One Chapter

It’s a circus

What a crazy read. I absolutely adore A.S. King’s novels and when I heard she had a new one coming out, I signed myself up to get it as soon as the library got their copy. I’m about halfway through the novel and the characters in this novel are the most interesting and unique individuals, I have read about in a long, long time!

I can’t wait till the story comes together because that is going to be interesting to say the least. I just finished reading about Marla. Marla is a grandma and she’s been married to Gottfried for 50 years. I really think that Marla has too many hangups for being close to 70 years-old. She wants everything to be so perfect yet it seems no one really cares besides her. She tries so darn hard at everything: the perfect house, the perfect present, the perfect hiding spot for Easter eggs and then she gets upset when no one notices or makes a big deal out of it. I just want to hug her and tell her to stop and chill. “Marla, what makes you happy? Don’t try to impress others, what do you want?”

Oh, what a interesting novel, I just can’t stop thinking about it. Then, someone has quite the operation going on at the Arby’s drive-up window. You don’t need to meet someone in a back alley anymore. It happens on Sunday, just say the right words through the Arby’s speaker as you order your food, pay the money and pick up for sack of goodies. Back to reading…

Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson

5 stars YA

If you have read Speak, you know how Laurie can write. You know that she writes from the heart and what’s real, and this novel is no exception. This novel is not one that can be power-read at least, not for me. Laurie talks to us now about her own personal life, about her own issues and her stories are no different.

You can’t help but feel the emotions that are present in each of the pieces that Laurie writes. There were a few pieces that I reread as they really spoke to me. I enjoyed the whole novel but I felt that her work in the second part of the novel was exceptional. These poems felt emotional charged and the energy flowing through them, surged. A fantastic novel by Laurie and I appreciate that she shared a personal side of herself with her readers.

Patient Care: Death and Life in the Emergency Room

4 stars Nonfiction

I’m glad that I listened to an audio of this novel, as some of the medical terms and jargon that was used, I know that I would’ve had a hard time pronouncing had I read the novel. I enjoyed listening to this novel as Dr. Seward recalls his medical practice and he shares stories about working in the ER.

Seward describes some of his most interesting cases that he has had the opportunity to experience in his lifetime. These cases are not always his most successful cases but they’re ones that meant something to him. The novel teaches, the novel shows you what it is like to be on the other side of the table, and the novel shows you the emotions, that are not only one-sided. Great book and a short one also.

Little White Duck by Na Liu and Andres Martinez

4.5 stars Childrens Graphic Novel

I really liked this graphic novel and I have a feeling by looking at the cover of it, many children will not be picking it up. The cover is really not very attractive. Inside this cover, there’s eight, great, short stories about living in China during the mid-1970’s.

I liked how the author gave a first-account of her life in China as a young child. The novel begins with her younger sister getting the opportunity to attend school since only one child per family was allowed. I thought it was interesting the difference between a family name and a given name and how they used them. There were many things inside this novel that I thought were interesting as I read them.

I appreciated how the author included some history into the novel both personal and historical. I feel that the novel includes a great deal of information and I learned quite a bit about China from reading this it. The information presented wasn’t all personal in nature, but included the traditions and routines of the country and her family’s involvement in them.

The graphics were easy to follow, they were at-the-most-part big and the text was easy to read. I thought the colors used in the text, just like the cover, was a bit on the drab side. There were a few pages that were colorful, but most pages carried an olive green or dull yellow tint to them. I can’t say enough about the content of this graphic novel, it was excellent. Pick this graphic novel up for the content and for the illustrations, imagine your own color in it. 4.5 (.5 off for the color issue)

Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman

5 stars Childrens picture book

Poor Carl! Carl was living a happy, content life until one day a field mouse came upon him and asked Carl a question which he didn’t know the answer to. Carl never knew why he did, what he did but now, the question was out there and he needed an answer.

Carl talks to many animals as he makes his journey. Crawling over many miles, Carl’s tone begins to change as his journey is beginning to take forever. Everyone that Carl is talking to seems to know their purpose except for Carl. Finally, when Carl hears the cry of a beetle, he gets the answer to his question.

I love how the author put this novel together. It’s not a fact-telling story, it’s a story about helping others and being part of a larger picture. It’s about a community, about being needed and how each individual is important. I liked the simplicity of the illustrations. They were beautiful to look at and I enjoyed watching Carl as he traveled over the fields.

Supers by Frederic Maupome

5 stars Middle School/childrens Graphic Novel

Oh, I’m definitely going to stick by this series. I really enjoyed this children’s graphic novel as it had a lot of great feels to it. An explosive beginning, an interesting and intriguing story and a conclusion that makes me want to read more.

This graphic novel begins with, literally a large building on fire. Someone is missing as the building goes up in flames. There are two masked individuals running around inside the building and suddenly, they hear something. Was it the person they were looking for? We don’t know, for the fire explodes and the story flashes back in time.

It’s now four days earlier and we’re introduced to Matt and his two younger siblings. They’ve all just had their first day at their new schools. They seem like typical children yet they’re not human. They’ve come from another planet and they’re trying to fit in. They’ve been abandoned by their parents and unfortunately, Matt is the only one who has memories of the parents.

Matt, Lily, and Benji also have special abilities. They would fit right in with the Super Heroes, if they could. There’s a conflict among the siblings on whether they should use their specials talents or not. What if the humans find out they have special abilities, what would be the complications? Is it worth it?

I found plenty to enjoy about this graphic novel. I thought the issues these siblings had to deal with were real and although the siblings were not human, the issues were ones that anyone could identify with: being new, being picked on, having siblings, having to weigh your options, and emotions. I also liked the ending of the novel; it was a nice cliffhanger. It wasn’t a huge one but one that intrigues me enough to want to pick up book #2. I also liked the sibling’s relationships. It wasn’t perfect. It was filled with tension, arguing, respect, fun and love. It felt real. The illustrations and the flow of the novel was fantastic. The novel had a nice feel to it and it was entertaining. I can’t wait to see what happens to Matt and his siblings in the next book in this series.

When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry

4 stars YA science fiction

It was just the six of the them out driving around when it all began. Nick noticed something strange by the bridge and Levi thought he saw it too but they ignored it. They had more important things to attend to, for their time together was coming to an end. They had a few episodes to film before summer was over.

The abandoned house was perfect. Its legacy left some of the cast members tense as they began filming. Unexpectedly, out of nowhere, the night sky is lit up and the group finds the sky streaked with bright lights. It seems to be a meteor shower. As fast as it started, the lights stop. The sky goes dark. There’s noise. Loud noise. The group tries to understand, exactly what that noise is. There was a rough-scratching sound, like grinding metal which ended with a loud explosion.

Using their flashlights, the group races towards the sound, only to find their dog nearby and the most usual sight that they could image. As Levi records the image with his camera, the group tries to make sense of what they are seeing.

So, what was this thing they found that night? Why do The Ordinary’s feel different after that night? After the group posts their video on the internet, it seems everyone has their own opinion of what it is and what they should be doing.

The characters and the town have had a lot of misfortune which played a part in this novel. It’s not a depressing novel but an important part of the novel. I thought the mystery element of the story was fun. I felt like I was going one way with the story yet I was waiting for something else to come along and change the story. This was a unique book and the ending was not what I expected. It was an entertaining read and one that I was glad that I read.

Halloween With Morris and Boris by Bernard Wiseman

5 stars Children’s

Ok, I’m a big Morris the Moose fan. I think he’s just as funny as Amelia Bedelia. He gets words or ideas twisted up inside his head and well, he just says what he thinks. What he ends up saying is prety silly and someone is usually there to help correct him.

In this small holiday picture book, Morris is with his good friend Borris the Bear and Morris wants candy. In the beginning, Boris tries to explain to his friend what Halloween is, as there are Jack-O-Lanterns and children outside going trick-or-treating. Boris has his hands full trying to explain all the different things to Morris about Halloween but when he mentions candy, Morris wants to play the game, Trick-or-Treat. They need to find costumes and soon, the two friends are on their way, knocking on doors, trying to get some treats. It’s a fun little book that I think is comical and talks about Halloween.

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

4 stars Middle School / Children’s chapter fiction

Definitely read the author’s notes in this novel as I felt that they added a great deal to this story. In her notes, Padma discusses some of the many reasons why children become homeless and their status once they’re out on the street. The freedom that these children search for is often not immediate. Out on the street, these children are often met with uncertainty. Discrimination, hunger, poverty, abandonment, and danger on many different levels is often a part of their daily life. There are millions of homeless children living on the streets in India, Padma states, but this problem is global as you know and she hopes that her novel will bring awareness to them and acceptance.

Based on personal stories the author kept in a journal over the years, this novel shows the determination and strength that the children in India have as they search for their own freedom. Determining that it’s not safe living with their abusive father, Viji takes her younger sister, Rukku and they run away. Viji knows it would be hard living on the street, tending to her sister, but didn’t realize it would be this hard. They have no safe place to unwind, to relax, or to breathe easier. Every minute, Viji keeps vigil watch over Rukku, as she tries to find them supplies to keep them going for another day. This task is exhausting yet Viji is not complaining, she’s just waiting for a break.

Relief comes when Viji spots an abandoned tarpaulin tent that’s attached to a bridge. When Muthu and Arul claim that the tent is theirs, it’s finally decided that they’ll all share it. Four children and Rukku’s new dog will all stay under the one tarp.

I enjoyed how the boys showed the sisters how they made their money and they treated them as equals. The character of Aunty was wonderful and her relationship with the girls, especially Rukku warmed my heart. I loved Viji stories, Rukku talent and how Rukku shared that with the others. The waste mart, I couldn’t get this place off my mind. I will have this imaged etched in my mind for a while. The friendship these four had were what a family is all about. The only issue I had with this novel was that I didn’t have that emotional element to the characters that I felt I should have. A few moments in the novel were emotional left downs for me. As they were transpiring, I was expecting this Kleenex moment but no, it just happened and I moved on. It should have been more emotional for me yet it wasn’t.

A great novel that’s a quick read but gives a lasting impression.

Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose

4 stars Mystery

Well, I made it! I didn’t realize upon opening this novel how long it really was, over 600 pages! Did it feel like 600 pages? Unfortunately for me, it did. The novel started out strong and ended very strong but the middle dragged for me. That being said, I will read another Karen Rose novel, I will just stick with a shorter one.

What I really liked about this novel was that Karen wasn’t afraid to let her audience in on some disturbing scenes. Being a thriller, Karen’s killer is cruel and hard, and Karen doesn’t gloss these scenes over, she puts the reader right in on the action. I also enjoyed the storyline. I was captivated from the beginning and then the story just rolled along.

Besides the novel dragging some in the middle, there were a few other issues I had with the novel. The genre of romantic-suspense is new to me but I had to actually wonder if what went down between Daisy and Special Agent Gideon could actually happen? Daisy’s a victim and Gideon is an FBI agent and watching their relationship unfold during the investigation felt questionable, to me. Do they not realize they are in the middle of an investigation? Do they not realize what type of investigation it is? I felt that their link also changed her status and how she was seen by others. Also, what about Daisy’s “service dog?” I felt sorry for the dog and I think it was actually an emotional support dog for her.

This is a good, long story with a few slow parts. For me, the second half of the novel, whizzed by as I began to understand the killer and the motivation behind his madness. I would like to read more in this series to see what comes next for these characters.

I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.