Newest in I Survived series

My son, a fourth grader, loves the I Survived series and we enjoy listening to them together as we drive back and forth to school each day.  This book was one I personally wanted to listen to as I've visited Boston once and we traipsed around the North End on our Freedom Trail journey in the dog days of summer way back when. 

Well, it was neat to hear this story from an immigrant's perspective and as we listened, the characters and story prompted conversations around boiling points, molasses uses, and immigration (small living spaces, poorly paid citizens, jobs in 1919, travel in 1919, etc....).  Thank goodness the Red Sox were mentioned as my husband is a HUGE fan, and a little Irish too!

We hope you enjoy this book as much as we did.  Thanks to Sora (Overdrive) and Richland School District Two for the audiobook! 📚


I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919 by Lauren Tarshis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Sports fan?

I've been in a reading rut lately, partially due to circumstances and partially due to my inability to put work down when I get home at night. Since I had a little more time to myself over Thanksgiving weekend, I thought I'd try to catch up on some sports fiction, esp. for boys. I have a hard time recommending titles to them and actually being able to discuss them unless I've read them. My hook is usually, "well, this one is popular here" or "this one's about football, why don't you try it." Not very persuasive but sometimes it works. So now I have two solid recommendations, one oldie, and one newbie (in my mind). Either of these titles would be great for both girls and boys. Of course there is a little romance in them and high school drama, something most girls probably enjoy. Then there's the football angle. If you follow football and understand the lingo, these will satisfy your sports craving.

Pop by Gordon Korman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marcus is a brave high schooler who unknowingly moves to a town where a NFL legend lives. Marcus meets Charlie one day when he's practicing plays in the town park. Charlie is athletic, older, and a phenom with a football. He is also quirky and disappears on a dime, takes things from stores w/o paying for them, and seems to know everyone in town. It takes a little bit but eventually Marcus realizes that Charlie is the father of the town quarterback hero, Troy Popovich. Unfortunately, Troy and Marcus are main rivals on the team. While Marcus proves himself to be a versatile player all over the field, Troy solely plays quarterback and sees Marcus as a huge threat, especially when he learns how close his father and Marcus have gotten over football practice. Charlie pays more attention and praise to Marcus than his own son. Troy and his sister are very protective of Charlie and see Marcus as someone who might expose the secret they're trying to hide, a secret that could damage the legend status of Charlie Popovich. Of course there's a surprise close to the end and it's not a happy one. This is a very good sports book that makes you analyze whether playing football can actually be more detrimental than we realize to our young players and if it's worth it in the end to have them bashing helmets in games. I highly recommend this to all ages and both girls and boys!

View all my reviews Unstoppable by Tim Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Downton Abbey, the real story

For those of us interested in the back story of major TV shows, this book fits the bill for Downton Abbey.  This book is written by a family member of Almina, one of the Duchess' of Carnarvon.  She was the wealthy daughter of Alfred de Rothschild and accepted into English society despite her parents not being married.  She married into one of the oldest families and inherited Highclere, their estate.  She lived a long life as the Duchess of Carnarvon and with her considerable wealth, used her influences to provide medical aid during the Great War and beyond, both at Highclere and in London at their city home.  This book is well written and interesting, sharing tidbits of English life and highlighting the workings of English society along with the impact of the Great War on travel and life in the countryside.


Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by Fiona Carnarvon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For the real story behind Downtown Abbey, this book is a treasure. I enjoyed hearing the history of Almina's fortune, her love of Highclere, the Earl's adventures in Eqypt and the historical adventure through Victorian England. I especially liked Almina's love of nursing and how she applied her fortune to do good as much as she could for others.

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Continuing with medieval....

First Test by Tamora Pierce
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok, I'm a little behind on my Tamora Pierce reading but I finished this one yesterday. Yep, it's a quick one and I'm hungry for the next one in this series. I'm proclaiming this Pierce as my "author to catch up on". Except it's no longer summer and time is fleeting during the school week so let's hope our public library has #2 Page in stock today! Kel, or Keladry, is a new female page who has to endure a year's probation before officially earning the title of page...same kingdom and castle as Alanna, or the Lionness as she is now called. Kel holds Alanna in very high regard and hopes to attain the same greatness, without the magical influences. This is the story of how Kel comes to Tortall and passes her first year, probationary of course, as she's still a girl. How wise she becomes during that year! Her character is very similar to Alanna's and her tactics to gain ground amongst the boys struck a similar chord. I look forward to moving on with this series! Enjoy!

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Falconer

The Falconer by Elizabeth May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I don't normally like steampunk but this novel highlights more of the fantasy/fae part of the novel while working steampunk into it. Aileana Kameron witnessed the brutal murder of her mother but a faery and is trying to work through her grief while hungering for the battles with the fae around her. She has a good friend, Kiaran, who is also fae but he's on her side. Her pixie Derrick doesn't get along with Kiaran but both love her in their own way. Then there's her society friend, Catherine, and her brother, Gavin (Lord Galloway) who muddy the waters while helping Aileana along her path to vengeance against the faery who ruined her life. Lots of great action with tools of ingenious invention, mystery surrounding who she will meet on the final battleground, and of course whether her love remains alive....now when is book 2 coming out???

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Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond

The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond by Brenda Woods
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Violet is a very charming middle schooler whose father died when she was young and her mother raises her in Moon Lake, Washington. Violet's father was African American and her mother is white. She has never met her paternal grandmother but as she starts to become more aware of who she is and worries about differences in color, her mother and grandparents encourage her to ask questions and seek answers. Violet's journey begins at an art show where she meets her grandmother for the first time. While not necessarily the best beginning, Violet and her mom settle some differences between them while also healing old wound between mom and grandmother, Roxanne Diamond. Of course Violet eventually learns about her father's family and even comes to love her cousin Ahmed, but not before suffering through an ordeal that no 11 year old should ever have to deal with by themselves. Great voice and wonderful relationship building, crossing racial lines and blurring them but celebrating the uniqueness of both!

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Historical Fiction - Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sugar is one of the only children left after slaves departed the Wills' plantation on River Road in Lousiana, during Reconstruction. Her mama died and left her to be raised by the Beales, an elderly couple who were left behind when their children moved north. Sugar and Billy Wills (the master's son) have become good friends but change is coming to River Road. As Sugar learns from Billy, "Chinamen are coming" and change is coming fast. Jewell Parker Rhodes hits it big again with this novel, her second for upper elem/middle ages. Sugar is spunky but sweet, kind but daring, and she stands up for what she truly believes in. Her spirit should appeal to both girls and boys as well as adults and teens. I'm looking forward to her next one!

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