It’s very hard to summarize this book without giving anything away. Let’s see…. Jonah Skidmore was adopted when he was three months old. Just before his thirteenth birthday, he receives a cryptic message in the mail and he starts questioning the little that he knows about his past. Very, very bare bones there. After getting […]
The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara: Book Review
Mariatu Kamara was twelve years old when she was caught up in the civil war in Sierra Leone. Most of her village was killed in a raid. Boy soldiers cut off both her hands but let her go. She shares the story of how she learned to cope in the new world she found herself […]
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson: Book Review
Elisa is a Bearer of the Godstone. Born to the royal family, a bright light engulfed her on her Name Day and left her with a Godstone in her navel. Bearers are marked to carry out a special act of service and they’re only born about every hundred years. Unfortunately, they don’t tend to live […]
NPR Favorite Driveway Moments: Book Review
I’m not an NPR listener but something about this title caught my eye. I downloaded it at the end of the year when I was trying to squeeze in one last nonfiction book to complete a reading challenge. Only about two hours long, I knew I could listen to it in just a couple of […]
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall: Book Review
4 Stars. I love this series. It’s just so innocently fun! The girls are funny but caring, as are their circle of friends. Girls in their “tween” years should love these books as well. This installment was just as much fun as all the others. I missed having Rosalind around but without her guidance, the three younger Penderwicks […]
This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash: Book Review
Talk about shades of gray! The whole book just drifts around in this nebulous area that left me unsure as to what the right thing to do and the best thing to do really were. I don’t think they were ever the same thing. Why should these girls be left in a system that rarely seems to turn out well for anyone when they have a […]
Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom: Book Review
Matthew Shardlake has been asked to defend a young woman accused of the terrible murder of a child. The problem is that the girl refuses to speak in her own defense and time is running out. Luckily, Thomas Cromwell intervenes and gains Shardlake two more weeks to prepare a defense. In exchange, Matthew must find […]
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan: Book Review
After the recession hits, Clay Jannon finds himself out of a job. He spends hours walking the streets of San Francisco, trying to find something, anything. He wanders into Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and finds himself working as a bookstore clerk. But there aren’t really very many customers. Well, there are a few impassioned, odd […]
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman: Book Review
Seraphina is working at the royal court when a prince is murdered. Even though her country has been at peace with the dragons for decades, many people believe a dragon killed the prince. Tensions start rising in the city just as the dragon ruler is due for a state visit to celebrate the signing of […]
Sweet Nothings by Janis Thomas: Book Review
Ruby McMillan’s husband announces out of the blue that he’s leaving one morning. She has her initial meltdown, of course, but then she starts getting on with her life. Walter has left their finances in a shambles and Ruby has to scramble to hold everything together as he sails off into the sunset with his […]
The Trivia Lover’s Guide to the World: Geography for the Lost and Found by Gary Fuller: Book Review
Professor Gary Fuller sets out to fill in the gaps in your geography knowledge. I would guess that I know a little more geography than the average American but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m still woefully lacking. I downloaded this book on a nook Free Friday (I believe), thinking that I might […]