Book Review: Seer (Titanomachy) by S E Welsh

Seer is the first book in the Titanomachy series by S E Welsh. A Seer has surfaced--but she's blind! Chloe Santos is an immortal with a whole world of problems. The victim of an attempted murder that left her blind, horribly disfigured, and stuck with powers everyone thought eradicated, it's safe to say she's at a low point in her life. But then she's blackmailed into investigating a kidnapping with links to her past. It could put herself, and everyone she cares about, in danger.  Including her Warrior Soulmate. Phobos has a millennia of blood on his hands. As the son of Ares, he's done horrific things in the name of keeping the continued existence of immortals a secret. Only all of that changes when he meets his Soulmate. Allegiances shift, trust is thin and Chloe has to decide if she should risk everything to make the world a better place. Even if that means sacrificing her own chance at happiness. 

Seer is a good start to a urban fantasy and romance series. I liked the set up for the mingling of gods and humans and how the world ended up where it was in relation to that. I liked the depth of the characters, and the demonstration that even the most powerful, sometimes especially the powerful, are prone to insecurity and worry about betrayal and losing what they have. I think the set up and the action were pretty good. I liked the story, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. It felt like I was reading some of the books I used to devour, and it was a bit nostalgic for me, but I have to admit that I was a little more than half way through when my investment started to fade. I started to get distracted and less interested in the story, I do not know if it was just because of all the troubles in the world that made me less interested in reading about these troubles, or if I just was not in the mood for it. However, I do think this is a good book, and if you are looking for a new series with romance, political machinations, lots of big personalities, and plenty of sex then you will want to give this one a try. I did have a giggle about this book. The blurb had a reader's advisory that the sex would not be vanilla. True- I guess, but I did not find that any of it was shocking enough to require a warning label, but I did appreciate the effort to care for readers. 

Seer is a solid series starter promising big action, interesting characters, and conflicts.

Early Book Review: Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James, Matthew Rivera

Fussy Flamingo is a picturebook written by Shelly Vaughan James and illustrated by Matthew Rivera that is currently scheduled for release on July 1 2020.  Lola is the "no, no" flamingo. Lola will NOT eat shrimp, thank you very much. She does NOT care that it will turn her feathers pink. It is just plain yucky. But when Lola sneaks other snacks, she discovers that you really are what you eat. 

Fussy Flamingo is an entertaining read that adults and young readers can enjoy together. I loved the artwork, and thought it captured the story and the moods of the characters perfectly. I have a picky eater at home, and some of the chars between Lola and her parents felt very familiar. She is more interested in exploring and eating colorful fruit than the shrimp she is supposed to eat. I liked that the fruit she ate might be new to some readers, and just might encourage them to give them a try. I like that in the end her parents just asked her to try the shrimp, which is all we can ever really do, and of course once she tries them she liked them. I also liked that the book offers real information about flamingos at the end of the book. The facts chosen were interesting and add an extra layer of interest to the story. 

I think Fussy Flamingo will appeal to a wide range of readers, and that it might become a favorite for sharing at home or during a storytime or classroom setting. 

Early Book Review: Witch Hunt by Cate Conte

Witch Hunt is the first book in a new series by Cate Conte and is currently scheduled for release on June 30 2020. Violet Mooney owns The Full Moon crystal shop in quaint North Harbor, Connecticut. Still grieving her beloved grandmother’s recent unexpected death, she takes comfort in her fat orange cat Monty and her work. Not everyone in town is thrilled with her business, however. When disagreeable town councilwoman Carla Fernandez picks a fight over Violet’s "voodoo shop," the two have a very public confrontation. Of course, when Carla turns up dead, Violet gets little sympathy from the police as suspect #1. But the shock of two policemen showing up at her door pales in comparison to the sudden appearance of her estranged mother Fiona and a surprise sister, Zoe. What Fiona reveals will rock her world and her sense of self—and reawaken her long-dormant mysterious power. 

Witch Hunt is a story with a whole lot going on. Violet is still mourning the loss of her grandmother and just trying to get through life. Her best friend and neighbor is acting strange, her boyfriend is being distant, and the queen of the town council is harping on many of them about their businesses. Once said council member is found murdered everything gets even more complicated. It seems everyone has secrets, including Violet's family. A magical heritage and new dangers are added to the list of problems to be faced, and the stakes keep rising. I thought Carla's murder and the surrounding mystery was well done, and while I had some suspicions as things unraveled, it was an interesting ride to the reveal. The story line about Violet's family and witches in the world was good, but felt like it could have been its own book rather than a layer over the first murder. I felt like the witchy reveal, and the problems that it could bring, will include more murder and mystery in the next volume- but I already have a suspect in mind for several possible issues that might arise. I really enjoyed several aspects of the story, and the writing style was nice. I just think there was too much going on layered over each other for what I was in the mood for when I picked up this title. 

Witch Hunt is a well written mystery with many layers to unravel. 

Early Book Review: When Darwin Sailed the Sea: Uncover how Darwin's Revolutionary Ideas Helped Change the World by David Long, Sam Kalda

When Darwin Sailed the Sea: Uncover how Darwin's Revolutionary Ideas Helped Change the World, written by David Long and illustrated by Sam Kalda, is currently scheduled for release on July 1 2020. At the age of 22 Charles Darwin clambered up the steps of HMS Beagle, armed with enough notepads to last him for several years and set sail on a journey of exploration that would change his life and how we view the entire world forever. This book tells the story of Charles Darwin, and shows how his revolutionary research changed the world forever. From his fascination with the natural world which began at an early age, his love of collecting new specimens and keen eye for observation, to his groundbreaking theory of evolution, uncover the incredible life of Charles Darwin with this illustrated, narrative non-fiction book. 

When Darwin Sailed the Sea is a book that offers readers a look at Darwin as a person and a scientist. The book does a good job of explaining his interests, determination, and how he collaborated with a variety of people. The information was accessible and interesting.I found the accompanying artwork to be lovely to look at while also adding meaning and detail to the text as appropriate. I learned quite a bit about Darwin, and liked the narrative tone that I think works very well in this format. I will admit that I was not expecting it to be as text heavy as it was, but the style and substance balanced that out. I am hoping some young people reading this will see how hard Darwin worked to follow his interests and be inspired. I really liked the timeline, further information on the people Darwin worked with, and additional information included in the endpages. Good use of this section always makes me happy- and this book delivered. 

When Darwin Sailed the Sea would be a great addition to school, classroom, and public libraries. Some readers will want it for their personal collections as well. 

Early Book Review: Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers

Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers is a nonfiction picturebook that is currently scheduled for release on July 1 2020. As a kid, Mary Anning loved hunting for fossils with her father. One day, that hobby led to an unexpected discovery: the skeleton of a creature no one had never seen before! Mary had unearthed a dinosaur fossil, the first to ever be discovered. Her find reshaped scientific beliefs about the natural world and led to the beginning of a brand new field of study: paleontology. For the rest of her life, Mary continued to make astonishing finds and her fossils are displayed in museums all across the world! The daring discoveries of Mary Anning not only changed the scientific world, but also helped change people’s attitudes towards women scientists.

Dinosaur Lady is a picturebook that not only talks about the early years and discoveries in paleontology, but how women were viewed in science, and to a certain degree still are. I liked the illustrations, they added a great deal of detail and heart to each page. I thought the information included was interesting and was accessible. I think the narrative and information were well balanced and should keep the reader's interest. I also liked the additional information that was included at the end of the book. I really enjoyed the read and think the book just might inspire kids interested in topic others might try to dissuade them from perusing to keep on studying and working towards their goals.

Dinosaur Lady is a engaging and informative book that would be a great addition to all libraries. Hopefully it will encourage more young scientists to follow their interests.

Early Book Review: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert is currently scheduled for release on June 23 2020. Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom. When big, brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and former rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact to him, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Suddenly, half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse? Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf is secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his, um, thighs. 

Take a Hint, Dani Brown is a great contemporary romance with wonderfully flawed characters. I love the way even the secondary characters are fleshed out and given significant issues and lives of their own- making them feel real. Dani is a combination of strength, intelligence, and fearful insecurity that she keeps locked down hard. Zaf is my favorite kind of romance character- a sweetheart often more concerned with others than himself but still anxious and thought of as much tougher and hard than he really is. I loved watching the two discover more about each other and take this path together. They discover even more about themselves than each other, and the ride was full of feels. I really adored both characters and how real all of them felt, since none were perfect or unbearably flawed. I was left thinking about this group long after I finished the book, and was left very happy with the conclusion but still wanting more. I will be checking out the backlist and any future books from this author and fully expect to enjoy them just as much.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown is a friends to lovers romance with all the feels, and plenty of character development. I look forward to any future books with these characters.

Early Book Review: Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean's Biggest Secret by Jess Keating

Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean's Biggest Secret by Jess Keating is a nonfiction picturebook currently scheduled for release on June 30 2020. From a young age, Marie Tharp loved watching the world. She loved solving problems. And she loved pushing the limits of what girls and women were expected to do and be. In the mid-twentieth century, women were not welcome in the sciences, but Marie was tenacious. She got a job in a laboratory at Cambridge University, New York. But then she faced another obstacle: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered bad luck on boats). So instead, Marie stayed back and dove deep into the data her colleagues recorded. She mapped point after point and slowly revealed a deep rift valley in the ocean floor. At first the scientific community refused to believe her, but her evidence was irrefutable. She proved to the world that her research was correct. The mid-ocean ridge that Marie discovered is the single largest geographic feature on the planet, and she mapped it all from her small, cramped office.

Ocean Speaks is a read that just might inspire a new generation of children to follow the interests or fields of study they love even when society might cause stumbling blocks. Marie Tharp loved the ocean, and want to take part in the study of it. Because of restrictions placed on her due to gender she was relegated to the background, and her results and work with the data were often dismissed or claimed by others for the very same reason. It was a little satisfying to see that her conclusions were proven, after being dismissed for so long. However, it is often also infuriating to read about how people's intelligence and hard work are so often dismissed, stolen, or mocked because of gender or other factors.  I liked learning about Tharp and her work, because much of the information was new to. I also liked the deeper look at her work and the science at the end of the book. 

Ocean Speaks is a well written book that can engage a wide range of readers, and I think it would be an especially good addition to school and classroom libraries for the lower grades. 

Early Book Review: SuperSimple Chemistry and SuperSimple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide by DK Children

SuperSimple Chemistry: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide by DK Children is currently scheduled for release on June 23 2020. It is an aid for coursework, homework, studying for tests, and a comprehensive guide for grades 6-10. Each topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts crystal clear, and bring the science to life. A large central image explains the idea visually and each topic is summed up on a single page, helping children to quickly get up to speed and really understand how chemistry works. Information boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics and for further studying, a handy "Key Facts" box provides a simple summary you can check back on later. 

SuperSimple Biology: The Ultimate Bitesize Study Guide by DK Children is currently scheduled for release on June 23 2020. This biology book for kids 12+ years old is ideal for home and school learning. From reproduction to respiration and enzymes to ecosystems, this guide makes complex topics easy to grasp at a glance. Perfect support for coursework, homework, and studying for tests. Each topic is fully illustrated to support the information, make the facts crystal clear, and bring the science to life. For key ideas, "How It Works" and "Look Closer" boxes explain the theory with the help of simple graphics. And for studying, a handy "Key Facts" box provides a simple summary you can check back on later. 

Both of these books are exactly what one would expect from the titles, and the publisher. They are crisp, clean, and bright looking resources with concise and well written text. The sections are well organized and the pages are formatted to keep readers focused. I liked the balance of illustrations, charts, text, and the key facts boxes. I think resources like this are well timed (although I know they have been around previously) with everyone learning from home for months, and the worries about losing ground with studies, and the possibility of more home learning in the future for many. This would be useful both as a personal resource to support classroom work, as a resource in the classroom, or independent study for those interested in the specific field of study. 

Book Review: The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook: 60 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Your Oven and Mini Donut Maker by Sara Mellas

The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook: 60 Sweet and Savory Recipes for Your Oven and Mini Donut Maker by Sara Mellas is newly published cookbook. Who doesn’t love a good donut? From sugared or sprinkled to frosted or filled, donuts are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and sweeten your day. The best part is you don’t need to fuss with frying to whip up these fun, flavorful treats at home. Theses donuts can be made in an oven or donut maker, providing plenty of tried-and-true tricks and tasty recipes for beautifully baked donuts, donut holes, mini donuts, and more. From sweet staples, such as Old-Fashioned Cake Donuts to creative savory bakes like Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread Donuts, this donut cookbook serves you dozens of delightfully simple recipes to match every craving, along with perfectly paired frostings, glazes, and toppings.

The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook is a cookbook for every donut lover, particularly those of use that do not want to fry. Spending the last twelve weeks or so home with my family I have made all of my tried and true recipes, ran out of flour and yeast, and resupplied while looking for new things to try. This book was well timed, and inspired me to make some donuts. I am lucky enough to have a donut pan, and plenty of other pans, and was happy to find some new things for my weekend baking. I thought the introduction, including the basic techniques and supply lists were nicely done, and as a fellow New Englander the explanation behind writing the book resonated with me. I thought the recipes were easy to follow, well labeled, and detailed. I like the variants and options were also included, because I love to fiddle with recipes and find these suggestions helpful both in deciding if my idea will work and if the author already came up with something even better. There are several recipes that really caught my eye, some I was ready to try right away and others needed a shopping trip to complete so had to wait a bit. I was impressed that there were gluten free, vegan, and boozy recipes. The classics went over the best in my house, like the chocolate cake and pumpkin donuts- but the glazed blueberry and several filled donuts were also well received. 

The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook is a great resource for bakers that want to try their hand at donuts, without frying anything. Frequent bakers might want to add this to their cookbook collection, dabbles might want to borrow it from the library for the first look through to decide if they will use it often enough- I have a feeling I will be needed a paper copy.

Book Review: Zombies of the World: A Field Guide to the Undead by Ross Payton

Zombies of the World: A Field Guide to the Undead by Ross Payton is a humorous reference book. Zombies have plagued humanity's nightmares for centuries, but fortunately, the scientific community has created this detailed and completely serious guide to the undead which reveals the undead to be a valuable part of our ecosystem and the key to new discoveries in medicine and technology. Zombies of the World uses captivating illustrations to document how evolution has led to a wide variety of species. Few outside the scientific community even realize that creatures like the Egyptian Mummy (Mortifera mumia aegyptus) are actually zombies. Some species are even harmless to humans. The Dancing Zombie (Mortifera immortalis choreographicus) only seeks to thrill humans with elaborate dance routines. Discover how our history has been affected by the undead and what we can learn from “scientific” research. 

Zombies of the World is an interesting take on zombie lore. Written as a non fiction book it is the story of zombie evolution, classification, and explanation. I think the illustrations were very well done, and a perfect pairing to the text. I like that the history and science possibilities are heavily featured. The approach is rather like the mermaid mockumentory from a few years back, that might have some readers wondering if there is truth in the book rather than fiction. I also enjoyed the dry humor that is inherent in this style of writing, but it might fall flat for those looking for a more obvious humor. The descriptions of the zombie varieties were my favorite part of the book, and the section I think are the most universally appealing. I rather liked the approach, but think that it is best suited to serious zombie fans.