should reread – One Chapter

William by Mason Coile

5 stars Horror Thriller

Wowza! Take notice people, this is what is happening……AI is in our future. I just hope that William will not be there! This was one exciting book to read on vacation. I’m not much of a science fiction fan but boy, give me a book like this and I will be reading sci-fi forever! The story centers upon a couple Lily and Henry who live in a multiple story house. Henry doesn’t leave the house as he has some type of psychological disorder and just opening the outside door, sets off some alarms in his head. He does work though. He has his own lab on the top floor of the house as he’s a robotic engineer. Lily, a computer engineer, actually leaves the house and goes to work. Basically, Lily is their link to the outside world.

They’re rich, money is no object as Lily has sold a company that she created so as Henry tinkers in the attic, Lily heads off to work. Reading about Henry’s creations in the attic, I kept wondering if there was some type of goal running through Henry’s mind. Their house has a start-of-the-art security system which if you think about Henry’s disorder, their financial situation, their vocations, and how big the house is, it’s understandable, they’d have this.

Life is good until Lily invites Paige and Davis, former employees of Lily’s, over for supper. During the evening, Henry sees some physical contact between Lily and Davis and begins to wonder what that is all about. Lots of emotions here and now, Henry wants the upper hand, so he invites everyone to his lab. This is the first time that even Lily gets to see what’s behind this locked door. Everyone meet William.

Lily, Paige and Davis all think William is amazing! Created by Henry, this independent AI is able to think creatively by himself. William is not a walking, talking AI man with arms and legs but he’s close. As they conversed with William, he was creeping me out! Lily, Paige, and Davis were all shocked at how well-spoken William was yet here was Henry standing right there with them, and he was even shocked. This was impossible! He’s more human than Henry created him to be!!

The house goes on lockdown. The house’s security system has become engaged. David and Lily deny turning it on. The house is a fortress, they are locked in. William has plans for this evening and he’s dangerous, very dangerous. William is everywhere, he’s smarter than you can imagine, and he’s not giving up as he’s got nothing to lose.

I had my thoughts on how this book would go but dang, that twist that came out of nowhere and got me! Boy, did it get me! Never saw that one coming and that was pure craziness! Pure fantastic craziness!!! Loved it….. Can someone erase my mind so I can read this one again? 5+ stars – have to reread this one sometime in the future if/when I ever get over it.

Mr. Fox’s Game of No! by David LaRochelle

5 stars Childrens

Another fantastic book by David! Mr. Fox wants you to play his Game of No, are you ready? Is your brain ready for this? Even if you struggle and fail his game, you will be laughing by the time you finish this book.

Playing Mr. Fox’s Game of No requires you to say “NO” even when you would like to say “yes.” It’s a struggle, I tell you. You will definitely hesitate when responding back to Mr. Fox’s questions, as you think about what answer you want to give and what answer you do give to Mr. Fox. If you do end up saying “yes” by mistake, it’s not the end of the world, you just have to start reading this book from the beginning again.

Are you ready? I’m already laughing thinking about my grandson’s reactions to Mr. Fox’s questions and how much he loves reading this book.

You’ll love this book, and your child will want to read it again and again as they’ll love the silliness of Mr. Fox and how he tries to trick them throughout the story. With fantastic illustrations that compliment the story and easy to read text, this story is a definite read! 5 stars!

You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray

5 stars Thriller

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“You gotta see this.””

I couldn’t see fast enough nor read fast enough as Eddie and Jess tried to make sense of the world that had become their new world. As my husband was driving the car, I was trying to read him some of this book, but my mouth and my eyes were not in sync. I was talking gibberish and as my husband suggested, I just read silently, as silent as I could with all my gasps and shoutouts. Dang, I wasn’t expecting the last half of this book to be this exciting!

For only 225 pages, this book packs a punch! At first, the book reminded me of one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes and I was intrigued to find out how this one was going to end. What would they find at the end of this so-called, “town”, if they ever do find the end and were they going to make it out alive? One-by-one, we meet the characters in this book and I’m trying to find their common dominator. They’re all stuck inside this little make-believe town but what is the purpose and what type of game is this that they are the “players” when they don’t know the rules. Dang, this book is one that I will definitely have to reread again, if I can ever get it out of my head! 5 stars++

Go and Get With Rex by David LaRochelle

5 stars (glowing stars!) Children’s

This is a fun book! This is the second book we have read by David LaRochel and I will be checking out more by this author. My grandson decided to play the game with Rex after we had read this book a few times so that told me he really enjoyed this book.

The story is told to you by a game show host and you read about the game show contestants Jack, Jill and the dog Rex. The text reads as if the host is talking to you, “Howdy, everyone! Who wants to play a game of Go and Get?” It’s so much fun to read this book and the answers that the contestants give are great, especially Rex, the dog. The game show host gives the contestants letters of the alphabet, one at a time, and they must go get items beginning with that letter. When they return, he comments about their items that they returned with, while also using words that begin with that letter A LOT in his comments. An example: letter F – “that was fast! Let’s see what you found.” Now, each of the contestants conceal their items but give one clue so you can guess what they are. Jack brough something in a box that says, “Ribbit! Ribbit!” a Frog! Yes, Frog begins with the letter F!” Rex brought something in a box that says “Quack! A Duck? I’m sorry, Rex, but duck does not begin with the letter F. Oh! This duck is your Friend. You’re right. Friend does begin with the letter F!?

Now, isn’t that cute? What did Jill bring? Well, you’ll need to check out this book to find out this answer and to see what other letters the game show host gave to the contestants.

I loved this book; it was so fun and entertaining! My grandson was running around the house trying to find something to match the letters just like Jack, Jill, and Rex.

Definitely a 5 star book for us!

And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps

5 stars Fiction Book in Verse Children’s/ Middle School

And then, WOW! This book really packs a punch, and I loved it so much. Written in verse, this book is powerful as it deals with issues that many young adults unfortunately must face today. It’s just not the poverty that Joe needs to adjust to but it’s also the abandonment, the insecurity, and the loneliness that just keeps on popping up in his life. When will it ever end?

Mom gets “the itch” and before you know it, she’s out the door. Sometimes its weeks, months, or just a few days, that she’ll be gone. They lived with Joe’s grandmum in her house until she lost it on legal matters for Joe’s mom. Now, Joe and grandmum are living in a car and using food stamps to eat. My heart was breaking as Joe fought to use public bathroom facilities to maintain his appearance. They’re hungry but they’re doing the best that they can. As he tries to go to school, he struggles to hide his life from others that are around him. One of his best friends finds them a place to stay and finally, things change direction.

The mobile homeowner, Uncle Frankie is an amazing person, and he becomes a fantastic friend to Joe. One obstacle is taken down but the others remain. One moment in this book which has stuck with me is when Joe wins at Jeopardy in his classroom. Able to take any prize out the storage closet, which is filled with games and puzzles, Joe picks……. Yes, this is a storage closet so it’s also storing cleaning items and extra supplies. Joe picks out “an enormous box of toilet paper.” This is a 6^th grade boy, and he picks toilet paper as a prize. Yep, that got me……..

I can’t tell you much more about what happens inside the pages of this emotional read but I loved so much about it. I love how Joe gathered strength from within to keep moving forward. From everything that happened in his life, Joe could have lost hope or retaliated but he didn’t. His friends stood by him, and he learned many lessons along the way.

This is such a great read, one in which I could read it again and again. Read it because this is real folks, this is what is happening all around us whether you want to see it or not.

“Every time I hugged Grandmum,

I’d breathe in her scent.

When I miss her a lot,

like tonight,

I open the bag in the back of my closet

where I keep Grandmum’s quilt

and breathe in her scent.

I call it, “Grandmum in a bag.””

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

5 stars Middle School Realistic Fiction

Writing a story is making spaghetti sauce, according to Sophie. When I read this, I knew this was going to be a story for me. Sophie Henry Winslow is eleven and her best friend is seven times as old as she is. Sophie Gershowitz, 77, is Sophie’s next-door neighbor and best friend. There’s neighbor Ralphie who lives across the street from the pair, and he goes to school with Sophie W.

I like the closeness that Sophie W. has with her friends. Ralphie and Sophie W. are close friends, yet Sophie W. says Sophie G. is her best friend. Ralphie helps Sophie W. stay grounded and since they’re the same age, they have more things in common. Sophie W. and Sophie G. share a unique bond. They’re close but I think their friendship is constructed with more maturity and compassion. These relationships are important for Sophie since her relationships at school have vanished away.

When Sophie G.’s son comes for a visit, Sophie W. discovers that it’s not just a social visit. Sophie W. hears talk that Sophie’s problem is getting worse and that he’ll be taking her to see the doctor. Sophie G. doesn’t understand what problem Sophie G. has but she knows she must do something. Sophie G. is too important for something to happen to her but what can she do?

Having a mother with dementia, I understood exactly what Sophie W. was trying to do when she talked to her parents and when she consulted the Merck. Sophie W. was determined to help her best friend and the feelings that she was having as she struggled to come to terms with the results were spot-on. Her emotions pulled at my heart as she felt powerless and small when reality started to sink in. So, Tree. Table. Book. Yup, this book hit home. I’m a huge Lois Lowry fan (The Giver is my favorite) and I felt that she created this book just for me. Thanks Lois! 5 stars ++

“Begin on the day that is different” – start your story with this day an author suggested, yet Sophie points out every day is different 😊

“And I think that learning from each other is one of the most important parts of friendship.”

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!!!

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

5 stars Dystopia/ Science FIction

Would I really want to know this? What would I do any differently if I did? The implications of what this information can and do to a person was immense. It’s worldwide, who would know these things and why did they do this? The implications of this information could do to a society was monumental. Imagine you open your front door one day and you find a box lying there. Inside this box, is a string that could tell you how many more years you have left to live. Would you want to open this box? Would you tell anyone if you did? Would you live your life any differently, if you did? If you didn’t open your box, would anxiety be eating at you because you do not know?

Oh, my friends, I’ve read this book over a week ago and I still can’t stop thinking about it. The conversations I’ve had with individuals over this topic, let alone the book itself. I think I could read this book again and I would need to slowly read each sentence as I feel I inhaled the book the first time I read it. I was surprised at the impact that these little strings brought to the individuals, their families, relationships, communities, and the world. Holy Moly! As I read this book, I kept interrupting my husband and giving him the latest update on the book’s details yet after a while, he began asking me as I became absorbed and he started to feel left out. I guess I can say that we read this book together and we had some great conversations about it. I’ll admit that I’m not one into science fiction but this little gem of a book got me thinking and following the lives of the characters was a huge wake-up call.

As for me, I’d look at my string. I couldn’t handle the anxiety of not knowing. Would I change my life? Perhaps. I do try to enjoy each day now and luckily, I don’t have to worry about a string, at least for now. Read this for the thrill but don’t get too stressed out about it. 5 stars

The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea

Once I inside the doors of Big Angel’s house, I didn’t want to leave. I knew exactly how this story would end as I was told that in the beginning pages of this book, yet I grew fond of each individual in Big Angel’s life and my admiration for him soared. I laughed, cried and flipped my way through these pages until I realized that I was holding just a few unread pages in my right hand. This was it, I had to finish what I had started. I eased my pace for I would only be able to hold onto these dear individuals for just a while longer. My new family knew that change was inevitable but to what decree, was undetermined.

Big Angel had been planning his last birthday party but now mother/grandma would need to be laid to rest before the celebration. Big Angel knew that this would be his last hurrah, as he gathers his clan together in the family’s home. As the patriarch, he was actually much more than that to his family and friends throughout the years. This story of about hope, survival, family, about making a difference, and about being yourself was fantastic and I’m so glad bookclub choose it.

Big Angel, the family’s leader, feels that he has now been reduced to a child. This man, that his siblings used to see as a father figure, the punctual, computer-genius he once was, is now using a wheelchair and needs help with most of his daily functions. As a Mexican immigrant, Big Angel and his family have had some interesting and amazing adventures throughout their lifetime. As family and friends gather to celebrate Big Angel birthday, their adventures are far from over. For on this one day, some see Big Angel for who he really is.

As I listened to all the different individuals in the story, I enjoyed their interactions and how they all fed into the maze of each other’s lives. As the author blended in all the different time periods, I liked seeing and hearing exactly what had transpired during this time and their account of the event. Big Angel is a proud man yet he’s also humble. As he writes in his mole-skinned notebooks, it’s the honesty and the thought that he puts into each entry that makes these books so special. He’s a man who has accepted what life has given to him and now, he’s appreciating it all. Speaking from the heart, his comments led me to cry and to laugh, sometimes all within a few pages of each other. There are tons of great moments in this book, moments that make me smile just thinking about them. After borrowing this book from the library to read, I realize that I need this book in my collection so I can reread it in the near future. It is definitely a keeper and one that I highly recommend. 5+ stars

“At the end of the day, all he really knew was that he was a Mexican father. And Mexican fathers made speeches. He wanted to leave her with a blessing, with beautiful words to sum up a life, but there were no words sufficient to this day. But still, he tried. “All we do, mija,” he said, “is love. Love is the answer. Nothing stops it. Not borders. Not death.”

Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth by Sheila O’Connor

Covers can be deceiving and this one truly was. I thought the cover of this book looked dull yet the inside of the book was just the opposite. Written in letter correspondence, I found myself on an incredible journey with Reen, as she tries to save her family. What started out as a business correspondence between Reen and Mr. Marsworth turned into something more impressive than they both expected.

Reen and her older two brothers have been living with their grandma, since their mother’s death. Since Reen has no other friends, she hangs out with her youngest brother Dare.

Mr. Marsworth was a customer on Reen’s paper route and she needed important information to do her job. Known as a loner/recluse, Reen (11), takes to paper and pencil to get the answers she needs. In his responsive letter, he’s right to the point but that’s not the end of this. Reen keeps the letters flying a few times back and forth. Reen is a talker but in this case, a writer, and so she does, to Mr. Marsworth. Soon, it’s just Reen writing and waiting, waiting for a reply from her new friend. I really got impatient and angry too, why wasn’t he responding to her and when she pleaded to him to respond, what was he doing?

Reen begins to pour out her heart to Mr. Marsworth in her letters. It’s not just the newspaper information she needs now but she needs a friend, someone she can talk to. I could feel the love, the anxiety and the desperation in her words as she wrote. She wrote him about her day, her issues and she’d ask him some questions. She found that there are some questions that Mr. Marsworth just couldn’t answer. Those questions were too difficult and/or he just wasn’t ready to answer them for her. How Reen handled this really said a lot about Reen, I thought. What she had with Mr. Marsworth meant more to her than the answers. Now, that is good stuff!

The story occurs in 1968 when the Vietnam War was on everyone’s mind including Reen’s. Her old brother, Billy’s future is on the line: college, sign up for the military, or be drafted? For Reen, there is only one answer and she’s determined to make that happen.

Reen also has been corresponding with a soldier in the war. She received his name from her teacher as part of a project. Reen now knows first-hand what war is all about. I loved how she takes this project seriously and how much time she devotes to it.

That ending was fabulous! I had suspected something an ending like that but nothing as involved as that. I had to get out the tissues as the tears were flowing and I couldn’t stop them. What an awesome book!! Good heavens!! Can someone erase my brain so I can read it over again?? I loved it!