Monday, January 29, 2018

Coldwater by Samuel Parker, A Review Revell Blog Tour

Coldwater
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Book Description

Having forfeited his youth to the state prison system, Michael moved back to the only home he'd ever known. An empty shell of a man who now lived--if it could be called living--in the still vacant house of his parents in a town with one stoplight. A town that hated him. Had always hated him. And was ready to pick up where the prison system had let off.

Now he's on the run from men who've tried to kill him once; but Michael is more than an ex-con. A powerful, sinister force creeps inside him, threatening and destructive. Who--and what--it will destroy next is the only real question. From the bold voice that brought readers down Purgatory Road comes a new pulse-pounding, spine-rattling tale of vengeance and justice that will have them up all night.

Review

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

This book did not meet my expectations - in some good ways, and in some other ways.

Going in to reading this book, I knew it was thriller and I knew it was published by a Christian publishing house. I expected twists and turns in an engaging plot with a conflicted main character AND I expected all of that within a very clean (no language or sex along with toned down violence) narrative.

This book hit every one of those. In fact, the story was a little darker than I anticipated and the action was quick and constantly changing. It was much stronger as a thriller than I expected from a Christian publisher.

What was surprising was the lack of Christianity in this book. God is never mentioned, nobody says a prayer, or any other typical actions one expects within a Christian fiction book. There are some elements of good versus evil or dark versus light. The way this is handled is certainly super-natural; for me, it felt a little demonic (I admit that could be my interpretation and expectation of the Christian fiction genre rather than the author's intent) and so I was hoping for the opposite to also make an appearance. I didn't really see this happen in a way that meshes with any Christian thought.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I do wish the Christian themes had been more apparent in the reading. For me, Christian fiction should point the reader to God and convey Christian values. This book completely missed that mark for me. One review I read mentioned that if you didn't know the publisher specialized in Christian fiction, you wouldn't know this was a Christian book. While this may have nothing to do with the book, it will be interesting to see if this is a change that will continue to be explored by Christian publishing houses.


I gave this book: 

The Art of the Swap, A Review

The Art of the Swap

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Book Description

Two girls trade places in time to solve a legendary art heist across two centuries! 
As the daughter of a caretaker for a mansion-turned-museum, twelve-year-old Hannah Jordan has spent nearly all her life steeped in the history of the Gilded Age of Newport, Rhode Island. The Elms, the mansion where her dad works (and they both live), is one of the most esteemed historical properties on famed Bellevue Avenue. Mysterious legends and priceless artifacts clutter every inch of the marble floors and golden walls, but Hannah is most drawn to the reproduction portrait of Maggie Dunlap, the twelve year-old subject of a famous painting stolen in a legendary art heist on the day of its scheduled unveiling in 1905.

Hannah dreams of how glamorous life must have been for the young oil-heiress, Maggie, at the turn of the century, but she never expects she’ll have a chance to experience it herself… until the day a mysterious mirror allows the two girls to change places in time!

In 1905, Hannah races to stop the art heist from happening—something she is convinced will allow the girls to trade back to their own eras—while in current times, Maggie gets a hilarious introduction to the modern digital age and a new perspective on women's roles in society while reveling in the best invention of all: sweatpants. So long corsets!

As the hours tick off to the recorded moment of the legendary art heist, something’s not adding up. Can the girls work together against time—and across it—to set things right... or will their temporary swap become a permanent trade?
 

Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

Completely by chance, I read this book at the same time I was reading The Art Forger which created a unique and interesting experience.
The Art of the Swap is a middle grade heist adventure shared by Hannah, who lives in modern times and idealizes life at The Elms during the Gilded Age, and Maggie, a young woman from the Gilded Age who struggles with living up to expectations society places on her. The two girls switch places; Hannah sets out to solve the mystery of Maggie's portrait that was stolen on the day of it's debut. Maggie meanwhile flounders in Hannah's world as she realizes that women have many more freedoms than she ever imagined. 
Since this is a middle-grade book, the actual solving of the heist happens fairly easily and quickly. The power of the book is in each of the girls realizing that they can have an impact on the world around them. The writing style is pretty straightforward and I really struggled with the laid-back and almost robotic dialogue. 


Overall, this is a fun read and I enjoy that it has some basis in reality. The Berwinds did build The Elms which was an extravagant home. I didn't find mention of Mary Cassat being commissioned to paint a portrait of a niece that was then stolen but the Berwinds did have an impressive art collection. 

I gave this book: 

★ = I did not like it     ★ = It was okay     ★ = I liked it    
★ = I really liked it     ★ = I loved it

Monday, January 15, 2018

Charlie Numbers and the Man in the Moon, A Review

Charlie Numbers and the Man in the Moon by Ben Mezrich

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Book Description

Charlie is recruited to use his mathematical prowess to discover what happened to a box of stolen moon rocks in this follow up to Bringing Down the Mouse.

Charlie Lewis is really good at math. So good, that he’s approached by a mysterious woman who needs his help. The woman is carrying an incredible item: an actual moon rock, one of the most valuable objects on Earth, and she’s investigating the theft of a box of moon rocks from NASA’s vault at the Johnson Space Center, and believes the stolen rocks are now in the possession of a former astronaut.

Although she claims to work at NASA, Charlie suspects she is something else—but he decides the adventure is too good to pass up. Charlie and the whiz kids go undercover by entering the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s paper airplane contest, and head down to the nation’s capital. Working together, they master the principles of aerodynamics, wind science, and gravity to excel in the competition.

Charlie must decide how far he’ll go to solve the mystery of the stolen moon rocks; is he willing to betray a new friendship? Or has he unwittingly been drawn into something even bigger than some missing chunks of the moon?
Review

I received an eARC copy of this book from the publisher. Here is my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Charlie Numbers. This was a great middle grade novel that was entertaining, had an interesting plot and a setting that involved a paper plane contest. How fun would that be to compete at building paper airplanes. I'm not a science whiz so I can't speak to the actuality that a paper plane could fly 180 feet or more; it certainly was believable. 

In reading this, it was apparent that Charlie had another adventure that tested his mathematical skills yet this book completely stood on its own. And I look forward to more adventures of Charlie and the Whiz Kids. 

I gave this book: 

★ = I did not like it     ★ = It was okay     ★ = I liked it    
★ = I really liked it     ★ = I loved it

Friday, January 5, 2018

2017 Reading Year in Review

Cassie
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2017

This is my journey in books for 2017!
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TOTALS
I read 51,044 pages across 176 books



Battle Dress by Suzanne Guillette
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SHORTEST BOOK
28 pages
Battle Dress: What I Wore to Con...
by 
LONGEST BOOK
679 pages
Dead Lawyers Don't Lie
by 
Dead Lawyers Don't Lie by Mark  Nolan

AVERAGE LENGTH
290 pages


MOST POPULAR
2,412,546
people also read
Pride and Prejudice
by 
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Teaching with Story by Margaret Read MacDonald
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LEAST POPULAR
4
people also read
Teaching with Story: Classroom C...
by 


MY AVERAGE RATING FOR 2017
3.7

Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig
HIGHEST RATED ON GOODREADS
Crown of Souls
by 

4.72 average
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A Christmas Kiss by Susan Hatler
My first review of the year
liked it 
While this is very short and definitely a case of insta-love, I enjoyed it immensely. The message of second chances being something we all need is a great one. I especially appreciated that the book is a "clean read".

Netgalley provided an eARC to me. This is my honest review.
MY 2017 BOOKS

A Christmas Kiss by Susan Hatler
The Other Half by Sarah Rayner
The League of Delphi by Chris Everheart
really liked it


The Delphi Deception by Chris Everheart
The Delphi Revelation by Chris Everheart


Eleven by Carolyn Arnold
Anathema by Megg Jensen
Tame a Wild Bride by Cynthia Woolf
Lead Me Home by Stacy Hawkins Adams


Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chieri Uegaki
it was amazing
The Bus Ride by Marianne Dubuc
My Heart Is Laughing by Rose Lagercrantz


A Book Is a Book by Jenny Bornholdt
Unborn by Amber Lynn Natusch


Last Day Blues by Julie Danneberg
Terminal Rage by A.M. Khalifa
Real Santa by William Elliott Hazelgrove
Test of Faith by Christa Allan


Dreaming on Daisies by Miralee Ferrell
Operation Valentine by Loretta Hill
Either Side of Midnight by Tori de Clare
it was amazing


Juliette and the Monday ManDates by Becky Doughty
The Darkness Visible by Tori de Clare


A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter
Three River Ranch by Roxanne Snopek
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
A Kiss for Luck by Grace Burrowes


Jemima J by Jane Green
The Semi-Attached Couple by Emily Eden
Secret Sister by Emelle Gamble
really liked it


When Lightning Strikes by Brenda Novak
The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse


Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A Death in Sweden by Kevin Wignall
The Toymaker’s Apprentice by Sherri L. Smith
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick


In the Light of the Garden by Heather Burch
it was amazing
The One That Got Away by Simon Wood
A Pattern for Pepper by Julie Kraulis


When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker
The Einstein Prophecy by Robert Masello


Leaving Blythe River by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Dewey Fairchild, Parent Problem Solver by Lorri Horn
After You Left by Carol Mason
The Color of Secrets by Lindsay Ashford


The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Lila and the Crow by Gabrielle Grimard
Is a Worry Worrying You? by Ferida Wolff
I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn


The Dance of the Violin by Kathy Stinson
it was amazing
A Criminal Defense by William L. Myers Jr.
A Horse Named Steve by Kelly Collier


A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen
Argyle Fox by Marie Letourneau


Hope's Peak by Tony Healey
Sins of the Mothers by Caryl McAdoo
The Great Passage by Shion Miura
Signature Wounds by Kirk Russell


The Promise Girls by Marie Bostwick
it was amazing
The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler
Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer


The Neon Lawyer by Victor Methos
Dead Lawyers Don't Lie by Mark  Nolan


A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot
Motion To Kill by Joel Goldman
Beyond Belief by Helen  Smith
The River Is Dark by Joe Hart


Black Flagged Alpha by Steven Konkoly
The Last Witness by Joel Goldman
really liked it
Meet Clara Andrews by Lacey London


Deadlocked by Joel Goldman
Cold Truth by Joel Goldman


Final Judgment by Joel Goldman
A Merciful Truth by Kendra Elliot
More than Neighbors by Isabel Keats
Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine


Say Goodbye for Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde
it was amazing
The Blind Side by Michael   Lewis
Timebound by Rysa Walker


Time's Edge by Rysa Walker
Time's Divide by Rysa Walker


The Silver Suitcase by Terrie Todd
it was amazing
Maggie's War by Terrie Todd
Shakedown by Joel Goldman


The Dead Man by Joel Goldman
No Way Out by Joel Goldman


The Tracker by Chad Zunker
The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck
Code 7 by Bryan R. Johnson
12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep


The Barefoot Summer by Carolyn Brown
The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse
it was amazing
Help Wanted by Allison B. Hanson


Battle Dress by Suzanne Guillette
Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller


Wish Me Home by Kay Bratt
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz
The Lilac Bouquet by Carolyn Brown
Shadow Shepherd by Chad Zunker


Anne of Green Gables by Mariah Marsden
P.S. from Paris by Marc Levy
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
it was amazing


Silent Tears by Kay Bratt
Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira


Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives by Josie Brown
House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
Sweet Tea Tuesdays by Ashley Farley
Redemption of the Cube Dweller by Joanne Fox Phillips


Inside Hudson Pickle by Yolanda Ridge
Michael Gresham by John Ellsworth
The Girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe
it was amazing


Second Acts by Teri Emory
Rescued by Peter Zheutlin


Nick Newton Is Not a Genius by S.E.M. Ishida
Deadly Proof by Rachel Dylan
Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig
All Those Things We Never Said by Marc Levy


The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler
it was amazing
Dark Signal by Shannon Baker
The Designer by Marius Gabriel


The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey


The Importance of Being Me by Caroline Grace-Cassidy
Once and Forever by Mary Blayney
The Memory of Butterflies by Grace Greene
The Uncertain Season by Ann Howard Creel


The Last Move by Mary Burton
Home to Stay by Terri Osburn
The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean
it was amazing


The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom
Weave a Circle Round by Kari Maaren


How Dogs Love Us by Gregory Berns
Still Life by Dani Pettrey
His Third Victim by Helen H. Durrant
Edinburgh Twilight by Carole Lawrence


The Map to You by Lindy Zart
No Conscience by Phil M. Williams
The Welcome Home Diner by Peggy Lampman
Louisiana Saves the Library by Emily Beck Cogburn


The house by the river by Lena Manta
The King's Traitor by Jeff Wheeler
it was amazing
Covent Garden in the Snow by Jules Wake


Hunger Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff
Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey


Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata
The Redeeming by Tamara Leigh
Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane
really liked it


The Spinster Wife by Christina McKenna
The Unremembered Girl by Eliza Maxwell


Charlie Numbers and the Man in the Moon by Ben Mezrich
The Maid's War by Jeff Wheeler
True Identity by John C. Majors
Let There Be Light by Dan Gordon


The Promise Kitchen by Peggy Lampman
Winterhouse by Ben  Guterson
it was amazing
Teaching with Story by Margaret Read MacDonald


A Nest of Sparrows by Deborah Raney
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson


After She's Gone by Maggie James
The Wretched of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Hidden Secrets by Carolyn Brown
The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves by James Han Mattson


Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle by Natasha Lowe
really liked it
One Enchanted Christmas by Melissa Tagg
The Lost Causes by Alyssa Embree Schwartz


Blood on the Tracks by Barbara Nickless
The Sound of Rain by Sarah Loudin Thomas


The Blight of Muirwood by Jeff Wheeler
Killing Memories by Tatiana Moore
Killing Monsters by Tatiana Moore
Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley


Love's Return by T.K. Chapin
Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
O Little Town by Don Reid
it was amazing


Read It and Weep by Jenn McKinlay
A Dream of Something More by Jane   Carter