Review: Haven by Beverly Patt

Book: Haven by Beverly Patt

Genre: YA

Rating: A

For: ARC Reading Challenge (though I didn't really have an ARC of this book)

From: mailed to me by the author

This book was mailed to me several months ago with hopes that I would someday read and review it. So finally, with the ARC challenge to encourage me to get moving along, I stuck in between a bunch of other "I really need to read this now" books.

And I'm so glad I did! Why did I wait so long? I hate it when that happens!

This is the story of Rudy, who lives close to Haven, a home for displaced kids. Every Christmas his family invites one of these kids to their house for the day so they can have a nice "at home" Christmas experience. This year is no different... except that it is, because this year he meets Latonya.

She asks him some hard questions like "Why didn't you get the ATV that you wanted for Christmas?" This makes him think, yet again, about his dad, and why does he act so weird around him. Then he gets kinda mad, and then he ends up in trouble, right on Christmas Day!

Later, he gets a phone call from Latonya and she has a deal to make with him. And thus begins the adventure that is this book.

I loved what this book said about the relationship between fathers and sons, and between friends. And what does it mean to be truly loyal to your friend? I totally fell in love with Rudy, and his friend Stark too. I felt completely connected to them. Though I loved her too, I could have gotten to know Latonya a bit better I think.

Anyway, it's a wonderful, heart warming book. One that makes a statement without getting too preachy. It had me in tears at the end, something I totally didn't see coming. (I knew what the story would bring, but the tears I didn't predict.)

Bottom line: I loved it! I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it and tell you all about it!

Other Reviews:

JacketFlap

Books We Love

For more on Beverly Patt, check out her website here.

Review: Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

Book: Zel by Donna Jo Napoli

Genre: YA Fantasy

Rating: B+

For: F2F Book Club

From: Paperback Swap

So this month for book club at my house, coming up next week, we are having our much looked forward to Fairy Tale Month. We choose several books to read, this Zel being one of them.

Zel, if it's not already obvious, is the retelling of Rapunzel. Do y'all know that story already? :) If not, there's a witch who wants a baby. She catches the husband of her pregnant neighbor stealing lettuce from her garden, and says "fine, but you have to give me the baby!" That baby is of course, Rapunzel.

Later, when she has a panic attack of sorts, she hides Rapunzel away in a tower. Of course, we all know the prince comes to her rescue... sort of.

I expected to like this particular retelling much better than I did. I mean, it was okay, but I found it a bit boring, and then, surprising in parts... shocking I might even say. And there was really nothing new, well, except for that shocking part. I enjoyed the setting, Switzerland in the 1500s, and getting to know the prince a bit better. But I didn't enjoy the Mother/Witch at all (and I think we were supposed to feel for her or something) and Rapunzel herself, I guess I just didn't make the connection.

Bottom line: I liked it okay.

Other reviews (most with a much more favorable opinion):

Maw Books Blog

An Adventure in Reading

A Striped Armchair

Books I Done Read

Booking Through Thursday: Encouragement

This weeks Booking Through Thursday question was suggested by Barbara H and she asks:

How can you encourage a non-reading child to read? What about a teen-ager? Would you require books to be read in the hopes that they would enjoy them once they got into them, or offer incentives, or just suggest interesting books? If you do offer incentives and suggestions and that doesn’t work, would you then require a certain amount of reading? At what point do you just accept that your child is a non-reader?

In the book Gifted Hands by brilliant surgeon Ben Carson, one of the things that turned his life around was his mother’s requirement that he and his brother read books and write book reports for her. That approach worked with him, but I have been afraid to try it. My children don’t need to “turn their lives around,” but they would gain so much from reading and I think they would enjoy it so much if they would just stop telling themselves, “I just don’t like to read.”

Some ideas I have for getting kids to read:

• Read to them... even if they are teenagers.


• Read with them... have a book club of sorts with your own kids, read a couple of chapters each on your own, then have discussions about what you've just read.


• If they like to write, start a book journal with them. It's like writing letters back and forth to each other but write about what you are reading, all in a notebook that you pass between the two of you.


• If they don't like a book, don't make them read it... keep trying with different books until you hit upon one that works.


• If you do find one that works, let them read it over and over.... and/or read the whole series over and over.... even if YOU think that sounds boring and pointless.


• have a set time of day that is reading time... this works for younger kids


• make sure they see you reading.


• involve them in the next readathon!


• have them read books where they are familiar with it because of the movie. Or read the book then watch the movie. Or watch the movie then read the book.

How's that for a start? What do you think? Has anyone tried these things and they worked?

Review: Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart

Book: Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart

Genre: YA

Rating: A

For: Fun

From: the library

After hearing so many rave reviews about this book from fellow bloggers, I decided to snag it up quickly when I saw it available at the library. And then somehow, I managed to fit it this "for fun" read amongst all the "deadline" reads of this past month! Cool when that happens.

The story is about a young girl, Katie, who is struggling with her mom's death. She and her dad seem fine, and things appear to be going well, but she needs answers. To help her with her own questions, she ends up researching the life of her employer, the lady that owns the huge estate where she is working during this particular summer as gardening help. In the process, she learns things both about the past, and her own present struggles.

I totally enjoyed this quick read, with its beautiful poetical descriptions. As a reader, you totally get a feel for the setting, the characters, and the sadness. It's a beautiful story.

Bottom line: I liked it a lot!

Other reviews:

My Friend Amy

Rhapsody in Books

Booking Mama

Things Mean A Lot

Beth Kephart's Blog

More About Beth Kephart

Announcing a New Bookword!

After voting for the word that describes a book that makes you want to travel to its setting, we have a winner!

A Wanderlust Novel... suggested by Arcona of course, our stalwart faithful bookword game player.... is crowned the new bookword of the week!

But wait, now it's time for new suggestions for another word. This week, in honor of Valentines Day, let's find a word that describes a book you totally fall in love with. A book you want to hug to your chest and cherish forever! I always call this kind of book "one of my all-time favorites" which is obviously kind of a mouthful. So, let's get creative and figure out the perfect word for those books we love.

Comment with suggestions... don't be shy... go for it! :)

Weekly Geeks 2010.5: Author Fun Facts

The idea for Weekly Geeks this week is to find out and post some fun things about a favorite author. I did this before when Dewey posted this task back a year or so ago and had a blast learning about Markus Zusak and John Green and so I've really been pondering who I could do this time around.

Finally, since I seem to be talking about him a lot lately, I settled on:

Brandon Sanderson

• born December 19, 1975, grew up in Nebraska
• roommates with Ken Jennings at BYU,
• where he also currently teaches a creative writing class
• Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly, which he read in junior high, was the book that turned him into a fantasy fanatic
• wrote seven books while being a hotel night clerk during college
• has published nine fantasy books, with three more (at least) coming up this year
• his first book, Elantris, was published in 2005
• he is married and has one son
• after Robert Jordan died, his wife chose Brandon to finish up Robert's epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time
• it was supposed to be one book, but now it's three books: The Gathering Storm (2009), Towers of Midnight (2010) and A Memory of Light (2011)
• he shares annotations for all his books on his website
• he also does a podcast for aspiring fantasy writers
• he is also the author of a kids fantasy series which starts with Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
• I get to hear him speak this weekend! :)

The Sunday Salon:Last Week and This Week

As much as I wanted to jump right into my new books from yesterday's adventure, I am instead being "good" and reading from previous piles today.

First, this week I read and finished Zel by Donna Jo Napoli for book club this month. We're doing fairy tale retellings, something we've all been looking forward to. I'd love to find time to re-read Beauty by Robin McKinley for our discussion, but I'm not sure I'll get it fit in.

So, just last night, I finally picked up a book sent to me ages ago it seems, Haven by Beverly Patt, and I'm finding it to be a very cute and engaging story so far. I'm really enjoying it and hope to have time to maybe even finish it today during my Sunday reading.

That is if Robin Hood and his gorgeous gang (and enemies) don't distract me from reading later this evening. (I won't have a Superbowl problem, in case you wondered. Robin Hood trumps football any day in my book! Well, maybe I'll peek at half-time....)

This past week has been....busy.... interesting.... crazy.... you name it.

First, we set up, ran and took down yet another book fair. And since it's now tradition to reveal what I bought there, here's that list.

Catmagic by Holly Webb (because this was the only one my 5th grade daughter really wanted)

Ruined by Paula Morris (because it looked intriguing)

Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn (because we seem to be collecting her books, and besides, it won an award, the Scot O'dell Award)

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (because it also won the Newbery Honor, and I seem to remember hearing lots about it)

And that's it for this book fair. I didn't buy much this time around.

Blogging-wise this week I hosted a guest post by Angela Morrison. The giveaway for her book is still going on through this week, so don't forget to enter! Also, we had a new Bookword poll go up, so be sure to come by and vote.

Then there was yesterday and my author stalking. Oh, and I posted a Weekly Geek assignment, so really, you should go do it! :)

Also, this week, my son participated in the Battle of the Bands. They did an AWESOME job, but were jipped with some sound problems. Somehow, the guitar sound wasn't working, so there they they were doing an amazing job with Muse's song Hysteria, wailing their hearts out, and the audience could barely hear it. It was so frustrating I can still hardly think about it. Anyway, such is the life of being in a band I guess. Whatever.

And this very same son had a birthday and turned 15 years old this week. Sheesh, time flies. And I'm getting old. Weird how I still feel 15 years old myself. Whatever I say again.

Oh, and then I got sick. I can't even remember the last time I was sick, so it's been an experience dealing with that. Yucky stuff.

Coming up this next week, I plan on doing more author stalking at the free science fiction and fantasy conference going on nearby. I especially look forward to hearing Brandon Sanderson and his keynote address on Saturday.

I think I also signed up to help with a Valentine Party at the 5th grade too, on Friday. Maybe I can get out of that one? Ugh.

I've got to review a bunch of books this week too. And read a bunch. Wow, I've stacks and stacks that I want to read RIGHT NOW! It's so hard to pick and choose and not have that panicky feeling that you'll never get to them all!

Never a dull moment around here, that's for sure.

So how was your week?

When you get new books, do you drop other books to read them, or do they get in line and wait their turn?