Latest AADL Catalog Item Reviews

Why to read Sandry's Book

emilyc-r — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:00:31 -0500

Review of: Sandry's book by Pierce, Tamora
Reviewer: emilyc-r

Book Review

Emily Corwin-Renner

Sandry’s Book

Tamora Pierce

Fantasy

Copyright 1997

Setting: Sandry’s Book takes place in a magical land. There are many countries in this land but most of the book takes place in Emelan. The four main characters all start out in different places in the beginning. They are all taken to Winding Circle a school for mages. In this book (and others by Tamora Pierce) the word mage means a person who has magical powers.

Author’s Style: Sandry’s Book is written in third person. In the beginning of Sandry’s Book, Tamora Pierce goes back and fourth between the four main characters. Once they are together this doesn’t happen as much. The book goes along at a steady pace. There is a focus on the character’s feelings. I liked that because unlike most fantasy books it wasn’t all action.

Characters:

Sandry is an orphan whose parent’s were nobility. She has magic connected with textiles.

Daja is also an orphan. Her parents were Traders who drown. Her magic is with metal.

Briar (Roach) is a former thief who has plant magic.

Tris is a girl who was sent away because her parents didn’t want her. She has weather

magic.

Niko is a great mage whose job is to find things that were hidden.

Lark and Rosethorn are the teachers and caretakers at the house where they stay.

Frostpine is Daja’s teacher.

Plot: Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Tris don’t fit in the main part or Winding Circle where they have just started school so they are taken to a small cottage near the school. There they live together along with Lark and Rosethorn. At first they find it hard to get along with each other but by the end of the book they care about each other in a way none of them could have imagined.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about friends and school even if fantasy is not usually their thing. I would not recommend this book to someone who wants a book full of magical creatures and action. I enjoyed the book a lot. Sandry’s Book is the first in a quartet called Circle of Magic so if you enjoy the book you will have more to look forward to. I haven’t read any of the other books yet but I plan to soon. There is also another quartet that has some of the same characters and comes after this one called The Circle Opens.

Why to read Lion Boy

emilyc-r — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:55:17 -0500

Review of: Lion boy by Corder, Zizou
Reviewer: emilyc-r

Book Review

Emily C-R

Lion Boy

Zizou Corder

Adventure/Fantasy/Mystery

Copyright 2003

Setting: Lion Boy takes place in the future. Cars are rare due to lack of oil; only the government and huge corporations have enough money to own and use them. The book starts in London, England but early on in the book Charlie boards a circus ship headed for Paris, France.

Author’s Style: The first time I read Lion Boy, I read it in only one day. Lion Boy is a long book but the end of every chapter leaves you longing for more; even the last chapter because the last chapter isn’t really the last chapter. Lion Boy is the first book in a trilogy and the story doesn’t really slow down in between the books. It is almost as if it was just one book evenly split in three parts so it wouldn’t be to long. The titles of the other books are Lion boy the Chase and Lion Boy the Truth. Lion Boy goes back and fourth between Charlie’s parents and Charlie himself.

Characters:

Charlie Ashanti, the lion boy himself

Magdalen Start, Charlie’s mom

Aneba Ashanti, Charlie’s dad

The Lions, Charlie’s lion friends

The Cats, Charlie’s cat friends

Charlie’s friends from the circus

And many more.

Plot: Charlie comes home one day only to find that his parents have disappeared so he sets out on an adventure to find them. Along the way he takes advantage of the fact that he can speak Cat. He makes friends with stray cats in the streets to large lions in the circus. By the end of the book Charlie has a pretty good idea about where his parents are and enough friends to help him find them.

Recommendation: I would recommend Lion Boy to anyone who likes adventure, mystery, and a good sense of humor. The thing I like best about the book is that the characters really seem to come alive. The book is intriguing so even if you don’t normally like adventure once you pick it up you’re not likely to set it down again until you’ve finished the last chapter; then you’ll say where’s the next one? In other words if you are a teacher don’t let this book in your classroom if you don’t want your students to read while you’re talking.

Why to read the Thief Lord

emilyc-r — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:51:11 -0500

Review of: The Thief Lord by Funke, Cornelia Caroline
Reviewer: emilyc-r

Book Review

Emily C-R

The Thief Lord

Cornelia Funke

Adventure/Fantasy/Mystery

Copyright 2000

Setting: The Thief Lord takes place during modern times in Venice, Italy. The main characters hide out in a rundown movie theater. Other places in the book include: a junk shop, two large mansions, a magical island, and the famous Saint Mark’s square, which is one of the few real places in the book.

Author’s Style: The Thief Lord was translated from German and I’m glad because I really enjoyed it. It is written in third person. One interesting thing about this book is that the reader always knows more than the characters in the book. Usually this bothers me, but in this case for every one thing you find out, several new mysteries start. Cornelia Funke does a good job describing things and feelings; making you understand what the characters are feeling without going on forever.

Characters:

Victor Getz, a detective who is very clever but not very fast.

Esther and Max Hartlieb are Victor’s clients who are missing their nephews Prosper and Bo.

Prosper, cares about his brother very much and is afraid of being separated; in a way Prosper is much more like a parent than a brother.

Bo is Prosper’s little brother who is eager to have adventures.

Hornet is a friend of Prosper and Bo’s who introduces them to her other friends.

The Theif Lord or Scipio is the leader of the group of friends.

Riccio, another friend, nicked named Hedgehog.

Mosca, another friend.

Barbarossa, the junk shop owner.

Ida Spavento is a kind young lady who is very rich.

The Conte

Plot: Prosper and Bo run away to Venice when their parents die because their aunt wants to adopt Bo but not Prosper. In Venice, they make friends and have adventures, while trying all the while not to be caught by Victor who has been hired to find them.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone but especially someone who likes adventure, fantasy, or mystery mixed with amazingly well written stories. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. The story seemed very real to me. I could understand what it would be like to be Prosper, Scipio, or even Victor. If you like Harry Potter I think you will like The Thief Lord; it has a lot of the same qualities even though it has a very different plot.

Multiple award winner!

schlinghoffa — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:46:56 -0500

Review of: Letters from Iwo Jima [videorecording (DVD)]
Reviewer: schlinghoffa

The acting, cinematography, costumes etc were all great! A very good movie. I was obviously not there in WWII, but this movie gives the viewer an insight as to what it must have been like for the Japanese soldiers. If you watch this movie and have not seen Flags of Our Fathers, I would definitely recommend it. The two movies are the same scenes but from opposite sides.

Medical discoveries made interesting to any science buff

juliE KOFSKY — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:44:21 -0500

Review of: Medical discoveries : medical breakthroughs and the people who developed them
Reviewer: juliE KOFSKY

I totally was engrossed by all three volumes of Medical Discoveries: medical breakthroughs and the people who developed them. Both my eldest son and I just love anything related to science, particularly in medicine. For those of you who just wonder about any factual data on who invented what in the area of medical technology, this is definitely the book for you!

Not for Those Who Like Pictures in Their Cookbooks

rleer24 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:17:38 -0500

Review of: Not your mother's slow cooker cookbook by Hensperger, Beth
Reviewer: rleer24

In terms of a slow cooker cookbook, this was not one of my favorites. While some of the recipes looked excellent and some of the sections appear to be unique to this book, I couldn't get into it due to the lack of pictures.

It may seem that this is a little like small Alice who, after briefly studying her sister's book, wondered to herself what the use is of a book with pictures but it seems rather essential to provide photos of at least some of the dishes. Not only does this help the chef gauge whether or not their dish came out correctly, but it also stimulates the imagination of someone browsing through the recipes, looking for new ones to try.

The recipes may be good or they may not be, but I decided not to bother with this book and moved on to other cookbooks with a bit of pictorial guidance.

Hockey

carolyn petersen — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:09:54 -0500

Review of: Mystery, Alaska [videorecording (DVD)]
Reviewer: carolyn petersen

This is a fun movie, nearly as good as "Slapshot" the great hockey film with Paul Newman. It is the first movie that I saw Russell Crowe. I had no idea that he wasn't an American. It also has Hank Azaria and Colm Meaney, the great Irish actor. It is about a ragtag bunch of hockey players that get mixed up with the big boys in the major league. A nice slice of small town life.

Highly recommended, heres the jacket cover ,,,,

tallyssinae R — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:33:02 -0500

Review of: Dark lover : a novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by Ward, J. R
Reviewer: tallyssinae R

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

jacket cover

tallyssinae R — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:30:15 -0500

Review of: Lover eternal : a novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by Ward, J. R
Reviewer: tallyssinae R

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Two hundred years: that's how long Rhage must bear the curse born of his reckless inconsideration. Sex and violence are all he once pursued; now they are the only things that keep the beast within at bay. He has little hope for finding peace during this existence, until Mary Luce enters his life. Irresistibly drawn to her light, he's pulled into a struggle with his own demons as well as the real enemies who threaten the vampire world and Mary. Ward wields a commanding voice perfect for the genre, and readers new to the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood should hold on tight for an intriguing, adrenaline-pumping ride featuring a race of warrior vampires who fill enemies with terror and women with desire. Like any good thrill ride, the pace changes with a tender story of survival and hope and leaves readers begging for more. Fans of L. A. Banks, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Sherrilyn Kenyon will add Ward to their must-read list. Nina Davis

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.

Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

jacket cover

tallyssinae R — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:16:25 -0500

Review of: Slave to sensation by Singh, Nalini
Reviewer: tallyssinae R

Editorial Reviews

Christine Feehan

I LOVE this book! It's a must-read for all of my fans. Nalini Singh is a major new talent.

Product Description

THE HOT NEW NAME IN PARANORMAL ROMANCE.

Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind-and none of the heart.

Born a Psy, Sascha Duncan must hide the emotions which mark her as flawed. But a passionate Changeling will tempt her to reveal everything-and risk her very soul.