2018-JennifersReviews – Page 3 – Cindy's Love Of Books

Review/ Summer Days, Starry Nights

Posted on August 2, 2018August 8, 2018 by Cindy

Summer Days, Starry Nights by Vikki VanSickle
Published by Scholastic Canada on June 1, 2013
Pages: 240
Goodreads

A famous rock star, a family secret and a boy with a great smile make for one unforgettable summer.
It's 1962, and thirteen-year-old Reenie Starr comes alive the minute guests begin to arrive at her family's summer resort. She dreams of the day she can run Sandy Shores, and she spends her time helping out at the resort, swimming, climbing trees, and singing under the stars.
One day, Reenie's mother announces that she thinks the resort could use some entertainment. She invites Gwen, her best friend's almost-grown daughter, to come and teach a dance class. Although Gwen seems sad and remote, Reenie's thrilled to have her there.
As Reenie starts to learn more about the world beyond Sandy Shores, she comes up with a plan that could really put it on the map. She also finds herself caught between the simpler world of her childhood and all of the wonderful new discoveries (boys) and heartaches (boys) that growing up can bring. Reenie thought she wanted Sandy Shores to never change, but after this summer nothing will ever be the same again.
With the same humour and insight that she brought to the acclaimed Words That Start With B, Vikki VanSickle expertly captures those lazy, hazy, crazy days of the last summer before high school. Though set in a different time, Summer Days, Starry Nights is sure to resonate with all young readers on the verge of adolescence.

When I attended YA Fest Montreal a few months ago, I had the opportunity to meet with and speak to Vikki VanSickle. This is how I happened upon my next book.

I was twelve years old the summer I watched the movie “Dirty Dancing” starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. It stirred me in ways I didn’t know a movie could. The music was fun, the dancing was tantalizing, and the romance…oh, the romance…

“Summer Days, Starry Nights” by Vikki VanSickle brings me back to the days when I was twelve and wishing I were sixteen. The days when being a tween just wasn’t enough and growing up wouldn’t come fast enough.

A quick and easy read, this is a great coming of age book for tweens. A book you can easily throw into your bag as you head to the beach or the pool.

Rennie loves staying at her family’s resort. She helps her dad with all the chores and then still has time to spend sneaking away and soaking in the sunshine. She loves the resort as much as she loves her family. However, her mom hasn’t quite been herself and this strain has become noticeable to the other members of the family.

In order to liven up activities at the resort, Gwen, the daughter of an old family friend, arrives to give dance lessons to the guests. Long-legged, blond, and gorgeous, Rennie strives to be like sixteen-year-old Gwen. Who wouldn’t rather be like Gwen instead of Rennie, especially when you’re twelve?

With Gwen’s help over the course of the summer, Rennie plans a huge dance party. This would certainly show everyone that she isn’t a child any longer. However, growing up comes with huge responsibilities and even bigger consequences. With a surprise twist that I did not see coming, Rennie finds out that growing up isn’t all that it’s cut out to be and maybe…just maybe, she shouldn’t be in such a hurry.

If you loved “Dirty Dancing” and looking for a way to connect with the younger generation in your life, hand them a copy of Vikki VanSickle’s book, “Summer Days, Starry Nights.”

Review/ Rooftoppers

Posted on July 26, 2018August 8, 2018 by Cindy

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell, Terry Fan
Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers on September 24, 2013
Pages: 279
Goodreads

Embrace possibility in this luminous novel about a girl in search of her past who discovers a secret rooftop world in Paris.
Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive—but “almost impossible” means “still possible.” And you should never ignore a possible.
So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian, threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has— the address of the cello maker.
Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers—urchins who live in the hidden spaces above the city. Together they scour the city in a search for Sophie’s mother—but can they find her before Sophie is caught and sent back to London? Or, more importantly, before she loses hope?
Phillip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials series, calls Rooftoppers “the work of a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.”

I chose a book entitled, “Rooftoppers” off the shelves at Chapters. It was next to another book I was considering and decided to bring this one home instead. I’m glad I did. This novel puts a unique twist on a somewhat common story-line. A young girl, named Sophie, goes looking for her mother. However, she does so from above, and with help from above. This is a wonderful adventure for boys and girls ages 10 and up. Friendships are not limited to school yards and playgrounds. In fact, the sky is the limit.

Orphaned during a shipwreck, Sophie floated into the possession of an elderly gentleman named Charles. Charles is a quirky bookworm who dotes on Sophie and teaches her the ways of the world in a most unique manner. When those who make decisions decide that Charles is not a proper guardian to care for Sophie, the two run away to Paris, in order for Sophie to avoid being placed in an orphanage.

Sophie always believed that her mother was alive. Many told her that this was impossible. However,…almost impossible means still possible…This belief motivates Sophie to find her mother. From the rooftops in Paris, Sophie befriends a boy named Matteo. Together, they walk tightropes and leap from buildings to find the cello music Sophie is positive comes from her mother.

Split knees, calloused hands and feet, and scraped chin, Sophie does not allow for anything to stand in her way. From the heights of Paris buildings, she becomes a skywalker. With the strongest belief in her heart and knowing that Paris is where she belongs, Sophie learns the ways of the skywalkers. Without judgement, she accepts them for who they are, as they offer to accompany Sophie on her dangerous journey.

An exciting book, I could not put it down at night and fall asleep. I wanted to read on and discover the secrets of Paris from above.

I may be wrong, but it is possible that you may enjoy reading this imaginative story through a whole new perspective. As Sophie would say, “You should never ignore a possible.”

Review/ Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head

Posted on July 19, 2018June 22, 2018 by Cindy

Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head by Benjamin Lacombe, H.C. Chester, Lauren Oliver
Published by HarperCollins on May 3, 2016
Pages: 384
Goodreads

The book is about, among other things: the strongest boy in the world, a talking cockatoo, a faulty mind reader, a beautiful bearded lady and a nervous magician, an old museum, and a shrunken head.
Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily in Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. But when a fourth child, Max, a knife-thrower, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events.
When the museum's Amazonian shrunken head is stolen, the four are determined to get it back. But their search leads them to a series of murders and an explosive secret about their pasts. This sensational new series combines the unparalleled storytelling gifts of Lauren Oliver with the rich knowledge of the notorious relics collector H. C. Chester.
What you will find in this book:
A rather attractive bearded lady Several scandalous murders A deliciously disgusting Amazonian shrunken head Four extraordinary children with equally extraordinary abilities A quite loquacious talking birdWhat you will NOT find in this book:
An accountant named Seymour A never-ending line at the post office Brussels sprouts (shudder) A lecture on finishing all your homework on time A sweet, gooey story for nice little girls and boys

“Curiosity House – The Shrunken Head” by Lauren Oliver and H.C. Chester was a fantastic read after having watched the movie, “The Greatest Showman.” For those of you who haven’t had a chance to see this movie in the theatre, you must do whatever you can to see it. The movie has a magnificent storyline, great acting, and wonderful music that I now play on the piano. It is not a chick flick. In fact, my whole family enjoyed the movie for individual reasons, including my hubby. He even listens to the CD in the car on his way to work in the morning. He says, “It pumps me up and motivates me.” Without giving too much away, the movie covers the life of P.T Barnum and how he came from little, followed his passion, and created the magnificent. The message I felt from the movie is that the performers, or freaks as they were referred, being so different from ourselves, the viewers, are people too. They need a place and a family to belong. It is what humanity deserves. Not just in the movies!

“Curiosity House – The Shrunken Head,” the first in its series by Lauren Oliver and H.C. Chester, has just as powerful storyline, strange oddities gathered from all over the world, performers that will amaze, and children with special talents. However, in this story, it is the children who steal the show. Thomas, Pippa, Sam, and Max call Dumfrey’s Dime Museum of Freaks, home. No one else would have them, not even their own parents. Orphaned at different times in their lives, these children feel like they belong. They are not freaks, perhaps misunderstood. Simply different than others around them.

Once a Shrunken head from Amazonia is stolen, things take a turn for the worse. Murder, betrayal, and the fear of losing the only place they know as home. To save the only man who has shown them some resemblance of family life, and to keep the museum open, Thomas, Pippa, Sam, and Max put their thinking and physical wits to the test while following the clues to solving this mystery. They soon realize that no one is who they say they are and that more often than not, people wear Halloween masks to disguise their real selves.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of this book. If I wasn’t immersed in trying to guess “who dunnit,” I was squeezing through air vents with Thomas, or escaping the clutches of the lady with the feather hat or learning about the unusual artifacts displayed throughout the museum. Humility sprinkled with humour keeps the story moving forward without taking away from the complexity of back-stabbing and the macabre.

Whether you are a fan of the movie “The Greatest Showman,” a connoisseur of oddities and artifacts, a spectator at the circus, or if mystery and murder is right up your alley, this is the book for you.

Review/Haunted Mysteries – The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein

Posted on July 12, 2018June 12, 2018 by Cindy

The Crossroads by Chris Grabenstein
Published by Yearling on May 12, 2009
Pages: 352
Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of I Funny and Treasure Hunters, comes a series of spine-tingling mysteries to keep you up long after the lights go out.
Zack, his dad, and new stepmother have just moved back to his father’s hometown, not knowing that their new house has a dark history. Fifty years ago, a crazed killer caused an accident at the nearby crossroads that took 40 innocent lives. He died when his car hit a tree in a fiery crash, and his malevolent spirit has inhabited the tree ever since. During a huge storm, lightning hits the tree, releasing the spirit, who decides his evil spree isn’t over . . . and Zack is directly in his sights.
Award-winning thriller author Chris Grabenstein fills his first book for younger readers with the same humorous and spine-tingling storytelling that has made him a fast favorite with adults.
★ “A rip-roaring ghost story.”—Booklist, Starred

I remember back in the day when I would stay up all night reading. Nothing my parents would say would get me to stop. Page after page, my eyes tracking the words as fast as they could. My hands trembling to turn the pages faster and faster. I had to get to the end of the book. I had to find out what was going to happen. Would they make it? Will they survive? This is the very same feeling I had when reading “The Crossroads” by Chris Grabenstein, the best-selling author of “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.” I haven’t read a page turner like this in a very long time, not since the days of R.L. Stine’s “Fear Street” series and later on Dean Koontz. Ironically, it took a book for young readers (ages nine to twelve) to make me lose sleep.

This is a story of how an accident at a crossroads, many years ago, haunts a young boy in the present. History has a way of repeating itself…or in this case, coming back to life to complete unfinished business. The thread that connects each character in the book is fascinating. Some characters not only share personal traits and DNA, but a connection that crosses over time as well.

As previously mentioned, I’ve read books like this when I was younger, in my early teens. I believe that this should be the age group for this novel as well. Some youngsters may miss some of the complexities of the story. If purchasing this book for someone, I would recommend ages eleven to fourteen.

I did find the age of the young boy to be too young to experience what he did and to do things he that he had done. I would have preferred the main character to be a little older. It would have made the story more realistic to me. This would also appeal to an older audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, however it kept me up way too late into the night. I’ll have to wait until I’m on vacation to read the next one.

Review/ A Snicker of Magic

Posted on July 5, 2018June 12, 2018 by Cindy

A Snicker of Magic (Scholastic Gold) by Natalie Lloyd
Published by Scholastic Press on April 28, 2015
Pages: 336
Goodreads

A Snicker of Magic joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!
Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.
But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.
Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.

I am thrilled to have discovered author, Natalie Lloyd! Her stories have brought such pleasure and delight to my reading. Her words are chosen with purpose and each one creates a unique feeling for her readers. For example, the way a word feels on your lips when you say it or how the syllables sound when put together. Many words are simply fun to say repeatedly while others have a hint of magic to them. I read, “A Snicker of Magic,” about six months ago. I soon followed with Natalie’s second novel, “The Key to Extraordinary.” A novel just a wonderful as the first. I’m also pleased to announce that Natalie Lloyd has started a new series called, “The Problem Children” which I can’t wait to get my hands on.

We all desire a place to call home and Felicity Juniper Pickle is no different. When her mom parks the van in a place called Midnight Gulch, Felicity knows that this is where she is meant to stay. Felicity feels that this is the home that she has been longing for. Now, how can she convince her mom, who leaves at the slightest hint of a breeze, that this is her last stop? Perhaps what Felicity and the town of Midnight Gulch needs is a snicker of magic.

I truly enjoyed meeting each character in this book. Every one of them has a unique personality and quirk. Despite their individuality, Natalie Lloyd ties each one together in that special way that she does so well. Some connections even took me by surprise.

I like the fact that I couldn’t figure out the whole story on my own. I take guesses and know where things are heading but some turns, I didn’t expect. I am grateful for this. I love reading a book and experiencing the journey with the main character. As Felicity was trying to figure out a story from the past and how it is affecting the present, I was literally travelling on this same journey. A journey of melding the past to the present while deciphering her own feelings about where her heart belongs.

Natalie’s description of Felicity’s surroundings is wonderful. I could breathe in the scents of the flowers and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Natalie’s use of words is as beautiful as the mural painted on the building that stands in the middle of Midnight Gulch.

The question is, will they stay, or will they go?

Review/The Summer We Saved The Bees

Posted on June 28, 2018June 12, 2018 by Cindy

The Summer We Saved the Bees by Robin Stevenson
Published by Orca Book Publishers on September 1, 2015
Pages: 227
Goodreads

How do you plan for the future when your own parents don't believe you have one?
Wolf’s mother is obsessed with saving the world’s honeybees, so it’s not too surprising when she announces that she’s taking her Save the Bees show on the road—with the whole family. Wolf thinks it’s a terrible plan, and not just because he’ll have to wear a bee costume—in public. He likes his alternative school and hates the idea of missing weeks of classes. His teenage stepsister doesn’t want to leave her boyfriend, and one of his little half sisters has stopped talking altogether, but Wolf’s mom doesn’t seem to notice. She’s convinced that the world is doomed unless ordinary people take extraordinary action. It isn’t until the kids take some drastic action of their own that she is forced to listen when Wolf tells her that dragging the family around the province in a beat-up Ford panel van may not be the best idea she ever had.

I had the pleasure of meeting Robin Stevenson a couple of years ago at the wonderful independent bookstore in Pointe-Claire Village called, Livres Babar Books. Robin’s enthusiasm for life can be experienced by those around her and this ability transmits to the books she writes. “The Summer We Saved the Bees,” is no exception.

When Wolf chooses the fragile future of the bees as his school project, he had no idea how this would change his life and those of his siblings. Wolf’s mother launches the family into a cross-country mission to spread the demise of the bees to everyone else in Canada.

Filled with real life challenges and disagreements, this story takes you on an emotional roll-a-coaster ride through the eyes of a tween. Part family peace-maker and part rebel, the life experiences Wolf goes through is enhanced with examples from the dance of the bees.

I really felt for the main character in this story. I felt Wolfe’s frustration as I read deeper into the story. He wants to obey his mom’s wishes and please her, like a good son would, but he also wants to scream and shout at her for being completely irrational about this whole journey and ruining his life. This was a school project and now he’s leaving his best friend behind to drive across country in a cramped van with his family to spread the word of… bees! And having to wear a bee costume on top of this! At times I had to put the book down because I wanted to grab his mom and give her a shake. How could she do this to her kids? How could she be so self-absorbed that she has no clue wants going on within her own family, yet she wants to take on the demise of the bees? ARG!

Well, I guess you can see that this is a book full of angst. I rooted for Wolf and cheered him on. Thank goodness he had more patience than I ever would for my mom, if I found myself in the same situation. In fact, Wolf was more of a parent than his mom ever would be. It shows his strength of character. This book captures very typical emotions and behavior experienced by anyone who was ever a tween. With summer at our doorsteps and bees buzzing in the air, tweens everywhere should embark on an adventure with Wolf across Canada to save the bees.

Review/ The Girl Who Could Not Dream

Posted on June 14, 2018June 12, 2018 by Cindy

The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on March 14, 2017
Pages: 384
Goodreads

"A perfect combination of adventure, humor, and pure imagination!" —Jessica Day George, New York Times best-selling author of Tuesdays at the Castle "Funny, scary, and endlessly inventive.” —Bruce Coville, author of Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher Sophie loves the hidden shop below her parents' bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend—a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster—she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets. Who will help them, and who will betray them?

I can’t say enough about the little book store I love visiting so much. Pointe-Claire Village would not be the same without it! Livres Babar Books is where I find the books that you can’t find anywhere else. I can browse the shelves for hours discovering titles from authors I have not heard of before. This is how I came across the book, “The Girl Who Could Not Dream” by Sarah Beth Durst. Why did I pick out this particular book? I bought it after I read the words…the hidden shop beneath her parents’ bookstore…on the book jacket. I LOVE BOOKSTORES! And to have a hidden shop beneath one is brilliant! Hence, my love of books and book stores are partial guides to my book buying.

Sophie’s parents own a bookstore with a bonus. Select individuals may purchase dreams. One could buy any dream you like: magical, funny, scary. How amazing would that be? My children would never have another nightmare. I’d make sure to have a shelf full of funny dreams on hand to guarantee pleasant dreams. I’d probably get a few for myself for those restless nights when nightmares creep in. Bet a few of you out there could use a dream or two as well. Ironically, Sophie has never had a dream of her own. The one time that she did, well, a monster entered her life. That was the end of her dreams.

When Sarah Beth Durst writes about living upstairs from a bookstore, it seems like the only logical place for a book lover to live. Waking up in the morning amongst your favorite authors and characters would be a dream come true. Cupcakes waiting to be devoured add to the joy of being surrounded by millions of pages. The hidden shop is a special gem.

One morning, Sophie finds the shop broken into and thrashed, dreams stolen, and her parents missing. A nightmare come to life, this isn’t a dream. With the help of her best friend Monster, Sophie must decide which sketchy characters she can trust, and which ones are out to harm her. Armed with dreamcatchers, Sophie finds herself on a quest of a lifetime.

I’ve now come to look at my dreamcatcher in a whole new light. Imagine someone touching you with a magical dreamcatcher. All the dreams that you have dreamt would be gone forever. In turn, they would be used for something sinister. A machine that was once used for good, turns into something very bad. Thank goodness for Monster. A loyal companion who would do anything to keep his promise to Sophie’s mom and does. Although he has tentacles, way too many teeth, and luminescent fur, he reminds me of gentle Cookie Monster from Sesame Street. Together, they let nothing stand in their way. Well, maybe, a boy named Ethan.

Filled with risk taking adventures, tender moments of friendship, and struggles of trust, this is a wonderful read for children 10 and up. I leave you daydreaming if will good prevail over evil? Will our dreams and those of others be safe once again? Read on to find out if Sophie will be able to rescue the ones she loves the most. More importantly, will Sophie ever dream again or will her real life be filled with nightmares?