherited most of his sister's money. And with the General being dead too, well, that leaves his two sons quite a bit wealthier.

But who died first? The Lady's death was discovered first. But that doesn't necessarily mean she died first. For nobody is quite sure when the General died. No one suspected him of being dead. He was just sitting still in his chair holding a newspaper for hours and hours.

So Lord Peter Wimsey is asked to help 'solve' this mystery. And at first, it is just a matter of determining when he died naturally. But some of the clues just don't make sense unless he died by unnatural causes.

Was it murder? Can Lord Peter Wimsey solve this case?

I love Lord Peter Wimsey. I do. I love him. And I enjoyed The Unpleasantness at The Bellona Club. I thought it was an interesting mystery.

Lord Peter Wimsey to Mr. Murbles:

"Acid man you are," said Wimsey. "No reverence, no simple faith or anything of that kind. Do lawyers ever go to heaven?"
"I have no information on that point," said Mr. Murbles dryly. (15)

Marjorie Phelps to Lord Peter:

"Peter Wimsey! You sit there, looking a perfectly well-bred imbecile, and then in the most underhand way you twist people into doing things they ought to blush for. No wonder you detect things. I will not do your worming for you!" (162)

"Moral certainty is not the same thing as proof." (205)

Other books in the series:

• Whose Body (1923)
• Clouds of Witness (1926)
• Unnatural Death (1927)
• The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1928)
• Strong Poison (1931)
• Five Red Herrings (1931)
• Have His Carcase (1932)
• Murder Must Advertise (1933)
• The Nine Tailors (1934)
• Gaudy Night (1935)
• Busman's Honeymoon (1937)
• Complete Stories of Lord Peter (1972)
• Thrones, Dominations (Dorothy Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh) (1998)
• A Presumption of Death (Jill Paton Walsh) (2002)
• The Attenbury Emeralds (Jill Paton Walsh) (2010)

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 1928 , adult fiction , adult mystery , book I bought , Dorothy Sayers , HarperCollins , Lord Peter Wimsey , mystery

The Mage In Black

She's a "shoot first and ask questions later" half-vampire with assassin skills, trust issues, and who must learn the magic inherited from her mage father in order to unite the dark races.

/yawn

If you've read your share of chick urban fantasy, THE MAGE IN BLACK is more of the same. Unfortunately, it's not even average more of the same. Perhaps I should start with what it has going for it: straightforward storytelling and fast-paced action. What it doesn't have going for it? Everything else.

It starts off with Sabina, our kick-butt heroine, arriving in New York after leaving the good graces of her vampire queen grandmother in RED-HEADED STEPCHILD. She's on her way to meet her long-lost twin sister, she's unsure what's going to happen, how she's going to make a living, whether she should kiss Adam the mage again—and of course they're attacked en route. Gotta shake things up early! Cuz, you know, otherwise people might get bored with the predictable story. Also, make sure to keep it snappy and distracting enough so that readers won't catch on that there's little point to the opening violence to the plot as a whole.

For Sabina, once she arrives in New York, things don't seem to get any better. The mage council doesn't trust or approve of her. Maisie, her bubbly twin sister is too busy being the mage council figurehead and resident prophetess to bother getting to know her own sister. Adam the potential love interest spends most of the book MIA, absent on an important mission to the Fairy Queen—because the mage council has convened to decide whether they should go to war with the vampires and the mages are going to need all the help they can get.

Often a reader will be forgiving to predicable plots, mediocre prose, and simplistic world-building if the characters are worth caring about. Unfortunately, not even the main character escaped secondary-character syndrome: shallow stereotypes, without even much detail to add depth. Sabina's first-person PoV emotional baggage was clunky and hard to sympathize with, especially since her decisions were inconsistent. She's supposed to be a well-trained assassin, right? Yet she's always caught off-guard by attackers, will find herself without a weapon during a fight, and goes broke when her funds are frozen by her grandmother's organization...even though she had plenty of time to withdraw emergency cash. The secondary characters are, for the most part, flat and uninteresting. What are these peoples' motives? Where do they come from? Why are they here? What do they like to eat/drink/wear/drive? Anything beyond the existing sparse details would have helped.

Something that could have boosted character personality? Dialogue. However, there was nothing to differentiate one set of quotes from another, including the main character's. Even then, the dialogue had no personality, was cliche, and did little other than awkwardly propel the plot forward.

One thing that could have really been cool was Sabina's demon familiar Giguhl, but the demon wasn't anything more than a sidekick for comic relief, whose origins, magic, and abilities aren't given more than basic information. In fact, I had a hard time seeing him as anything other than a strange-looking, sex-obsessed guy who happened to be able to shapeshift into a cat, and who's got some nasty street-fighting skills (how convenient).

The mage magic was traditional and dull—can't they do more than "throw" a magic force to attack with? Anything? It wasn't much different than Giguhl's magic, now that I think of it... A more imaginative effort might have really added some punch. And speaking of fight scenes, they left me uninspired. Well, the opening sequence was pretty good, I'll grant that, but it appears that the author's imagination was used up for that scene, because the climax lacked a real sense of peril, purpose, and anything interesting. Then, we get stuck with no resolution and a cliffhanger. Yippee.

Recommended Age: 17+
Language: Scattered profanity, but not lots
Violence: Yes, there are vampires and werewolves and demons, so there's blood and pain
Sex: Lots and lots of innuendo, references, and one graphic scene

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Posted in Books We Don't Like , Jaye Wells , Urban Fantasy

The Classics Circuit: John Steinbeck Tour In August!!!

John Steinbeck is one of my *favorite* authors, and he's the featured author on tour this August. You can sign up now at The Classics Circuit. 

The Steinbeck I've reviewed:

• Cannery Row,
• Sweet Thursday,
• Tortilla Flat, 
• Travels with Charley,
• The Moon is Down,
•   The Wayward Bus,
• Burning Bright,
• Winter of Our Discontent,
• To A God Unknown,
• Of Mice and Men

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Joining the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge

I knew that Kerrie was trying to read Agatha Christie's novels in the order of publication, but I didn't know it was an official-official reading challenge where readers could read at their own pace and in whatever order they liked. So I am happy to join this one--a little late, perhaps. But I've been reading Christie for all of 2011, so I'm going to "count" those too. I am relatively sure the challenge was open at that point. And there's a monthly Agatha Christie book carnival too! (When I think of all the reviews I could have been submitting...oh well, what's done is done!)

1. The Mysterious Affair At Styles.  
2. Murder on the Orient Express.
3. Murder at the Vicarage. A Miss Marple Mystery.  
4. The A.B.C. Murders. (Hercule Poirot).  
5. The Body in the Library. (Miss Marple).
6. Five Little Pigs. (Hercule Poirot), 
7. A Murder is Announced.
8. 4:50 From Paddington. 
9. Cards on the Table.  
10. Appointment with Death.  
11. At Bertram's Hotel. 
12. Cat Among the Pigeons. 
13. Sad Cypress.  
14. And Then There Were None. 
15. The Moving Finger. 
16. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. 
17. A Caribbean Mystery.  
18. The Big Four.  
19. Evil Under the Sun.  
20. Taken at the Flood.  
21. Dead Man's Folly.
22. Nemesis. 
23. Elephants Can Remember. Agatha Christie.  

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2011 Challenges

Sunday Salon: Week in Review #26

What I Reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews

The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic. Jennifer Trafton. With illustrations by Brett Helquist. 2010. Penguin. 352 pages.
The Rumpelstiltskin Problem. Vivian Vande Velde. 2000. Houghton Mifflin. 116 pages.
William's Midsummer Dreams. Zilpha Keatley Snyder. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages.
Small Acts of Amazing Courage. Gloria Whelan. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages. 
Nemesis. Agatha Christie. 1971/2011. HarperCollins. 304 pages.
Front and Center. Catherine Gilbert Murdock. 2009. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 256 pages.
Miles from Ordinary. Carol Lynch Williams. 2011. St. Martin's Press. 208 pages.

What I Reviewed at Young Readers

Press Here. Herve Tullet. 2011. Chronicle. 56 pages.
Back to School with Betsy. Carolyn Haywood. 1943. 176 pages.
Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator. Mo Willems. 2011. HarperCollins. 72 pages.
If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet. Leslie McGuirk. 2011. Random House. 48 pages.
Babymouse Mad Scientist (Babymouse #14). Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. 2011. Random House. 96 pages.
Squish Super Amoeba (Squish #1) by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. 2011. Random House. 96 pages.

What I Reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

Saint Training. Elizabeth Fixmer. 2010. Zonderkidz. 256 pages.
Pompeii: City On Fire. T.L. Higley. 2011. B&H Publishing Group. 368 pages.
Mirror Ball. Matt Redman. 2011. David C. Cook. 176 pages.
Troo Makes A Splash (Rainforest Friends). Cheryl Crouch. Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. 2011. Zonderkidz. 32 pages.
Troo's Secret Clubhouse. Cheryl Crouch. Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. 2011. Zonderkidz. 32 pages.
Troo's Big Climb. Cheryl Crouch. Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. 2011. Zonderkidz. 32 pages.
Tombstones and Banana Trees: A True Story of Revolutionary Forgiveness. Medad Birungi with Craig Borlase. 2011. David C. Cook. 208 pages.
Am I Really A Christian? Mike McKinley. Foreword by Kirk Cameron. 2011. Crossway. 160 pages.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2011 Sunday Salons

Library Loot: Fifth Trip in June

New Loot:

Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator by Mo Willems
Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace
Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace
Betsy-Tacy Go Over the Big Hill by Maud Hart Lovelace
City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell
So Big by Edna Ferber
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson

Leftover Loot:

Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith
Sleeping Murder: A Miss Marple mystery by Agatha Christie
A Pocket Full of Rye: A Miss Marple mystery by Agatha Christie
They Do it With Mirrors a Miss Marple mystery by Agatha Christie
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side: A Miss Marple mystery by Agatha Christie
Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie
A Presumption of Death by Jill Paton Walsh and Dorothy Sayers
The Attenbury Emeralds by Jill Paton Walsh
An Expert in Murder: A New Mystery Featuring Josephine Tey by Nicola Upson
The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer
The Pendericks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Pendericks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
Betsy and the Boys by Carolyn Haywood
Angel Isle by Peter Dickinson
Jane's Adventures by Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy (Jane's Adventures in and out of the book, Jane's Adventures on the Island of Peeg, Jane's Adventures in a Balloon)


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.   

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2011 Library Loot

Nemesis

Nemesis. Agatha Christie. 1971/2011. HarperCollins. 304 pages.

In the afternoons it was the custom of Miss Jane Marple to unfold her second newspaper.

I wouldn't say that it's essential that you read A Caribbean Mystery before reading Nemesis. But. If you have read it, you might appreciate Nemesis more.

Nemesis opens with Miss Marple reading about the death of Mr. Rafiel in the newspaper. She met him in the Caribbean, and he was her greatest ally there when she was busy solving that mystery. She liked him a good deal, even though they never reconnected in England afterward. And Mr. Rafiel had great respect for Miss Marple!

One day Miss Marple is contacted by Rafiel's lawyers. They have something important to tell her. It seems that Mr. Rafiel left her a final challenge, a final mystery to solve.

Have you read the book of Daniel? Do you remember when King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed something disturbing and wanted help interpreting that dream. He asked all the wise men for help. But. He refused to tell them the dream. They must come up with the dream and the interpretation. If they weren't able to do both, then they'd be killed.

Nemesis reminded me of this Bible story. For Mr. Rafiel has not provided Miss Marple with any details. Not a where. Not a when. Not a how. Not a who. Not a why. Her greatest chance for solving this one and earning the money he's left her, is for her to go on the vacation he's planned for her: a tour group traveling by bus through England visiting beautiful, historic homes and gardens.

Can Miss Marple do the seemingly impossible?

I enjoyed this one. I wouldn't say it is my favorite Miss Marple mystery. But I'm very glad my library got a copy of this one! (And very happy that HarperCollins has recently published such lovely editions of the Miss Marple mysteries.) If you don't mind a couple of small spoilers, I have something to discuss at the end of this post.

Professor Wanstead and Miss Marple:

"I don't think I know exactly what you mean."
"You are being careful. You are quite right to be careful."
"I have made it a habit," said Miss Marple.
"To be careful?"
"I should not put it exactly like that, but I have made a point of being always ready to disbelieve anything that is told to me." (127)

S
P
O
I
L
E
R

I was disappointed with the way rape was presented in Nemesis. The discussions about rape in the novel were unsettling to say the least. Now, these words weren't coming from Miss Marple herself. So I don't blame the character of Miss Marple for these careless and harmful words.

Professor Wanstead:

"That told against him, of course. Not in the jury's mind, because of course they did not hear about that until after the judge's summing up, but certainly in the judge's mind. It told against him, but I made a few enquiries myself afterwards. He had assaulted a girl. He had conceivably raped her, but he had not attempted to strangle her and in my opinion--I have seen a great many cases which come before the Assizes--it seemed to me highly unlikely that there was a very definite case of rape. Girls, you must remember, are far more ready to be raped nowadays than they used to be. Their mothers insist, very often, that they should call it rape. The girl in question had had several boyfriends who had gone further than friendship. I did not think it counted very greatly as evidence against him." (136)

Mr. Broadribb:

"Well, we all know what rape is nowadays. Mum tells the girl she's got to accuse the young man of rape even if the young man hasn't had much chance, with the girl at him all the time to come to the house while mum's away at work or dad's gone on holiday. Doesn't stop badgering him until she's forced him to sleep with her. Then, as I say, mum tells the girl to call it rape." (165)

These passages made me angry! They did. I wanted to shout at the book. So it's only rape if the woman is a virgin? So the fact that a woman says yes to one man means that she doesn't have the right to say no to any other man...ever? So women are "ready" to be raped? In fact they are out pursuing it?! They are "badgering" and "forcing" them to have sex. Yes, that's right, these poor guys are the victims. Accusing someone of rape is SO MUCH FUN that the women just can't help themselves. They're just begging to be assaulted and raped so they can tell their story to anyone and everyone dumb enough to believe them. What kind of crazy logic is this? It's just wrong on SO MANY levels.



© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 1971 , adult fiction , adult mystery , Agatha Christie , HarperCollins , library book , Miss Marple , mystery

The Silent Land

When is a fantasy novel not a fantasy novel? Well, I’d say when it’s this novel, but there might be others that would beg to differ. This one feels more like a literary novel to me. Anyone visiting this site interested in reading a literary novel? I don’t know if there will be, but here I go, nonetheless.

THE SILENT LAND is a Graham Joyce novel, an author with quite a few works already under his feet. It’s a quick, focused read revolving around the relationship of a single couple, Zoe and Jake. Zoe is the main PoV character, though Jake’s thoughts are peppered infrequently throughout the book.

Zoe and Jake are on vacation, skiing in the Pyrenees mountains above the village of Saint-Bernard-en-Haut. They’re out for a brisk morning slide down the mountain, when an avalanche descends on them from above. After making their way out of the resulting mess and back to their hotel, they find that everyone has gone, with nothing to explain their disappearance. The rest of the story details what they do there, on that lonely slope, all by themselves, and how it all turns out.

Joyce’s prose is excellent here. Fluid, descriptive, riveting. The setting of the small skiing village, the majestic mountain side, and the ever-oppressive weather were one continuous landscape that easily transported me to their surroundings. The plot develops well, moving from one discovery to the next, laying out the pieces to this couple’s predicament one layer at a time. At times, the portrayal of their story did feel truncated to some extent, but that’s probably what kept the book so short, which was nice.

There weren’t very many large surprises in this one, and I pretty much knew what was going on from the get go. It was interesting to see how Joyce laid his story out though, and to get into its telling. I do tire of the tool some authors use to try and relay tension by having characters “feel” or “sense” that something is going to happen. Thankfully, this wasn’t the only tool used to develop the atmosphere of the unknown that pervades the character’s minds.

There were also quite a few references to money and religion, death and life in general that really made it more of a literary novel than anything interesting. Guess I’m just not interested in the questions and ideas that literary novels try to develop. I’d rather get lost in the snow-stormed mountains with a dragon, or, honestly, get trapped in a town like Silent Hill, than read about the nuances of society. Call me a geek. It’s what I am, and I wear the badge proudly.

I can’t say I didn’t like this one, but as far as the story goes? The ideas? The fun? It’s on the low end of things. Read this one if you like literature. It definitely won’t leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Recommended age: 18+
Language: Infrequent but strong
Violence: None
Sex: Several scenes between a married couple that are quite detailed

Graham Joyce's Website

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Posted in Books We Like , Fiction , Graham Joyce

Retro Friday Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc." 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 2005
ISBN: 9780375842207
Source: personal copy (reread for book club)

Guys, I really struggled with a summary of this book.  I just don't think it's possible for me to write it well enough.  But here's what I will say: story of a young girl growing up in World War II Germany.  All told from the narrative perspective of a compassionate Death, Liesel's story will break your heart and lift your spirits at the same time.

Things I Liked:
Does this book really need more gushing?  Could I possibly be able to say anything new about it?  Probably not.  I'll just say, if you haven't picked this book up, you really should.  The writing alone is worth the read - gorgeous, different, vivid and expressive, it will make you think differently about nearly everything you know about WWII Germany.  The story itself is slow to unfold, but you become acquainted with the characters and fall in love with them, and then suffer when they do.  It is a rich, detailed and simply lovely story, with such a unique and intriguing narrator that you will find yourself flying through the pages.  Read it.  And then read it again.  And again.  After meeting Markus Zusak, I loved the story even more.  Some of the many, many parts I loved:

I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary.  You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables.  It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible.  Your soul will be in my arms.  A color will be perched on my shoulder.  I will carry you gently away.  At that moment, you will be lying there (I rarely find people standing up).  You will be caked in your own body.  There might be a discovery; a scream will dribble down the air.  The only sound I'll hear after that will be my own breathing, and the sound of the smell, of my footsteps.  The question is, what color will everything be at that moment when I come for you?  What will the sky be saying?  Personally, I like a chocolate-colored sky.  Dark, dark chocolate.  People say it suits me.  I do, however, try to enjoy every color I see - the whole spectrum.  A billion or so flavors, none of them quite the same, and a sky to slowly suck on.  It takes the edge off the stress.  It helps me relax. p 4

She was the book thief without the words.  Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.  p 80

Many jocular comments followed, as did another onslaught of "heil Hitlering."  You know, it actually makes me wonder if anyone ever lost an eye or injured a hand or wrist with all of that.  You'd only need to be facing the wrong way at the wrong time or stand marginally too close to another person.  Perhaps people did get injured.  Personally, I can only tell you that no one died from it, or at least, not physically.  p 111

Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words.  "I will never fire a gun," he devised.  "I will not have to."  Still, he was not rash.  Let's allow him at least that much.  He was not a stupid man at all.  His first plan of attack was to plant the words in as many areas of his homeland as possible.  He planted them day and night, and cultivated them.  He watched them grow, until eventually, great forests of words had risen throughout Germany....It was a nation of farmed thoughts.  p 445

Things I Didn't Like:
This being my second time reading it, I was struck again by how many swear words there are.  Mind you, many of them are German, but the religious exclamations also made me uncomfortable, but I don't think they'll bother many people.  I know it didn't detract much from the beauty and bitterness of the story for me.  Also, it really isn't a short book and might be a bit hard for those who can't invest much time and effort into the reading, but know it will be worth it if you can.  
 
Read-alikes:
Honestly, not much like any other WWII book I've read, but try  
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne 
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli 
Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
as mentioned above, mostly German or religious

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
not a lot in number, but necessary as part of the story

Overall rating: *****

Anybody out there not read this book?

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

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Posted in 5 stars , adult , book group , cross-over , highly recommended , historical fantasy , retro friday , Young Adult

Small Acts of Amazing Courage (MG/YA)

Small Acts of Amazing Courage. Gloria Whelan. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages.

How can kindness get you into so much trouble? It started when Mother dropped into sickness and I was left on my own. No, before that, when the war came and Father, a major in the British Indian Army who led a battalion of Gurkha Rifles, went off to the war. The battalion was sent to fight in countries I had never heard of and whose names I couldn't spell.

Set in India immediately following World War I, Small Acts of Amazing Courage is the coming-of-age story of our heroine, Rosalind, who grew up with a little too much freedom to be a 'proper' lady. Or at least a proper English lady. Rosalind prefers to spend her time with her best friend, Isha. Isha has picked up English, and Rosalind has picked up Hindi. These two love to go to the bazaar. Rosalind isn't allowed--by her father, at least--to go. And Isha, well, Isha--though the same age as Rosalind, is already a married woman; her husband has a stall at the bazaar. Her mother hasn't been feeling the best, so Rosalind has spent the past year or so making her own rules. When her father returns, he's worried. He fears that he'll never be able to make a proper lady of her if she remains in India. She needs some polishing. She needs decorum. She needs to learn a little discipline and obedience.

But. Her mother pleads for Rosalind to be allowed to stay. But there are a few incidents--you might just call them small acts of amazing courage--that lead her father to make the ultimate decision. His daughter goes. No matter what his wife says. No matter how much his daughter pleads. No, she'll go to England to live with her two aunts. End of story.

Except that isn't the end of the story at all. For Rosalind will go on encouraging small acts of courage right there in England under the nose of her oh-so-bossy aunt. One of her aunts has spent her life being bullied. And with Rosalind's help, freedom may come at last!

Of course, that is only half the story. For Rosalind and Aunt Louise's fight for independence mirrors that of India. Readers learn about Gandhi and his followers who were making a non-violent stand of their own.

Readers might also want to read Padma Venkatraman's Climbing the Stairs.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Posted in 2011 , library book , Simon and Schuster , YA Fiction , YA Historical Fiction

Book Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (Simon & Schuster)
Publication date: June 2011
ISBN: 9781442429987
Source: e-ARC provided by Galley Grab

When Saba's brother Lugh is kidnapped and her father killed, Saba is willing to do anything she can to get him back.  She's determined to cross the wasteland she's always lived in and find him, so things can return to normal.  But things become complicated when she is forced into an unwilling daily battle for her life.  Can she escape from this new tortured existence, with the help of a mysterious group called the Free Hawks, and possibly the intriguing Jack?  And more importantly, will she ever see Lugh again?

Things I Liked:
Oh this was a such a great story!  Not only that, but I fell in love with the main characters.  Those two, Saba and Jack, had me smiling and laughing in the middle of a depressing and painful story.  Saba has this great voice and character that you can't get out of your head, and I started to think and talk like her, because I got so into the story.  This will grip you from the beginning to end.  Start reading for the awesome dangerous futuristic world and keep reading to know more about Saba.  Really well done.  Can't wait for more from Moira Young.  Here's a taste:

What was that fer? he yells.
Fer kissin me! I yell.  An don't you dare do it agin!
Oh don't you worry about that, he says, I'd rather throw myself over that waterfall!
He picks hisself up.
I'd rather sleep naked in a nest of scorpions! he says.
He stomps off, leadin Ajax behind him.
I follow with Hermes.
My lips is tinglin. p 326 of ARC

Things I Didn't Like:
I was only bothered with the phonetic spelling and lack of grammar and quotation marks a few times.  Which is surprising.  Honestly, what I kept thinking about was how hard it must have been to edit it!  Great, great book.

Read-alikes:
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some, but not a lot

mrg-factor: X
just kissing, really

v-factor: ->->->
there is some action violence and fighting

Overall rating: *****

I've heard people say the phonetic thing bugged them. Not so much with me. What about you?

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

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Posted in 5 stars , dystopian , e-book , highly recommended , review copy , Young Adult