Saturday, November 14, 2015

Review: The Truth About Twinkie Pie

The Truth About Twinkie Pie The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has a too cutesy cover for me, which would have normally turned me away from it. Luckily, the book itself has more to it than that. It is not a classic for me, but it is much more worthwhile than I expected - coming of age story for more than the MC.

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Review: Where I Belong

Where I Belong Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

During the first part of this book, I thought many of the characters were very stereotyped and lacking empathy for the MC. Interestingly, after I have finished it and am now reflecting on it, I am seeing this as very astute reflections of his own perceptions. The characters in his life gain more depth and nuance as he is able to see them better.



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Review: WuMo: Something Is Wrong

WuMo: Something Is Wrong WuMo: Something Is Wrong by Mikael Wulff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some of these really hit the mark. Enjoyed.

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Sunday, November 8, 2015

Review: Not Funny Ha-Ha: A Handbook for Something Hard

Not Funny Ha-Ha: A Handbook for Something Hard Not Funny Ha-Ha: A Handbook for Something Hard by Leah Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a straightforward book, addressing in simple form a very limited topic: medical and surgical abortion. It doesn't espouse a point of view, but rather explains several key things to expect when a woman decides to have an abortion. I will never need to use the information personally - I am beyond that stage in life, but I am glad that this book exists.

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Saturday, November 7, 2015

Review: And Tango Makes Three

And Tango Makes Three And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This a simple sweet story about two gay penguins raising the extra egg of a heterosexual pair. Enjoyable.

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Review: James Mollison: Playground

James Mollison: Playground James Mollison: Playground by Jon Ronson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is one of the genre where the author takes photographs of people and cultures around the world for purposes of description, comparison, and illustration. The first one of those that I remember reading was Material World: A Global Family Portrait, where families around the world took all of their possessions out of their houses and put them in front of their houses to be photographed. There have been others since then - at least one having to do with the food consumed in a week, I believe.

In this book, the photographer presents pictures of playgrounds in schools around the world, when the children were out at recess. Although I would have loved to have a wider range of examples of different schools and cultures, I think that is, in part, because I found it so intriguing that I just wanted more. My analytical self would love to measure all sorts of things with regard to the kids and cultures photographed: how many pictures show adults supervising the recess? how many show physical aggression? how big is the playing space? what types of structures are available for play? how close together are the students? how many students seem to be in groups? how many seem to be playing alone? are there differences between schools with all boys and schools with both boys and girls? on and on.

Too bad this book has to go back to the library.

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Monday, November 2, 2015

Review: Breaking Stalin's Nose

Breaking Stalin's Nose Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This excellent book is a great example of historical fiction and it is carefully written to bring children to the understanding of the seriousness and awfulness of the times, without being too graphic. Kids who aren't quite ready to contemplate the probable outcomes of all the arrests can readily believe that the arrested people are imprisoned. Others will understand the more likely subsequent events.

This might make an excellent read aloud, with students discussing how confusion, fear, and doubt are used by the people in authority to keep the citizens in line. The ethics of lying and/or telling the truth would also make a good discussion.

Very worthwhile.

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Sunday, September 27, 2015

Review: Firefly Hollow

Firefly Hollow Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was a little too sweet for me, but I did like the fact that each of the animal characters had to adjust their expectations and goals.

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Review: From Anna

From Anna From Anna by Jean Little
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, with its realistic description of the effects of a disability - in this case poor/limited eyesight. Nice family dynamics.

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Friday, September 4, 2015

Review: Nooks & Crannies

Nooks & Crannies Nooks & Crannies by Jessica Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not sure why I didn't expect that much of this book - maybe because I just saw it in the library and hadn't heard anyone talk about it. But I ended up liking it quite a bit. Yes, some of the characterizations are a tiny bit over done, but that is almost necessary in order to follow the clues in this mystery. I think this would make a fun read-aloud for 4th or 5th graders. There is a lot they could speculate about in terms of what is going on. Enjoyable.

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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Review: Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep

Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep by Gail Carson Levine
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I normally like re-imagined fairy tales and I like a lot of Gail Carson Levine's work, but this isn't one of my favorites. Part of the reason is my own bias about especially smart people. I actually LIKE them.

One of the fairies gives Sonora the gift of being 10 times as smart as everyone else. That means, according to popular imagery, that she is an obnoxious know-it-all, even as an infant. She even makes up answers to a few questions that are quite wrong, but she, and everyone else, takes them as word, since she is so much smarter than everyone else. Princess Sonora's intelligent brain makes everyone dislike her and she has no friends - not even her parents who also don't want to be around her or listen to her. Sigh.

Prince Christopher, who did not get any fairy blessings, is depicted as naturally curious. He loves to ask questions and listen to the answers. So, the smart guy is OK; the smart girl is obnoxious. Sigh, again.

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Review: George

George George by Alex Gino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is going to be a difficult review. The topic of transgender kids still is a bit uncomfortable to me. Part of the reason is that the idea of gender for kids is often much too stereotyped for my liking. When my own children were little, each one of them went through what I call the gender identification stage - the stage where, even though previously all they wanted to wear was pants or shorts, they now needed to wear dresses. I am not sure where they got the idea that girls needed to wear dresses; I VERY seldom do. Then, they each got over that stage and went back to wearing mostly pants. Neither one seemed especially interested in the makeup part of femininity, because I don't use makeup either. But dresses and makeup seem to be often the whole outward manifestations of femininity. So, to some extent, I find that cultural expectations are tied up with the transgender choices. And it makes me think: what is it that makes a child feel like they are the wrong gender? This book doesn't really answer that question for me. It assumes that the outward manifestations of gender - clothes and makeup - are the most important parts. If that were true, then I should identify as male, since I prefer pants and don't use makeup. I do not wear high heels and I do not enjoy shopping. There has to be more to gender identification than those outward signs, but what. Motherhood, certainly. But what about people who don't have children? What does femininity mean?

I guess I have to give the book credit for at least causing me to wonder about all of this.

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Saturday, August 29, 2015

Review: A Handful of Stars

A Handful of Stars A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not a big fan of dogs or dog books, but I have to admit I enjoyed this one. I like the realistic and honest characterizations of the main characters. The book feels real and speaks to some typical problems of this age group. And I like the honest resolution. Worth reading.

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Thursday, August 27, 2015

Review: All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that I wish I liked better, because it is so well written and it has such emotional depth. But the truth is, I couldn't wait to finish it. I just wanted to find out what happened and not have to read through all of the extremely well-written, but lengthy parts. I guess I should stick to children's books.

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Thursday, August 20, 2015

Review: Thursdays with the Crown

Thursdays with the Crown Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The logic behind some of the plot twists in this book sort of went by me without registering, but it is interesting enough that I did keep reading. It will appeal to middle grade readers. Not a huge amount of depth, but still a fun read.

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Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Review: Ms. Rapscott's Girls

Ms. Rapscott's Girls Ms. Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an enjoyable book for middle grade readers. The full name of the school that Ms. Rapscott runs is Great Rapscott School for Girls of Busy Parents. While the premise is a bit sad - the parents of these girls are too busy to take care of them, the book takes a light-hearted approach to teaching them some much needed life skills. It it just tongue-in-cheek enough that it doesn't seem didactic. Fun and a quick read.

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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Review: Anastasia Krupnik

Anastasia Krupnik Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was recently looking at a web page that compared the covers from various editions of this book http://comparativecoverart.tumblr.com and this spurred me on to read this book again. Lately, I have been wanting to read some old favorites, anyway. They seem to be soothing to me, when I am disappointed that I don't especially like books that others are raving about. At any rate, I enjoyed my re-read of Anastasia. It is a straightforward, old-fashioned, comforting book about family and about changing your mind about things in life.

But, I must say, I agree with the Comparative Cover Art person: they never DO get Anastasia's hair color right on the covers. This wouldn't be a big deal, except that her hair color IS mentioned over and over again and is one of the connections between Anastasia, her father, her grandparents, and, yes, her new baby brother.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Review: The Penderwicks in Spring


The Penderwicks in Spring
The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you are longing for a book that is more in the old style - every day exploits of a large family - then this book might be for you. It is a gentle, feel-good tale with genuinely nice people. And well, one stuck up jerk, but he plays a minor part.

The book is the fourth in a series about the Penderwicks and it really helps to have read the previous books, because there are SO MANY characters in this book. In fact, in a way, the plethora of characters helps to reinforce Batty's feeling of being overwhelmed by people and needing an escape.

It took a while for me to get into this story; it seemed to ramble around a lot. But eventually, I did really enjoy it. It is a comforting book, when so many books these days seem to be confrontational - addressing serious problems and injustices. Those are important, but sometimes, I just need a nice book.



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Thursday, April 23, 2015

Review: Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator Is Changing the World


Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator Is Changing the World
Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator Is Changing the World by Jack Andraka

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I don't suppose this book will win any literary awards, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it - mostly for its complete candor and resounding enthusiasm. Jack almost bursts out of the pages and says, "Care about this!!!!!!!" His absolute commitment to science is a joy to experience.



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Saturday, April 11, 2015

Review: Best Australian Political Cartoons 2013


Best Australian Political Cartoons 2013
Best Australian Political Cartoons 2013 by Russ Radcliffe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I like getting to know a country through their books and through their humor. I have collected political cartoons from several countries, but I find that I can only really understand them if I know the language. Cartoons, in general, require not only the understanding of the language, but also a bit of understanding of cultural differences. I think this latter is what fascinates me about them. So, a bit reluctantly, I have limited my cartoon collection primarily to countries where I not only know the language, but also understand a bit of the culture, by virtue of travel there or study. The possible exception to this is that I have enjoyed the [b:Madam & Eve|6471236|Madam & Eve|S. Francis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1242373825s/6471236.jpg|278372] cartoons from South Africa.

This book is a bit less accessible to me. I have followed Australian politics a little - I have one Australian friend who is a Liberal and many who are on the Labor side - but I am not quite knowledgeable enough to get all of the nuances. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed puzzling over this collection. And when the plethora of scary and depressing books gets me down, at least there is something to laugh at when other countries are nearly as messed up as the United States.



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Thursday, March 26, 2015

Review: Withering-By-Sea


Withering-By-Sea
Withering-By-Sea by Judith Rossell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book started out slowly for me. It takes me a while to get into books that focus largely on the surroundings and obnoxious and caricatured people. But gradually it drew me into the story and the main characters. Mr. Capelli and his cats and Gert were a lot more interesting than the Character Train Aunts, and, indeed, The Professor. And now I will look forward to the second book eagerly.



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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Review: The Runaway King


The Runaway King
The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This book starts out slower than its predecessor (The False Prince), but it ends up with a LOT of action - almost too much for me. I am a rather wimpy reader and fighting makes me very anxious. Many people like this kind of excitement in their reading, but I don't. What I do like about this book is trying to understand Jaron's world from his point of view and trying to puzzle out what he should do next. I like his bravery and his honesty, yes, even when he deliberately lets people think something is true when he knows it isn't. He could set the record straight, but uses people's prejudices to further his cause.



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Monday, March 9, 2015

Review: Bella at Midnight


Bella at Midnight
Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is a version of the Cinderella tale, though it is altered almost beyond recognition. I found the multiple points of view a bit hard to follow at times, but it comes together eventually. Enjoyable.



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Friday, March 6, 2015

Review: Big Fat Disaster


Big Fat Disaster
Big Fat Disaster by Beth Fehlbaum

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I was a bit reluctant to read this book, since, as an adult, I have struggled many, many years with obesity. I have also grown wary of the common plot of redemption through discovering self-worth, where miraculously, the main character finds someone who believes in her and she finally is able to cure her eating disorder, lose weight, and make friends. And, to some extent, this book does actually end up following a lot of that formula.

But there is a lot more to the book than that and that redeemed it a lot for me. The reasons for the MC's binge eating were painful, but were tackled head on by the author. In fact, the book has a lot of the dialog that I, too, have had in my mind over and over again. My experience was nowhere near as bad as hers, but it has been similar enough that I not only recognized the feelings, but could completely understand her inability to escape them.

One of the problematic things about the book for me, though, is that I wanted to eat those Ding-Dongs, the bags of cookies, the doughnuts, etc. with her. I don't like icing, so that didn't appeal to me, but I can see a struggle with the cookie aisle in the grocery store coming on, with my next visit to the grocery store.

I just finished the book today. This is the type of book that takes a while to settle in my brain. These are my first thoughts, but time may alter them a bit.



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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Review: The False Prince


The False Prince
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I read this book in one day and really enjoyed it. It isn't a book with great deeper significance or long lasting messages, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I went looking for it at my local B & N store, with only the remembrance of what the cover looked like. I couldn't find it in the kids' section, but eventually located it in the teens' section. I think it reads a bit young compared to most of what I seem to find in YA these days, but I really LIKED that. A lot of YA has gotten too violent, too sexualized, and too dark for me. Give me a book like this any day. There is violence in the book, but the book isn't centrally focused on the violence. For me, there is a difference.

I will look for the sequels.

The first time I read this book, I read it for the story. The second time, almost immediately after finishing the book the first time, I read it to determine just how much Sage/Jaron was telling the truth throughout the book and how the author had managed that aspect of the story. I also began to see the reason why Sage always seemed so angry and defiant.

The third time I read it, I saw the hurt child behind the angry and defiant teen. The one who reluctantly gave up his childhood in loyalty to his country and his family.

Much enjoyed.




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Review: Finding the Worm


Finding the Worm
Finding the Worm by Mark Goldblatt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I was so annoyed with the slow pacing of this book for most of its pages, but then, somehow, it finally made sense in the end.



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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Review: The War that Saved My Life


The War that Saved My Life
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I can't help but contrast this book with another book that I just finished, [b:Fish In A Tree|22402972|Fish In A Tree|Lynda Mullaly Hunt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403181554s/22402972.jpg|41828131]. The settings and circumstances are unrelated, but the main characters' problems are surprisingly similar. The characters in this book felt much more real to me and I am trying to figure out why.

The main characters in each book suffer from a disability and their reactions are, for both, shame and the feeling of complete lack of self-worth. They each even had a caring adult rescue them from this feeling of debasement. And they also each had caring brothers to help them. But, for some reason, the people in this book seemed much less like stereotypes and more like real people. I think the "devil is in the details" - the subtle actions and reactions that made each person come to life in their own way.

If there is one note that sounded slightly off to me, it was the discovery of the German spy. But I will forgive that author that, because I found the rest of the book very satisfying. The part that seemed quite real to me was the main character's anger and refusal to accept her own growing sense of self-worth.



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Saturday, February 21, 2015

Review: Ruby's Wish


Ruby's Wish
Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is an compelling introduction to some cultural differences that might actually interest kids of our dominant (American) culture. I was especially intrigued by the description of the household, with the patriarch and all of his descendants. It could make for some wide-ranging discussions with students about gender roles and differences in values. Thought-provoking.



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Review: Fish in a Tree


Fish in a Tree
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This book was compelling enough that I listened to the whole thing in two days and it is an encouraging look at a whole bunch of different kids who eventually learn to value each others strengths. I think kids will probably enjoy it and be able to see themselves in at least one of the characters.

There are, however, some things that make me a bit uncomfortable about it. Several of the characters seem like caricatures of certain types of kids: the brain, the girl bully, the outspoken confident kid. Even Ally herself, seems in some ways to be a caricature of dyslexic kids. And, the interactions sometimes border on the saccharine.

The narration is good, but adds to the saccharine feel of the story line. A bit too sweet to be real.



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Friday, February 13, 2015

Review: Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama


Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama
Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama by Hester Bass

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I wanted to like this book better than I did. It is an important addition to books set in the Civil Rights era. But it just doesn't feel very compelling. The focus is on a series of events, so there isn't the identification with major characters and their doings and there isn't the suspense leading up to a single event. I am glad Huntsville escaped some of the more serious violence, but it just felt a bit detached to me.

That said, quite a few of my relatives live in the Huntsville area and it was interesting to be from that perspective.



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Thursday, January 22, 2015

Review: English as a Second Language


English as a Second Language
English as a Second Language by Megan Crane

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



This a fluff book that makes me very glad I am older and not worried about this sort of thing any more. It also makes me very grateful that I have a library to get books from, so that I don't have to feel guilty about paying money for them. That said, it is funny and accurate - if you're into younger adult (not young adult) angst.



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Review: Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale


Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale
Mrs. McCool and the Giant Cuhullin: An Irish Tale by Jessica Souhami

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I admit that I am not very knowledgeable about folk tales and this may well be an excellent example of an Irish folk tale, but it leaves me a bit uncomfortable. The first thing I wonder is why all these characters have magic in just one finger. Which leads me to wonder, which finger? Why the thumb or the little finger? Would kids think about magic in another finger that is typically used for expression in the US?

The second thing I wonder is why Finn is so clueless and so afraid. Sucking his thumb? It just doesn't make sense to me. I do think the wife is clever, but why do the men have to be depicted as being so easily duped and ineffectual.

And the solution, biting off the magic finger, strikes me as a bit gross and violent.

Yes, this is humorous, but I would not choose this book as a read aloud for young kids.



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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Review: The Journey Home, Stories of Compassion and Inspiration from AseraCare Hospice


The Journey Home, Stories of Compassion and Inspiration from AseraCare Hospice
The Journey Home, Stories of Compassion and Inspiration from AseraCare Hospice by John Ross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This is not a book I set out to read, but my mother is 99 and has recently been accepted for hospice care. One of the caregivers at her nursing home gave me this book and I read it while sitting beside my mom in the nursing home. The book is not intended to give the financial or medical aspects of end of life care, although sometimes it touches on them, but it is more an affirmation that this is an important part of life and that it can be comforting and not just distressing. The biggest plus for me is that it is filled with people and their stories. Each story is a bit different, but they add up to a supportive whole. My mother has entered hospice care when she is very severely affected by dementia, so she can't make any of her own decisions. I have been making a lot of her care decisions for the past few years, as her health care and financial power of attorney. This book is a support for the more personal aspects of care - emotional and religious. I found it worthwhile and comforting.



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Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Review: Pack of Dorks


Pack of Dorks
Pack of Dorks by Beth Vrabel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Coming on the heels of the book I read yesterday[b:Wildlife|22907574|Wildlife|Fiona Wood|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407833520s/22907574.jpg|18984490], this book seemed like deja vu. The themes of self-discovery, mean-girl "best friend", and finding a group of real friends were very similar. This book was written for a younger audience, though, so even though it starts out with an ill-considered kiss, that is the end of the sexual exploits. Also due to its younger audience, the book doesn't have the character depth of the previous one. The comparison is a bit unfair to Pack of Dorks, though, because it is actually a good story - and quite appropriate for the target age. Wildlife is definitely the more sophisticated, nuanced book, but it should be, since the audience is more mature readers.

One thing that was especially interesting to me was the inclusion of insight into the main character's own flaws. Rather that just pointing out the errors of other people's ways, she also acknowledges her own. Nice.

Minor gripe: I wish the author had managed to correct the MC's mistake in calling an epiphany a "litany".



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Monday, January 5, 2015

Review: Wildlife


Wildlife
Wildlife by Fiona Wood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Real, touching. This book is definitely about real life. There were places where it lagged for me a bit, so it probably should have only gotten 4 1/2 stars from me, but it was worth it.



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