Sassypants and Harnisher are at it again! They saw Mr. Venezi put a sign in the window
advertising for an assistant and they want to put a stop to that. Working together they correct all the pet-shop
signs but a little bit later the signs have all been messed with. Someone(s) has changed all the signs and now
the duo needs to figure out who has done it and why?
This book was funny but I didn’t think as funny as the
previous books that I have read by these famous detectives. I thought the fish were hilarious and Herbert,
the turtle. I like how they talk about
the animals and how the animals all want to be together. The illustrations are easy to follow and
their facial expressions are sometimes really funny. It’s a crazy, mixed-up pet shop which is owned
by a Mr. Venezi, who doesn’t quite know what to put in his pet-shop nor does he
know how to name what he does have.
I like how the book introduces information about the pets
and later, at the back of the book, there is a two-page section titled, “Hamsiher
Explains….” and here the author explains what was introduced in this graphic
novel. There is also a one-page dictionary
of terms that were used in the book including that word used in a sentence. This is a cute, entertaining, graphic novel
series and I hope the author continues to write them.
These stories lives came with a punch, they struck viciously against my heart as I read them. To think that all of these individuals were children, innocent little people, who did nothing yet they received such a life-altering experience, that still haunts them today. I didn’t and I couldn’t read this book, all in one sitting. From the beginning, I wanted to appreciate each chapter: each individual’s situation and account. Upon reading, I realized that this is not a book that I could read straight through. The emotions and the energy in each of their stories lives, makes it a book that needs space.
From the voices of Russian children, we hear their side of what occurred to them during WWII. From a few pages to up to six pages, they tell us what they remembered. The children were affected in a variety of ways by the war: many had to leave their homes, some watched their fathers leave to fight in the war hence leaving them with lots of questions running through their minds, some children had to prepare for the war themselves and some even tried to stay in their own homes while the war ragged outside. They told their account and it was translated but the tone and the feelings are still in the words on the page. It’s as if these survivors were sitting with me, telling me how they reacted to a world that had turned upside down on them.
I could tell you about many of the individuals in this book as every story life in this book is worth mentioning. Their stories are different but every single one of them, are forever changed. How many times I read the word, “Mama!” I cannot count them all. How many times I read, “I was hungry,” I cannot count them all. How many times I read about death, how it had become part of these children’s regular, daily schedule, I cannot count them all.
There was Marlen, age 11, who is now a member of a town council. Marlen remembers always being hungry while living in the orphanage. He remembers needing to be first in line or you might not get anything to eat. With it being -20 degrees outside, Marlen takes off his hat and had a soldier ladle some soup into his hat instead of finding a metal tin. Marlen quickly runs back to the orphanage. He now has frostbite on his ears but he has supplied frozen soup to everyone there. Now, this adventure puts a smile on my face.
This is a book worth reading. I enjoyed this book and I appreciate the individuals who shared their stories lives with me.
When I first saw the cover for this book, I was intrigued
and then, when all the reviews started popping up saying how great it was, I
put myself on the list to read it. As I started reading it, I couldn’t stop
thinking about it and then, I started applying the book to my own personal life. What would I do if I was in Rachel’s shoes? How far would I go? I was literally sucked into this book! In the
end, what really surprised me, was how involved Rachel became. I was captivated
by what was happening inside these pages but Rachel was possessed.
Kylie was taken from the bus stop. As she makes her way into their car, Kylie’s
mind reflects back to all the warnings that she had received over the years
about getting into a stranger’s vehicle. Yet, here she was, sitting next to a hooded
man, driven by a woman she didn’t know.
Her mother, Rachel will soon receive the first of many calls
from an “Unknown Caller, and she will wish that she had done many things
differently.” Rachel will then begin fulfilling
the requirements to get Kylie back.
Rachel, a woman who is fighting cancer hopes that she too, can fight
this chain letter which she will discover, cannot be broken.
I enjoyed all the different viewpoints that the author provided
in this story. I felt these gave me a
complete picture of the events and it provided a more elaborate account of what
was happening. I liked how Rachel matured
in the story. In the beginning, Rachel
was scared and timid but by the end of the novel, she was a totally different
character. As the story progressed, I felt as if something came over Rachel and
she was on a mission. I kept wondering
what came over her, why was she acting the way she was and when was this going
to end? Planting myself in her shoes, I don’t know if I could have stepped
where she did or went as far as she went.
I did feel that the book changed tempo halfway through. One part felt intense and vibrant while the
other part felt stealthy and sly. This was a fantastic, on-edge mystery that kept
me focused till the very end.
I listened to the audio of this book and I thought it was really
good. The only issue I had was some of
the voices on the audio. It sounded like
some of the voices were dubbed in, for they were louder than any of the other
voices on the CD’s and it was annoying. I
enjoyed how the students discussed their opinions and their lives, and I enjoyed
the discussion on the last CD.
As the students gather weekly in the Art room, they have
become a small family. They were chosen
to be a part of this group and at first, they’re not quite sure exactly what their
part is, in all of it. They are a small
group, a group of their own peers. Meeting
weekly to discuss anything they wanted, without any distractions or interruptions.
I like how the conversations started to change overtime. They become more lucid and fluid, their tones
changed and they started to care more for one another. They weren’t just peers anyone but they
became friends and sometimes they became brothers and sisters, someone they
could depend and lean on. They’re not
all the same which makes their conversations interesting and sometimes
intense.
They’re kids, they speak from the heart and they show their
emotions without warning. It’s a great
audio and it’s rather short. The interview/conversation
with the author at the end was interesting so make sure you stay tuned to that,
if you listen to the audio. I highly
recommend the audio version of this book.
This was better than I imagined. I loved the cover and that is what sold me on
reading it. The story is part fantasy
and part western but the story is total enjoyment as Hettie tries to save her
little sister, Abby. Bonded with Diablo
(a.k.a the Devil’s Revolver) Hettie unfortunately is walking into many
situations blindly. Her accuracy holding
a firearm is one talent she can count on and one that she uses to her
advantage.
I like how Hettie takes matters into her own hands. She doesn’t wait around and hope for someone
to help her out and she doesn’t whine, she moves. She almost moves too fast, sometimes. She immediately goes after Abby. When she sees Ling in trouble, she steps
in. She’s not afraid of speaking her
mind to anyone, she is herself. When bonded with Diablo, the unknown of what has
occurred doesn’t shake her, she just continues on.
With magic and loaded weapons, Hettie learns the truth behind
Diablo and the price this demonic weapon carries. This was a high energy read
for read and the magical aspects of the novel were entertaining. I can’t wait to read what happens in the next
novel. 4.5 stars
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and IBPA in
exchange for an honest review.
Velva Jean’s daddy often took off, leaving his family
wondering when he’d return. Later, he’d
walk back through the door, as if he’d just stepped outside for a break, and
the days and the months that he’d been gone, you’d think they were just all
your imagination. When their mama died,
the kids were at a loss, for their daddy was out somewhere. When he got done wandering, he would discover
that his wife had died and the letter that he had written to his wife, the one that
she kept reading after he left, is what his children believe caused her death.
I enjoyed this novel as I followed along beside Velva Jean
as she explored and grew-up in Sleepy Gap, North Carolina during the 1930’s. Velva
Jean had dreams of singing in the Grand Ole Opry and considering her situation,
I was impressed with this dream. With
her mama, gone and her daddy, a no-show, Velva Jean and her sibling were taken
in by her grandparents.
I think the grandparents did the best they could and I had
to laugh when they sent two of the kids off to a bootlegger. This incident lands the kids in jail which
changes them forever on many levels. The
kids feel they have now crossed the fence from being “good” kids, they’ve met some
new people, they seen new sights, and they’ve been arrested.
I liked the flow of this book. It wasn’t an intense, action-packed novel but
it had a calm, even-flow pace to it. It had the pace that I would think living
in the mountains would have. There was a
singing competition that stirs things up as Velva Jean wants to compete, religion
comes into the picture as Velva Jean started to worry about future, and it gets
interesting when Velva Jean begins to mature and she runs into a fellow from
her past.
I’m going to look into the other books in this series and I
like books about the Appalachian Mountains and I enjoyed this novel.
I knew this book was going to be rough, I had been warned
but I knew that I had to read it for these are the types of books that I
enjoy. I don’t enjoy them for the
struggles and the pain that the individuals go through but for a multitude of other
reasons.
I enjoyed this book because it made me feel, it brought my
emotions up front and center. And boy,
did I have plenty of emotions with this book. Most of my emotions were directed at Shaun,
whether I was ready to scream at him, be scared for him, frustrated with him,
or I just wished I could reach inside the book, wrap my arms around him and
comfort him.
This book also showed me how resilient Shaun was. As I read
this book, Shaun faced a lot of crappy situations but when all is said-and-done,
Shaun persisted. Shaun experienced scrapes, bruises, and scars during the process,
and he’s definitely a changed person because of what he went through. That to
me says a lot about a person and I enjoy reading how these individuals find
their strength and courage. As I read these stories, I feel like I’m part of
the story. I give them encouragement (sometimes
more vocal then I should) and push for them to find hope, yet I know that I’m
nothing but a voice talking to a book.
This book is also one that I will not forget. I liked how Shaun warned his readers at the beginning
of the book that it contains some difficult topics. Shaun is being real; this is his life and he’s
not going to smooth things over to make his readers happy. This really happened according to Shaun. So, deal with it.
Shaun discusses in this book growing up, discovering his
sexuality, how he came out, and his depression.
It’s pretty straight forward and there’s swearing, homosexuality, drugs,
suicide, stealing, and some sex, so be willing to walk with Shaun as he covers
what his life was like and how he survived.
I thought the novel was powerful and moving. I realize the year on the calendar has
changed, yet I wonder if things have really changed in how individuals are
accepted. Parents, peers, friends, relatives,
and siblings all have an impact during this time. I appreciate Shaun honesty and I appreciate
that he shared his experience with others.
Shaun never felt good enough for anyone. He’d start to get comfortable with someone and
then, internally a switch would go off and he’d start waiting for the ball to
drop. It was too good to be true, something
bad was bound to happen. Shaun wanted to
fit in with his peers. Shaun wanted to like
girls but when he was with them, it just didn’t feel right. He lied to fit in but paid the price for it over
and over again. He knew he was different
yet he didn’t know why. Shaun had his
own view and opinions and these clouded his mind and judgement. It took him a while to figure out exactly
what made him different and then, he needed to figure out what to do next.
A great read that will definitely leave a lasting
impression. Thank you, Shaun, for
sharing your story with others.
I got a package in the mail today and the return address was from Gillian French. I did a double take as the personal label was a sticky one, a personal label, and it said Gillian French with a normal address on it, not a publishing company. I just let the package sit on the counter for a while as I let it sink it. I know, I’m kinda weird but I was really excited to get this personal package from her.
When I finally opened it , I found out that I was a winner in a YABC Giveaway! Gillian personally sent me an autographed hard-copy book, a personalize note, some lip balm, a bookmark, a postcard and a business card for her upcoming book, Grit (which is already on my TBR list) . Thank you Gillian French and YABC!
I’m excited to have this book in my possession as I can read this reread this mysterious novel again It centers around a town legend and the Mumbler, who they believe abducts children and takes them into the nearby forest. As a new resident, Clara must come to her own conclusions as Halloween approaches.
Mr. Venezi is looking for an assistant for his pet shop and
at first his interviews aren’t going so well. Mr. V. needs to find someone who can handle the
day-to-day operations of his pet shop and one who can handle, the quirky Mr. V..
When Viola walked in the door, they all thought she was
perfect and she was hired on the spot. She made everyone happy at first and then, Viola
took an unexpected turn. The animals
felt that Viola wasn’t doing her job and to make matters worse, what happened
to Mr. Venezi?
When the owner doesn’t arrive to work at his normal time,
the animals start to panic and you don’t want that to happen.
I thought this was a cute story as Sasspants, the guinea pig, and Hamisher, the hamster, come together to try to solve this case. There are a lot of text boxes, with plenty of words, in this graphic novel so keep that in mind when selecting this book. I liked how the creatures worked together and how they pieced together the mystery to solve things. It was a fun story.
What a wonderful tale this was about a wealthy, greedy Lord Cat who finally fell on hard and learned a valuable lesson. Had it not been for the illustrations which were collaged together and I had a hard time deciphering, I would have given this children’s book 5 stars.
In this book, the Lord Cat had everything he could possibly imagine, although he felt like it was never enough. After having the strongest workers construct him the tallest pagoda, he lived high up on Hunger Mountain, looking down amongst everyone else. Oh, he was a cruel one, demanding this and demanding that. He was never satisfied which even affected the famous rice which grew on Hunger Mountain. He yelled at his servants to work faster gathering the crop and so they did.
When a drought hit the land, it lasted one year, affecting everyone including Lord Cat’s famous rice. This drought didn’t change Lord Cat yet the villagers (his workers) were getting hungry. When the drought continued for a second year, the villagers moved to the city, leaving Lord Cat alone. Who would do his work for him? What will become of Lord Cat?
Finally, with nothing left, Lord Cat leaves his once glamorous life and tries to find food. From fame to famine, Lord Cat is now having to tend to himself. Such a great lesson here, as now he’s seen like everyone else and they’re all equals. The last part of the book sealed the deal for me. Lord Cat had to be feeling mighty low by now but what the monk tells him has to hit him really hard. Not like I want to hit a man again while he’s down but I want to show a man reality while his eyes are open and willing to see.
I really enjoyed this story but the illustrations were hard to enjoy. Sometimes, I could make out the pictures and understand them but other times, the collaged images ran into one another. I also wasn’t sure about the dead animals in the book (since this is a children’s book). 3.5 stars
I found it hard to decipher some of the illustrations Yet, some of the illustrations were easy to follow.
One Chapter 