The Ladybug Looks Back... October 2014

Here's a look back at what happened on my blog in October 2014:

I participated in Top Ten Tuesday 4 times:

Books For Readers Who Like Character Driven Novels
Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit
New Series I Want To Start
Characters Who I Would Totally Want To Be For Halloween

I participated in Booking Through Thursday 2 times:

Obscure
Scary

I shared the new books I got in New to the TBR Pile.  I got 16 new books this month.

I reviewed 10 books.  3 of those were novels; 1 was a short story collection; 1 was a short story; 5 were picture books.

Novels:

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Timebound by Rysa Walker DNF
All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

Short Story Collections:

Other Worlds edited by Jon Scieszka DNF

Short Stories:

Resurrection Bay by Neal Shusterman

Picture Books:

Journey by Aaron Becker
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch by Anne Isaacs & Kevin Hawkes
Up by Jim LaMarche
Thomas' Snowsuit by Robert Munsch & Michael Martchenko
Maybe: A Little Zen for Little Ones by Sanjay Nambiar

So that's what happened in October!
Join me next month when I look back on November!

Review - All the Truth That's in Me

All the Truth That's in Me
by Julie Berry
Date: 2013
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Reading level: YA
Book type: prose novel
Pages: 288
Format: e-book
Source: library

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book is quite different... but in a good way.  It's a well-written, engaging, heartbreaking story that kept me turning the pages until the very end.  Short and long chapters are combined in a way that adds backstory without contrived info-dumping from the characters, and the author manages to pack in quite a bit of story for a book that's less than 300 pages long.

Though I could never quite put my finger on a particular time or place for the setting, the book reads like historical fiction.  Roswell Station seems to me like a New England colony from a few hundred years ago, complete with unforgiving Christian mores.  However, the lack of Native Americans and the references to the homelanders (the enemies of the people of the area, who come from across the sea to steal land) make it difficult to determine the actual location.  No matter.  The author does a pretty good job of building the world and describing the setting with such beautiful detail that a reader might feel like they're actually there.

The characters are all fairly unique and developed well.  I liked some more than others.  I hated some, too (but I think I was supposed to).  Judith is an interesting narrator.  I spent much of the book wondering if she was telling us the whole truth, or if she was lying, or if she simply didn't remember all of the facts after her traumatic ordeal.  Some of her assumptions and conclusions are irksome, but they're probably meant to be a reflection of the society she lived in.  Her feelings for Lucas, a young man she's known almost her whole life, are conflicted and heartbreaking, but those emotions make her seem more real as a character.

At first, I thought the pacing was a little odd, as one of the more exciting scenes seemed to happen in the first quarter of the book.  But, after getting to the end, I can see how that pacing makes sense.  Those exciting parts near the beginning were needed to set up the rest of the story.

If I had any complaint, it would be that the book was just a little bit info-dumpy at the end, but by that time I was hankering for answers so much that I didn't really mind.  It turned out to be a satisfying and enjoyable read, and I'll probably be thinking about this book for quite a while!

Quotable moment:

We sit, watching the battle from afar, like poor children watching a party at a rich man's house across a pond. It has nothing to do with us, so we feast upon the spectacle. The sun sets, and the glorious sky purples off over the ocean that brought these ships on her bosom. The prize land toward the west that the homelanders dream of subduing is saffron gold. Fireflies wink around us, just like the incendiaries that burn red and snuff out.

Recommended to: fans of historical fiction and mysteries

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.29 out of 5 ladybugs

Booking Through Thursday (37)

Booking Through Thursday asks:

What’s the scariest book you’ve ever read?

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick.  Hands down.  I couldn't even finish it, I was so freaked out.  Those zombies and that whole situation scared the crap out of me.

As for books that I've actually finished... maybe something like John Marsden's Tomorrow, When the War Began series.  I find that premise far scarier than most "horror" books.

What's the scariest book you've ever read?  Tell me in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Characters Who I Would Totally Want To Be For Halloween

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top Ten Characters Who I Would Totally Want To Be For Halloween.  I always loved dressing up for Halloween.  Putting on the costume was one of the best parts of the whole night!  Well, that and pouring out the bag of candy so you could gaze at it in all its sugary glory...

I don't think I ever dressed up as a book character, which is too bad.  There are so many opportunities for great costumes inspired by the literary world:

Alice

(Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll) - Though you probably can't pull this look off without a wig unless you're a natural blond, Alice's trademark dress and pinafore would make a very cute costume.

Anne Shirley

(Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery) - Though she's not my favourite Montgomery heroine, she's probably the most recognizable, and would therefore make the best Halloween costume.

Blue Sargent

(The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater) - Blue's quirky style of dress would probably make a good costume, though it might only be recognizable to fans of the series.  Bonus points if you can get one of your male friends to dress up like one of the Aglionby boys.

Dorothy Gale

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum) - All you really need for this costume is a cute farm-girl dress and a pair of shiny shoes: red if you're paying tribute to the movie, silver if you're more of a purist.  Put your hair in two braids, grab a stuffed dog, and you're done!

Elena Gilbert

(The Awakening by L. J. Smith) - Easiest bookish costume ever!  Just wear regular clothes.  If you've got blond hair, say you're the Elena from the books; if you've got brown hair, say you're the Elena from the TV series.

Elizabeth Bennet

(Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen) - Actually, any of Jane Austen's heroines would be great inspiration for a costume.  Just pick the one you most resemble!  I love those Regency-era gowns, and I wouldn't mind having one.

Ida Maclaird

(The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw) - I'm sure there's something creative you could do with plastic wrap if you wanted to go trick-or-treating as glass-footed Ida!

Karou

(Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor) - This could actually be a fairly easy costume: a blue wig and a wishbone necklace would probably do it.  Unfortunately, to anyone who's not read the books, you might just look like you're ready to go to a strange nightclub.

Katniss Everdeen

(The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins) - This has been a popular costume in past years, and I can see why: it's not terribly complicated.  Braid your hair, carry a bow and a quiver of arrows, and try to get your hands on a mockingjay pin.  You're all set!

Sabriel

(Sabriel by Garth Nix) - This would be one awesome costume... if a bit labour-intensive.  Don't forget the all-important bells!

What bookish characters would you want to be for Halloween?

Review - Maybe: A Little Zen for Little Ones

Maybe: A Little Zen for Little Ones
by Sanjay Nambiar
Date: 2011
Publisher: Umiya Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Based on an ancient and beloved Zen fable, "Maybe (A Little Zen for Little Ones)" is about a wise girl who experiences a series of events that at first seem lucky (or unlucky) but then turn out to be quite the opposite. A bike disappears, but then she gets a new one. She hurts herself, but then she enjoys a nice day at home. For each incident, was what happened good luck? Maybe. Was it bad luck? Maybe. Or, perhaps the girl simply does not get caught up in the emotion of the moment, because she can never know what that event might lead to, good or bad...

"Maybe (A Little Zen for Little Ones)" won a Mom's Choice Awards Medal as one of the best children's books of 2011.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

What can I say about this one?  It was weak.  While I can appreciate wanting to retell an ancient fable, I just can't recommend this attempt.

The main problem is that, rather than simply retelling the tale, the author decided to use small children as the main characters.  I don't know about you, but I know of no young children who react to life's ups and downs in such a stoic and zen-like manner.  The main character's answer to everything is a simple, "Maybe."  Whether she's referring to having her bike stolen, getting a new bike from her parents, hurting her arm so that she can't go to school (inexplicably, her boo-boo doesn't stop her from doing yard work), or avoiding food poisoning, her response to her friends' remarks about being lucky or unlucky is always the same: "Maybe."  While this might work in a fable-like setting, it comes across as a bit disturbing in an era where so many children have developmental delays.  When I hear about a kid with a vocabulary of just one word, my first thought isn't, "My, how mature and zen-like she must be!"

I do understand the idea behind the fable, but I think that it would probably be lost on little kids.  And some of the scenarios are kind of irresponsible.  I don't think it's a great idea to teach kids that getting hurt is a good thing because they can use it to get out of school.  I don't think it's a good idea to teach your kids to laugh at their friends when they get sick from eating too much sugar (I thought this was a fable about zen... not schadenfreude).  I don't think it's fair to expect kids to be okay with having their bike stolen because, hey, mom and dad will just buy them a new one.  What if mom and dad can't afford a new bike?  Will the kid be shamed for being upset and not accepting the injustice like a zen master?

The illustrations were also some of the weirdest I've ever seen.  The backgrounds looked like watercolour paintings, and were somewhat decent.  But all of the characters looked like they'd been drawn with a cheap computer program and then plopped on top!  It gave the whole book a really bizarre look that I didn't like at all.

This was pretty much a waste of time.  Thankfully, it wasn't a waste of money, as I got it for free.  Don't bother with this one.

Quotable moment:

One day, her bicycle disappeared.

Her friends said,
"That's terrible luck! You had such a nice bike.
What a bummer!"

The thoughtful girl
took a moment,
and then responded,
"Maybe."

Recommended to: nobody

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 1/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 1.17 out of 5

Weekly Recap - October 19-25, 2014

Here's what I blogged about over the last seven days:

Monday - I reviewed Up by Jim LaMarche and gave it 4 ladybugs.

Tuesday - I participated in the Top Ten Tuesday meme.  This week's topic was new series we want to start.

I also posted a DNF review of Timebound by Rysa Walker.  I really wanted to like this book... but I just didn't.

Saturday - I shared the new books I got this week in New to the TBR Pile.  I only borrowed a couple of books from the library.

How was your week?

New to the TBR Pile (6)

From the library:

All the Truth That's in Me
by Julie Berry

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

Free as a Bird
by Gina McMurchy-Barber

Born with Down syndrome, Ruby Jean Sharp comes from a time when being a developmentally disabled person could mean growing up behind locked doors and barred windows and being called names like "retard" and "moron." When Ruby Jean's caregiver and loving grandmother dies, her mother takes her to Woodlands School in New Westminster, British Columbia, and rarely visits.

As Ruby Jean herself says: "Can't say why they called it a school -- a school's a place you go for learnin an then after you get to go home. I never learnt much bout ledders and numbers, an I sure never got to go home."

It's here in an institution that opened in 1878 and was originally called the Provincial Lunatic Asylum that Ruby Jean learns to survive isolation, boredom, and every kind of abuse. Just when she can hardly remember if she's ever been happy, she learns a lesson about patience and perseverance from an old crow.

What's new to your TBR pile this week?  Let me know in the comments!

Review - Timebound (DNF)

Timebound (The Chronos Files #1)
by Rysa Walker
Date: 2012
Publisher: Skyscape
Reading level: YA
Book type: prose novel
Pages: 366
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.

Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate’s genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him. Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.

Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I made it to 33%.  I think I gave it a fair shot.  But there are just so many problems with this novel that I can't push myself to go any further.

There are so many unanswered questions and confusing elements to the plot.  I guess that's to be expected when you're talking about time travel (since nobody really knows how it would actually work).  However, there are things that aren't even internally consistent or that are just plain odd.  The mechanics of the inheritance of the time-travel gene are fuzzy.  What makes Kate so special?  Why don't her parents have the same abilities as she does if they're also the offspring of two time-travellers?  If everyone in the future is genetically programmed to love their work, why did Kate's grandfather go all supervillain and aspire to found his own church/cult?  Why was he so dissatisfied with his lot in life if it was supposedly genetically predetermined?  And there were little, technical questions, too... like how Kate and Trey got in and out of Trey's car when they were supposedly holding hands the whole time to keep him from disappearing into another timeline.  There was no mention of the necessary acrobatics, so I was just confused.

I have so many questions, and it's because the book is full of infodumps.  There was one at about 1/5 of the way through that lasted for more than 20 pages.  When I stopped at the 1/3 mark, I was in the midst of another.  Obviously, the story the author wanted to tell was too ambitious, or it was started in the wrong place.  But I'm tired of reading about Kate and her grandmother passing all this information back and forth at the expense of any sort of action in the story.

The other problem I had was with the characters.  They're all so similar as to be indistinguishable from one another.  I liken it to a child playing with paper dolls and making them talk to each other: they're all flat, and they all sound the same (and quite juvenile, at that).  All of the adults are pretty horrible.  Kate's grandmother sees nothing wrong with abrogating free will.  Her mother (what we saw of her) was just a snarly, surly woman.  Her father might have been okay, but then he basically implied that he'd prefer that his daughter cease to exist rather than his sons (it's a timeline thing... I won't try to explain it).  And then we have the love interest.  He was pretty much a Gary Stu, and just as boring as the rest of them.  Oh, and he kissed Kate on the first day they met.  Okay, so she was also kissed by a hot time-traveller (that she didn't even know) on that same day, so I guess Kate is just one of those Mary Sues that male characters just instantly fall in love with and have to kiss.

I'd really hoped for a good story, though I was a little wary of the time-travel aspect since it can be confusing if not done right.  But this book has bigger problems than the plausibility of time travel.  Flat characters and way too much infodumping made even that first 33% a tedious read.

So, in the final analysis, the reasons why I didn't finish Timebound are as follows:

• too much infodumping
• flat, boring characters
• insta-love
• reading to 33% was exhausting enough

Top Ten Tuesday - Top New Series I Want To Start

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Top New Series I Want To Start.  I'm going to fudge a little and include some not-so-new series.  After all, if I haven't started them, they're new to me:

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (first book: Awaken) - I remember seeing this cover on a lot of book blogs a while back.  I never did start the series then... but I hope to soon.

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien (first book: Bookmarked) - I almost picked up this series a while back, but never did.  The premise still intrigues me.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (first book: Delirium) - I really enjoyed the other two books I've read by this author, so I'm curious about this series.

The Grisha by Leigh Bardugo (first book: Shadow and Bone) - I kept getting this book mixed up with Daughter of Smoke & Bone before I read the latter.  I keep hearing good things about this series (especially the third book), so I might have to check it out.

Hidden Sea Tales by A. M. Dellamonica (first book: Child of a Hidden Sea) - I saw this book reviewed on someone's blog, and I thought it looked really interesting.  And then I found it at the library when I wasn't even looking for it.  Maybe it's a sign that I should read this one!

Loop by Karen Akins (first book: Loop) - I'd never heard of this one, really, but it seems like it would fit in nicely with all the time-travel novels I've been drawn to lately.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (first book: Throne of Glass) - It seems that everybody's been raving over these books lately (especially with the release of the third one).  I'm late to the party... but aren't I always?

Time by Jack Finney (first book: Time and Again) - I recently acquired this one, and it looks really interesting!  It's definitely not "new"; in fact, the first book is older than I am!

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (first book: Uglies) - I've heard this is a good series.  The first book is in my TBR pile; I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman (first book: Unwind) - My only experience with this author is a creepy (but good) short story of his that I read recently.  This series looks kind of disturbing... but it also looks pretty good!

What series do you want to start?

Review - Up

Up
by Jim LaMarche
Date: 2006
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Daniel was tired of being little. Mouse! They'd been calling him that since he was born. He hadn't used to mind it, even liked it once, but not anymore. He poked at some crackers on the table. "Someday I'll be so strong," he mumbled. "Someday..." And then it happened. Something so strange, Daniel wasn't sure he could believe his eyes. One little cracker trembled for a second, then lifted up off the table. Not much. Not even an inch. Then, just as suddenly, it dropped right back down. Daniel blinked. Had that really happened? How? Had he done it?

Up is the story of an ordinary boy with an extraordinary talent, a talent no one knows about but him. Can Mouse really lift things off the ground? Or is it enough that he believes he can? Once again Jim LaMarche has mixed the magical with the everyday to create a book that stretches our imaginations and our dreams.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This little picture book actually has quite a bit of story, even though it only has 32 pages.  While the basic premise did remind me a little bit of Roald Dahl's Matilda, the characters and tone of the story were completely different.

What really makes this book shine, though, are its illustrations.  The watercolour and pencil drawings are downright magical, and really help create the seaside setting.  While some of the pictures are better than others, the close-up illustrations of Daniel are downright adorable.

This story about magic and finding your own strengths would be a nice addition to any picture book collection.

Quotable moment:

Every day, like a weightlifter, he got a bit stronger. But though he could lift heavier things, he could never lift them high. Nor could he move them left or right. Never back and forth, just up, and that, not much.

Recommended to: children who might be a bit young for Matilda, but who would still enjoy reading about kids with special powers

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Weekly Recap - October 12-18, 2014

Here's what I blogged about over the last seven days:

Monday - I reviewed Thomas' Snowsuit by Robert Munsch & Michael Martchenko and gave it 2.5 ladybugs.

I also reviewed Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver and gave it 4.43 ladybugs.

Tuesday - I participated in the Top Ten Tuesday meme.  This week's topic was places books have made us want to visit.

Wednesday - I posted a DNF review for Other Worlds, a collection of short stories edited by Jon Scieszka.

Review - Other Worlds (DNF)

Other Worlds (Guys Read Library of Great Reading #4)
edited by Jon Scieszka
Date: 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Reading level: MG
Book type: short stories
Pages: 355
Format: e-book
Source: library

Ten incredible trips into the unknown await you...

Blast off with:

• ‘Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo’, an all-new and exclusive tale from Rick Riordan, author of House of Hades

• ‘A Day in the Life’ by award-winning author/illustrator Shaun Tan

• ‘Rise of the RoboShoes’ by Tom Angleberger of Origami Yoda fame

And many more weird and wonderful stories by legendary writer Ray Bradbury, Newbery medalist Rebecca Stead, Shannon Hale, D. J. MacHale, Eric Nylund, Kenneth Oppel and Neal Shusterman.

Compiled by US National Ambassador for Children’s Literature (and Secret Ambassador for the Intergalactic Alliance) Jon Scieszka, Other Worlds will boldly take you where no reader has gone before.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

In theory, this series of books sounds great.  Collections of short stories that will appeal to tween boys and encourage them to read?  What's not to like?  Unfortunately, quite a bit.  The main problem with collections like this is story choice.  While it's important to have a good variety, choosing stories that are too far out of the chosen genre or targeted age group is just asking for trouble.

I got through the first two stories in this book, and then was so worn out and disgusted that I couldn't bring myself to read most of the rest; the only reason I read "Rise of the RoboShoes" and "A Day in the Life" was because they were short.  All I could think about after reading that second story was that second story.  And it made me angry.  Really angry.

"Bouncing the Grinning Goat" is the story of the eldest daughter in a family of sixteen children who is tired of being an unpaid babysitter to a woman who apparently can't keep her legs closed.  So she steals her older brother's armor and goes off in search of an adventure.  I had no problem with all of that.  What I did have a problem with was the ending and the underlying message... especially since this was included in a book aimed at boys.  Basically, her older brother tracks her down and lays a guilt trip on her.  Her mother misses her.  Her mother cried.  Oh, that makes everything okay!  The girl returns happily to wipe her siblings' butts and noses until, presumably, she can make some poopy-butted, runny-nosed kids of her own.  The message I took away was that it's okay for a girl to have an adventure... as long as she goes home to be a domestic drudge for a bunch of men when she's done.  No.  No!  I wouldn't want young girls exposed to that message, and I don't want young boys exposed to it, either.  All it does is perpetuate gender stereotypes and shame women for wanting to be independent.

The inexplicable inclusion of such a story in a book aimed at boys soured me on the whole thing and made me question the suitability of the rest of the stories.  I just didn't feel like investing any time in the longer stories after that.  For what it's worth, here are my mini reviews on what I did read:

"Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo" by Rick Riordan - I'm not familiar with Percy Jackson, never having read any of the books about him (or seen the movie, for that matter).  But I still enjoyed this story.  The writing and characters were obviously aimed at a younger audience, but the story was entertaining and funny, and I can see why the series of books has such a following.


"Bouncing the Grinning Goat" by Shannon Hale - I've never read any books by Shannon Hale, and if the sexist tone of this story is anything to go by, I probably won't in the future.  Here we have a girl who's tired of looking after her nine younger siblings, so she takes off to find adventure and her own special powers... only to be guilted back into a life of domestic drudgery by her older brother.  Nice.


"Rise of the RoboShoes" by Tom Angleberger - What a waste of time this one was!  It could have been a thought-provoking story.  Instead, it was played for cheap laughs with underwear jokes and badly Photoshopped pictures.


"A Day in the Life" by Shaun Tan - This fully illustrated story was interesting, though a bit light on plot, and I'm not sure it's really suited to middle graders; they might find it boring.  Some of the events of the man's day are pretty amusing... and all of it is definitely imaginative.  This short story was enough to pique my curiosity about the author.


So, in the final analysis, the reasons why I didn't finish Other Worlds are as follows:

• I just wasn't feeling it
• the stupid second story made me spitting mad
• poor selection of stories
• the library wanted it back

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit.  We can pick real or imaginary places, but since I did a similar meme with imaginary places already, I thought I'd pick real places.  A few of these books feature historical versions of these places; I'd like to visit those, too, but until someone invents a time machine, I'll have to make do with the present-day versions:

France

(Odette's Secrets by Maryann Macdonald) - I'd love to see Paris, but I'd also like to visit some of the smaller villages in the French countryside.  In this particular case, I don't think I'd want to see the historical version.  Too many Nazis...

Italy

(The Awakening by L. J. Smith; New Moon by Stephenie Meyer) - What is it with vampires and Italy?  But I digress.  I would love to visit some of the old villages and the beautiful ancient cities in this lovely country.  But let's be honest... I'd probably eat my way through the trip.  I love Italian food.

London, U.K.

(Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding; Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling; Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury) - I'd probably want to visit London even if I hadn't read about it in any novels.  I have lots of ancestors who made their home there in the past; I'd like to see where they lived.

New York City, U.S.A.

(The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon; Beastly by Alex Flinn; Heat Rises by Richard Castle; Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston) - One day I'd like to visit this city.  I'd like to see Central Park and the Empire State Building, and maybe take a trip to see the Statue of Liberty up close.

Oxford, U.K.

(A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness) - For a book that I couldn't even get through, it did make an impression on me.  Oxford was described quite well.  Now I want to go there and see it for myself!

Prague, Czech Republic

(Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor) - I'd like to see pretty much any part of Europe, but Prague looks especially intriguing with its history and architecture.  I'm kind of curious about goulash, too, after reading that book.  I wonder if anyone makes a vegan version...

Prince Edward Island, Canada

(Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery; Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery) - I think a lot of people who read Anne of Green Gables ended up wanting to see the province where the story was set.  Though I do live in Canada, I'm at the wrong end of the country to make visiting this place easy!

Saint Petersburg, Russia

(The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller) - This city has always fascinated me more than Moscow.  If I were to take a trip to Russia, I'd definitely want to see Saint Petersburg.  I find the old, opulent buildings especially intriguing.

Scotland, U.K.

(The Daykeeper's Grimoire by Christy Raedeke; The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth) - Both of those books feature Scottish castles, but that's not a requirement.  I'm half Scottish, so I'd just love to see where my ancestors came from.  (Yes... I really should read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series one of these days!)

Southern California, U.S.A.

(The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson; Evermore by Alyson Noël) - Though I'm Canadian born and raised, I did spend a couple of years in Southern California as a child.  These books brought up more nostalgia than anything, and made me want to revisit the places I'd been before.  The inclusion of the Spanish missions in the former and the spur-of-the-moment trips to Disneyland in the latter really brought back some memories!

What places have books made you want to visit?

Review - Liesl & Po

Liesl & Po
by Lauren Oliver
illustrated by Kei Acedera
Date: 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: MG
Book type: illustrated prose novel
Pages: 336
Format: e-book
Source: library

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately, so I wanted to read something fun.  I read Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall a few years ago, and really enjoyed it; the story and message were great, and the writing was solid.  I've been wanting to read something else by the author for ages, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to start another trilogy.  So when I saw Liesl & Po, a stand-alone title, at the library, I thought I'd give it a try.

This is a very cute book.  Though it's technically a middle-grade title, it has a timeless sort of quality to it, reminiscent of some classic children's books, that makes it seem like it would appeal to a much broader age range.  It appears to take place in a setting that's somewhat similar to Victorian Europe, which did make references to getting "wires crossed" and airplanes a bit jarring... but it's technically a fantasy world, so who knows?

The villains (and there are a few) seem like they'd be right at home in a Dickens novel.  The protagonists are Liesl, a lonely little girl who has been shut up in an attic by her stepmother, and Will, an orphan who is the apprentice to an alchemist.  Despite what the title might lead one to believe, the story is really about Liesl and Will (though Po does play an important role).

I have very few complaints about this book.  For what it is, it's very good.  I do, however, wish we'd gotten to know more about the ghosts: Po (who is neither a boy nor a girl, but perhaps both) and Bundle (Po's pet, who is neither a dog nor a cat, but perhaps both).  I loved those two characters, and the descriptions of the Other Side were so imaginative and interesting that I really wanted to know more about those two and how they ended up where they did.  I'm sure there is an equally good story there, just waiting to be told.

And I have to mention the illustrations.  They are absolutely adorable.  One of the first drawings was of Will in his oversized overcoat and crazy hair, and I had a hard time not saying, "Aww!" out loud.  The illustrator really captured the flavour of the story, and the pictures only enhanced the text.

I'm really glad I finally got a chance to read this book.  It was delightful and charming and now I feel like I want to go and have a mug of hot chocolate to keep the warm fuzzies going.  I highly recommend this one!

Quotable moment:

Liesl was relieved. "I'll draw you a train," she said passionately. She loved trains—the sound of them, at least. She heard their great horns blasting and the rattle of their wheels on the track and listened to them wailing farther and farther away, like birds calling to one another in the distance, and sometimes she confused the two sounds and imagined the train had wings that might carry its passengers up into the sky.

Recommended to: readers who enjoy well-written stories with a touch of magic

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.43 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Thomas' Snowsuit

Thomas' Snowsuit
by Robert Munsch
illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Date: 1985
Publisher: Annick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: library

Willful, young Thomas refuses to wear his new snowsuit, despite the pleas of his mother, his teacher and even his principal. When everyone's best efforts lead only to comedic chaos, they all agree it's best to let Thomas suit himself. This is marvelous mischief from Munsch and Martchenko.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm a fan of Robert Munsch's books, and I have been since I was little.  I giggled through The Paper Bag Princess, sang along with Mortimer, and even had a French edition of Murmel, Murmel, Murmel (which, apparently, does not translate very well).  I can't recall reading Thomas' Snowsuit back then.  If I had, I'm not sure what sort of reaction I would have had... but as an adult reading it in 2014, I'm not that impressed.  In fact, it left me a little uneasy.

The premise of a willful child is fine... but I was a little weirded out by all the struggles which left the teacher and Thomas in their underwear... and then the teacher and the principal in each other's clothes, and Thomas still in his underwear.  There seems to be something slightly inappropriate about it all, and though the illustrations are cute and funny, they're not enough to overcome the idea of these oddly physical struggles with an underwear-clad kindergartener.

Quotable moment:

So the principal picked up Thomas in one hand and he picked up the teacher in the other hand, and he tried to get them back into their clothes. When he was done, the principal was wearing the teacher's dress, the teacher was wearing the principal's suit, and Thomas was still in his underwear.

Recommended to: hard-core Robert Munsch fans... though many of his other books are better

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.5 out of 5

Weekly Recap - October 5-11, 2014

Here's what I blogged about over the last seven days:

Monday - I reviewed Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch by Anne Isaacs & Kevin Hawkes and gave it 3.83 ladybugs.

Tuesday - I participated in the Top Ten Tuesday meme.  This week's topic was character-driven novels.

Wednesday - I reviewed Resurrection Bay by Neil Shusterman and gave it 4 ladybugs.

Thursday - I participated in Booking Through Thursday.  This week we talked about reading in uncommon genres.

Saturday - I shared the books I got this week in New to the TBR Pile.

New to the TBR Pile (5)

From the library:

Resurrection Bay
by Neal Shusterman

Bones. They know the call of the ice.

Anika knows the call of the ice, too. Living in an isolated port town in Alaska with her father and younger brother, Anika is practically steps away from the Harding Icefield, and Exit Glacier has always been her favorite place.But after a couple tragically dies there, Exit Glacier seems to come alive and begins moving toward the town with unnatural speed. Anika feels deep in her bones that the ice wants something...

After the glacier finally stops in the town's cemetery, Anika and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Rav, face a sinister truth: The soul of the glacier is looking for bodies to inhabit... and where better to find them than the graveyard?

This fast-paced, eerie short story is a deft blend of suspense and horror that will leave readers breathless... and chilled to the bone.

Up
by Jim LaMarche

Daniel was tired of being little. Mouse! They'd been calling him that since he was born. He hadn't used to mind it, even liked it once, but not anymore. He poked at some crackers on the table. "Someday I'll be so strong," he mumbled. "Someday..." And then it happened. Something so strange, Daniel wasn't sure he could believe his eyes. One little cracker trembled for a second, then lifted up off the table. Not much. Not even an inch. Then, just as suddenly, it dropped right back down. Daniel blinked. Had that really happened? How? Had he done it?

Up is the story of an ordinary boy with an extraordinary talent, a talent no one knows about but him. Can Mouse really lift things off the ground? Or is it enough that he believes he can? Once again Jim LaMarche has mixed the magical with the everyday to create a book that stretches our imaginations and our dreams.

Freebie from Amazon.ca:

Dying to Forget (The Station #1)
by Trish Marie Dawson

Piper Willow dies the summer after her high school graduation but she doesn’t make it to Heaven or Hell…instead she finds herself in a spiritual terminal called the Station. She’s given only two choices: Return to Earth as the subconscious for a person in need of some outside assistance, or move on and spend an eternity lost in her own sorrow and pain.

Does Piper have what it takes to save a life - to be the nagging voice inside someone else’s head - or will she fail and end up lost and tormented in limbo... forever?

Mark of the Mage (Scribes of Medeisia #1)
by R. K. Ryals

Books never die, but they can be forbidden.

Medeisia is a country in turmoil ruled by a blood thirsty king who has outlawed the use of magic and anything pertaining to knowledge. Magery and scribery are forbidden. All who practice are marked with a tattoo branded onto their wrists, their futures precarious.

Sixteen year-old Drastona Consta-Mayria lives secluded, spending her spare time in the Archives of her father's manor surrounded by scribes. She wants nothing more than to become one of them, but when the scribes are royally disbanded, she is thrust into a harsh world where the marked must survive or die.

Maybe: A Little Zen for Little Ones
by Sanjay Nambiar

Based on an ancient and beloved Zen fable, this picture book tells the story of a wise girl who experiences a series of events that at first seem lucky—or unlucky—but then turn out to be quite the opposite. A bike disappears, but then she gets a new one; she hurts herself, but then enjoys a nice day at home. For each incident, what happened may have been based on luck—or perhaps the girl simply does not get caught up in the emotion of the moment, understanding she can never know what an event might lead to. The beautiful themes and messages of this unique story are made accessible and relevant here to today’s children.

Bought from Amazon.ca:

Crank (Crank #1)
by Ellen Hopkins

In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank.

The Dark Is Rising (The Dark Is Rising #2)
by Susan Cooper

"When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back, Three from the circle, three from the track; Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone; Five will return, and one go alone." Will Stanton turns 11 and learns from Merriman Lyon, the Lady, and Circle of Old Ones, that he must find six Sign symbols and battle the Black Rider, blizzard and flood.

Kindred
by Octavia E. Butler

Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. Rufus, the white son of a plantation owner, is drowning, and Dana has been summoned to save him. Dana is drawn back repeatedly through time to the slave quarters, and each time the stay grows longer, more arduous, and more dangerous until it is uncertain whether or not Dana's life will end, long before it has a chance to begin.

Stained
by Cheryl Rainfield

An intensely powerful account of a teen, bullied for her port-wine stain, who must summon her personal strength to survive abduction and horrific abuse at the hands of a deranged killer.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she's been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she's abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It's that--or succumb to a killer.

Time and Again (Time #1)
by Jack Finney

Science fiction, mystery, a passionate love story, and a detailed history of Old New York blend together in Jack Finney's spellbinding story of a young man enlisted in a secret Government experiment. Transported from the mid-twentieth century to New York City in the year 1882, Si Morley walks the fashionable "Ladies' Mile" of Broadway, is enchanted by the jingling sleigh bells in Central Park, and solves a 20th-century mystery by discovering its 19th-century roots. Falling in love with a beautiful young woman, he ultimately finds himself forced to choose between his lives in the present and the past.

A story that will remain in the listener's memory, Time and Again is a remarkable blending of the troubled present and a nostalgic past, made vivid and extraordinarily moving by the images of a time that was... and perhaps still is.

What's new to your TBR pile this week?  Let me know in the comments!