Clearing Shelves – Cindy's Love Of Books

Review/ Unslut A Diary & A Memoir

Posted on January 4, 2016January 4, 2016 by Cindy

UnSlut by Emily Lindin
Format: ARC
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on December 29th 2015
Pages: 304
Goodreads
Genres: Biography & Autobiography, Bullying, Dating & Sex, Girls & Women, Juvenile Nonfiction, Social Issues, Women

When Emily Lindin was eleven years old, she was branded a “slut” by the rest of her classmates. For the next few years of her life, she was bullied incessantly at school, after school, and online. At the time, Emily didn't feel comfortable confiding in her parents or in the other adults her my life. But she did keep a diary. Slut/UnSlut is adapted from Emily’s much-acclaimed blog “The UnSlut Project” presenting unaltered excerpts from that diary alongside split-page commentary to provide context and perspective.

I received this book for free from publisher/pr firm in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I picked up this book at #BEA15 purely by luck and I thought at first this wasn’t the book for me because I normally don’t read this kind of stuff but I decided to give it a chance and I managed to breeze through this in two sittings. This is a debut novel.

The book is basically told in a diary format that Emily wrote when she was in grade 6. The story begins with Emily in grade 6 and it follows her through grade 7 and 8.

Emily is your typical girl trying to fit in with her peers and how one little mistake has labelled her a “slut” in her school. I am trying to remember when I was in grade 6 if we were like that and I honestly don’t remember maybe I just wasn’t hanging out with those kinds of kids or not. Then again I can’t really compare my experiences with kids now a days because its completely different and I have to say that I honestly don’t think I could handle being a grade 6 now. What I went through some thrity years ago is different from what kids are going through now.

Kids can be so nice but yet so cruel. Why are they so quick to label kinds with names and titles that just aren’t right and appropriate? Things like this carry over with these kids and they hold on to that stigma for ever and we need to teach our kids that this isn’t right.

We as parents need to make communication between child and parent very important and stress that no matter what good and bad we are there to listen and help them out.

Review/ This Is Where It Ends

Posted on January 1, 2016January 2, 2016 by Cindy

by Marieke Nijkamp
Published by Sourcebooks Fire Goodreads
Genres: Action & Adventure, Bullying, Social Issues, Survival Stories, Violence, Young Adult

I received this book for free from publisher/pr firm in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. 10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03 The auditorium doors won’t open. 10:05 Someone starts shooting. Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

I think this has to be one of my favorite books that I picked up at #BEA15 last year. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. It grabbed a hold of me from the first page and it still sits with me today. Just be prepared if you pick up this book to read you will need a tissue. This is a fantastic debut novel.

This Is Where It Ends is told in the point of view of Claire, Tomas, Autumn and Sylv. A new semester has started at Opportunity and the Principal Trenton is giving her regular speech that the kids all know pretty much by heart.

Claire is not in the school for the assembly because she is part of the track team and she is out running the track with her team mates when the sound of gunshots forces them to stop. They try to get into the school but its locked so she comes up with a plan to find out what is going on so she puts everyone in groups.

Inside the school Tomas and his friend Fareed are also not in the assembly because they are breaking into the principal’s office trying to find out some information on a kid named Tyler who has left the school and is due to come back. They are in the office and when they realize something is up the go and look out in the hall way and that is when they hear gun fire. Quick thinking they decide to call the police. They are told to get out of the school but Tomas can’t leave because his sister Sylv is in the assembly. He will do anything to protect her.

I don’t want to give to much away about the book because you know what its about. Everyone is surprised at how the shooter is and I think had there been a little more to the story before hand you might have had the chance to figure it out.

I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Spotlight/ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Posted on September 27, 2015September 22, 2015 by Cindy

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Format: eARC
on October 6, 2015
Pages: 256

For the first time, J. K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter books will be presented in lavishly illustrated full-color editions. Kate Greenaway-award winning artist Jim Kay has created over 100 stunning illustrations, making this deluxe format a perfect gift as much for a child being introduced to the series, as for the dedicated fan.

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

I received this book for free from publisher/pr firm in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was able to pick up a little sampler of this book at #BEA15.

I have yet to read the Harry Potter series (yes I know where have I been and why have I not read the books?) of books but I have to say after seeing this little sneak preview of the illustrated book I think I might just have to pick it up to read. Perhaps this is what I need to get me into the series.

The illustrations in this sampler were amazing and I can’t wait to see what the actually book will look like.

Are you a Harry Potter fan?

Review/ Olive & Beatrix: The Not So Itty Bitty Spiders

Posted on August 27, 2015June 3, 2015 by Cindy

Olive & Beatrix: The Not So Itty Bitty Spiders Series: Olive & Beatrix Book #1

Format: eARC
on August 26, 2015
Pages: 80

Meet twin sisters Olive and Beatrix! One is a witch. One is totally not-a-witch.

This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!

Twin sisters Olive and Beatrix don't often get along. Olive is "ordinary" and loves science. But Beatrix is a witch! She has a brain full of tricks, and she uses her magic powers to play pranks on Olive and her best friend, Eddie. In this first book, Beatrix ruins Olive and Eddie's latest science project. So Olive and Eddie play a prank on Bea. They rig up a bucket of spiders over her bedroom door. But when the spiders crawl into one of Bea's magic potions...WHAM! Giant spiders are on the loose! These sisters will have to work together to shrink the not-so itty-bitty spiders down to size!

I received this book for free from publisher/pr firm in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I picked up this cute little book from #BEA15 this year.

This is the perfect book for the kids who are just a little too old for picture books but yet a little too young for chapter books. The book has some great illustrations that go along with the story really well.

I loved Olive & Beatrix. They were cute girls who loved to play off each other. Beatrix is the witch and loves playing all kinds of tricks on her sister and Olive is just your regular girl who is getting a little tired of being the one getting pranked on so with the help of her friend they set out to prank Beatrix. While Olive be able to pull it off?

This is the first book in the series and I have to say it was a fun and very quick read. We really enjoyed it and are looking forward to the other books in the series.

May Book Unhauling #5

Posted on June 1, 2015June 17, 2015 by Cindy

In the month of May I took roughly a week to go through a few boxes of books as well as the book cases to try and purge them down in prep for the books I would be bringing home from BEA. I managed to gather a box full of books but sadly I never got the chance to document or take photos of the books I was giving away so I have no idea what I gave away or how many.

I think with all the hype and getting ready for BEA I think at some point I told myself I had taken photos and I never second guessed that.

So as of right now I have give away 89 books. I wish I could remember how much was in that box oh well I think I am still doing good and I am pleased with my work so far.

Do you have a hard time giving books away?

Meme/ Catch, Read and Release! # 13

Posted on September 28, 2014September 26, 2014 by Cindy

What it’s all about:
Adding books to your shelves each week is fun for all book lovers, but at some point, when our piles get a little too high, when our bookshelves are double stacked, and every nook and cranny in the house has already been filled with stacks of books, we all need to make room for more. There will always be new titles added to our never-ending TBR list, including upcoming releases, debuts, and the next instalment in a book series, so why not share/highlight the books you let go of, either through donating, selling, lending, or give away. We think it’s just as important to share the books we pass on, because in the end, they help feed our book additions by giving up their space on a bookshelf, table, or night stand so we can fill it up with something from our wishlist. Catch, Read, Release! was created to share the books we add to our collection, showcase the books we’ve read, and most importantly, highlight the books who sacrifice their spots so we can buy more!

Disclaimers: This meme was inspired by Tynga’s Reviews‘ Stacking The Shelves. I’d also like to give credit to Cindy @ Tynga’s Reviews for creating the awesome Catch, Read, Release! meme graphic and for helping us with picking the name! Thank you!

How you can participate:
Create your own Catch, Read, Release! post and link back to Moonlight Gleam Reviews to spread the word so others can join the fun!
Moonlight Gleam Reviews will be hosting Catch, Read, Release! each Sunday, but there’s no set date for you to join. You don’t have to commit to post each week either, just as often as you want!
Don’t forget to visit each week and add your Catch, Read, Release! direct URL so others can visit your post!
Visit other participant links.
Don’t forget to have fun! 🙂

Lucy, a local Montreal blogger has come up with this great meme that I am going to try and take part in on a weekly bases if possible.

The above information is taken from Lucy’s blog Moonlight Gleam Reviews.

What did I catch this week? Nothing to report this week.

This week I read:

I couldn’t wait to read this so I dug into it. I really liked it. Review coming soon.

I picked this up to read for two reasons: 1) I had this song in my head and 2) with the weather being a little cooler then hot I felt like a good summer read was needed.

This week I released the following 18 books to family. To date this brings up my total of released books to 125. Wow I am really impressed. It feels good to be making a dent into my stash of books.

Thanks Lucy for hosting this be sure to check what Lucy has done this week and others as well. Until next week have a good week everyone,

Meme/ Catch, Read and Release! # 11

Posted on September 14, 2014September 14, 2014 by Cindy

What it’s all about:
Adding books to your shelves each week is fun for all book lovers, but at some point, when our piles get a little too high, when our bookshelves are double stacked, and every nook and cranny in the house has already been filled with stacks of books, we all need to make room for more. There will always be new titles added to our never-ending TBR list, including upcoming releases, debuts, and the next instalment in a book series, so why not share/highlight the books you let go of, either through donating, selling, lending, or give away. We think it’s just as important to share the books we pass on, because in the end, they help feed our book additions by giving up their space on a bookshelf, table, or night stand so we can fill it up with something from our wishlist. Catch, Read, Release! was created to share the books we add to our collection, showcase the books we’ve read, and most importantly, highlight the books who sacrifice their spots so we can buy more!

Disclaimers: This meme was inspired by Tynga’s Reviews‘ Stacking The Shelves. I’d also like to give credit to Cindy @ Tynga’s Reviews for creating the awesome Catch, Read, Release! meme graphic and for helping us with picking the name! Thank you!

How you can participate:
Create your own Catch, Read, Release! post and link back to Moonlight Gleam Reviews to spread the word so others can join the fun!
Moonlight Gleam Reviews will be hosting Catch, Read, Release! each Sunday, but there’s no set date for you to join. You don’t have to commit to post each week either, just as often as you want!
Don’t forget to visit each week and add your Catch, Read, Release! direct URL so others can visit your post!
Visit other participant links.
Don’t forget to have fun! 🙂

Lucy, a local Montreal blogger has come up with this great meme that I am going to try and take part in on a weekly bases if possible.

The above information is taken from Lucy’s blog Moonlight Gleam Reviews.

What did I catch this week? You can see what we caught this week by looking at yesterday’s post. Sorry I am doing this post in advance because we have hockey.

This week I read: I am still reading

and I have to read Shadow Fire for review this upcoming week.

This week I am releasing the following:

This is 29 books that were boxed and given to Michael’s school. To date that is 85 books I have donated. Ya me. It feels really good to pass along books we no longer read.

Thanks Lucy for hosting this be sure to check what Lucy has done this week and others as well. Until next week have a good week everyone,