Book review - Soulprint

Title: Soulprint
Author: Megan Miranda
Genre: sci-fi
Similar books: Wanted: Dead or in Love by Kym Brunner
                     The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist
Rating:

Hard to believe

Summary: Alina has never had a normal life. For as long as she can remember she's lived on the island, contained for crimes committed in a previous life. When she receives a mysterious message telling her to be ready, Alina is off on the first adventure of her life, delving into her past self's secrets. She discovers a secret that could change the world.

My opinion: My problems with this book begin with the basic premise: scientists have been able to identify the soul in spinal fluid, thereby proving reincarnation. When I read that I was filled with questions, primarily how and why. the how is given the vague explanation of "markers" in spinal fluid. And I just can't think of why you'd even look for such a thing, especially in spinal fluid. There is no explanation given for that. Those unanswered questions meant that it was difficult for me to get really invested in the book. Once we got more into the action and the ideas of punishment and predestination I was more intrigued and the plot began to redeem itself. The large portion of the plot was pretty interesting and the tension was near perfect but that all fell apart near the climax. Add in some troubling plot holes ant that puts this book on very shaky footing for me.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

MIttens

This fall my sister asked for a warm pair of mittens. When I didn't find anything that fit the bill in stores I figured I'd make some. I used a basic mitten pattern and knit it in a soft bulky weight yarn. For extra warmth, I sewed liners out of fuzzy fleece left over from Fred the goat. They are very thick and soft. And quite warm, I'm told.

Book review - The Question of Miracles

Title: The Question of Miracles
Author: Elana K. Arnold
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner
                     What I Came to Tell You by Tommy Hays
Rating:

really captured my attention

Summary: Iris hates her new life in Corvalis, Oregon. Her family's new house is much older than their house in California, cold and with different furniture that doesn't feel like home. It rains non-stop. Nothing has felt right since her best friend Sarah died. Then she meets Boris. Boris who has poor table manners, a know-it-all attitude, and no friends (but hanging out with him is better than eating alone). Boris who's medical miracle history just might make him the key to talking to Sarah one more time.

My opinion: Some books are able to help kids work through tough issues. This strikes me as one of those books. Elana Arnold explores Big Questions of life, death, and miracles. She doesn't attempt to give any concrete answers, just guides readers to the idea that we have to go on living after loss. The secondary characters don't have a huge amount of depth but personally I got so caught up in Iris's story that I didn't really notice this minor short-coming. Iris and her family are really charming. I really got caught up in their world. 
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Pick 6: Grief

I'm always interested to see how novels treat sensitive topics. They explore an issue like grief from a number of perspectives. Here are six novels written in the last six months that have grief as a central issue.

6 new novels about grief

1. Words and Their Meanings by Kate Bassett

2. Nest by Esther Erlich

3. The Odyssey of Falling by Paige Crutcher

4. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nivens

5. The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun Hutchinson

6. The Question of Miracles by Elana K. Arnold

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
Rock War by Robert Muchamore
Three teens in find themselves preparing for a Battle of the Bands. Jay dreams of being a rock star but he's held back by his large family and less than dedicated band mates. Summer's life has always been focused on school and taking care of her Nan. She joins a band just to give herself something more, but fear holds her back. Dylan would rather hang out and smoke than anything else but he'd rather be in a band than play rugby.
I'm pretty interested to see how these three stories develop and intertwine.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes
When she's caught shoplifting, Lex has just one chance to avoid a criminal record: work at the Smart Mart where she committed her crime. She expects it to be the worst summer of her life, surrounded by losers and weirdos. Smart Mart turns out not to be so bad, especially when she gets to know shy but fascinating Noah. If only Noah hadn't betrayed her best friend Bryce, making any crossover between her two worlds virtually impossible.
Certainly not my favorite read of the year. Paper or Plastic is a pretty standard teen romance. Useful for entertainment with a solid "awww" factor.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Blues for Zoey by Robert Paul Weston
Music and teens with big secrets. Could be fantastic. 

Book review - Clover's Luck

Title: Clover's Luck
Author: Kallie George
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner
                     Stranger Things by David Lubar
Rating:

good fun

Summary: Clover has always had bad luck, especially when it comes to pets. While trying to track down her escaped pet bird, Clover happens upon a sign for an animal adoption agency looking for a volunteer. When she checks it out, Clover is delighted to find the pets are unlike any she's ever seen. these pets are magic. Her new job will take all of Clover's wisdom, courage, and a little luck.

My opinion: This new series will be a great choice for magic lovers just beginning to read chapter books independently. Populated by wizards, witches, fairy horses, dragons, and even a magical toad, Clover's Luck has a rather enchanting atmosphere. With a clear plot and easily understood vocabulary, it is likely to go over well with young kids.

More information: Clover's Luck is the first book in the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Custom bags

While shopping at Dollar Tree this fall, I came across some nylon cinch bags. I'd been wanting to personalize some bags for a while and these seemed to fit the bill nicely. I did up some quick sketches and copied them onto the bags with fabric marker. I'm pretty happy with the result.

Samurai Sloth

My attempt at a pun. If you can't read it it says "A prime cut of beef"

A fancy lady giraffe