-
Book Review: Zan-Gah
The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. –From Goodreads Cover Inspection: Love the lion! First Thoughts: This is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. *** My Review: Zan-Gah is a new taste for my literary palette, and I admit that when I first finished reading it I wasn’t sure exactly what I thought. My head was still reeling from all the action that I had just…
-
Children’s Book Review: Charlie Needs a New Cloak
Media Type: Print Book Title: Charlie Needs a New Cloak Author: Tommie DePaola Publisher: Prentice Hall Pages: Hardcover; 32 Release Date: October 25, 1982 Source: School Library ————————————————- Recommended to: Parents looking for a book to share with their children all about weaving and making clothing. Difficulty Level: Better for children above the age of 8, since much of the vocabulary is a little more advanced. Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N A shepherd shears his sheep, cards and spins the wool, weaves and dyes the cloth, and sews a beautiful new red cloak. I’ve been infatuated with…
-
Book Review: Picture the Dead
Jennie’s connection with her twin brother, Toby, grew stronger after he died in 1864. Now Jennie must rely on her ability to communicate with the dead to find out what has happened to her beloved fiance, Will, while he was off at war. The army says he died honorably in battle. His brother confides that he became a violent criminal and died in a prison camp. Jennie begins to doubt that anyone is telling her the truth. This intriguing combination of historical romance, paranormal thriller, and clever mystery is illustrated by bestselling artist Lisa Brown. The unique visuals originated from…
-
Book Review: The Krybosian Stairpath
In a refreshing change, along comes a children’s book that does not rely on magic to explain the unexplainable. The Krybosian Stairpath puts forth the notion that just because you don’t understand something, it doesn’t mean there must be magic behind it. Knowledge and perspective can make all the difference. Enter a world of wonder deep inside the earth as 11-year-old geologist Madison Terrence follows her pet gopher down a stairpath portal she discovers in her family’s cavern. When she descends the Krybosian Stairpath, a mystery from her family’s past begins to unravel. She soon realizes her arrival in the…
-
Book Review: Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator
Media Type: Ebook Title: Allegra Fairweather: Paranormal Investigator Author: Janni Nell Publisher: Carina Press Pages: Ebook; 219 Release Date: May 26, 2010 Source: NetGalley ————————————— Intended Reading Group: Adult Genre: Urban Fantasy ————————————— HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart! Recommended to: Lovers of kick ass heroines! Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N Allegra Fairweather here. Paranormal investigator. Got problems with specters? Shapeshifters? I’m the woman to call. Just don’t call me a Ghostbuster. The last guy who did that ended up flat on his back with my boot at his throat. With my 99.5% success rate, solving the mystery of a…
-
Children’s Book Review: Whose Hat Is This?
Media Type: Print Book Title: Whose Hat Is This? Author: Sharon Katz Cooper Publisher: Capstone Press Pages: Paperback; 24 Release Date: January 1, 2006 Source: School Library ——————————————– Recommended to: Young readers who enjoy non-fiction books. Difficulty Level: Readers 4-8 years of age would benefit most from the illustrations and job descriptions. Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N This entry in the “Whose Is It?” series presents seven community jobs by looking at the hats worn by a variety of workers, including a firefighter, a beekeeper, a football player, a chef, and a construction worker. The text asks, “Whose…
-
Book Review: Incarceron
Incarceron — a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology — a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber — chains, great halls, dungeons. A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison —…
-
Book Review: Forget You
There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. With her life about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s…
-
Book Review: Lovestruck Summer + GIVEAWAY!
Austin music fest. Yay, summer in Austin! Good food, good times. Fun for everyone! Okay, living with my sorority-brainwashed cousin, who willingly goes by “Party Penny,” is not exactly what I had in mind. All your favorite bands. But the cute musicians I’ve met totally make up for it . . . like Sebastian. Swoon. All ages welcome. So why can’t I stop thinking about Penny’s friend All-American Russ and his Texas twang?? Saturday & Sunday, from noon to midnight. Don’t wait up! –From Goodreads Cover Inspection: Simple, yet totally conveys the story within. First Thoughts: Party Penny? *** My…
-
Children’s Book Review: Elephant Dance
Media Type: Print Book Title: Elephant Dance: A Journey to India Author: Theresa Heine Illustrator: Sheila Moxley Publisher: Barefoot Books Pages: Hardcover; 40 Release Date: October 1, 2004 Source: School Library —————————————————– Recommended to: Those looking for a simple and fun look at India and its culture. Difficulty Level: A perfect read-aloud for children in first through third grade. Groups past that should be able to read one their own. Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N Ravi and Anjali are fascinated by their grandfather’s stories of India, where the sun is like a ferocious tiger, the wind is like…