The Book of Storms by Ruth Hatfield

Posted on by LibrAriel Book Adventures

img_2051Title: The Book of Storms
Author: Ruth Hatfield
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pages: Print 357
Rating: ★★★★.5

Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion. I purchased a copy of this book on my own from book outlet. The comments in this review do not reflect the views of the author or the publisher.

This Middle-Grade fantasy fiction novel follows the life of Danny. He awakes one morning to find out that his parents are missing after a harsh storm that occurred the night prior. Danny searches outside in hopes of locating his parents and discovers the sycamore tree in his yard has been struck by lightning. As he examines the tree more closely, gazing upon the charcoal color, he finds a piece of the tree that looks different. Danny reaches to pick up the stick, and from that moment on he can hear the sounds of the earth. This startles him, and he takes the stick places it in his pocket and heads to school assuming his parents will be home when he returns. Danny returns home and realizes his parents are indeed missing. He must journey to find his parents and uncover their secrets. While searching his parent’s room for clues, he stumbles upon a journal that explains that his parents were storm chasers. With the help of the neighborhood cat, Mitzy, Danny journeys to the home of Abel Korsakof in hopes of discovering what the Book of Storms is. Danny must learn who to trust and who not to trust. He must also find his parents, the Book of Storms, and try not to be killed by Sammael. Will Danny see his parents or will he be killed?

Favorite Quotes:

“What would you do if you woke up and your mum was missing?”

Danny said this line to his cousin Tom after arriving at his Aunt’s farm.

“He waited for an uncountable time in the hop of seeing the earth re-form and rise up into the shape of the great gray dog he had loved, but there was nothing there.”

This was one of the saddest parts for me. Even though I know Sammael is the villain in this story, he still had a heart for his dog. I am assuming Sammael will seek vengeance for the death of his dog and still continue to try to control the storms.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a great story. I liked the way this book was written and felt the same feelings Danny felt. Danny was in complete shock at the beginning of the book, not realizing his parents were indeed missing. He struggled to come to terms with the fact that he had to journey alone to find them but continued to seek out help from others such as Mitzy and the creatures of the earth. I did not wholly understand the power that Sammael had or the importance of his dog, other than being a companion. I also did not understand the concept of a Lurcher and felt that could have been explained more in the book. Overall, I thought this book did a great job of capturing my attention and had me on the edge of my seat a good portion of the time. I recommend this book for anyone in middle school interested in a fantasy novel that focuses on the importance of working together. I assume the overall lesson in this book is not to give up and to seek out help when needed. It is also important to be careful who you trust because Tom made a mistake in this book towards the end and I am curious as to how his error will affect everyone else.

What would you do if you came home and your parents were missing?

ARC Review- Bringing Me Back

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img_2029Title: Bringing Me Back
Author: Beth Verabel
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Pages: Print 244
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion. I was provided a copy of this book from @KidLitExchange #partner in exchange for my honest review. Thanks again to @KidLitExchange  #partner for access to review a free copy of this book! The comments in this review do not reflect the views of the author or KidLitExchange. 

This Middle-Grade contemporary novel takes a realistic approach to connecting the life of a bear trapped in a bucket to the life of a young boy stuck in a small town. Noah is smart, quiet, once favorite seventh grader facing the challenge of another year of school. A mistake made during his previous school year not only cost the school their football team but also cost his mother her freedom. He is forced to pay for the mistakes made by his mother now being deemed an outcast in his town. In a school filled people who dislike him, he has one friend, Raina. Raina is a spunky, out-spoken, pre-teen who feels she is more cultured than any person in this entire school. She will do whatever it takes to get her message across to people, even if that means starting a school newspaper to spread the word. The town of Ashtown has a known problem with bears. The school begins an “ice-bucket themed” challenge to raise money for charity in hopes of appealing to the Football League to get the football team reinstated. This challenge has now caused a surplus of buckets around town, and a small cub seems to have its head caught in a bucket. As Raina and Noah try to save the cub, Jeff (Noah’s now guardian) seeks to help Noah mend his relationship with his mom. I recommend this novel to anyone who interested in a middle grade novel that focuses on forgiveness, dealing with guilt, and friendship. I recommend this book for any middle schooler having a hard time fitting in.

Quote Examination:

” The bear rose on her back feet, slamming down to her front paws so hard the impact echoes through the woods. Head swinging, she pawed the dirt in front of me with long, sharp claws. A fierce rumbling growl ripped through her and over me. That was it. We were both out of time.” Page One

Okay, let’s discuss this opening line in the book. This quote is directly from the first page of the book. First glance I was intrigued. This quote does a bit of foreshadowing of what is to come closer to the end of the novel.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I thought this novel was just okay. I did not completely dislike it, but I felt it could have developed more. There are a few areas that felt forced. I wanted a bit more character development of Diane, Noah’s mom. I would have liked more character development of the supporting characters in this novel as well, such as Jeff and Raina. These characters play a vital role in this book in supporting the main character and the development of the plot. Typically when I read any book made for teens or under I look for two things, the overall lesson and the intended influence. I assumed the experience was to find something you believe in and don’t let the struggles of things you can not control get you down. This is a great lesson to provide.

I am giving this book three stars because I can tell the author tried with this novel. The life lesson is present, but I did not entirely like the delivery or fully understand the purpose of the bear.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Posted on by LibrAriel Book Adventures

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Disclaimer: The opinions in this review are solely my opinions and do not reflect the views of the author. I purchased this book on my own from Barnes and Noble.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a Young Adult Contemporary Fiction novel. This novel follows the life of Melinda, an incoming freshman who faced challenges over the summer which have followed her into her new school year. Melinda starts the new school year as an outcast, not having any friends, people now stare, her old friends now snicker behind her back, and she is currently silent. She only speaks when it is necessary. Speak is a compelling novel regarding the challenges faced by those who harbor a secret that could affect many but most importantly the fear of sharing. Melinda has a dark secret she is afraid to share, and this secret is eating her up inside. She can’t seem to make friends or even talk with her parents. Her parents continue to argue with each other about Melinda’s situation as they watch her withdraw from social situations. Melinda’s grades are falling, she is skipping school, and hides any chance she can. Why won’t she speak? What is this secret? What will happen when she speaks? Unfortunately, I do not want to share too much information, but I recommend you read this book.

Overall, I thought this book is well written. This entire book had me on the edge of my seat. I thought it was different the book did not have chapters but separated by marking periods. The book is only 175 pages which made it a short read for me, but I did love the authors comments at the end. The author provided a question and answered at the end of the novel. I enjoyed learning about how she thought of the Melinda character, and I hope for another book that gives a glance at Melinda’s future after high school. I gave this book a four-star rating because it was a little bit predictable. I knew why Melinda was troubled and why she was an outcast from the beginning of the novel. There are numerous reasons why people tend to decide to go mute. Her reasoning was because of a traumatic event that occurs in the story. In the end, I wanted more action and more of a love story for Melinda and David. I wanted a little bit more happiness for Melinda, but I did like that the happiness wasn’t overbearing or unrealistic. I also wanted more added to the storyline, and i felt like there just was not enough in this book for me. I did however still love this book which why I did not give it a low rating.

I recommend this book to anyone who interested in reading a compelling contemporary novel that allows you to gain a better understanding of the effects traumatic events have on everyone involved.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

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Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Disclaimer: This review is solely my honest opinion. I purchased this book on my own from iBooks and checked out the audiobook from my local library. Here is a link for you to buy the book from Amazon. The opinions in this review do not reflect the views of the author.

The beginning half of this review gives you a background of the main two characters and gives away information about how the story begins but not how it ends. Proceed with caution as there is information that is not in the synopsis of the book. 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is an adult historical fiction novel that follows the life of Vianne Mauriac and her sister Isabelle during World War II in France. This compelling book showcases acts of kindness, bravery, struggle, and the real meaning of family. These two ladies go through great hardships and showcase their strength by pushing themselves to the limit to do what is right and protect their families. The novel begins in America with Vianne, now old, in her home cleaning out her attic with her son as they prepare to move her to an assisted living home. She goes into her attic and finds a trunk with old items, and this is where we were taken back to France in 1939. We are transported back in time to V’s home in Carriveau with her husband Antoin and daughter Sophie. This is during the time in which we find out that Antoin has been drafted to go to serve in the war. V has never lived on her own and must learn to adjust to life without her husband. During this time we learn intimate details about V’s character, learning about her past, her relationship with her father, the location of her mother, and her relationship with her sister Isabelle. Vianne’s character is developed well in this story, and it is so heart wrenching to hear about her struggles to find a place she feels loved. The story then takes us to the point of view of Isabelle, who is a spunky eighteen years old stuck in a boarding school. She is continually trying to find her place, being shuffled from one boarding school to another. She is then expelled from her last one before she is sent to Paris to live with her father, a bookstore owner. The war is nearing France, as many hope for the end, but that is something we will soon find out is not shortly. It is after Isabelle has moved in with her father that they find out in 1940 that the Germans were coming into Paris. Isabelle’s father tells her to pack up her belongings and get ready for a journey out of Paris and head to stay with her sister. Isabelle will make a treacherous trip to Carriveau, meeting many people on the way. Throughout the rest of the story, we learn so much more about the challenges faced by many women during the war. The hardships of those who were born Jewish during the Nazi invasion of France. The women of the war made a huge impact and were underestimated by the Germans significantly. I do not want to give any more information away, but I hope the beginning of half of this review provides some background of the characters.

This book was amazing. I know that it is historical fiction, but it is one of few that I can say I enjoyed. I have a BA in History, and the tale of the Nazi’s entering France is nothing like I have read in the past. Kristin Hannah does a fantastic job of capturing the attention of the reader and bringing awareness to the war efforts made by women. These two women are amazing. Isabelle does some very risky maneuvers in this story, risking her life and the lives of others to save many. She starts out as a rebellious character and continues with this mentality throughout the entire story. She stood up for what she believes in and continued to surprise me throughout the whole novel. I loved the development of both characters and the backstory provided. I could not have predicted that through so much tragedy there could be bonds formed. I could gush about this book for hours and talk about how it was outside my usual realm of Young Adult books, but I just wanted to tell you that you need to read this. It is so wonderfully written, captivating, emotional, and thrilling that you must go get this book.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in historical fiction books or anyone looking to read something outside of their comfort zone.

Emmaline and the Second Summer by Britt Hampton

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Rating : 4 out of 5 Stars

Emmaline and the Second Summer by Britt Hampton is a juvenile fiction novel. A copy of this novel was provided to me in exchange for my honest review. This review is solely my opinion. This novel focuses on solving the problem of broken stories. Emmaline is a reserved child that prefers reading over adventures. She doesn’t cry or make a fuss. Her life changes and first the first time she cries because she feels a change coming. A spiral of events occur after her parents reveal some life changing news to her. She must learn to have fun this summer at her grandfathers farm. Can she have an adventure? She arrives at her grandfathers farm and upon her arrival he gives her a ring that belonged to her grandmother. Once she grasps the ring she is transported to a new place, confused with so many questions. She must taken on a new important role this summer and truly take an adventure by trusting her feelings. As she takes on this new role as a storysmith, she must decide who to trust and who not to trust. If you want to learn more about Emmaline’s adventure, this book is available to purchase.

Overall this short read was absolutely adorable. I would recommend it to younger kids. This book challenges your imagination and forces the reader to look at the bigger picture. I loved the connection between the characters and the writing. I personally wanted to know more about her parents and what happened to her grandmother. I also hoped to find out who the mystery person was. ( you’ll have to read it to figure out what I’m talking about)

Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Mustaches for Maddie is a contemporary juvenile fiction novel. I chose this book for my book club and want to have the kids read it. Maddie finds happiness behind brightly colored mustaches. She faces many challenges with her health and still remains positive when life gets hard. She faces challenges at school and makes new friends by being herself. Maddie loves to make people laugh, whether is by creating a new game or putting on a mustache when situations get hard. She is definitely a strong character and I loved that this is based on a true story. I adored the authors commentary at the end of the novel and the note from Maddie herself. I was able to email the author and get a few questions answer for my book club. I recommend this book for juveniles between the ages of 10-14. It is based on the life of a middle school girl.

Here is some of the questions and answers from the author. A special thanks to Chad Morris for answering my questions.

1. What was your inspiration for this book? 

“Mustaches for Maddie is based on the true story of my daughter. She’s funny, loves acting, and thinks fake mustaches are hilarious. She has quite the collection. But  a few years ago, she was diagnosed with a tumor pressing up against her brain. She faced two neurosurgeries with hope, good friends, and humor. In fact, hundreds, if not thousands of people, put on mustaches to make her smile while she was recovering. Maddie is great inspiration. “

2. How does this book relate to kids in this age group. 

“Mustaches for Maddie is a middle-grade book, so targeted at kids in the 3-7 grades. It’s sweet spot is probably more 4-6. And I think it’s especially relatable because Maddie went through her surgeries during those grades. She also deals with friend trouble, and facing her own fears in ways that kids those age can relate to. For example, auditioning for a play and trying to get enough courage to stand up to someone whose doing something mean. “

 

3. What are some challenges you faced while writing this book?

“Writing a book is always a challenge, but this one had some special difficulties. For example, my wife (Shelly Brown) and I were trying to capture a real person’s voice on the page. That made us nervous. In some ways that was easy. We know her and she has a great personality. In other ways this would be recorded for forever and we really wanted Maddie to like it. We wanted it to be a blessing in her life, rather than a regret. So she read and approved each draft. She also had a note at the end. “

“Another challenge was writing difficulties Maddie faced in school. She had to deal with some very manipulative girls (a less talked about way of bullying) and we didn’t want to immortalize their weaknesses. So we decided to fictionalize Maddie’s trials. We based them off of true moments and themes, but changed the characters and circumstances enough that they felt new. This is also explained in a note at the back of the book. “

4. What is something you like kids to know that decide to read this book? 

“That they can meet any challenge with compassion, humor, and good friends. School Library Journal said that Mustaches for Maddie is “a good readalike for fans of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder.” We think that the same way Wonder teaches people to be kind, Mustaches for Maddie encourages compassion. There is a website Mustachesformaddie.com that even has teaching guides and activities for school classes and families. “

Piper by Jay Asher and Jessica Freeburg

Posted on by LibrAriel Book Adventures
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The image was taken from the following site: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34272550-piper?ac=1&from_search=true

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Piper is a newly released graphic novel by Jay Asher and Jessica Freeburg with illustrations done by Jeff Stokelly. It is a Young Adult Fiction graphic novel with a little bit of romance and old-fashioned chivalry. It follows the story of a deaf villager who is not welcomed into the town due to her lack of hearing. She is consistently being singled out by others when visiting the town for goods. The village faces the challenge of getting rid of an infestation of rats that continue to dwindle their already limited amount of food. The local exterminators cannot seem to extinguish the problem and time is running out. A visitor from out of town serves as the exterminator by using a unique method to getting rid of the rats. The members of the town are skeptical of his ways and continue to question him. All but the single deaf villager and her family despise him. He asks for high demands but promises to leave once the problem has been eradicated.

I loved this graphic novel and recommended it to others. It is filled with a surprising twist and a bit of romance. The ending is even more interesting with yet another plot twist. If you haven’t read it, you should pick up a copy at your local bookstore. Piper was a highly anticipated read for me, which is why I love it.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars due to the shortness of the novel. I wished it was a bit longer with more of a storyline added.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

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Han
This image was taken from the following site: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han is a Young Adult Romance novel that tells the story of Lara Jean and her family. It discusses love, loss, coming of age, and a little bit of bickering. Lara Jean faces a dilemma after the love letters she wrote were sent to all the boys she’s ever loved. She must face her fears of being in a relationship and depending on someone other than her family. This book is a part of a series of two other books titled P.S. I Love You; Always and Forever, Lara Jean.

This book is an excellent read if you are looking for a cute, fun, young adult, romance novel that also ties family into it. The books start off a little slow, but the author does provide background information on Lara Jean and her family. Lara Jean is mostly the “main” character of the book with her family of three, which includes her dad and two sisters. Her older sister has gone away to college in Scotland, which is a bit far-fetched. Margot is the older sister that leaves and she is protective and reserved. There are a lot of characters that interact with each other in the book, and there is a love triangle most of the book. There is a little bit of family drama, and the dad is the mediator and the peacekeeper of the house.

I am curious to see what happens between Lara Jean and her pretend/not-so-pretend boyfriend Peter. Overall I had high expectations for this book but I was a bit underwhelmed. I felt like the book was missing something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. There were a lot of moments where I made an assumption of what would happen in the book and that exact thing happened. For example, the younger sister gets angry at Lara Jean for teasing her, so she decides to mail the secret love letters Lara Jean wrote to get over the people she loved. The reader does not know until later in the book that it was the younger sister Kitty that sent the letters. The book was pretty predictable. I have read books in the past that are predictable but then there is a plot twist, and I am surprised. This book was a predictable high school romance novel. I would recommend this book to others who are interested in this type of book.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars because I felt like it could have been better. I am hoping the other items in this series get a higher rating from me.