I am slacking: A Kindle Fire Review

Okay, I have not been reading as much as I'd like.  I am still reading The Only Ones, which has been great so far, but I have also been playing with my new Kindle.  I have downloaded more Apps, music, and books than you can shake a stick at!  One issue I have had has not been the quality of the Kindle, but the quality of books that are out there.  There are thousands of books that cost below $5, but the ones I have begun reading are not any good.  Take, for example, Hampton Road.  I got it for, I can't remember, 1 or 2 bucks.  The premise is a guy is in an insane asylum, and he is trying to figure out why he is there.  He keeps flashing back to the events that preceded the event that sent him to the asylum.  It sounds pretty good, but it is very ho-hum.  The characters are not realistic, and the dialogue is lacking.  The plot pace is slow, and it could be jazzed up a bit.  It is not horrible, but it could be better.  But I guess that is why it is a $2 book on the Kindle only - not a  mass-paper-produced book.
I also like the fact that I can put lots and lots and lots of stuff on it.  My kiddo wants to play a game, no problem, here is a bowling game.  My older kiddo wants to read a book, okie dokie, here is Llama Llama Red Pajama.  Both want to watch a movie, we can do that, too.  If I want the Internet, it's there.  If I want to listen to Adele, she's there, too.  Oh, yeah, if I want to read three books at once, I can do so without trying to carry lots of bookage.  It's very convenient. 
So, overall, kudos to the Kindle.  It is a great fit for techy families and readers as well.

Book Review: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood

As I wandered through the shelves, yet again, I spotted this book:  The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. I am going to start by saying I found the vocabulary and pace superb.  Miss Lumley, although naive about the world at large, is a very likable character.  She reminds me of a young, NICE, Mary Poppins (if you have read Mary Poppins, you know it is not all “spoonfuls of sugar” and “steppin’ time”.)  I also found Lady Constance to be charming in her own right.  I could see a spoiled teenager suddenly becoming the woman of the house and not having a clue how to go about it.  She would have fits, pout, cry when she did not get her way – all good stuff! 

This novel is the first in a series about a governess and the three unruly children that she must “civilize” that have been found in the wood near Ashton Place.  The owner of the manor has made it clear that he wants the children to remain at the house (“Finders keepers!” is his motto), and his young bride has not a clue as to how to deal with children.  Thus, Ms. Lumley is hired to teach the children how to be, well, children.  She must teach them how to speak instead of howl, not to chase squirrels, and to always use a fork when eating.  Meat must always be cooked!  The climax is a party that the children must attend while minding their manors.

Ms. Wood sets up the story for a tale of mystery and intrigue:  how did these children get into the wood in the first place?  What is the howling behind the wall?  Who tried to sabotage the party?  All great questions – absolutely NONE were answered!  Not a single one!  This I cannot handle!  I know this is a “Book 1” of a series, but really, to introduce the characters and questions only?  That’s it? No “oh, so he’s the one who left them in the woods!” or “so that is why they were raised in the wood!” Nothing.  I am all about series.  I truly am, but I do feel that a book should be able to stand on it’s own as well.  Especially the first book of the series.  I can read Ruins of Gorlan, Twilight, H.P. and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Uglies, Maze Runner, and The Hunger Games, and be able to walk away with some satisfaction that issues have been resolved.  Yes, I know that I will have to read more books to get the whole story, but at least there is a little carrot of resolution.

So, after reading this book, I can honestly say, yes, I would read the sequal just so I can find out answers to the bazillions of questions asked, but if none are answered in book 2, I am washing my hands of the whole series!

December 7, 1941 "a date that will live in infamy"

Today is a very solemn day in American history.  On December 7, 1941, the U.S. was attacked in Hawaii by Japanese forces.  This thrust the U.S. into war against Japan, Italy and Germany. 

There have been many books written about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the heroes who fought that day.  My personal favorite is Attack on Pearl Harbor:  The True Story of the Day America Entered World War II.  This non-fiction work tells the story of four individuals affected by the attack:  Peter Nottage, a teenager living in Hawaii; George DeLong, a naval seaman on the U.S.S. Oklahoma; Kazuo Sakamaki, a mini-submarine captain; and Mitsuo Fuchida, leader of the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor.  There are great paintings and photos that illustrate the event, while narratives from the four young men give you insight into the emotion and physical trials with which they dealt.

If you are interested in seeing the Pearl Harbor attack from an eyewitness point of view, check out this fantastic resource.

Book Review: Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan

 

As I was trying to branch out of my fantasy fix I have been on lately, I decided to try Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan.  The first 30 pages were not what I expected – the story was not progressing fast enough for my instant-gratification self, and I thought about putting it back several times.  “Ten more pages,” I thought.  “I’ll put it back after ten more pages.”  Then, hot dog, it got GOOD.  This is the story of Rosalind, a British girl, who has spent her whole life in India.  She feels more connected to the people and sights and smells of India than to the Aunts she must write to in faraway London.  The first 30 pages explained her back story and the surroundings of India so people like me, who have never experienced a different culture, could understand later objections, strife, and general disagreements that will happen within the book.  However, it read like a textbook, and often times I felt like the information was forced into the narrative. 

Then, Rosie’s father comes home.  This is when the book became interesting to me.  Rosie’s father is a major in the British Army in charge of troops from India.  They have been fighting in the Middle East for two-plus years, so she and her mother have missed him terribly.  When he comes back, however, he feels that Rosie is too willful and wild – she has been running around with Indian friends and escaping into the bazaar as often as possible, and he wants to tame her.  When Rosie ventures into the slums of her town to right a wrong that has been done, her father is livid.  He gives her one last chance – which she immediately blows when she and a friend attend a rally where Gandhi is speaking.  Her punishment is severe, yet she is sure she would do it again to stand up for what is right.

Young adults who are interested in history and historical figures (British Rule over India, Gandhi, Queen Victoria, etc) will find this an interesting read.  I found that after I read the book, mulled it over a bit, and reflected on it, I rather liked it.  Some of the characters made me want to role my eyes they were so stereotypical (Rosie’s mother and Aunts), but others quite surprised me.  I am thinking, in particular, of Mrs. Blodget – she was a wonderful character full of that quality of life that I wish I had!

Overall, I felt the book had good and not-so-good qualities that meshed into an okay read.

Book Review: Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud

This past week, I immersed myself in the fantastical world of Heroes of The Valley.  It is full of rich heritage and history, based on the exploits of twelve Viking heroes who gained control of the area centuries ago.  The current inhabitants of The Valley are descendants of these twelve heroes, but no longer live the ways that their fore-fathers had.  Swords have been outlawed. Rules, treaties, and laws govern the people, and violence is met with sanctions and lawsuits. 

Halli, a descendant of the House of Svein, longs for the adventure and excitement that no longer exists.  He gets into trouble regularly, but always within his own house.  When he plays a trick on a visiting house, he sets off a chain of events that will lead him on an adventurous and deadly journey throughout the valley.  Only with the help of Aud, a girl from another Hero House, can he accept the truth about his family, his superstitions, and himself.

Heroes of the Valley was, to put it simply, delicious.  It is a fantasy written the way fantasies are supposed to be written.  The heroes were flawed, the villains were dirty, and the setting was breath-taking.  The journey of Halli, in and of itself, would have been a great book.  But Stroud went one step further by juxtaposing Halli’s story with the stories of Svein, the ancestral hero of Halli’s home.  Stroud ends the story just as it began, showing that life and history are cyclical, and showing how one man’s journey can end up being another man’s hero tale.  So. Completely. Awesome. Oh, Jonathan Stroud, is there nothing you can’t write? 

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Bartimaeus Trilogy, The Lord of the Ring Series, or The Heir Trilogy (Warrior Heir, Dragon Heir, and Wizard Heir).

Book Review: The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

This book is a recent addition to our library.  I am VERY into the fantasy princess genre, so I thought I'd read it over the Thanksgiving Break.  Life happened, as it always does, so I was unable to finish it until yesterday.  I must admit, it was a pretty good read.  For those of you who enjoy the princess genre, you will not be disappointed.
This is the story of Nalia, a princess who has always felt...awkward.  She never felt right in her skin, never regal enough, never pretty enough, never "royal".  Early in the book she finds out why:  She is not actually the princess.  She is a commoner under a powerful spell.  She is a stand-in for the real princess who has been raised far away from the castle walls.  There was a prophecy that the princess would die before her 16th birthday, so the king and queen made sure their daughter would be safe by sending her away and bringing in a stand-in.  If the stand-in dies, no worries.  The princess would still be alive somewhere else.  Nalia, whose real name, she discovers, is Sinda, is sent to her only living relative, an aunt she has never met, without so much as a thanks.  Sinda feels alone, unloved, and unprepared for the new life she will live.  Soon she discovers that she has a bit of magic in her, and she returns to the city to figure out how to use it.  She is taken in by an eccentric witch and rekindles her friendship with the one person who has always understood her, the Earl's son, Kiernan.  While in the city, she finds out that someone has deceived the king and queen, and that the new princess is not the real princess at all.  She and Kiernan must journey out to find the truth and stare danger in the face to save the kingdom.
While reading this book, there were some plot lines that were easy - Kiernan as more than a friend, for example. Some of the plot advancements were too neat - I am thinking of the oracle who gave the prophecy on this one.  But overall, I really enjoyed the book.  I was not expecting the climactic scene to end the way it did, but I was expecting something big.  O'Neal has written a great freshman work, and I cannot wait to see what else she has to offer.
I have recommended this book to my princesses of the school - the ones who salivate over Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine.