Another book that has potential and then just fizzled out for me was The Yin-Yang Sisters and the Dragon Frightful. It was another book that I thought pages had stuck together, I had missed something or if the unfinished copy had pages go out of order. I could tell that Nancy Tupper Ling had put in a lot of effort into her text, but sadly, it was lost on me. I just could not get into it. It was Andrea Offermann’s illustrations that made the […]
Love can overcome any obstacle
This is my SHINY SHINY SHINY book While I really enjoyed Echo’s Sister by Paul Moiser, the writing is in a “debut author” style (meaning it can be a little “unsmooth” at times) even though this is his second book. It is also overly optimistic and “sweet” while dealing with a tough subject. With all that said, it is aimed perfectly at the audience of ages (high reader or concept understanding) 8 or 9-year-old up to about 10 years old. However, a slightly older […]
Hazel and Twig: The Birthday Fortune
Twig follows her big sister Hazel all over the place. She is little so sometimes she is unable to keep up with Hazel, but she tries. And she does not know the difference between flowers and weeds (yet their mother loves both of their gifts). She has her big sister, Hazel, to teach her. When it is time for Twig’s first birthday, everyone (especially Hazel) is wondering what she will choose at her doljabi ceremony (a ceremony that will predict the future of that person). […]
A Nazi is a Nazi is a Nazi
I absolutely hate reading books about war because they upset me so much. I usually end up angry and crying. Or angry and with a headache because I’m trying not to cry. Basically, it all just upsets the crap out of me and I don’t like it. The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah, is no exception. I didn’t think it would be and although it was on my To-Read list, I probably wouldn’t have gotten around to reading it if it wasn’t selected by my book […]
An ugly, ugly book
I’ll open this review by saying I have a very low tolerance for books or movies that feature torture. I just don’t want those images in my head. I don’t want to think about the fact that human beings do such depraved and terrible things to other human beings. I don’t want to think about the fact that people’s last hours have been filled with pain and horror initiated by the whims of another person. I don’t even want to think about how an author […]
A truth universally acknowledged: dating is hard.
I enjoyed this book immensely but I have some issues with the style and also with the ending. Still, I heartily recommend it if you want a light, fun read that tells a story from a point of view many of us are not familiar with: a thirty something Muslim woman who is devout and modern at the same time. Sofia Khan works in publishing. She’s newly single and her sister is getting married. Her parents worry that she will never find a husband and […]