Category Archives: News and Fun

Monthly Wrap-Up: July 2017

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July 2017 Monthly Wrap-UpThe summertime always flies by, but July 2017 seemed like an especially busy month. My girl participated in a local theater production of The Lion King, which was loads of fun, and our fantastic new contributor, Gabrielle, posted her first review, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber.

In other big news, a new little reader will be joining my family this winter. Yep. In about five more months, my girl, who has been a solo kid her whole life, will become a big sister. We’re all excited and busy busy with the changes it will bring to our family.

Unfortunately, that means slowing down my blogging a little bit. If you’ve been … Continue reading →

Review: What Goes Up by Katie Kennedy

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What Goes Up by Katie KennedyWhat Goes Up
Katie Kennedy
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published July 18, 2017

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About What Goes Up
Rosa and Eddie are among hundreds of teens applying to NASA’s mysterious Multi-World Agency. After rounds of crazy-competitive testing they are appointed to Team 3, along with an alternate, just in case Eddie screws up (as everyone expects he will). What they don’t expect is that aliens will arrive from another dimension, and look just like us. And no one could even imagine that Team 3 would be the only hope of saving our world from their Earth-destroying plans. The teens steal the spacecraft (it would … Continue reading →

Review: The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy

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The Disappearances by Emily Bain MurphyThe Disappearances
Emily Bain Murphy
HMH Books for Young Readers
Published July 4, 2017

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About The Disappearances
Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home–and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together–scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream–vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these … Continue reading →

Review: Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine

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Ash and Quill by Rachel CaineAsh and Quill (The Great Library #3)
Rachel Caine
Berkley
Available July 11, 2017

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About Ash and Quill
Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny….

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.

Their time is … Continue reading →

Monthly Wrap-Up Double Feature: May and June 2017

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May and June 2017 Wrap-UpWith all the craziness of the last couple of months, I wasn’t able to post my usual wrap-up at the end of May, so I’m posting now for both May and June. I’m a bit behind on reviews still, but slowly catching up. I had some unexpected health issues that made it impossible for me to read or be on the computer, so you can imagine that brought this whole book review thing to a screaming halt. I did manage to sneak in a couple of audiobooks, but even that was tricky. I’m doing much better these days, and have some fun news to share!

Meet Gabrielle, Our New Contributing Reviewer

For a long time I’ve hoped to … Continue reading →

Review: The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

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The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Stephanie Burgis
Bloomsbury
Published May 30, 2017

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About The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart
Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw.

But she’s still the fiercest creature in the mountains — and now she’s found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to … Continue reading →