Book Review: Cold Cereal by Adam Rex

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex is a children's chapter book that pairs conspiracies, experiments on children, and magic. It is the first book in a magically delicious trilogy, which I sincerely hope has books two and three published very soon. Scottish Play Doe and his sister Polly are new in town. Scott just wants to blend in and get through each day, preferably with out a migraine inducing hallucinations. Erno and Emily Utz are on the outside of the school circles, for the most part, and soon the three are good friends. Erno and Emily's foster father regularly leave the pair clues to solve riddles, which the super smart Emily almost always does first. Sounds reasonably normal thus far, but a strange little man trapped in a cage, a rabbit-man being hunted in the park, and a cereal company that hires physicists make life much more interesting. Goodco Cereal Company just might be draining the magic from creature to make their cereals, or are they trying to take over the world? Perhaps both? The full cast of characters is delightful and wacky, with several unexpected twists along the way.

See my complete review here.

Book Review: F in Exams: The Very Best Totally Wrong Tests Answers by Richard Benson

F in Exams: The Very Best Totally Wrong Tests Answers by Richard Benson is a young adult book that would be a fun read for all ages. Do you remember the days of studying hard for a test and then when the time comes completely blanking out on one or more questions? Perhaps you are still taking tests, or still having nightmares about taking tests. This book collects some of the more creative and entertaining answers given on tests in a variety of subjects. The book is divided into subjects matters; chemistry, biology, physics, math, business and technology, physiology, history and geography, and English. This clever answers left me wishing had had thought of some of these answers myself, or had the nerve to actually submit them to my teachers.

I ran across F in Exams when cataloging books for the young adult collection at work. I could not stop myself from browsing through and then checking the book out as soon as it was cataloged. The answers that some of the test takers have given are hysterical for being so completely off base, and others are so incredibly clever that they should have gotten points for the thought they put into it. The answers appear to be hand written in the book, in blue or black ink , complete with any illustrations the answer giver might have used to illustrate their point.

I recommend F in Exams for anyone in need of a good laugh. It is appropriate for readers of all ages, anyone that has ever taken a test can appreciate it. Whether you are deep in the stress of midterms, or barely remember taking academic tests at all, you can appreciate the humor and spunk that this book offers its readers. Pick it up, you will thank me later.

Spontaneous by Joe Harris and Brett Weldele

Spontaneous by Joe Harris and Brett Weldele is a graphic novel four young adults and adults. It deals with the idea of spontaneous human combustion, of SHC. When "Kelvin" Melvin Reyes was only three his father was the first, but not the last, person in the area to die from SHC. Since then many more have suffered the same fate, and Kelvin is determine to uncover the pattern and cause of these horrible deaths. A reporters help gets him closer to understanding the phenomenon, but the closer he gets to his goal leads to secrets that might destroy his world. Is the phenomenon of SHC real, and if so who or what is behind it all?

Spontaneous is a horror story that can really get readers thinking. Unexplainable deaths being covered up by authorities and a town held silent is not all that far fetched in today's world of conspiracy theories and backdoor politics. Who knows what might be accomplished or altered in individuals when exposed to particular chemicals? Spontaneous uses those fears and doubts to make the story feel very real. Kelvin wants to discover the pattern and cause of the deaths, but he is also hoping to stop them from happening. There are twists and turns in his journey that seem expected, and some that certainly are not. The artwork is vivid and perfectly paired with the story to affect the right atmosphere and intensity throughout. Could an industrial accident or experiment cause people to spontaneously combust, and could it change the abilities of those simply in the area? Perhaps the answer is even more frightening for all of us.

I recommend Spontaneous to fans of graphic novels, horror stories, and mysteries. While it is physiologically horrifying and there are occasional scenes of death or destruction, there are no overly violent images. There are some disturbing frames, of burn victims, but no more than necessary to convey the full effect of the story. I am not normally a horror fan, but I did enjoy this story and consider it well worth the read.

Early Book Review: Avalon Chronicles Volume 1: Once in a Blue Moon

Avalon Chronicles Volume 1: Once in a Blue Moon is a graphic novel for tweens and teens by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, Emma Vieceli, Christina Weir, and Emma Vieceli. It is scheduled for release on March 21 2012. Aeslin Finn grew up loving a book her parents would regularly read to her, The Avalon Chronicles. However, when her father died the fairy tales were put away and Aeslin and her mother tried to move forward in the real world. Now Aeslin is a teenager and discovers a strange shop as she is walking home from school with a friend. In that shop they discover the sequel to The Avalon Chronicles, Blue Moon. She is about to discover just how true the stories from her childhood were, and that her destiny involves much more than algebra tests and football games.

While the story idea of being pulled into a book or a fantasy world is not new, Avalon Chronicles does it in a way that is still fun/ The artwork is in black and white, which a definite leaning toward the anime and manga styles with some chibi images as well. The feel of the story will definitely appeal to fans of manga, perhaps more the girls than boys.  The characters in the story are eccentric and fun, although arts of the story are more than a little predictable. There are several current cultural references thrown in that will make the readers chuckle.

I recommend Avalon Chronicles Volume 1: Once in a Blue Moon to tween and teen fans of manga, anime, and comic books with a fantasy leaning. It is a quick, fun read that might follow a familiar story idea but still manages to entertain.

Early Book Review: Much Ado About Rogues by Kasey Micheals

Much Ado About Rogues by Kasey Micheals is a historical romance, and the final installment of the Blackthorn Brothers Trilogy. It is set for release on March 20 2012. In this book, we finally get to see the story of Don John, or Black Jack, Blackthorn and the answers to many questions that have been raised throughout the series. Black Jack often thought about his love lost in the previous novels, now we get to meet her. Lady Tess Fonteneau, daughter of the man that trained Jack in the espionage game, has a problem and while Jack could solve some she knows he comes with problems of his own. When Tess's father disappears Jack comes to find him, at the Crown's behest. Their reunion is filled with surprises, not the least of which is the existence of their son, and peril. Tess's father is more devious then anyone had realized, and there are unexpected secrets to be revealed and unknown players in the game. Who is pulling the strings, and will all of the brothers finally have their happily ever after?

I really enjoyed the previous books in the Blackthorn Brothers series, Taming the Rake and A Midsummer Night's Sin. While I do not think that Much Ado About Rogues is as great as the prior two books, I did still enjoy the read. Jack and Tess did spend a lot of time talking in circles about the plots surrounding them and their relationship. Some of that was key to the story, but every now and then it seemed to be unnecessary. There were several twists and turns to the plot, some of which I expected and others caught me slightly unawares.

I recommend Much Ado About Rogues to those that have read the previous books in the series. The conclusion to the series as a whole had some unique twists of its own, which certainly did surprise me. The passion between the Blackthorn brothers and their brides is clear on every page, and the trilogy as a whole is a fun and entertaining read.

Picturebook Review: Randy Riley's Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen

Randy Riley's Really Big Hit, written and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen, is about the boy-genius Randy. He loves science, particularly robots and astronomy. He also loves baseball, but cannot seem to shine in baseball like he does with more intellectual pursuits. He strikes out every single time he is up to bat, no matter how hard he tries. One night before bed, Randy took his normal night-time look through the telescope. However, this time he did not see what he expects. He sees a fireball in the sky, and according to his math and science work only to discover that the meteor will hit his town in a few days. No one believes him when he tries to warn them, so he devises his own brilliant solution. Randy combines his love of all things science with his love of baseball to save the town in spectacular fashion. 

Randy Riley's Really Big Hit is a great book for reading aloud and showing the pictures, and for readers that are ready to make the jump to reading by themselves.The brilliant illustrations and detailed text combine to keep adults and children interested as Randy works wonders and saves his town. The story encourages independence, intelligence, and creativity. 

I highly recommend this book to everyone, read with children four and older while enjoying it yourself. If you enjoy it, I recommend taking a look at the rest of Van Dusen's work. I especially recommend The Circus Ship as a read before or after Randy Riley's Really Big Hit, they are both favorites in my house.

Picture Book Review: "Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns?"

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What Are Patterns? is a book in the Clever Concept series by Jane Brocket. The book uses vivid photographs to teach what a pattern is, how to recognize specific patterns, and where some patterns can be found. Stacking and sorting objects to create patterns is illustrated and encouraged. The images used to demonstrate patterns include flowers and leaves in nature, food displays in stores, cake decorations, quilts, afghans, and gardens. Some of the patterns used include stripes, zig zags, circles, and polka dots. The book encourages looking for patterns in the world around you, and creating your own patterns while at play. Patterns found in sidewalks, buildings, floors, ceilings, stairs, and everyday life are used to further illustrate the concept.

See my complete review here on Yahoo! Voices.

Blog Look Updated

If you have not noticed yet, I am updating the look of my blog. It is still a work in progress. I intend to add my review criteria and how to contact me for review requests, guest blogging, and other fun stuff. I would love some feedback, suggestions, and issues that you might see.

What do you think??

Early Book Review: 'I Don't Believe it Archie' by Andrew Norriss

I Don't Believe it Archie by Andrew Norriss is a children's book for children around seven to twelve years old. It is scheduled for release on March 13. The book is all about a boy named Archie that is surrounded by strangeness. While we might be surprised to see a piano roll down a hill, park itself against a car door so that the car's occupants can not get out, and a wacky series of events that follow Archie is not. Odd things happen to him every day, but while his life is interesting it is rare that anyone fully believes his tales of adventure. Most of the time he does not even bother to tell anyone about what happens, because he would spend his days explaining rather than actually doing anything. During our first adventure with Archie we met Cyd, a girl that wants to tag along on Archie's accidental adventures. The two become fast friends, and having Cyd by his side makes each adventure easier to handle and explain. Her efforts and company make the days smoother and much more fun.

See my complete review here on Yahoo! Voices.

Early Book Review: The Anxious Gardener's Book of Answers

The Anxious Gardener's Book of Answers by Teri Dunn Chace is a well-organized resource for those of us who love to garden, but do not always get everything right. It is set for release on March 6 2012. Chace addresses one hundred of the most common garden questions and mistakes, as well as how to avoid or repair the errors. The book is divided into twenty-four chapters, which are structured in a way that makes the book accessible to both the cover to cover reader and those simply looking to find the answers they need at the moment. The language is straight forward and perfect for amateur and beginning gardeners, while there are great reminders for more experienced gardeners since there is always room to learn from your mistakes.

See my complete review here on Yahoo! Voices.