Book Review: Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard by Lars Guignard

Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard by Lars Guignard is the first book in the Zoe & Zak Adventures children's book series. Zoe Guire is along for the ride as her mother takes a business trip to India. she is excited to see the country, and to have some time with her mother. Unfortunately, Zak has come along with his father, and the two are thrown together as their parents are called away from the hotel on business. Even worse, strange things have started to happen. An elephant statue speaks to Zoe, and that is just the beginning. Soon Zoe and Zak are on a trip through the country of India to protect a mysterious Ghost Leopard; guided by a strange snake charmer, butterflies, and a mysterious woman. But, they are not the only ones looking for the leopard. Can the pair survive their journey, trust in themselves, and become friends?

Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard is a fantasy and adventure novel with strong characters. Zoe typically avoids odd things, working with logic and research. that is something I can relate with. Zak is much ,ore of a free spirit, living life in the moment. while they do not always get along, the pair complement each other in a way that feels natural rather than formulated. Zoe has questions about her family and her past, which is tied up in the larger story of the series, but her growth and aptitude for the gift she need to survive are well done. I enjoyed watching her grow through the story, and while we do not get to see Zak's thought process through the story, I felt like he had come to several realizations and grown as well. The action is fast paced, and the mythology used was fascinating to me. my only real concern was that the parent's distance from the kids, which was necessary for the story to take place but had trouble accepting, maybe because I am a parent.

I highly recommend Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard to readers around age eight and older. Fantasy and adventure fans should ad this to their must-read list. There is fast paced action, mythology, magic, and interesting things about India that can quickly capture the imagination. I found the characters to be engaging and look forward to reading more in this series. I can not wait to see what kind of trouble Zak can find next, and what Zoe can discover about herself.

Book Review: The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman is a children's book perfect for the middle grade set. Elizabeth's father is distant and her step mother and sisters are less than ideal. Elizabeth also has to change schools and her best friend moves away, leaving her feeling a little lost. When a teacher recommends Elizabeth for a job at a unusual library which lends objects rather than books, she finds herself making new friends and discovering the magic from her beloved fairy tales is real. Missing objects, whispered secrets, and magic lead Elizabeth on a dangerous quest.

The Grimm Legacy takes a young girl caught up in her own fairy tale like life, pre-prince, and drops her into a world she has been wishing for. The secrets of the library are just the thing to distract and challenge Elizabeth, and introduces her to like minded characters of her own age. The adventures and objects, and of course the library's holdings, and intriguing and captured my imagination. I loved the idea that  objects, from all kinds of literature, are safely stored somewhere. The magic and references to stories, including some lesser known tales, had the fairy tale geek in me enthralled.

The only thing I could ask for here is more character building. The majority of characters seem a little flat, and could have been better built, going past the obvious stereo types that some of them slipped into in my mind because there was nothing to lead them into any other direction. I also felt that the romance aspects of the story were not really needed, just added a little more distrust between the characters that might have had more adventures together is only they could all talk and act together without suspicion. There was little to no character growth, even with Elizabeth, which bothered me.

I recommend The Grimm Legacy to readers ten and older. Readers that enjoy fairy tales, libraries, magic, and stories that are about any of these things will enjoy the story. Readers that need to really know the characters to enjoy a story will find themselves disappointed here, but fairy tale fans should still give it a read.

Book Review: A Job From Hell by Jayde Scott

A Job From Hell by Jayde Scott is the first book in the young adult Ancient Legends series. Amber is seventeen, and at her brother Dallas's urging has applied for and taken a summer job as a house keeper even though she is not good at picking up after herself. The manor house she will be staying in and cleaning is in some dreary woods, and is spooky. Aidan, the owner and her boss, does not seem to be much older than Amber and only seems to be around at night. Soon Dallas sees something in the woods had hatches a scheme for quick cash, but the result is a deadly gift for Amber, and her induction to the supernatural world lurking around her. Now Amber is in serious danger, and trust is hard to come by.

A Job from Hell starts like a classic gothic novel, young girl gets a job at a spooky house with a mysterious master. It starts of good, and then rather fizzled out for me. I found myself more interested in the side characters than Amber and Aidan. The romance in this paranormal romance never really developed for me, it seemed like Scott used the 'mate' convention and never really worked out the details. If the two had just had a five minute conversation in the first half of the book, most of the action would never have even had to happen, and by the end of the story they still had not had any sort of relationship conversation. However, I kept reading because I wanted to learn more about characters like Cass, who appears to the the main character in the next book in the series, Angle, Devlin, and Clare. The action and world building was good, but it did not seem to really come together.

If you are already a fan of Jayde Scott then you have most likely already read A Job from Hell and do not need this review because you will read it anyway. For everyone else, it was an okay book, but I found the main characters to be a little flat and felt almost like this book was a placeholder to get ready for the rest of the series. It had such potential, and did not met my high expectations. I might read the next book in the series, only because it features a character I liked from this book. I have hope.

Book Review: Come Home to Me by Peggy L. Henderson

Come Home to Me by Peggy L. Henderson is the first book in the Second Chances Time Travel Romance series. Jake Owens has left his family's ranch in search of a new life. However, the woman he ran off with has left him accused of murder with no memory of what really happened. An encounter with a strange gentleman in a prison interview room includes an offer for a second chance, leading a group of pioneers west. Rachel Parker is a woman heading west towards Oregon with her family, which includes three young boys.  She never imagined that taking care of her family while traveling across the country would include the complication of the unusual scout, Jake, and the attraction they share.

Come Home to Me was a well crafted story, with an interesting idea. Jake is a good man that has made some bad choices. His second chance to find the right path for him leads him on a journey he could never have imagined. He is particularly well equipped to face the challenges of leading a wagon train west, but ill equipped to face his attraction and falling in love. Rachel is a woman that loves her family, and has given up everything to help hers find a better life. They both have internal challenges, societal challenges, and relationship issues to deal with as soon as they admit their attraction for each other. Even when you think you know the path the story will take, there are a couple good twists along the way.

I recommend Come Home to Me to romance readers that enjoyed Henderson's Yellowstone series, as well as readers that are looking for a quick read that will take them to a different place and time. I am interested to see where this series might go, as I enjoyed the story, but think it will be something I borrow rather than buy.

Picturebook Review: Oopsy, Teacher! by Stephanie Calmenson and Sachiko Yoshikawa

Oopsy, Teacher!, written by Stephanie Calmenson and illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa, is a picturebook about how even the coolest people can have off days. Mr. Bungles is a great teacher, and his students love him. However, one day he just keeps making mistakes. At home, at school, and beyond. It is a great story for showing that everyone makes mistakes, and the best thing we can do is learn from them and move on.

Oopsy, Teacher! is a fun and artfully silly picturebook that will delight students. Mr. Bungles is a lovable character, which make his oppsy moments endearing and sympathetic. Even though the students do play a small trick on him, even the biggest mistakes are all fun and good natured. I think the story would be great for starting a discussion about how it feels when we make mistakes or have an accident, how others feel when it happens to them, and how we might learn something from them.

I recommend Oopsy, Teacher! for one on one sharing, library storytimes, and classroom use. It is light hearted, fun, and can lead the way to important discussions without feeling like a 'life lesson' book.

Sorry!

I am sorry that this is the second day sans book review. I have three regular book reviews to write, and a pile of picture book reviews to do. I hope to get back on the ball and posting again starting tomorrow, definitely by Monday.

Early Book Review: Candy Experiments by Loralee Leavitt

Candy Experiments by Loralee Leavitt is a non fiction book set for release on January 3 2013. This book is full of experiments inspired by the author's daughter asking 'what would happen?'. Since then Leavitt and her family have tried many experiments, publishing many elsewhere. This book has 57 experiments, 29 of which have never been published before, broken down into nine chapters based on the scientific properties explored in the experiments. The book is intended for children between 7 and 10, but children younger and older can enjoy the experiments as well.

Candy Experiments can get any child interested in science, while willingly destroying their candy. The experiments do require adult supervision, and any involving heat and some ingredients do need adults to take an active role in the process. The safety and scientifically relevant information is included with each experiment, so that the candy fun can teach as well as entertain. Brightly hued photographs help clarify what young scientists should, or should not, be seeing as they try each experiment.

I recommend Candy Experiments for children, parents, and teachers that are interested in getting hands on with science together. The experiments are fun and explore interesting concepts about candy, sugar, and chemistry that both entertain and inform scientists of all ages. I think I will be trying out some of these experiments when my kids get a little older, most likely after a holiday that includes candy distribution.

Picturebook Review: Lovabye Dragon by Barbara Joosse and Randy Cecil

Lovabye Dragon, written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Randy Cecil, is the story of a young girl longing for a dragon for a friend, and a dragon who dreams of befriending a girl. The young girls silver tears lead the dragon to her, and a fantastic friendship is born. The dragon is loving, protective, and gentle as it plays with his new little friend. The illustrations are fun and match the words and theme of the story perfectly.

Lovabye Dragon made me wish I had a dragon of my own. The young girl and the dragon start of craving a true, loving friend. Their longing and pairing is heartfelt, obvious in both words and the illustration. The desire and caring for a true friend, in dragon or other form, is something that every adult and child can relate to. The fun of the pair at play is just as obvious and relatable through the story as their initial longing. The illustrations are well paired with the words and give deeper insight into the moods of the characters.

I highly recommend Lovabye Dragon for storytime or one on one reading. The vivid illustrations and well formed phrases work together to draw children and adults into the emotion of the story, and remind us to value friendships regardless of if they are old, new, or not yet made.

Book Review: Forbidden (The World of Nightwalkers) by Jacquelyn Frank

Forbidden is the first book of the new The World of Nightwalkers series by Jacquelyn FrankNightwalker series. Docia Waverley is a secretary that is short on money and family. All she really has left his her bother, a dediocated police officer, and an old family friend that is like another brother to her. One day, on a walk to work, she is almost killed, and in the process falls into the world of the Nightwalkers as she become host to a BodyWalker. Unfortunately, this means that the danger surrounding Docia only increases, as the people that initially tried to kill her want to finish the job, and she is now a key player in a Bodywalker civil war. Can the hunky and duty-bound Bodywalker Ram protect her, and is love part of the bargain or betrayal waiting in the wings?

Forbidden starts a new chapter in Frank's Nightwalker books. I have read a few in the past, mainly dealing with the vampire and demon branches of the Nightwalker world. Bodywalkers are reincarnated souls that are reborn when a living person is at deaths door. The two minds share the body, for good or ill. Docia is a good girl, just barely making ends met and worried about her brother, who just lost his canine partner on the local police force. Almost dying, and all the trauma that follows, brings her directly into Ram's sights. Ram is convinced that Docia holds the soul of his queen and must be protected and reunited with his king. Sparks fly, and not only do they need to appease Docia's brother, avoid killers, fend off the opposing faction of Bodywalkers, but they also have to deal with their undeniable attraction in the face of Ram's duty to his king.

Forbidden has many great characters, and a lot of detail into the people that are likely to play important roles in the rest of this series. I enjoyed learning about most of the characters, and am eager to see where some of them go from here. Docia and her brother have a tight relationship, which I seriously love. Ram and Docia have an instant attraction, but do not fall into bed immediately, and I was glad to see that there were some serious discussions and airing out of exactly who and what they are before they call it happily ever after.

I recommend Forbidden to those that enjoy Frank's writing. The characters and new branch of the Nightwalker world are well built, and draw the reader in. If you have not read any of the earlier Nightwalker related books, have no fear! You can start here, and the only moment you might be lost is in the very begin where the groundwork is laid in the discover of more kinds of Nightwalkers than fans might already know about.

Happy, Hot, Holiday Giveaway from Romance at Random

Romance at Random is hosting a Happy, Hot, Holiday blog hop. The contest begins tommorow, December 1st and runs through December 10th 2012. The giveaways from Random House include:

• Grand Prize $25 Gift Certificate to a retailer of your choice!
• 10 print copy winners of RELEASE ME, must be 18 or older!
• 15 Net Galley Preview copies of RELEASE ME, must be 18 or older!

 

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