Listen with me

 

The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He

 I debated whether to read this one for a while. I kept concluding that it "looked boring". And I wasn't sure where that opinion was coming from. I'm usually far more motivated by title and description than cover. I've concluded that it reminds me of this cover:

A book that was recommended to me by at least two teachers in middle school and that I should have enjoyed since I was really into survival stories at the time but that I always put down after a chapter or two.

Once I was able to dismiss that random association, I felt like I was ready to take on this story of a missing teen, memory loss, a mysterious island, and a near future city desperate to save the world from climate change no matter the cost. 

Listen along with me if you can. And let me know - should I give Julie of the Wolves another chance now?
 

Book review - The Red Palace

 

Title: The Red Palace

Author: June Jur

Genre: historical fiction/mystery

Similar books: Empress in Disguise by Amanda Roberts

                     Queen of Someday by Sherry D Ficklin

Rating:

 

interesting history combined with a decent mystery

Summary (provide by publisher): To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood...
Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval.
But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.
In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.

My opinion: I'll be the first to admit that I know almost nothing about modern Korean culture, much less about history. So this novel is a pretty interesting look at the larger world. That was, to me, the real selling point here. The mystery is fine. But the investigation introduces the reader to the intricacies of culture, to taboos and social rules. The roles of women and the careful class structures. The characters are decent and the plot wraps up in a neat and satisfactory way.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Fresh jam

 Have you ever made chia seed jam? If not, let me suggest that you try it ASAP. It's super easy and you can make just a single jar so there is no flavor fatigue or need to come up with a bunch of recipes that call for jam.

The recipe I used calls for 3 cups of frozen fruit (I used blueberries and ground cherries), 2 tablespoons of honey, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of chia seeds. That's it. And it made enough jam to fill the Smuckers jar I had just emptied.

 

 

Note, there are no preservatives in this jam so it won't keep long even in the refrigerator. Use or freeze within a week.

 

 

delicious on sourdough toast

Pick 6 - series

There's something wonderful about finding a good series. A solid adventure with the promise of more to come or beloved characters who we get to visit repeatedly. Especially for young or reluctant readers, if you can get someone started on a series you've guaranteed months of reading. With that in mind, here are six new books that are part of series.

Six new series books or sequels

1. The Mythics by Lauren Magaziner
2. Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
3. Suitehearts by Claire Kann
4. You Won't Believe This by Adam Baron
5. Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag
6. Pluto Rocket: New in Town by Paul Gillian

And one bonus book coming out later this month: InvestiGators: Agents of S.U.I.T by John Patrick Green

Non fiction book review - A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress

 

A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress by Gretchen Woelfle

I'm willing to bet most of us have not heard the name Jeannette Rankin. She's not a figure often mentioned in our history classes which is a real shame. Not only is she an important figure in the suffrage movement, she's a great example of making real change in the world. When she saw a problem, an injustice, she didn't bemoan it. She set about changing it. This is a simple, easy to follow narrative with messaging that will be easily understood by younger children but won't talk down to older kids. 

More information: This book releases February 7.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Virtually Me

 

Title: Virtually Me

Author: Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Captain Superlative by J S Puller

                     Shine by J J Grabenstein

Rating: 

 

a decent approach to a familiar concept

Summary (provided by publisher): This school year, Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter will be wearing virtual-reality headsets and attending a three-dimensional, simulated school while interacting as avatars. Having a customized avatar is a bonus as some students want to hide behind a new identity.

Bradley is eager for a brand-new identity. A cool avatar will allow him to escape the bullies who have made fun of him for years and gives him a fresh start to make new friends on his own terms.

Edelle is forced to attend the virtual school by her mom who says she’s too obsessed with being at the top of the “Best-Looking Girls” list circulating at school. Even worse, Edelle’s mom insists she chooses a generic avatar. Mortified by how her avatar looks, Edelle registers under a new name so no one can identify her. But will she lose her prized social status if no one can recognize her?
Hunter is known for his popularity, charm, and his lustrous mane of hair, except with his recent diagnosis of alopecia, his hair has begun to fall out, even his eyebrows. VR school allows him to maintain his popularity—and the illusion of a full head of hair—even if it means hiding behind an avatar. He tells his friends that once his grades are back up, he’ll return to school in person. But he wonders how being isolated will affect his relationships.
As Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter get to know each other in their virtual environment, they realize that the school is not all fun and games and the simulated environment just brings different problems than an in-person school. Each student will see themselves and their world through a new lens as they learn about what true friendship means and the difference between fitting in and belonging.

My opinion: Middle school stories tend to focus on one of three things: popularity, becoming comfortable with your identity, and hiding a secret you think will mark you as too different. This book hits on all three while also giving us a sort of idealized school environment. It is the best possible version of virtual schooling and what we would wish for all of our kids. Now, given that the "issues" addressed by the plot we won't be surprised by most of the directions that the plot takes. The characters develop in pretty predictable ways and thus don't have much depth. Even so, there is enough novelty to the plot to keep the reader engaged. It's worth a look, especially if you have a young reader who needs some encouragement in the direction of considering the difference between public perception and a person's internal reality.

More information: Virtually Me releases February 7.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Small basket

 Just after Christmas I shared with you my first attempt at nalbinding. Today I bring you my first completed project - a little basket. I didn't work from a proper pattern, just made a loop that looked big enough (big enough for what - I have no idea) and worked it until it seemed a good size. This little basked is made from strips of old t-shirt. I'm not sure what I'll do with it exactly, though it happens to be almost perfectly sized for the glass dishes that I pack my lunches in, so it might become a microwave cozy.