Category: Books Read-2009

After The Moment Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: May 2009

PUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

ABOUT THE BOOK:

After the Moment is a novel about boys, love, and violence. Leigh Hunter and Maia Morland meet at a dinner party four years after their high school romance ended in bloodshed, legal charges, and parental meddling. During the party, Leigh remembers how and why he fell in love with Maia, who liked to describe herself as an anorexic, self-cutting “train-wreck”. The novel explores how love transforms us, and how failing to meet its complicated demands helps to shape the adults both Leigh and Maia become.

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the first time I have heard of Garret Freymann-Weyr and read any of her books.

After the moment is about a person’s first love. We all remember our first love and its always a special relationship that we hold deep in our hearts.

Its also about perseverance, strength and loyalty, but also of betrayal, pain, and disappointment.
When I first picked up After the Moment I thought it was a girl story but quickly realized that it was about a guy, Leigh. I have to admit as I was reading it I kept picturing Leigh as a girl and that had to do with the spelling of the name.

Leigh is your typical perfect guy if there is such a thing. He is attractive, athletic, smart, and selfless. A girls dream guy to say the least. He is leading the good life and things are going great he is looking forward to senior year, his girlfriend Astra, and what the future might hold for him beyond high school.

Leigh is your typical teenager who worries about finding a summer job that would look good on his college applications, where to apply and other things.

Things are good until one day something tragic happens to make Leigh question his life.

It was nice to read Leigh being total unselfish and turning his back on his life to be there and help his little sister, Millie out. Even though it meant moving to live with her and leaving his life behind in New York. He wants to be there for Millie and to help her cope and get over her loss.

Leigh’s plan is to take care of Millie and be loyal to his girlfriend back home but that doesn’t happen as he begins to fall in love with the sweet and a little bit odd Maia Morland. Maia’s life is basically a train wreck waiting to happen. She is dealing with an eating disorder, a father who is in jail and a few other issues.


I enjoyed reading the book and I have to send a big thank you to TLC tours for allowing me to be a part of this tour and for introducing me to a new author. I am looking forward to reading her other books,

This book was provided for review by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Simon’s Cat in his very own book Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: September 24,2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Simon Tofield’s animations have taken YouTube by storm. Now, the feline Internet phenomenon makes his way onto the page in this first-ever book based on the popular animated series. SIMON’S CAT depicts and exaggerates the hilarious relationship between a man and his cat. The daily escapades of this adorable pet, which always involve demanding more food, and his exasperated but doting owner come to life through Tofield’s charming and hilarious illustrations.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have to admit I have no idea how to write a review for Simon’s Cat. The thing that makes it hard is there are no words to the book. Its full of drawings.

Michael loved watching the YouTube videos and asks to watch them all the time. He thinks they are so funny. He even made it a point to tell the secretary at our Doctors office about it on Friday when we were there. He was really happy when we got the book last week and it was a blessing when it came in because Michael was sick last week so this managed to distract him a little.

The illustrations are very well done and funny to look out. Michael gives the book a big two thumbs up.

Here are a few links that you can check out to see for yourself.

http://simonscat.com/ the official page
http://www.youtube.com/simonscat the YouTube page

Thanks Anna at HBG for sending the book to us. We loved it.

This book was provided for review by HBG USA.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

The Summoning Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: July 2008

ABOUT THE BOOK:

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either.

MT THOUGHTS:
This is the first book in the Darkest Power trilogy. Book 3 The Reckoning is scheduled to be released May, 2010. I am so excited to read it and hoping it will answer a few questions that I have about the series. This is also Kelley’s first Young Adult novel. She is well known for her adult fantasy books.

When I was on twitter one day Random House Canada was doing a give away of Kelley’s first book Bitten and I was lucky enough to win it. I admitted to the rep that I have never read anything by Kelley before but I would love to. I love to discover new authors.

I quickly discovered that Kelley is a Canadian author (she lives in Southern Ontario) and I was really excited to read her book after discovering that. Then I discovered that Kelley would be coming to my local Chapters October 8th for a book signing (reading and a Q&A also) for her lastest book Frostbitten. So I rushed out to buy The Summoning in hopes of getting it signed as Bitten was already signed. (Check tomorrow for photos and info from the signing)

The Summoning is not like her adult books. There is more of a magical element to it with a twist in it. I would recommend this book to any young adult because there is no sex and what violence there is its toned down for the purpose of it being a YA book.

I was really surprised when I started to read the book at how fast I was sucked into it. As I was reading it I realized that I was having a hard time to put it down. I ended up reading this over a two day span. The first day I stayed up late reading it and thankfully the next day M. was sick so he stayed home from school and I was able to finish reading it.

The whole book had me sitting on the edge of me seat. (I love books like that.) Wondering what was going to happen and then when I got to the end I was like OMG (okay thats not really what I said but you know what I mean.) it can’t end like that! Major cliff hanger. (Just a note if you are going to read it then I suggest you buy/get book two The Awakening at the same time.)

The Summoning is told in first person by a 15 year old girl named Chloe. In the first part of the book we discover that Chloe sees ghosts. At first she thinks she is loosing her mind and when one day at school she seems a ghost she freaks out. She fights off the teachers who are trying to help her. She is carted off to the hospital where her aunt Lauren gets her into The Lyle House so that they can help her get better.

Its at Lyle House where the drs diagnose Chloe with schizophrenia. (Having a family member with schizophrenia I am so what familiar with it and I didn’t know that they saw ghosts I just thought it was people/images) So Chloe is given medication to control it but she still sees ghosts.

Lyle House also has other teens that are similar to Chloe and are labelled with mental health problems. They all know they don’t have mental health problems but something else. Unsure of what it is exactly. Some feel that if they take the medication it will make them better.

Derek, one of the kids in with Chloe convinces her she is in danger and that she should escape with his brother Simon so that they can look for his dad. His dad will know what to do. Chloe and Derek manage to leave one night to scope it out and to plan. When the weekend approaches Derek informs them that they need to leave that night.

When they are set to go Derek goes missing and Chloe stays back to look for him and when she finds him she is surprised at what she sees but not shocked. Will Chloe and Derek be able to leave before they are caught?

On the run the leave Lyle House and run to the factories that are close by. As they are leaving the factory Chloe cuts herself on broken glass. When the girls and boys must separate to throw the employees of their trails. Rae manages to convince Chloe she needs medical attention so they leave when its save to go to aunt Lauren’s.

When they get to her aunts Chloe realizes who she can and can’t trust and is shocked to discover the one person she thought she could trust in facts betrays her.

While I was looking around for images of the book I discovered this one. I personally like the top cover better.

This book was provided for review by myself. I bought this book to read and review.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Thanksgiving at The Inn Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: October 1, 2009

Thanks to Harrison at Bancroft Press for sending me this finished book to read and review for Cindy’s Love of Books. Thank You.
Thanksgiving at the Inn is a story about three generations of Heath Wellingtons. Heath Wellington III is a boy who is basically having a really hard life for a kid. His mother has left the family, his father is an alcoholic and is trying to get his book published but all he gets is rejection letters. Then to top it off Heath gets suspended from school because they think he cheated and the worse thing is that his father believes the school. From my perception Heath II (Heath’s father) basically is a mean dad who could care less about this son. Its pretty evident in the book the way Heath is treated by his dad.

Then one day his father gets word that Senior (his dad) has died. Junior (Heath’s dad) and Heath prepare to go to the funeral. Heath has no memory of his grandfather and he feels bad about it.

His father and Heath go visit the lawyer and they discover they stand to inherit the whole estate which makes Junior extremely happy and basically in his head has the money spent until the lawyer burst the bubble and tells him that there is a catch to the deal and if he doesn’t go through with it everything will be lost. What could this catch possible be?

One of the catches is that they have to stay for three months managing Seniors bed and breakfast inn called Sleeping Inn which is located in Massachusett’s. This is the home that Junior grew up in and hasn’t been back there in eight years.

Being back, Junior discovers how hard it is to be there because every where he turns he hears praises for Senior. Mean while Heath is having a hard time too because he can’t remember his grandfather.

At Sleeping Inn there is a quirky bunch of people staying there such as:

–Winsted (Preacher) He is a old man from Jamaica. With a colorful past that will shock the reader. Apart from Heath he was my favorite character. I loved reading his conversations I could almost hear him speaking when I was reading it. Loved the way he spoke.

-Mrs Farrel is a elderly lady who appears to be giving away her late husbands fortune. Apparently before he died he scammed his employees and took their money and put it in an off shore account. Did you she really discover this money or is she hoping to one day?

– Sally (Mustang Sally) is the big muscle guy covered in tattoos. He is a grease monkey who is working trying to get enough money to get his father’s garage back up and running. Heath discovers that Sally is really an children’s author/illustrator that does something that surprises Heath.
A few other characters in the book that weren’t mentioned alot was Carter who is a Harvard Grad and a news junkie. Then there is Savannah who we discover was Junior’s high school sweetheart. She has a daughter who has autism.
I enjoyed reading the book and couldn’t help but wish that Heath would get a Thanksgiving that he could be thankful for. I was happy when push came to shove and Heath stood up to his father. The father needed a wake up call and it was Heath that gave it too him. It took a near fatal accident to wake Junior up to make him appreciate what was near and dear to him and what should matter more to him then himself.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Three Weddings & a Bar Mitzvah Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: August 2009

Thank you to Audra at B&B Media group for sending me this book and to First Wild Card Tours for allowing me to be a part of the tour yesterday.

This is the fourth and final book in the 86 Bloomberg Place series by Melody Carlson.

This was my favorite quote in the book and laughed when I read it:

It’s always happy hour somewhere.

That was on page 30. Kendall had just found out her parents were going to come and help with the wedding and she was asking if her mother was drinking.

(I had to insert this picture I took when I was in Lake George this summer. So now I know its true LOL.)

Anyways, if you read her previous three books in 86 Bloomberg Place then you are familiar with the characters in the book. If this is the first time you are hearing about this series then please let me introduce you to Megan, Anna. Kendall and Lelani. They are all living at 86 Bloomberg Place in Kendall’s grandmother’s town house.

Lelani has just returned from Maui with her daughter Emma and she is excited to marry Gil and live happily ever after. We all that is impossible and there is going to be twist and turns to test the faith of these two people. Lelani is hoping to have a simple wedding but she soon realizes that is next to impossible when choosing a date, that will fit into her friends calendar because on the weekend she chooses there is a bar mitzvah, and two other weddings, to her soon to me Latin mother in law who wants this to be the wedding of the century, to Lelani reaching out to her mother and then to Lelani suddenly hearing from Emma’s father. Will Lelani have the dream wedding she is hoping for or will be it out of her control?

Megan is dating Marcus. Marcus has told Megan that he wants to go on a mission to Africa to try and help them. When he announces suddenly that he is all set to go before all the festivities, Megan begins to question her relationship with Marcus. While he is in Africa she doesn’t hear from him apart from a letter the church receives. Then the night before his sister’s wedding Marcus calls Megan to tell her he will be home for the wedding. Why didn’t Marcus write to Megan while he was in Africa?

Anna is Gil’s sister and she is helping plan and organize the wedding. Anna is acting as referee between Lelani and her mother. You can slowly see Anna coming apart. She is questioning her job and her relationship with Edmond when a new intern is brought in and flirts with Edmond. She feels as though she is loosing Edmond until he shocks her. He has a little help from one of her roommates.

Finally Kendall is pregnant and in love. While she was in Maui (previous book) she meets Killiki and falls in love with him. From my understanding in previous books I guess Kendall had an affair with a well known married man and is carrying his baby. Kendall is young, care free and doesn’t have a care in the world or responsibility until she found out she was pregnant and fell in love. Killiki surprises Kendall. Kendall’s world is about to get turned upside down when her parents come to visit and her grandmother dies. Her grandmother has a surprise that no one was really expecting. That shocks Kendall and her family.

First off if you are new to this series then I suggest you don’t read this before reading the previous three books. While I was reading it I have to admit I felt like I was missing so much of the story. I have to say that I didn’t fully enjoy the book as much as I would have liked too. None the less it was a good book. I plan on looking for the previous three books to read.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

How It Ends Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: August 2009

ABOUT THE BOOK:
All Hanna’s wanted since sophomore year is Seth. She’s gone out with other guys, even gained a rep for being a flirt, all the while hoping cool, guitar-playing Seth will choose her. Then she gets him — but their relationship is hurtful, stormy and critical, not at all what Hanna thinks a perfect love should be. Bewildered by Seth’s treatment of her and in need of understanding, Hanna decides to fulfill her school’s community service requirement by spending time with Helen, her terminally ill neighbor, who she’s turned to for comfort and wisdom throughout her life. But illness has changed Helen into someone Hanna hardly knows, and her home is not the refuge it once was. Feeling more alone than ever, Hanna gets drawn into an audiobook the older woman is listening to, a fierce, unsettling love story of passion, sacrifice, and devotion. Hanna’s fascinated by the idea that such all-encompassing love can truly exist, and without her even realizing it, the story begins to change her.

Until the day when the story becomes all too real…and Hanna’s world is spun off its axis by its shattering, irrevocable conclusion.

MY THOUGHTS:

Laura Wiess is a new to me author so whenever I get a book to review from someone I haven’t heard of before I get excited. I love to discover new authors.

I am not sure who sent the book to me to read and review but the book is from MTV.

I have to tell you in advance that How It Ends is a very emotional and sad story. When I read the back of the book I thought that it was a story about Hanna and everything Hanna. I admit the story begins that way but as the story progresses you begin to realize that the novel revolves more around Helen, the audio book and it’s story of Helen’s life.

The book is about Hanna and Helen who are next-door neighbors with a great bond that stands the test of time.

As Hanna is getting older and is more concerned with boys and being a popular girl then having to spend time with Helen. Helen misses the days when Hanna would come over and stay until she had to go home at night.

When Hanna was a little girl, her parents asked Helen to keep an eye on her. Helen became a surrogate grandmother to the little girl and is still called grandmother by Hanna. Hanna learned many things from Helen, such as canning, sewing, and an appreciation for the wildlife that lived in their backyards. As there was huge fields behind the houses and deers were known to go there because they were safe from the hunters.

When Hanna was growing up she asked how Helen and Lon met and Helen weaved this truly romantic story of how they met but it was a lie. When Helen begins to realize that she is getting sick she sets out to tell her story in an audio book. She feels as though Hanna must know the real story of how they met. How will Hanna react when she finds out?

Helen is slowly dying and its really sad to read. When Hanna’s school realizes that she isn’t doing her community service requirement she goes to the school to see if she can do it with Helen. So the school has agreed. Hanna goes over after school for a few hours to help out.

With the progression of Helen’s disease (she is only able to communicate with blinking her eyes) Lon is having a hard time dealing with and watching his wife die slowly. Lon’s health isn’t the best either. He feels as though he is at the end of the rope with taking care of Helen and himself. What will he do?

This is a book with a message and the message is that true love never dies. It also tackles the issue of Parkinson’s Disease.

Note that you should grab your tissues cause this one is a tear-jerker!

About the Author:
Laura Wiess is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Such a Pretty Girl, chosen as one of the ALA’s 2008 Best Books for Young Adults and 2008 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, and Leftovers. Originally from Milltown, New Jersey, she traded bumper-to-bumper traffic, excellent pizza, and summer days down the shore for scenic roads, bears, no pizza delivery, and the irresistible allure of an old stone house surrounded by forests in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains Region. Email Laura Wiess at laura@laurawiess.com or visit Laura Wiess for more information.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse Review

Posted on by Cindy

PUB DATE: September 9, 2009

Thank you to Paul at Source Books for sending me an ARC of Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse and also for allowing me to be part of the virtual tour of the book. Please check previous post for all the other blogs hosting this tour.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In a bustling metropolis where magic is outlawed, a six-year-old child is found inside a locked bank vault. A scrap of paper reveals his name: Bran Hambric. The child remembers nothing of his life before the vault. Only magic could have done this. But why would any mage risk breaking the law to place a child in a bank vault?

Eight years later the City of Dunce has forgotten about Bran. Even his foster parents don’t seem to know he exists. But there are those who have been watching, biding their time, waiting to strike, people who know where Bran came from and why he was sent away. And they will do anything to get Bran back, dead or alive…

Welcome to a world unlike any other where the adventure of a lifetime is just beginning.

MY THOUGHTS:

This is Kaleb Nation’s debute novel. Apparently this is the first book in a soon to be series. Which I am really excited about and looking forward to reading.

I have to say that I loved the book and that it kept me drawn into the story and never knowing what was going to happen kept it as a page turner. I have to say that I am not sure I would have picked up this book on my own without hearing about it first. Although I am really happy that I did accept the offer to read it. It was really good and I will be recommending this book to people now.

Bran’s mother Emry is trying desperately to protect her son from a group of people who want him. She puts in him the trunk of her car and prays that he will get to Dunce but she isn’t sure where he might end up or if he will end up anywhere.

Bran is only six years old. He did end up in the city of Dunce and was found that morning in a locked bank vault. Bran had no memories of who he was or where he was from. The only thing that was known was from a scrap of paper with his name written on it.

Sewey works in the bank and he is the one who found Bran.

In the city of Dunce they have a law that is called the Finders Keepers Law and basically what this law means is if you find something then you are obligated to keep it. With this law Sewey is obligated to keep Bran and Bran becomes an unwelcome member of the Wilomas family. Bran is treated more like a servent that anything else along with Rosie who is Mabel’s cousin.

The Wilomas family is quite quirky with a mother (Mabel) who is scared of catching anything and everything takes all kinds of measures to protect herself. Balder, (8 years old) her son is a spoiled kid who wants what he wants and hates it when he is told no. Balderetta, (3 years old) her daughter can never be understood when she talks but apparently the family knows what she is saying.

Also the city of Dunce has strict laws against magic: No Mages, No Gnomes, No etcetera. When Bran finally discovers that he has magic powers he’s in trouble and he knows it. What will he do about this?

When Balder and Balderetta go into their parents room to tell them that burglars are trying to break into the house Sewey doesn’t believe them and sends them back to bed. Then Sewey hears a noise and grabs his gun and tells Bran he is to help him. The next night while Bran and Sewey are sitting on the roof they are attacked by a creature. Bran manages to find out that his name is Shambles and that he is there to take Bran. During the attack Shambles mentions the name Emry Hambric. Telling Bran that’s his mothers name and she wants him to come back. Bran has no idea what he is talking about.

The next morning when he goes to put the trash out the neighbor, Mr.Swinehic comes over to tell Bran he’s cleaned up all the garbage that was on his lawn (bank papers) and found a note that he gave to Bran. This note said “Meet me at midnight in Dunce to pick up Bran. Since I cannot save him, you must do it for me; and in return….” Bran begins to realize that this same paper matches the paper he has when he came to Dunce.

Suddenly Bran begins to question his life and where he came from. He begins to discover that he isn’t a normal boy that he thinks or thought he was. What will Bran do when he finds out the whole truth?

Who are these people that are watching Bran and waiting to get him? Where did Bran come from and why did his mother send him away?

I have to admit that I normally don’t buy a finished copy of any book that I read and review on my blog that is sent to me as an ARC but this is going to be one that I will buy this week when I got on my evening out with Donna on Thursday. I am sure Michael would enjoy this one when he is older.

Has anyone else noticed that Kaleb started writing the book on 03/03/03 and that his book is being released 09/09/09? Hmmm Interesting!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

On the third night of the third month in 2003, 14-year-old Kaleb Nation had a sudden idea that began the story of Bran Hambric, a novel that would take most of his teenage years to write.

Kaleb hosted his first radio show in Texas at age thirteen, and has since launched several websites, including http://www.kalebnation.com/ and http://www.twilightguy.com/. Aside from writing, Kaleb enjoys creating music and blogging. A home-school graduate and a former black belt in taek won do, he currently attends college in Texas and turned 20 in 2008.

His YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/kalebnation

If you would like to purchase the book:
http://www.amazon.ca/Bran-Hambric-Farfield-Kaleb-Nation/dp/1402218575/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252244734&sr=8-1

DOWNLOAD THE FIRST 4 CHAPTERS HERE:
http://www.kalebnation.com/bran-hambric-preview/

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.