action – One Chapter

Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson

4.5 stars Fiction

It’s the BIG one! Located in Hawaii, there are 2 volcanoes who have the scientists’ nervous. Mauna Loa is one of the largest active volcanoes in the world and Mauna Kea, a volcano which hasn’t erupted in over 4,000 years. The tremors have begun and now, they’re starting to intensify. Fear begins to take root, but horror takes ahold of those who really know the truth. The truth of what an eruption could mean to those in Hawaii and those around the world when the earth unleashes its blazing inferno.

I liked the little twists on this volcano disaster, and I liked how no one wanted to or took responsibility for how these problems came about. How did the canisters get placed at the base of Mauna Kea and how did so many of them got there, these are questions no one wants to answer, or so they claim. Add to this, the integrity of the containers and their content, I felt on edge reading this book. The containers themselves were a huge concern but when you add in a volcanic eruption on top of that literally on top of that, you have…… craziness!! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and I swear I could have been watching a movie as the story fell out of the pages of the book.

Talk about intense, I couldn’t put this book down as I needed to know how they were going to stop a volcano and safely do something, anything with those containers at the base of Mauna Kea. They had to do something as they couldn’t kill millions of people, could they??

An action-packed book with loads of drama and tension. There were quite a few characters and there was quite a lot of dialogue between them. The book was predictable at times and that was okay with me. I thought the authors did a good job with researching the details in the book and making the book feel realistic. I feel this would make a fantastic movie. 4.5 stars as sometimes I felt the points repeated over and over again.

The Wager: a Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

5 stars Nonfiction

You have to listen to this audio! Did a fabulous job reading this book as I felt a part of the action. After finishing the book, I really wondered how anyone survived the whole ordeal. The odds were bad to start and when you add in all other misfortunes and the behavior of the individuals aboard the vessels, the survivors were a tough group.

I really liked how I felt a part of the action and how realistic this book felt. It was interesting viewing the action behind the eyes of the different captains. The allies amongst the crew and how they felt about their captain, the way they felt about their mission and its success and how they manage themselves made this book one that I couldn’t stop listening to. They were fighting a battle to stay alive, to fight a war, to find treasure, to find their way home, and to serve their country. Such a great book. 5+ stars!!

Notes while listening to the Playaway:

Listening to this on a Playaway, narrated by Dion Graham. Seriously, Dion brings this book to life!! The energy and excitement in his voice was phenomenal. It was as if Dion was retelling the story from his own personal experience about The Wager and that he was not, actually reading a book to me. Phew, what a voyage!!

The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart

5 stars Children’s/ Middle School Realistic Fiction

I could quote this book all day and still not get all the great lines that were written inside this fantastic story. Dan Gemeinhart knocks it out of the park again, with this story of Ravani who lives with his parents in the town of Slaughterville. Yes, Slaugtherville. Ravani dodges the bullies in his small town as he follows his lonely daily routine, day in and day out. One evening though, it all changes when he spots a truck across the street. The truck is dropping off some young children, in the middle of the night, who make their way inside the empty house carrying their suitcases. Ravani doesn’t spot any adults accompanying the children as they rush towards the house. As the day’s past, Ravani watches across the street for any activity and he keeps close tabs on the house for clues on who these children might be.

While out, Ravani spots the children. Ravani talks with them and they seem to be hiding something but I felt that it didn’t matter to Ravani. He now had someone that he could talk with. There were no expectations from neither Ravani or the children and they were comfortable with each other. I liked how innocent and cautious they were with each other; they weren’t judgmental or overbearing. When all the children were playing hide-and-seek, that moment with Ravani and Virginia when Virginia tells him “The Secret,” it just warmed my heart. Ravani invites them into his life and he sees life through their eyes. This experience opens up another world for him and for the children, they enjoy being a part of Ravani’s life.

A wonderful book! If you haven’t read one of Dan Gemeinhart’s book, you have definitely been missing out. A hairdryer book for me!

More Quotes:

” The first time we met, we both said that we weren’t looking for friends. You were lying. She took in a deep breath and let it out. “Well, guess what? So was I.””

“Instead, her eyes filled with tears. Quietly. Eyes are always quiet, technically, but at some moments they are even more quiet than usual. “

“Ravani skin tingled at those words. It was like hearing another soul say all the things that his own soul has been dying to say. And perhaps that’s all our souls are ever looking for: another soul they don’t feel lonely with.”

“They’ll always be people who want to make you feel small, Rav. But they shouldn’t do with your permission.”

“Honestly, the cupcake was way better. No offense. ” This was so cute and perfect – HA

“The thing about this world is that there’s all kinds of people in it, and there’s nothing you can do about that, ……..the only thing to do is decide what kind you are, and then be it. Don’t worry about anyone else. Especially the Donnies (bullies).

” The Donnies of the world are always gonna try and tell you you’re worthless. It’s your choice whether you believe them or not.”

Can You Track Down Bigfoot?: An Interactive Monster Hunt (You Choose: Monster Hunter) by Bradon Terrell

I wanted to track down Bigfoot, like who doesn’t?1? My son was telling me that there are some individuals at his work who actually belong to a group who does this. They go out on the weekends or take vacations and hunt for Bigfoot, seriously. Boy, was I intrigued! I wanted to know exactly how they did this and what they found. Were this people, ok? Sure, I’ve watched those shows on TV but I feel they hype things up but to actually talk to someone who has actually went out and hunted around looking for him, now that’s crazy! Do you think this is crazy? I think it’s fun and exciting but I don’t know if I would spend my free time doing it. When I saw this book at the library, I knew I had to read it. I wanted to know if I would learn anything.

I liked that this book included some of the famous pictures we all know surrounding Bigfoot. I think seeing these throughout the book made me feel that I was actually on a mission. I do enjoy reading these choose-your-own-ending books as it seems that you can spend however long you’d like, reading these books before you’re done with them. In this book, I liked that they sent you right back to the beginning every time that you finished one of the missions. This book did a great job setting up the scene and telling me about Bigfoot. As you read each story, the encounters that you’ll have will vary.

The book takes you on adventures with Bigfoot, The Skunk Ape of the Everglades, The Himalayan Yeti and there is some information about whether Bigfoot is real or just a hoax. At the back of the book, there are some interesting sections, so make sure you check them out. One was about the different Bigfoots in the world. From the Orang Pendak in Indonesia to the Big Greyman in Scotland (original name, huh?) to the Moehau in New Zealand and Ucu in Argentina these are creatures from around the world that individuals can’t explain. A man with yellow hair and large tusks? A man with glowing eyes and extra-large arms? These all sound interesting and I wonder just how similar they are to each other. The author also gives us other questions to consider while thinking about these creatures. There are also a couple other books listed and some internet sites an individual could use to find out more about Bigfoot. An index is also at the end of this book. I think this makes a great book for children who enjoy these types of stories as there is a lot of different stories within this book. This is not a scary book but carries a mysterious element to it, as you discover and uncover information about these unexplained creatures. 4 stars

Allies by Alan Gratz

I have to thank Alan again for the trip. It was a short trip but it was definitely worth it, as I was walked along beside a handful of young individuals who were out to make a difference in the world in 1944. They each had their own agenda for how they were about to beat the Nazi’s, their own energy, and their own history which powered them. I was only there because Alan allowed me to be. This book, along with many others that he has written, put me on the front lines with these individuals and let me see firsthand, the amazing journey that these individuals experienced, that I myself, only felt.

If I haven’t said this before, I will say it now, you need to read one of Alan Gratz’s books. Geared towards young readers, Alan is an amazing writer that has won numerous awards and has been on the NY Times best sellers list. I, as a grandmother, love his books and can testify that from the beginning pages, I’m hooked. Alan stories includes topics such as honor, love, and family, just to name a few and once you read one, you’ll want to binge read the rest.

In this book, each of these individuals are fighting the Nazi’s with their own personal agenda. Every few chapters we are introduced to a new individual until we meet them all and then, during the rest of the book, we follow their involvement in the war. There were many times, I couldn’t wait to get back to a certain character but I enjoyed every character in this book. I enjoyed their different perspectives and motives for their involvement.

I can’t tell you how many times, I caught myself holding my breath or I found myself sitting at the edge of the couch, while reading this book. This is not a relaxing read. The intensity, the emotions, and the images that went on inside my head were intense. Struggling to stay afloat in the water as the floating dead bodies hit up against them, their heavy gear weighing them down, where do they go from here? The bullets hitting the water and the boats, they’re all around them. Dang, I was shouting at the book by this time and my heart was racing. Then, we had the medic who made light of the discrimination some soldiers threw at him while later, we really saw how he really felt about it and what he did when faced with these individuals again. The author includes some notes in the back of this book and you really need to read them. This book, what else can I say besides, read it. Take the journey and see 1944 through the eyes of these individuals. 5 stars!

The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

I love the power of verse. No longer do my eyes slide across or skim while I decipher each word on the page. My eyes seem to stop at each word, recognizing its value and its strength on the line before moving on. For each word, has power and is essential.

A tragic event took the life of Nora’s mother and now, Nora and her father are trying to find a new normal. Enjoying the great outdoors, Nora’s birthday was supposed to be a day of celebration, as the pair hiked and explored an area canyon. The celebrating quickly came to an end, as they stopped for a break, when the father-daughter pair is separated. Unexpected challenges and fears must be confronted if they ever plan on being united again.

Written with short chapters, this book is beautifully written and is emotionally charged. You can’t help but be drawn into the character of Nora as she conveys her feelings about her situation. A fantastic read.