Author: Robin Stevenson
Her mother died in a sailing accident, her father has started dating a psychic, her best friend is losing patience with her sorrow and the sailboat is for sale.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Landing
Author: John Ibbotson
Muskoka Lake in the depression, a new rich woman, unlike any Ben had ever known takes an island cabin. She treats Ben to worlds and music unknown and leaves. The end came on abruptly, with a steamer accident and his uncle's death, which releases him and his mother to leave the lake.
Enjoyed it, but felt too rushed at the end.
Muskoka Lake in the depression, a new rich woman, unlike any Ben had ever known takes an island cabin. She treats Ben to worlds and music unknown and leaves. The end came on abruptly, with a steamer accident and his uncle's death, which releases him and his mother to leave the lake.
Enjoyed it, but felt too rushed at the end.
Recipe for Disaster
Author: Maureen Fergus
Girl who loves to bake and adores the Fabio-like TV host, enters contests to meet her hero. Ultimately, a band trip allows her to cross paths with his producer. Really liked the nerdy boy character who got the girl in this one.
Girl who loves to bake and adores the Fabio-like TV host, enters contests to meet her hero. Ultimately, a band trip allows her to cross paths with his producer. Really liked the nerdy boy character who got the girl in this one.
A Brief History of Montmaray
Author: Michelle Cooper
Loved this tale of a small island kingdom, with a mad king, a deserted village and the royal few in the castle on the eve of WWII.
Great characters and setting, reminded me of I Capture the Castle.
Loved this tale of a small island kingdom, with a mad king, a deserted village and the royal few in the castle on the eve of WWII.
Great characters and setting, reminded me of I Capture the Castle.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Lucy Unstrung
Author: Carole Lazar
Lucy's parents break up, she gets saddled with a dog that looks just like her, has to change schools and worries that she's losing her best friend and is about to be beaten up by a tough girl in her trailer park.
Lucy's parents break up, she gets saddled with a dog that looks just like her, has to change schools and worries that she's losing her best friend and is about to be beaten up by a tough girl in her trailer park.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Prime Baby
Author / Illustrator: Gene Luen Yang
A 3rd grader thinks his baby sister is an alien and tries to prove it.
Funny and sweet.
A 3rd grader thinks his baby sister is an alien and tries to prove it.
Funny and sweet.
Me & Death
Author: Richard Scrimger
Bad boy goes into coma and is given the chance to make good all his past errors and does so. Great ghosts and characters.
Bad boy goes into coma and is given the chance to make good all his past errors and does so. Great ghosts and characters.
Honeysuckle Summer
Author: Sherrilyn Woods
Agoraphobic survivor of wife abuse meets sheriff raising his two teenage sisters. Anorexia, gardening and big circle of friends in southern small town (somewhere near DC). Easy one night read.
Agoraphobic survivor of wife abuse meets sheriff raising his two teenage sisters. Anorexia, gardening and big circle of friends in southern small town (somewhere near DC). Easy one night read.
The Forgotten Garden
Author: Kate Morton
Airport bookstore buy. Mercifully thick enough to last the entire flight from Ottawa to Vancouver, plus a short bath at home.
Engaging mystery story, a 4 year old girl is put on a ship to Australia and told to hide. No one ever comes back for her or tries to claim her. Ultimately, her grand-daughter solves the mystery of her parentage and what happened to her mother.
Airport bookstore buy. Mercifully thick enough to last the entire flight from Ottawa to Vancouver, plus a short bath at home.
Engaging mystery story, a 4 year old girl is put on a ship to Australia and told to hide. No one ever comes back for her or tries to claim her. Ultimately, her grand-daughter solves the mystery of her parentage and what happened to her mother.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Illyria
Author: Elizabeth Hand
Strange, sad tale of two cousins who blaze briefly on a shared stage and then peter out in their own ways. It seemed a YA novel, but the end was so mature and reflective that I think it must be intended for adults. Magical description of a paper toy theater.
Strange, sad tale of two cousins who blaze briefly on a shared stage and then peter out in their own ways. It seemed a YA novel, but the end was so mature and reflective that I think it must be intended for adults. Magical description of a paper toy theater.
Chicken Feathers
Author: Joy Cowley
Illustrations (too few, but also just enough) : David Elliot
A talking chicken, a fox bent on vengeance, a disapproving grandma and a young teenage boy.
And brown brew and the best drunken chicken sketch I've seen.
Illustrations (too few, but also just enough) : David Elliot
A talking chicken, a fox bent on vengeance, a disapproving grandma and a young teenage boy.
And brown brew and the best drunken chicken sketch I've seen.
The Wives of Henry Oades
Author: Johanna Moran
A man takes his family to New Zealand, the wife and children are captured and held hostage for 6 years, he moves on and remarries in California. The first family catches up to him and moves in, lawsuits follow.
Way better than my synopsis.
A man takes his family to New Zealand, the wife and children are captured and held hostage for 6 years, he moves on and remarries in California. The first family catches up to him and moves in, lawsuits follow.
Way better than my synopsis.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Black Cat
Author: Martha Grimes
This has talking animals - well, communicating animals, at least.
Another Richard Jury mystery - I find I'm getting sick of Carole-Ann (his neighbour) but still enjoying the other regulars. The animals were actually quite compelling.
This has talking animals - well, communicating animals, at least.
Another Richard Jury mystery - I find I'm getting sick of Carole-Ann (his neighbour) but still enjoying the other regulars. The animals were actually quite compelling.
Against the Odds
Author: Marjolijn Hof
A girl tries to reduce the odds of her father being killed while doing humanitarian work in a war zone. She calculates that if she had a dead dog, and a dead mouse, her father would live. Well written with all the clumsy thinking of the young.
A girl tries to reduce the odds of her father being killed while doing humanitarian work in a war zone. She calculates that if she had a dead dog, and a dead mouse, her father would live. Well written with all the clumsy thinking of the young.
Lucy Willow
Author: Sally Gardner
I've loved her other books for older readers (I, Coriander).
This is middle grade with exaggerated characters and situations, kind of reminiscent of Roald Dahl. Actually was supposed to read to Sky, but got interested and just read it through.
Crime, flowers, a train and a wedding.
I've loved her other books for older readers (I, Coriander).
This is middle grade with exaggerated characters and situations, kind of reminiscent of Roald Dahl. Actually was supposed to read to Sky, but got interested and just read it through.
Crime, flowers, a train and a wedding.
Touch Not The Cat
Author: Mary Stewart
A 70's novel that I recalled from teenhood. Reread and enjoyed. Not exactly timeless, but interesting premise (telepathic love interest). Found the bits of historical stuff at the end of each chapter unnecessary and intrusive.
A 70's novel that I recalled from teenhood. Reread and enjoyed. Not exactly timeless, but interesting premise (telepathic love interest). Found the bits of historical stuff at the end of each chapter unnecessary and intrusive.
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
Author: Charles Yu
Wish I'd read it straight through, but got bogged down shortly after he killed his future self for reasons I didn't quite believe.
Interesting exercise in semantics and brain exercises in thinking about time, alternate realities, the nature of universes etc.
Wish I'd read it straight through, but got bogged down shortly after he killed his future self for reasons I didn't quite believe.
Interesting exercise in semantics and brain exercises in thinking about time, alternate realities, the nature of universes etc.
Scars
Author: Cheryl Rainfield
Had to read this one straight through. Very unsettling - child abuse and cutting as a coping tool. Lots of suspense.
Had to read this one straight through. Very unsettling - child abuse and cutting as a coping tool. Lots of suspense.
Dear Jo
Author: Christina Kilbourne
A twelve-year-old girl has lost her best friend to an internet predator and helps police capture him.
Written in diary form.
Good for kids and parents - 12 or older.
A twelve-year-old girl has lost her best friend to an internet predator and helps police capture him.
Written in diary form.
Good for kids and parents - 12 or older.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Bellfield aka A Moment of Silence
Author:
Jane Austen era, maiden Aunt, sent to aid a newly engaged niece, stumbles on to a murder and slowly solves it. She stays within her parameters of the era, unaware of why the colonel wants the footman to come to his room, but is well aware of what she'd have known (whether the blue dimity was too good for maid).
Jane Austen era, maiden Aunt, sent to aid a newly engaged niece, stumbles on to a murder and slowly solves it. She stays within her parameters of the era, unaware of why the colonel wants the footman to come to his room, but is well aware of what she'd have known (whether the blue dimity was too good for maid).
House of Mystery: Room & Boredom
Authors and Illustrators: Many - writers, Matthew Sturges & Bill Willingham
Kind of horror, fantasy, sort of reminded me of Sandman, definitely part of a series.
Enjoyed despite some gross moments.
Kind of horror, fantasy, sort of reminded me of Sandman, definitely part of a series.
Enjoyed despite some gross moments.
Help the Poor Struggler
Author: Martha Grimes
Richard Jury mystery with Chief Superintendent Macalvie.
Murdered children, great characters. She writes odd children quite well. This may have been a reread, but my Martha Grimes phase was many years back.
Perfect bath with a head cold kind of book.
Richard Jury mystery with Chief Superintendent Macalvie.
Murdered children, great characters. She writes odd children quite well. This may have been a reread, but my Martha Grimes phase was many years back.
Perfect bath with a head cold kind of book.
Lady Be Good
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Feeling under the weather this and indulging in paperbacks
Texas golf millionaire, impoverished, titled Brit set up by mutual friend.
Feeling under the weather this and indulging in paperbacks
Texas golf millionaire, impoverished, titled Brit set up by mutual friend.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Fishtailing
Author: Wendy Phillips
Winner of the GG's award.
Verse novel with multiple P.O.V.'s. Effective storytelling and narrative that moves forwards. Initially I was skeptical, but by 20 pages or so, I was involved.
Winner of the GG's award.
Verse novel with multiple P.O.V.'s. Effective storytelling and narrative that moves forwards. Initially I was skeptical, but by 20 pages or so, I was involved.
The Talent Code
Author: Daniel Coyle
Greatness isn't born, it's grown. More on ten thousand hours of practice. Some great tidbits, writing and soccer are flexible, so to learn these well, you just have to charge ahead and play and build those flexible-skill circuits. Learning a musical instrument rew=quires correct firing of circuits - consistent-circuit skills.
Basics:
Deep practice - chunk it up, repeat it, learn to feel it.
Ignition - primal cues
Master coaching - matrix (older with skill sets), perceptive, GPS reflex (short information based corrections) and theatrical honesty.
Good book. Might reread. Would even be useful on the parenting shelf.
Greatness isn't born, it's grown. More on ten thousand hours of practice. Some great tidbits, writing and soccer are flexible, so to learn these well, you just have to charge ahead and play and build those flexible-skill circuits. Learning a musical instrument rew=quires correct firing of circuits - consistent-circuit skills.
Basics:
Deep practice - chunk it up, repeat it, learn to feel it.
Ignition - primal cues
Master coaching - matrix (older with skill sets), perceptive, GPS reflex (short information based corrections) and theatrical honesty.
Good book. Might reread. Would even be useful on the parenting shelf.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Secret Supper
Author: Xavier Sierra
It's not often that I lose interest in a book at the 3/4 mark. Usually I read too fast to let it happen. This was a little too puzzling, without enough clarity for me to really grasp or care about the puzzle in Leonardo's Last Supper. Translation maybe?
Having said that, I would read some non-fiction about the same subject. Those were interesting times. I recently read a much more fascinating book about Botticelli's 'Rites of Spring'. Maybe I just related better to the characters (foul-mouthed prostitute and sexy monk).
It's not often that I lose interest in a book at the 3/4 mark. Usually I read too fast to let it happen. This was a little too puzzling, without enough clarity for me to really grasp or care about the puzzle in Leonardo's Last Supper. Translation maybe?
Having said that, I would read some non-fiction about the same subject. Those were interesting times. I recently read a much more fascinating book about Botticelli's 'Rites of Spring'. Maybe I just related better to the characters (foul-mouthed prostitute and sexy monk).
The Lost Child
Author / Illustrator: Tim Broderick
The first in the Diangelo 'Odd Jobs' series. An old man hires Diangelo to find his daughter, who has been missing for fifteen years. Everyone in the small corner he goes to knows the old man and can't help him.
Read online here.
The first in the Diangelo 'Odd Jobs' series. An old man hires Diangelo to find his daughter, who has been missing for fifteen years. Everyone in the small corner he goes to knows the old man and can't help him.
Read online here.
Cash & Carry
Author / Illustrator: Tim Broderick
Diangelo does odd jobs for a living, in this book, he's a courier with an empty briefcase, on his way to Las Vegas. Other people are after the case, and he's saddled with the dummy courier who needs to get to Vegas to get paid.
Engrossing. Really clean style, lots of black. Good headlight reference.
Diangelo does odd jobs for a living, in this book, he's a courier with an empty briefcase, on his way to Las Vegas. Other people are after the case, and he's saddled with the dummy courier who needs to get to Vegas to get paid.
Engrossing. Really clean style, lots of black. Good headlight reference.
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