September Reflections

Favorite picture book published in 2017:  Egg. Kevin Henkes. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Favorite picture book with a cat:  Here Comes Teacher Cat. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Claudia Rueda. 2017. 88 pages. [Source: Library] 
Favorite picture book with a cat and tea: Tea with Oliver. Mika Song. 2017. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Favorite board book:  Board book: Baby Loves Quantum Physics! Ruth Spiro. Illustrated by Irene Chan. 2017. Charlesbridge. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
Favorite early reader:  Charlie & Mouse. (Charlie & Mouse #1) Laurel Snyder. Illustrated by Emily Hughes. 2017. Chronicle Books. 48 pages. [Source: Library]
Favorite realistic fiction: Train I Ride. Paul Mosier. 2017. HarperCollins. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
Favorite speculative fiction: Orphan Island. Laurel Snyder. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Library]
Favorite mystery:  The Wife Between Us. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. 2018. St. Martin's Press. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Board books and picture books:

1. Egg. Kevin Henkes. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
2. Here Comes Teacher Cat. Deborah Underwood. Illustrated by Claudia Rueda. 2017. 88 pages. [Source: Library]  
3. Sister Day! Lisa Mantchev. Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Blue Ethel. Jennifer Black Reinhardt. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
5.  Noisy Night. Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Brian Biggs. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
6. Tea with Oliver. Mika Song. 2017. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
7. You Must Bring A Hat. Simon Philip. Illustrated by Kate Hindley. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
8. La La La: A Story of Hope. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Jaime Kim. 2017. Candlewick. 72 pages. [Source: Review copy]
9. The Catawampus Cat. Jason Carter Eaton. Illustrated by Gus Gordon. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
10. Fruits in Suits. Jared Chapman. 2017. Abrams. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
11. Muddle & Mo. Nikki Slade Robinson. 2017. HMH. 32 pages. [Source: Review]  
12. Carrot & Pea. Morag Hood. 2017. HMH. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
13. Chicken in School. Adam Lehrhaupt. Illustrated by Shahar Kober. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
14. Chicken In Space. Adam Lehrhaupt. Illustrated by Sharhar Kober. 2016. HarperCollins. 36 pages. [Source: Library]
15. Wordplay. Adam Lehrhaupt. 2017. Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
16. Naptastrophe. Jarret J. Krosoczka. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
17. Board book: Buildablock. Christopher Franceschelli. Illustrated by Peskimo. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 90 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
18. Board book: All Aboard!: Let's Ride a Train. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
19. Board book: Baby Loves Quantum Physics! Ruth Spiro. Illustrated by Irene Chan. 2017. Charlesbridge. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
20. Board book: Baby Loves Thermodynamics. Ruth Spiro. Illustrated by Irene Chan. 2017. Charlesbridge. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]
21. Board book: Charlie Builds. Bob Bianchini. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 20 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
22.  Board book: Changing Faces: Meet Happy Bear. Nathan Thoms. Illustrated by Carles Ballesteros. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 18 pages. [Source: Review copy]
23. Board book: Where's the Hen? Nosy Crow. Illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius. 2017. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
24. Board book: Where's the Owl? Nosy Crow. Ingela P Arrhenius. 2017. Candlewick. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
25. Board book: Better Together: A Book of Family. Barbara Joose and Anneke Lisberg. Illustrated by Jared Schorr. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]
26. Board book: This Little Trailblazer: A Girl Power Primer. Joan Holub. Illustrated by Daniel Roode. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 26 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
27.  Three Little Kittens. Illustrated by Lilian Obligado. 1974. Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]
28. Nighty-Night, Cooper. Laura Numeroff. 2013. HMH. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
29. I Want My Hat Back. Jon Klassen. 2011. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
30. You Can Read. Helaine Becker. Illustrated by Mark Hoffmann. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
31. Imagine. John Lennon. Illustrated by Jean Jullien. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
32. Peck, Peck, Peck. Lucy Cousins. 2013. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
33. The Plot Chickens. Mary Jane Auch. Illustrated by Herm Auch. 2009. Holiday House. 32 pages. [Source: Library] 
34. The Sock Thief. Ana Crespo. Illustrated by Nana Gonzales. 2015. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
35. Cat Dreams. Ursula K. Le Guin. Illustrated by S.D. Schindler. 2009. Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
36. The Skunk. Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Patrick McDonnell. 2015. 40 pages. [Source: Library] 
37. A Fairy Friend. Sue Fliess. Illustrated by Claire Keane. 2016. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
38. Make and Play: Christmas. Joey Chou, illustrator. 2017. Candlewick. 26 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Early readers and early chapter books:

1.  Charlie & Mouse. (Charlie & Mouse #1) Laurel Snyder. Illustrated by Emily Hughes. 2017. Chronicle Books. 48 pages. [Source: Library] 
2. This Little Piggy. An Owner's Manual. Cyndi Marko. 2017. 64 pages. [Source: Library] 
3. Wallace and Grace and the Cupcake Caper. Heather Alexander. Illustrated by Laura Zarrin. 2017. Bloomsbury. 80 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Wallace and Grace Take the Case. Heather Alexander. Illustrated by Laura Zarrin. 2017. Bloomsbury. 80 pages. [Source: Library]
5. The Cookie Fiasco. Dan Santat (and Mo Willems). 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library] 
6. We Are Growing. Laurie Keller (and Mo Willems). 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]  
7. The Good for Nothing Button. (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading #3) Charise Mericle Harper. (Mo Willems). 2017. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Review copy]
8. Cats. Larry Dane Brimner. Illustrated by Tom Payne. 2001. 24 pages. [Source: Library]
9. Peppa Pig Phonics Set. Adapted by Lorraine Gregory. 2017. Scholastic. [Source: Review copy] 

Contemporary (general/realistic) fiction, all ages:

1. Genuine Fraud. E. Lockhart. 2017. 272 pages. [Source: Library]
2. When My Sister Started Kissing. Helen Frost. 2017. FSG. 208 pages. [Source: Library]
3. The Goat. Anne Fleming. 2017. 120 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Forget Me Not. Ellie Terry. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]
5. Train I Ride. Paul Mosier. 2017. HarperCollins. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
6. Seeking Mansfield. Kate Watson. 2017. 300 pages. [Source: Library]
7. Espresso Tales (44 Scotland Street #2) Alexander McCall Smith. 2005. 345 pages. [Source: Library]  
8. The Wife Between Us. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. 2018. St. Martin's Press. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Speculative Fiction (fantasy, science fiction, etc.) all ages:

1. Under Their Skin. (Under Their Skin #1) Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2016. 320 pages. [Source: Library]  
2. In Over Their Heads. (Under Their Skin #2) Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
3. Orphan Island. Laurel Snyder. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. Frank Cottrell Boyce. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]
5. Word of Mouse. James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. 2016 [December] Little, Brown. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
6. The Wooden Prince. John Claude Bemis. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 312 pages. [Source: Library]

Historical fiction, all ages:

1. Cherished Mercy. (Heart of the Frontier #3) Tracie Peterson. 2017. Bethany House. 310 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2. Beloved Hope. (Heart of the Frontier #2) Tracie Peterson. 2017. Bethany House. 338 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
3. Heart on the Line. (Ladies of Harper's Station #2) Karen Witemeyer. 2017. Bethany House. 329 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Mysteries, all ages:

1. Verdict of Twelve. Raymond Postgate. 1940/2017. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2. The Circular Staircase. Mary Roberts Rinehart. 1908. 197 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. The Case of the Fiery Fingers. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1951. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
4. The Case of the Lucky Loser. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. Death of a Cad. M.C. Beaton. 1987. 214 pages. [Source: Library] 
6. Heirloom Murders. (Chloe Ellefson Mystery #2) Kathleen Ernst. 2011. 349 pages. [Source: Library] 
7.  Light Keeper's Legacy. (Chloe Ellefson Mystery #3) Kathleen Ernst. 2012. 360 pages. [Source: Library]
8. The Case of the Gilded Lily. (Perry Mason #50) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1956. 188 pages. [Source: Bought]
9. The Case of the Daring Decoy. (Perry Mason #54) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 198 pages. [Source: Bought]   
10. The Wife Between Us. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. 2018. St. Martin's Press. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Classics, all ages:

1. The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]
2. Verdict of Twelve. Raymond Postgate. 1940/2017. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
3. Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 1961. 453 pages. [Source: Library]
4. The Circular Staircase. Mary Roberts Rinehart. 1908. 197 pages. [Source: Bought]
5. The Case of the Fiery Fingers. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1951. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. The Case of the Lucky Loser. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. The Case of the Gilded Lily. (Perry Mason #50) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1956. 188 pages. [Source: Bought]
8. The Case of the Daring Decoy. (Perry Mason #54) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 198 pages. [Source: Bought]  

Nonfiction, all ages:

1. Impressionism. Florian Heine. 2015. 48 pages. [Source: Library]
2. The Marvelous Thing That Came From a Spring. Gilbert Ford. 2016. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
3. Simone Biles. Matt Scheff. 2016. [Dec. 2016] Sportzone. 32 pages. [Source: Library]  
4. The Great American Story of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the Peanuts Gang. Chloe Perkins. Illustrated by Scott Burroughs. 2017. 48 pages. [Source: Library]  
5. An English Year: Twelve Months in the Life of England's Kids. 2015. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
6. This Is How We Do It. Matt LaMothe. 2017. Chronicle. 52 pages. [Source: Library]
7. Blood, Bullets, and Bones. The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA. Bridget Heos. 2016. 263 pages. [Source: Library]

Christian fiction:

1. Cherished Mercy. (Heart of the Frontier #3) Tracie Peterson. 2017. Bethany House. 310 pages. [Source: Review copy]
2. Beloved Hope. (Heart of the Frontier #2) Tracie Peterson. 2017. Bethany House. 338 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
3. Heart on the Line. (Ladies of Harper's Station #2) Karen Witemeyer. 2017. Bethany House. 329 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

Christian nonfiction:  

1. Sing!: How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church. Keith and Kristyn Getty. 2017. B&H Books. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
2. Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us To Live in Light of the End. David Gibson. 2017. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
3. Mark: The Gospel of Passion. Michael Card. 2012. IVP. 206 pages. [Source: Library]
4. Learning to Love the Psalms. W. Robert Godfrey. 2017. Reformation Trust. 318 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
5. Martin Luther: A Spiritual Biography. Herman Selderhuis. 2017. Crossway. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
6. The Messiah Comes to Middle Earth. Philip Ryken. 2017. Intervarsity Press. 150 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
7. Godspeed: Voices of the Reformation. David Teems. 2017. Abingdon Press. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
8. The Living Bible. 1974. Tyndale. 1090 pages. [Source: Bought]
9. ESV Reformation Study Bible. 2015. Edited by R.C. Sproul. Reformation Trust. 2560 pages. [Source: Gift/Bought]  
10. Saints of Zion. Jeff Lippencott & R.C. Sproul. 2017. Ligonier. 67 minutes. [Source: Gift]

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review: September 24-30

Egg. Kevin Henkes. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Blue Ethel. Jennifer Black Reinhardt. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Genuine Fraud. E. Lockhart. 2017. 272 pages. [Source: Library]
Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. Frank Cottrell Boyce. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]
Word of Mouse. James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. 2016 [December] Little, Brown. 304 pages. [Source: Library]
When My Sister Started Kissing. Helen Frost. 2017. FSG. 208 pages. [Source: Library]
The Goat. Anne Fleming. 2017. 120 pages. [Source: Library]

 Noisy Night. Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Brian Biggs. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
Tea with Oliver. Mika Song. 2017. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
You Must Bring A Hat. Simon Philip. Illustrated by Kate Hindley. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
La La La: A Story of Hope. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Jaime Kim. 2017. Candlewick. 72 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Buildablock. Christopher Franceschelli. Illustrated by Peskimo. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 90 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: All Aboard!: Let's Ride a Train. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Where's the Hen? Nosy Crow. Illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius. 2017. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Where's the Owl? Nosy Crow. Ingela P Arrhenius. 2017. Candlewick. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Better Together: A Book of Family. Barbara Joose and Anneke Lisberg. Illustrated by Jared Schorr. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]
 Three Little Kittens. Illustrated by Lilian Obligado. 1974. Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

Mark: The Gospel of Passion. Michael Card. 2012. IVP. 206 pages. [Source: Library]
Martin Luther: A Spiritual Biography. Herman Selderhuis. 2017. Crossway. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
The Living Bible. 1974. Tyndale. 1090 pages. [Source: Bought]
My Autumn with Psalm 119 #1
My Autumn with Psalm 119 #2
Bibles Read in 2017 
First Impressions of the REB 

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Blue Ethel

Blue Ethel. Jennifer Black Reinhardt. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Ethel was old. She was fat. She was black. She was white. And she was very set in her ways.

Premise/plot: Love cats? You should meet Ethel. I loved her at hello. She's a creature of routine, and, I can certainly appreciate that!

Every day Ethel went outside to survey the land, monitor the weather, chase villains, and explore her favorite sidewalk square, where she liked to roll before taking a nap after her long day. It wasn't easy being Ethel, but she was good at it.

Blue Ethel is the story of what happens to shake up Ethel's routine. One day Ethel's sidewalk square has been colored on with sidewalk chalk. And Ethel, well, she's not quite the same cat as before once she's done rolling around on HER square.

My thoughts: I ADORED the text of this one. I absolutely adored it. I loved how Ethel made friends with Fluffy. And the ending was FABULOUS. I couldn't imagine a better ending for this one. That being said, I'm not sure I adored the illustrations as much as I did the text. A few pages I loved however. (For example, the page with the sidewalk. A child has been BUSY. And the art on the sidewalk is definitely KID ART.) I loved the end papers as well!

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10



© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Egg

Egg. Kevin Henkes. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: egg, egg, egg, egg. crack, crack, crack, egg. surprise! surprise! surprise! egg. goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, egg.

Premise/plot: Egg is the story of FOUR eggs. Three of the four eggs hatch together: a red bird, a yellow bird, a blue bird. The green egg, well, the green egg doesn't--for the longest time. When that egg hatches, what will emerge?! Will the birds make a new friend?!

My thoughts: I really enjoyed Egg. I was skeptical of this one at first. Before I even opened it, I thought that it would probably not work for me. The cover just didn't say "read me, read me." But when I saw the format and read the story, I was pleased. One of my favorite things about early Sesame Street was playing/singing: "One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong..." This book definitely fits in with that concept or theme. But the book does challenge the "doesn't belong" aspect of it.

The story is told very simply. I'm not sure there's a complete sentence in the whole book. The story is told a phrase at a time. There is a LOT of repetition. But the story is also told largely through the illustrations. One could definitely read this one through the pictures alone and get the basics of the story. Sure, children might not get the word "miserable" from the illustration alone...but SAD...yes.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Share-a-Tea September Check-In

• What are you currently reading for the challenge? 
• Have you finished any books for this challenge this month?
• Is there a book you're looking forward to starting next month?
• Want to share any favorite quotes? It could be from your current read. It could be about reading. It could be about drinking tea. 
• What teas have you enjoyed this month? 
• Do you have a new favorite tea?

What I am currently reading for the challenge:

• Holy Bible: Revised English Bible. 1989/1996. Cambridge. 1264 pages. [Source: Bought] 
• Adam Bede. George Eliot. 1859. 624 pages. [Source: Bought]

What I have finished for the challenge this past month:

• The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]
• Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 1961. 453 pages. [Source: Library]
• The Wife Between Us. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. 2018. St. Martin's Press. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• Verdict of Twelve. Raymond Postgate. 1940/2017. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• The Case of the Lucky Loser. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 192 pages. [Source: Bought] 
• The Case of the Fiery Fingers. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1951. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
• The Case of the Daring Decoy. (Perry Mason #54) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 198 pages. [Source: Bought]
• The Case of the Gilded Lily. (Perry Mason #50) Erle Stanley Gardner. 1956. 188 pages. [Source: Bought]
• The Circular Staircase. Mary Roberts Rinehart. 1908. 197 pages. [Source: Bought]
• Godspeed: Voices of the Reformation. David Teems. 2017. Abingdon Press. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]  
• Sing!: How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church. Keith and Kristyn Getty. 2017. B&H Books. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
• Martin Luther: A Spiritual Biography. Herman Selderhuis. 2017. Crossway. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]
• ESV Reformation Study Bible. 2015. Edited by R.C. Sproul. Reformation Trust. 2560 pages. [Source: Gift/Bought] 
• The Living Bible. 1974. Tyndale. 1090 pages. [Source: Bought]

What I'm looking forward to starting:

I would love to read some Victorian literature for my challenge. These are the slots I need:

_ 10. A book published between 1861-1870
_ 13. A book published between 1891-1901
_ 19. A book by Elizabeth Gaskell
_ 20. A book by George Eliot
_ 22. A book by a new-to-you female author
_ 27. Biography, Autobiography, or NONFICTION book about the Victorian era
_ 31. A Christian book fiction or nonfiction
_ 32. A children's book

My favorite quotes:

• Love each other always. That’s about the only thing in the world that matters: loving each other. ~ Victor Hugo
• It’s God who determines the lot that falls to us. He’s up there, he sees us all, and he knows what he’s doing among his great stars. ~ Victor Hugo
• When the heart is on the slippery slope, there is no stopping it. ~ Victor Hugo
• It’s not enough to be happy, you have to be content. ~ Victor Hugo
• The first step is nothing, it is the last step that is hard. ~ Victor Hugo
• To love, or to have loved, is enough. Ask for nothing more. There is no other pearl to be found in life’s shadowy convolutions. To love is an achievement. ~ Victor Hugo
• Everything can be parodied, even parody. ~ Victor Hugo
• Love is the foolishness of men and the wit of God. ~ Victor Hugo
• When grace is combined with wrinkles, it is enchanting. There is a sort of dawning in the full bloom of old age. ~ Victor Hugo
• One of his anxieties was that he was being made to think. ~ Victor Hugo
• Alas! to have climbed does not preclude falling. This can be seen in history more frequently than anyone would wish. ~ Victor Hugo
• Peoples, like stars, have the right to go into eclipse. ~ Victor Hugo
• The poetry of a people determines its progress. ~ Victor Hugo
• ‘What is the cat?’ he exclaimed. ‘It’s a correction. The good Lord, having made the mouse, said, “Oh dear, that was a mistake!” And he made the cat. The cat is the mouse’s erratum. Mouse plus cat are the revised and corrected proofs of creation.’ ~ Victor Hugo
• Love is an ardent forgetfulness of everything else. ~ Victor Hugo

This month's teas:

• English Breakfast
• Chocolate Mint
• White Tea
• Green Tea
• Peppermint
• Earl Grey
• Sweet Dreams

New teas:

• PG Tips Black Tea -- LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
• Bigelow Benefits: Cinnamon & Blackberry Herbal Tea -- Love

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Genuine Fraud

Genuine Fraud. E. Lockhart. 2017. 272 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: It was a bloody great hotel.

Premise/plot: Looking for a book that is told completely in reverse chronology? Have I got a book for you. E. Lockhart's Genuine Fraud. Lockhart mentions two specific inspirations for her novel: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith.

Mysteries perpetuate the status quo. Everything always wraps up at the end. Order is restored. But order doesn't really exist, right? It's an artificial construct. The whole genre of the mystery novel reinforces the hegemony of Western notions of causation. In L'Etranger, you know everything that happens from the beginning. There's nothing to find out, because human existence is ultimately meaningless. (70) ~ Forrest to Jules

Jules, the heroine of Genuine Fraud, sees herself as the center of an action movie.

She knew that women were rarely the centers of such stories. Instead, they were eye candy, arm candy, victims, or love interests. Mostly they existed to help the great white hetero hero on his [...] epic journey. When there was a heroine, she weighed very little, wore very little, and had had her teeth fixed. Jule knew she didn't look like those women. She would never look like those women. But she was everything those heroes were, and in some ways, she was more. She knew that too. (22)

I am the center of the story now, Jule said to herself. I don't have to weigh very little, wear very little, or have my teeth fixed. I am the center. (150)

My thoughts: Genuine Fraud isn't my typical book. I don't typically do psychological thrillers. I don't have a special love for unreliable narrators. But. There was something intriguing about E. Lockhart's Genuine Fraud. Something that kept me reading even if that something wasn't suspense. Was Lockhart hoping to lead her readers on a quest for the WHY? Or perhaps was it all about illustrating how there are no whys to explain away murderers actions?

I have not read The Talented Mr. Ripley. I've read reviews saying that Lockhart has borrowed every plot point, every character, directly from this book. And for people who've read both--it was too much echoing to be inspiration.


© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sputnik's Guide to Life On Earth

Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth. Frank Cottrell Boyce. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Before you start anything, make a list. That's what my grandad says. If you're making a cake, make a list. If you're moving house, make a list. If you're running away to sea, make a list. At least that's what he used to say.

Premise/plot: Prez Mellows is a foster kid who doesn't say much--until one day Sputnik shows up at the door of his new temporary home. To the rest of the world, Sputnik appears to be an ordinary dog. Only Prez sees him for who he is or perhaps what he is--an alien who can read his mind. Sputnik tells Prez that he's the reason he came to earth. Together they have an important job to do: save earth from destruction by coming up with a list of ten reasons why earth is worth seeing. Prez balances this mission with an even greater one: how to be reunited with his Grandad again.

My thoughts: This was an enjoyable read. It dealt with a serious topic yet it wasn't too heavy. It had heart, but it wasn't about making you cry. Prez's grandad has dementia; his dementia has caused the two to be separated. He has to go in a nursing home where he can be cared for properly, and Prez has to go to a foster home. Sputnik was a hoot. This one packed in plenty of adventure. I enjoyed Prez's new foster family as well.

"You get homesick? But you said you didn't have a home." "You don't have to have a home to get homesick. You just have to want one. The whole history of your wee planet is nothing but people looking for a home.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Word of Mouse

Word of Mouse. James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. 2016 [December] Little, Brown. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: My story starts on the day I lost my entire family.

Premise/plot: Isaiah is the runt of his mischief. He has 96 older brothers and sisters. As you might have guessed, Isaiah, the hero of Word of Mouse, is a mouse--a blue mouse. The novel opens with his family running from an evil lab. Isaiah gets separated from his family; within hours ALL of his family has been recaptured. But Isaiah learns that there are many ways to define family as the novel unfolds. There's his new mischief with the oh-so-lovely Mikayla. There's his human friend, Hailey, as well. Isaiah may be carrying a heavy burden, but, he's not carrying it alone. He's loved. He's valued. Will Isaiah find a way to be reunited with his family?

My thoughts: Isaiah is a great little character. I enjoyed getting to know him. I loved how each chapter starts out with a quote from Isaiah. I loved the short chapters. The short chapters kept me READING. I also enjoyed the illustrations. I found them just as delightful as the text.
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

What's On Your Nightstand (September)

The folks at 5 Minutes For Books host What’s On Your Nightstand? the fourth Tuesday of each month in which we can share about the books we have been reading and/or plan to read.
First. I FINISHED the ESV Reformation Study Bible and Les Miserables!!!!

Now as to what is currently on my nightstand...

Martin Luther: A Spiritual Biography. Herman Selderhuis. 2017. Crossway. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I thought I was Martin Luther-ed out. But I am finding Selderhuis' narrative style to be compelling. I will probably finish this one today or tomorrow.

Holy Bible: Revised English Bible. 1989/1996. Cambridge. 1264 pages. [Source: Bought]

I started 2017 by reading the New English Bible. I thought it would be appropriate to finish the year by reading the Revised English Bible which is a revision of the New English. Before 2017, I'd never read either translation.

Genuine Fraud. E. Lockhart. 2017. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

I honestly haven't decided if I love this one or HATE it. I'm not giving up on it just yet even though the reverse chronology is driving me a bit crazy. Also I'm not a big fan of unreliable narrators. I can only imagine if it was written in verse and had a love triangle thrown in as well.

Rebecca. Daphne Du Maurier. 1938. 449 pages. [Source: bought]

This would be a reread for me. I wanted to read a couple more books for the RIP challenge. I started off strong reading the first hundred pages in one day, but, I've slowed down since. Still finishing this one would help me out with my charity challenge.

Castle Richmond. Anthony Trollope. 1860. 500 pages. [Source: Bought]

Continuing my way through Trollope chronologically. This one is set in Ireland. I haven't made much progress in this one since August's post. Still I want to finish it before the end of the year.

Adam Bede. George Eliot. 1859. 624 pages. [Source: Bought]

I really want to read a George Eliot novel this year. I am hoping now that Les Miserables is finished I can sit and focus on the two other classics I'd started: Adam Bede and Castle Richmond. I really, really, really should be strict with myself about having more than one classic at a time going. My problem is TEMPTATION. I see a book, I want to read it. I don't want to WAIT to read it, I want to read it NOW. I either need to walk around my room with my eyes closed, or figure out a way to RESIST TEMPTATION.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

When My Sister Started Kissing

When My Sister Started Kissing. Helen Frost. 2017. FSG. 208 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The baby, Claire, in a sunsuit and yellow hat, sat on her father's shoulders, the great wide world spread out before them. Two egrets flew home to their nest as thunder rumbled, far off in the distance.

Premise/plot: If you read many verse novels, then chances are good you're familiar with Helen Frost. When My Sister Started Kissing is her newest verse novel; it has multiple narrators. Claire and her older sister, Abigail, have always spent the summer at the cabin with their dad. This year is the first year that the girls' stepmother, Pam, will be joining them. And this family of four is about to become a family of FIVE. Claire who is nearly eleven isn't a fan of change. Abigail is all about change. For example, she now wants to be called Abi. She doesn't want to hang out with her sister; she wants to spend time with Brock and the other teenagers. She doesn't want to spend every moment with her family; she wants to be allowed to go off with her friends and do whatever/whenever. Claire and Abigail are obvious narrators. The third narrator is the LAKE.

My thoughts: I definitely enjoyed this one. The writing is excellent. The verse aspects of this one are essential. There are at least three different poetry forms used throughout the book. Each narrator has their own poetic form that suits the story, the character, best.

This novel is set over one summer vacation. Claire's narration keeps the novel focused on the family. Abigail's narration, on the other hand, keeps the novel focused on BOYS. TJ is a family friend; the two families have vacationed near one another for years. Last summer, Abigail and TJ kissed--"for practice." This summer, Abigail thinks kissing should be reserved for someone that you really like-like. She's nervous to see TJ again. Will he be interested in her still? Does she even like-like him? Is he boyfriend material or like-a-brother? And then there is Brock. He's new. He's cute. He's got FANS. There are half a dozen girls who cling to him. Brock seems to notice HER out of the crowd. And though she doesn't know him, she likes being liked. She feels grown up with Brock, perhaps because she hasn't grown up with him. Claire doesn't get why Abi is ignoring TJ and going out of her way to avoid his family and why she's sneaking around to see Brock. This love triangle is resolved--for now--by the end of the novel.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Goat

The Goat. Anne Fleming. 2017. 120 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Once there was a mountain goat who lived in New York City.

Premise/plot: A goat lives on the roof of a New York City apartment building. Only a few residents have spotted the goat--and its rumored that if you do see him, you'll have years of good luck. But most don't believe the rumors are true--about the goat being real or about the goat bringing luck. But one person definitely believes, a kid named KID. Kid teams up with her new friends to find out all she can about the goat.

My thoughts: I wanted to love this one. It sounded like it had a great premise. It seemed to promise a dozen or so super quirky characters. The potential for humor was definitely there. And it seemed to have potential for some heart as well: friends to be made, experiences to be gained. But. It remained an "almost" for me. I didn't dislike it. I just didn't love it. I thought it would be memorable and one-of-a-kind. I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't awesome.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review: September 17-23

The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]
Orphan Island. Laurel Snyder. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Library]
The Wooden Prince. John Claude Bemis. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 312 pages. [Source: Library]
You Can Read. Helaine Becker. Illustrated by Mark Hoffmann. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]
Verdict of Twelve. Raymond Postgate. 1940/2017. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Forget Me Not. Ellie Terry. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

Train I Ride. Paul Mosier. 2017. HarperCollins. 192 pages. [Source: Library]

Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 1961. 453 pages. [Source: Library]

Board book: This Little Trailblazer: A Girl Power Primer. Joan Holub. Illustrated by Daniel Roode. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 26 pages. [Source: Review copy]

The Catawampus Cat. Jason Carter Eaton. Illustrated by Gus Gordon. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

I Want My Hat Back. Jon Klassen. 2011. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Nighty-Night, Cooper. Laura Numeroff. 2013. HMH. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Wallace and Grace and the Cupcake Caper. Heather Alexander. Illustrated by Laura Zarrin. 2017. Bloomsbury. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

Wallace and Grace Take the Case. Heather Alexander. Illustrated by Laura Zarrin. 2017. Bloomsbury. 80 pages. [Source: Library]

 Cats. Larry Dane Brimner. Illustrated by Tom Payne. 2001. 24 pages. [Source: Library]

Imagine. John Lennon. Illustrated by Jean Jullien. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Cherished Mercy. (Heart of the Frontier #3) Tracie Peterson. 2017. Bethany House. 310 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Godspeed: Voices of the Reformation. David Teems. 2017. Abingdon Press. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
ESV Reformation Study Bible. 2015. Edited by R.C. Sproul. Reformation Trust. 2560 pages. [Source: Gift/Bought]

Goodreads Book Tag
Saints of Zion. Jeff Lippencott & R.C. Sproul. 2017. Ligonier. 67 minutes. [Source: Gift]
My Summer with Psalm 119 #25
My Summer with Psalm 119 #26
My Summer with Psalm 119 #27
My Summer with Psalm 119 #28

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Wretched

The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In 1815, Charles-François-Bienvenu Myriel was bishop of Digne. He was an old man of about seventy-five. He had been bishop of Digne since 1806.

Premise/plot: An ex-convict does his best to live life according to his conscience. Will it ever be enough?

My thoughts: I love, love, love Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. I believe this is my third time to review it for the blog? My 2013 review. My 2014 review.

Political, philosophical, spiritual, dramatic, and romantic. Each word describes the novel, in part. While there are many characters in this novel, I loved the narrator the best of all. Who are some of the characters? Bishop Myriel, Jean Valjean, Fantine, Inspector Javert, Cosette, Marius, Eponine, Enjolras, and Gavroche--just to name a few.

Jean Valjean is an ex-convict who seeks shelter from Bishop Myriel one night. Though he's been treated only with kindness, Valjean in his bitterness (he was sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread), he steals the bishop's silver. When the theft is discovered, the bishop is all compassion telling the officials that there has been a misunderstanding. Valjean did not steal the silver; it was given as a gift. In fact, he's happy to give Valjean his silver candlesticks as well. Valjean is shocked and overwhelmed. The meeting turns out to be quite life-changing.

When readers next meet Valjean, he has a new name and life. Monsieur Madeleine is a successful business man. He has a BIG heart. He's always giving. He's always thinking of others. He's always doing what he can, when he can to make a difference when and where it matters most. One woman he is determined to help is a young, single mother, Fantine. Circumstances have separated Fantine from her child, Cosette, but, Valjean is determined to correct as many wrongs as he can in this situation. He will see to it personally.

Unfortunately, his past catches up with him. He learns that a man has been arrested; "Jean Valjean" has been caught. Of course, Madeleine knows this is nonsense. Can he let another take his place in prison? If he tells the truth then he can no longer help the poor, but if he doesn't tell the truth, how could he live with himself? He does the honorable thing--though it is one of the greatest challenges he's faced so far.

But that means, for the moment, that Cosette is left in unpleasant circumstances...

There comes a time, an opportunity for Valjean to escape. What he does with his freedom--this time he's assumed drowned, I believe--is go and find Cosette. The two become everything to one another. Cosette is the family he's never had, never even knew he needed or wanted... the two end up in Paris.

Almost half of the novel follows the love story between Marius and Cosette. But it isn't only a love story. Marius is a poor man in conflict with his rich grandfather. The two disagree about many things. But their main source of disagreement is politics. At first, Marius is swept up in his father's politics, with a new awareness of who his father was as a soldier, as a man, as a possible hero. But later, Marius begins to think for himself, to contemplate political and philosophical things for himself. He becomes friendly with a political group at this time. But his love of politics dims when he falls in love with Cosette...and she becomes his whole reason for being. For the longest time these two don't even know each other's names! This romance isn't without challenges...

This novel has so much drama! I found it beautifully written. So many amazing passages! Such interesting characters! I'm not sure I loved the ending. And I was frustrated with Marius at times. But. I definitely loved this book!

It's also a novel heavy on details. When it's good, it's REALLY good. But at times some of the details are too taste-specific. In other words, some of the details weigh the story down. At times Les Miserables is boring. It's worth reading. It is. It's worth pushing through to the end. It's okay to skim certain sections, in my opinion, because it is one of the most satisfying reading experiences overall. Not that I LOVE the ending, though I think I may have made peace with it this time around.

I definitely enjoyed this translation of the novel. I LOVED the introductory materials. I found the notes to be thorough. If I were to ever STUDY the book, this would be the translation I'd use because the notes are so extensive. 

Favorite quotes:

• True or false, what is said about men often figures as large in their lives, and above all in the fate that befalls them, as what they do.
• ‘To sin as little as possible, that is the law of mankind. Not to sin at all is the angel’s dream. Everything earthly is subject to sin. Sin is a gravitational force.’
• Where the telescope ends, the microscope begins. Which of the two has the greater vision? You choose.
• Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever position the body might be in, the soul is on its knees. If you are human, be love.
• Love is an ardent forgetfulness of everything else.
• Suspicions are nothing but wrinkles.
• Alas! to have climbed does not preclude falling. This can be seen in history more frequently than anyone would wish.
• Everything can be parodied, even parody.
• To love, or to have loved, is enough. Ask for nothing more. There is no other pearl to be found in life’s shadowy convolutions. To love is an achievement. The first step is nothing, it is the last step that is hard.
• When the heart is on the slippery slope, there is no stopping it.
• Love each other always. That’s about the only thing in the world that matters: loving each other.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Victorian Quarterly Check-In

• What books for this challenge have you read (or reviewed) recently?
• What are you currently reading?
• Are there any quotes you'd like to share?
• Who would you recommend? Anyone you would NOT recommend?
• Favorite book you've read so far...

What books for this challenge have you read (or reviewed) recently?

✔ 25. A book that has been filmed as movie, miniseries, or television show
Camille. Alexandre Dumas, fils. 1848. Translated by Edmund Gosse. 254 pages. [Source: Library]
✔ 16. A book by Charles Dickens
Great Expectations. Charles Dickens. 1860. 640 pages. [Source: Library]
✔ 17. A book by Wilkie Collins
Hide and Seek. Wilkie Collins. 1854. 384 pages. [Source: Bought]
✔ 3. A book that REALLY intimidates you
The Wretched. Victor Hugo. Translated by Christine Donougher. 1862/2013. 1456 pages. [Source: Bought]
✔ 35. free choice
The Bertrams. Anthony Trollope. 1859. 496 pages. [Source: Bought] 

What are you currently reading?

• Castle Richmond by Anthony Trollope
• Adam Bede by George Eliot

Are there any quotes you'd like to share?

How many ways does the heart take, how many reasons does it invent for itself, in order to arrive at what it wants. ~ Alexandre Dumas, fils

Art wouldn't be the glorious thing it is, if it wasn't all difficulty from beginning to end. ~ Wilkie Collins

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. ~ Charles Dickens

Love is an ardent forgetfulness of everything else. ~ Victor Hugo

 Constant thoughts will break forth in words. ~ Anthony Trollope

 Who would you recommend? Anyone you would NOT recommend?

I'm enjoying what I'm reading.

Favorite book you've read so far...

The Karamazov Brothers. Fyodor Dostoevsky. Translated by Ignat Avsey. 1880/2008. 1054 pages. [Source: Library] 

Of note to ALL participants! VICTOBER 2017 Hosted by these book-tubers

Ange (Beyond the Pages)
Lucy (Lucy the Reader)
Katie (Books and Things)
Kate (Kate Howe)

• Read a Victorian book by a Irish, Scottish or Welsh author 
• Read a Victorian book that was recommended to you 
•  Read a supernatural Victorian book 
• Read a lesser known Victorian book 
• Read a Victorian book by a female author

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Orphan Island

Orphan Island. Laurel Snyder. 2017. 288 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Jinny heard the bell. She threw down her book, rose from the stale comfort of the old brown sofa, and scrambled for the door. When she burst from the cabin into the evening air, Jinny ran.

Premise/plot: The setting is an island that seems to in some way take care of the nine children who inhabit it. It's not your ordinary island.

Nine on an island, orphans all,
Any more, the sky might fall.

Every year a boat comes bearing a young child--perhaps four or five years of age. The eldest child of the island gets in the boat and departs. The next-to-oldest becomes the new elder and takes charge of the new child. In that one year, the elder will teach her care how to survive--thrive even--on the island. (Or his care.)

Jinny becomes the new elder soon after the novel opens. Her care is a young girl named Ess. Jinny struggles in her role as elder. She both loves and hates it. It is without a doubt the hardest thing she's ever done.

At the end of the year, Jinny knows she should get in the boat--like every other elder that has gone before her. But will she be able to face her fears, face the uncertainties?

Orphan Island, I believe, is supposed to be an allegory about the struggles of growing up, about the journey of leaving childhood behind. Jinny, our heroine, doesn't want to grow up. The idea of leaving the safety of the island behind her and journeying forth literally into the unknown terrifies her. 

My thoughts: Orphan Island left me speechless--for the most part. I have no answers because there are so many questions are still unanswered by the end of the novel. Mainly questions about how the children got on the island, how the island takes care of the children, why just nine children, who sends and directs the boat, where the elders go when they leave the island.

One fascinating aspect of Orphan Island is the unknown Abigail. The children have no idea who Abigail is/was. But her books are on the island. Her notes are in the books. Some of the children feel like they *know* Abigail through the clues she's left behind. I would LOVE to know more about Abigail and the first generation of children who lived on the island.

I would recommend this one. But if you hate untidy endings that leave you wanting more, then maybe it's best to know that ahead of time. There will be questions you *need* answered. They won't be answered in the book. Perhaps they'll never be answered by the author. Perhaps you'll have to choose your own ending.


© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Wooden Prince

The Wooden Prince. John Claude Bemis. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 312 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: By the time Pinocchio arrived in the village of San Baldovino, he was bursting with impatience to get free. Being locked in a trunk shouldn't have bothered him. He was an automa, after all.

Premise/plot: Think you know the story of Pinocchio? Think again! Bemis asks readers to join him on a fantastical journey. In the original story, Pinocchio is almost always unlikable; he is always rebellious and disobedient; he is more an object lesson than a 'real boy.' In this new novel--the first in a series--Pinocchio has a chance to be THE HERO.

My thoughts: Bemis has created a complex fantasy world. I wish I'd known about the glossary sooner. But reading the glossary after I finished the novel helped answer a few remaining questions I had. I really liked the world he created. Perhaps I wouldn't have loved this new fantasy world so much if I hadn't been drawn in by the characters as well. But what I loved most of all is his spin on the original, there are elements that do feel familiar. But everything has been spun about--and all for the better. There are still moral elements in this one. But instead of feeling like a lesson on how not to behave, a lesson about the consequences of disobedience, it has become more a series of lessons on how valuable life is and how essential friendship is. I loved seeing Pinocchio in a whole new light.
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

You Can Read

You Can Read. Helaine Becker. Illustrated by Mark Hoffmann. 2017. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: You can read in the classroom. You can read in the park. You can read on a mission under cover in the dark.

Premise/plot: You Can Read celebrates reading books anywhere and everywhere. It rhymes, and in a good way.

My thoughts: The text of the book is in all-caps. I found this very annoying to read. But even more annoying is the disturbing lack of periods. There is not a single period in the whole book. (I couldn't help adding periods into the text I quoted above. I just couldn't present it the way it is in the book.) (Two sentences end in exclamation points.) If this book were getting graded by a first grade teacher, it would lose a lot of points. (The students in the first grade class might love it because of the illustrated underwear.)

That being said, the text of the book itself isn't bad. The message is a good one. I LOVE books. (Everybody knows that I love books.) I wanted to love, love, love it. The illustrations were not my style at all.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 1 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Verdict of Twelve

Verdict of Twelve. Raymond Postgate. 1940/2017. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: The Clerk of Assize had to have some way of relieving the tedium of administering the same oath year after year.

Premise/plot: Verdict of Twelve is a classic mystery originally published in 1940 in Britain. This mystery has four parts. In the first part, readers meet the twelve jurors. Backstories--some quite detailed--are given for all members of the jury. In the second part, the crime is laid out for readers. This isn't the trial itself. This is a behind-the-scenes glimpse just for readers. In the third part, I believe, the trial occurs and the jury deliberates. The fourth and final part is an epilogue revealing if the jury got it right or wrong.

A young boy dies of poisoning. His aunt stands accused of the crime. Is there enough reasonable doubt to rule her not guilty? That is the question. The defense will argue that four people equally had motive, means, and opportunity. The aunt, the two servants, the boy himself. (The aunt and two servants would inherit a good bit of money if he died. All of the people in the house had access to ivy dust from the ivy plants. All had opportunity to mix ivy dust into the salad dressing.) The defense targets the boy himself--the victim. They argue the boy was trying to murder his aunt, but wasn't smart enough, clever enough to pull it off successfully.

My thoughts: This one was a fascinating yet troubling read. There are scenes from this mystery that may haunt me for years to come. I definitely liked it and would recommend it. While the focus is closely on the twelve jurors, it is a very different type of read than Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose.
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not. Ellie Terry. 2017. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I open my dresser drawers, find them empty, empty, empty.

Premise/plot: Calliope June is the young heroine in Ellie Terry's Forget Me Not. This middle grade novel actually has two narrators. Calli's narrates in verse while Jinsong narrates in prose. Here's what you need to know about Calli: a) she HATES moving; b) she HATES having to introduce herself to her classmates; c) she struggles to make friends; d) she wishes her mom would grow up; e) she has Tourette syndrome. Here's what you need to know about Jinsong: a) he LOVES baseball b) he's popular; c) he like-likes Calli; d) he's afraid to be friends with her in public; e) he cares too much about what others think of him; f) he's self-aware enough to know he's being a big jerk and a coward.

My thoughts: I found this to be a quick, compelling read. I enjoyed the characterization. Readers really only get to know Jinsong and Calli, but, these two are well developed in my opinion. The relationship that tortured me the most was between Calli and her mom. I really wanted Calli's mom to grow up and get the help she needed. I hated that Calli's life was being turned upside down every few months because of her mom's love life. The ending leaves me worried. I think Calli has matured a great deal, but, her mom is still a big, big mess.

Does this one "need" to be a verse novel? I'm not sure it does. The verse isn't spectacular poetry. Calli could have told her story in prose just as well. I am glad Calli's story got told. I like her as a narrator. And being in verse does make it go quicker because there are fewer words.

Do we "need" Jinsong's narration? I'm not sure we do. But I am conflicted on this. His narrative does allow readers to see Calli from a different perspective, an outside perspective. We see most of the bullying from his perspective. He's a mostly silent bystander. He does some much-needed growing up in this one.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Train I Ride

Train I Ride. Paul Mosier. 2017. HarperCollins. 192 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The train I ride is sixteen coaches long.

Premise/plot: Rydr is our young heroine. After the death of her grandmother, she finds herself on a train heading east to live with her great uncle. Readers learn what happened before in a series of flashes, memories. The novel ends when she arrives in Chicago; it ends before she meets her new guardian. So readers are left with a bit of uncertainty. Rydr's story is revealed as she interacts with fellow passengers on the train--both children and adults.

My thoughts: I didn't expect to love, love, love this one. But I did. Rydr is a vulnerable young girl with a big heart. Her heart may not be trusting, and, she may have more than a couple of schemes always in place. Yet how could you say she isn't compassionate?! I'm thinking of the scene where she spends what little money she has--five dollars--buying a hand-made bracelet from a young girl who is just as desperate for money as Rydr is. I have many, many favorite scenes in this one. I loved Rydr's friendship with Tenderchucks, a young boy scout. These two are so good for one another. Another relationship I loved to see develop through the course of the novel was that of Rydr and Neal.

What I loved about this one: the writing, the coming-of age elements, the relationship-building, the characterization.

Favorite quotes:

If a poem is using words in a way that isn't quite what you're accustomed to, don't think that there's something wrong with you or your ability to understand them. They're just art objects painted with words. Sometimes they look like things you recognize, and sometimes not. (65)

"We should make a pact," he says. "A non-cruelty pact." "Between us?" "Between us. And everyone we meet. Until it extends to everyone." (93)

The people sitting at the table with me feel like a family. My family. If I could choose my family they'd be just like this. (113)

Carlos folds and unfolds his hands. "The best kind of people are people who feel, and who hold hope in their hearts. Even if it sometimes means being hurt and disappointed. Even if it means always being hurt and disappointed." (161)

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Catch-22

Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 1961. 453 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him. Yossarian was in the hospital with a pain in his liver that fell just short of being jaundice. The doctors were puzzled by the fact that it wasn't quite jaundice. If it became jaundice they could treat it. If it didn't become jaundice and went away they could discharge him. But this just being short of jaundice all the time confused them.

Premise/plot: Catch-22 is set during the Second World War near the Italian front. Yossarian, our protagonist, is ruled by one thing: the desire to stay alive another day. He doesn't want to be a hero. He doesn't want to do his duty. He doesn't want to be a team-player. He doesn't want to follow orders, not if following orders means dying. He's a terrible, terrible soldier and he knows it.

Yossarian was a lead bombardier who had been demoted because he no longer gave a damn whether he missed or not. He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt, and his only mission each time he went up was to come down alive. (29)

Throughout the novel, the number of flight missions needed to complete the tour of duty keeps increasing. Yossarian didn't mind--quite so much anyway--doing his part if the end was in sight. Say he'd flown 35 out of 40 missions. But to know that no matter how many you fly, your squadron's missions will keep increasing is too much. By the end, I want to say it's eighty missions before you can get sent home. Meanwhile, his friends--some of them his close friends--keep dying.

If I had to sum it up simply I'd say Catch-22 was one man's struggle to stay alive and stay sane in the attempt. Is he successful at the staying sane? You'll have to judge for yourself.

 

My thoughts: I didn't love, love, love everything about this one. It is far from clean in terms of profanity and adult situations. But I really enjoyed the narration. I thought it was a very well-written novel. I found it funny.

"Can't you ground someone who's crazy?" "Oh, sure. I have to. There's a rule saying I have to ground anyone who's crazy." "Then why don't you ground me? I'm crazy. Ask Clevinger." (45)

"Is Orr crazy?" "He sure is," Doc Daneeka said. "Can you ground him?" "I sure can. But first he has to ask me to. That's part of the rule." "Then why doesn't he ask you to?" "Because he's crazy," Doc Daneeka said. "He has to be crazy to keep flying combat missions after all the close calls he's had. Sure, I can ground Orr. But first he has to ask me to." "That's all he has to do to be grounded?" "That's all. Let him ask me." "And then you can ground him?" Yossarian asked. "No. Then I can't ground him." "You mean there's a catch?" "Sure there's a catch," Doc Daneeka replied. "Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy." (45-6)

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions.(46)

History did not demand Yossarian's premature demise, justice could be satisfied without it, progress did not hinge upon it, victory did not depend on it. That men would die was a matter of necessity; which men would die, though, was a matter of circumstance, and Yossarian was willing to be the victim of anything but circumstance. (68)

"The enemy," retorted Yossarian with weighted precision, "is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on, and that includes Colonel Cathcart. And don't you forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live. (124)

You know, that might be the answer--to act boastfully about something we ought to be ashamed of. That's a trick that never seems to fail. (139)

Something was terribly wrong if everything was all right and they had no excuse for turning back. (140)

It was one thing to maintain liaison with the Lord, and they were all in favor of that; it was something else though to have Him hanging around twenty-four hours a day. (201)

"What in the world are Wisconsin shingles?" asked Yossarian. "That's just what the doctor's wanted to know!" blurted out the chaplain proudly, and burst into laughter. "There's no such thing as Wisconsin shingles. Don't you understand. I lied. I made a deal with the doctors. I promised that I would let them know when my Wisconsin shingles went away if they would promise not to do anything to cure them. (363)

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Week in Review: September 10-16

Carrot & Pea. Morag Hood. 2017. HMH. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
The Cookie Fiasco. Dan Santat (and Mo Willems). 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]
We Are Growing. Laurie Keller (and Mo Willems). 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Library]
The Good for Nothing Button. (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading #3) Charise Mericle Harper. (Mo Willems). 2017. Disney-Hyperion. 64 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Under Their Skin. (Under Their Skin #1) Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2016. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
In Over Their Heads. (Under Their Skin #2) Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2017. Simon & Schuster. 320 pages. [Source: Library]
 Seeking Mansfield. Kate Watson. 2017. 300 pages. [Source: Library]
The Circular Staircase. Mary Roberts Rinehart. 1908. 197 pages. [Source: Bought]

The Case of the Fiery Fingers. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1951. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
The Case of the Lucky Loser. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1957. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
Death of a Cad. M.C. Beaton. 1987. 214 pages. [Source: Library]
 Peck, Peck, Peck. Lucy Cousins. 2013. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]
 Impressionism. Florian Heine. 2015. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

Board book: Baby Loves Quantum Physics! Ruth Spiro. Illustrated by Irene Chan. 2017. Charlesbridge. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Baby Loves Thermodynamics. Ruth Spiro. Illustrated by Irene Chan. 2017. Charlesbridge. 22 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Charlie Builds. Bob Bianchini. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 20 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Board book: Changing Faces: Meet Happy Bear. Nathan Thoms. Illustrated by Carles Ballesteros. 2017. Harry N. Abrams. 18 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Chicken in School. Adam Lehrhaupt. Illustrated by Shahar Kober. 2017. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
Chicken In Space. Adam Lehrhaupt. Illustrated by Sharhar Kober. 2016. HarperCollins. 36 pages. [Source: Library]
The Plot Chickens. Mary Jane Auch. Illustrated by Herm Auch. 2009. Holiday House. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us To Live in Light of the End. David Gibson. 2017. Crossway. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Beloved Hope. (Heart of the Frontier #2) Tracie Peterson. 2017. Bethany House. 338 pages. [Source: Review copy]
Heart on the Line. (Ladies of Harper's Station #2) Karen Witemeyer. 2017. Bethany House. 329 pages. [Source: Review copy]
My Summer with Psalm 119 #22
My Summer with Psalm 119 #23
My Summer with Psalm 119 #24


© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews