Showing posts with label July 2022. Show all posts
Showing posts with label July 2022. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Perchance to Dream by Tamara Belko



Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions here are my own.

 

I read this book in a little under two hours. This is a story of characters who are broken. How can one broken person help another? We have four characters here who are working through some major issues. Grace has lost her mother to cancer. She is losing her father to alcohol, and she lost herself when she died. Xander lost himself and his music due to Becca, a very broken girlfriend. Mrs. Carter is broken, but few people know this. Music ties Xander, Grace and her father together. They say that music is healing and in this case it seems to be.

I grew up in a house of music. It has always been my go to when I was down or faced with a problem. It is what centered me during my trying physical therapy after double knee replacement. Unfortunately, I had a lot in common with Grace. Often kids aren’t willing to talk about cutting. When they talk with me and find out I truly do understand a door is open. This is a book I will definitely put on my shelves. It is very powerful. I don’t know who might need this book, but I thank the author for creating something so pure and raw. I highly recommend this gut wrenching, honest look at brokenness and healing.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Sorry I Have Been Missing

 



For those of you who have been following my recent review I apologize. I hope to be back soon.  After two and a half years of teaching through the pandemic, it seems that Covid has found me the last weeks of my summer break. Once my husband and I are back on our feet I will be back with more reviews.

Monday, July 18, 2022

Andrew Jackson by Terri Kanefield

 


Genre: Middle Grade, Biography
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review, The opinions expressed here are my own.


Teri Kanefield does an excellent job of giving us a well rounded view of Andrew Jackson. As a teacher I know that a lot of what is taught in our history classes is a glorified view of men and their actions. We don’t always get the whole picture. We see him in one case going against the supreme court because he thought that his opinion and his decisions as the president were worth more than the judgement of the supreme court. He managed to create an environment in Georgia whereby their actions eventually drove the Cherokee people out of Georgia. He is presented as a passionate family man. He definitely had trust issues when it came to government. However, the author provided a lot of information to entice you to do further research. This is a book that should be in every school library.


Saturday, July 16, 2022

Child of Etherclaw by Matty Roberts

 



Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction.


From the very first page of this book the reader is taken on a Science Fiction ride where the action is non-stop. The author has created a very realistic world where society lives on the fringes. Only those in New Cascadia  who work for the major company, controlled by a "religion" live a good life. Fenlee and her brother Elliott live on the bottom tier of New Cascadia. Fenlee is pretty much raising her brother as their father is away for work. I mean away as in somewhere in space.  The lives of Fenlee and hear two best friends are put in danger the day Eliott is kidnapped. 

Fenlee learns just how corrupt the government is, and it is so much worse than she ever imagined. I was hooked from page one. The world building is so realistic I was drawn in and felt the fear, anger and range of emotions that Fenleed and the other characters felt. The book ended in a way that was nice and tidy. However, I am hoping that there will be a sequel as there were a couple of things that were not tied up a neatly as I would have like. This is definitely a book I want to put in the hands of my students.

Sunday, July 10, 2022

Summertime With Snowman Paul by


 

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Source: I received a copy from BookBub to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I have an affinity for snowman stories. This is absolutely delightful. The idea of a snowman wanting to hang around in the summer is wonderful. Paul loves Fall, Winter and Spring. However, as much as he wants to hangout in summer he just can't seem to fit in. Even an ape at the zoo laughs at him. His best friend Dan finds a way to help his snowman friend.

The rhyming in this book is wonderful. I loved the fact the author used words like "chagrin". It is always a plus when authors don't dumb down books. I want to provide books for my grandchildren that will challenge them.  This is an author I will definitely read again.

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Mr. Pancake Turkey by Christopher Francis

 




Genre: Children's Picture Book

Source: I received a copy from BookBub to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.


A really cute picture book about a farmer who is concerned because his turkey won’t plump up. He takes him to the vet, a Zoo and other places. He feeds him extra, yet he still won’t plump up. What is a farmer to do?  After all Thanksgiving is coming and he needs a plump turkey. This was a fun book to read. It begs the question, which is more important, food or a friend?

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Blessed by Kandi J. Wyatt

 


Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I thought the first book in this serieswas awesome. This one topped even that one. The book progressed in a way I was not expecting. New bonds are made, an old threat returns. A kingdom must change hands due to a prophecy. At times I sat on the edge of my seat wondering if the character would make it out alive, of a situation the author put them in. This is one of those books you need to set aside time to read because you won't want to stop once you start.  There are many more to come in this series and I can't wait for them to come out. I definitely recommend this book.

I absolutely love the character of Hest. He is honest, yet we see his fear. He is a loyal friend. I love the other characters as well. They are flawed yet well developed. I would never want to read a book where all the characters are perfect. Even in fantasy we want to feel some realism. As I have said before about Kandi's books, her world building is out of this world. I felt I was in this world. I could visualize it. I love her writing about dragons. There is something both beautiful yet terrifying about them. She makes them seem so realistic. 

I have not yet figured out how she creates her own languages for her characters. My most favorite thing about her books is that she brings her faith into it, yet is is not done in a way that is preachy at all. I have not found any of her books that I have not liked. She is a very talented author.