Book #34 Read in 2014
The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
I read this book in one sitting. It tells the story of Ginny, who seemingly suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, but it has never been diagnosed. Ginny's parents are killed in an accident and Ginny's sister Amanda wants to sell their house because she thinks that Ginny cannot live on her own. The sisters begin a power struggle. As if that is not stressful enough, the gap between the siblings widen when Ginny sees signs of her syndrome in Amanda's older daughter. Ginny finds comfort in cooking and is surprised when she is able to see ghosts when she cooks their handwritten recipes.
This book would appeal to fans of magical realism such as Sarah Addison Allen or Alice Hoffman's books. Ginny is an interesting character and I found the way she lives fascinating. The writing is engaging and will keep readers interested from start to finish.
Book #33 Read in 2014
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (YA)
This is the second book in a YA paranormal series. Teens are trying to find a ley line. This book focuses more on Ronan and his ability to bring back objects that appear in his dreams. Mr. Gray is a complex villain in this book; a hitman hired to bring back the object that is really a person. Blue is still struggling with her destiny of killing her true love with a kiss and is struggling with her feelings for Gansey and her non-feelings for Adam. Of course the ending is a cliffhanger one; book 3 will be out in October.
The characters in this series are interesting and complex. This book started off slowly for me (I loved the first book, The Raven Boys) but picked up halfway through and then was a totally engaging read. Besides the mystery of finding the ley line, there is also a good action plot with Mr. Gray, as well as humor and romance. All in all, a good read.
Book #32 Read in 2014
Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
This was a cute book about Flora, a somewhat odd child, and Ulysses, a flying squirrel who is thought of by Flora as being a superhero after he survives being vacuumed. Flora is connected in Ulysses and strides to save him from her mother, who wants to kill Ulysses. This book has cute illustrations in it and would be a good read aloud. There was a lot of humor in this book.
Book #31 Read in 2014
Love and the Zombie Apocalypse by Chelsea Bellingeri
I borrowed this book from the Kindle Lending Library and cannot wait to borrow book #2 next month. Zombie are suddenly everywhere and if one is bit or scratched by them, death and then a return as a zombie is the outcome. Rachel is trying to get to her younger sister's summer science camp. Along the way she meets several people who turn out to be willing to help her--football star Cage, firefighter Adam and his girlfriend Selena, and oddball Nicky. This book was non-stop action and I read it in one sitting. Besides the zombie action, there was romance and humor. I enjoyed it a lot.
Book #30 Read in 2014
Paws for Murder by Annie Knox
This is the first book in a relatively new cozy mystery series; it is set in a pet boutique. Izzy returns to her hometown and opens the pet boutique, making all sorts of costumes and clothing for pets. Her childhood Rena partners up with her to create yummy pet treats to sell at Trendy Tails. Their grand opening is going well until the body of a local rich girl/political activist is found in their alleyway. Rena is considered a suspect. Izzy teams up with Sean, her old friend who had a crush on her, who is now Rena's lawyer to try to find the real murderer. Will they do so before Rena is arrested?
This was a good cozy mystery read. I enjoyed the setting and the animal characters throughout the book. The mystery was decent as I was kept guessing about the true identity of the murderer. The romantic history between Izzy and Sean was another interesting element. There was also humor in the book. I loved Aunt Dolly trying to seduce Izzy's cranky business neighbor. I will read the second book in this series.
Book #29 Read in 2014
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (YA)
This is the second book in a great young adult paranormal series. In this book, Clary is beginning her life as a Shadowhunter and trying to get past romantic feelings with her newly found, long-lost brother Jace. Her mother is still in a coma, her friend Simon is still trying to be her boyfriend and of course the host of not-so-normal teenage problems (attacks on vampires and werewolves, her crazy father Valentine causing trouble) keeps readers engaged in this book. The characters are cool and larger than life. The plot is exciting and full of twists and turns. There is humor and romance in the book. I cannot wait to start book #3.
Book #28 Read in 2014
The Water Castle by Megan Frazer Blakemore (YA)
Ephraim's father has had a stroke and his mother moved the family back to the family home in the country in the hopes that it will help his father recover. Ephraim realizes that the kids in his new school are more academically advanced than he is so he is struggling to fit in. He joins forces with Will and Mallory to find the Fountain of Youth in the hopes that the magical water will cure his father; Ephraim's family has spent generations on this quest. Will the kids be able to find the fountain? If they do, will it cure his father?
This book had a decent plot that will keep readers engaged. The characters were interesting and well-developed. There is a parallel story from the early 1900s told alongside the main story but this is done in a way (different page setup, dates on the top of the page) that will not be confusing to younger readers. I enjoyed this book.
