The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter by J.S. Drangsholt

The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter

by J.S. Drangsholt

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Book Length: 217 pages

Genre: Chick Lit, Fiction, Humor

The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter is a fun light read that shows us that mothers are the same no matter where in the world you happen to reside. Ingrid decides that the perfect house will make her and her family so much more complete. So she buys it for way more than she should. 

To top it off, her attempts to blend into the background at work teaching at a university leads her to interoffice politics and a trip to Russia. All while she is trying to move, sell her old house, and fix the damage that she did with her husband and family. 

This is a perfect book to read when you just want to know that you are not the only crazy person in the world. It is well written, funny, and maybe just a bit too realistic. My favorite aspect of the book is the ending. It is neither a happily ever after or a sad story. It is just the story of coming to peace with what you already have, and sometimes the mess that you have created.

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

Interpreter of Maladies

by Jhumpa Lahiri

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Book Length: 209 pages

Genre: Indian Fiction, Fiction, Litterature, Short Stories

Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri. All the stories feature Indian characters. Most stories also include the complex dynamics between Indian culture and American culture. Although some stories are placed directly in India and focus more on the complexity within the Indian culture.

Lahiri's novel was a fascinating read. Each story was unique and beautifully written. I was captured from the beginning to the end. The characters were so well defined that I was able to not only picture them but to live behind their eyes. I felt the longing for a country that I have never even seen. I felt appreciation for community and togetherness that, as the author also illustrated, just doesn't exist in America. I also witnessed how two people who never met fell in love while another couple walked away from everything.

My favorite aspect of the book is the diversity of the stories and characters. Each story is unique and every character has their own story and personality. Everytime a story ended I was reluctant to leave their lives. I highly recommend that you pick this book up!

In Between by Jenny B Jones

In Between

by Jenny B Jones

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Book Length: 352 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Christian, Fiction

I did not know what I would get when I picked up this novel. It was a kindle freebie that looked interesting.

What I got was a well-written piece of youth literature with a Christian slant. In Between is a coming of age story of a teenage girl who is trying to adjust to a new foster family. The novel is notably for young adults, however, is enjoyable for adults as well.

If you are not big into a Christian slant to your literature you can still very much enjoy this novel. The main character is not all that sure about the Christianity either. However, it is nice to read a novel with a clean plot, clean language, and one that is focused on the love of a family instead of romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I could not put it down. The writing was refreshing. While it will probably not become a classic, it was a great read that had with depth. The characters were multi-layered, allowing the reader to connect to all of them from various points. Even the supporting characters were more than just cardboard cutouts. The humor and exuberance of the main character really adds to the story as well.

The Takitawah by A.B. Thomas

The Takitawah

by A.B. Thomas

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Page Length: 145

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

The Takitawah is an urban fantasy novel trying to be packaged as erotica. It is a shame since the series has the potential to be one of my favorite urban fantasy series. 

I found myself being sucked into the story and carried away into the fantastical and downright crazy world of Jared Club - a bounty hunter for the Gods. Even the premise is unique in the urban fantasy world. So are the characters of the book. Urban fantasy is dominated by strong female leads, Jared Club is neither female nor strong. He is kind of a looser, but with just enough compassion and strength that you find yourself connecting with him anyway - kind of like a guy you would date because you feel sorry for him. 

I gave The Takitawah a strong rating because I really enjoyed the book and I saw a lot of strength and potential in the author. Unfortunately, there were some downfalls to the novel as well - all of which stem from trying to make an urban fantasy into erotica. The characters lack descriptions, you never know much more about them than their height and size. You are unable to visualize them. Yet the characters are so alive and distinct otherwise that this is a disservice. Also, the book is only 145 pages, which is not enough time to truly develop the depth of plot that this book deserved. Instead, whole sections were summarized in one paragraph so the story could move along. It felt like the reader had to be cheated so that the book could stay in the restrictive page length of an erotica novel. 

I really enjoyed The Takitawah and look forward to seeing what A.B. Thomas creates next. 

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

A Series of Unfortunate Events

The Bad Beginning

by. Lemony Snicket

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Book Length: 188 pages

Genre: Children, Children's Chapter, Middle School

It has been a while since I last read this book and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed returning to its pages. The most unique, intriguing, and frustrating aspect of the book is that the main character of the story could be argued to be the narrator. Everything is told through the voice of Lemony Snicket, which is actually the narrator and not the author's actual name. The style is not a typical style for most children's books and it is pulled off with success.

The writing style is amazing. You are pulled into the story, engage with all the characters, and before you know you have finished the tale. I almost went and immediately bought the next book. The only thing that stopped me was the huge pile of books I currently have to finish. It truly is no wonder that this series has obtained such success.

There is one aspect of the writing style that I found quite annoying. The narrator continually defined the words that he and the other characters were using. As the story progressed the other characters also begin defining the words that they were using. It was annoying because I am an adult reader who was well aware of what all these words meant. Yet, while I was quite engaged by the story the book was not written for me. It was written for middle school readers who are still increasing their vocabulary. The first time I encountered Snicket's unique way of defining words in a story I knew what he was doing. While I, as an adult reader, was slightly annoyed I was also kind of awed by his genius. He has this book that he doesn't want to dumb down for his readers, yet he also doesn't want to loose their interest as they encounter words they may not be familiar with. To decrease the frustration of reading by including the definitions into the quirky flow that already existed in the novel is nothing short of genius.

Sami the Magic Bear: No to Bullying! by Murielle Bourton

(Note: I was asked to honestly review two books for this author. Since publishing an honest review on the first book the author has claimed that I did not read her books and that I am unable to read. I would highly suggest that if you are approached by this author to review her books that you politely decline. If she does not agree with your reviews then she will be vindictive. She has posted poorly written and insulting comments to multiple places. However, since I agreed to honestly review her books I am still posting this review. I do find it ironic that I am reviewing a book on bullying knowing that by doing so I will soon be bullied by the author.)

Sami the Magic Bear: No to Bullying!

by. Murielle Bourton

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Book Length: 30 pages

Genre: Children, Picture Book, Bullying

Bullying is a topic that is extremely important to me. I had a child that was bullied to the point that she tried to commit suicide. It is an extremely important topic and one that needs to be addressed. However, I do not think that this book does a good job of discussing the topic. My concern is that while the book starts to show the extreme impact of bullying, such as being physically hurt as well as the mental anguish, it then teaches children that they should not discuss it with their parents and that it will magically right itself.

The graphics of the novel are the obvious strength. I really enjoy the bright and visual pictures. The concept of the book is also great. They have such promise to be great children's books capable of helping children through extreme and difficult problems. However, they fall short of this goal. Before writing these reviews I discussed the book with several other adults. The general consensus was that the topics were extremely sensitive and were not handled with enough care. It was concluded that she probably did not have the experience with the effects of such situations on children. I honestly, do not know if this is the case. However, since having further interactions with the author I am convinced she is not someone I would want teaching my children about bullying.

The books have promise. The graphics are great and the topics are very important. However, the execution fell short. Since my interaction with the author, I would not recommend them based solely that they were written by a person who engages in cyber bullying.

Sami The Magic Bear by Murielle Bourdon

Sami the Magic Bear: A Trip to the Hospital!

by Murielle Bourdon

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Book Length: 30 pages

Genre: Children, Picture Book, Cancer

The graphics in Sami the Magic Bear are gorgeous. They are bright and engaging. While they are not highly detailed that is on purpose and for their style, they are well shaded. The pictures even transfer over well onto the e-ink screen of a Kindle.

The overall book length is fairly good. It is a bit wordy for a book intended for a child as young as five. The writing is average. It is a little choppy in places. There are times where I had to stop and reread sentences because they were not written very well. This was confusing as an adult, this is not acceptable for a children's audience. It could use one more good edit.

The audience of the book is questionable. It states that it is for children between the ages of five to eleven.The title would suggest that the book is geared towards explaining what would happen when they go to a hospital. I expected it to be more of a social story type of book. It is nothing close. Instead, the plot is about a girl who gets diagnosed with leukemia and has an extended stay in the hospital. When she wants to die she ends up getting a magic bear as a gift. The magic bear gives her the strength to live. The topic is a bit too much for a children's book. Yet I also wouldn't say it is appropriate for a child who is actually dealing with cancer. It would not help a child with cancer to identify with another child going through the same situation, there is nothing that would help a child with cancer learn what will happen to them at the hospital. What you have is a book written in an extremely light and whimsical tone that happens to feature a child who wants to give up on life. I was a bit mystified about why this book was written this way. It doesn't really seem appropriate for anyone.

Why the graphics and general premise of the stories are amazing, the writing and execution are not as much. I think Bourdon would really benefit from co-producing with her designing and someone else writing.

**Note: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review**

Ticker by Lisa Matchen

Ticker
by Lisa Matchen

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Book Length: 276 pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Steampunk, Young Adult

Ticker is a steampunk novel complete with springs and gears that drives the book more than the plot does.

Penny is born with a bad heart, so of course, hers is replaced with one made from a clock instead.

Ticker is a world of springs and gears that work almost like magic. The main character having a heart transplant from a clock instead of another heart. When Penny's parents disappear the kidnappers demand that everything related to the Augmentation research be turned over. What follows is a journey against time with lots of characters and a little bit of romance.

The world of Ticker is worth reading, although the writing fell a little flat in places. The climax never reached excellent but I did find it to be an interesting read. It was a different world that the reader is expected to adapt to. I could see where some would have difficulty connecting at all. Personally, I think it could just do with some more depth to the characters and a little more attention on weeding out the plot.

Overall, It was an interesting read. It is good if you are looking for something different.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Book Length: 228 pages

Genre: Classic, Fiction, Romance

I didn't expect to like Pride and Prejudice. I am not sure why. I have enjoyed other books by Jane Austen. There was just too much hype over Pride and Prejudice. There are too many movies that other females swoon over. I do not make a good fangirl - even for book characters. I started the book with the expectation of grinning and bearing it. 

Obviously, from my rating, that is not what happened. 

Jane Austen is an amazing author who has reached across the gulf of time. This book was originally published in 1813! That is over a hundred years ago. Yet, it is still read. It is still loved. It still remains relevant to readers of our generation. 

The writing style is witty. The characters are engaging. Elizabeth Bennet is the parament of strong female lead character. While I may not be swooning over the movies, I will no longer be shying away from Jane Austen's other works.

Purchase Pride and Prejudice from Amazon

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkings

A Brief History of Time

by Stephen Hawking

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Book Length: 224 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction, Science, Physics

This book was first published back in 1988. I remember reading it when I was in middle school when most of what I read was physic oriented non-fiction. I was fascinated with time. While this did not really go into time as much as the title would suggest, it was one of my favorite books. 

It has been many years since I have read this book. I have grown both educationally and maturity. In addition, the field of physics has changed since this work was first published. Reading it again, after many years, the work took on a different perspective. There were many ideas that were once unique and fresh that I found to be commonplace. Even talking about Hawking's hope for black holes to be confirmed was more nostalgic than a scientific wonder. I talk with my kids with them regularly - yes really. 

This book deserves to continue to be read. While it was not the first science book to be written for the non-scientist, it is one that made doing such more popular. It is written in such a way to engage and excite even those who do not usually engage in science. 

Purchase A Brief History of Time from Amazon