I am going to be introducing a new kind of review for this website, the "Quickie Review." Sometimes, I don't have a lot of time to write a review, so I'll write a quick one that usually isn't very long. Don't worry, it doesn't mean it's bad or anything, just shorter than the others and less detailed.
Princess Lessons by Meg Cabot
Synopsis: A self-help book directed at teenage girls teaching about all sorts of "princess" etiquette and fashion and makeup.
Thoughts: Very sensible advice, I presume, for a teen, and the illustrations just seal the deal for me. The pink theme goes well with the tone of the book and Princess Mia's comments underneath the "experts'" words are hilarious! In particular, I enjoyed the one about combat boots as Princess Mia explains how she loves to wear combat boots, and then right underneath that Grandmother Clarisse writes, "Combat boots are not suitable for a princess." Haha.
I would give this book 4/5 stars (In fact, I will be checking out the movies: "Bring it On" and "Save the Last Dance" which were mentioned in the book's "Movies in which Characters Reach Self-Actualization or otherwise Behave In a Very Princess-like Manner" list.)
And I must say, I was rolling on the floor laughing at Chesley McLaren's picture of a man bowing on pg. 78. And, this book is not 100% nonsense like those franchise continues, such as How to be a Vampire or whatnot. Instead, this book was a real, honest-to-goodness self-help book disguised as a princess lesson book! Ingenious.
Quickie Review of Princess Lessons
Jan 17, 2013
Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker BradleyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Wow. This book was an eye-opener, for sure.
I believe that it was my mother who first thrust this book at me. Or maybe I had just seen the pretty spine or the "Historical Fiction" sticker or something. Anyways, as soon as I started reading this book, I was intrigued. Not hooked, necessarily, but intrigued.
The story is well-written and the facts are well researched. However, it did not make much of an impression on me now, so that's -0.5 stars.
But this book let me rediscover historical fiction, and the subject is so well done. This book actually kind of reminds me of The Hope Chest for some reason, although the topics are similar yet different at the same time. :3 I'm bad at explaining things, but hopefully you'll understand...?
View all my reviews
Oct 26, 2012
Synopsis and picture from Goodreads:
Tiger Lily is not just fond of reading, she's obsessed! Her head is full-to-bursting with stories of pirates, wonderlands, daring deeds and buried treasure. And now she's had one of her ingenious ideas – she’s going to be a heroine and roam the world in search of adventure!
There's just one problem. Tiger Lily lives in the Middle of Nowhere where NOTHING EVER HAPPENS! How will she ever escape…?
- It was utterly unconvincing when Tiger Lily’s mum said, “Reading is making you mad… do anything you like, but DO NOT READ!”
- A more convincing idea might be to use a device, such as saying, “Or else no pocket money for a week,” etc.
- I had a problem with the town being named "the Middle of Nowhere." I mean, I know this must be the author's way of reaching out to get more giggles, but to me it just sounds fake and a bit desperate, too. I would certainly NOT have this issue had the town been named, for example, Peace Falls, and Tiger Lily CALLED it "The Middle of Nowhere."
- I loved the mini book reviews scattered throughout the book, and they even introduced me to "The Story of Romulus and Remus"!
- I was a bit unnerved by how Tiger Lily seems not to have been bothered by a guilty conscience, such as when she breaks into Sweetness and Light's shop. I really do wonder if she believes or half-believes the fantasies she invents about the people living in her village?
Oct 15, 2012
Okay, here's the deal:
I wanted to participate in today's Recommend A...., and so I am. Ta-da!
That being said, I also can't bear to choose only one author. So I am going to make a group of Readalike authors for the book 13 Gifts by Wendy Mass.
I would recommend:
I wanted to participate in today's Recommend A...., and so I am. Ta-da!
That being said, I also can't bear to choose only one author. So I am going to make a group of Readalike authors for the book 13 Gifts by Wendy Mass.
I would recommend:
- Sarah Mlynowski, author of the Whatever After series
- Jenny Lundquist, author of the book Seeing Cinderella
- Maya Gold, author of the Cinderella Cleaners series
- Marissa Moss, author of the book The Pharaoh's Secret
- Michael Biel, author of the Red Blazer Girls series
Lost in the Woods
Lost in the Woods, Fun London (2011)
Length: 32 pages
Genre: Children's Books
Started: 1 September 2012
Finished: 3 September 2012
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
{Image source: here}
This story is about Jack, a boy whose father has died fighting a fire. Jack is very angry and sad because of this, and at the beginning of the story he is not in control of his emotions. However, he soon has an adventure that will change his way of looking at life forever.
There are many characters introduced throughout the book that may be confusing, such as the oddball Marvin, unfriendly leader of the pack of dogs, who refers to himself in the third person; however, the adventure aspect grabs the reader, especially halfway into the book.
I love Allen's peculiar logic, because his trail of thinking does make sense, in a way, though it may be unreasonable. However, I dislike his "and so forth and so on," although it does show a lot about Allen's personality: He's a very composed squirrel, a perfectionist, one who always talks formally; "I must object". Although he has good intention, he also is very indecisive.
The 'army of ants' mentioned in the book reminded me a lot of the book The Survivors.
In the end the story left me hanging as to where Jack has been. Was it all in his mind or did he really go there, and no time passed?
I loved how they all came together to fight the fire -- Boris the groundhog and Angel the eagle and Jack and Allen-- I love how they all understand the consequences if they don't work together. And how Angel was wise and cautious enough to not celebrate immediately, tempting as it might have been, for the welfare of all. Jack was the main character, but if not for Angel's wisdom all would have burned, for if she had not countered Allen's logic that "a rock does not burn," then maybe the whole forest would have burned and a great many animals would have lost their homes.
Give this to fans of Robyn Hill's GRUM!, they will go crazy for it.
Memorable Quotes~~~
- The piece of bark he grabbed peeled from the tree, and he windmilled his arms desperately. Just when he regained his balance, the branch he stood on cracked and tipped downward, spilling Jack outward into the air.
- Soon after Jack and Allen disappeared into the sea of golden stalks, the rustling sounds they had heard on the way to Blueback Mountain started up again. As their tension grew, their conversation died, leaving only the strange noises to fill the air. When the rustling suddenly got louder and closer, they both stopped walking. Any doubt Jack had as to the dogs’ intention evaporated when they bared their fangs and began to growl. One large gray and tan dog stepped forward from the others.
Sep 30, 2012
Here is an interview from Fun London, author of "Lost in the Woods". Stay tuned for the review later on in the week (hopefully) !!!
What inspired you to write "Lost in the Woods?"
As a child, I had the unfortunate opportunity to experience the sudden loss of a parent. I know first hand what kind of a trauma this can be and how hard it is for a child to understand and to readjust to the new circumstances. I remember spending a great deal of time out in the woods, trying to lose myself in nature.
I only wish I had had the benefit of a fantasy like Lost in the Woods to help me sort things out in my life.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Yes. A friend of mine rushed over to me at a party and asked me to tell a story I had told her. By the time I finished, everyone was in tears laughing. I loved being able to create that kind of impact with words.
Also, in my tutoring of students, I noticed a decided absence of reading material that was positive, and a glut of depressing works that no sane child would enjoy. If I had been forced to read such work in school, I would have given up reading altogether. And that is exactly what many of those students had done. I decided they deserved better.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Good question. I'm not sure I know how to answer that. I write to communicate and to engage and entertain the reader through the characters I create. I do not like to waste words, so perhaps "lean" might describe my style. I believe in writing in a way that allows the reader to participate in the creation, not just sit back and idly watch. Most of all, I try to write true to the characters in my stories--the way they would think or talk.
While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?
I see a part of myself in each of my characters. I think that helps me create characters that are real.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Although life can sometimes be dark or disappointing, there is always a way through to the light.
If your book was made into a film, would you have real actors portray it with voices for the animals, or would you have it done as an animation?
Although it could be done either way, I think that the Disney animation is currently such a high quality, I prefer that.
Tea or coffee? Coffee.
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate -- LOVE it :)
Do you use a pen and pencil or laptop to write your stories? What environment (Quiet room, or music etc.)?
I use a laptop for most of the writing and a pencil for notes. I prefer the quiet cabin environment for writing. I've tried listening to music but that doesn't really work for me. I get too engaged in the music.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Say what you want to say, not what you think you are supposed to. Write, write, write. And by all means have fun doing it. I certainly am. :)
Stay tuned for the review of "Lost in the Woods"!!
What inspired you to write "Lost in the Woods?"
As a child, I had the unfortunate opportunity to experience the sudden loss of a parent. I know first hand what kind of a trauma this can be and how hard it is for a child to understand and to readjust to the new circumstances. I remember spending a great deal of time out in the woods, trying to lose myself in nature.
I only wish I had had the benefit of a fantasy like Lost in the Woods to help me sort things out in my life.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Yes. A friend of mine rushed over to me at a party and asked me to tell a story I had told her. By the time I finished, everyone was in tears laughing. I loved being able to create that kind of impact with words.
Also, in my tutoring of students, I noticed a decided absence of reading material that was positive, and a glut of depressing works that no sane child would enjoy. If I had been forced to read such work in school, I would have given up reading altogether. And that is exactly what many of those students had done. I decided they deserved better.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Good question. I'm not sure I know how to answer that. I write to communicate and to engage and entertain the reader through the characters I create. I do not like to waste words, so perhaps "lean" might describe my style. I believe in writing in a way that allows the reader to participate in the creation, not just sit back and idly watch. Most of all, I try to write true to the characters in my stories--the way they would think or talk.
While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?
I see a part of myself in each of my characters. I think that helps me create characters that are real.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Although life can sometimes be dark or disappointing, there is always a way through to the light.
If your book was made into a film, would you have real actors portray it with voices for the animals, or would you have it done as an animation?
Although it could be done either way, I think that the Disney animation is currently such a high quality, I prefer that.
Tea or coffee? Coffee.
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate -- LOVE it :)
Do you use a pen and pencil or laptop to write your stories? What environment (Quiet room, or music etc.)?
I use a laptop for most of the writing and a pencil for notes. I prefer the quiet cabin environment for writing. I've tried listening to music but that doesn't really work for me. I get too engaged in the music.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Say what you want to say, not what you think you are supposed to. Write, write, write. And by all means have fun doing it. I certainly am. :)
Stay tuned for the review of "Lost in the Woods"!!
Aug 21, 2012
Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler (2012) Length: 212 pages
Genre: Children's Books
Started: 16 August 2012
Finished: 16 August 2012
Where did it come from? The local library
Why do I have it? The idea of a princess who ruled over wild swans interested me (title)
Reading Challenges: back-to-school readathon
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars LOOVED it!!
{Image from HERE}
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