The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (audio)

Tana wakes up at a sundown party to find all her friends murdered by vampires. Still she manages to escape, rescuing her infected ex-boyfriend, Aiden, and a mysterious vampire boy who was chained in the room with him. From there they travel to Coldtown where all the infected and vampires are sent in the hopes of curing Aiden and saving them all.

If  you are looking for a book with real vampires, then look no further. This is a book with blood and murder and vampires and sadness. Tana has lived what is a pretty sad, reckless life after her mother was infected. So she has this tough girl persona. But all that is tested when her ex-boyfriend is infected and she thinks she might be too. She runs to Coldtown hoping to fight off the infection and go home normal even though she knows the duplicitous nature of the wannabes and the vampires that live there.

I loved this book. I thought it was so great and I don't know how so much talent lives in one person. Black did a great job of making the vampires scary and the situation tense and violent. It was so well done. I really felt for Tana as she navigated this minefield and deals not only with the idea of being infected but with Gavriel, the vampire she rescued from the party. He is definitely an interesting character and it was nice to get his backstory without it overwhelming the book. The flashbacks done on the characters were a nice touch and nothing was given that wasn't necessary to the story. I liked it all.

Christine Lakin is the narrator and I liked her as the voice of Tana. She does fine with the different characters and I liked her reading. The musical cues in the book are really fun and add a little something to the book.

12 hours

Weekly Round-Up 12/16

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

I'm reading A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard. And I am still listening to Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne. With my son I'm still reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

Weekly Round-Up 12/9

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

I'm reading A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard. And I am still listening to The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, read by Christine Lakin and Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne. With my son I'm still reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

I reviewed Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman last week.

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard.

Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

A father goes out for a milk and when he returns he has a very odd, involved story to tell.

I picked this up for my son and I to read together. But so far I haven't gotten around to reading it to him. I did read it myself. It's not a very long book and I basically read it while I was sitting with him as he did his homework. It is an utterly charming book. The dad is sent out for milk so his kids can eat their cereal and so he can have milk for his tea. But he is gone for a very long time and the kids begin to wonder where he is. Then he comes back with the milk and a long story involving space aliens, time travel, talking dinosaurs, and a whole host of other adventures. It's pretty great. For me, it's basically what Douglas Adams might have written had he written a children's book with its certain cheeky irreverence. It's a super fun book with wonderful illustrations by Skottie Young. I think my son will enjoy it when I read it to him.

Weekly Round-Up 12/2

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

To tell you the truth I'm not entirely sure what I am reading right now. I keep book jumping so who knows. I do know I have A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard started as well as Reached by Allie Condie so it's one of those 2 books. And I am still listening to Rotters by Daniel Kraus (read by Kirby Heyborne) but my car is in the body shop so I switched to The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (read by Christine Lakin) for right now (it's also due back at the library soon so I'm trying to get it done before then). With my son I'm still reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith. I know I haven't read review in a while. I'm just not in a reading mood lately which is weird for me but sort of more of the same too.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black, read by Christine Lakin. 12 hours.

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

Untold (The Lynburn Legacy #2) by Sarah Rees Brennan

Free from bonds, but not each other

It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same.

Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life.

Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...

 
 

Weekly Round-Up 11/25

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen  and Reached  by Allie Condie and listening to Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

Weeky Round-Up 11/18

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen  and Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan and listening to Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

I finished Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers last week.

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan (The Lynburn Legacy #2)

 It’s time to choose sides… On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (His Fair Assassin #2) (audio)

When Sybella is sent back to the most hellish place on earth, her father's home, by the convent of St. Mortain in order to protect the Duchess and the country of Brittany, she must endure the torment of her family for her country and her god. But a mission to rescue one of the country's heroes brings her closer to the truth of her own feelings about her family and herself.  

Sybella is one of the supporting characters in Grave Mercy and not one that was really explored so it was interesting to hear more of her story. I was surprised at the direction her story took but then it made sense in the context of the first book too. Sybella has a lot of dark secrets and the book manages to draw them out without making it unbearable. She manages to grow as a character too without losing any of her vigor or righteousness. I liked her relationship with Beast and thought the Beauty and the Beast connection was kind of cute though this isn't fairy tale related at all. It's just a glance in that direction. They really compliment each other and Beast is a terrific character that I wish got a little more page time. But really, at the heart of this book, it is about Sybella and her family and the ties that bind even when they should break.

His Fair Assassin
Grave Mercy #1

Angela Goethals is the narrator and I liked her voice and her reading. She does a good job of bringing Sybella to life. My only problem with the audiobook is one I had with Grave Mercy and that is the odd lag during the track changes. It's not very smooth and disjoints the scenes sometimes with odd pauses. 

13 hours, 30 minutes.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (Something Strange and Deadly #1)

Eleanor Fitt is one of the Philadelphia Fitts though they've fallen on hard times since her father lost his business and then died. Her mother is determined to marry her off to a rich husband in order to reclaim their wealth and standing. But the Dead are rising in Philadelphia controlled by a necromancer and Eleanor's brother is still missing. When one of the Dead gives Eleanor a letter from him, she knows that something has gone terribly wrong. So she turns to the Spirit-Hunters for help and finds herself dealing with unnatural forces.

First, let me say that I read this is in 2 separate reading times. I was reading it and then it was due back so I had to wait to check it out again. One of the hazardous of this is having a disjointed reading experience. I'll try not to reflect that in the review but just so you know. The other thing is that I expected this to be a zombie novel and it's kind of not really. There are dead rising, yes, but not of their own power (not all of them anyway) but under the power of a necromancer. It's a concept I don't mind but I wish it had been spelled out a bit more.

Eleanor is a pretty cool girl. She doesn't act like a girl from the 1800's, seeming much more modern than a girl of that era. And the language wasn't quite right either. But it was a fun book and I enjoyed it. I do like a main character with some gumption and sass and Eleanor had both to spare. She certainly didn't shy away from much. The romantic aspect was a bit meh for me. I did like how everything tied together though. But really it was pretty obvious who the necromancer was from early on since it really could be only one of two characters so I wasn't surprised. I did wonder how this was going to be a series but the ending was good enough to provide a unexpected way into a trilogy.

Weekly Round-Up 11/11

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen and listening to Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

I finished Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers so I will be reviewing those soon.

Weekly Round-Up 11/4

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and the finishing Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen and listening to Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, read by Angela Goethals. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

I reviewed Allegiant by Veronica Roth.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! We did some trick or treating last night because it is suppose to rain tonight. It was fun although my little girl was a bit confused. Free candy, who knew? But my son knows what's up and showed her the ropes. My husband carved pumpkins yesterday and each one matches a kid's costume. He did an excellent job! I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!

Ninja and Cinderella pumpkins

Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)

Now that the message is out that the Divergent are meant to go out and save the rest of the world, Tris' city is in turmoil. Evelyn has effectively replaced the factions with her own dictatorship and it does not sit well with many of the citizens. So when a revolutionary group called the Allegiant want to explore the world outside of the fence, Tris and Four agreed to go as well. What they discover changes how they view their city, the world, and even their own selves.

I haven't read any other reviews of this book but I do know from some Twitter comments that it was not well received by some readers. And I can see why. It's just like Mockingjay. Some people will like it and some won't. I fall into the liking category. I think it ended in the right place. Is it the place that I wanted to see? No. Was it appropriate? Yes. We can talk more about that in the spoiler section.

Mild Spoilers
It seems so appropriate the world they find outside is just as damaged but willing to blame it on genetics and unwilling to admit to human nature. I don't even know if they were capable of realizing that people are the way they are and that there is a lot more than just genes that account for behavior. There's a lot of moral behavior explored with the Bureau between how they treat the "genetically damaged" and their ruthlessness in trying to make the experiments behave, so to speak. It was almost more of the same between the city and the Bureau. It's not surprising at how society rearranged itself into the have and the have-nots. It's interesting that they did it  along a genetic line though.


SPOILERS (highlight)
*So Tris dying. I wasn't surprised though I did have a few moments of waiting for her to be saved at the last minute but really it seemed right. I think I went in thinking that Four was going to die and so when it was Tris instead, it was like of course. It had to be one of them. The things they have survived and seen and done, I just didn't see one of them surviving the series. I was sad that it was Tris but then it explains the use of alternating voices. I can see how people would be upset. They wanted a happy ending for Tris and Four. I did too. But life does not always come with a happy ending and the author probably wanted to tell the story that felt right to her and not one to just please an audience. 

I was a bit disappointed at the seemingly simplistic way the experiments were dissolved and the society began to fix itself. It seems like it would be harder and maybe it was but that all was glossed over pretty quickly. It's probably a whole other series anyway. *

I realized that I hadn't reviewed the first two books but then I read them on maternity leave while I was on hiatus. I might have to do a reread one day.

Weekly Round-Up 10/28

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen and listening to Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, read by Angela Goethals. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

I finished Allegiant by Veronica Roth over the weekend so look for that review coming soon.

Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

Weekly Round-Up 10/21

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen and listening to Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, read by Angela Goethals. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

Weekly Round-Up 10/14

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen and listening to Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, read by Angela Goethals. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

Last week I reviewed Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell and Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. 

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, read by Angela Goethals

Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (audio)

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

I didn't realize this was a historical novel set in 15th century Brittany, a place I didn't know a lot about so I learned something new. Isamae is an interesting character. Very much abusive by her "father" and eventually sold off into marriage by him to what would have been an abusive husband, she is rescued from that situation and brought to the convent of St. Mortain as the saint is her true father. There she learns about all the ways to kill a person and becomes an expert at poisons. Finally she is sent out on her first mission to kill a traitor of Brittany, someone who is marked by Mortain. In the course of her mission, she meets Duval, the bastad son of the former Duke of Brittany though she doesn't realize it at first. Isamae and Duval do not like or trust each other at first and so it's nice to see their relationship grow in an organic manner.

There is a lot of political intrigue and maneuvering in this book as befits this time period. And learning more about court life and assassins is always interesting. While the romance part was nice, it is the court life that makes this book so interesting. And the character growth in Isamae is refreshing.

Provided by SYNC

Erin Moon is the narrator and I enjoyed her reading. Her French pronunciations are excellent and she moved the story along just fine.

14 hours, 15 minutes

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor is the new girl. Unfortunately she looks different with her big red hair and her eclectic clothes.  So naturally the bus is a minefield for her. Fortunately Park offers her a seat but in the most begrudgingly way possible. The two strike up a friendship through the comics that Park loves, a friendship that quickly becomes something more. But Eleanor's home life is far from ideal and she finds that falling for Park is both the best and worst thing she's ever done.

If Eleanor tried to kiss Park, it would be like a real-life version of some little girl making her Barbie kiss Ken. Just smashing their faces together.   p.164

A co-worker lent me this book and I am so happy she did. This is one of those books where you finish it and you are not sure how you lived without it. I'm not sure how to describe it really. It was just beautiful. John Green said in his review of the book that "'Eleanor & Park' reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book." I have to agree with that.

Eleanor and Park fall in love sure. And he can never really understand what she is going through with her abusive stepfather and poverty and her mother who has half-abandoned her. Eleanor lives in both a state of fear and acceptance, that if she wants to stay with her mother and her siblings then she has to deal with having almost nothing and with having a stepfather who could go off at any second.  But Park has the mother and father who love each other who would give him whatever he needed and support him. So there's not much in their family lives to bring them together. But they find love through comic books and music and just being together. It's pretty beautiful.  The whole book is just amazing.

Weekly Round-Up 10/7

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen and listening to Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon. With my son I'm reading Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

I read Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell last week so look for that review soon. Short version: AMAZING!

Last week I reviewed Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan and Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith.

Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Ramage by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith
In this second novel of the Nick and Tesla series, the precocious brother-and-sister duo find themselves solving another baffling mystery.  As the story opens, their Uncle Newt takes a consulting gig at a cut-rate amusement park, engineering animatronic figures for a cheap Hall of Presidentsknockoff.  One perk of the job is that Nick and Tesla have unlimited access to the amusement park all summer long—but the kids quickly discover that one of the park employees has a sinister plan.  They’ll have to build a few robots of their own to foil him! Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects. Learning about science has never been so dangerous—or so much fun!

Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith

Nick and Tesla are 11 year old twins who are sent to live with their mad scientist uncle while their parents are off to Uzbekistan for their own research. The twins love science and are excited to share their uncle's lab. But when Tesla's pendant that their parents gave to her is lost, she and her brother stumble onto a mysterious house with some shady characters living in it. Not to mention the girl in the window. Can some quick thinking and science solve this mystery?

Quirk Books sent this one for review and I thought it would be a fun book to read with my 6 year old son. We have just got into chapter books and I was looking for one to engage him with. This turned out to be a good choice. He really liked it and asked to read the science book at night. Some of the chapters are longer so I would break them into two parts but mostly we read a chapter a night. This might be one of the longer books we've read together. He is really excited to read the second book which Quirk Books also sent to me for review.

We both enjoyed the story and I like how the science and inventions really helped them out. The twins are as clever as their names and they were good characters. Plus it is a mystery which I always like. My son liked the dogs, Jaws and Claws, for some reason. He thought they were hilarious. I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to try out a few of the inventions. Because that is another cool thing. The plans and instructions for the things Nick and Tesla invent are included in the book. And it is nothing too complicated and something that would be fun for a kid and parent to do together.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Rachel Chu is absolutely in love with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young. So when he invites her along to his best friend's wedding and then to spend the summer in Singapore, she agrees. But he does not to prepare her for the society she is going to  meet. Because Nicholas' family is not only rich, they are crazy rich. And they are also just plain crazy.

I really only picked up this book because one of my favorite gossip sites,  Lainey Gossip, was so enthusiastic about it. It seemed like a fun read and she was pretty adamant that it was a great summer read. Obviously I didn't get to it in time for that, but it was fun autumn read as well. It's hard to imagine that people actually live like the characters in this book but according to her and other reviews, it's pretty accurate on that front. The sheer amount of money they have is overwhelming. But it's also proof that money cannot buy class, taste, or sympathy.

I felt bad for Rachel. I realize that Nicholas has been conditioned since birth not to talk about his family's money but he honestly could have prepared in some way. Just mentioned that they are very influential or something. Though the book did work hard to point out that Nicholas was pretty oblivious to that kind of thing. It's easy to ignore money if you have it. Poor Rachel was just so unprepared for these people. The way they even talk about money is astounding. Throwing millions around like chump change. Americans are generally not accustomed to such displays. But it was kind of fun to see how people live with that kind of money.

Overall this was a fun book. I enjoyed it. It is definitely a beach read kind of book. My only complaint was how rushed the ending felt. A whole lot was thrown at the main character very quickly and then it was basically resolved in a few chapters. Other than that, it was a super fun read.

Weekly Round-Up 9/30

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan and listening to Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon. I'm reading Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Lab by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith with my son right now.

Weekly Round-Up 9/23

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan and listening to Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon. I'm reading Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Lab by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith with my son right now.

Last week I reviewed The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, read by Peter Altschuler.

Sent from Quirk Books for review

 Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage: A Mystery with Hoverbots, Bristle Bots, and Other Robots You Can Build Yourself by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith

In this second novel of the Nick and Tesla series, the precocious brother-and-sister duo find themselves solving another baffling mystery.  As the story opens, their Uncle Newt takes a consulting gig at a cut-rate amusement park, engineering animatronic figures for a cheap Hall of Presidentsknockoff.  One perk of the job is that Nick and Tesla have unlimited access to the amusement park all summer long—but the kids quickly discover that one of the park employees has a sinister plan.  They’ll have to build a few robots of their own to foil him! Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects. Learning about science has never been so dangerous—or so much fun!

The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann (audio)

Don’t get yourself noticed and you won’t get yourself hanged.
In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings—Peculiars—and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.
One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley—Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.
First he’s noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong.

If I had to describe this book in a few words I'd say fairy, dystopian, steampunkish. In this world, fairies have waged war on humans and lost and are now subjugated to the slums and minority sects of England except for a few who have risen in the ranks. And the changelings have it the worst. Half human, half fairies, the changelings are viewed as abominations by all.  So Bartholomew and his little sister Hettie are kept indoors and away from the windows and prying eyes. Until one day when they do get noticed putting them both in danger. And on the other side of town, Arthur Jelliby is a mild-mannered government official who just wants to live his quiet, unassuming life. But when he confidentially overhears a nefarious plot by the Chancellor Mr. Lickerish, he feels compelled to stop him and to save the woman in the plum-colored dress.

I enjoyed this book. It was a delightful book with a different take on fairies and them living in a human world. It was interesting how the humans found ways of keeping the fairies subjugated and how the fairies became stuck in our world. I liked Bartholomew and how all it wanted to have was a friend. It was actually sad the lengths he went through to have a friend of his own, stuck in his house with his sister and mother. But find an unlikely friend, he does. There is a lot of action and danger in this book especially for Bartholomew and his sister. 

I feel like this story could have been wrapped up in one book though so I'm curious what the sequel The Whatnot will be about.

Provided by SYNC

Peter Altschuler is the narrator. I enjoyed his reading though I wasn't fond of a few of the voices he choose, still he did a great job. He has a very nice voice and puts a lot of emotion into his performance.

7 hours, 35 mintues

Weekly Round-Up 9/16

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan and listening to Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon. I'm reading Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Lab  by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith with my son right now.

Last week I reviewed  The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Cormoran Strike is having some serious troubles with his girlfriend, with paying back his debts and with life in general. But when a wealthy lawyer walks into his office asking him to solve the murder of his famous supermodel sister, he becomes embroiled in a case where everyone has something to hide. Because although the police have already determined that her death was a suicide, something tells Strike there is more to it than that.

How easy it was to capitalize on a person’s own bent for self-destruction; how simple to nudge them into non-being, then to stand back and shrug and agree that it had been the inevitable result of a chaotic, catastrophic life.

I picked this up after I learned who the real author was under the pseudonym.  Of course I did. I tried her Casual Vacancy but literary novels are not my thing.  But mysteries are. It was really good, long but good. I enjoyed it. Rowling can certainly write and certainly world-build. She also creates great characters like Cormoran Strike, the main character and detective in this novel. He is flawed but a good person and a very thorough detective. I liked him. And his temporary assistant Robin was also a great character though she needed more fleshing out.

Overall the mystery was very well done and the ending was a surprise. Though there was a part that I guess was hinted at but still felt like it came out of nowhere. I'm happy that there is another book planned because I liked Cormoran and his methodical detective work and his life story and I'd like to see it explored more rather than doled out in bits and pieces.

Weekly Round-Up 9/9

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and then The Cuckoo's Calling and listening to The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, read by Peter Altschuler. I'm reading Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Lab  by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith with my son right now.

I haven't finished anything lately to review. I think I'm in a reading slump mostly because I'm too tired at night to pick up a book. Sorry about that. 

Weekly Round-Up 9/2

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard and then finishing The Cuckoo's Calling and listening to The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, read by Peter Altschuler. I'm reading Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Lab  by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith with my son right now. I think I will start featuring the chapter and middle grade books we are reading together.

Last week I reviewed She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith.

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

download from SYNC
The Peculiar by Stefan Bachman (audio)

Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.

In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings—Peculiars—and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.

One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley—Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.

First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong.

Part murder mystery, part gothic fantasy, part steampunk adventure, The Peculiar is Stefan Bachmann's riveting, inventive, and unforgettable debut novel.