Another month with a lot of reading, although like last month, this list is heavily weighted with kids books. The girls have been reading up a storm, and I do try and keep up with what they are loving, especially Carina who is now in fifth grade. She'd been a bit of a reluctant reader until this spring and she's knocking out books left and right now. It's fun to see her coming into her own as a reader, and I think being able to talk together about the books encourages her to keep reading.
Tenemental: Adventures of a Reluctant Landlady - Vicki Warner - memoir - three stars - So I really liked half of this book (the part that the title describes) and really didn't like the other half. Leaving the life of a renter in Boston, Vicki Warner purchases a three story house in Providence, RI, and proceeds to live on the top floor while renting out the bottom two floors. I thought the process of purchasing the house and fixing it up, and the description of the various tenants and tenant/landlady relationships were really interesting. Unfortunately, this only took up about half the book. The rest of the book ends up being a weird mishmash of her rehashing all of her previous homes (back to childhood), describing her relationships and love life, etc. Read the first half, skip the second.
Hello, Summer - Mary Kay Andrews - fiction - five stars - I was need of something light and easy, and fun, and Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints when that's what you're looking for. Conley Hawkins is leaving her job as a reporter in Atlanta for a glitzy new job in DC, when she finds out that her employer has been bought out/folded. She retreats to her hometown in Silver Bay where her grandmother convinces her to help out with the family's small local newspaper until she gets on her feet. She stumbles upon a mystery as well as a new love. Andrews has a knack for creating characters that you cheer for and this was a quick and easy read.
Lion Down (FunJungle, #5) - Stuart Gibbs - four stars - juvenile fiction - Another great Fun Jungle book. This one takes place mostly off-campus. A local mountain lion is accused of killing the dog of a famous owner (a radio host) and he incites the locals, putting a bounty on the head of the local mountain lion. Teddy is enlisted to help sort out who/what actually killed the dog before the lion is killed. This wasn't my favorite of the Fun Jungle series, but still a good read. Carina loved it, I heard her reading passages to Ellie several times and giggling in her room while reading.
Lion Down (FunJungle, #5) - Stuart Gibbs - four stars - juvenile fiction - Another great Fun Jungle book. This one takes place mostly off-campus. A local mountain lion is accused of killing the dog of a famous owner (a radio host) and he incites the locals, putting a bounty on the head of the local mountain lion. Teddy is enlisted to help sort out who/what actually killed the dog before the lion is killed. This wasn't my favorite of the Fun Jungle series, but still a good read. Carina loved it, I heard her reading passages to Ellie several times and giggling in her room while reading.
Tyrannosaurus Wrecks (FunJungle, #6) - Stuart Gibbs - juvenile fiction - five stars - This is the most recent of the Fun Jungle books (although there's at least one more coming). In this book, Teddy is asked to investigate the theft of a T-Rex skull from his friend Sage's property. The skull is worth millions and Sage's family was hoping it would help them with some financial difficulties. This story also mostly takes place off the Fun Jungle campus. There's a secondary storyline involving the local school bullies, the Barksdales who keep buying exotic pets that are getting them into trouble. Lots of humor in this one and another really fun read.
Shell - Kristina Olsson - historical fiction - two stars - I was really disappointed by this book. It sounded really interesting and was not. It occurs against the backdrop of both Vietnam and the building of the Sydney Opera House. I of course know of that iconic structure, but knew nothing of the history, that there was a competition for the design of it, and that a Swedish architect won. He went to Australia to oversee the building of it, and then when that government changed, the budget was scrutinized and he was essentially fired from the project. I also didn't realize that there was a draft in Australia as in the U.S. for the Vietnam War. It was just as controversial in Australia. The story is about a Swedish glassmaker who is recruited to create a sculpture for the Opera House. He comes to Australia to work on the piece. He's a bit of a loner and has his own baggage, his father was involved in the White Buses (rescuing people from concentration camps) during WWII and was not the same after the war. Meanwhile Pearl, a newspaper reporter involved in the anti-war movement is trying to locate her brothers who ran away from the orphanage they were in several years ago. The book was billed as a love story, but Axel and Pearl and more like passing acquaintances, the book just did not tie together for me. Not a fan.
Shell - Kristina Olsson - historical fiction - two stars - I was really disappointed by this book. It sounded really interesting and was not. It occurs against the backdrop of both Vietnam and the building of the Sydney Opera House. I of course know of that iconic structure, but knew nothing of the history, that there was a competition for the design of it, and that a Swedish architect won. He went to Australia to oversee the building of it, and then when that government changed, the budget was scrutinized and he was essentially fired from the project. I also didn't realize that there was a draft in Australia as in the U.S. for the Vietnam War. It was just as controversial in Australia. The story is about a Swedish glassmaker who is recruited to create a sculpture for the Opera House. He comes to Australia to work on the piece. He's a bit of a loner and has his own baggage, his father was involved in the White Buses (rescuing people from concentration camps) during WWII and was not the same after the war. Meanwhile Pearl, a newspaper reporter involved in the anti-war movement is trying to locate her brothers who ran away from the orphanage they were in several years ago. The book was billed as a love story, but Axel and Pearl and more like passing acquaintances, the book just did not tie together for me. Not a fan.
They Went Left - Monica Hesse - YA historical fiction - five stars - Zofia survives the concentration camps and even before she is really ready to do so, sets off in search of her brother Abek. They swore they would find each other after he war. She travels back to her home to find him, but he isn't there. She finds some friends from before the war, but also sees that antisemitism remains real and dangerous. She then travels to a displaced persons camp where she thinks Abek might be. There she meets friends and even finds love. Throughout the book her memory is confused and jumbled as she slowly starts to remember the truth/the bad things that occurred. The ending of the story is both surprising and heartbreaking. Excellent book.
Echo Mountain - Lauren Wolk - juvenile fiction - five stars - We're big fans of Lauren Wolk, and were excited to see a new book from her. The story occurs in rural Maine during the Great Depression. Ellie's parents have lots their jobs and the family moves to a rural area, subsisting off the land. Life is OK, but then her father is gravely injured and falls into a coma. No one knows if/when he'll wake up. When all their efforts fail, Ellie decides to take drastic measures to wake him, enlisting the 'hag' from up the mountain. In venturing out, she meets new friends, learns about traditional healing, and grows in confidence. I really loved the character of Ellie, and enjoyed the surprises contained in the story. Really well done.
When we Left Cuba - Chanel Cleeton - historical fiction - four stars - This is a prequel to in a sense to Next Year in Havana, and the story is hinted at in that book. It takes place after the Perez family flees Cuba, long before the present-day events of Next Year in Havana. The story deals with the exiled Cubans, their desire to return, it explores the work of the exiles with the CIA, dealing with the Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, etc. The story is centered on Beatriz the rebellious bombshell daughter of the Perez family. Amidst the historical context of the story the book tells the story of the love affair between Beatriz and a senator. I enjoyed it, although it wasn't amazing. I love historical fiction, this, like her prior book, feels a little like 'lite' historical fiction. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I wish it had a bit more oomph.
Alone: Lost Overboard in the Indian Ocean - Brett Archibald - memoir - five stars - An amazing survival story. Archibald, 50, was lost at sea in 2013 for more than 28 hours. Archibald was on a 50th birthday surfing trip with friends when he fell overboard during a storm. They didn't discover he was missing for over eight hours, and once they did, they worked to mobilize a multi-national search to find him. His survival story is really miraculous. According to experts he should only have survived for 10-14 hours, but based on the warmer waters in that area and the fact that he was in great physical shape, he survived. The memoir is amazingly detailed and the story jumps between Archibald, the different search parties, and his family at home. Great read.
Words on Fire - Jennifer A. Nielsen - juvenile historical fiction - three stars - This should have been a great book. It's about a group of Lithuanian book carriers at the turn of the century. At the time, Russia was in control of Lithuania. They had banned the language and any books written in Lithuanian. The book carriers worked to smuggle in and distribute Lithuanian language books, to keep their culture and language alive. This is a piece of history that I had no knowledge of, and I really enjoyed learning about it, but the problem with the story itself was that I just couldn't connect with the main character, Audra. She wasn't particularly likable and I think in many ways the book lacked character development. Just okay.
The Lost Jewels - Kristy Manning - historical fiction - five stars - I love Manning's first book The Song of Jade Lily and was excited to see another book by her. This one is about the Cheapside Jewels, an enormous cache of jewelry pieces found in 1912 in beneath a tenement house in London. No one knows how they came to be there or where they originated, but they are opulent, detailed, and beautiful. This book imagines a story around both the origin of those jewels as well as their discovery. In 1912, Essie Murphy's brother is part of the work crew that discovers the jewels. Their family is poor and struggling, their father has died and their mother has become an alcoholic. It's up to Essie and her brother to care for the other children. Then due to unfortunate circumstances, Essie needs to flee London, she goes to the U.S. and starts a new life. Years later her granddaughter Kate, is contracted to write an article on the Cheapside jewels. As she unravels the story behind the jewels, she unravels her family's story too. Loved this one.
The Lost Jewels - Kristy Manning - historical fiction - five stars - I love Manning's first book The Song of Jade Lily and was excited to see another book by her. This one is about the Cheapside Jewels, an enormous cache of jewelry pieces found in 1912 in beneath a tenement house in London. No one knows how they came to be there or where they originated, but they are opulent, detailed, and beautiful. This book imagines a story around both the origin of those jewels as well as their discovery. In 1912, Essie Murphy's brother is part of the work crew that discovers the jewels. Their family is poor and struggling, their father has died and their mother has become an alcoholic. It's up to Essie and her brother to care for the other children. Then due to unfortunate circumstances, Essie needs to flee London, she goes to the U.S. and starts a new life. Years later her granddaughter Kate, is contracted to write an article on the Cheapside jewels. As she unravels the story behind the jewels, she unravels her family's story too. Loved this one.
Disappearing Earth - Julia Phillips - fiction - three stars - This book was a bit of a disappointment. It's the story of two little girls who are abducted. The abduction occurs right at the beginning of the story. Throughout the rest of the book, the storyline is narrated by a different individuals, the abduction/disappearance thread is woven in a little, but the focus isn't really on the girls, more the impact of t he disappearance. While it all gets tied together in the end, I feel like the book was disjointed. Not all the storylines/characters seemed necessary, it was definitely meandering. It could have been much tighter I feel like, not all the side stories were necessary.
The Talented Mr. Varg (Detective Varg, #2) - Alexander McCall Smith - detective - four stars - I'm a big fan of McCall Smith. My favorites tend to be the Number One Ladies Detective Agency and his standalone books, but I really liked the first Detective Varg novel and this was just as good. I think that I rarely give McCall Smith books a five. They're not knock your socks off, they're a slower pace than I generally like, but they are dependable and expected and enjoyable and I am rarely annoyed or disappointed by them. Varg is a good guy, dependable, kind, and slightly in love with one of his co-workers. This book is focused on a couple of unofficial investigations he has undertaken as favors to others. Anna, his co-worker has asked him to determine if her husband is cheating, and another acquaintance has asked him to look into a possible blackmail attempt on her partner. Varg is a somewhat reluctant investigator in both instances, but he carefully and methodically works through each investigation and brings them to satisfactory conclusions. Definitely worth the read.
The Great Unexpected - Dan Mooney - fiction - five stars - This was such a good book. I absolutely fell in love with the characters. It's about Joel, who has lived in a nursing home for many years, but life has been completely without purpose since his wife died over a year ago. His interim 'roommate' was a man in a coma who finally passed. Joel who feels there's no purpose in going on has decided to kill himself. These plans are thrown into disarray when a new roommate is assigned. Frank is the complete opposite of Joel, outgoing, funny, friendly, he loves life. The two form a friendship that brings Joel back to life, helps him reconnect with his family, and changes his whole mindset. Sweet and funny, and heartbreaking all at once. Loved it.
The Odds of Getting Even (Mo & Dale Mysteries, #3) - Sheila Turnage - juvenile detective - four stars - I'll admit that if Carina wasn't into these books, I probably wouldn't still be reading them. They are good, but they are always a slow start for me, by the end I'm into it though and want to find out what happens. In this book, Dale's father Macon Johnson is about to go on trial. Mo and Dale are set to testify against him, but he escapes from jail just before the trial. A manhunt is underway, meanwhile a series of crimes occurs around Tupelo Landing - thefts at first, but later murder attempts. Macon is the main suspect, but Dale is convinced that he's being framed. Mo and Daile set out to get down to the bottom of what is going on as well as locate Macon.
The Odds of Getting Even (Mo & Dale Mysteries, #3) - Sheila Turnage - juvenile detective - four stars - I'll admit that if Carina wasn't into these books, I probably wouldn't still be reading them. They are good, but they are always a slow start for me, by the end I'm into it though and want to find out what happens. In this book, Dale's father Macon Johnson is about to go on trial. Mo and Dale are set to testify against him, but he escapes from jail just before the trial. A manhunt is underway, meanwhile a series of crimes occurs around Tupelo Landing - thefts at first, but later murder attempts. Macon is the main suspect, but Dale is convinced that he's being framed. Mo and Daile set out to get down to the bottom of what is going on as well as locate Macon.
The One and Only Bob - Katherine Applegate - juvenile fiction - four stars - I'm a huge fan of Katherine Applegate and love The One and Only Ivan, so I was excited to read this book also. I have to say that for at least the first third of the book I was a little disappointed. The first book was much more compelling in terms of the storyline, they were on a mission and there was a real focus to the story. The first part of this book is just about Bob's new life with Julia. It's interesting, but kind of unfocused and rambley. You start to get more of Bob's backstory as he rambles about his life, but it's not until the last third of the book that things really start to come together and Bob has to work with his friends through a crisis. This is where his backstory comes to the fore, and there's a lovely end to the book, but it could have used some serious editing.
The Girl with the Louding Voice - Abi Dare - fiction - five stars - What a fantastic story! It's about Adumni, a fourteen year old who is married to a much older man so that her father is able to pay the rent on their home despite his promise to her dying mother that she be able to stay unmarried and continue her education. Once in her new home, tragedy strikes and she is forced to flee, she flees to Lagos where she becomes a servant for a wealthy family (although all her wages go to the middleman/agent who placed her there). Despite these circumstances she is befriended by kind individuals and is able to find a path out of that life. I really loved this one, although it was sad to me that in many ways it seemed very unrealistic, although Adumni finds a happy ending, how rare is that for so many in her similar situation. I really liked the facts that were sprinkled throughout the book that spoke to the extreme disparity between the upper and lower classes in Nigeria.
The Girl with the Louding Voice - Abi Dare - fiction - five stars - What a fantastic story! It's about Adumni, a fourteen year old who is married to a much older man so that her father is able to pay the rent on their home despite his promise to her dying mother that she be able to stay unmarried and continue her education. Once in her new home, tragedy strikes and she is forced to flee, she flees to Lagos where she becomes a servant for a wealthy family (although all her wages go to the middleman/agent who placed her there). Despite these circumstances she is befriended by kind individuals and is able to find a path out of that life. I really loved this one, although it was sad to me that in many ways it seemed very unrealistic, although Adumni finds a happy ending, how rare is that for so many in her similar situation. I really liked the facts that were sprinkled throughout the book that spoke to the extreme disparity between the upper and lower classes in Nigeria.
Mr. Lemoncello and the Titanium Ticket (Mr. Lemoncello's Library, #5) - juvenile fiction - five stars - Let me start by saying Ellie and I love the Lemoncello books, so I was really excited to see a new one coming out. Carina hadn't read any of them yet, but this book was billed as the first in a new storyline for Lemoncello fans. I thought it would be perfect for one of Carina's birthday books, and it was a good move. This book is set in Hudson Hills where Mr. Lemoncello's Gameworks Factory is located. Mr. Lemoncello is starting to think about the future and what will happen to his empire once he's gone, to be a contender, you need to win a Titanium Ticket. The first ticket is being given away at the Factory Works Family Day, where contestants have to compete in a series of life sized games modeled on his boardgames. The book is focused on new characters from Hudson Hills, namely Simon Skrindle and Soraiya Mitchell, but our old friends are included too. A great kick-off to this next chapter in the Lemoncello story.
The Land of Forgotten Girls - Erin Entrada Kelly - juvenile fiction - three stars - This was one Ellie borrowed which was just generally sad and I thought a little disorganized. It's about two sisters Sol and Ming who are from the Philippines. Their mother die just before they emigrated to the U.S. and their father remarried their stepmother Vea, purportedly so that she could come to the states. Once here, they were abandoned by their father who went back to the Philippines, and so they're living with a stepmother who doesn't care for them, just trying to survive. There's not a ton of hope in the story, and characters are introduced, but the threads kind of get dropped, it just seemed kind of like a second draft of a book which could be a really good story if pushed a little further.
The Land of Forgotten Girls - Erin Entrada Kelly - juvenile fiction - three stars - This was one Ellie borrowed which was just generally sad and I thought a little disorganized. It's about two sisters Sol and Ming who are from the Philippines. Their mother die just before they emigrated to the U.S. and their father remarried their stepmother Vea, purportedly so that she could come to the states. Once here, they were abandoned by their father who went back to the Philippines, and so they're living with a stepmother who doesn't care for them, just trying to survive. There's not a ton of hope in the story, and characters are introduced, but the threads kind of get dropped, it just seemed kind of like a second draft of a book which could be a really good story if pushed a little further.
Because of Mr. Terupt (Mr. Terupt #1) - Rob Buyea - juvenile fiction - five stars - LOVED this book. I got it for Carina and I wasn't sure she would enjoy it, but she sawed right through it. Mr. Terupt is a new teacher at school and a great one, he catches his kids' interest. meets them where they are, and makes them better. The story is told from the perspective of seven kids, and the narrator rotates from chapter to chapter. The book deals with some really heavy stuff, but I think the biggest lesson is compassion and understanding with a healthy does of friendship and forgiveness. It's a great book, a must read for kids.
Mr. Terupt Falls Again (Mr. Terupt #2) - Rob Buyea - juvenile fiction - five stars - Carina loved the first book so much, we immediately borrowed the second. Ellie had also read the first book and got to this one before the rest of us. She was immediately concerned that the subject matter was too mature for Carina. Let me backtrack and mention that the first book is about a group of kids in fifth grade, the second book takes place in sixth grade, and the subject matter is definitely more mature. Lexie, one of the kids falls in with a few high schoolers who are teaching her bad habits, there's a fair amount about going through puberty, getting your period, developing, etc. I'll say that I think it's all done well, but if you're not expecting it, you might be unpleasantly surprised. I'm planning to let Carina read it because I think it will be a good jumping off point for other conversations, but if you're not ready to have those conversations with your kids yet, I'd hold off on this one.
City Spies - James Ponti - juvenile fiction 0 five stars - We all love Ponti's TOAST series, so when I saw he had a new book/series coming out I immediately put it on hold at the library. This book does not disappoint. It's about a group of misfit kids who are for whatever reason alone in the world, but who have amazing abilities. They're recruited to join a team of like individuals in Scotland where they attend school and learn tradecraft. The latest recruit is Brooklyn, a hacker who is rescued from a stint in juvenile detention and joins the team just prior to a big mission. Brooklyn has to get to know the team and train up in three weeks. I loved the characters as well as the plot line. The next book comes out in March and we're looking forward to it already!
Lots of good books this month, especially on the kids side of things. My favorites were The Lost Jewels, The Great Unexpected and The Girl with the Louding Voice as well as Because of Mr. Terupt. I'm currently finishing up One Night Only which is a book of vignettes about hockey players who played only one game in the NHL. Next up are The Ventriloquists and Finding Zsa Zsa (about the Gabors). Would love to know what you have been reading!
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