Top Ten Tuesday

This week we're talking about  Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun. That's right up my alley. I love happy books that make me smile! I'm cheating here because I'm using authors.  I could never pick ten books, but these authors are my go-to ones that I always read and recommend all the time at the library!  I just read How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True (I Loved it! Review coming soon) over the weekend because I needed something happy. I could recommend at least a dozen others...

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish

Meg Cabot
Jen Calonita
Tera Lynn Childs
Catherine Clark
Susane Colasanti
Sarah Dessen
Elizabeth Eulberg
Rachel Hawthorne
Joanne Philbin
Jennifer E. Smith

Tween Tuesday Review: Mountain Dog

 * This book comes out in August*

Tony's mom has gone to jail, forcing him to stay with family he's never known - a great-uncle. Tony's not sure what to think, but he didn't like his previous life. He still has nightmares.

On the mountain, he learns that not all dogs are bad. Gabe, his uncle's rescue dog, is nothing compared to the mean pitt-bulls his mother used to make fight. Gabe loves to work-play. He loves learning new tricks, being in the wilderness, and most of all, he's curious about Tony.

Tony starts to feel a purpose and to think of his future. He begins to blossom - getting involved at school, writing a blog, and helping to train the other rescue dogs. 

My Thoughts: The free verse makes this book a fast read and also allows for vivid imagination of the setting. I love the alternative perspectives from Tony and Gabe. I love Gabe's view of Tony and how Tony changes over their time together. I love how Tony's scared and unsure of himself, but little by little he begins to blossom and find his place in this new chapter of his life. I love the fact that he writes a blog - about Gabe and about rescuing animals. I found the rescue parts fascinating! A fantastic book for tweens who love animals!

Cover Thoughts: I love the idea, but I would have liked to see a photograph
Source: from the publisher

Skyping with Gordon Korman

Last Friday, we got to Skype with Gordon Korman. It was an awesome finale to our Lunch Bunch program with 5th graders at the Norwich Public Schools. We spent thirty minutes asking questions:

How did he become a writer?

Does he have kids?

Are they readers?

If he wasn't a writer, what does he think he'd be doing?

How he got his inspiration/ideas?

and dozens of others.

He was great - lots of fun, lots of information, and lots of laughter. The kids (plus the librarians) had a great time hanging out with him! We were lucky to have a technology grant that allowed us this amazing opportunity! 

Review: Deviant

 * this book comes out in June*

Abigail's life hasn't been easy since her foster mother died when she was nine. She's been in and out of homes in Glasgow since then. One night, a worker tells her, her birth mother died leaving her a letter and personal effects.

The letter reveals the name and location of her father and sister. He's expecting her on a plane; Abigail jumps at the chance to leave Scotland and escape her life.

She arrives in California and meets her family. Abigail wants to blend into her family, but she soon realizes that something's not right at the Johnstone house. The more time Abigail spends with Becky, the more she begins to wonder what's really going on. Could there be something sinister underneath everyone's perfect smiles?

My Thoughts: Even though it took me a little while to get into this book and it's something I probably wouldn't have picked up on my own, I ended up really liking it. It appears to be the first book in a series as the ending left me hanging. I felt horrible for Abigail - she grew up fast in Scotland and had a horrible life. When some answers finally come her way, she can't enjoy the moment. I liked uncovering the family history and what happened to her parents. I liked the interaction between her and Becky; it was strange and yet emotional. The horrors of family and people run deep in this book, but I like Abigail's courage to fight. She's a strong character with steady morals. I look forward to reading the next book.

Cover Thoughts: Good
Source: Reviewed for VOYA

Blog Tour: Topped Chef

 * Book 3 in the Key West Food Critic series*

Hayley Snow just gave her first bad review for a restaurant. It killed her, but after eating there three times, she couldn't justify a positive review for Key Zest magazine. On the day it's printed, she gets called into the office as the owner of the restaurant's complaining about it.  She overhears the conversation between him and her boss - it's not pleasant.

Afterwards, her boss gives her another assignment. She's to represent the magazine as a judge for a reality TV show featuring chefs from Key West. One of the judges is none other than the restaurant owner she just reviewed.

When he ends up murdered, Hayley doesn't believe the show should continue. The producers disagree as the winner of Topped Chef could become the next cooking TV star. As the show proceeds, Hayley wonders if one of the contestants wants to eliminate the competition or if Sam's business practices and politics on the island made him a target. Could someone be targeting the judges?

My Thoughts: I'm a big fan of this series - I love the setting and all the talk about food. It makes me want to get into the kitchen and whip up something delicious. I loved the idea for this book - where a murder happens on a reality TV show setting. It was amusing to see the behind the scenes of TV series - the work that it takes, the encouraged drama, and people it draws. I loved Hayley and how she struggles making decisions, but has a team of great friends for support, including her tarot card reader Lorenzo. I like how she struggled over her critical review. I like that in this book, we learned more about some characters: her ex-boyfriend's secretary and her new house boat mate. I love the romance frustrations and the possibility of romance. All in all, Topped Chef is a  fabulous addition to this charming series!

Cover Thoughts: Perfect
Source: Sent for review for blog tour

I got to meet Lucy when her last book came out and she went to RJ Julia's. I wrote up a post about it. She'll be there next week and I wish I could attend, but I have a program at the library that night. If you're in the area and you like cozy mysteries and/or books about food - go check it out. It's sure to amazing.

Prizes:

To enter:

1. Fill in the form here.

2. There is no requirement to follow any of the blogs participating, but we hope you will support these amazing blogs by following them. They do a great job, many of whom host for us every month.

3. Giveaway ends on May 15, 2013 at midnight and the winners will be contacted via email.

Mini Review: Garfield Sings for his Supper

Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow. So here's my mini review of the comic book series that I consistently read. My husband's a huge Garfield fan. I bring home the new books and we read them together.

The Good: Garfield's always funny - talking about sleep, food, TV, Jon's boring life, and picking on Odie. Several made me chuckle. You can't go wrong with the Garfield comics; they're really popular at my library. He's funny and timeless.

The  Bad: There's nothing really bad when it comes to Garfield. In this book, there were no Christmas comics, which disappointed me.

Review: Let the Sky Fall

Vane's had a tragic life - one no normal child should ever have survived. He can't remember anything about the tornado that claimed his parents' lives and almost killed him.

He's been able to move on, mostly. He has a new family, friends, and even a potential girlfriend. Except, there's one mystery girl he can't stop thinking about. Vane doesn't know if she's real, but she's wrapped up in his past.

He's dumbfounded when she sneaks into his bedroom at night. At first, he's overjoyed, but then confused as she starts talking. She tells him she's not human, and neither is he. Instead, they're sylphs, beings who can control the wind.

Audra accidentally sent their location into the winds. Now their enemies are coming for them. She's hoping to stall them, but she needs Vane to start training. She needs to show him just how much power he has and she desperately hopes to unlock his past. Buried deep in his past might be the only change for their survive, if she can help him unlock it, they might stand a chance.

My Thoughts: I loved this start to a new series for the forbidden romance, the danger, and the slow reveal of what happened in the past to these two families. I liked Vane's snark and sarcasm - he lightening the mood at times.  I like how Audra sends the wind to keep Vane from kissing the wrong girl - setting everything in motion. My heart broke for her -her guilt over her past. I hated her mother! I really liked the concept of controlling the wind. I found in unique and intriguing. Despite the size, I tore through this book, not wanting to put it down and I'm eager for more in the story.

Cover Thoughts: Great
Source: My Library