The Turtle Catcher
A patron recommended this book...wow. It is the heartbreaking story of a German immigrant family in New Germany, Minnesota during World War I. The first chapter is intense, but the rest of the book is well worth it. I couldn't put it down.
Cooking with Fernet Branca
This is the story of two neighbors living in Tuscany. They were both looking for solitude and a beautiful view. Each was told by (the same) realtor that they had a foreign neighbor who was only present one month per year and was very quiet. And so begins a classic comedy of errors... It reminds me (a little) of Alexander McCall Smith's Portuguese Irregular Verbs series.The best part of the book is the recipes. Gerald Samper fancies himself a culinary genius. He is definitely not afraid to experiment with ingredients!
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Blueberry Girl
A very sweet poem written for a friend who was expecting a baby girl. This would be a wonderful gift. Too bad everyone I know is having/just had BOYS.
Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Noisy Problem
Chico Bon Bon does it again! He wakes up one morning and hears a loud noise, so he puts on his trusty tool belt (over his pjs) and goes forth to find the source of the problem.I love the illustrations in these books.
Bone Crossed
I gave this 3 stars because it took me so long to remember that I read it when it came out (though I forgot to record it in Goodreads at that time). Now that it's coming back to me, I think I liked it more than the last few, but apparently it doesn't have sticking power in my mind. :)
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
Eh. I think this may be a case of "right book, wrong time". Maybe I will pick it up again sometime.I do think that Magic Mouse Pockets would be a good name for a band.
How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
If you read The Oatmeal, then you have already read a large portion of this book. If you own at least one cat, you won't care.
Fangs But No Fangs (The Young Brothers, Book 2)
I gave it an extra star because the vampire has a blog.
Jepp, Who Defied the Stars
I've been waffling between 3 and 4 stars on this one, but decided to round up because it is a Teen book that IS NOT IN A SERIES.Jepp is a 16 year old dwarf living and working in his mother's inn. One day a stranger comes along and convinces him to move out and become a court dwarf at Coudenburg Palace. While Jepp lives in luxurious surroundings and does not want for any material things, he is humiliated daily by performing for the Infanta (Spanish nobility). He is also not allowed to leave.Jepp's adventures trying to escape Coudenburg and finding out his true paternity make the story.Also, most of the main characters in the book are based on real historical figures, including the main character.
Lackadaisy, Vol. 1
St. Louis. Prohibition. Speakeasies. Bootleggers. Feuds. Moxie.Oh, and the characters are all cats.Everything's jake.p.s. You can read the comics online at: http://www.lackadaisycats.com/comic.php?comicid=1
Slated
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. The blurb that prompted me to reserve it said (something like) "even if you're tired of teen dystopias, you gotta read this one."Whether or not that is true depends on how tired you are of the genre.Kyla is a 16 year old girl who has been slated. This means that she was convicted of a crime and had all of her memories wiped. She doesn't remember anything before the previous nine months. Our story begins when Kyla is released from the hospital into the custody of her brand new, ready made family. Oh, and Kyla must wear a bracelet that monitors her moods, ensuring she doesn't get too sad, scared, or angry.It's definitely a page turner, although it slows towards the end. Sequel anyone? I would give it to fans of Little Brother by Cory Doctorow or possibly The Hunger Games.
The Age of Miracles
3.5 starsThis book has a really interesting premise - the rotation of planet Earth significantly slows down. Days get longer, nights get longer, and weird stuff happens. The story is told from the point of view of an 11-year old girl. Well, no...it's actually the girl in her 20's looking back to her tween years. Except that it isn't made clear, and the tenses are a bit confusing.Oh, and the science. Now, I prefer my sci-fi books on the less-sciencey end of the spectrum, but still. Using the "We never figured out why any of this happened" explanation is a bit of a cop out. I enjoyed the clock-timers (people who stuck to the 24-hour day, regardless of daylight) vs. real-timers (people who slept only when the sun was down) conflict.Still, it is a quick read, and I'm thinking about it a few days later, which is a good sign.
