Book Review: Tyranny of the Fey: Adventure Waits for No One. by Terry Bartley
Book Review: Don’t Be Mean to 13 by Douglas Harris
Don’t Be Mean to 13 by Douglas Harris is a picturebook. Friday the 13th is bad luck. Some high rises have no floor thirteen. Why are people so afraid of 13!? Thirteen is feared and disliked for no good reason, while Twelve has always been so popular! When Thirteen and his friend Friday get together - watch out for friggatriskaidekaphobia! Explore the ancient historical roots of these popular superstitions while encouraging children to use evidence-based, critical thinking with our friend, Thirteen!
Audiobook Review: Exploit, Extract, Exit! (Dungeon Runner)by Dustin Tigner, Narrated by Jackie Meloche
Exploit, Extract, Exit! is not quite what I had expected when I started listening, but that is because I read the author's name and not the description. This is not related to the Arachnomancer series- this is a different game world, with different characters and rules. Once I got past my own expectations I was able to get drawn into the story much more. I thought the characters and world building were well done, and I enjoyed getting to know new aspects of the world along side the characters. I thought the dynamics on Entin and his circle of friends and found family were fantastic, and I enjoyed that those relationships grew and changed without making it the focus of the story. I really liked the development of the main character of the alternating stories, and think she shows a great deal of growth in her stories as well. I liked the world building, and while the author admits in the forward and afterward of the book that it comes off as a little disjointed, because of the format the stories were originally written in, I think it still is very much worth the read, and I look forward to reading more to find out how everything comes together.
Early Book Review: Oversize Fashion Crochet: 6 Cozy Cardigans, Pullovers & Wraps Designed with Maximum Style and Ease by Salena Baca
Book Review: Words from Hell: Unearthing the Darkest Secrets of English Etymology by Jess Zafarris
Words from Hell is a book crafted for readers that love learning about words, and take joy in discovering the dirty, unexpected, and unusual path some words have taken to get to their current connotation, and dictionary definition. I was glad that the author took the time to point out how much of the English language has been stolen from other languages, and how many cultures, languages, and people were destroyed via colonization over the years. Not to mention the classism, racisms, and xenophobic tendencies that seem to pepper themselves trough out the way the language has developed. I thought the book was well organized, and offered a sardonic tone, with facts and humor balancing nicely. I think word nerds will enjoy the read.
Early Book Review: Picturing Joy: Stories of Connection by George Lange
Book Review: The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
Early Book Review: Anatomical Oddities: The Otherworldly Realms Hidden within Our Bodies by Alice Roberts
Early Book Review: Girls of the World: 250 Portraits of Awesome by Mihaela Noroc
Early Book Review: unOrdinary (Volume 1) by uru-chan
Audiobook Review: Stray Shadow: Oh Sh*t! Wrong Side of Heaven! (Arachnomancer) by Dustin Tigner, Narrated by Qarie Marshall
Book Review: Let's Just Be Friends by Katy Turner
Early Book Review: Finding My Elf by David Valdes
Early Book Review: Sir Cumference and the 100 PerCent Goose Chase by Cindy Neuschwander, Wayne Geehan
Early Book Review: Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister (Volume 1) by Marcey Naito
Audiobook Review: Bookworm to Badass by Dustin Tigner, Narrated by Reba Buhr
Bookworm to Badass is an engaging and entertaining read. I cannot wait to see how this and the Wrong Divinity series come together, because I am sure they will (again).
Book Review: Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu (Volume 1) by Natsuya Semikawa, Virginia Nitouhei
Book Review: Time to Shine by Rachel Reid
Time to Shine by Rachel Reid is not part of her Game Changer series, it is a more cozy hockey romance. For Landon Stackhouse, being called up from the Calgary farm team is exciting and terrifying, even if, as the backup goalie, he rarely leaves the bench. A quiet loner by nature, Landon knows he gives off strong “don’t talk to me” vibes. The only player who doesn’t seem to notice is Calgary’s superstar young winger, Casey Hicks. Casey treats Landon like an old friend, even though they’ve only interacted briefly in the past. He’s endlessly charming and completely laid-back in a way that Landon absolutely can’t relate to. They couldn’t have less in common, but Landon needs a place to live that’s not a hotel room and Casey has just bought a massive house—and hates being alone. As roommates, Casey refuses to be defeated by Landon’s one-word answers. As friends, Landon comes to notice a few things about Casey, like his wide, easy smile and sparkling green-blue eyes. Spending the holidays together only intensifies their bromance-turned-romance. But as the new year approaches, the countdown to the end of Landon’s time in Calgary is on.
Time to Shine is much more of a sweet or cozy read that I usually get with Reid. The heat is still there, as is the complexity of the major players, but worries about homophobia or larger complications to their relationship outside themselves does not really come into play. The only this this book lacks in comparison with books from that series is the deeper understanding of the team, its dynamics, and its other players. I love that Landon and Casey each have their own issues, and have a healthy dose of self awareness. I have to admit that Landon's biggest fault is one I share- the difficulty in talking about and unpacking the big feelings. Of course, if he was better at that there would have been very little delay or conflict with this couple. It was nice to see Reid do something a little different, but still very much in her wheelhouse. She continues to be a must read author for me.
Time to Shine is a sweet, fun read with doses of heat.
Book Review: The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z by Ashley Spires
The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z, written and illustrated by Ashley Spires, is the latest addition to The Most Magnificent series highlights all the words little makers need to know.
In this twist on a vocabulary book, the beloved characters from The Most Magnificent Thing walk with readers from A to Z, defining all the words they need to know about making. It perfectly captures the ups (“I is for IDEA. A gift from the imagination that wants to be made”) and the downs (“P is for PATIENCE. Most things don't work the first time … or the third time … or even the twelfth time”) all makers face and includes kid-perfect explanations of key concepts (“B is for BRAINSTORM. When ideas of all shapes and sizes rain onto the page”). It's a fun and clever alphabet journey, sure to inspire magnificent making of every kind!
The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z is a lovey and engaging picturebook that encourages readers to be creative and persistent in their efforts to make things. I thought the chosen words were clever and on point for the purpose. As always, I thought Spires's art was a perfect match to the text and keeps the reader focus on the book, and their next project. I love the encouraging tone and spirit of this series of books, and I think this alphabet book would be a delightful addition to personal, school, and public library collections.