Relatively Bookish

BookCon 2014 Recap

Posted by Kate on Sunday, June 1, 2014. Filed under: book expo america, BookCon

We spent Saturday at BookCon - BEA's replacement for the Power Reader event we've attended the last two years. We bought tickets to this year's Power Reader day shortly after they went on sale - only to have them converted to BookCon tickets months later. We were concerned about the changes but BookCon staff assured us we'd "have access to everything we loved about Power Reader day", so we decided to give it a shot.

Our short take on it: BookCon is not BEA.

We haven't registered as bloggers for BEA in the past because it hadn't felt necessary. Spending one day as Power Readers gave us access to the entire exhibit hall and plenty of opportunity to check things out. Our biggest beef with BookCon is that we only got access to a small portion of the exhibit hall so we missed out on visiting some publishers we really enjoyed chatting with previous years, like Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, William Morrow, Penguin and Baker & Taylor, among others.

Our second big issue was that in past years it felt like coming to BEA was giving you a day pass into the awesome publishing world. BookCon was more like hey, come be part of a huge mass here to see celebrities! Personalized passes were replaced with generic ones and access to the entire exhibit hall was replaced with celebrity panels that were so poorly crowd-controlled that there were a few times we feared for our safety - and we weren't even trying to get into said panels, just around them!

That said, we did find glimmers of our previous experiences throughout the day. We had really nice chats with representatives from New Harbringer Publications, Mom's Choice Awards and the This Is Teen crowd from Scholastic. We got to meet some really fun, new-to-us authors during signings including Kristie Cook, Corey Ann Haydu, Liz Pichon, Lynn Brunelle and Paul Zelinsky. We grabbed a few ARCs we're excited about and our littlest BookCon-er decided to take her first steps while there! All-in-all, a good day.

Next year, we're planning to be there as bloggers. It feels more our speed after the big changes this year. We're looking forward to it already!

Review: The House Girl

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Filed under: fiction, historical fiction, published in 2013, review, reviewed in 2014

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

Published by: William Morrow

Our source: Complimentary copy from the publisher

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Virginia, 1852. Seventeen-year-old Josephine Bell decides to run from the failing tobacco farm where she is a slave and nurse to her ailing mistress, the aspiring artist Lu Anne Bell. New York City, 2004. Lina Sparrow, an ambitious first-year associate in an elite law firm, is given a difficult, highly sensitive assignment that could make her career: she must find the “perfect plaintiff” to lead a historic class-action lawsuit worth trillions of dollars in reparations for descendants of American slaves.

It is through her father, the renowned artist Oscar Sparrow, that Lina discovers Josephine Bell and a controversy roiling the art world: are the iconic paintings long ascribed to Lu Anne Bell really the work of her house slave, Josephine? A descendant of Josephine’s would be the perfect face for the reparations lawsuit—if Lina can find one. While following the runaway girl’s faint trail through old letters and plantation records, Lina finds herself questioning her own family history and the secrets that her father has never revealed: How did Lina’s mother die? And why will he never speak about her?

Moving between antebellum Virginia and modern-day New York, this searing, suspenseful and heartbreaking tale of art and history, love and secrets, explores what it means to repair a wrong and asks whether truth is sometimes more important than justice.

Our thoughts:

I have to admit; in the beginning of this book I was skeptical. I mean a class action lawsuit for the ancestors of slaves to collect money from companies that benefited from slave labor? That would be an impossible case not only to try, but also to figure out who should be compensated.

It is not often that a book makes me cry, but this one had me sitting there teary eyed while reading it. Conklin did a fabulous job of weaving together a tale of two exceptional women, spanning a time difference of over 150 years, and tying it all together beautifully. This is the type of book that stays with you long after you've read it.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of Historical Fiction

Review: The Time Keeper

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 24, 2014. Filed under: fantasy, fiction, published in 2012, review, reviewed in 2014

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Published by: Hyperion

Our source: Our local library

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

In this fable, the first man on earth to count the hours becomes Father Time. The inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

He returns to our world--now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began--and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.

Our thoughts:

This is a wonderful story about the meaning of time. If you think about it, we count time constantly, all day long. There are clocks everywhere. There is the clock on the nightstand telling us when to get up, one on the stove, the microwave, the coffee pot, the water cooler, the TV, the VCR and even our phones. We have clocks on our walls, in our cars, and on our wrists, all counting down the minutes to what? Why do we always need to know what time it is?

The point that Mitch Albom makes in The Time Keeper is that we should all stop trying to control time and spend more time appreciating it. Granted we do need to measure time in order to function in today's world. I can't imagine my boss would be too pleased if I wandered in to work at any hour, but I do think we would all be more relaxed if we didn't pay such close attention to the clock.

I can't say that I like all of Mitch Albom's work, but I really enjoyed this book. I loved the story line and the ending.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of Historical Fiction

Review: Watch How We Walk

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 20, 2014. Filed under: contemporary fiction, fiction, published in 2013, review, reviewed in 2014

Watch How We Walk by Jennifer LoveGrove

Published by: ECW Press

Our source: ARC from the publisher

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Alternating between a woman’s childhood in a small town and as an adult in the city, this novel traces a Jehovah Witness family’s splintering belief system, their isolation, and the erosion of their relationships. As Emily becomes closer to her closeted Uncle Tyler, she begins to challenge her upbringing. Her questions about the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ insular lifestyle, rigid codes of conduct, and tenets of their faith haunt her older sister Lenora too. When Lenora disappears, everything changes and Emily becomes obsessed with taking on her sister’s identity, believing that Lenora is controlling her actions. Ultimately, Emily finds release through self-mutilation. The narrative offers a haunting, cutting exploration of the Jehovah’s Witness practice and practical impact of “disfellowshipping,” proselytization, and cultural abstinence, as well as their attitude toward the “worldlings” outside of their faith.

Our thoughts:

In the beginning of this book I had a little trouble deciphering whether the chapter was written from the childhood Emily or the adult Emily. It wasn't made so easily clear. The childhood Emily is written as a child would observe the world around them, factual observations without any thought as to the reason why things are the way they are.

As a child Emily embraced her religion as a Jehovah's Witness and enjoyed attending meetings with her family. It wasn't until Emily got a little older that she realized how hard it was to conform to a religion who's expectations seemed unrealistic.

On a whole this is a very sad, but very moving story. It's the kind of book that stays with you long after you're done reading it.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of contemporary fiction

Review: A Beautiful Truth

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 17, 2014. Filed under: contemporary fiction, fiction, published in 2013, reviewed in 2014

A Beautiful Truth by Colin McAdam

Published by: Soho Press

Our source: ARC from the publisher

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Looee, a chimp raised by a well-meaning and compassionate human couple who cannot conceive a baby of their own, is forever set apart. He’s not human, but with his peculiar upbringing he is no longer like other chimps. One tragic night Looee’s two natures collide and their unique family is forever changed.

At the Girdish Institute in Florida, a group of chimpanzees has been studied for decades. The work at Girdish has proven that chimps have memories and solve problems, that they can learn language and need friends, and that they build complex cultures. They are political, altruistic, get angry, and forgive. When Looee is moved to the Institute, he is forced to try to find a place in their world.

Our thoughts:

Let me start off by saying that I am not a fan of exotic animals as pets. As a child, our family had a female squirrel monkey named Samantha. I'm sure when my father brought her home from the pet store he envisioned her playing with his six children and being like the rest of us kids. That was never the case. We had a large cage for her in the living room which took up the whole length of the wall. Though I was quite young, I don't remember Samantha ever being fun or friendly. I do remember the noise and the stench.

In A Beautiful Truth I believe the author, Colin Mcadam, is trying to make the point that there is value in trying to communicate with apes, but that we shouldn't be trying to make them fit into human culture. While I whole heartedly agree with this, I really didn't like this book. Besides the fact that I found it disturbing and cruel to the animals and the humans who had to take care of them, I found the book hard to read. Sentences and thoughts did not flow smoothly, and at many points I had no idea what the author was talking about. Half way through the book the story dragged so much that I contemplated not even bothering to finish reading it.

But finish it I did. The best part of this book is that a portion of the proceeds will benefit Save The Chimp sanctuary.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of animal stories

Review: The Dress Lodger

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 13, 2014. Filed under: fiction, historical fiction, published in 2001, reviewed in 2014

The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman

Published by: Ballantine Books

Our source: Library book sale

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

In Sunderland, England, a city quarantined by the cholera epidemic of 1831, a defiant, fifteen-year old beauty in an elegant blue dress makes her way between shadow and lamp light. A potter's assistant by day and dress lodger by night, Gustine sells herself for necessity in a rented gown, scrimping to feed and protect her only love: her fragile baby boy.

She holds a glimmer of hope after meeting Dr. Henry Chiver, a prisoner of his own dark past. But in a world where suspicion of medicine runs rampant like a fever, these two lost souls will become irrevocably linked, as each crosses lines between rich and destitute, decorum and abandon, damnation and salvation. By turns tender and horrifying, The Dress Lodger is a captivating historical thriller charged with a distinctly modern voice.

Our thoughts:

This book sticks with me, not simply because it is my favorite genre, historical fiction, but I also liked the fact that it was told in multiple narratives. Each chapter was telling more of the story but from a different character's view.

In this tale Gustine is a dress lodger. I had never heard of a dress lodger before but evidently it was a profession in England in the 1800's. I would describe a dress lodge as a young poor girl in a beautiful dress being followed by an old woman. The girl was a prostitute and the dress was to make her look like she was from a higher class in order to get more clients. The purpose of the older woman following the dress lodger wasn't so much for protection of the young girl as it was to ensure the return of the dress.

In the book, The Dress Lodger, Gustine is afraid of the older woman who follows her, referring to her as "The Eye". This image of a girl followed through the streets, as if by her old age, or her own mortality, really stuck with me. I very much enjoyed this strange tale and think I will definitely read this book again.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of Historical Fiction

Five 2014 Release We're Excited About

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, January 1, 2014.

New year, new books! Here are five we can't wait to get our hands on.

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs - We loved Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children so we can't wait for this sequel!

Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris - We're fans of Charlaine Harris, but we really haven't been loving the last few books in the Sookie series she put out. We're excited to see her start fresh and have high hopes for this one!

Make You Mine by Macy Beckett - We've loved everything by Macy Beckett, so we're excited to get a new series this year!

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor - This series has been amazing so far. We can't wait to see how the story wraps up.

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - Another series wrap-up we're anxiously awaiting! We're expecting this one to be as sweet and addictive as the first two.

What releases are you looking forward to this year?

Our Favorite Books of 2013

Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, December 31, 2013.

As the last hours of 2013 tick away, we wanted to share our favorite reads of the last year. If you're looking for some great reads to kick off the new year, these are all great suggestions!

The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan - This was read at the beginning of the year, pre-blog, but this near-future dystopian was one of the most memorable reads of the year.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple - Another pre-blog read, this was an unexpected adventure with awesome characters.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - The last pre-blog read on the list. It was the sweetest love story.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

What were your favorite reads of the year?

Review: Alienated

Posted by Kate on Monday, November 25, 2013. Filed under: fantasy, published in 2014, review, reviewed in 2013, young adult

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Published by: Disney Hyperion

Our source: ARC via Netgalley

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Our thoughts:

Gah, I loved this! I was SO excited to get approved for a Netgalley copy early and no I'm SO SAD that I have wait so long for the seond book!

There was a lot going on here: changing family dynamics, worrying about paying for college, trouble with friends. Cara's pretty much every teenager - except she has a hot alien exchange student staying with her. Through everything, Cara is real. She's not some perfect version of a teenage. She's someone I could have been in high school - or someone I would have been friends with - and that makes her incredibly relatable.

Cara's community has a very strong reaction to Aelyx. At times, the book reads like a satire of some of the more extreme beliefs in the US today. It sometimes seemed a little over-the-top, but at the same time, in the frame of current events, maybe not so much.

Landers also writes adult romance under the name Macy Beckett (we gushed about her Sultry Springs series, here). If you're a fan or her romances, you'll like this too. It's a bit tamer for the young adult audience but it's got all the same notes of a sweet love story.

This is one of my favorites of the year, hands down.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of YA, Fans of Fantasy, Those who enjoyed the Sultry Springs series

Review: And the Mountains Echoed

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 22, 2013. Filed under: fiction, historical fiction, published in 2013, review, reviewed in 2013

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Published by: Riverhead Hardcover

Our source: Our local library

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

Our thoughts:

This is a truly fabulous book by Khaled Hosseini. I have read and enjoyed his previous novels, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Hosseini has yet again produced another unforgettable tale.

As a quote taken from the book states, "A story is like a moving train: no matter where you hop on board, you are bound to reach your destination sooner or later". And Hosseini knows exactly how to take you on that trip. Emotionally heart-wrenching, it showed how one persons choices can have an effect on many generations.

Hosseini weaves his tale piece by piece, unfolding it layer by layer, right up to the end. I loved this wonderfully moving story.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of Hosseini's other books, fans of historical fiction

Review: The Kitchen House

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 20, 2013. Filed under: fiction, historical fiction, published in 2010, review, reviewed in 2013

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Published by: Touchstone

Our source: Our local library

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family. Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.

Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.

Our thoughts:

What a fabulous book! I truly couldn't put it down.

Written in the narrative of both Belle, a black slave, and Lavinia, an indentured white servant, it depicts a life of slavery on a plantation in the Deep South during the early 1800's. This is a wonderful look at the cruelty of slave life but also shows the oppression of women, both black and white.

I loved how the story showed a true sense of "family", and that you didn't need to be born into a family to be considered a part of it. I also found it quite interesting that everyone, no matter if their ailment was physical or emotional, tended to do better if they were holding a baby or caring for a child. Maybe it is the parenting instinct which gives us hope and saves us when terrible things happen.

I believe that everyone should have a Mama Mae and a Papa George in their life. They were the quintessential parents who supplied support to everyone. If there is one thing that I hope to be in this world it would be that I am someone's Mama Mae.

The Kitchen House is Grissom's first novel and I absolutely loved it. She is currently working on writing Crow Mary, another work of historical fiction. That definitely gives me something to look forward to!

We would recommend this to:

Fans of historical fiction

Review: The Book of Someday

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 18, 2013. Filed under: fiction, published in 2013, review, reviewed in 2013

The Book of Someday by Dianne Dixon

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark

Our source: Complimentary Copy from the Publisher

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Three women. One stranger in a shimmering silver dress. Whatever binds them together has already destroyed one life. It just might consume them all.

Someday, Livvi Gray will break free from her past. Someday, she will escape her recurring nightmare about that stranger in a shimmering silver dress. Someday, she will have a family of her own. Now she's found Andrew, and someday seems to be right around the corner. But there's so much Livvi doesn't know.

Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, she will come face-to-face with the stranger from her dream-an encounter that will alter Livvi's future and crack open everything she knew about her past. Livvi is swiftly moving toward the ultimate turning point in her life-and she's not the only one. Linked by an unforgettable mystery, photographer Micah and young mother AnnaLee are also being rapidly drawn into a web of devastating secrets about the unexpected ways in which we choose to protect-and betray-the people we love.

Our thoughts:

This book is written as three separate story lines which finally come together beautifully in the end. The heart of this novel is a mystery full of secrets. The people keeping the secrets are trying to protect themselves and the people they love, but ultimately, the secrets only lead to more hurt.

I really enjoyed reading this book but it didn't end the way I wanted it to. Even though the characters were deeply flawed, I felt very sympathetic toward them. This was a great read. While I couldn't wait to finish this book to see how it ends, at the same time I wanted the story to continue.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of women's fiction

Review: An Abundance of Katherines

Posted by Kate on Wednesday, November 13, 2013. Filed under: contemporary fiction, fiction, published in 2006, review, reviewed in 2013, young adult

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Published by: Dutton Juvinile

Our source: Our local library

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Katherine V thought boys were gross
Katherine X just wanted to be friends
Katherine XVIII dumped him in an e-mail
K-19 broke his heart
When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type happens to be girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun--but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself.

Our thoughts:

This is very John Green, so if you like his other books, you'll like this one too. There's quirky characters, a road trip and the search for teenage love. I always get sucked into his books because they're always really thoughtful. This one had the added bonus of being funny.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of young adult, those nursing a broken heart, fans of coming of age stories.

Review: Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

Posted by Kate on Monday, November 11, 2013. Filed under: history, non-fiction, published in 2010, review, reviewed in 2013, science

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach

Published by: W.W. Norton & Company

Our source: Our local library

What it’s about (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.

Our thoughts:

This was really interesting, but it focused more on the history of space developments than I expected. I did appreciate the history lesson and seeing what different astronaut teams had to go through, but I expected a bit more current research. "Packing for Mars" as a title seems a bit mis-leading given that there was very little discussion of potential Mars missions and much more about pooping in space.

Most things in here tend to fall on the gross/weird/creepy side, so if that's not your thing, you'll want to skip this book. Also, Roach's footnotes were often the funniest part of the discussion. Don't skip them!

We would recommend this to:

Fans of space, those who like their non-fiction with a bit of humor and those who don't gross out easily.

Posted by Kate on Friday, November 8, 2013. Filed under: contemporary fiction, fiction, published in 2001, review, reviewed in 2013, young adult

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Published by: Puffin

Our source: Purchased ourselves

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth.

Our thoughts:

This is a pretty heavy book. Melinda's back story is rough and she's quite a broken person when we meet her. She is believable, though - she is exactly what you'd expect a tortured high school-er to be.

It's one of those books that make you think, because Melinda could be nearly anyone you encounter.

Speak is really well written and though depressing at times, it's a great story about surviving.

We would recommend this to:

Teens, fans of young adult

Review: Call Me Amy

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 6, 2013. Filed under: contemporary fiction, fiction, published in 2013, review, reviewed in 2013, young adult

Call Me Amy by Marcia Strykowski

Published by: Luminis Books, Inc.

Our source: Complimentary Copy from the Publisher

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

For Amy Henderson, 1973 has been a lonely year of too many awkward moments to count--that is, until she helps rescue an injured seal pup. To help save Pup, she forms an unlikely alliance with a questionable boy in a worn-out army jacket, and a peculiar older woman the kids in town call "Old Coot."

Amy finds that people aren't always what they seem, as she nurtures Pup back to health with the help of Craig and Miss Cogshell, while trying to hide Pup from the harbormaster and a group of nosy popular girls who have their eyes on Craig. Just as Amy starts to feel at home with her newfound friends, she must face an unexpected challenge that could change the future of her town, and her own life as well.

Our thoughts:

This is Strykowski's first novel and it was really cute. The budding friendship between Amy and Craig was very sweet and believable, as was their relationship with an elderly woman that the kids all referred to as "Old Coot". What I had a hard time believing was the idea that they were harboring a seal pup. I didn't think you could even keep a seal alive without having some place for him to swim, no less be able to keep him in a house. I can't imagine what that must have smelled like.

On the whole I liked this book. The characters insecurities, self-doubt, and wisdom made them all very convincing. This was a nice coming of age book.

We would recommend this to:

Fans of romance, fans of coming of age stories, fans of wildlife, tweens and teens.

Review: The Magicians

Posted by Kate on Monday, November 4, 2013. Filed under: fantasy, fiction, published in 2009, review, reviewed in 2013

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Published by: Viking

Our source: Our local library

What it’s about (from Goodreads):

Quentin Coldwater is brillant but miserable. He's a senior in high school, and a certifiable genius, but he's still secretly obsessed with a series of fantasy novels he read as a kid, about the adventures of five children in a magical land called Fillory. Compared to that, anything in his real life just seems gray and colorless.

Everything changes when Quentin finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the practice of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. But something is still missing. Magic doesn't bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he though it would.

Our thoughts:

John Green recommended this to fans of Harry Potter. I have to respectfully disagree. For me, the magic of Harry Potter made no appearance. Instead, it had drugs and sex - and also a bit on the creepy side.

I really wanted to like this, but there were so many things that annoyed me. The large time jumps, for one, and the fact that Grossman squeezed at least 5 years into one book. It often felt too broad and over-viewy when I wanted more details.

Also, Quentin is one of the most unlikable main characters I've ever come across. He was spoiled, entitled and his inability to really care about anything grated on me to no end. I'm fairly sure that if I hadn't been reading this for my book club, I would have given up it.

We would recommend this to:

People who are looking for an edgier Harry Potter