Local Customs by Audrey Thomas

from goodreads

4 stars

It is the last week before school and I am ready. I love my kids. I want the best for them and I am trying to mould them into functioning members of society. (Even though sometimes I'm wondering how well I am actually doing at that goal.) But I am ready to have a bit of time away from them. Because of Mr. S, we have been homebodies for a lot of the summer. All my fantastic pinterest plans went down the tubes as I had no desire to get anything ready. When night time comes and the kids are in bed, I am ready for a break. When during the day they are watching a movie and Mr. S. is down for a nap, I am ready for a break. The gumption just is not there. Because of this inaction the kids are starting to get a bit antsy. Home is only so cool.

The kids are ready for school too. I think they are excited to see their friends, meet their teacher and have a break from their overbearing mother. I think we need breaks to truly appreciate what we have. And maybe, once the kids are in school, I will start my plans for next summer.

Synopsis

This historical fiction takes a look at the life of Letitia Landon, a writer from the 1800s, who is thirty-six and feels she will never marry. She meets Governor George McClean of Cape Coast Castle which is on the Gold Coast of Africa. Eight weeks after she is married she is dead. Letitia speaks from the grave to look at the circumstances surrounding her death.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it was written in different voices. You really got a sense of what was happening not only in Letitia's life but also outside of the British fort. The use of different voices helped to show the different cultures that were on the Gold Coast. The native cultures, the British military culture and the religious culture. Each viewed the other in different ways and interacted with each other differently too.

I loved how the cause of death was hinted at from various people. Was it suicide? Was it a tropical disease? Did she have an underlying health problem? Was it murder? We don't know but it is interesting to speculate.

I liked how this book was truly a story. It was not inundated with information. We got what we needed and nothing more. That was lovely. It really fit in with the mystique of the landscape. You aren't reading this to become educated, you are reading this to be entertained.

This was a delightful quick read with a bit of a Woman in White flair. A great summer read.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

from goodreads

4 stars

When you were younger did you ever see other kids' parents and wish they were yours? It might have been the cool mom, or the industrious mom. It might have been the kid who had the coolest clothes or had their hair crimped. (Remember the crimping phase?) The briefest glimpse we got of other people's mothers made us envious and wish our mom was as awesome. For surely those moms never made their kids eat their vegetables or tidy their rooms. It was probably all fun and giggles.

As we grew up and as a parent ourselves we realise that there is no perfect mom. They all have issues and struggles. They are all going to insist on eating vegetables and tidying rooms. Sometimes when we see kids with all the cool gadgets that is often a way for the parent to make up for time away or feelings of guilt or to make the kids be quiet while the parent gets on with their life.

We all have our moments of parenting glory and parenting embarrassment. I know I will not be honoured for the mom of the year award... probably ever. And you know what that's okay. I know I am trying the best I can in the moment and that's all that can be asked of me or anyone. And I know, or at least hope, that someday my kids will understand that and then in their eyes I will be the awesome mom they always wanted.

Synopsis

Coraline feels a bit neglected by her always working, weird food eating parents. She discovers a mirror world with the perfect mother... or so she thinks.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. I am a bit late on the Neil Gaiman scene, but I definitely need to read more from him.

As a parent reading this book it helped to show life through a child's perspective. Sometimes when we become an adult we forget what it was like to be a kid, or sometimes adult concerns overwhelm us that we forget to take a moment and just be and let our kids be kids. This book helped me think about the actions I do each day and ask myself, Am I being neglectful? Am I meeting their emotional needs?

This book was a great way to show kids and adults alike that things that seem perfect aren't always what they seem. We all have problems, some just show more than others.

I liked the whole quest part that Coraline must go on. The goal she had kept her focused and kept her from getting distracted. The rock with the hole in it that helped her see clearly helps us know that when we are unsure about something there is always a way to see clearly.

This book offers great insight to the modern family. Yes work is important, yes our own interests are important, but kids and their likes and dislikes are just as valid an important. We need to find a balance so that everyone can feel loved and heard.

This is a great book. I would think kids 9 and up would enjoy it. Their are some creepy bits and some of the pictures in my copy where a bit creepy (even for me), but it is definitely worth the read.

Birdie by Tracey Lindberg

from goodreads

2 stars

I love watching the Olympics. Not only do you get to watch incredible physical feats, I get to read during the commercials. It's amazing how much reading I was actually able to accomplish. It takes so long to set up some events that I can read during that part too! Now if only their was an Olympic event for reading. That is a competition I could get behind. Marathon reading perhaps?

Synopsis

Birdie goes into herself and travels through her past. She is able to confront the demons that have been plaguing her.

My Thoughts

This book had so much potential but to me just fell flat.

This seemed to be the same story as so many others. A troubled woman, alcohol problems, sexual abuse and the desire to put her life together. While these things are prevalent in society, especially and unfortunately in Aboriginal communities, and we should know about them and deal with these issues as a society, the presence of them in this story made the story seem inevitable and predictable. You knew where things were headed and the climax confrontation with the uncle was not at all surprising.

The story was also hard to follow at times. You skipped around different timelines quite a bit and it was at times confusing. It took a while to sort out where you were.

I appreciated how the author showed why foster systems do not always work and it allowed a conversation to be had in that regard.

I had high hopes going in but it just didn't live up to my expectations. It could have been so much more.

If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School Don't! and If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach Don't by Elise Parsley

from goodreads

5 stars

As a parent I have come to the understanding that kids aren't going to believe you or at least will take what you say with a healthy dose of skepticism. I don't know why that is. I don't lead them astray, yet with everything I say or try to convey to them I can see their inner dialogue going "sure mom, like that's true".

I am sure I am not the only parent who have kids like that. When you tell them something isn't a good idea, but they have to do it anyway as if it is something to prove. And when you the parent are proven right, it doesn't change things. That skepticism will remain. My hope is that when they are older, perhaps when they have their own kids, it might go a way, at least a little bit. Until then I'll just keep on trucking.

Synospis

These books centre around a girl named Magnolia as she gives us some very sage advice.

My Thoughts
These books are such a fun read. My kids enjoyed reading them and I enjoyed reading them. I even made my husband read the piano one and I heard him chuckle.

The alligator one is more geared to the children's audience. A teacher or school administrator might appreciate it as well. It is still funny and enjoyable on many levels.

My favourite of the two is the one about the piano at the beach. Why? Well first of all it is ridiculous thinking about getting an upright grand to the beach, and that is kind of the point. Second how many times have we said "don't bring that" to our kids and then when they remained insistent we said, "You have to carry it and make sure it doesn't get lost. You are responsible."? The author does a great job at showing the logic behind why we suggest the kids leave their treasures at home. Since the kids laugh at what is going on it shows that they get the logic. It totally gets the whole parent-child struggle of having nice things and then seeing them lost or ruined. This book helps us recognise that the struggle is real and that we are not alone.

I totally recommend these books. Young and old will love them.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

from goodreads

3 stars

As a mom I get a lot of things wrong. Just ask my kids. Even when I think I am doing the right thing inevitably it turns out to be the wrong thing, at least in the eyes of my lovely daughters. But this summer I got one thing right, not sure if the kiddos agree, but this thing has saved my sanity.

After Mr. S was born and even now, each day feels like a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants day. I don't have too much planned. That mostly happens because I have no idea how my night will be and how I will feel in the morning. This boy likes to eat! So, while I could have the intentions of doing something epic that doesn't always turn out. I knew this would happen, but I didn't want my kids to be zombies and just sit in front of the screen. So, I made a list of things they had to do before they watched or played something on the screen. That has saved me such a headache of keeping track of screentime or figuring out if they should go on or not. They ask to watch a movie, I ask, "have you done your list?" and bam! the answer is made. Life is blissful. One of the items they have to do is read for 15 minutes. Well, usually they start reading and then they keep going and it isn't until late afternoon that they even think about screen time. Yay for reading and yay for less screen time!!!

Synopsis

The Kingdom of Lumatere has been over run, the royal family is dead and an impostor king is on the throne. When a curse was put upon the land a force kept those who were in the land in and those who were out of the land out. Many years later Finnikin and his mentor Lord Topher travel to find the lost guard and the lost prince so they can undo the curse and get their country back.

My Thoughts

This was an okay fantasy but definitely not my favourite.

I felt like I was just plunked down in the middle of the story that was already going on. There was not a lot of background or set up. You learned of things as you went along, sort of like piecing together a puzzle, but that caused the story to be a bit disjointed. Sometimes it was assumed you knew things and you didn't, or the characters felt some urgency for things, but you didn't get why. Because of this I didn't really engage with the characters until the last third of the book. I didn't know them earlier so it was hard for me to care about their plight.

I found the character Jalin annoying. Sure she had a method to her madness but seriously, communication would be nice and would have alleviated a lot of stress. She wants those around her to trust her but then she keeps doing things that betray their trust. It was quite weird.

I did like the world that they created. It was interesting and I liked the different countries and how you learned the plight of each one. Yet, it seemed to be only a 2-D rendering instead of the fully fleshed out version. Though, what I saw I liked.

This is the first of a series. It looks like the other books in the series have different protagonists so it might help with some of my criticisms. On a whole this was an interesting book, I just wished I had a bit more build up in the beginning instead of just being plunked in the middle of a story.

The Crown by Kiera Cass

from goodreads

4 stars

This week was fun. We went to Centre Island in Toronto. They have a small amusement park there that the girls had a blast at. We had a blast at it too. We went the day after the long weekend so it was not super crowded. A lot of rides barely had any line ups. And most of the rides were nestled amongst trees so the shade was super duper fantastic. My pale skin thanked it.

When we started feeling a bit hot we walked over to the beach and cooled off with a short swim and then went right back to the fun. While at the beach we saw people riding these really awesome bikes. They looked like mini golf carts and could have two people pedalling or four people pedalling. And what I thought was just a big basket in the front was actually a seat for young children. So my whole big family of six would have been able to fit in it! I think I know what we will be doing next year, riding around Centre Island in style!!

Synopsis

This is the concluding instalment of the Selection Series. Princess Eadlyn makes her choice.

My Thoughts

I did not like the book that came before this. The main character Eadlyn was really unlikeable and I didn't like how America was portrayed, I felt she had changed too much. So I was reading this book purely to know how it wrapped up, not because I really cared about the characters. But man, was I pleasantly surprised.

This was a very satisfying end to the series. Eadlyn came across in a way more likeable way. You actually are cheering her on and are hoping good things for her.

I liked the different twists and how Eadlyn did things her way. She did things I totally thought her parents would have done before her and I am still at a loss to why things hadn't changed as much between book three and four.

I wished I had reread book four because I forgot who some of the characters were and it took a bit of time to play catch up.

This, as with the other books in the series, is the perfect summer fluff reading. It is romance with a little political intrigue thrown in. If you are looking for more action and girl power read a different dystopian. This series is perfect in its simplicity and romance. It doesn't pretend to be more than what it is which means you can read and not think too hard about it and that type of book is definitely needed.