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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I enjoyed listening to this novel. I thought the narration
was excellent and I highly recommend the audio version of this novel. As I listened to the CD’s in my car and
outside in my backyard, I found myself crying, laughing and talking back to the
characters as the story came to life.
I had heard that some individuals aren’t fond of this novel and
how it portrays the characters illness.
In reality, how anyone manages their illness is their own personal
issue. I had a headache w/migraine for 17 years, every-day, which by my
appearance, you never would have known it. However, I know people who have a headache
for a few days and I definitely know they are in pain. It’s all about how you
manage yourself. I also heard about individuals
complaining about the instant love in the novel. I have two things to say, (1)
you need to put yourself in the characters shoes and (2) just stop reading the
book if you’re not feeling it. I do think that if you put yourself in the
characters position in this novel, you will understand why things happened the
way they did.
I shed quite a few tears while listening to this novel. I’m
usually one who gets emotional over a character’s behavior or an incident that
occurs but I found myself moved by what the characters were actually saying. Their words hit deep and I felt what they were
saying, came from within and that got to me.
I liked how the author chose to have the two main characters
have the same illness yet they handled their lives totally different. Their attitudes were almost extreme opposites
from one another. I liked how they each shared a bit of themselves with each
other and they accepted it. They both
know that getting too close to one another could be fatal but they soon realize
that staying apart from one another didn’t feel like the right answer either. It’s a complicated situation that was filled
with humor, compassion, friendship, and strength.
I kid you not, when I tell you I have been craving making one
of these yule logs ever since I seen them being made on a cooking show on television.
To see them showcased in this novel, in
three mini mysteries was entertaining, to say the least. Then, to top it off,
there are recipes inside this novel including one for the yule log which I will
attempt.
What I liked about this novel is that all three stories are
different yet they all carried the central theme of the yule log. I was surprised
how much I liked this novel. I really enjoyed
two of the stories and I would have liked the third story more had it not had
so many characters in it. I usually don’t read novels with multiple stories in
them and I really don’t have a good reason why. I just haven’t in the past and
after reading this novel, I know now that I need to start looking more closely
at them.
In Yule Log Murder, I thought this mini mystery had too many
characters and I had a hard time keeping track of them. Set in a mansion, a movie
is being filmed with residents as extras. Excitement and anticipation fill the
air as individual begin working on the film. A yule log cake with its luscious frosting
loses its glamour when blood enters the scene.
With a few likely suspects, could it be that easy?
In Death by Yule Log, I thought this mystery was really
good. What makes this murder interesting
is that it occurs after a holiday party and (1) what is that on the body and
(2) there are a host of suspects to choose from. It seems that someone ate some
of Hayley’s mother’s yule log before they were murdered. Hayley tries to clear her boyfriend from being
the prime suspect and as she does, she uncovers some interesting information. This
girl is good! I thought the police department should put this lady on their payroll.
In Logged On, Julia wants to start making her own holiday
dessert but it’s a disaster. Enlisting the help of her mother’s next-door neighbor,
she just might be able to pull it off. I
thought this mystery was funny and entertaining. A younger Mrs. St. Onge used to make yule
logs for friends and family but those days are over. Mixing baking tips with
personal stories, Julia begins to question her teacher.
It’ an entertaining and enjoyable novel that doesn’t need to
be read just around the holidays. Don’t forget those delicious recipes included
in the book either.
I won a copy of this book from Kensington Publishing
Corporation- thank you! This review is
my own opinion of the novel.
I loved this novel! Give me an author that can write and some
individuals living off the grid and I am happier than a fox in a henhouse. I’m
glad that I didn’t read many detailed reviews on this novel and although I hesitated
to buy the novel, I’m glad that I forked over the money because I am definitely
going to reread it in the future. As
soon as I finished reading this novel, I was dancing all over the house, as
this novel was one of those novels that got down deep inside me. I had to give my hubby a quick play-by-play
of what happened, the words just came tumbling out.
The more that I read, the more I admired Kya. I loved how she managed to live in the marsh
all those years, basically by herself. I wondered as she commented about the
amount of time that she spent in school, if those comments were her own crafty
way to address the individual that she had become. Over the years, Kya had indeed inquired quite
the skills and strength living in the marsh, and I think to a point, she was
hardened.
I enjoyed how the two stories slowly came together in the novel.
There were moments that I became worried about Kya’s maturity level as relationships
developed and times that Kya surprised me when her actions went beyond what I had
expected.
This was a fantastic novel that I highly recommend if you haven’t
read it yet.
This was my
first story by Erica Bauermeister but I will definitely be watching out for her
in the future and I will be looking to see what books my library carries of this
fantastic author. With fluid movements,
Erica painted a distinct picture of Emmeline’s world. I understood Emmeline’s confusion
as she grew up on the island with her father where life was simple and carefree. When she moves inland later in life, she became
more aware of the world and its complexity and realizes that there is now much
more to consider for the return that she was getting.
Living on
the island with her father, Emmeline led a simple life, under her father’s
rules. Her father provided for her everything
that she needed, allowing for just a few luxuries but what would happen should
that system fail? Did her father ever think about the future? I had hoped that he had to have wondered about
the day that she would get curious or the day that something would happen to
him and his system failed. Did he even
have a backup plan?
I loved the
concept of the jars and the story behind them. The scent of smell is a powerful tool and to be
able to capture that element would be priceless. I was glad that Emmeline found
Fisher and they created a great friendship. This was an excellent story that I
was wrapped up in, emotionally and mentally.
I won a copy
of this book. Thank you, St. Martin’s
Press, for sending me a copy of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.
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