One Chapter

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

5 stars YA Realistic Fiction

Read this! This book is fabulous! Although written about a subject we are unfortunately all too familiar with, this book has many laughable moments and moments where you where you want to reach inside the book and hug the characters. Imagine being 12 years old and moving into the National Quiet Zone. What is that? You’d be living in the only place in the United States without internet! No TV’s, cell phones, cable…..think about it. For Simon, this place sounds perfect as finally, the limelight will be off him for a change.

The story of his father’s Blessing of the Animals started the book off but this was just the beginning of the humor that fed through the story. As a Catholic Deacon, dad was trying to perform his duties when things got out of control and the inside of the church erupted in madness and disorder. Dad should have set up more boundaries but now, dad was unemployed, and Simon blamed the llamas for their move to Nebraska. Anxiety plagues Simon and I wondered as I read what caused this. Was his family plagued by bad accidents? Did something happen in his past? It’s as if Simon wants to remain invisible.

Simon meets Agate and she is a feisty character. In the National Quiet Zone, Simon finds that there is a lot of scientific research occurring. Without the internet, scientists can focus on the vast unknown areas of space without interference. When Simon meets Agate, he gets an education in space as she has done her research. Agate is one feisty individual and I loved her personality. She senses that something is wrong with Simon and that he is anxious. When she brought him a puppy, my heart soared, and I laughed as this new adventure with them began.

When Simon met Agate’s dog, I cracked up laughing as the dog retrieved a beer out the refrigerator by himself. As Simon stares, Agate tells Simon that it’s okay, “he only has one.” As a person who trains service dogs, Agate explains to Simon that her dog Todd doesn’t like pleasing people. What a hoot! Later, Ash Wednesday arrives and then comes the incident in the church with the consecrated host, I’m still laughing today about those.

Simon tries to move forward with his new life but every day moves him closer to the anniversary. How will he be able to survive the day? As the truth comes out, I’m lost for words as Simon tries to grasp the extent of being a survivor. Why or why me?

Wowza…. fantastic book that put me on a roller coaster. The fun-facts in the book were interesting and funny too, 5 stars!!!

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

4.5 stars Mystery Audio

With the use of poems, I liked this twist on the classic, And Then There Were None. It was more anticipation and mystery than suspense as I dove into this book, as the poems help set the storyline up.

Gathering her family around her, Nana invites them all to her cottage for her 80^th birthday. Her family is a mixed bag of characters all with their own quirks and behaviors. This is a memorable birthday, for many years ago, a fortune teller told Nana that she would die when she was 80. The cottage is old and shabby, and its location is remote. What a party! A family celebration is a remote, outdated cottage, that’s only direct access is when the tide comes in. Tonight, a major storm is gearing up for that area which will leave them more isolated and unprepared for tonight’s excitement. Sounds like a wonderful family get together, doesn’t it?

Nana enjoys having everyone there and greets them warmly. As they gather, each member quietly slides back into the past as they recall previous memories. This is the first of many flashbacks the reader takes as we connect the past with the present. What direction each of their lives took and why and how Nana fit into them. Nana has been an author and illustrator throughout the years and her cottage shows the love for her work. Nana gathers the group together and reads them her will. This comes as a shock to most of them and there’s a shift in the air. Oh course, things are not fair but what can they do? They can’t leave, high tide isn’t for hours and now, they must make the best of the situation and eventually, they all settle in for the night.

There’s a crash! They find a ladder and they find her. Nana’s body is on the floor. Emotions and shock fill every molecule. What happened? In the middle of night this happens. Wait, what day is this? Yes, it’s officially Nana’s 80^th birthday. They notice a poem on the wall, a poem that includes every member of the family. The poem that gets repeated mention in the story as the body count increases, the tide comes closer to the shore, and the night turns to day. The ending was fun and wraps the story up rather quickly (sinister laugh). 4.5 stars

The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

5 stars Historical Fiction

I cannot tell a lie. That’s Nico’s life at the beginning of this book but as the story ended, the truth is far from Nico’s mind. The German’s realize what an important asset Nico would be to their mission while Nico’s believed that what he was providing to his Jewish community was a service. His honesty and naivety gave his community peace, which Nico took great pride in, but the reality was, their lives were being torn apart. Day in and day out, he provided them comfort. I wanted to scream as he played along with German’s plan. Wake up Nico!! You’re leading the lambs to slaughter! They’re not going to get great jobs and wonderful conditions! Realization finally hits Nico when his family and friends came into the picture. Goodness! As they arrive and are being processed, their destination hits Nico. He knows……he understands ……but it’s already too late.

I hated to see Nico face the reality that was now his. I hated to see Nico change and become someone that he didn’t originally want to be. All the Jews that he had comforted and encouraged didn’t travel to greener pastures. No. He had ushered them into a life of suffering, hardship and for many, their own deaths. Now the path was being paved for Nico’s family and friends, the tables had now turned. The train was traveling to Auschwitz.

Nico accompanies this cattle car as they make their journey to the concentration camp. The story never loses speed as they fight to survive the brutality of their new lives. Nico has now become the best little liar, the truth so far removed from what he says that no one knows the reality. I liked how the book moved quickly and how the story stirred so many emotions inside me. Nico wasn’t a character that I liked but I understood him, and he “played” his role so well. As the survivors try to continue with life after the war, I enjoyed this part of the book. Their struggles, successes and mindset created the perfect ending. 5 stars

The Prisoner by B.A. Paris

4 stars Suspense

I always like it when a book starts off with a bang and this one definitely did. Amelie awakes but where is she? Opening her eyes, it’s dark, she’s on a mattress but where in the heck is she? Told in alternating timelines, the reader gets Amelie’s past and her current situation. With both of her parents gone, Amelie wants to get an education but lacks the funds to do so. At 16, she heads to London and as fate would have it, she runs into Carolyn. Carolyn needs Amelia as much as Amelia needs her, so an agreement is made. Amelia is welcomed into the circle of Carolyn’s work friends, and I liked how freely they accepted her and how easily they all got along. Amelia finally has some new friends and she’s starting to feel comfortable in London. Just when things were falling into place, she meets Carolyn’s boss, Ned Hawthorpe and she accepts Ned’s job offer. This was a big surprise and I had to wonder Ned’s motive in this offer. Amelia begins working at the newspaper and it’s one big happy family now, or is it? This happy little scenario continues as Ned proposes to Amelia and their happily-ever-after-life begins, or does it?

Why? The newlyweds are kidnapped and Amelie fears for their lives. Kept isolated from Ned, she keeps her wits about her in the darken room, as she tries to unravel the sounds and sights around her. She is one smart hostage as she waits for the ransom to be paid, marking off each day as time ticks by. Piece by piece, Amelie starts to put the puzzle together, trying to put a plan into motion but who is she escaping from?

What happened next took me by surprise and I had to put on the breaks. What was happening? I was running on adrenaline reading this first part of the book and now, the pacing slowed down, and parts of the book were coming together. As the past met up with the present, we came to understand the why and, in the end, I wasn’t expecting that. I’ve always been a huge B.A. Paris fan and I look forward to future books by this talented author.

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

4 stars Fantasy Fiction

Wow! When I received this book, I was overwhelmed by its size, 620 pages was a lot for me. Yet, when I started reading it, the pages fell away, and I was swept away by the story that unfolded in front of me. This is definitely a story! An interesting story to say the least. This adventure is filled with many fascinating characters whose lives you won’t forget.

Once I got used to the language of the book, I started to understand the individuals in the story and the flow of the story. The language felt choppy to me, the words direct and tight. The atmosphere was dark and isolated as Tracker led the chase. It was the bizarre stories along the way that I found myself enjoying as I read this book. The individuals for which Tracker found himself up against, I found I enjoyed the most. It didn’t matter who or where these encounters were, Tracker was always ready for them. Would there be conversation or fighting first? It didn’t matter, Tracker was ready. I do feel that Tracker enjoyed fighting these individuals as he was a fierce fighter. From the depth of the language in the book and the intensity of his fights, Tracker loved a good fight! Lives were lost and he’d continue, with his search. With the addition of demons, vampires, and witches, I never knew what to expect as Tracker hunted down the child. All of these characters made this book such a whirlwind of activity and adventure, some aiding tracker and some just getting in his way.

I thought after reading this book that I would listen to it and the audio of this book was fantastic! I had to laugh a few times as Tracker fought different individuals as the details in the book, when spoken, sounded more energized and intense. The stories that occur while Tracker is on his mission are captivating and engaging and make this an entertaining book.

I want to thank Goodreads and Riverhead Books for a copy of this book that I had received from them, in exchange for this honest opinion.

Exerts

“Smelled like he butchered a goat. Kicking his chest was kicking stone. He held me up as if admiring a precious jewel. I kneed him in the jaw so hard his teeth sliced his tongue. He dropped me, and I charged for his balls like a bull. He fell, I grabbed his knife, razor sharp, and cut his throat. The second grabbed for my arms but I was naked and slippery. The knife-“

“A piece of blue cloth torn from something bigger. The boy was wrapped in white. I put the cloth to my nose and one year of sun, night, thunder, and rain, hundreds of days of walks, dozens of hills, valleys, sands, seas, houses, cities, plains. Smells so strong it became sign, and hearing and touch. I could reach out and touch the boy, grab him in my mind and reel from him being so far away. Too far away, my head rushing and jumping and sinking below sea then flying higher and higher and higher and smelling air free of smoke. “

Audio:

Bear Finds Eggs by Karma Wilson

4 stars Children’s Picture

Beautiful, bright pictures filled with nature grabbed my attention with this children’s picture book. While bear and his friends walk through Strawberry Vale, Raven spots a robin’s nest in a tree and alerts bear. Owl, rabbit, mouse, and many other animal friends gather to watch Bear climb up the tree to see what is inside this nest that Raven found. Baby eggs. Three pretty, little robin eggs, tucked high up in the tree.

Bear leaves the babies a present in the nest for the day that they hatch, and they continue their walk. Hare finds the next treasure when he spots a large nest in the reeds by the pond. All the friends gather around the nest as bear again leaves a special present for the babies on the day they hatch.

What’s this? The group hears someone crying. Something has happened to Mama Meadowlark’s eggs, as they are missing. Bear and his friends spring into action! I love the way the friends scatter on the page and how they instantly help this mama. This hunt takes the friends in different directions, but they all gather as they find each one. They decide to paint the eggs, so they don’t disappear again, and they put the eggs in a container for safe keeping. Mama bird is happy as the group finds her eggs.

The end of the book is sweet for bear and his friends. This is a cute book, and most children will enjoy the happy story and love all the animals the story inside it. The illustrations are wonderful, and they pop right out of the book. I had some questions as I read the book, but this is the adult in me as I pondered why they painted the eggs when they found them. I also didn’t want bear to disturb all the eggs when he came upon them in each of the nests. I loved the friendship in the book and how they all worked together. 4 stars

Rocket’s Secret Valentine by Tad Hills

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

Who is Rocket’s Secret Valentine? It’s Valentine’s Day and Rocket and Bella are out walking when they discover a huge red heart addressed to Rocket, with a poem attached to it. The poem is not finished nor is it signed. Bella and Rocket must follow the clues on the poem to finish the poem. Following the clues, the friends are led from one Valentine poem to another. The last poem that they read together; Rocket discovers who his secret valentine is.

I liked how Rocket and Bella had to solve the poem with rhyming words. Turning the pages in the book, my grandson solved the missing words by using the previous page information and the illustration. As I read the next page, he was excited that he matched the word that I was now reading to him.

Simple, colorful illustrations fill up the pages, as the friends go on their adventure visiting their friends along the way. It’s a super cute book. 5 stars

Happy Valentine’s Day, Curious George! by N. Di Angelo

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

George and the man with the yellow hat are having a Valentine Day’s party and all the neighborhood kids are invited. Excitement is in the air! With the fashion of Rey books, there’s lots of activity on each page as George has fun with the neighbor children. Balloons, cookies, decorations, and a good time for everyone. Colorful illustrations adorn each page. The left-hand side of each two-page spread is folded in so after reading the page, you fold out that flap to reveal more of the story which usually adds some surprise to the story.

My grandchildren loved opening these corner pieces and I thought it made the book special. A fun story 5 stars

Happy Birthday Minnie Mouse! by Annie Auerbach

5 stars Children’s Picture Book

I think I have this book memorized. I checked this book out from the library for my 4-year-old grandson as he’s a huge Mickey Mouse fan and we have read it every single day for almost 3 weeks. With bright, colorful illustrations and an entertaining story, this is a great children’s book.

Mickey is planning a surprise party for Minnie. With the help of his friends and the whole town, this is going to be a huge birthday celebration. Daisy, Clarabelle, and Cuckoo-Loca have the job of keeping Minnie busy while everyone else gets ready for the surprise party. They have a great day pampering themselves, but Cuckoo-Loca and Daisy must be on their toes, for Clarabelle’s comments are about to spoil Minnie’s surprise.

Clarabelle is excited about today and she’s aware that she’s supposed to keep the party a secret but when the girls are out having a good time, Clarabelle doesn’t watch what she’s saying. It’s a good thing that her friends are there to cover for her. Super sweet book. 5 stars.

How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett

4 stars Children’s Picture Book

Simple text and creative ideas make this an interesting read for children. So, how does Santa make his way down the chimney? From making himself super small to stretching himself out to making himself flat, these ideas are creative. Santa making himself into fire? I didn’t understand that one and neither did my grandson. We liked some of the other ideas about Santa that are talked about in this book, and we had our own discussion about them. The illustrations are on the darker side which is understandable but sometimes harder to see the details. 4 stars