Book review - Nimona

Title: Nimona
Author: N D Stevenson
Genre: fantasy, graphic novel
Similar books: Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale
                     Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
Rating:

love, love, love it

Summary: For years, Lord Ballister Blackheart has been fighting against the Institution and his nemesis Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. It's a battle he never seems to win. Things might be changing now that he's met Nimona, a young shape-shifter with a taste for chaos and a mysterious past. Their partnership seems like a match made in heaven but as Nimona becomes increasingly unpredictable, Blackheart wonders if there are things she's not telling him, secrets that are more dangerous than the Institution.

My Opinion: I read this initially as a web-comic and fell in love after just a few pages. I'm thrilled to see it in print. Blackheart is the quintessential anti-hero. His goal is not to gain power or wealth but to point out the problems with the Institution and the failures of Goldenloin. Nimona is sharp, witty, and impulsive. Because it was originally published a page at a time, this graphic novel is particularly well paced. Each page tells what is essentially a complete thought, often ending in something of a mini-cliffhanger. The plot is both action oriented and thoughtful. It takes a hard look at the relationship between "heroes" and "villains." This is a book you can read repeatedly and continue to enjoy it.

Upcycled Sasquatch

Interestingly enough, this project started with a conversation with my nephew about Minions. We were discussing the idea of making a Minion marionette and trying to decide what you might use as a base. In the process, I remembered some old bolster pillows I had lying around and lamented that they were brown and furry.

Remembering those pillows, though, sparked an idea. Surely we could make them into something, maybe a puppet. A Sasquatch, we decided. We turned some vending machine capsules into giant wiggle eyes with some pompoms and craft foam. Some precision cuts, fabric scraps, and hot glue gave it a mouth. We made a single tooth out of a bit of craft foam. It took a bit of hunting to find just the right t-shirt to make his feet. We had combed the pillow to tidy the fur (a goal that turned out to be futile, as you can see from the pictures) resulting in little wads of loose fur. A tuft of that made great hair. It's actually a pretty simple project but we're thrilled with the results.
 

Best of all is the way he dances.

Book review - The Stellow Project

Title: The Stellow Project
Author: Shari Becker
Genre: mild sci-fi
Similar books: Revived by Cat Patrick
                     The Secret Under My Skin by Janet McNaughton
Rating:

not amazing, not terrible

Summary: Following the advice of her father, Lila packed up her little sister Flori and headed for their cabin in the mountains, thrying to stay a step ahead of a killer storm on track to hit their home in Manhattan. Their situation at the cabin quickly becomes dangerous as Lilah runs low on the medication that keeps her alive and their father fails to meet them as promised. When Lilah discovers that her father has been accused of an act of eco-terrorism, Lilah is desperate to save herself and her sister. This effort finds her mixed up with a secret research facility that may have ties to her father.

My opinion: I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the premise (though I loved it more at the beginning than I did as secrets began to be revealed). The characters are mostly likeable and complex. The plot is a little weak though. For a book that wants to be a thriller, the tension just isn't there. And there are too many questions and not nearly enough answers. Many characters draw conclusions about secrets with only the slimmest of evidence, conclusions that are seldom challenged or misled. It's a plot with great promise and may very well live up to that promise with future volumes. As it stands, though, I'm hesitant to commit to this series.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Petty Rathmann

Officer Buckle wants nothing more than to keep the residents of Napville safe. Unfortunately, his safety presentations put everyone to sleep. When he takes along Napville's new police dog, though, people start to take notice. Kids of all ages will delight in the highly expressive Gloria and the way she acts out all of the safety tips (#80 - Wipe up drool) which are included in the story and the cover liners. Some small kids enjoy this book but it is a somewhat subtle plot that relies on the text and images in concert to an extent that not all kids are able to understand. Even adults find this book charming.

Book review - Every Last Word

Title: Every Lasat Word
Author: Tamara Ireland Stone
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Life Unaware by Cole Gibsen
                     Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos
Rating:

excellently written

Summary: Samantha McAllister seems to have it all. One of the popular girls, she has the look and dates the right boys. She also has a big secret. Sam has Purely Obsessional OCD and her mind is overrun with dark thoughts, concerns, and an overwhelming need to know things about people. Hiding her OCD makes her life a careful balancing act. Then she meets Caroline, a girl who won't fit in with her other friends but whom Sam doesn't want to give up. Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner. It is among the misfits of Poet's Corner that Sam discovers a new side of herself - a side that she must might prefer.

My opinion: The most important thing to talk about with this book is Sam's portrayal. Yes, she has OCD but it doesn't solely define her. She's a popular girl wit ha secret. A solid student. A swimmer. A poet. Uncertain about her friendships. While OCD plays a role in a lot of those things, it doesn't completely control the plot. The point of her journey is discovering what is best for her, rather than what her friends approve of. Plot wise, this novel is solid. There is a twist so deftly written that I didn't begin to suspect it until the beginning of that chapter. While I might have liked to have seen a little more development of some of the secondary characters, I found this to be an amazing read which I can't wait to recommend to teen patrons.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Reading Challenge reflections

Though you are reading this Monday afternoon, I am writing it Sunday night and am still incredibly sleep deprived. Bear that in mind if this isn't particularly well written.

Now that I've had a little time to contemplate my reading challenge experience this year, I have to say I'm pretty pleased with my overall results. I removed caffeine from my diet for a week before the challenge so the 4 cups I drank during those 48 hours were far more effective. It also meant that when I had to work a 6 hour shift on Saturday (like I did last year) I was far more aware of what was happening around me instead of spending the shift in something of a fog. 

Most importantly, I learned a lot last year about my to read pile. Last year I alternated longer books and shorter books so I'd feel like I was making more progress. It worked really well for the first 24 hours but that second day, with so little sleep, I struggled to process the longer books. 

So, this year I built my stack with all of the long books to be read on the first day. For the most part, it was an effective strategy. I still struggled with the last few, but that was likely to happen no matter what book I was reading. I had a few longer books at the bottom of my stack because I honestly didn't expect to get that far. So, when I made it to Razorhurst at 3:00am Sunday, I made it maybe 2 chapters before I had to give it up and select something else. 

In all, I think if I participate in this challenge again next year my approach will be pretty much the same. Its not easy but it's very satisfying when you hit one of your goals.

Finish Line

This is it! The end of my 48 hours. I've surpassed my both of my goals, having read more titles and more hours than last year. This year I read and reviewed 16 books, leaving just 2 of my pile (plus my 5 back-up books) unread. I also got through 4 1/2 discs of the audio book of The Diviners (which really is horrendously long at 15 discs/18 hours). By my best accounting, I spent 38 hours and 45 minutes reading and reviewing.


I realize this is the same photo I used for my starting line post but, disregarding the audio book at the top, this is my completed list (with the addition of 3 e-books: The Disappearance of Emily H., The Doubt Factory, and Out of the Dragon's Mouth.)

I'll likely do a more in depth look at my experience later today or perhaps Monday, once I've had a chance to sleep.