Fallen In Love - Lauren Kate

Released January 24, 2012

Lauren Kate
Delacorte Books

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Since entering high school where books are chosen by the teacher, my daughter's lost some interest in reading. This is unusual for me because she devoured all of the Twilight books in one week. The only books she has read since high school began are Lauren Kate's Fallen series. She loves them and was excited over the Fallen in Love anthology. I've never read one up until now.

One thing is apparent, you really should read the current books in the series before delving into Fallen in Love. There's a lot of backstory I missed and as a result, I had to stop and ask my daughter to quickly brief me on the characters and the "Announcers."

Fallen in Love is an anthology of quick romantic tales between specific characters from the series. The book starts with "Love Where You Least Expect It." Shelby and Miles believe they've taken an Announcer home to Shoreline only to find themselves in the midst of the Medieval times. After spotting Luce in a village, they vow to help her reunite with Daniel in time for the town's Valentine's Day Faire. I loved this story simply because it captures the essence of one of my favorite stories of all times - O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.

"Love Lessons" is Roland's story. It's a continuation of Shelby and Miles' short story in that they've asked him to locate Daniel and bring him to the Faire. This segues into a romance from his past. He's madly in love with Rosaline, despite what the rules of society were back then, and this time he means to prove his love to her. Only things are not what he expects when he does find her.

"Burning Love" focuses on Arriane and continues from something that happens in Roland's stories. My daughter said she was overjoyed to finally learn how Arriane got her scar. It'ss a bittersweet story about true love in the most unforgiving of circumstances.

Finally, "Endless Love" shares Luce and Daniel's Medieval Valentine's tale. Luce is not from nobility and Daniel's a knight, which means they could never be together. Luce's friends, however, are determined to help them reunite and enjoy a magical Valentine's Day together.

Finally, Fallen in Love ends with an epilogue that reunites the friends. There's also a sneak peek into June's Rapture.

I didn't mind Fallen in Love, but I don't think I got as much out of the story as long-time readers of the series. Not understanding what happened in the other books, and the relationships of the characters, really made this just an average read for me.

Posts Will Resume Soon

Last week wasn't a good week. Our septic tank stopped draining effectively, and the septic guys found a collapsed section of pipe. The people who were supposed to fix the issue came out, charged us $300 and said there was nothing they could do unless we paid them $600 to $700 to bring out excavators. We have another person coming out tomorrow who said he can replace the collapsed section of pipe and then run a camera down to see if there are other issues before bringing out the heavy machinery.

But life with limited use of a septic tank means we're having to do laundry elsewhere, and that's pretty time consuming on top of freelance writing jobs. I can't push my writing work off, so I'm focusing on that so that there is money coming in to take care of these bills we're facing.

Meanwhile, I'd planned to read yesterday, but our oldest cat took a major turn for the worse and needed my attention throughout the day and night. The vet still can't find out why she's having seizures after doing scans and blood panels, but yesterday's series of seizures really left her weak.

Revealing Eden (Save the Pearls) - Victoria Foyt

Released January 2012

Victoria Foyt
Sand Dollar Press

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

In Revealing Eden, the first book in the Save the Pearls series, the world has changed. The air temperatures are well in excess of 100 degrees and solar radiation is deadly, especially to those with fair skin. Humans now live underground. Eden Newman's 18th birthday is six months away. Per current laws, she must mate before her birthday or she'll be tossed outside into the brutal heat where she's sure to perish.  The problem is Eden is a Pearl. It's the "Coals" who are respected in this new world and anyone with pale skin is considered to be one of the lowest forms of life. As a result, Eden's potential matches are few and far between.

When the man Eden believed to be her potential mate betrays her, attempting to steal her father's top-secret experiment, she's forced to trust in the one person she loathes. Escaping to a rainforest, Eden learns a new way of life and struggles to save her father and herself.

Revealing Eden is part one of the Save the Pearls series. Typically, series novels end with an open ending that leaves you frustrated and wanting the next book to come out instantly. I appreciated that Victoria Foyt actually ended things so that I was both satisfied and eager to read more. Not every author can pull that off, but her talent is clear.

There is a convincing blend of romance, action, and adventure in Revealing Eden. If you're looking for a book that is part apocalyptic/futuristic novel, a study into the human race, and the quest to find true love, you won't go wrong with Victoria Foyt's latest.

Left, Right, Emma! - Stuart Murphy

Released February 2012

Stuart Murphy
Charlesbridge

Book review by Bob Walch

If your youngster is having trouble distinguishing his or her left and right sides, this picture book by visual learning specialist Stuart Murphy will help solve the problem.

Using a simple text, repetition and a cute cast of characters, Murphy presents a way of helping your child remember which side is right and which side is left.

Emma is asked to be the leader of her class marching band but to do so she’ll have to keep everyone in step, which means she must know her left from her right side. A little unsure of herself, Emma’s teacher comes to the rescue with a piece of red string she ties on Emma’s right wrist.

With the simple aid, Emma can practice her “left, right moves”  and on the day of the performance all goes well because everyone moves together in step.

Besides the story itself, which illustrates how Emma masters left and right, the author also includes a  “Closer Look” page that suggests a few other ways parents can reinforce this important cognitive skill in their preschoolers.  

It won’t be long at all before  your child,  just like Emma, will be very comfortable with the concept of left and right.

You Can Run - Norah McClintock

Released April 2012

Norah McClintock
Lerner Publishing

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

Robyn Hunter returns in a second teen mystery. In You Can Run, one of Robyn's a classmates goes missing. Strangely, the girl vanished on the same day she and Robyn had a disagreement. The girl's mother is very ill and is desperate to see her daughter. Her Robyn's father is hired to help track the girl down. He's having a hard time getting students to talk, so Robyn agrees to step in and see if she can find any hint of where the girl is hiding out.

It was clear from the start that I'd missed the first book in a series. While the relationships between the characters are summed up for readers who are new to Robyn Hunter, there are parts I didn't feel were recapped well enough for me to really understand the relationship between Robyn and her boyfriend. It's strictly for that reason that I wish I'd read the first book in the series, Last Chance.

Despite that one reservation, I did enjoy You Can Run. The relationships between Robyn and her parents make for fun reading, and add in the dash of romance with a little sleuthing and it's a great blend. I think any reader who enjoys romantic mysteries will love Norah McClintock's series.

Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems - Kate Coombs

Released March 14, 2012

Kate Coombs

Chronicle Books

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

In celebration of April's National Poetry Month, pick up a copy of Kate Coombs' Water Sings Blue. The collection of ocean/sea-related poems is certain to win the hearts of parents and child. Anyone who's been to the ocean knows the feeling of standing on the sandy beach listening to the waves as they hit rocks and beach. It's a soothing sound and the poems in Water Sings Blue captures that feeling.

There are more than a dozen poems that talk about boats, sea life, and the water itself. From the cries of seagulls to the piece of driftwood found on the beach after the tide rolls in, the collection of poems really captures the magic of the ocean. Add in the illustrations by award-winning illustrator Meilo So and you have images that truly complement the poetry. I think parents will love these poems just as much as their children.

Up Cat - Hazel Hutchins & Art by Fanny

Released January 2012

Hazel Hutchins
Annick Press

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

 Hazel Hutchin's Up Cat catches the trouble and fun one small cat has throughout the day. Whether the cat is getting into trouble by stealing milk from a glass or having fun chasing a ball of yarn, the cat's activities are certain to bring a smile to your face.

Illustrations by Fanny are bright and colorful and do capture the mischievous behavior many cats have. Hazel Hutchins simple narrative, usually two or three word phrases, is perfectly suited to toddlers and beginning readers. Before long, your child will be reading along with you because it's easy to associate the words with the action depicted in the illustrations.

Up Cat is a fun book that really does capture a day in the life of a cat. I have a pair of Maine Coon siblings and they spend many days wresting, chasing their toys around, trying to demolish their cat tree, and once that's done, they do like to curl up within reach of the pellet stove and take long naps. Anyone with cats will know exactly what Up Cat is up to.

There Goes Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived - Matt Tavares

Released February 2012

Matt Tavares
Candlewick Press

Book review by Bob Walch

Young baseball fans, especially those who live in New England, will enjoy reading this lively picture book biography about perhaps the most famous player to ever wear a Red Sox uniform.

With Fenway Park celebrating its centennial this season, this is a very timely volume that offers an excellent introduction to this iconic slugger. The author follows Williams from his boyhood in San Diego through his early years with the Red Sox team. Just when Williams was really beginning to turn heads and make his mark as a hitter, along came World War II.  Like many professional athletes, Ted took a “time out” to serve in the military. He did the same thing during the Korean conflict as well.

Loaded with excellent illustrations and plenty of statistics, this book makes the case for Williams and the “Greatest Hitter” designation. After reading this introduction to Ted Williams, the young reader can look for more detailed books that dissect the hitter’s career.  Then, after further research and a little conversation with other fans, the youngster can make up his or her own mind.

If you are a loyal Red Sox fan there's probably little to discuss. Of course, Ted was the greatest hitter of all time!

Chicken, Pig, Cow's First Fight - Ruth Ohi

Released January 2012

Ruth Ohi
Annick Press

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

Chicken, pig, and cow are the best of friends. One day, while playing in the block city their owner builds, pig becomes careless and destroys the city. This leads to their very first fight. Can the friends move past their hurt and anger and become friends again?

Chicken, Pig, Cow's First Fight is a simple, well-written children's picture book that teaches a valuable lesson about friendship and forgiveness. The illustrations are eye-catching and the message is simple enough for children to understand. Ruth Ohi does a great job at taking a difficult situation and displaying it from both sides.

For beginning readers, the vocabulary is easy enough that most children will quickly pick up words and be reading by themselves in no time. This is one of many Cow, Chicken, and Pig children's books, so add this and the others to your collection. It's a fun read and one that many children and adults will find endearing.

Demolition - Sally Sutton

Released February 2012

Candlewick Press

Reviewed by Bob Walch

Roll out the big equipment; it is demolition time! Crack! Crash! Wham! This old building has to come down. In comes the big yellow crane with the heavy ball. It swings back and forth, “Thump and smash and whack. Bring the top floors tumbling down.”

Next, the machine with the strong jaws just like a dinosaur cuts through some steel reinforcement and “Thud! Creak! Wham!”, down comes some more of the structure.

Now it is time for the machines with huge claws to lift the rubble and dump it into the crusher that will grind the cement up into very small pieces. Another kind of grinder takes the wood and turns it into mulch and wood chips.

Finally it is time for the steel remains to be loaded into big metal dumpsters which will be trucked off to be recycled. Now the bulldozers can come in to level off the site so that a brand new children’s park can be constructed.

Lots of sound effects accompany the illustrations and text as young readers follow the process of building demolition. Preschoolers will love watching these big, noisy machines do their work. Perhaps, after you read the book a few times, a field trip to a near-by demolition site might be in order too!

Birthday Suit - Olive Senior & Eugenie Fernandes

Released January 19, 2012

Olive Senior
Eugenie Fernandes
Annick Press

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

Little Johnny loves being naked. There's nothing he likes more than running in the sun, splashing in the ocean, or exploring his town, he likes to do it without any covering. His mother has tried to keep him dressed, but buttons, zippers, and snaps are no match for the rambunctious three year old. It's up to his dad to try to get Johnny to remain dressed.

Birthday Suit is a charming children's picture book. The illustrations are beautiful with vibrant colors to help draw children's interest. Johnny spends a good deal of the book naked, but items are included to keep the nudity modest, so I can't see anyone having issues. Children will likely giggle at young Johnny, but that's a normal reaction.

As a parent, I think we've all had the child who just didn't want to remain dressed. Parents will sympathize with Johnny's mom and dad and kids will simply find a lot of humor in Olive Senior's comical story. With a touching ending, there's a lot to love about this book.

Slither, Slide, What's Outside - Simon and Sheryl Shapiro

Released January 19, 2012

Annick Press: Simon & Sheryl Shapiro
Nora Hilb

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

Slither, Slide, What's Outside? is a really fun children's book suited for toddlers and beginning readers. It's just 17 pages, so definitely not taxing for the younger crowd. In addition, the colorful text is easily read because the pictures truly match the action.

The book simply shows children enjoying outdoor activities throughout the season. Each pair of pages has a vivid photograph and then colorful illustrations of children performing the activity. For example, when it's raining, you see a picture of a rainy day and on the opposite page, children are splashing in the rain to cool off on a hot summer's day. Other activities include slithering like an earthworm, skating on ice, laying out to look at the stars, and many other fun activities that both children and parents can do together.

I've been reading a lot of full length novels and it's really a nice change of pace to stop and read something, short and simple with a very cheerful feel. Slither, Slide, What's Outside? is definitely a book I'd have for my keeper shelf if my children were still young enough to appreciate it.

Franklin's Valentines - Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark

Released February 2012

Paulette Bourgeois

Open Road Media

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

I admit, I've always had a soft spot for Franklin Turtle. Franklin's Valentines is a reissue, but it's a classic Franklin story that parents and children love. With this new Kindle version, parents can add it to their Kindle, computer or Smartphone with ease.

Franklin Turtle is all excited. Today's Valentine's Day. Double-checking that he didn't miss any of his friends, he rushes to his school bus. Later that day, the Valentine's Party starts. Only Franklin's valentines cards are no where to be found. What is Franklin going to do?

While most children will just love the students' eagerness for the party and sweet treats, there's a lesson taught within the story about the meaning of true friendship. Illustrations capture Franklin and his friends perfectly and sets the mood for your own Valentine's Day festivities.

For beginning readers, the standard opening to all Franklin books is included. Within no time, most children will be reading those first few lines with their parents.

Article 5 - Kristen Simmons

February 2012

Kristen Simmons
Tor Teen

Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth

Kristen Simmon's debut novel, Article 5, is the scariest book I've read in ages. I know some readers will say it could never happen, but I think some of the post-war U.S. is an environment that presidential hopeful Rick Santorum would happily support. That completely terrifies me.

Following a major war, the U.S. is a completely different place. The Bill of Rights are gone and in their place are American Moral Statues.

• Article 1- Americans may not practice a religion other than the religion of the Church of America.
• Article 2 - You may not own any "immoral paraphernalia, including books not sanctioned by the Church of America.
• Article 3 - A "Whole Family" is defined as a married man, woman and their offspring born after marriage.
• Article 4 - Women must be subservient to her husband, and he will support his family financially and spiritually.
• Article 5 - Children born out of wedlock are not legal citizens and will be removed from their home and put into rehabilitation. The woman who has a child without being married will be arrested.
• Article 6 - It is illegal to get divorced, gamble, own a gun or plot to overthrow the government.

There is no police force. They've been replaced by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. If you disobey any of the statutes, you're whisked away to "rehabilitation."

Ember Miller's heard the stories about her peers disappearing for things like skipping school for Passover, but she never imagines to be one of them. When her mother is arrested for having Ember out of wedlock, Ember's world is torn apart. Worse, the boy she loves is the one who oversees the entire arrest. Whisked off to a cruel reform school where the Sisters of Salvation convert teen girls into subservient young women, Ember's life will never be the same.

I started Kristen Simmons novel last night. After reading half of the book, I was furious. I decided to watch my show and go to sleep, but things changed. After turning off the TV and curling up to sleep, I found myself thinking about Ember's situation and realized I couldn't go to sleep until I knew how things ended. I got up, went downstairs and stayed up until the wee hours to finish it. Only a rare few authors have ever managed to keep me up way past my usual 9:30-10:00 p.m. bedtime. It's compelling, vexing and memorable. This is a book that will get teens and adults talking.

Article 5 truly is a scary book. I hope we never live in a world like that. Over the past couple of months, some of the things Rick Santorum believes have come to light. Such as his insistence that rape victims not have an abortion because the child "is a gift in a very broken way." His firm belief that homosexuality is wrong, hence his comparison to same-sex relationships as being no different than bigamy, incest and bestiality. His feeling that birth control is "a license to do things in a sexual realm." His insistence that if families looked at their budgets, they could work something out so that the mom remains a stay home mom and housewife. Many of these beliefs appear in some fashion in Article 5. While this may be a fictional story, there's part of me that worries that down the line, some unrealistic politician will get into office and try to make some of this a reality.