Outsourced by Eric J. Gates

4,377 pages.

That was a number large enough, and out of context enough, as to be almost meaningless – until this morning. Now, I can tell you what 4,377 pages means.

4,377 pages means that if you think that the book you’ve been staying up too late reading can probably just be finished quickly because you are 77% of the way through – you are wrong.

4,377 pages means that even if it’s spring break and you can hear the kids happily playing upstairs, giving you no pressing need to get out of bed, you should not give in to the desire to know what happens next.

And 4,377 pages means that when you do finish it, because of course you will – it’s the dramatic conclusion, you will still be in the kitchen looking for your first cup of tea when there is a knock at the door. And even though you were expecting your friend, it will still be a little bit shocking.

FYI 4,377 pages on my Kindle app is a 364 page book. Had I been holding a paper copy I would have known that it’d be best not to finish the last 84 pages of a book before I brushed my teeth when company was on the way.

Thankfully, she’s a good friend.

Would I recommend it? When you read it, plan in some time for that ending. After all, if you consider that the story needs to wrap up a mass murdering assassin, a device that’s not quite within the realm of normal, which is being sought out by high ranking government intelligence, and two authors that have become mixed up in it all, 997 pages seems pretty minimal.

Extra thanks to Barb Taub (She’s a recurring theme lately, have you noticed that? Do you follow her blog yet?) for reviewing the book and to Eric J. Gates for hosting a giveaway with her.

While I did receive this book for free in the giveaway, this honest review was given just because I liked it!

The Jack of Souls by Stephen C. Merlino

Mar26

Harric is a good guy.

He saves damsels in distress because it’s the right thing to do. (And also, he likes girls.)

He’s joined up with folks who are off to save the land from evil. (But he needed to get out of town quick anyway.)

He keeps in contact with his mother. (Unfortunately she’s dead and working hard to kill him too.)

He thinks carefully about making the right decisions. (Except for those highly questionable situations that he dives headlong into.)

And he works hard selling his wares. (While he fleeces unsuspecting persons out of any money he can.)

I always like a book with a good guy don’t you?

Would I recommend it? This is far more than just a fantasy book with a good guy. It’s full of new worlds and magics, culture clashes and ideals, angry immortals and horses (it never hurts to have good horses)… it’s epic fantasy! I finished it, promptly took the book my husband was reading away and put this in his hands instead. If you’re a fantasy lover put this next on your list!

I’d also like to recommend popping over and reading Barb Taub’s book review and interview with the author but, unfortunately, it’s titled: “Don’t read this review…Go straight out and buy 5-star epic fantasy The Jack of Souls”

I feel that leaves you with two options:

Follow her advice and go buy the book.

Or, if you are one of those people who is terrible at doing what you are told, read it anyway, realize that she was right, and go buy the book. (That was me.)

But really, the choice is yours.

The Immortals by Tamora Pierce

Mar20

My first introduction to Tamora Pierce was in her Beka Cooper series. (You can read a review/movie rant here where I sort of talk about Terrier.) I was hooked and then delighted to discover another two dozen books by the same author, many set in the same world. I had reading to do!

Last year I binge read The Song of the Lioness Quartet and thoroughly enjoyed it. Then, last week, feeling under the weather, I got all four of The Immortals books from the library and promptly devoured them.

The Beka Cooper books (Terrier, Bloodhound and Mastiff) are, so far, still my favorite – as an adult. The Song of the Lioness quartet I enjoyed, but would have loved as a kid. The Immortals? The Immortals main character can talk to animals. I’d have been over the moon to have discovered this when it was written!

Would I recommend it? These are the kind of fun, strong, female character books that I can’t wait to introduce my own girls to. When I hand the first of these to them I’ll be crossing my fingers that at least one of my girls will like it as much as I do!

Brave Chicken Little by Robert Byrd

Feb25

Unlike one of my favorite childrens’ book recommenders over at What Is ML Reading?, I have never liked Chicken Little.

Chicken Little is, and I say this with years of chicken husbandry experience, an idiot – even for a chicken. Don’t even get me started on the rest of his feathered friends, the terrible repetition in the story and the way he (at least in modern versions) gets randomly saved from his stupidity by the king.

But, ML’s choices haven’t steered us wrong yet and before long my skeptical self had procured the book. I gathered the kids, braced myself and dove in.

Would I recommend it? Surprisingly, I would! I was very worried when the story opened the same way it always does but it got better, much better. If you are a fellow Chicken Little hater and need more convincing, give it a try for the illustrations, they are amazing!

Playing House by Donna Brown

Feb18

I can be a bit of a Goldilocks when faced with a new romance novel.

I held this new book in my hand hoping it would strike just the right balance…

That it would be a love story that wasn’t too sappy, but yet not too uptight.

I wished for romantic interludes that kept the bodice ripping to a minimum, but not so much as to be puritanical.

I looked at the cute cover hoping the plot would be realistic, but not to the point of boredom.

I wanted to fall in love with the characters, yet hoped those characters would have plenty of annoying, humanizing faults.

I longed for those characters to grow through painful experiences, but not so much trauma that it becomes hard to read.

And finally, I hoped that this book would know its own length. A story should never stretch itself too long or cut things off short.

Would I recommend it? Yes. This sweetly painful, refreshingly real, novella was, decidedly, just right!

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.

Minnie and Moo Will You Be My Valentine by Denys Cazet

Feb14

“Love is a Wool Sweater

No need for a zipper,

No need for a button,

When you sprout your own sweater

Around your own mutton. “

Happy Valentines Day!

P.S. If you haven’t checked out Minnie and Moo books you should they are our favorite of the ” I Can Read” type books!

Akarnae by Lynette Noni

Feb11

The evening I finished Akarnae I sat down in front of the fire to write, unordered thoughts swirling in my head.

Do I go with the, “It’s like Harry Potter mixed with X-Men and The Chronicles of Narnia” quote? Can I describe the pure awesomeness of Alex without giving things away? Characters, focus on characters. No friendships? The ways it’s better than typical young adult fantasy? The fun alternate world? The fantasticness that it is the first of a series…

Stymied by my enthusiasm, I decided to start at the beginning – the title.

People are going to need to know how to pronounce the title so they can find it and then tell all their friends about it.

I pulled the book out and started skimming through the first chapter knowing the phonetic spelling was hiding in it somewhere. Soon the skimming turned to reading, the pronunciation forgotten, and before I knew it I’d read the first quarter of the book again.

Would I recommend it? Just in case that wasn’t clear, let me tell you again. The evening I finished the book I sat down and accidentally re-read the first quarter of the book- after reading the entire thing in less than two days.

I really liked this book and, because I know you’re still wondering, it’s pronounced Ah-kar-nay.

Now you can go find it, tell your friends about it and then, this is the really important part, after you read it tell me so we can sit down and talk about all the things that make it awesome!

The Skeletons of Birkbury by Diana J. Febry

Jan28

A few weeks ago I posted a review of Bells on her Toes where I stated that my only disappointment was that I hadn’t read The Skeletons of Birkbury first. And Voila! Due to the wonders of the internet and kind authors, I have a new review for you…

This is one of those times where I’m just going to say we really shouldn’t judge the book by it’s cover. I mean look at the skeleton hand tree- that’s creepy and weird right? I didn’t even notice it at first glance. I just thought it was a really weird tree, but no, it’s a creepy weird tree. But I have great news for those of us who spend the Halloween season looking at our toes to avoid having to look at creepy weird decorations.

This book is neither creepy or weird.

In fact because it was so non-creepy, and quite the opposite of weird, I would say that you really should read it.

Once again Febry has written a story with enough suspense and drama that it will cause you to hold up your hand to your husband saying “Shhh- just hold on a second” while you finish a section. And, once again, she has done it with fascinating characters and investigations rather than insane murderers and gory scenes.

Would I recommend it? Yes, the book is completely lacking in skeleton hand trees and instead packed with a web of fantastic people and what makes them tick. Once again- my kind of mystery!

(If we are going to be all technical about things this book comes before Bells on her Toes so my “Once again…”‘s should have said something like, “Before she wrote that other really great book that I read first, she wrote this one which I should have read first and…” But that was too wordy – even for me. )

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.

Greenglass House by Kate Milford

Jan14

Bells on her Toes by Diana J. Febry

Jan7

I seem to be stuck with an unfortunate combination: the love of a good mystery and a proneness to an overactive, nightmare-inducing imagination. I blame Nancy Drew for my love of a good mystery with all its twists, turns, sleuthing and excitement. Unfortunately, now mysteries are often of the murder type, which plays to that overactive imagination of mine and so they aren’t my typical fare. Back, ages ago, when we had a TV I could occasionally be sucked into a random crime drama. I’d divide my time between watching icky things between my fingers, enjoying the thrill of the investigation and being majorly confused as to what sort of shenanigans the characters were up to outside their day jobs. I loved it and hated it all at the same time.

I am still tempted by the occasional murder mystery but now exclusively in the written format. Fortunately, books are always better and this one was no exception.

For starters I never had to read any of it from behind my fingers. Because, let’s face it, unless you are the Cat in the Hat, reading with your eyes shut tight makes the whole experience very difficult. I may never look at a pitchfork without wincing again but other than that minor incident the gore was kept to a minimum. The book focused on the sleuthing, investigating and the general fascinating rottenness and strangeness of humans pushed to their limits. You know, all the best parts. It did become apparent early on that this wasn’t the detective’s debut novel but unlike the television crime dramas I’ve seen, I was able to pick up the lines of their personal lives without a problem.

Would I recommend it? Its got twists, its got turns, it’s got drama and horses and tea and it didn’t give me a single nightmare. My only disappointment is that I didn’t read The Skeletons of Birkbury first.

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.