The Storied life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

from goodreads

4.5 stars

Happy last day of April! I can't believe how fast time goes now. When I was a child I remember the school days dragging on and on. Now as a mom I am always surprised when I look at the clock and realize it is time to pick up the kids from school. Sometimes I think, "didn't I just drop them off?"

Right now I am currently getting ready for a big event on Saturday. My darling Miss V. turned 8 and is getting baptized. I am so super excited for her, so are a lot of other people, so now I am getting things ready to feed said people. It is going to be great and I hope I am able to create a beautiful and memorable day for my girl who has to put up with loopy parents and crazy sisters. What a trooper!

Synopsis

A.J. Fikry is a sad man. He lives on an island and owns Island books. His wife has just died which has left him sad and grouchy and causes him to close himself off from life.

When a little girl is left in his store with a note asking him to look after her everything changes.

My Thoughts

This was such a beautiful story. It makes you laugh it makes you cry it makes you want to live your life to the fullest.

The characters in this book are real and so relatable. Even if they are not completely likeable you still can understand their motives, why they do things they do and think the way they do. A.J. is the best man character. He truly is the glue that holds this story together.

I loved watching the transformation of A.J.'s life. He went from being so withdrawn into himself and his misery, to really being the social centre of his town. I love how his store evolved and the different book clubs that started, especially the mom one.

I loved the insights into reading and why we are readers. If I was smart I would have had a notebook beside me the whole time writing down the profound wisdoms found in this book and shared them with you. Alas, I did not. But it did give some food for thought about the power of books, why they speak to us, and the importance of the actual printed material not just electronic copies (though electronic copies do have a role to play.)

I highly recommend this book. It would make a great summer read if you are compiling your summer read list. I just loved it.

Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox Illustrated by Judy Horacek

from goodreads

3 stars

Today is the last of the birthdays for our family. Miss G.'s was on Friday and Miss V.'s was today. I felt sort of bad for Miss V as she had to wait to open up her presents. They both got Our Generation dolls and Miss V. wanted hers sooooo badly, especially after seeing Miss G.'s, but we made her wait. What mean parents we are.

Lately I have been reading a lot of board books to help get Miss P. interested in reading. She loves watching Winnie the Pooh and Frozen on the Ipad. But, now I'm trying to broaden her entertainment medium horizons. It is definitely a work in progress. She is a creature of habit and sometimes those habits are very hard to break.

Synopsis

This synopsis was found on the publication information page. It was so succinct and to the point there was no way I could do better.

A story about many different sheep, and one that seems to be missing.

My Thoughts

This was a pretty good book. I'm not over the moon about it but it is definitely one that I could handle reading over and over. Although, always saying "But, where is the green sheep?" can be a bit tedious.

I liked how it showed opposites and had the sheep doing funny things. I would have used some different shades of the colours, for example, the blue sheep could be seen as more of a purple or grey. A more distinct shade would have been nice just for easier colour identification for the kids. The actual picture looks very nice. The red sheep wasn't the most red either, but it wasn't as bad as the blue.

Miss P. really liked the pictures and would point things out like the car, the stars, the moon. She even started baaing with the sheep but after awhile she was done with that.

This is a cute book to while a way your time. I think your kids will like it and you won't feel like knocking yourself unconscious by the end of it, and that's a good thing.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

from goodreads

2 stars

What a busy day! I feel like I did so much, even though I didn't really do much at all. And then I realized it was Thursday! Totally thought it was Friday. Hence the later post time.

That seems to happen to me a lot lately. I think it is one day (usually the next day to come) when it is really another. Its weird how that happens. How a day can feel like another. Is it because we secretly long for that day? Is it because we get so busy that we feel we must be ahead or behind? Whatever the reason its always good when I catch myself and realize my mistake. How embarassing would it be if I thought that today was Friday so I didn't get my kids ready for school tomorrow. While a home day would be nice, I have things to do on Friday. Hopefully my brain gets straightened out soon. :-)

Synopsis

Jim Hawkins, a young man of about 12, finds a map that leads to the fabled Treasure Island. With a wide assortment of characters from the honourable to the more nemesising and the unforgettable John Silver, adventure is not too far off.

My Thoughts

For a book about pirates and treasure you would think it would be really exciting. Heck even the muppets did a version of it so it must be great right? Wrong! Oh my goodness this was soooooo boring I almost died. Okay, maybe not that bad but still it was pretty bad. I mean, I have read some classics in my day. In fact I quite enjoy the classics genre, but this was boring and hard to get.

It started off really well. The whole mysterious man at the inn type thing. So I was really looking forward to stuff, but once they got going on their voyage I couldn't remember who was who and it was hard to picture and I really just stopped caring about what was going on.

So if you are thinking about reading this, stop and just watch the movie instead. (I hate saying it but this is definitely a time when the movies are better than the book.)

Pirates vs. Cowboys by Aaron Reynolds Illustrated by David Barneda

from goodreads

4 stars

After a not too busy few weeks it seems spring activities are really picking up! The girls have had soccer practice on the weekends, there are birthdays and other life even celebrations happening. My reading time has really taken a nose dive. Thank goodness for all the reading I got done in the winter, that way I can keep the posts coming.

Synopsis

Captain Burnt Beard's piratey crew have to unload their treasure, but, all their usual burial places are full so they decide to look inland to the town of Old Cheyenne. Only problem is that is where Black Bob McKraw and his posse like to hang out. What will happen when these two groups meet?

My Thoughts

This was such a cool book. I loved the whole idea of the pirates and cowboys not being able to understand each other because of all the slang each group has. Even though a lot of slang was used you can still understand what they are trying to say and where the story is going. It was a great way to introduce the kids to pirate and cowboy language and what it means.

I loved how the situation was resolved with Pegleg Highnoon, the only pirate cowboy around. I won't go into details of how he defused the situation, other then it was great and the kids got a kick out of it.

I think this will be a book that adults and kids a like will love and want to read again. My two year old didn't really respond to it too much other than pointing out the animals, so it is definitely more a four year old an up type of book.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

from goodreads

3 stars

What a lovely day. The weather is warm the sun is out and the market was not super busy. Nothing is more icky then when the market is jammed packed with people and you can't find a parking spot! It was so leisurely. I bought some honey and beautiful tulips. (I gave the tulips to my friend, she just had a baby #4 and I wasn't sure what else to get her.)

They had a fire going there to help warm people up from the wind. Though, I didn't find the wind cold. It was really quite delicious. As I sit typing this I can still smell the a faint whiff of the smoke in my hair and on my sweater. Lovely. Don't you love it when days turn out so great!

Synopsis

Fairfold is a town that is full of faeries and wood folk. The mortals who live there have charms and leave offerings to appease the folk. In the woods there is a boy in a glass coffin. He has been there for a very long time. One day he wakes up and the town fears what will happen next.

My Thoughts

I found this book baffling. There was so much in it that was awesome and yet so much that just left me scratching my head. In the acknowledgements even the author said it was a hard and sometimes confusing book to write... well to me, it shows.

The protaganist is a girl named Hazel. The Hazel we are introduced to in the beginning of the book doesn't seem to be the same Hazel that we are left with at the end. The book covers only a few days worth of time so a complete character metamorphosis can't really happen. At the beginning she seems more or a partier and moody and apathetic teen. Really it turns out she is a warrior with a heart of gold. It was really confusing and hard to get to know her. It was kind of like that for all the characters.

There was also a lot of flashbacks and set ups so that what happens near the end of the books made sense. This made the beginning and middle parts rather boring and dull. The story just didn't move as well. That said, once the action started to pick up it got really good and interesting. The story almost moved too well and the book was over a bit too quickly.

While this is a stand alone book I could see these characters being part of a series, and I think the second book would go a lot smoother and be more action driven as all the explanations had already been done.

So, while there were parts that I found confusing and hard to get, it was still an interesting read. I think the faerie loving teen in your life will like this book.

Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems

from goodreads

2.5 stars

I am back to doing picture books today! While it was nice to catch up on some of my chapter book reviews that have been languishing in my to post pile it is nice to get back into the groove.

Last week was a crazy nutty week. Poor Miss G. was home from school for most of it with a cold and then a wicked cough. This week things are settling down and I'm getting back into my groove at home as well.

While getting out of patterns can be fun and a great way to figure out what you actually want, sometimes it is nice to get settled back into the familiar. And currently, the familiar is where I want to be.

Synopsis

Leonardo is a terrible monster, but not in the way you might think. He is just terrible at being a monster,  he can't scare anyone. But then he comes up with a plan, a foolproof plan.

My Thoughts

I really love Mo Willems' books. The Pigeon series, mere words cannot describe how superb they are. So when I saw this book I was excited to pick it up. I think I would have liked it better if I had read it before the Pigeon books. While there is nothing really wrong with the story or pictures it just didn't leave me gushing and wanting to read it again and again.

I did like the interaction between Leonardo and the boy. When the boy bares his soul he does it in a way that I think everyone can relate too.

I suppose people will like the fact that Leonardo becomes okay with the fact that he is not scary and that it is better to be a friend then someone who scares people.

I don't know, to me it was just meh and it is hard to pick out things to say. It is in no way a horrible book. I think most people will like it (it has a very high rating on goodreads). It just wasn't for me at this time.

Mathew's Tale by Quintin Jardine

from goodreads

3.5 stars

I'm not sure why, but I am get so annoyed with the crazy spelling of people's names. And when I see a name spelled a way I don't think is right I just feel irked. Now if that is the only thing that irks me then life is pretty good. But, weirdly spelled names seem to be more rampent now. It seems everyone needs to have a unique name and if it isn't unique then it has to be spelled in a unique way. Like really?

Case and point the title of the book. That is not how you spell MatThew. I know that the spelling kind of plays into the plot a bit. But seriously. Since my husbands name is Matthew every time he looked at the cover he shuddered. I almost didn't read the book because of it. The plot intrigued me enough to get me in the end.

So please people. Enough with the unique spelling of ordinary names. For all our sakes lets agree on a spelling and stick to it. (Though this is coming from someone named Meredith and quite frankly it is crazy some of the spellings I have seen for my name. Between that and my last name I just start spelling it out loud as soon as someone asks for my name.)

Synopsis

Mathew Fleming, returns home after years away in the army. When he comes home things are not as they were when he left. Despite these personal setbacks Mathew makes a very successful life for himself. When a good friend of his is charged with murder of the local Laird, Mathew will stop at nothing to figure out what really happened and exonerate his friend.

My Thoughts

This is my first book by Jardine. I am excited to read some of his others.

What I liked about his writing was he cut right to the chase. While other authors might have built up to different revelations or twists he just put it out there. What I thought would take a couple chapters was all summed up in a page. It made for a nice quickly paced read. And I definitely wouldn't want to get on Mathew's bad side.

The story itself was fine. It was interesting, and you always wanted to know what was going to happen next. But parts of it were a bit hokey. Everything that Mathew touched turned to gold. Nothing ever seemed to not go his way. And, if by some chance it didn't go his way, he did everything in his power to rectify it, and that would work out. So it just became almost too obvious or I guess unrealistic. Believable but unrealistic.

It was interesting learning about the different levels and different kinds of law professionals there were. There was the solicitor and then the actual lawyer and the different judges. There were a ton of hoops you had to go through. If we think our justice system is a bit wacky now, it was so crazy back then! And the neptism that went on. Good grief. I found it really interesting to learn about.

This was a great quick and fairly light read. So if you want a nice quick mystery/vigilante justice read, this is the one for you.

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and Joe Layden

from goodreads

4 stars

I love The Princess Bride. I first saw the movie when I was 6 or 7. I have seen it many times since. For the longest time I would hide my face when the part of the old woman who booed Buttercup would come on because let's face it, that lady was scary! Now, my kids love watching it. They will even choose it over Frozen (and for any of you who have young daughters you will know what a feat that is).


I'm not sure what it is about The Princess Bride that makes it so memorable and lovable. It has an almost magical quality about it that makes you fall in love with it all over again every time you watch it. There is something for everyone in that movie. Whether you love beautiful princesses, pirates, giants, feats of athleticism, revenge or quirky secondary characters, this movie has it all. So I invite you, if you haven't seen this movie or if you haven't watched it in a while, to watch it. It is the best. Also, if you haven't read the book by William Goldman you should. I found it helped me understand the characters that much better and thus helped me appreciate the movie on a whole new level.

Synopsis

Cary Elwes, who played Westley in The Princess Bride reminisces about his time on set. Interspersed throughout the book are memories from the rest of the cast as well as some of the crew.

My Thoughts

I probably rated this book higher than what others might have. It isn't the best memoir I have ever read. The writing isn't out of this world. I just love Cary Elwes and I love The Princess Bride so I had to give it a high rating.


I love learning about behind the scenes things of movies. I am probably the only person who actually watches those features on every single dvd. I love watching interviews where you get little tidbits. I'm not sure when all this information will come in handy, but you never know. Thus, this book was right up my ally. Not only did you get Elwes' view on things, but you also got Rob Reiner's (the director), Billy Crystal's, Mandy Patinkin's, William Goldman's (screenwriter, also author of the book), Robin Wright's and more.

It was awesome to see how much training and work went into everything. I loved the stories about Andre the Giant. What a gentle soul he seemed. I loved learning about Elwes' injury, not because I am happy he was injured, but more I wondered why he sat so weirdly during one of the scenes, and now I know why.

Some of the stories told weren't new, as I have watched documentaries etc., but it was neat getting a new perspective on them.

The book is somewhat repetative. I'm not sure how many times we had to be told how nice Rob Reiner was or how much everyone just got along... but it was a lot. I'm glad they had such a nice time shooting and things were always so great, but seriously... we get it. Also, Elwes would always mention how happy he was to work with someone because he loved their work. Well I am not a movie buff so for a lot of people I didn't know of their work. I am interested to learn more, but reading it I was like they were in something other than Princess Bride?! Who knew. So, ya. The name dropping and comments on their work felt weird, because I wasn't sure if he was being serious or making it up.

Other than that, any fan of the movie is going to love this book. Seriously, read this book. You will be laughing and thrilled at the same time. You also might never watch the movie in quite the same way again (but you will still love it.)

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

from goodreads

4 stars

I have come to realize that I really have no life. Well, okay I do have one, but it is amazing how much of it revolves around books. If I am on the computer I have to check the status of my holds at the library or see updates on my goodreads feed. It is weird I know but that's the way it is. And you should see me if I know a book I really want to read is about to come out. I am checking at the library weeks before the release date to see if I can reserve it. Usually my perseverance pays off and I am able to be the first one to check it out! That's right, those bent pages and broken spines are all me (well I would actually never do that, but you know what I mean). But seriously, in the grand scheme of things it won't matter if I was the first person to check a book out at my library. No one else will now of that prestigious honour but me. But, when you are a book lover... that sensation just can't be beat.

*** Just a notice that I will not be doing my picture book review on Tuesday, instead I will be doing another chapter book. I have been reading so quickly lately I am like 6 books behind of where I actually am. The picture book reviews will resume the following Tuesday April 14th. ***



Synopsis

This is a prequel to Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicles. This book looks at Queen Levana's life before she became queen. We see how she was moulded into what she would ultimately become.

My Thoughts

While I am impatiently waiting for Winter to be published, and sad of the delay this book has caused in that, I did really enjoy it.

I enjoyed learning about Levana's life and how her history really shaped the character we see in the rest of the series. You feel sorry for her. She had parents who didn't care for her. She had a sister who was rude and abusive and disfigured her. (Now we know about the need to cover her face all the time.) She was in love, and yet, did not understand what love really was. She wanted things so much but didn't know how to really give of herself and be trusting, though you can't really blame her.

Through this book Levana definitely becomes humanized. It gives her character new depth. It is also interesting to see how long some of these lunar plans have been in the works, such as the plague and the army of super soldiers.

Fans of the series are going to enjoy this book immensely. Even though it is a prequel I would not read this before Cinder or even Scarlet. I think it is important to see Levana first in those books and know the society through Cinder and Scarlet first and then go back to see the lunar perspective. This was definitely published at the right time. Now it is just a waiting game for Winter, which is supposed to be published in November.