Another Update!

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Hello everyone! I wanted to give you another update since it has been a while since I've posted.

A lot has happened since my last update post -or any post for that matter- starting with me being back in school. So far it has kept me pretty busy, but not too busy to read. I've got quite a few books that I'm getting ready to review. I'm also working on an About Me page for this blog (I know it's about time right?) and I've got a few ideas for some other pages that I am toying with.

The biggest thing that has happened since we last chatted was that I was in a car wreck. Last Sunday I was rear ended, resulting in my car being totaled. I walked away from the accident, but my Doctor has me in Physical Therapy. Let me tell you, it's not fun...well some of it is. Like the massages I get every so often... have you ever had a massage in a place where you were really hurting? Yep it's nice.

Anyway I'm off to keep reading and writing... in the meantime, let me open things up for discussion:

Is there anything you want to see me post about? Any books or movies your curious about and want to see a review over? Any thoughts on massages or car accidents?

Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear from you.

~Dawn

The Diamond Thief Review

The Diamond Thief

Sharon Gosling

Rating (out of 5):5

Genre:Young Adult

Release Date: October 1, 2014

Series: Diamond Thief

Series Volume: 1

Profanity: Very Mild

Violence:Very Mild

Sexual Content:Very Mild

Age Recommendation: 14+

Author Website: http://sharongosling.wordpress.com/





Summary: 

No one performs on the circus trapeze like 16-year-old Rémy Brunel. But Rémy also leads another life, prowling through the backstreets of Victorian London as a jewel thief. When she is forced to steal one of the world’s most valuable diamonds, she uncovers a world of treachery and fiendish plots.

Meanwhile, young detective Thaddeus Rec is determined to find the jewel and clear his name. Will Thaddeus manage to rescue the jewel? Or is it really Rémy that he needs to save?

Review:

I've said before that I have a weakness for a good thief story and so it comes as no surprise that I was immediately attracted to The Diamond Thief. The fact that it was also set in Victorian London with a steam punk/fantasy twist had me hooked almost before I began reading it. And after I finished it I loved it even more.

I really enjoyed the story, it could have gone many different ways and still been wonderful, but I like the direction Sharon Gosling took it in. I really enjoyed the sprinkle of both steam punk and a little bit of fantasy into the story. There were so many mysteries dotted through the story I had fun wondering which would tie into what and how everything would turn out. There were a few moments where I wondered why a character was brought in so suddenly or how someone could have possibly survived a few of the more crazy situations but overall I really enjoyed the story.

The characters were all very fun to get to know as well. I really enjoyed Rémy's fiery attitude and Thaddeus was absolutely charming with his always do the right thing attitude. I also really enjoyed the other characters especially J and Desai. J was endearing while Desai had a mysterious charm to him that I'd love to see more of in the next book. The only character who really bothered me was the Professor, his personality seemed to shift a little too often for me.

Another thing I loved about this book was the dialog and syntax. Many times when I'm reading everyone sounds the same when they speak. This was not the case in the Diamond Thief. The cast of characters were from many different places and walks of life and the way they spoke reflected that. This aspect of the book was one of the charms that really made me like it.

There were a few plot holes and many things that seemed too easy or coincidental through this book. Despite that I really enjoyed reading this book and I am eager to see the next one. I hope that the holes in this book will be fixed in the next book and I am eager to read The Ruby Airship. I see a lot of potential in Sharon Gosling and I hope to see more from her. 

I would recommend this book to teens about 14+. mostly because there is a little coarse language in the book but it is infrequent and very mild when used. Anyone looking for a light read, a steam punk adventure, a Victorian era book, or even a little romance should take a look at The Diamond Thief.


Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest review which I have stated above.

~Dawn

Princess of the Silver Woods Book Review

Princess of the Silver Woods

Jessica Day George 

Rating (out of 5): 5

Genre: Fantasy 

Release Date: December 11, 2012

Series: Twelve Dancing Princesses 

Series Volume: 3

Profanity: Very Mild (if any)

Violence: Mild

Sexual Content: None 

Age Recommendation: 12 +

Author Website: http://www.jessicadaygeorge.com/

Summary (found on Author's website):

Princess Petunia has been kidnapped! Except...it was really more like an accident. Oliver, the leader of a band of thieves known as the Wolves of the Westfalin Woods, didn't mean to do it. And now he must make things right. He will confess to the king and deliver the princess to the grand duchess's estate.

But Petunia's safety is far from secured. As children, she and her eleven sisters had been cursed to dance endlessly at the midnight ball of the fearsome King Under Stone. Troubling dreams of the ball are once again haunting Petunia, and she can't be sure they are mere nightmares. When she and her sisters fall into a carefully laid trap, who but a handsome woodsman can save the day?

Jessica Day George's romantic and adventurous new tale is part Little Red Riding Hood, part Twelve Dancing Princesses, and wholly enchanting.

Review:

Princess of the Silver Woods is the third installment of Jessica Day George’s fantastic Princess of the Midnight Ball series. This book focuses on the youngest of the 12 sisters, Petunia. When she first appeared in Princesses of the Midnight Ball she was very young so I was excited to see how she’d progressed. We also get to see more of her other sisters and get a glimpse into their lives and what’s been going on since the events of the previous two books. 

Petunia has grown up to be quite loveable. She is dead set on making it on her own and can be deadly with her pistol when needed, but she’s not quite as tough as Poppy. When the story starts she is on her way to meet old friends.  Her plans run awry when her carriage is attacked by a pack of wolves, or rather a pack of thieves calling themselves the Westfalin wolves. Things are further thrown into disarray when she finds out the reason they are robbing carriages and meets their handsome leader, Oliver. Her spunk seems to fade a little bit as the book progresses, but she never loses her charm. 

Oliver as a character is your pretty basic ‘prince’ and while others may see him as bland I thought he was perfect for Petunia. This story was more about action and unraveling the mystery behind the Palace Under Stone and I thought Oliver fell into place very well with how late he’d been pulled into the girl’s predicament.

As with the other two books in this series Jessica Day George paints a beautiful story filled with romance, adventure, mystery, and suspense.

Princess of the Silver Woods is a perfect finish to this series. In this book we finally get to find out more about the origins of the King Under Stone and his sons as well as unravel more of the mystery behind the curse the sisters have been fighting against since the first book. I was very excited to see the big reveal and it wasn’t anywhere near a disappointment.  

Princess of the Silver Woods was a great wrap up for this whole series. I really enjoyed seeing all of the princesses back, and loved getting to know Petunia more. I’d recommend this series to any fan of Fairy tale retellings or just good princess stories.

 

~Dawn

The Struggle with Snack Machines

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Everyone has had the experience of having a snack machine steal their hope (don’t lie, you’ve felt the sting), steal their sustenance (debatable), and worst of all steal their money (true). Recently I had a similar experience. I was at work and hungry. Well to be fair I wasn’t exactly hungry but I did have a craving for junk food. It’s a habit I’m trying hard to break, and I guess the snack machine thought it would give me a hand in doing so.  

It did so during an attempt to at obtaining a delicious Grandmas Peanut Butter Cookie. Instead of simply dropping the cookie into my waiting hands the snack machine decided to push the cookie to the side instead of out. Normally when a snack machine jams you can shake it, kick it, or if you’re really desperate put in more money to get it to release it’s yummy snacks. Not this time. The cookie wasn’t stuck in the spring but jammed up against the wall and spring, there was no getting it out now. 

Not wanting to give in to defeat I dug my last 50 cents out of my pocket and tried for a bag of chips. I mean what are the odds of it jamming a second time, on a completely different food? 100% apparently. This time squishing the bag of chips up against the row above!  

After kicking, shaking, and glaring I gave into the inevitable. I was not getting a snack. 

The problem with this whole scenario isn’t so much the snack machine -even though it is a worthless hunk of money stealing metal- it’s the snacks themselves that are the problem for me.

I said at the beginning of this post that I’ve been trying to break my snack machine habit. Too often when I’ve got change to spare I find myself scoping out the machine wondering what to choose. I am by no means overweight or super unhealthy but I do want to live better. Exercise and healthy eating all go a long way to living longer and having a better life. Science says so. 

So why is it when I am faced with the choice of the snack machine or bringing an apple to work do I usually choose the cookie instead? 

Is it the convince? Is it that the snacks just taste better? Is it that I don’t have time? 

Yes, yes, and ye- wait no that last one is just an excuse. There are many reasons I choose the sugary snacks but usually it’s just due to excuses or a lack of self control. In a way I’m thankful to the snack machine because it reminded me that I’m not actually going to die if I don’t have a snack. In fact I’ll be even better off without it’s calorie packed goodies filling me up. 

What do you think? Have you had any similar experiences? 

~Dawn

The Fourteenth Goldfish Review

The Fourteenth Goldfish 

Jennifer Holm

Rating (out of 5):5

Genre:Young Adult

Release Date: Aug 26, 2014

Series: None

Series Volume:N/A

Profanity: none

Violence: None

Sexual Content:None

Age Recommendation: 8+

Author Website: http://www.jenniferholm.com/





Summary:  

Believe in the possible . . . with this brilliantly quirky, thought-provoking novel from New York Times bestseller, three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm

Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.
Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?

Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?

With a lighthearted touch and plenty of humor, Jennifer Holm celebrates the wonder of science and explores fascinating questions about life and death, family and friendship, immortality . . . and possibility.

Review:

The Fourteenth Goldfish is the lighthearted story of Ellie a young girl who's just started 6th grade and her grandfather who's just discovered the key to the fountain of youth. This story was a delight from start to finish with it's crazy situations and delightful approach to science.

Jennifer Holm did an amazing job presenting science in a way that will really appeal to kids. Her engaging characters and plot did a great job highlighting the joys of discovery and science. There were times I found myself wanting to go look up more information on something they were discussing. I also really liked how Jennifer not only talked about the good that comes from science but the dangers as well.

Not only did this book do an excellent job of inspiring scientific curiosity but it did a great job of showing the difficulties of starting a new grade, making friends, and trying to navigate your way in the confusion of middle school. The author did a great job talking about new beginnings and the cycle of life. I loved the themes in this book! I found myself learning and re-learning lessons that I've forgotten in the bustle of life.

From the thoughtful main character, Ellie to her eccentric, Grandpa Melvin the characters in this book are a delight to get to know. Each one has a distinct personality and character. Their relationships grow and change through the book while never feeling forced. The setting and imagery in the book is also well done, as well as the pacing. And did I mention this book is hilarious? I had so much fun reading it. Grandpa Melvin's personality and older perspective was often hilarious when he was faced with new things like going back to school and having 'fun'.

I loved The Fourteenth Goldfish. I loved it's themes, it's emphasis on science, it's story, and especially Ellie. I'd recommend this book to any young person interested in science, who's starting middle school, or who just needs a good funny story about a grandpa who's turned himself young again.

Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest review which I have stated above.

~Dawn

Storm Siren Review

Storm Siren

Mary Weber

Rating (out of 5): 5

Genre:Young Adult

Release Date: August 19, 2014

Series: Storm Siren

Series Volume: 1

Profanity: none

Violence: None

Sexual Content: None

Age Recommendation: 12+

Author Website: http://mchristineweber.com/


 
Summary:

"I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don't want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you."

In a world at war, a slave girl's lethal curse could become one kingdom's weapon of salvation. If the curse - and the girl - can be controlled.

As a slave in the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn't merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth - meaning, she shouldn't even exist.

Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains, Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court advisor and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war, or be killed.

Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she's being prepared to fight . . . not to mention the handsome trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.

But what if she doesn't want to be the weapon they've all been waiting for?

Set in a beautifully eclectic world of suspicion, super abilities, and monsters, Storm Siren is a story of power. And whoever controls that power will win.

Review:

Storm Siren is a beautifully written tale of redemption and love set in a kingdom in the midst of intrigue and war. This story gripped me from the beginning and propelled me with increasing force through the book. Nym's story was one of layers, and each new facet drove me to the next page and I couldn't wait to see how it all worked out.

The writing in this book is simply beautiful. Mary Weber does an excellent job of pulling readers into her world and keeping them there. The imagery is stunning and paints a picture that is clear enough for me to almost see what she's talking about. The pacing was excellent, even when the story should have felt slow it didn't and the action scenes flowed with precision. 

The plot was very well done as well. There were moment's where it could have fallen into a cliche but it always had a flair of originality and creativity to it. The secrets and big reveals were all done in a great way as well, I was shocked more than once through the book and I was very pleased when things turned out differently than I'd expected them to. I was also happy that when it came down to the fighting the skills Nym learned during training actually had value and were used. The romance aspect of this book was very well done as well. It was a gradual falling in love instead of a love at first sight scenario. Too often romance is rushed in books and I am grateful that Mary Weber took her time in this book.

The cast of characters in this book was amazing. There were no cookie cutter shortcuts taken with them. Each of the main characters were fully developed and even the villains shone when their time came. Nym was far from a mary sue with her strong personality and various faults. The rest of the cast is amazing as well. Colin with his joviality and Breck's no-nonsense attitude make them a great pair. Adora, as a court adviser and aristocrat has a very interesting personality. Eogen was by far my favorite character, his personality and history as well as the way he deals with Nym all drew me to him as a character.

What I loved most about this book was the themes woven throughout it. It could have easily been one of a hundred books with a slave society and simply talked about freedom and deliverance. But Storm Siren covered so much more than that. Mary Weber took us into the tormented mind of Nym and really dealt with issues like self-harm, self-perception, redemption, and yes freedom and deliverance. What really shone out to me however was the fact that she did it in such a natural way, the issues and solutions never felt forced or preachy. It was wonderful. 

Needless to say I loved every second of Storm Siren. This book was a delight from start to finish and I cannot wait until the next one comes out. I'd recommend this book to teens 12 and older. The story is wonderful and engaging, and the fact that it deals with serious issues that many girls (and even guys) face makes me want to recommend it to any and all teens. I think young girls especially would really be able to take something out of this book, while at the same time enjoying a fantastic fantasy. 

Mary Weber has a great talent and I can't wait to see more from her in the future.

 Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest opinion as I have stated above.

~Dawn 

Books books and more books...

Hey everyone I just wanted to give you all an update on my status. I will be starting college classes again later this month so posts may slow down (or pick up, it could go both ways). I have quite a few reviews lined up to come out soon and I'm also trying to make an effort to write more than just reviews. I'd love to hear some feedback when it comes to my regular posts so don't be shy about commenting. And don't be too overwhelmed by my review policy I promise I don't bite, so if you've got something you want me to review shoot me an e-mail and I'll try to fit it in.

I also wanted to announce that I am writing a book. I'm only on my first draft but it's always good to get buzz starting early right? Anyway it's a Young Adult Science Fiction and I've written 6 full chapters and am well into chapter 7. I tell you all this for two reasons, the first is so I'll be accountable in writing it and the second is to get word out. The book's working title is The Kingdom Walker (cool title right?). And I hope to be able to give you more news about it soon.

The reviews I have coming up include a few Doctor Who books (starring John Hurt's Doctor and Peter Capaldi, and even Matt Smith), A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan, Storm Siren by Mary Weber, and a super special one that I'm not going to name. 

Anyway that's all I have for now. I will see you all soon! 

~Dawn

The Little Things Authors Do...

Author's are interesting people. They provide readers with an escape from our day to day lives, they give us a chance to see the world in a different light, and most of all they often do things that make us laugh or cry. For this last one I'm not only talking about the books they write, but the little things they add to it that I don't always see.

I recently received a book that had the most delightful note from it's author in the first few pages. This note made me start to think about the interesting and silly things author's do that I really enjoy seeing. Things like quirky acknowledgments, regular blog posts, a quick reply to a fan, and yes notes to their readers in their books. There are a good deal more of these things that I've noticed over the years and I always love seeing author's interact with their audience in creative ways.


Let me take a moment to say that I'm not discrediting traditional ways that author's interact with their audience, like speaking/signing events or even letters. I'm just pointing out other ways that I've noticed them reaching out.

My favorite thing I see authors do is when they go well out of their way to interact with their audience. For instance like when they set up times to answer questions online or when they take up space in their book to talk to the reader. I love hearing an author's thoughts on their book, seeing why they did something, and getting to look at a map or chart, but most of all I love hearing from them.

I've found author's to be as interesting as the books that they write. And so I love getting to see a little bit more of them than just their books. When an author is willing to put a silly bio at the back of their book, or they really try to stay in touch with their audience through their website or blog it tells me a lot about them. It makes me lean in closer and listen to what they have to say, and yes it also makes me even more eager to read whatever they are writing next.

All of this to say two things: the first is to say thank you to all the authors who write silly bios and have crazy blog posts. Thank you to all the authors who've thanked their readers in their acknowledgements and to all the authors brave enough to have question and answer sessions on their blogs. And thank you to all the authors who do so much more than I've even listed here. Secondly I wanted to point it out to readers and possible future authors. These are things to notice, and to do. These are interesting ways to connect with other readers.  And maybe, just maybe they are simply fun.

Keep your eyes open.

~Dawn

Playing With Matches Review

Playing With Matches

Suri Rosen

Rating (out of 5):5

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Release Date: September 9, 2014

Series: None

Series Volume:N/A

Profanity: None

Violence: None

Sexual Content: None

Age Recommendation:14+

Author Website: N/A






Summary:


When 16-year-old Raina Resnick is expelled from her Manhattan private school, she’s sent to live with her strict aunt — but Raina feels like she’s persona non grata no matter where she goes. Her sister, Leah, blames her for her broken engagement, and she’s a social pariah at her new school. In the tight-knit Jewish community, Raina finds she is good at one thing: matchmaking! As the anonymous “MatchMaven,” Raina sets up hopeless singles desperate to find the One. A cross between Jane Austen’s Emma, Dear Abby, and Yenta the matchmaker, Raina’s double life soon has her barely staying awake in class. Can she find the perfect match for her sister and get back on her good side, or will her tanking grades mean a second expulsion? In her debut novel, Suri Rosen creates a comic and heartwarming story of one girl trying to find happiness for others, and redemption for herself.

Review:

Playing with Matches is the story of Raina Resnick- matchmaker extraordinaire. After Raina is expelled from school in New York she is sent to Toronto to live with her Aunt. Instead of getting a new start nothing seems to go right for Raina, she's having trouble at school, she can't seem to make friends, and worst of all her best friend- and sister- blames her for ruining her engagement. Things finally start to look up when she manages to hook up her friend from the bus rout and the match turns out to be a hit. Raina is then swept into the world of matchmaking, finding out that she's actually pretty good at it.

I loved this book, from the beginning I was hooked by Raina's strong voice and the mystery of what happened to send her all the way from New York to Toronto. The story was light and fluffy mixed with bittersweet love lost and love found. Peppered through the book were hilarious scenes that had me rolling with laughter. Suri Rosen did an excellent job of balancing the tone between serious and fluffy.

Playing with Matches could have easily been a simple love story, but instead it covered a wide range of emotions and issues that young people face. I loved the way Suri Rosen covered issues like popularity in school, moving, sisterhood, and romance.

Raina isn't the only strong voice in this book. Throughout the book a large cast of colorful characters are introduced, some for a short while and others showed up constantly but each left an impression. I really liked the surprises of who many of the singles corresponding with Raina turned out to be. The book's conclusion was great, tying up the last of the questions I had and leaving me very satisfied.

Suri Rosen's Playing with Matches was a wonderful tale that will resonate well with teens and young women alike. I'd recommend it to anyone in need of a light story or a good light romantic read. 

Note: I received an electronic copy of this book from Netgalley for my fair and honest opinion as I have stated above.

~Dawn