Ugh, Beauty Pagents...

Review:

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine -- "Dumplin" is guaranteed to steal your heart.
-- from the book jacket

So, I purposely didn't copy the blurb from the back cover for the beginning of my review. The back cover implies that the main character, "Willowdean", is proud of her body and not self-conscious at all. This is not true, but also not realistic. She has a lot of issues, but don't we all...

No matter how old we are, I think most of us have something about our bodies that we hate. For me, it's my belly. No matter how skinny I was growing up, I was always afraid to wear a bikini because of my belly. Of course, I look back now and laugh at myself. I should have taken advantage of my bikini-worthy body while I could. I look at old pictures and I have to laugh at myself. I was skinny and I don't look like I had a belly at all. Then again, our self-image and what other people see tends to be quite different.

Willowdean has issues with her body, and she is heavy. But she still enters herself in the beauty pageant that her mother once won. Her mother is heavily invested in the pageant and participates in the celebration every year. Her mother is also always trying to get Willow to go on one diet or another. The interesting thing about Willowdean is that when a boy shows real interest in her, she only sees the bad. She worries what he will think about her body and sees only the fact that he is "too good looking" for her. And she worries a lot about what other people would think.

This was a fun book to read and I think gave a realistic look at how teenage girls see themselves. I liked most of the characters and enjoyed watching their development.

Recommended to:
Teenage readers, especially girls. This is a YA book, but I think readers of many ages would enjoy it.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1307821/ugh-beauty-pagents

Review:

In modern day England, Professor Felix Guichard is called in to identify occult symbols found on the corpse of a young girl. His investigation brings him in contact with a mysterious woman, Jackdaw Hammond, who guards a monumental secret--She's Dead. Or she would be, were it not for magic which has artificially extended her life. But someone else knows her secret. Someone very old and very powerful, who won't rest until they've taken the magic that keeps her alive....

In Krakow in 1585, Dr John Dee, the Elizabethan Alchemist and Occultist, and his assistant Edward Kelley have been summoned by the King of Poland to save the life of his niece, the infamous Countess Elisabeth Bathory. But they soon realize that the only thing worse than the Countess' malady, is the magic that might be able to save her...
As Jackdaw and Felix race to uncover the truth about the person hunting her, it becomes clear that the answers they seek can only be found in the ancient diary of John Dee's assistant, Edward Kelley. Together they must solve a mystery centuries in the making, or die trying.

-- Book Blurb

I received a copy of the sequel to this book to review. After a couple of pages, I decided I had to read book 1 first. I felt lost and the book sounded interesting, so I figured if I was going to review the sequel, I could at least read the first book.

I found that this book required me to really focus. Between the back and forth from the present to 1585, and all the names and the old language, I had a hard time following the story if I didn't. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it took me longer than usual to finish the book. I enjoyed the story, but I didn't expect it to require that much concentration.

By the time I finished the book, I was hooked on the story. And I wanted to find out what happens next. And, btw, the next book seems to require just as much focus.

Recommended to:
Fans of urban fantasy mixed with historical fantasy. Whatever that means. :)

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1302848/post

Blind girl kidnapped by accident...

Review:

Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of the car while her stepmom fills a prescription for antibiotics. Before Cheyenne realizes what's happening, the car is being stolen. Griffin hadn't meant to kidnap Cheyenne, but once his dad finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes -- now there's a reason to keep her. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare because she's not only sick with pneumonia -- she's blind.
-from the back cover

Meh. Not a bad book, but it could have been better. There are so many details that the author didn't explore, but I guess if she had, the book would have been completely different (and much longer). I would have liked to see how the father and stepmom were dealing with the fact that she left Cheyenne in the unlocked car alone. I mean, seriously, the girl is blind. That seems very dangerous to me. I certainly never let my kids stay in the car alone when they were younger. My 14-year old daughter sometimes stays in the car now, but she keeps the doors locked until I return (and she knows how to set off the alarm if necessary).

By the end of chapter 5, Cheyenne is back at Griffin's house. He is about her age (late teens) and seems to be prone to making bad decisions. He has been abused by his father and was abandoned by his mother. He does seem to have a good heart though.

Not much happens after that until the end of the book (around Chapter 23). After that, things happen rather quickly. I would say the last 50 pages of the book are the best. There are a couple of twists and one sort-of surprise. I won't say what it is, no spoilers here.

Bottom line? It is a very quick read with little action until the last 50 pages. Cheyenne is a smart girl and doesn't give up easy.

Recommended to:
I bought this at our high school book fair. It is definitely more for high school readers. There is no sex, but there is an attempted assault - very little happens, but the intent was there.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1302006/blind-girl-kidnapped-by-accident

Books...

Reblogged from: Hol

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1298091/books

The Green Glass Sea - Review

Review:

It is 1943, and almost eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan is on a train to New Mexico, where she will live with her father. She doesn't know where in New Mexico, exactly; the corporal who took her to the station can't tell her. It's wartime, and so many things are secret.

Soon she arrives at a town that -- officially -- doesn't exist. It is called Los Alamos, and it is abuzz with activity, as famous scientists and mathematicians from all over America and Europe -- Dewey's father among them -- work on the biggest secret of all, something everybody calls only "the gadget."
- from the book jacket

So, this book takes place in Los Alamos, New Mexico at the time of the Manhattan project, during World War II. It centers around two young girls, both are outcasts and they don't like each other. The story follows their struggles  and developing friendship as they realize they have more in common than they thought.

I became interested in this book when I realized it took place during the Manhattan Project. There is currently a series on tv (called Manhattan) that centers around the events in Los Alamos and I really like it. This story is more geared towards middle grade students, as it follows the girls and sees things from their point of view.

There isn't a lot of action or suspense, this is definitely more realistic historical fiction than adventurous historical fiction. The story is good and the characters are likable. The story moves rather slowly and for whole chapters nothing much happens. Overall, this book was basically just ok for me.

I read this book as part of my Historical Fiction genre of the month project. Once again, I believe it is better for older readers and will recommend transferring it to the Middle school library. Not because it is violent or inappropriate, but because it seems it will appeal to older readers more.

Recommended to:
Students in grades 6 and up who like historical fiction that focuses more on the realistic characters than the historical events or drama.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1296081/the-green-glass-sea-review

Cracker - Review

Review:

Cracker is one of the United States Army's most valuable weapons: a German Shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy. The fate of entire platoons rests on her keen sense of smell. She's a Big Deal, and she likes it that way. Sometimes Cracker remembers when she was younger, and her previous owner would feed her hot dogs and let her sleep in his bed. That was nice too.

I knew what I was getting myself into just by looking at the cover. A dog (German Shepherd) in the Vietnam War.... Let's just say I had a feeling I would be crying before the book was over. And of course, I did cry. But it wasn't all sad.

We have had several German Shepherds as part of our family and they are amazing dogs, protective and very smart and sweet too. I love reading books from the dog's point of view. And this book does that well. The dog sees what happens in a different way than a person would and her thoughts about what happens are quite poignant and sometimes humorous.

One of the sad things about this book was how during the Vietnam War, these dogs (who are credited with saving approximately 10,000 human lives) were considered military equipment. At the end of the war, the majority of the dogs who survived were either euthanized or given to the South Vietnamese army (their fate remains unknown). The good thing is that after the Vietnam War, military policy changed and war dogs were allowed to come home. Today the policy is known as No Military Working Dog Left Behind.

Reading this book was part of my Historical Fiction genre of the month project. I do believe this book is not made for elementary school students and I am suggesting we move it to the Middle School library. There isn't much descriptive violence or bloodshed, especially considering this is a war based book. But, I just think it will appeal more to older readers.

Recommended to:
Students in grades 6 and up who like historical fiction or stories about wars. It is important that they know that the story can be quite sad at times.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1296055/creacker-review

Reblogged from: Yodamom Finds her Force

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1289651/post

Feeling... **SHIVERS**

Review:

At first Daniel dismisses the tales of the witch and her man-eating razorback hog, Bloody Bones, as superstitious nonsense, but gradually he is forced to believe that Erica is in real danger. When Erica vanishes, he knows she's been "took," and he must summon all his courage to confront Old Auntie and take his sister back.
-- from the book jacket

This book gave me the shivers. Take kids that hear and see things that the adults don't notice or don't believe. Add a local legend that we, as readers, know is true, but adults, of course don't believe. Multiply by a doll that only talks to the young girl, a witch that preys on young girls every 50 years... Don't forget the freaky man-eating razorback hog, and the result is a perfectly creepy story that does not disappoint.

I think kids being kidnapped by witches is an especially scary plot line. Being in the dark woods all alone helps, of course. I loved every minute of reading this book and plan on finding more to read by this author. I found it in our elementary school library, but I think it is important to make sure the individual student can handle the scariness of this story.

Recommended to:
Students in grades 5-8 who aren't scared of creepy witches, man-eating razorback hogs, and dark forests.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1289317/feeling-shivers

Annie Sullivan's Story

Review:

Annie Sullivan was little more than a half-blind orphan with a fiery tongue when she arrived at Ivy Green in 1887.  Desperate for work, she'd taken on a seemingly impossible job--teaching a child who was deaf, blind, and as ferocious as any wild animal. But Helen Keller needed more than a teacher. She needed someone daring enough to work a miracle. And if anyone was a match for Helen, it was the girl they used to call Miss Spitfire.
-- from the book jacket

I really enjoyed reading this book. Of course I've seen the Miracle Worker movie and I knew the basic story about Helen Keller. But I haven't read many books on the subject. This book is told entirely from Annie Sullivan's perspective.

While I was reading, I could feel how lost and scared Annie was and how much she wanted to help Helen. Annie was so young to be put in that position. And she had such a sad childhood. But she was a strong woman and she managed to find her way. Imagine how hard it must have been for Annie to stand up to Helen's parents, especially her father.

Helen was completely out of control. It wasn't really her fault, her parents felt sorry for her and tried to compensate for her disabilities by giving her everything they could and not disciplining her at all. They fought Annie every step of the way, but finally agreed to let Annie take control. That was the best choice they could have made for their daughter.

The main obstacle for Annie, besides Helen's behavior, was the fact that Helen didn't realize that things had names. She could learn the signs easy enough, but teaching her that the signs actually stood for something was the hard part.

I love the way this book gave me insight into Annie and Helen's struggle. The book was very entertaining and made me feel like I was a part of the whole experience. I found this book in my elementary school library collection. It is more appropriate for the middle/high school collection (because of the reading level) and we will transfer it there next week. Another bonus of the Genre of the Month program, I get to explore each genre individually for an entire month. :)

Recommended to:
Anyone who enjoys historical fiction or is interested in the story of Helen Keller.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1289025/annie-sullivan-s-story

Entertaining story that also teaches...

Review:

It’s another exciting Monday for Abigail, Zack, Jacob, and Bo—they are going to jump back to the past to meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! The kids need to convince Dr. King not to get discouraged and to lead one of his famous voting rights marches. And they’ve got to do it with the twins’ baby brother, Gabe, in tow!
-from the book blurb

What a fun story. There is adventure and excitement as the kids meet Martin Luther King, Jr. and try to convince him not to give up on his dream. Along the way, facts are slipped in casually. I learned things I didn't know about the marches and Dr. King, but I didn't feel like I was reading a history textbook.

This is a great book for kids who think they don't like historical fiction. It reminded me a bit of the Magic Tree House series. The mix of facts and adventure is very well done. This is book 4 in the series (other historical figures include Washington, Lincoln, Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross...)

Recommended to:
Students in grades 3-5 who like adventure, especially if they have an interest in a historical figure.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1288650/entertaining-story-that-also-teaches