Early Book Review: Girls of the World: 250 Portraits of Awesome by Mihaela Noroc

Girls of the World: 250 Portraits of Awesome by Mihaela Noroc is currently scheduled for release on November 7 2023. This collection of powerful photographs and moving stories showcases young women of all backgrounds, from a myriad of cultures, showing us that all girls are awesome in their own special way. Travel from Kabul to Texas with author and photographer Mihaela Noroc and experience astonishing diversity and a shared humanity in Girls of the World: 250 Portraits of Awesome. The inspiring stories of these young women are the stories of our planet. Their gaze into the camera reveals their strength and tenacity, their joy and fun-seeking spirits, even in the face of hardships and extraordinary challenges.

Girls of the World: 250 Portraits of Awesome is a wonderful book for children and adults to look through and explore. I loved the diversity of girls included, and thought that everyone could see someone they could identify with or aspire to be more like. Some of the girls had more information shared about their experiences, culture, and plans than others. However, I think the information shared was well balanced between different parts of the world, different cultures and experiences, and different plans for the future. Some of the young people included were continuing and celebrating the culture and traditions of their families, others were breaking new ground, and some shared nothing more than enjoying being a kid. I loved that every path was celebrated and that the emphasis was on strength, happiness, and hope for the future.  I learned some things about different countries and cultures, and I think some readers will see the names of countries or people that they have never heard of before. I hope that it can inspire future exploration into those areas, and the understanding that all of us are at the heart the same, while we have so many differences to celebrate and explore to better understand each other.

Early Book Review: Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch is a middle grade series starter that is currently scheduled for release on January 7 2020. Lacey Chu has always dreamed of working as an engineer for MONCHA, the biggest tech firm in the world and the company behind the “baku”—a customizable “pet” with all the capabilities of a smartphone. But when Lacey is rejected by the elite academy that promises that future, she’s crushed. One night, Lacey comes across the broken form of a highly advanced baku. After Lacey repairs it, the cat-shaped baku she calls Jinx opens its eyes and somehow gets her into her dream school. But Jinx is different than any other baku she’s ever seen…He seems real. As Lacey settles into life at school, competing with the best students in a battle of the bakus that tests her abilities, she learns that Jinx is part of a dangerous secret. Can Lacey hold on to Jinx and her dreams for the future?

Jinxed is ba well written start to a new series. Lacey is a smart and determined middle school girl, who has her faults and makes mistakes but tries to to the right and best thing. The world and character building is well done, feeding readers the information they need at a good pace, neither overwhelming them with too much information at once or making them wonder if they missed something. I liked Lacey's character and the relationships she maintains or builds with those important to her- even if she makes some mistakes along the way. I liked the premise and the execution of it.  I thought that the technology in the story is well done, and not unrealistic when the story on how and why it was developed in considered. I would not be surprised if someone was already working on something of this nature. The implications of the technology is also well thought out and positioned in the story to be game changers.The characters are all complex, and even the ones we only see in passing feel complex and multi layered- leaving them plenty of room to play major roles in the upcoming books. My only complaint with the story is that it does end with a cliffhanger. The majority of the story is wrapped up and crisis managed, but there is a big new problem to deal with. I cannot wait for the next book so I can read all about what happens next. 

Jinxed is a very well written middle grade novel with great series potential. I am eager to see where Lacey and the other characters go from here. 

Early Book Review: Ice: Chilling Stories from a Disappearing World from DK Publishing

Ice: Chilling Stories from a Disappearing World from DK Publishing was written by Laura Buller, Andrea Mills, and John Woodward. It is currently scheduled for release on September 3 2019. This comprehensive book can teach readers about early humans and how they survived in one of the most hostile environments on Earth, the tragic and treacherous journeys of early polar explorers, how icy landscapes develop and change, and meet the animals who make these frozen lands their home. Detailed annotations explore the place of ice on our planet and how we and other animals survive and interact with it. Using captivating CGIs, illustrations, and photography, this book will take readers on an epic journey from the ice age to modern day, exploring how icy worlds are created, how creatures live in these harsh environments and the impact of climate change. This makes it a the perfect companion for any reader who wants to discover frozen worlds and the creatures that make them their home.

Ice: Chilling Stories from a Disappearing World captured my attention with the image on the front cover and never let go. As someone that thought they had a good grasp on most habitats and some of the science involved in the coldest regions on our planet, I need to say that I learned quite a lot from this book. There is so much more to ice, in all its forms, than most of us could ever know. I found the text to be very well organized and researched with absolutely stunning images through out. There is a great deal of information here, and not all of it very optimistic,  making this a book that I think can be taken in smaller bites and returned too many times to refresh or reread the most relevant bits for current research or interests. I think even the youngest readers can appreciate the images in the book, while older readers (including adults) will be able to learn much from this resource. 

Ice: Chilling Stories from a Disappearing World is exactly what you would expect from the title and publisher. It is a well done non fiction book well suited for all libraries and personal collections, and visually stunning. 

Book Review: Decelerate Blue by Adam Rapp, Mike Cavallari

Decelerate Blue is a graphic novel from Adam Rapp and Mike Cavallari. In this new world, speed and efficiency are everything, and the populace zooms along in a perpetually stimulated haze. Angela thinks she's the only person in her family—maybe the only person on the planet—who sees anything wrong with this picture. But the truth is she's not alone. Angela finds herself recruited into a resistance movement where the key to rebellion is taking things slow. In their secret underground hideout, they create a life unplugged from the rapid-fire culture outside. Can they free the rest of the world before the powers that be shut down their utopian experiment?

Decelerate Blue is a well done graphic novel, with a nearly perfect connection of story and artwork. I really enjoyed the art style, and thought the choice of black and white for the majority of the book, with very important choices of where to use partial or full color to bring out important moments or themes. I thought the story itself was a important one, in a world where the importance of always being busy, always doing, seems to be overwhelming all of use. Even young kids seem to be moving faster and faster, scheduled to the minute of every day. The benefits of slowing down and enjoying a moment or more seems to be less and less important to most. I thought the graphic novel was a solid story, and one that was engaging and thought provoking. Combined with the art style I think it was pretty close to perfect.  

Decelerate Blue is a graphic novel for teens and adults that can perhaps make a difference with those too caught up in always being on. I know it encouraged me to take a moment and just breathe, enjoying some unseasonably nice weather rather than rushing to do whatever task was next on my to do list. It still got done, but taking a moment to slow down made my day much better. I think many others will enjoy the book and take a moment (or more) of their own.

Book Review: Jarek (Dragons of Preor) by Celia Kyle as Erin Tate

Jarek (Dragons of Preor) by Celia Kyle as Erin Tate is the first book in a romance series. I am not sure if I should dub this or the previous related series science fiction or paranormal romance. The males in this series are dragon shifters from space and it tales place in the future... so call it what ever you want.

At 457 Preor years old, Jarek sen Claron is a dragon ready for his final flight into the skies. This voyage to Earth as the War Master of the third fleet will be his final assignment. Once he has helped his fellow Preors secure human mates, he will return to Preor before the madness of loneliness overtakes his mind. That all changes when he meets Melissa. Human Melissa with her sparkling eyes, bright smile, and body that would make any hot-blooded male drool. Unfortunately, she never registered as a Preor mate hopeful. No matter, the Knowing stretches between them and there is no way she can resist him. Until she does. Jarek wishes to give her the choice to mate him, while everything inside him screams to take Melissa beneath his wing, now. No choosing necessary.  But should he draw her to his side when his enemies are circling? Many males do not believe the son of a Preor mass murderer deserves to have a mate. Can he survive the coming battles? Or will he die without tasting sweet Melissa’s lips?

Jarek was a fast, fun read. I liked that Jarek and Melissa work through their issues in their own time. They have several cultural and personal issues to work through- especially personal doubts and worries about worthiness. I really like that they do work things out, and actually discuss those issues rather than just throwing their hands in the air and blindly following the Knowing. I hate when the "mate" factor comes into play and magically all other problems magically disappear. I also liked that in this series opener the couple does not hop into bed until those issues are discussed and resolved. It made everything a little more real.

Jarek was not great literature, but it was a fun read and kept me warm on a winter holiday weekend. I will admit to having quickly binge read the next three books in the series in the same long weekend. All of the books offer a variety of emotional issues and a different time frame for the physical and emotional attachment between the main couple. They each offer just enough of a hint about the couple that will appear in the next book that curiosity kept me reading the series long after I should have moved on to something else.