Monthly Archives: February 2021

February 22, 2021 · 2:01 pm

Bone Music by Christopher Rice

Bone Music by Christopher Rice

Bone Music is an extremely action-packed thriller. There’s a good amount of downtime vs. action and it is paced very well. The writing is excellent. The voices of the different characters are very distinct. The premise is extremely unbelievable and yet the author made it rather believable. It’s the first in a series, but the wrap-up is satisfactory enough that I don’t feel any pressing need to continue with the series. I recommend it to adults who enjoy thrillers.

4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2021: 8
Pages Read in 2021: 2669

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Filed under Reason: LitHub Bingo, Thriller

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February 16, 2021 · 9:31 pm

Olivia, Mourning by Yael Politis

Olivia, Mourning by Yael Politis

Olivia, Mourning is set in the 1840s and addresses racism and race relations in the North, gender roles, and rape. It’s got some intense and surprising parts. It took a little bit for me to really get into it, but once I did, I was totally absorbed and looked forward to the next time I’d be able to sit and read. Sometimes the dialogue would become a little bit circular and tedious and the ending was a bit too much of a cliffhanger for my liking (I’ve already bought the second book in the series, but I don’t feel a pressing need to start it right away). I recommend this book to adults who enjoy historical fiction.

4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2021: 7
Pages Read in 2021: 2214

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Filed under Historical Fiction, Reason: LitHub Bingo

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February 13, 2021 · 4:49 pm

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The Goblin Emperor is a sweet story of an ignored young mixed race (elvish and goblin) son suddenly becoming emperor due to the death of his father and all of his brothers. Because he was basically banished all his life, he must learn how to live at court and be a leader. Many aren’t thrilled with him being emperor and so he must also learn what it means to have friends and how to carve out his own path even if it’s different from his father’s. It’s a very enjoyable book with one huge exception. There are many, many characters and so many of the names are practically the same. Sometimes I had no idea what was going on because I couldn’t recall which characters it was talking about were which. The author created a very intricate language for referring to elves, goblins, and places. It’s actually impressive how intricate, but for a single book, it was quite annoying. Pronunciations were impossible in many cases and would pull me out of the story so I quit even trying to pronounce them as I read. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2021: 6
Pages Read in 2021: 1755

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Filed under Fantasy, Reason: LitHub Bingo

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February 9, 2021 · 10:38 am

Growing Pains by Amanda Hill, M.Ed.

Growing Pains by Amanda Hill, M.Ed.

Covering every year from 4 to 10, Growing Pains is a quick read on basic child development and stages. There are lots of tips for how to handle various situations that are often encountered each of those age years both in the moment and if you wait until later on to address it. The ideas in the book skew heavily to gentle discipline and positive, respectful parenting. It’s written as if you are just having a conversation with the author. It’s got a healthy dose of commiseration as well as her admitting she’s definitely not a perfect parent to her own children and sometimes needs to calm down and back up, too. There are lots of “real life” examples included. While it’s certainly not comprehensive and doesn’t cover everything you’ll encounter raising your children, many of the ideas can be adjusted to fit other situations and it definitely lets you know you are not alone wondering what in the world your kids were thinking. I highly recommend it to parents, particular those who lean toward gentle/positive parenting.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2021: 5
Pages Read in 2021: 1308

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Filed under Reason: Vine Review, Self-Help/Motivation

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February 7, 2021 · 9:18 pm

Addy: A Heart Full of Hope by Connie Porter

Addy: A Heart Full of Hope

The second Addy (American Girl of 1864) book, A Heart Full of Hope, follows Addy’s family as they make their way as a free people in Philadelphia and search for Esther, Aunt Lula, and Uncle Solomon. It’s very well-written historical fiction and quite engaging. It ends with a few pages of facts about Addy’s world. I highly recommend this book to all young people.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2021: 4
Pages Read in 2021: 1148
(Read aloud to 12 and 14 year old boys)

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Filed under Historical Fiction, Middle Grades, Reason: Bedtime Story for the Boys, Reason: Vine Review

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February 1, 2021 · 9:32 pm

Addy: Finding Freedom by Connie Porter

Addy: Finding Freedom by Connie Porter

Addy is the American Girl from 1864. Not knowing how long it will be until the end of the Civil War, Addy and her mother escape to freedom in Philadelphia. There Addy learns that freedom isn’t free, but it is worth it. She also learns about the value of real friends. The story is sweet with several subplots. As with all American Girl books, uncomfortable things are told sensitively and on a level children can understand. It’s historical fiction for kids done right. I recommend it to all middle grade children.

5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2021: 3
Pages Read in 2021: 1029
(Read aloud to 12 and 14 year old boys)

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Filed under Historical Fiction, Middle Grades, Reason: Bedtime Story for the Boys, Reason: Vine Review

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