Category: 5 Star Reads!
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The Constant Rabbit: Ah, satire…
The Constant RabbitBy: Jasper FfordeMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 16 and up Ah, satire… Satire is an art form. Done well as a novel, it’s like getting two books in one: there’s the story you read, and then there’s the story you’re meant to understand. One entertains, and the other teaches. Or […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Camel Club
The Camel ClubBy: David BaldacciReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up Conspiracies and more conspiraciesGuest book review by Julie H Q: What’s the book about? Oliver Stone–not his real name–has three real friends. They are all rather eccentric in their own special fields. They call themselves The Camel Club and meet […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Patriot Games
Patriot GamesBy: Tom ClancyReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up Don’t make the IRA angry . . .Guest book review by Julie H Q: What’s the book about? Jack Ryan, before he became a famous analyst! On vacation he impulsively jumps into the chain of a bombing and saves the Prince […]
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A Book Club Guest Review A Disciple’s Life: biography of Neal A Maxwell
A Disciples Life: biography of Neal A MaxwellBy: Bruce C HafenGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up The life and beliefs of an amazing manGuest Review by Julie H Q: What’s this book about? A: It’s about the life and beliefs of Neal Maxwell. There are detailed accounts of stories […]
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A Tale of Two Cities: Come join the club!
A Tale of Two CitiesBy: Charles DickensMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 16 and up Come join the club! Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities might have been the hardest book I’ve ever read–and I’ve read a lot of hard books. I don’t mean the content was hard. I mean the words […]
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Charlotte’s Web: All We Need is Love
Charlotte’s WebBy: E.B. WhiteMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: All Ages All we need is love. E.B. White was awarded a Newbery Honor for Charlotte’s Web in 1953. It lost the Newbery Medal to a boring little book called Secret of the Andes, which I’m sure is lovely. But it’s no Charlotte’s Web. […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Summer of the Monkeys
Summer of the MonkeysBy: Wilson RawlsGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS10 and up Just as good as when I was 10!Guest Review by Julie Hilton A boy grows up fast one summer with a bunch of monkeys, some hard choices, and great lessons. A classic coming of age story I loved as a […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Beneath a Scarlet SkyBy: Mark T. SullivanGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest For: 16 and up This WWII Hero Will Change YouGuest review by Catina Haverlock How did we not know of this TRUE WWII story? How did it remain untold for SO long? Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the inspiring true tale […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Just Mercy
Just MercyBryan StevensonGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 18 and up Just Inspiring. But Just Heartbreaking. Just NOT Surprising.Guest Review by Catina Haverlock When Bryan Stevenson, the author of this true story was asked by Rosa Parks just exactly what it was that he did, he couldn’t contain his passion for his […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Boys in the Boat
The Boys in the BoatBy: Daniel James BrownGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up This story’s going to stay with me a long, long timeGuest review buy Catina Haverlock Spoiler: The University of Washington’s 9-man varsity rowing team comprised of poor and blue collar boys, shocks the world by winning […]
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#Lux: More Reckoners? Yes, please!
Lux (Texas Reckoners, Book 1)By: Brandon Sanderson and Steven BohlsMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 14 and up More Reckoners? Yes, please! I’ve been apprehensive about embracing Sanderson, Inc. In 2021, Brandon Sanderson released five books–Four 4 of them written (co-written?) by former students of his writing class at BYU. I’m nervous for […]
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Evershore: Brandon, Inc is getting better
Evershore (Skyward Flight: Novella 3)By: Janci Patterson and Brandon SandersonMy Rating: Five out of five starsBest for: 12 and up Excellent, but still waiting for more! Evershore is the 3rd Skyward Flight Novella that tells the story of what’s happening to Spensa’s friends while she is stuck in the Nowhere during the events of Cytonic, […]
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#Cytonic: I NEED MORE–NOW!!
Cytonic (Skyward, Book 3)By: THE Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest For: 12 and up Sanderson Strikes Again…I just wish I didn’t have to wait so long for book 4! The Skyward series is fantasy-standard-bearer Brandon Sanderson’s first foray into Science Fiction, and it’s pretty great. Turns out, it’s less Science Fiction and […]
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#TheFallofBabel: The Greatest Series You’ve Never Read!
Senlin Ascends (The Books of Babel, Book 1)The Arm of the Sphinx (The Books of Babel, Book 2)The Hod King (The Books of Babel, Book 3)The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel, Book 4)By: Josiah BancroftMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest For: Advanced 14 and up Thus ends the most brilliant fantasy adventure […]
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#Holes: A story worthy of its accolades
HolesBy: Louis SacharMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and up A story worthy of its accolades I feel like I’ve known Louis Sachar my whole life. Sideways Stories from Wayside School was one of the first stories I remember really enjoying for the fun of reading. Sideways stories and it’s sequels were […]
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#DeadVoices: Go SCARE yourself!
Dead Voices (Small Spaces, book 2)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up If this is middle grade, why was I so freaked out?! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set in long ago Russia. It’s a wonderful story, full of amazing […]
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#TheLastGraduate: HP would be so happy! (Lovecraft, not Potter…)
The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, Book 2)By: Naomi NovikMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 18 and up I need a hyperventilate emoji… Gah! Guys, I’m torn between raving and ranting. I loved, LOVED this book–but that cliffhanger! In book 1, A Deadly Education, we were introduced to this wonderfully imagined world from the […]
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#ADeadlyEducation: Trust me, you’ve never read anything like this before…
A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, Book 1)By: Naomi NovikMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 16 and up A magic school somewhere in England? A teen wizard tainted by a dark prophesy? No, you have NOT read this book yet, I promise. This magic school might have a familiar location, and there may be […]
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#Dragonwatch: Dragons are the bacon of books
Dragonwatch (Dragonwatch #1)Wrath of the Dragon King (Dragonwatch #2)Master of the Phantom Isle (Dragonwatch #3)Champion of the Titan Games (Dragonwatch #4)Return of the Dragon Slayer (Dragonwatch #5) (*Haven’t read this one yet! Releases in 3 more weeks!)My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: All ages! Independent readers 10 and up And you though Fablehaven […]
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#ChildrenofTime: How do you feel about spiders?
Children of TimeBy: Adrian TchaikovskyMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best For: Adults Well, that was a mind bender. I hope you’re not scared of spiders… Children of Time won the Arthur C. Clark Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of 2015, which puts it in pretty great company. If you’re a fan of ScyFy, […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Book of Lost Names
The Book of Lost NamesBy: Kristin HarmelGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up Lost people of the Holocaust foundGuest Review by Julie Hilton An old woman with a boring history suddenly decides to take a trip to Germany after reading about Berlin librarian’s attempts to return books to rightful owner […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Beyond the Shade of the Mango Tree: Reflections on What God sees in Us
Beyond the Shade of the Mango Tree: Reflections on what God sees in usBy: Edward DubeGuest Reviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and up Autobiography of an amazing African manGuest Review by Julie Hilton Edward Dube shares about his growing up years, his finding God, his subsequent service as a missionary and […]
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#ProjectHailMary: This book is FUN! (So Lighten Up!)
Project Hail MaryBy: Andy WeirMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 16 and up Come on, lighten up people! Project Hail Mary was fun! Actually, most reviews don’t need to lighten up–this book is getting some great, and well deserved praise. But there are a few reviewers who want to focus on a few […]
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#TheSecondBlindSon: Whoa, wow, holy cow! What a story!
The Second Blind Son (The Chronicles of Saylok, Book 2)By: Amy HarmonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 18 and up Whoa. Wow. Holy cow. What a story! The Second Blind Son was….powerful? Passionate? Gripping? Romantic? Really, really cool? Yes. Yes it was. I was impressed with The First Girl Child, and I don’t […]
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#FugitiveTelemetry: Yay! Another Murderbot Book!
Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, Book 6)By: Martha WellsMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARSBest for: 18 and up Yay! Another Murderbot book! I’m a huge fan of the conflicted AI with a past so tragic it calls itself Murderbot. This is the 6th story in the collection now, and I’ll be first in line […]
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#TheBoysintheBoat: Amazing History Comes Alive!
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin OlympicsBy: Daniel James BrownMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 14 and up I grew up in Seattle. While I haven’t called the Pacific Northwest home for many years, I still carry with me an affection–or maybe […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Just Mercy (YA Adaptation)
Just Mercy (adapted for young adults)By: Bryan StephensonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up Just Mercy or Miraculous Mercy?Guest Review by Julie Hilton A new lawyer wants to help people who were wrongly convicted and on death row. The major story about Walter McMillian, accused of murder and his road to […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Floating Twigs
Floating TwigsBy: Charles TabbReviewers Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARSBest for: 16 and up Justice, delayed, and lots of MercyGuest Review by Julie Hilton A boy rescues a dog and must find a way to feed and get vet care. Trying to find work makes him some enemies and some friends: an older man, and […]
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#WheretheCrawdadsSing: The Perfect Novel?
Where the Crawdads SingBy: Delia OwensMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best For: 18 and up Is this it? The perfect novel? Judging by the raving crowds of fans and bottomless 5 star reviews, could it be? Naw. No such thing. The perfect novel doesn’t exist. But… …Where the Crawdads Sing is absolutely worthy of […]
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#TheWizardsofOnce: Unexpected Magical Brilliance!
The Wizards of Once (The Wizards of Once, Book 1)Twice Magic (The Wizards of Once, Book 2)Knock Three Times (The Wizards of Once, Book 3)Never and Forever (The Wizards of Once, Book 4)By: Cressida CowellMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: Advanced independent readers 10 and up or reading aloud to the whole family! […]
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#TheWildRobot: Why Didn’t I Think of That?
The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, Book 1)By: Peter BrownMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Update Feb 2021Third time for me, first time with a new set if kiddos. I have nothing but praise for this book. I love it, the kids love it. Thank you Peter Brown for your amazing story! One note […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Serafina Series
Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina, Book 1)Serafina and the Twisted Staff (Serafina, Book 2)Serafina and the Splintered Heart (Serafina, Book 3)Serafina and the Seven Stars (Serafina, Book 4)By: Robert BeattyReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 10 and up Looking for an exiting fantasy mystery? You HAVE to read Serafina!Guest review by Gisele, […]
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#StrangetheDreamer: The sweet spot.
Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, Book 1)By: Laini TaylorMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 18 and up I expected a fantasy romance when I picked up Strange the Dreamer, and funny enough–I found exactly that. Except I found more, too. Laini Taylor keeps surprising me: the reading dad who calls romance novels […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Other Side of the Stars
The Other Side of the StarsBy: Katherine KingReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up Beautiful and unexpected love story set in and after WWIIA guest review by Catina Haverlock After the sudden death of her parents, Gita finds herself alone on the family farm in post WWII America. She has absolutely […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of One Life to Give: A Path to Finding Yourself by Helping Others
One Life to Give: A Path to Finding Yourself by Helping OthersBy: Andrew BienkowskiReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 16 and up Find Yourself by Helping Others—Life Lessons from an Extraordinary Story of Sacrifice and Survival In the winter of 1939, five-year-old Andrew Bienkowski was exiled to Siberia with his family. The two […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Infinity Ring Series
A Mutiny in Time (The Infinity Ring, Book 1) by James DashnerDivide and Conquer (The Infinity Ring, Book 2) by Carrie RyanThe Trap Door (The Infinity Ring, Book 3) by Lisa McMannCurse of the Ancients (The Infinity Ring, Book 4) by Matt de la PenaCave of Wonders (The Infinity Ring, Book 5) by Matthew J. […]
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#QB: My Life Behind the Spiral–Steve Young Drinks Milk
QB: My Life Behind the SpiralBy: Steve Young, with Jeff BenedictMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up This was a surprise! I’ve had NFL great Steve Young’s biography sitting in my Audible Library for a while, but always found a reason to skip it. I generally opt for fiction over reality […]
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#Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow–Knock, knock, knocking on Harry’s door…
Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, Book 3)By: Jessica TownsendMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!!!Best For: 12 and up I don’t know if there will ever be another Harry, although everyone’s always looking for it. After three books though, things are looking pretty great for Morrigan Crow. I don’t know what the future […]
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#RhythmofWar: RUN! It’s a Sanderlanche!!
Rhythm of War (The Stormlight Archives, Book 4)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS! Best For: 16 and up Over 1200 pages, and I still want more! Rhythm of War, book 4 in The Stormlight Archive, was my most anticipated new release of 2020, and wondered how it could possibly top its predecessor, […]
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#Dawnshard: “Just” a novella…
Dawnshard (Stormlight Archive, Book 3.5)By: THE Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE StarsBest For: 14 and up Brandon Sanderson cracks me up when he calls his 200-page books “novellas.” It takes him like a week to write the thing and acts like it was an afterthought…it’s not a novel or a book, it’s just […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Story of Awkward
The Story of AwkwardBy: R. K. RyalsReviewer Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars!Best for: 14 and up Wonderful look inside the world of AwkwardReview by Julie Hilton Peregrine Stork is awkward. Because of it she has been bullied her whole life. She has found a great way to deal with it. She carries a sketchbook […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Star Darlings Series
The Star Darlings SeriesBy: Shana ZappaReviewer Rating: 5 (000,000,000,000…) Stars!Best for: 10 and under THE STAR DARLINGS by Shana Muldoon ZappaReview by Jessi, age 11 An AMAZING group of 12 star-charmed starlings (people/girls?) Who secretly save there planet many many… times, by granting wishes from Wishworld (earth) to give starland (there planet) much needed energy, […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry FinnBy: Mark TwainReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and up The boy who became a hero by doing what he thought was wrong.Review by: Kirsten Johnston Huck is wise in some of the dangers of life, such as alcoholic parents. He is a smart, smooth lier. But in other ways he […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Where the Forest Meets the Stars
Where the Forest Meets the StarsBy: Glendy VanderahReviewer Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARSBest for: 12 and up A Five Star Read!Review by: Julie Hilton A post grad student is recovering from a death, and a serious medical condition, and a breakup. She is working in a remote area, secluded and using work to both […]
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A Book Club Guest Review of Billy Cannon: A Long, Long Run
Billy Cannon: A Long, Long RunBy: Charles N deGravellesReviewer Rating: FIVE out of FIVE StarsBest for: 12 and up A Story of Success, Pride, a Fall and RedemptionReview by: Julie Hilton This book is the only time I am aware of that Billy really opened up about his life story. Since he is my cousin, […]
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#ThickasThieves: The only thing you know is you don’t know anything!
Thick as Thieves (The Queen’s Thief, Book 5)By: Megan Whalen TurnerMy Review: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest For: Advanced 12 and up Finally, a new book in The Queen’s Thief series! Book 5, Thick as Thieves, was published 7 years after book 4! This reader chose to wait an additional 3 years to read it […]
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#AConspiracyofKings: It’s a cantputitdowner
A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen’s Thief, #4) By: Megan Whalen Turner My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS! Best for: Advanced 12 and up Oct 2020 The great The Queen’s Thief re-read of 2020 continues! I’ve just finished book 4, and thus ends the “re-read” part of my re-read. Book 5 was published in […]
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#TheKingofAttolia: How to be awesome.
The King of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief, #3) By: Megan Whalen Turner My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS! Best for: Advanced 12 and up October 2020 This series re-read is going beautifully. My re-read of both book 1 and book 2 made me wish I’d left book-specific reviews the first time instead of the […]
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#TheQueenofAttolia: This is how you do it.
The Queen of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief, Book 2) By: Megan Whalen Turner My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS Best for: Advanced 12 and up October 2020 I’m enjoying my re-read of this wonderful series! Going through a second time, I find myself wishing I hadn’t only left a series review the first time. […]
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The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn, #6)
5/5 stars The Bands of Mourning (Mistborn, #6) By: Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS Best for: 16 and up October 2020 And this completes the great Mistborn re-read of 2020. It’s been so much fun these last few weeks to re-fall in love with this amazing series. The Bands of Mourning […]
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Shadows of Self (Mistborn, #5)
Shadows of Self (Mistborn, #5) by Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS Best For: 14 and up Oct 2020 My Mistborn re-read continues. Shadows of Self was a blast to read. I’d forgotten how heavy the ending was. I’m getting spoiled by these amazing Sanderson fight scenes. I’ve been reading (and loving) […]
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#AlloyofLaw: Mistborn in the Industrial Age: Magic and guns
Alloy of Law (Mistborn, book 4)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!Best For: 14 and up 9/23/2020 to 9/27/2020This was my third time through Alloy of Law, and I still love it. It seems the deeper I get into seeing the Cosmere fit together, the greater my appreciation for what Brandon Sanderson has […]
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#MistbornSecretHistory: Keys to the Cosmere Kingdom
Mistborn: Secret History (Mistborn, Book 3.5)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up who have RECENTLY read the original Mistborn trilogy September 2020So, I just finished a much needed re-read of the original Mistborn trilogy, and I’ve got to say it was supremely satisfying. It’d been nearly a decade since […]
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#TheHeroofAges: Simply Brilliant, x3
The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, Book 3)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 14 and up September 2020Man, I’ve put of this re-read for way too long. After I finished Well of Ascension I said it was my favorite of the trilogy. Well, now that I finished Hero of Ages I can […]
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#TheWellofAscension: Simply Brilliant. Again.
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, Book 2)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up September 2020Man, I’ve put of this re-read for way too long. Well of Ascension might be my favorite of the trilogy…and I liked it even better the second time around. There are complexities in this story […]
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#TheFinalEmpire: Simply Brilliant
The Final Empire (Mistborn, Book 1)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 14 and up September 2020Man, I’ve put of this re-read for way too long. I can easily say I loved The Finale Empire (Mistborn, Book 1) even more the second time. There are complexities in this story that went way […]
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#NetworkEffect: #Murderbot is back–Introverts have a new hero!
Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, Book 5) By: Martha Wells My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! Best for: Adults only All right! A new Murderbot story! If you’re not familiar with Murderbot but you’re a fan of Scy-Fy and good stories, you’re going to want to check out All Systems Red, book 1 in […]
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#ArtemisFowl: Hilarious, Magical Fun!
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) The Arctic Incident (Artemis Fowl, Book 2) The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3) The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4) The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5) The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6) The Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl, Book 7) The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl, Book 8) […]
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#DeathsDoor: Did you know Edgar Allan Poe could time travel?
Death’s Door (The Immortal Descendants, Baltimore Mysteries #1) By: April White My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 14 and up April White writes the stories I want to read! I hope you’ll check out her Immortal Descendants series. It’s time travel, shape-shifters, and vampires (who don’t sparkle). It brings to life the […]
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#Fablehaven: If only it were real…
Fablehaven (Fablehaven, Book 1)By: Brandon MullMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!Best for: All ages Yea for good books! The kids and I just finished Fablehaven last night. It was my second trip to Fablehaven, but the first for the my 10 and under crew. Did it deliver? Oh yes. They loved it! And how […]
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#TheLightofAllThatFalls: A truly grand finale!
The Light of All That Falls (The Licanius Trilogy, Book 3) By: James Islington My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! Best for: 14 and up James Islington read Mistborn and The Name of the Wind and thought “I can do that!” So he did. As far as debut novels go, I don’t know I’ve […]
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#AnEchoofThingstoCome: Now that’s how to do book 2!
An Echo of Things to Come (The Licanius Trilogy, Book 2) By: James Islington My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS! Best for: 14 and up James Islington read Mistborn and The Name of the Wind and thought “I can do that!” So he did. As far as debut novels go, I don’t know I’ve […]
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#TheKingdomofBack: To never be forgotten…
The Kingdom of Back By: Marie Lu My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!!! Best for: 14 and up I love fantasy. I love historical fiction. I love music. I love to be surprised. I love learning new things. I love books that inspire me. The Kingdom of Back is all of those. I loved […]
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#JustMercy: Just Wow.
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption By: Bryan Stevenson My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS! Best for: 16 and up Warning: This review is going to be a gusher. Just Mercy stopped me in my tracks. Knocked me out cold. Froze me where I stood. It taught me things I didn’t know […]
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#Bob: Just one more chapter, PLEASE!
Bob By: Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, Illustrated by Nicholas Gannon My (and the kids) Review: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best For: Everyone, and great to read aloud. The elementary kids and I just finished a big-hearted book with a little name–Bob, by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. Bob is about an 11-year-old girl […]
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#TheCalloftheWild: That’s not a BOOK–that’s a TIME MACHINE!
The Call of the Wild By: Jack London My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS Best for: Advanced 12 and up Have you ever wanted to time travel? Read a classic novel. Jack London’s most famous book is a classic in every way. Buck is the four-legged narrator of this wonderful story. When he’s dog-napped […]
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#TheToll: Thou Shalt Kill. Folks, we have a winner!
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, Book 1) Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, Book 2) The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, Book 3) By: Neal Shusterman My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS! Best for: Advanced 14 and up What a great story! I loved the Arc of a Scythe trilogy. It’s original, new, relevant, exciting, […]
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#Thunderhead: Still Kills
Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, Book 2) By: Neal Shusterman My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Advanced 14 and up Book 2 is done. I’m still impressed. It’s original, new, relevant, exciting, interesting, thoughtful… …and uncomfortable. How’s this for our future: The “Cloud” grew up, became sentient, and took over the world. […]
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#Scythe: This book kills.
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, Book #1) By: Neal Shusterman My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Advanced 14 and up I’m impressed. Scythe felt original, new, relevant, exciting, interesting, thoughtful… …and uncomfortable. How’s this for our future: An impartial, flawless AI has taken over the world government. Government is perfect. Everyone is […]
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#GodsofBloodandPowder: Grit and Awesome
Sins of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 1) Wrath of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 2) Blood of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 3) By: Brian McClellan My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Adults only for language and violence I feel like I’ve got grit in […]
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#WrathofEmpire: What’s bigger than AWESOME? Book 2.
Wrath of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder, Book 2) By: Brian McClellan My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Adults only Book 1 was awesome. But what’s bigger than awesome? Awesome-er? More awesome? What ever it is, that’s book 2. It’s awesome-er. I feel like I’ve got grit in places it doesn’t […]
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#SinsofEmpire: I’ve got grit in places it doesn’t belong…
Sins of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder, #1) By: Brian McClellan My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Adults only because of language and violence I feel like I’ve got grit in places it doesn’t belong… I loved Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage trilogy, and I’ve been anxiously waiting for the follow up […]
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#Starsight (Skyward #2): I WANT MORE!
Starsight (Skyward #2) By: Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Advanced 12 and up Skyward was Fantasy-standard-bearer Brandon Sanderson’s first foray into Science Fiction, and it was awesome. It turned out to be less Science Fiction and more Space Fantasy, but that’s absolutely okay. That’s how I’d classify Star Wars, […]
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#Flipped: I’m FLIPPED for Flipped!
FlippedBy: Wendelin Van DraanenMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars!Best for: 12 and up Well, dang. I’m flipped for Flipped. I LOVED this book! Empathy and and kids are like oil and water. Been to Junior High lately? My favorite books for young people are ones that help them see their life through a different […]
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#Unbroken: Follows the story of one. Tells the story of thousands.
UnbrokenBy: Laura HillenbrandMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE starsBest for: Mature 16 and up It’s Veteran’s Day in the US. What a day to finish Unbroken. I know I’m late to Unbroken, but I put it off until I was ready. I expected it would be special. I was ready, and I was right. It […]
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#AManCalledOve: Kindness shines brightest.
A Man Called Ove By: Fredrik Backman My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 14 and up It’s “OOOO-vah,” not “OH-v.”* Thanks Audible. Ove would have yelled at me if I got his name wrong. *See below for a kind correction on how to pronounce Ove by Fredrik Backman himself! Most of the […]
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#Sourdough: How bread can change your life.
Sourdough By: Robin Sloan My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 14 and up This book made me happy. Have you read Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Book Store? You should. Robin Sloan wrote that book too. I went back to check out my review after I read it back in 2015…guess what I wrote? […]
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#MyLadyJane: Fixing history…and laughing about it!
My Lady Jane (The Lady Janies, #1) By: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars! Best for: 14 and up Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows: Authors. Friends. Committed to fixing history by rewriting one sad story at a time… …and killing it. My Lady Jane re-imagines the story […]
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Why I want my sons to read books about girls
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. By: Judy Blume My Rating: Five out of Five Stars I’m a dad. I want my sons to read books about girls. When I was eleven, I read “Are you there God? It’s me Margaret”. I remember the cover: I remember my favorite quote: We must–we must–we must […]
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7 1/2 Deaths of #EvelynHardcastle: Clue x Quantum Leap x Groundhog Day = Awesome!
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle By: Stuart Turton My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! Best for: 14 and up What a great story! The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is Clue x Groundhog Day x “It was a dark and stormy night…” x Quantum Leap x Downton Abby drama. You’re invited to […]
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#TheGoblinEmperor: Unputdownable is a word.
The Goblin EmperorBy: Katherine AddisonMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE StarsBest for: 14 and up The Goblin Emperor is still in my head! I was spellbound by this terrifically intricate drama. There’s not a lot of action, but action wasn’t needed to make The Goblin Emperor perfectly unputdownable. (Did you understand that? Then yes, it’s […]
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#TheGreatGatsby: IT’S A TIME MACHINE (Also, don’t go in the pool, Jay!)
The Great Gatsby By: F. Scott Fitzgerald My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 16 and up Well, that was refreshing. This was another buddy read with my HS Senior’s AP Lit class. So often the classic books they read are more literature as art vs literature as escape. Occasionally those lines cross, […]
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The #Winternight Trilogy: This is why I read.
The Winternight TrilogyThe Bear and the Nightingale (Book 1)The Girl in the Tower (Book 2)The Winter of the Witch (Book 3)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE StarsBest for: 14 and up Oh wow oh wow oh wow oh wow… The Winternight Trilogy is gush worthy. I’ll try to avoid crossing into obnoxious hyperbole–but […]
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#Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow: Dialed to 11
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, Book 2) By: Jessican Townsend My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 12 and up Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow is book 2 in a new upper-middle grade series. Book 2 was as good as book 1, and now I’m looking forward to book 3! […]
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#Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1): It’s Wunderous!
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1) By: Jessica Townsend My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 12 and up This is the first book in a new upper-middle grade series, and guess what? It was great! You think you have it bad? There’s no way your life is worse than Morrigan […]
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#TheHodKing (The Books of Babel, #3): Once, Twice, Three times a winner.
The Hod King (The Books of Babel, #3) By: Josiah Bancroft My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! Best for: 16 and up Once could be an accident. Twice could be luck. Three times means it’s the real deal. Book 1, Senlin Ascends, was an indie darling that spread by word-of-mouth like wildfire. It was […]
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#TheMurderbotDiaries: Ode to Murderbot
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries, #2) Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries, #3) Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries, #4) By: Martha Wells My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: Adults I love big stories pack into little pages. A conflicted AI with a past so tragic he […]
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#MrDickensandHisCarol: Charles Dickens is your JAM? This one’s for you.
Mr. Dickens and His Carol By: Samantha Silva My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 14 and up Mr. Dickens and His Carol is a worthy tribute to the Christmas Classic. It’s a very well written and period-accurate bit of fan-fiction about the origin of A Christmas Carol. It’s magical, clever, and full […]
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#AChristmasCarol: Uncultured no longer
A Christmas Carol By: Charles Dickens My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 12 and up My first Dickens won’t by my last. A Christmas Carol is charming, easy to read, and a lot of fun to read as the source material for so much of what “Christmas” has become. And under 100 […]
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#Beyond and #Before: Twilight + Ghost (but without the sparkles or the pottery)
Beyond Before By: Catina Haverlock and Angela Larkin My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 14 and up Friends, I loved (A LOT) Beyond (book 1) and Before (book 2) by sisters Catina Haverlock and Angela Larkin. Wait…aren’t they YA Romance? Yep. Paranormal romance, actually. And aren’t you a 42-year-old dad with 6 […]
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#Skyward: Callsign–AWESOME
Skyward By: THE Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 12 and up What happens when the king of Fantasy writes Science Fiction? You get magical science fiction… …and it’s awesome! Three generations ago, humans crash landed on a deserted planet. Giant underground living spaces, tech manufacturing facilities, and layers of […]
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#BridgeofClay: It’s heavy. Can you bear it?
Bridge of Clay By: Markus Zusak My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 16 and up I loved Bridge of Clay, but I encourage you to judge carefully. This book is going to polarizing, and there’s a strong chance you’re going to hate it. Read on. Bridge of Clay is heavy. Can you […]
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#Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, a.k.a. yet another reason Brandon Sanderson is king.
Legion (Legion #1) Skin Deep (Legion #2) Lies of the Beholder (Legion #3) By: THE Brandon Sanderson My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 14 and up Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, is a compilation of the three novellas about Brandon Sanderson’s schizophrenic private investigator, Stephen Leeds. My opinion? The Legion […]
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#BloodyRose: Bloody Brilliant
Bloody Rose (The Band, #2) By: Nicholas Eames My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: Adults Bloody Rose is Bloody Brilliant. And I’m not even British. I’d heard Kings of the Wyld would make my heart sing. I was skeptical…it was a debut novel, after all. But the feedback was universally adoring and […]
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#CharlieandtheChocolateFactory: God Bless Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryBy: Roald DahlMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars and all my loveBest for: Everyone God bless Roald Dahl. Imagination. Smiles. Laughter. Snuggles. Can we read tonight? Just one more chapter? Silly names. Silly words. Silly Candy. Silly voices. Daddy, I want an Oompa-Loompa. Golden tickets. Eatable. Chocolate river. Gum behind […]
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#FuzzyNation: Ewoks are people too…
Fuzzy Nation By: John Scalzi My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 14 and up While I always expect to be impressed by John Scalzi, I wouldn’t ever expect to tear up, laugh out loud, or stand up and cheer at the end of a Scalzi book. But…surprise to me–all those things happened […]
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#Stiletto: X-Men Meets X-Files
Stiletto (The Checquy Files, #2) By: Daniel O’Malley My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: Adults If you hate having fun while you read, let me just stop you now. You aren’t going to like this book. For everyone else–that is, those who love the books that make you laugh, smile, and wish […]
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Neil Gaiman 2 for 1: #FortunatelytheMilk and #OddandtheFrostGiants
Fortunately, the Milk Odd and the Frost Giants By: Neil Gaiman My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up Here’s a two for one book review special… Neil Gaiman…Bless him. Is he today’s greatest storyteller? He might be. My proof: Two short stories. 1) Fortunately, the Milk and 2) Odd and […]
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#TheWitches: God Bless Roald Dahl (also, the kids smell like dogs’ droppings)
The Witches By: Roald Dahl My Rating: Five out of Five Stars Best for: Everyone The last time I read The Witches I was 10 and in the 4th grade. That I still remember it 30 years later is as much a testament to the book as it is to my 4th grade teacher who […]
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#Leviathan: So, what else have I been missing?
Leviathan (Leviathan, Book #1) Bohemoth (Leviathan, Book #2) Goliath (Leviathan, Book #3) By: Scott Westerfeld My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up I liked the Leviathan trilogy so much it made me wonder why I didn’t know about it before…and what else am I missing out on?! WWI alternative history, […]
One Man Book Club 