Series Review: Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

Call the Midwife: a Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse by Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: Originally 2002, 2005, 2009
Source: Library
For: Love the PBS series!
Series: Midwife Trilogy (three memoirs)

 

Summary:
These are three volumes of Jennifer Lee Worth, who as a very young girl left her pretty cushy life to become a midwife and work in one of the poorest parts of London during the 1950s and 1960s.

Things I Liked:
These stories are incredible! I wish I'd read the books before watching the series, but I was still blown away! It is absolutely amazing and awful and beautiful the kinds of conditions these women who were giving birth lived in. The midwives are incredible as well, but I read some of these stories and just felt almost embarrassed at how much I have and how whiny I can be about it. A wonderful look at a specific time and place and the women who played such a vital role. The first book was the most interesting to me, being more of a general collection of stories from Worth's experiences. The second and third were more general and had fewer stories of midwifery and the interesting people she met. Still, all of them were worth every minute reading. Can't recommend it enough and I adore the series as well (though not as much with Nurse Lee gone from the scene).

Things I Didn't Like:
It's been quite some time since I read these, and I don't remember anything in particular I disliked. It is pretty frank about sex and childbirth, so not exactly light reading. Also, abuse and other awful circumstances.

Read-alikes:
Nothing I can think of!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
yep

mrg-factor: XXX
not gratuitous, also not surprising considering the topic

v-factor: ->->
some of the stories are simply appalling

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication date: September 2015
Source: e-book from the library
For: Recommended by ?

Summary (from goodreads):

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.
But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.
Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Thoughts:
Thank you for a great recommendation, whoever it was that recommended this (oh, my poor memory)! I really enjoyed this book. Not only do we have a unique character with very unique circumstances, but she's interesting too! I loved all the things she says, does, and experiences from her Rapunzel-like tower. I kind of figured this would be predictable. But I was quite surprised by the twists and turns that it took. Definitely one that kept my attention and intrigued me from beginning to end.

Read-alikes:
I really can't think of anything!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
I don't remember, but I imagine there was a bit of cussing

mrg-factor: X
there was a bit of implied stuff

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Publication date: March 2015
Pages: 402
Source: e-book from the library
For: Love the series!
Series: Winner's Trilogy, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for The Winner's Curse*

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement... if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

Things I Liked:
Yes! Love this second book in the series.  More complicated and painful twists and turns and strategy and you don't know what Kestrel can do to get out of her difficulties.  It feels very constricting, just as it was for Kestrel.  I loved this one, felt like it didn't lack or lag in the second book department.  World is still fascinating, writing still very strong, characters still very real. 

Things I Didn't Like:
And love story still leaving me a bit meh.  Still, I'm really invested in the other aspects of Kestrel's story.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me a little of Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two

mrg-factor: X
some implied stuff

v-factor: ->->
a few scenes

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Publication date: March 2014
Pages: 355
Source: e-book from Library
For: Fun
Series: Winner's Trilogy, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. 

Things I Liked:
Ooh, I enjoyed this one.  It was both what I was expecting and completely not - more! I loved the characters and especially the world - I seriously want to play bite and sting, but know I have very poor strategizing skills.  I just love how she thinks and how she knows what to say and not say, but also makes mistakes.  I don't know what exactly it was that drew me in, but I fell hard for this story.  I'm not even that big a fan of the romance, but I love how very impossible it feels and then how it isn't easy and nothing happens conveniently.  Very realistic world and very well drawn.

Things I Didn't Like:
Can't remember anything.

Read-alikes:
A bit like An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few

mrg-factor: X
mostly talk

v-factor: ->
a little

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
Publisher: Candlewick Pres
Publication date: October 2014
Pages: 90
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: The Princess in Black, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate and scones with Duchess Wigtower when . . . Brring! Brring! The monster alarm! A big blue monster is threatening the goats! Stopping monsters is no job for dainty Princess Magnolia. But luckily Princess Magnolia has a secret —she’s also the Princess in Black, and stopping monsters is the perfect job for her! Can the princess sneak away, transform into her alter ego, and defeat the monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? From award-winning writing team of Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrator LeUyen Pham, here is the first in a humorous and action-packed chapter book series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect, but also dressed in black.

Things I Liked:
Yes! I love this book.  Short, silly, fun, quirky, and best of all it can easily help little girls feel like they can have the best of both worlds - pretty dress ups and fighting bad guys.  I feel like I love this book even more because of Shannon's extensive blogging about girls and boys and writing and stereotypes.  But really, just get this book for every young girl you know. 

Things I Didn't Like:
Want. More.

Read-alikes:
Nothing comes to mind...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Book Review: Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: April 2013
Pages: 272
Source: e-book from library
For: Fun!

Summary (from goodreads):

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.
To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.

Things I Liked:
Yes! This is everything a fractured fairy tale should be. I will never look at Rumpelstiltskin another way.  This is the best retelling of that crazy weird story I've ever heard.  I loved Rump and found his struggle with the way things were and his own weaknesses quite good.  It was interesting how he was both good and bad and who the "villains" were and just everything. The trolls! The aunties! Pretty much the whole thing. Red! Need more of her.

Things I Didn't Like:
Um, can't think of anything

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of the League of Princes series by Christopher Healy

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company
Publication date: August 2010
Pages: 336
Source: Library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? have sex? smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour?

To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations. As Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.

Things I Liked:
Mary Roach, where have you been all my life? Just kidding, but I really love the way she writes interesting nonfiction. I struggle to want to read NF a lot, but this book made me love it.  I love space, and pretty much would have loved a dry, boring book about all the crazy stuff that zero-g does to humans, but Roach made this book awesome by just basically being funny the whole time.  Seriously, if you have to write about puke and poop on space shuttles, you may as well make it fun.  I could pull quotes from pretty much every page that made me laugh.  She's witty, she's good at what she does.  Interesting stuff.

Things I Didn't Like:
She has a serious potty mouth and everything has something to do with sex.  And sometimes, I was a tad bored, but I still loved it.

Read-alikes:
Stiff by Mary Roach

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
quite a few, several f-bombs

mrg-factor: XXX
plenty of talk about sex, a bit of it crude

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication date: February 2015
Pages: 336
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Princess Academy, Book 3

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers for the first two books are quite likely*

After a year at the king’s palace, Miri has learned all about being a proper princess. But the tables turn when the student must become the teacher!

Instead of returning to her beloved Mount Eskel, Miri is ordered to journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family. Unfortunately, Astrid, Felissa, and Sus are more interested in hunting and fishing than becoming princesses.

As Miri spends more time with the sisters, she realizes the king and queen’s interest in them hides a long-buried secret. She must rely on her own strength and intelligence to unravel the mystery, protect the girls, complete her assignment, and finally make her way home.

Things I Liked:
Shannon Hale, how I love thee.  This is such a wonderful book!  Sometimes I worry that I will not enjoy every Hale book I read, but she continues to astound me.  I adore the sisters - I really love where she takes this book.  Shannon doesn't hesitate to put her characters in really tricky situations, ones that you think can only have certain conseqauesnces, but she makes them think hard and find solutions that aren't easy or immediate.  An interesting and unique setting as well.  Just plain good writing and good storytelling.  Plus, I love the power given to girls and women, even subtly.

Things I Didn't Like:
Hm, not sure I can think of anything. Would have liked more Peder?

Read-alikes:
Most things Shannon Hale

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming
Publisher: Random House Children's
Publication date: July 2014
Pages: 304
Source: Library
For: Award winners :)

Summary (from goodreads):

Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read

Things I Liked:
I thought this book was really well written and researched. I was fascinated with the details and especially with the glimpses outside the family. They were so painfully unaware of all that went on in their country, it's hard to believe. It is amazing what lengths people will go to to retain power, even if they "don't want it," as Nicholas said several times. I remember going to an exhibit on Nicholas and Alexandra when I was a teen and being super fascinated by their story. It is just so horrifying and the history of the Russian people at this time (and during a number of other times) is so sad that I can't get it out of my head. I know I read a biography (or two) of the Romanovs, but I still felt like I knew almost nothing about the time period and the lower classes. Great book to introduce this period of time to young people!

Things I Didn't Like:
Nothing I can think of!

Read-alikes:
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie (this is one of the books I read about them quite a while ago)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
well, maybe one or two incidental ones

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
considering their violent demise, this was expected

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Firefight by Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: January 2015
Pages: 432
Source: Purchased
For: Fun (and I need to know what happens!)
Series: The Reckoners, Book 2

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for the first book*

They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs.

Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David's willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And he's willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

Things I Liked:
I adore this series! I went through the book so fast I can't believe it's over. I need to read it again just to have more time in the world. Seeing new places in the world beyond Newcago was fun too. I still like David; also, Megan!!!!!  There's action and adventure and suspense and some seriously strong world-building.  But I can't handle the cliffhanger endings - give me more!

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, I just enjoy them so much I don't have any complaints.

Read-alikes:
Start with Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Reminded me a bit of Dangerous by Shannon Hale

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a few here and there

mrg-factor: none
that I recall...

v-factor: ->->->
there's quite a bit of action violence

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy
Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Publication date: April 2014
Pages: 528
Source: Won from publisher!
For: Fun!
Series: League of Princes, Book 3

Summary from goodreads:

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You think you know those guys pretty well by now, don't you? Well, think again. Posters plastered across the thirteen kingdoms are saying that Briar Rose has been murdered—and the four Princes Charming are the prime suspects. Now they're on the run in a desperate attempt to clear their names. Along the way, however, they discover that Briar's murder is just one part of a nefarious plot to take control of all thirteen kingdoms—a plot that will lead to the doorstep of an eerily familiar fortress for a final showdown with an eerily familiar enemy.

Things I Liked:
Ah, the League of Princes is at it again. Only on the wrong side of the law. And I just still love all the hilarious mix-ups and shenanigans that go on.  Healy is a hilarious writer and I will read anything that he puts out.  It's so relaxing to just read something light, frivolous, and fun.  Also, happy endings are not exactly as you'd expect!

Things I Didn't Like:
Nothing! Need more. A book of tales about Sir Bertram the Dainty perhaps?

Read-alikes:
Reminds me of Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Maybe a bit like A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: February 2011
Pages: 272
Source: Review copy from Publisher
For: Review (and Newbery)

Summary from goodreads: 

No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama.

For all the ten years of her life, HÀ has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by . . . and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.

But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. HÀ and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, HÀ discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape . . . and the strength of her very own family.

This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next.

Things I Liked:
What a wonderful story!  I loved seeing what it must have been like for a young girl growing up in Vietnam during the war.  I know next to nothing about the time period or the war or Vietnam, so this was a true eye opener for me.  It was so interesting to read about the hardships they endured pretty much everywhere they went, but so sad to see how they were received in America.  And I really liked that it was in verse.  I admit to not reading a lot of books in verse, but this was well written and the format only contributed to the story.  Obvious reasons that this was the National Book Award winner and a Newbery Honor book.

Things I Didn't Like:
Hm, not much.  I wish we could have had a few more details about what her family experienced in America, but it was told from her viewpoint and the limited detail was quite accurate.

Read-alikes:
Can't think of anything...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
well, maybe not violence, but some bad stuff does happen to her

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: February 2014
Pages: 560
Source: Purchased
For: Fun
Series: Lunar Chronicles, Book 3

Summary from goodreads: *Spoilers are inevitable for Cinder and Scarlet*

Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Things I Liked:
This series just gets better and better.  I can't seem to get the stories and characters out of my head.  I love, love, love the fairy tale aspects Meyer squeezes in.  It seems ridiculous to imagine a sci-fi/space version of Rapunzel, but Meyer does it perfectly.  I loved the other parts of the story just as much.  The fight against Queen Levana is engrossing and I love that all the stories weave together with characters from before, but also new perspectives and characters.  Pitch perfect and exciting enough to keep me wanting the next installment.  Which is apparently going to be the story of Queen Levana (Fairest)!

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, I'm not sure I can think of anything.  Except that I want the next book now!

Read-alikes:
Start with Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Some other fairy tale retellings, though this is pretty original

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
maybe a handful

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some fighting

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Going Vintage by Lindsay Leavitt

Going Vintage by Lindsay Leavitt
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication date: March 2013
Pages: 320
Source: Library
For: Fun

Summary from goodreads:

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

Things I Liked:
This was just the right book for me at the time.  I really loved getting a change from serious, dramatic, and rather depressing dystopias and fantasies.  It was a fun, laughable, but also serious at times story.  I adored our main character, probably because she reminded me of high school me.  I love that she wanted to be a certain kind of person, but sometimes she would slip up and make mistakes and be a shallow/needy kind of person.  That felt real.  I hate those perfect main characters that are always so tough and so exactly the way they should be as teenagers.  Sometimes she just wanted to go back to the guy, even if he was a jerk.  That was realistic to me.  I also really loved the idea that she wanted to get to know more about her family, her grandmother.  Her relationships with her family were the most interesting thing for me.  Good fun and lots of laughs.  I was especially happy with the way things ended.

Things I Didn't Like:
I don't think I had any problems with it while I was reading.  Looking back, sometimes it seemed a little over dramatic, but that's exactly how many teenagers are, so it was authentic.  Also, it does kind of seem impossible to give up technology.  Just sayin'.

Read-alikes:
Can't think of anything...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two
mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Listening Library
Publication date: January 2012
Length: 7 hrs, 56 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Fun

Summary from goodreads:

“We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful” is the motto of Deza Malone’s family.

Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But the Great Depression hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother Jimmie go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie’s beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father.

The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.

Things I Liked:
Oh I love it when a book like this steals into your heart.  I read Bud, Not Buddy a looong time ago and loved it, but didn't even remember Deza Malone from that.  Still, I fell for her, hard.  This book tore me apart, feeling happy, sad, and everything in between.  Deza is a girl with fire in her heart and an irrepressable spirit!  I absolutely adored her "second brain" because I think a lot of us feel that way.  So much made this book just so great, not the least of which were the many historical details that painted her life in color.  It was sobering but hopeful.  Just loved it.  The narrator, Bahni Turpin, did such a fabulous job too; I felt like she was spot on for Deza's voice.

Things I Didn't Like:
I don't even know if I can think of something I didn't like about it.  I'm sure there are flaws, but I didn't see them.

Read-alikes:
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
A bit like Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Bomb by Steve Sheinkin

Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Publisher: Flash Point
Publication date: September 2012
Pages: 272
Source: Library
For: Fun (and Newbery reading)

Summary from goodreads:

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

Things I Liked:
It's no secret that I don't read a lot of non-fiction.  It's not even that I don't like it, it's more that I have a hard time deciding what will interest me and what won't.  Well, this book had no trouble at all interesting me.  I was fascinated from beginning to end.  It was energetic and it never seemed to drag or get too detailed or boring.  I loved seeing the story from so many different perspectives and it really was interesting to hear about people who wanted to build it, steal it, and find out where their enemies were at in this same process.  Great, great nonfiction.

Things I Didn't Like:
The only thing I wished was that there were more photos/news clippings or something throughout the text.  It definitely could have done with some breaking up of the chapters more with visuals.  There were some at the beginning of each chapter and some at the very end, but seeing them while you're reading about it is my favorite.

Read-alikes:
Not sure if I can think of any...

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few here and there

mrg-factor:none

v-factor:->->
well, the bombs were dropped and it talks about first-hand experiences - not in too much detail though

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: January 2013
Pages: 352
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Under the Never Sky, Book 2

Summary from goodreads: *Spoilers are inevitable for the first book*

It's been months since Aria learned of her mother's death.

Months since Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides, and months since Aria last saw him.

Now Aria and Perry are about to be reunited. It's a moment they've been longing for with countless expectations. And it's a moment that lives up to all of them. At least, at first. Then it slips away. The Tides don't take kindly to former Dwellers like Aria. And the tribe is swirling out of Perry's control. With the Aether storms worsening every day, the only remaining hope for peace and safety is the Still Blue. But does this haven truly exist?

Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night? In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and sci-fi elements to create a captivating adventure-and a love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Things I Liked:
I really enjoy this series.  It feels unique, though it has a lot of elements that are familiar in dystopian books.  The characters make really hard choices and they stick with the consequences of those choices.  I like Aria and how she's developed since the first book.  In some ways, she keeps the dweller attitudes and things she's believed all her life, but in many others she's completely changed.  I loved the story and following Perry and Aria and especially Roar in their travels.  Things just seem to get really crazy near the end and I am excited to know where they will end up next.  A fun, action-packed, and enthralling dystopian story.

Things I Didn't Like:
Not much I can think of.  I think I just enjoyed this one a lot!

Read-alikes:
Reminds me of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
Matched series by Ally Condie

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a handful

mrg-factor: X 
you know, it's been a while, but I seem to recall a scene or two...

v-factor: ->-> 
there's quite a bit of fighting and gore

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: January 2013
Pages: 384
Source: Purchased
For: Fun!
Series: Across the Universe, Book 3

*Spoilers are inevitable for the first two books*
Summary from goodreads:

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

Things I Liked:
I really enjoy this space sci-fi story.  Despite having some minor issues with science and logistics in the second book, I truly loved this one.  It was such a unique story and Revis has kept the characters and story fresh and moving.  I loved the idea of landing on the new planet and finding things not exactly as they should be.  While I did guess a few things right off, there were a number of surprises that kept me reading.  The world she's populated was interesting and even believable.  Very well done, I say.

Things I Didn't Like:
I had one minor physics moment near the end where I just had to roll my eyes at the sheer convenience that had to take place.  Otherwise, I really just enjoyed it.  It did take me a while to feel fully immersed, but after that initial problem, I was able to enjoy it fully.  A great book in the eyes of this science geek.

Read-alikes:
This one reminded me of Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor:  !@
a few

mrg-factor: X
mostly kissing and some implied stuff

v-factor: ->->
Quite a bit of violence and gore, but not over the top

Overall rating: *****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer AND Little Red Riding Hood

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: February 2013
Pages: 464
Source: Purchased
For: Classic Double Challenge
Series: Lunar Chronicles, Book 2

Summary for Scarlet:
*Spoilers are inevitable for Cinder*
Scarlet's grandmother has been missing for weeks and the police aren't helping much. Scarlet decides she's better off searching by herself and sets off, in the uneasy company of Wolf, a street fighter with more than a few secrets. Cinder is breaking her way out of prison and hopes to escape the wrath of the lunar queen. With the help of the quirky Captain Thorne, she goes in search of someone who might know more about herself than she does. When Cinder's and Scarlet's paths cross, they will discover a lot more secrets than either one knew before.

Things I Liked (about both):
I am not sure I can pinpoint one specific thing about this book and series that makes me love it so much.  Maybe it is the fantastic way the original fairy tales are incorporated into the story.  I read a few versions of Little Red Riding Hood (or Little Red Cap) and I just loved seeing how Meyer took such a short, sometimes annoyingly simplistic story and made it into something fabulous.  I kind of hate the original tale, because Red Riding Hood seems to just be so stupid and the moralizing is pretty annoying.  Perrault's version didn't have the mother telling Red Riding Hood to be careful and not stray from the path, but it also did not end with her being freed from the wolf.  She dies at the end.  In the belly of the wolf.  And then Perrault discusses the moral for young ladies to avoid wolves, even the ones that don't appear to be wolves.  The Grimm version does have the moralizing mother and Red Riding Hood is saved from the wolf by a woodcutter.  Either way, not one of my favorites.

I love how the details of the original fairy tale, the significant ones that everyone recognizes, make their way into the story.  We have the girl with her ubiquitous red hood(ie) and a journey to grandmother, the wolf (who may or may not be a bad guy), and even the fantastically iconic "what big teeth you have" scene.  It's absolutely perfect.  Not only does Meyer have these elements incorporated into her story, but the world she built is fascinating and deep and completely stands on its own.  Our favorite characters from the last book come back for more and I loved seeing both old and new interact.  I can't wait to see what happens to Cinder and Scarlet and all their friends next.

Things I Didn't Like (about both):
As I mentioned, Little Red Riding Hood is NOT a favorite fairy tale for me.  The moralizing, the stupidity of the main character, even the obnoxious fact that she has to be saved by some random woodcutter, just make me not like it.  Although, I did hear there are a few versions where she actually gets wise to the wolf and avoids death on her own smarts.  Still, I think the most familiar version of the story is the one where she's eaten and then hacked out of the belly of the wolf.  Bravo to Ms. Meyer for making a version of this story that not only I can stomach (and I LOVE Scarlet) but that I loved every minute of!  I really can't think of anything I didn't like about her book.  :)

Read-alikes:
Start with Cinder by Marissa Meyer
There are loads of other fairy tale retellings, though none quite like this series!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for Scarlet):
s-factor: !
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
there are a few brutal scenes near the end

Overall rating: *****

If anyone is looking for a nice pair for the Classic Double Challenge, these two stories went down real easy (at least the original fairy tale is short :)! (Also, check out my guest post from Marissa about writing fairy tale retellings!)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: September 2012
Pages: 416
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Raven Cycle, Book 1

When Blue Sargent sees a boy in the churchyard, among those who will die the following year, she is shocked. Not only has she not seen anyone there before, as her mother does, but the boy tells her his name, Gansey. Things become even more complicated when Gansey, a rich student at the nearby boys' school, shows up in her real life, seeking something that Blue might just be able to help him find.

Things I Liked:
Is there really anything helpful I can add to the love this book got?  I think not.  But, I'll do a bit of gushing anyway.  I absolutely loved this book - the characters, the setting, the beautiful way Stiefvater writes - all of these things melded together and kept me invested in this book from beginning to end.  There were surprises and twists that I never saw coming.  The mix of the realistic and the paranormal was a perfect blend.  I began to think everything about it was real.  And I really love the characters, especially Blue and Adam.  But they are all very well drawn, though I had a hard time grasping Ronan.  This is just a book that will suck you in and spit you out wanting more at the end.

Things I Didn't Like:
One thing I kind of wished (and this is entirely me) is that it had been a stand alone.  I really wanted the book to wrap up right then and there at the end.  And while some things were resolved, I wanted it to be the end.  On the other hand, this means I get more Blue and Adam and Gansey and Noah and Ronan and more of the strange paranormal world she's created here, so there's that.

Read-alikes:
It reminded me of Stiefvater's Lament and Ballad
Also a little bit of a The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper feel for me too!

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
pretty regularly, and a few handfuls of f-bombs

mrg-factor: none
at least that I recall

v-factor: ->
some fighting with some detail, but nothing graphic

Overall rating: *****

Anybody thoughts on why you loved (or didn't love) this book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage