Book Review: The Emperor, His Bride and the Dragon Robe by Lisa Sankar-Zhu

The Emperor, His Bride and the Dragon Robe by Lisa Sankar-Zhu is a wonderful fairy tale set in ancient China. It is the story of a honorable emperor and the two beautiful women that hope to be his bride. One is greedy and resorts to trickery in her attempts, while the other is kind and gracious even when it is detrimental to her cause. There are unexpected challenges and a grand battle to determine the outcome.

The Emperor, His Bride and the Dragon Robe is a fairy tale that feels just like the classic tales from ancient China. The theme is heavy in the tradition of honor and kindness, perfectly executed and illustrated to continue the tone and feel. The challenges of the potential brides flowed well, and the outcome was expected (because good should always win in a fairy tale) but the climactic battle was interesting and added an extra oomph to the tale.  I really enjoyed the illustrations and story. 

The Emperor, His Bride and the Dragon Robe would be a stunning and valuable addition to every school library.  It tells a classic story of good overcoming evil, and does it with charm. While I would class it as an older picturebook, I think many age groups could enoy it in the right setting.

The author was inspired by her two sons, who were born in China, to write the story. She also credits writing the book to having lived in China for many years and being warmly embraced by the Chinese people who have willingly shared their rich culture with her. 

Do you remember my review of Cured by Fire? Well, it is release week, and time for a blog tour to celebrate! My review for the second book in the series, Cursed by Ice is coming soon, and I think this series is going to be great!

Cursed by Fire is the first book in the Immortal Brothers series by Jacquelyn Frank.  Dethan has been facing a punishment by fire for two hundred years, trapped in a fiery inferno for defying the gods and snatching the power of immortality only to heal and suffer the agony again. He has lost all hope, until the Goddess of Conflict appears. She releases him from his shackles as long as he promises to use his power and strength as a warrior to raise an army and defeat a fierce enemy faction of gods. Free with a nightly return to fire and flames Dethan sets out to fulfill his promise. Betrothed to a cruel, calculating powermonger, Selinda needs a champion. Dethan enters into another bargain in order to win a city and slack his desires. If Selinda will share herself with him, Dethan will save her city from destructive forces within and without. As the lovers ignite a searing passion, Dethan will risk all, even the wrath of the Goddess of Conflict, for a chance to make Selinda his forever.

Cursed by Fire is a good start to another powerful series from Frank. As usual, her mythology is strong and unique and her characters are strong despite (or because of) the troubles they face.

Early Book Review: The Pirates Bed by Nicola Winstanley

The Pirates Bed is a picturebook by Nicola Winstanley. It is currently scheduled for release on March 10 2015. A pirate is sleeping snug in his bed when a great storm comes up at sea. The pirate sleeps on, but his bed is awake and scared of the thunder and the angry waves. Tossed this way and that, the ship finally crashes, sending the pirate to a tropical island and his bed off to sea.  At first, the bed is happy and enjoying its freedom. no more smelly feet, snoring or scratchy wool. It floats in the now peaceful water, meeting friendly gulls and playful dolphins and basking in the sun. But soon the little bed begins to feel like something is missing.

The Pirates Bed is the story of a bed lost at sea. I think it will capture the hearts of little pirates everywhere. The travels of the bed tell a great story, the ocean and the world is an awesome and sometimes frightening place. This story captures both sides of that coin. The story is not only a fun adventure, with illustrations that do a great job of capturing the adventure of the bed and the mood of the story, but it also is heartwarming. No matter how much people, or beds, think they do not need someone or something in their lives to care about, they do. Even small pirate cabin sized beds need someone to depend on, and to depend on them. 

The Pirates Bed is both a sweet bedtime or storytime book to share, there is another much deeper meaning that can reach the adults and children alike. I loved the story for both the story and its layers of meaning below the surface.

Best Parodies of Nonfiction Materials Five Great Parodies

Tired of the seemingly endless supply of how to and self help manuals on every conceivable subject? It seems like for every best selling non fiction book that is worthwhile other immediately follow in its wake with the same information or worse, misinformation. These parodies take those books and entertain us while making the subject new again.

The Self-Destruction Handbook: 8 Simple Steps to an Unhealthier You by Adam Wasson and Jessica Stamen is a parody of all the self help books intended to help the reader live a healthier life. In this handbook you can learn how to lose weight too quickly, start a drinking problem, which drugs are right for you and so much more. The book is a fun, entertaining read that does not mock those looking to better themselves, but laughs openly at the advise that those individuals often receive.

Releasing the Imbecile within: An Incomplete Idiot's Guide by Paul Livingston is another self help parody. This book focuses more on the genre of books that attempt to make the reader a more effective individual in business and friendships rather than personal health. It begins with a test to show how unintelligent you are, and goes on from there.

Hardly Working: The Overachieving Underperformer's Guide to Doing as Little as Possible in the Office by Chris Morran makes fun of the office and business administration books. Instead of learning to be an effective worker or leader this book shows readers how to do as little as possible at work. Learn the art of looking hard at work as you play solitaire or shop on the internet. A perfect parody for anyone forced to read materials or attend workshops intended to increase their workplace moral and productivity.

101 Places Not to Visit: Your Essential Guide to the World's Most Miserable, Ugly, Boring and Inbred Destinations by Adam Russ is the answer for travel lovers that are tired of reading guides that refuse to say anything negative about listed locales as well as those who simply dislike traveling. Every continent is featured in the book including Antarctica. Destination descriptions are laden with stereotypes and disinformation. It is an entertaining parody of travel guides, tourists and some highly traveled locations.

Homeland Insecurity: The Onion Complete News Archives, Volume 17 (Onion Ad Nauseam) by Scott Dikkers is a collection of parody news stories from The Onion. Each article is a parody of our media companies and the publics urge to believe what it is told. Anyone that enjoys The Onion or is simply fed up with traditional media will enjoy this highly entertaining collection.

Book Review: The Spider by Elise Gravel

The Spider by Elise Gravel is part of a nonfiction series that combines facts about the creepy crawly critters of the world with humor. The book covers topics like a spider's habitats (pretty much everywhere), the silk it spins (it can trap prey and makes a nifty bowtie), and its parenting practice (female spiders carry around their eggs in a silk purse). While each page is pretty silly The Spider also contains real information in a format that can both amuse and teach.

The Spider is a delightfully silly nonfiction book about spiders. The text is a mix of facts and silly twists on those facts to make both young and older readers laugh while learning. The illustrations are key to the giggle factor, and do a great job. I think readers that are just starting to branch out and read a larger variety of book on their own, but are either intimidated or bored by some of the books for their reading level with love this book. more advanced readers will still enjoy the sneaky learning that is woven between silliness.

The Spider is a great choice for young readers that love to learn about nature, and those that just love to laugh. As an easy picturebook it also lends itself to reading at story times or just reading together as a family or for bedtime. It is a great way to make learning fun for everyone. Now I amk going to have to get my hands on the whole series. 

Early Book Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Dead Heat is the forth book in the Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs. It is currently schedule for release on March 3 2015. For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. Their trip to Arizona is purely personal, with Charles planning to buy Anna a horse for her birthday and to spend some time with an old friend. Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up; and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

Dead Heat is another fantastic installment of the Alpha & Omega series. Yes, I am a huge Briggs fan, and am thrilled when the book I am reading meets or exceeds my exceptions, which this book does. Anna and Charles have a great connection and relationship, and I love that each character and the relationship grows so much during this story. Oftentimes established characters and pairings get stagnant in series because they just stay the same and face different outside forces. this is not the case here. While Anna and Charles have to solve a mystery and face a really evil big bad here, they also have to deal with personal issues and grow together. It just makes me so happy to see them continue their journey rather than leaving their relationship and personal growth behind in light of danger.

Dead Heat is not a book to pick up without having read the previous books in the series. Anna and Charles are unique characters with a powerful backstory and mythology that is important to understand how far they have come before, and the monumental movement that happens here. fans of Briggs and this series will not be disappointed with this new addition to their addiction.

Early Book Review: Highland Guard by Hannah Howell

Highland Guard is the 20th(!) book in the Murray Family by Hannah Howell. This historical romance is currently scheduled for release on March 3 2015. Lady Annys MacQueen has not had an easy life. Her parents were less than perfect, her fiance died in battle, and her husband has recently died as well. To shield her young son from the sword and her people from devastation, she must turn to the one man she could never forget. Sir Harcourt Murray lives by a strict code of honor. The only way he could repay the laird who saved his life was to agree to father a child with Sir MacQueen's wife, Lady Annys. Now he needs to balance his attraction for the widow with the need to secure her home from greedy relatives. Convincing her that his love is real means confronting her most wrenching fears, and putting everything they treasure most at stake.

While Highland Guard is the twentieth book in a series, this happens to be a series that you can pick up any book of and enjoy as a stand alone. The story line has a great build up- wife loyal to her husband but not ready to give up her son's inheritance to greedy and ruthless relatives despite him not being her husband's biological son. Betrayal, poisoning, and a attraction that lasted five years between Annys and Harcourt make for a great start. Benet, was an awesome little kid and really made parts of the story. Harcourt was a perfect blend of guy lusting after one woman and practical warrior looking after the long game. Annys was my least favorite character, but still had some great qualities. She was strong and pragmatic, although a romantic at heart which lead to the majority of inner dialogue about the relationship which left me a wee bit cold. On the other hand, her friend Jane was by far my favorite character. she was so honest, strong, and thoughtful that I want to see more. the final resolution was a little too predictable, and perfect. i rather saw it coming and it lost some of the shine because of that.

I would recommend Highland Guard to readers that already enjoy the work of Howell, and those that enjoy historical romance. The book still a solid read, one that will not have anyone throwing the book across the room for good or bad reasons. It worked, but just did not meet my high expectations. 

Book Review: Big Billy and the Ice Cream Truck That Wouldn't Stop! by Joe Consiglio

Big Billy and the Ice Cream Truck That Wouldn't Stop! by Joe Consiglio is a picturebook about the world's most evil, sinister, and wicked ice cream truck driver. He races past the children of Sweet Street every day. Armed with bikes, bravery, and a cunning plan, the children turn the wheels on the driver, creating delicious havoc. The confrontation escalates until a dripping pile of ice cream and an unexpected act of kindness changes everything.

Big Billy and the Ice Cream Truck That Wouldn't Stop! is a picturebook with bright colors and a message about making good choices. The ice cream, truck driver speeds by the children everyday, teasing them with his song and refusing to stop. It is only when the childr4en come together with a slightly destructive plan of action. It is only when the ice cream truck driver is stopped, and ice cream is strewn through the streets, that we see big Billy standing still and silent. His choice, completely unexpected and generous, is what turns everything around. One good choice made a significant impact and brought the neighborhood drama to an end.

Big Billy and the Ice Cream Truck That Wouldn't Stop! is not the best picturebook that I have read. it has bright, colorful illustrations which catch the eyes and silly moments. There is also a strong message that seems a little lost to me in the amount of destroyed ice cream. The book had several good points, and did the job, but I felt like it was lacking a few important pieces. 

Early Book Review: Rose and the Silver Ghost by Holly Webb

Rose and the Silver Ghost is the forth book in the Rose series by Holly Webb. It is currently scheduled for release on March 3 2015. Time has flown since Rose left the orphanage behind for her new family at Mr. Fountain's magical house. But when the stern Miss Fell comes to stay at the mansion, Rose can't help but notice the extra attention Miss Fell gives her. When Rose sees the flash of a face in Miss Fell's mirror-a face that's familiar and foreign at the same time-her suspicions are confirmed that Miss Fell might know more about Rose's past than she's letting on. Can a hidden picture, a silver mirror, and a timid ghost lead Rose to the truth about her family?

Rose and the Silver Ghost is a wonderful continuation to a solid series. I liked that there was significant character growth and fresh conflict that both continued the larger story arch and set up a whole new batch of problems and solutions as well. Rose and her friends face huge odds, and learn more about Rose's past and their own gifts in the process. Change can be uncomfortable, and scary, but finding answers and facing evil seem to quench that fear while in the heart of the moment. The teamwork between the friends, and the comradery they share is at the heart of the book. I rather saw the Rose family connection coming, but was surprised by the depth of trouble they faced. I was pleasantly surprised and wondering just how they would get themselves out of several situations.

Rose and the Silver Ghost is part of a series I would recommend to independent readers that like action, magic, and adventure. The characters are solid with significant growth, particularly in this installment. 

Best Young Adult Novels Retelling Fairy Tales New Perspectives and Life Given to Classic Stories

There are some stories we all know very well, from books or movies. Some authors have taken a chance and added new twists to classic fairy tales. Here are some that surpassed expectation.

Beastly by Alex Flinn is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Kyle Kingsbury was a golden boy. He had everything a high school boy could want; good looks, popularity, good grades and money. When he behaves beastly toward a classmate, she appears in his bedroom and makes that adjective true in looks as well as deed. His superficial world falls apart and he has to transform himself inside to earn the love that can transform his exterior. This is a fun, entertaining read that dos not become trite or corny which is always a danger in this kind of story. Finn has also written his take on Sleeping Beauty titled A Kiss in Time, and many other tales since. 

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George is the retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Here the story is set in nineteen-century Europe. Rose and her younger sisters are trapped by their mother's bargain to dance every night until their dancing slippers are worn. Galen is a soldier with a knitting hobby and a personality that has him being polite and kind to the elderly. What I really love about this retelling is that the princesses are feisty with minds and plans of their own; they are not simply waiting around for rescue. While the romance aspect seems a little thin, there is a sequel to the book, which follows Rose on to the next stage of her life. Again the author has done many more fairy tale related books since. 

Robin McKinley has retold a few fairy tales, and done all of them very well. Spindle's End is her version of the Sleeping Beauty story. Everyone knows the basics, infant cursed to die on a birthday after sticking her finger on a spindle. While tat stays the same, in McKinley's version our heroine is raised by a peasant fairy and grows up wild, preferring pants to skirts and able to communicate with animals. Twists to the original tale have her stronger and more capable than one might expect in this story, and it reads extremely well. Surprises make the read so much more intriguing and entertaining. . If you have not read any of McKinley's novels I strongly suggest exploring her work, she has never disappointed me.

Magic Circle by Donna Jo Napoli is the unique retelling of Hansel and Gretel from the witch's point of view. She was tricked and forced to live as a witch, alone until she takes in two lost children. She fights the evil that has invaded her life. The book is intriguing, beautiful, surprising and disturbing on several levels. It was a great read and one of many reimaginings of fairy tales by this author that I have found to be fantastic.

Before Midnight by Cameron Dokey and Mahlon F. Craft is a retelling of Cinderella, and part of the Once Upon a Time series of fairy tale reimaginings. This retelling is full of strong women and matters of family, loyalty and courage. While most of the basic elements of the known story are here, the characters do not blindly slide into their usual molds. No one in inherently evil or doormats to be mistreated and abused. The changes and twists inn this version of the classic tale captivate and entertain.