I’m not a fan of horror, but the first time I read Frankenstein, it left me, well, horrified, but in pleasant sort of way. It was such a tragedy. I felt such sympathy and revulsion for both Victor and his monster. I was astonished at the monster’s feelings. Who would ever consider his point of […]
Things That Go Bump in the Night (3:15 Season One), by Patrick Carman, 2011, Book Review
I won this book last year from Erik, over at Thiskidreviewsbooks.com. (Thanks, Erik!) Since Halloween had just passed, my son and I waited to read it till the season rolled around again this year. We’re only about halfway through, but I thought this would be a great time to post a review. Because the book […]
Such Wicked Intent (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, book two), by Kenneth Oppel, 2012
I loved the occult-free scariness of book one. It left me with the same nicely unsettled feeling as the classic novel, Frankenstein, for which this series serves as a prequel. But in book two, after the Elixir of Life fails to save his brother, Victor burns all his books of alchemy and turns his focus […]
Summer of the Gypsy Moths, by Sara Pennypacker, 2012
If you’re looking for a sweet story, you probably wouldn’t consider one in which two twelve-year-old girls bury an old lady in the garden and lie about her death so they don’t have to be shipped off into foster care. But that’s just what Stella and Angel do, and sweet is just the word I’d […]
Lessons From the Couch
I’ve been in recuperation mode for eighteen days now. I think I could have squeaked in my goal of a three week recovery time (a week less than the doc’s minimum–I’m so stubborn, aren’t I?) if I hadn’t sneezed. Yes, I pulled a not-quite-healed stomach muscle and I’ve been back to hobbling this week after […]
This Dark Endeavor (The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, book one), by Kenneth Oppel, 2011, Book Review
Have you ever read Frankenstein? There have been so many film adaptations that Frankenstein has become part of American pop culture, but the original book is actually considered classic literature. Written by Mary Shelley, the wife of well-known Romantic poet Percy Shelley, it was originally published in 1818 and has been popular with readers ever […]
Michaela’s Gift, by Cordelia Dinsmore, 2012, Book Review
This is a book I was given in exchange for a review. It’s a cute story about a twelve-year-old girl who is on the brink of inheriting a magical ability. But more important than magic, it’s about discovering oneself and about love and family. Michaela is so excited to be visiting the mountain where Granny […]
Crossed (Matched, book two), by Ally Condie, 2011, Book Review
This is a continuation of the story of Cassia and the two men she loves. She is leaving behind Xander, perfect Xander who is destined for greatness within the Society, Xander, to whom she is Matched, and looking for Ky, the Aberation who has been sent to die in the Outer Provinces, the man who […]
Winterling, by Sarah Prineas, 2012, Book Review
My blog’s been a little shy on sweetness lately, but this book fits the bill nicely. It was a wonderful surprise. First, I have to comment on how gorgeous the cover art is. I made it really big because I love it. Not only did it draw me to the story, it reflects it perfectly. […]
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1911, Book Review
This is an oldie but goodie. Within, young Mary Lennox has been raised in India, but her socialite parents had little to do with her. When they die in a cholera epidemic, she’s sent to live with her uncle in England. Unfortunately, Mary has become a sickly, ugly, and a nasty little tyrant. And misfortune […]