Confessions of a Book Habitué

The Astronaut’s Son by Tom Seigel (AWESOME GIVEAWAY!!!)

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 11:00:00 +0000

Summary from GoodReads:
Jonathan Stein thinks only a bad heart can stop him from reaching the moon. But when he discovers his father may have been murdered to protect an appalling NASA secret, he must decide whether his moral compass still points towards the stars.

Days before the Apollo 18 launch in 1974, Jonathan’s father, an Israeli astronaut at NASA, died of an apparent heart attack. A year before his own launch, in 2005, Jonathan, a typically devout skeptic, becomes captivated by the tale of a mysterious online conspiracy theorist who claims that his father had been killed. Unable to keep long-buried suspicions from resurfacing, he reopens the case, digging into a past that becomes stranger and more compelling the deeper he goes.

To get to the truth he must confront Dale Lunden, his father’s best friend and the last man on the moon, and his elusive childhood hero, Neil Armstrong. When his relentless pursuit leads to disturbing revelations about the Nazis who worked for NASA, the hardest questions to answer are the ones he must ask himself.

The Astronaut’s Son was inspired by the true story of Nazi scientists and engineers at NASA.

Okay.... where to start?

I received this one for review as part of the blog tour and, being me, put off actually reading it until October. (Like you do. Because the TBR list is so so so long.)

But it's not terribly long, so no big deal.

I managed like 2 chapters. The level of language was just kind of more than I could handle... especially when paired with my decision to take a couple of weeks' break from things like books with a lot of bad language.

(Before anyone starts in on the "realistic" aspect of profanity, yes, I know. But it's not a big part of MY reality and I prefer, for personal and religious reasons, to keep it that way.)

So.... I didn't finish the book.

BUT it's a fascinating premise and if language doesn't bother you, you really should go read it.

And then maybe come back and give me alllllllll the spoiler-y details. (Or borrow my copy and black out all the profanity for me. That would work for me.)

For better informed reviews, check out the blog tour so that you can read all the posts.

Now, for the awesome amazing so-freaking-cool giveaway!!

Comment on this post to win:
A copy of the book
A package of freeze-dried astronaut ice cream
A gift card for 2 movie tickets (which you could use to see the new First Man which is about Neil Armstrong and comes out this week!)

Here are the rules-- USA only, comment through Saturday. Since it's Mister's birthday this week, I'll have him pick on comment over the weekend. Please make sure you'll get an email with responses to your comment!

We Will Remember... And We Will Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 14:47:00 +0000

Tomorrow Needs You

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 15:53:00 +0000

To Write Love On Her Arms has a new campaign for #suicideprevention this year-- and I LOVE it.

TOMORROW NEEDS YOU

Don't give up. Don't give in.

We need you.

Tomorrow needs you.

Hope is real. Help is real.

Your story is important.

"Perhaps the greatest tragedy of suicide is that it steals tomorrow and every additional tomorrow. Suicide takes away the possibility of tomorrows filled with healing, change, love, joy, connection, and community. Those possibilities are worth fighting for, they're worth every ounce of our attention and energy. And you are worth fighting for." - Jamie Tworkowski

Learn more at To Write Love on Her Arms.

The Cozies by T L Fischer

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

The Legend of Operation Moonlight

5 stars

This was a charming and delightful illustrated tale of imagination.

I'm not totally sure about the intended audience.... everything about it screams young-to-mid-elementary school.... until you start reading.

And then there's a lot that's going to go over a kid's head.

But it's engaging and hilarious.

Honestly, I think it may be best as a read-aloud.

Recommended.

(Received for review)

The Pages Between Us by Lindsey Leavitt and Robin Mellom

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

Series:

Book 1: The Pages Between Us
4.5 stars (received for review)

Book 2: In the Spotlight
5 stars (I might have received this one for review too but I honestly can't remember....)

Book 1: Okay so normally this maybe isn't my thing, but I'm a SUCKER for "letter game" style novels (I blame Patricia Wrede) and so I had to read it.

And I loved it. Because wow.

A great tale of friendship and growing up and changing and all the messiness of all of it.

Book 2: Oh my word, it spoke to me even more than the first one.

There was more I could relate to in this second installment.

Overall, these are great middle grade friendship books. Recommended!

Rebels Rising by Shanna Swendson

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

5 stars

(Can I give it more than 5? Like 10? 'Cause really.)

Oh how I love these books.

In fact, I bought them with the money my inlaws gave me for my birthday.... and I reread one and two and read this one twice.

Because seriously they're that fun.

I'm obsessed.

These are great for teens, too. Boo is also obsessed.

If you haven't read them yet, well for one, what's wrong with you, and for two go do it now. Stat.

Start with Rebel Mechanics.

Can we get the 4th book like now please??

Wordless Wednesday Pixie Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats

4 stars

nonfiction

(Received for review)

Let me start by saying I read a digital ARC (which isn't my preference but it was what was available).

The digital ARC had MAJOR formatting issues (for example anywhere you had "ff" or "fi" or "fl" in a word those letters simply weren't present.... sometimes there was a space where they should go and other times not) that HOPEFULLY will not be present in any finished copy.

Also, I'm desperately hoping that the meandering of the text and the sudden jumps in topic are at least partly due to the formatting issues.

I'm guessing it is. Probably some of it would be in nice boxes or something that would indicate it is an aside.

Because wow meandering. You don't necessarily mind... because it's mostly interesting... but it's a bit of a jolt to be brought back to Fairchild and remember "oh yeah! THAT'S what this book's supposed to be about".

I do wish some of the modern moralizing had been slashed by a good editor. It really did get old.

That and the level of meandering are what lost it a star.

Overall- SO INTERESTING. If you enjoy history or plant biology or food you should really take a look.

The Mixtape of My Life by Robert K Elder

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 11:00:00 +0000

A Do-It-Yourself Music Memoir

5 stars

Okay, so I did a post last week that was a roundup of awesome Father's Day ideas, right?

After writing that post, I received this one for review and let me tell you-- THIS IS AWESOME.

For anyone with a man in their life who's into music (like, say, my dad who is in not one but TWO bands), this is a perfect gift.

It asks about music you remember from childhood; your first concert; family member favorites...

Y'all it even asks who played you the first song you heard with curse words, which I'm not totally sure how I would answer (it was probably my dad.... Karn Evil 9 by ELP, lol) but I just think is the funniest question ever.

Seriously-- take a look at this one for the music-lover in your life. Or, you know, for yourself.

It's really just that awesome.

Father's Day Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 13:00:00 +0000

So.... Father's Day.

Father's Day is less than a month after my husband's birthday and he is the world's most impossible person to shop for.... so.... yeah.

(I left this draft open on my computer and he saw it and mocked me, but I swear to you it's the truth.)

What to do.... what to do?

Well, if your husband/dad/brother/father-figure-person likes to cook and likes beer, then you should totally go with:

Grilled Cheese & Beer: Recipes for the Finer Things in Life

Personally, I don't drink... nor does my husband (or my father... or really anyone else I'd be shopping for for Father's Day) BUT between the cheesy goodness and punny names this cookbook is a hit for me.

If, like my husband, someone on your list loves baseball:

The Baseball Fan's Treasury of Quotations: Wisdom from the Legends of America's Favorite Pastime

Or if they're into nature and the outdoors:

The Nature Lover's Quotation Book: An Inspired Collection for Hiking, Camping and the Great Outdoors

A history buff? Try this (which looks FASCINATING):

Racing Back to Vietnam: A Journey in War and Peace

How about the guy who's always working out? I found titles for him too:

Warrior Workouts, Volume 1: Over 100 of the Most Challenging Workouts Ever Created

Complete Physique: The 12-Week Total Body Sculpting Program for Men and Women

I hope that round-up helps someone...... lol.

(I have received some of these for review... They'll be reviewed in more depth in other posts.)

An Eye for an Eye by Caroline Fardig

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 20:17:00 +0000

Ellie Matthews #2

4.5 stars
R- 2? yeah.... don't remember again, sorry.
probably language

Still not lovin' Ellie. She's kind of an idiot.

But the story.

So. Good.

Seriously.

And the ending? Did NOT see that coming.

So.... yeah.

When will book 3 be out?

Bitter Past by Caroline Fardig

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 20:08:00 +0000

Ellie Matthews #1

3.5 stars
R- I honestly don't remember.... 1-2 I think
Language

Let me start by saying that this is NOT a cozy.

This is a dark compelling procedural.

Emphasis on dark, but also emphasis on compelling.

Funny story-- I was offered a review copy of the sequel. I hate reading sequels without reading the first book, but it looked really good. So I went looking and hey, the first book was free on Kindle Unlimited.

Not my preference, but it would be a way to read the book so why not?

Read it in a day. An afternoon, really.

Told them to go ahead and send me a digital copy of the second one. (Again, not my preference, but I was on a roll and the first one was good.)

Read that all in one go too. (Review to come)

And..... then realized I have a paperback review copy of the first one, lol.

That's how out-of-control my house is, folks.

Anyway.

Overall, I don't love Ellie, and her self-medication at the end seemed like a bit much, and you all know language isn't my preference, but dang it's a good mystery.

Farmers' Market Mysteries by Paige Shelton

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 19:46:00 +0000

Farm Fresh Murder
Fruit of All Evil
Crops and Robbers
Red Hot Deadly Peppers (novella)
A Killer Maize
Merry Market Murder
Bushel Full of Murder

4 stars each
(except Crops and Robbers which I apparently gave 5 stars)
R- 1-2

It's possible that I've reviewed one or two of these in the past. I discovered them a while ago... I think the first was a Reader's Choice book.

But I had gotten behind, so at the beginning of the year I decided to re-read/read them all.

Let me tell you, when you decide to read 4 different series by the same author at about the same time... you have to pay attention to which series you're in at any given time.

Anyway.

These are fun cozies. There is a love triangle (gag) but it's not too bad and thankfully gets resolved neatly enough. (Though there is a cliffhanger aspect there.)

But the triangle doesn't start right away and gets taken care of in book 4, so yay.

My main complaint is that you can't introduce a character in a mid-series novella and have him clearly state that he's NOT law enforcement and then bring him back in a novel later as a cop. You gotta explain it or something.

I'm nitpicky that way.

Firebolt by Adrienne Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000

(The Dragonian #1)
3 stars
R- 2 (but it looks like that will maybe go up in later books)
language

Definitely YA-- parents should know that there is discussion of sex, especially virginity, which at first is played for comic effect and later actually has bearing on the plot. Also language-- both crudity and profanity.

Good premise. Is the execution great? No. But... even being sensitive to various things from reading the negative reviews... it wasn't THAT bad.

Elena's obnoxious but she's a pretty normal teen. I'm more annoyed by the adults who put her in that position so soon after everything she'd been through. (And she needed to be older.... they all did.)

Also really wish more would have developed in this first book.... some of what's coming (please tell me it's going to happen with how glaringly obvious it seems) really could have happened in this one. I wish the pacing had been better and the book a little longer so that it all fit in one volume rather than dragging it into a series.

So after writing that bit ^^ I went looking.... And ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!

There are FOUR more novels plus THREE novellas AND a spinoff series.

Oh heck no.

Sorry, ain't nobody got time for that.

As far as I can tell (after reading all the most spoiler-y reviews I could find) books 2 and 4 are filler. Books 3 and 5.... stuff happens, but I seriously DO NOT see why there needed to be that many books.

It really could have just been 1.... maybe 2.

(Also, parents should know that there's a major rape scene in a later book.... sorry for any spoilers there. It doesn't seem to actually have a point other than, I suppose, how else does one draw a storyline out for 4 books more than it needed to be)

In the end it appears that everything works out how you expect it to from how much hinting there is in book 1.... and I'm perfectly fine knowing that without reading all the insanity in between.

Hug Chickenpenny by S. Craig Zahler

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000

The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child
(received for review)

3.5 stars
R- 0

This is a fairly quick read, but very hard to rate.

My copy had editing issues, but I'm guessing (hoping) that all of them were caught between the ARCs and final published copies.

The overreaching vocabulary annoyed me in places... but I think it was extreme on purpose and after a bit you fall into the flow of it.

Many parts made me uncomfortable. How does anyone treat a child that way? But again, I think it was meant to cause discomfort.

There are many questions that are never answered, but somehow that's okay.

If you liked the movie Big Fish or you're a fan of Neil Gaiman.... yeah you should really pick this one up.

It's out there, to be sure, but it's a touching tale.

Ghoulish Middle Grade

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 11:00:00 +0000

(Disclaimer: I have not actually read these. Some have been read by my kids, some have not.)

(Received for review... for the most part)

Stick Dog Craves Candy
by Tom Watson
Stick Dog is quite popular at my house, so I'm sure this new trick-or-treat offering will be a welcome one.

The School for Good and Evil (series)
by Soman Chainani
I'm not actually super familiar with these, but they look really interesting. I think, though, that Boo is a little past them and MeiMei's not there yet.... and they just aren't Mister's thing. So not the right fit in our house at the moment.

The Supernormal Sluething Service: The Lost Legacy
by Gwenda Bond and Glenn Thomas
So, you know a book must look good when a kid who doesn't like fantasy AND doesn't like mystery.... scoops this up immediately, reads it, and tells you how good it was. Seriously folks, it was weird. If it had been Boo, that would have been completely normal, but MISTER went after this one. I've not read it, but I'm already impressed.

Monsters Unleashed
by John Kloepfer
This one looks like a good fit for those who are on the diary-style kick. So pretty much any latter-elementary aged kid, right? What would you do if your monsters came to life? Freddie has to figure it out.... fast.

Spirit Hunters
by Ellen Oh
This one looks CREEPY and is totally not my thing. I didn't think my kids would care, but Mister took it from me to read, so there's that. Then again, he still hasn't actually read it.... so there's also that. If you've got an older one who's into creepy, take a look.

Spooktacular Picture Books

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 11:00:00 +0000

(I know, that was terribly cheesy)

(Books received for review)

Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show

by Diana Murray

Another Grimelda book! I really enjoyed the first one and this one does not disappoint. The twist at the end is pretty fun. I haven't actually shown this one to the girlies yet, but I am positive it's going to be a hit.

Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Perfect Pumpkin

by Kallie George

Poor Spike.... he just doesn't get it quite right. Cute "I Can Read" book about the dino and the ducklings and the search for a pumpkin.

I Love You More Than The Smell of Swamp Gas

by Kevan Atteberry

BUNNIES! Okay, not really, but it IS the same author which made me pretty excited. This one is cute and hilarious.

Other titles you might take a look at include:

Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete

Flat Stanley and the Missing Pumkins

Even Monsters Need to Sleep (which we've actually already reviewed)

Also, MeiMei recommends In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories.

More Review Books

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Confiscated!
by Suzanne Kaufman
Oh my goodness. All the toys go in time out and finally the dinos have to learn to play and work together. Not my favorite, but cute. :)

Paddington Goes to Town
by Michael Bond
Ah the bittersweet arrival of another Paddington book. It's a repackage but how can you not love Paddington (and it matches the others, which I'm a little OCD about). But... receiving it so close to the sad news that Michael Bond had passed away..... it's not been a good year for beloved authors.

(I swear to you, if anything happens to Mo Willems I will have to hurt something.)

Even Fairies Fart
by Jennifer Stinson
Meh. I get what they're going for-- no one's perfect-- but there are better ways to get there. Ugh.

Picture Books Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Like seriously. EVERYWHERE.

Newish ones we've received for review are as follows.

Good Night, Baby Animals, You've Had a Busy Day
by Karen B Winnick
A picture book of short stories featuring tigers, elephants, pandas, etc.
Personally the text didn't do anything for me, but MeiMei enjoyed it (though it's baby animals, so it would have to be REALLY bad for MeiMei to not like it, lol) and really since she's more the target audience we'll go with it.

The Big Adventures of Tiny House
by Susan Schaefer Bernardo
A cute story of a tiny house on wheels who travels the country and meets other interesting vehicular housing units. Good choice for preschoolish kids who like vehicles or are weirdly in to tiny houses.

Sonya Sahni and the First Grade It's International Day!

by Soma Mandal

Sigh. Formatting issues.... editing/typo issues.... and a truly poor choice in rhyming scheme/style. It drove both my husband and me crazy.

BUT MeiMei liked it. And since she's the target demographic (ish... she's in 2nd grade), she's maybe the better judge.

(Older elementary kids are probably not going to embrace it as well.... Mister was not a fan... on any level.)

It is a good message, and I could see it being a good resource in a classroom. Maybe to springboard an international day activity.

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

(Tyme #1)
5 stars
YF- emotionally complex, so maybe err on the side of older elementary

Wow.

That. Was. So. Weird.

(Seriously... I know I said Woman in the Wall was weird [it totally was] and Big Bad Fox.... but dang.)

But. Weird does not equal bad.

And I couldn't actually find a reason not to give it 5 stars.

It is seriously emotionally complex... in a Stockholm Syndrome "dang people need therapy" kind of a way... but it's so well handled in the text.

(It's actually totally got a Star Wars arc going on-- naive hero, brooding bad guy, "maybe there is some good in you after all"....)

I'm shocked and impressed that this is a debut novel.

This is a retelling of Rapunzel, but it's not like any other retelling you've read.

(At least it's not like any I've read... if you find that it IS like one you've read, give me that title.)

Overall. Read it.

One Trick Pony by Nathan Hale

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

4 stars
JF
graphic novel

Maybe more of a 3.5 but it definitely has the same fun feel as Hale's other work.

The ending is.... abrupt. It's kind of a "well that escalated quickly".

But the target audience isn't likely to care.

My kids certainly didn't seem to.

Overall, if your kids are fans of Hale you should definitely have this one on your radar.

To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

(A Dangerous Type Mystery #1)
somewhere in the 3.5-4 star range
R- 1 (maybe)

So....

Let's take a moment to admire that title, can we?

Because it's kind of beautiful.

Anyway-- Paige Shelton. An author of cozy mysteries that I have very much enjoyed in the past.

And hey, a new series featuring books/fonts/typewriters.....

What's not to love??

Okay, so the writing wasn't the most amazing thing... it felt a little repetitive and clunky in places.

But overall the characters were entertaining.

And it was a fun story.

So I'll definitely be looking for more Dangerous Type mysteries.

We Will Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Mary Anning's Curiosity by Monica Kulling

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

4 stars
JF
historical fiction

First let's talk about what this is not.

This is not an in-depth biography.

Really, it's not a biography at all.

It is not a deep work of nonfiction.

It would not be a good resource for a school project.

Okay, with that out of the way, here's what it IS--

A really cute, if brief, story...

about a fascinating figure....

a woman I'd never heard of.

Mary Anning helped her father find curiosities as a child.

And eventually found an ichthyosaur.

I got this for MeiMei (age 7) and I think she was just a titch on the young side of the perfect age. It's a great introduction to a strong woman who was a paleontologist before the word existed.

And certainly before anyone would really give credit to a woman in such a field.

If you've got a youngish budding scientist, you really should give this a try.

(If you've got a kid looking for a subject for a biographical report, I would definitely suggest Mary Anning!)

The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner

noreply@blogger.com (Britt) — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 11:00:00 +0000

3 stars
JF graphic novel

Um.... this is one of the weirdest books I've read so far this year.

That might be saying something.

This goofy graphic novel features a fox who is subsisting on turnips. Why? Because no one is afraid of him.

In fact, the chickens beat him up.

So no chicken dinner for him.

Until the wolf convinces him he should steal some eggs...

hatch them...

fatten the chicks up....

THEN he'll have his chicken dinner, right?

You probably know where this is going.

And you're right.... mostly.

Anyway, bizarre in that way that kids just giggle and giggle and giggle at. Boo, Mister, and MeiMei all enjoyed it.

(And as long as no one starts calling each other "fart face" I'm good with this.)

The humor is perhaps lost a little on adults, but it's still fun.