The Camel Bookmobile

The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
AR Reading Level: 5.9
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Fiona Sweeney is a thirty-something living in New York who wants to make a difference. She travels to Africa to deliver books to remote villages by...camel bookmobile, of course. There is a problem in her favorite village, Mididima, when a disfigured boy from the village refuses to return his library books. Under the bookmobile rules, the village can no longer receive books if they are not all returned.

The controversy in Mididima is much more deep rooted than just a couple of missing books. The villagers are facing a serious drought. Some of them fear the new values brought into the village, represented by the books. They believe that sticking to traditional values will keep them safe. Others live for the bookmobile's arrival, yearning for knowledge and the expansion of their worldview.

As a trained librarian, I had such high hopes for this book. I liked that the story was told from multiple characters' perspectives. But I also felt that the jumping around made it difficult to truly flesh out any one character. I found Fiona difficult to like, even though I was rooting for her success as a librarian the whole book. The ending might have been realistic, but it also made me kind of sad.

Check out the real story behind the book here.

Also reviewed by: So Many Books, So Little Time ~ Book Clutter
Source: BookMooch

Code Name Verity

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

On the library stacks: YA Fiction
AR Reading Level: 6.5

This book is getting a lot of great press, so my book club chose it for our September read. It is the story of two girls who become best friends during World War II. Maddie is pilot who drops her friend Verity off in France for a mission and then crashes her plane. Verity is a spy who gets apprehended by the Gestapo.

This book is the hardest book for me to rate and review this year. There were things about it I really loved and then other things I really didn't love. I found it incredibly slow reading. I seemed to shut down while I was reading it and I didn't have a strong desire to pick it back up. But, the writing was really phenomenal. So phenomenal in fact, that the whole story gave me nightmares.

I think the story just got a little overwhelming for me. (The author does admit at the end that it got a little out of hand.) While it is theoretically possible, the story just isn't really plausible for the time period. But it includes a lot of great elements that make it a compelling tale. I just have really mixed feelings about it.

Also reviewed by: Becky's Book Reviews ~ J'adorehappyendings ~ Gerbera Daisy Diaries ~ Book Nut ~ A Work in Progress ~ Diary of an Eccentric ~ My Friend Amy ~ Emily's Reading Room ~ Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Thoughts of Joy... ~ It's All About Books ~ Ms. Yingling Reads ~ Capricious Reader ~ things mean a lot
Source: Library

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

On the library stacks: Children's fiction
AR Reading Level: 4.7
Awards: NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts; ALA Notable/Best Books; SLJ Best Book; Newbery Medal

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Claudia Kincaid lives with her family in Connecticut. She feels under-appreciated by her family and decides to run away to the Met. She convinces her favorite brother, Jamie, to go with her because she needs his financial support. The live in the Met for about a week, bathing in the fountain and sleeping in an old English bed on display.

A suspected lost work of Michelangelo draws huge crowds to the museum each day. The kids decided to do some research to help determine if it is real or not. They decide they must know the secret of the sculpture, so they spend all their money getting to the home of Mrs. Frankweiler, who was the previous owner.

I'm not sure if I read this when I was a kid or not. But I am homeschooling my 5th grader and decided to read it with him. My son liked this book better than I did. I think he really got into the fantasy of what it would be like to run away and live in a museum. I thought the book was cute, but I found Claudia obnoxious. There are lots of resources online to help teach and test this book. My son and I had a great discussion about it after we both finished it.

Also reviewed by: Gerbera Daisy Diaries ~ Your link here?
Source: Purchased

Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

On the library stacks: YA Fiction
AR Reading Level: 5.0
Series: Divergent #2 of 3

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved Divergent and couldn't wait to read its sequel. In a similar fashion to my review of the first book, I will keep this brief:

1. It's good. Not as good as the first one, but a really solid #2 in the trilogy.
2. I liked the Inception-like elements. Real or simulation?
3. The plot was not predictable, which I really appreciated.
4. I really like how the author can move the story along while deepening our understanding of the characters and their relationships.
5. I'm on tenterhooks to see how it all ends.

Also reviewed by: At Home With Books ~ Melissa's Bookshelf ~ Book Addiction ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ Ms. Yingling Reads ~ The Eclectic Reader ~ Book Nut ~ A Bookworm's World ~ Girl Who Loves to Read ~ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer ~ Emily's Reading Room
Source: Borrowed

Abundance

Abundance, A Novel of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund

On the library stacks: Adult Fiction
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This historical fiction novel opens as Marie Antionette prepares to leave her native Austria to marry the future king of France. She was 14 years old at the time of the marriage ceremony. Interestingly, the marriage was not consummated for seven years.

This book, published the same year the Kirsten Dunst movie hit the big screen, has a similarly sympathetic view of Marie Antionette as the movie. (She never said, "Let them eat cake!") Naslund has definitely done her research and even includes actual quotations where they are known. The novel helped me to see how Marie Antionette viewed the events going on around her from the perspective of her privileged upbringing. She cared deeply for the people of France but couldn't see how her own actions could be viewed hypocritically.

While this book obviously does not end well, I'm really glad I read it. I was quite fascinated learning about the inner workings of Versailles and Marie's role as a mother. While I wouldn't recommend this for everyone, if you have an interest in learning more about this very complex historical character, I suggest giving this book a try.

Source: Purchased

Hallowed

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

On the library stacks: YA Fiction
AR Reading Level: 4.1
Series: Unearthly #2 of 3
Recommended for: Age 13+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this second book in the Unearthly series as soon as I could. Without giving too much away, I will say that this book does shed more light on Clara's angel world and how things work. There is more character development in this book and it is quite emotionally charged.

The love triangle between Clara, Christian and Tucker is alive and well in this book. But the main issue at hand is that Clara sees in a vision that someone close to her is going to die. She struggles as she tries figuring out who it is and, once she does know, realizing that there is nothing she can do to make things any different.

I am really enjoying how this trilogy is developing. It's actually kind of a sad book, but I think I might have even enjoyed it more than the first book. I am anxiously awaiting the conclusion in January!

Also reviewed by: Book Lover Stop ~ The Eclectic Reader ~ Emily's Reading Room ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

Daddy-Long-Legs

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster

On the library stacks: Children's and Adult Fiction (!)
AR Reading Level: 6.1
Interest level: Grades 9+

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Judy Abbott is an orphan girl about to be released into the world. At the last minute, a wealthy trustee of the orphanage offers to pay for her college education, despite that fact that she is a girl. His only conditions are that he remain anonymous and that she update him periodically about her studies. Judy calls him "Daddy-Long-Legs" because she has only seen his shadow, but she would really like to figure out who he is.

This classic epistolary novel is really a treat. I loved Judy and her spunk. Most of the criticism I have encountered about this book is that it is a little weird, but I didn't think it was anymore creepy than cousins getting together in Jane Austen's novels. It IS a 100 year old book! Yes, I figured out who Daddy-Long-Legs was pretty early on, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of this delightful little book.

Here are some favorite bits:

It isn't the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh--I really think that requires spirit. 

It's true, you know. The world is full of happiness, and plenty to go around, if you are only willing to take the kind that comes your way. The whole secret is in being pliable.

On visiting New York:
But aren't the streets entertaining? And the people? And the shops? I never saw such lovely things as there are in the windows. It makes you want to devote your life to wearing clothes.

Also reviewed by: Puss Reboots ~ Lesa's Book Critiques ~ Giving Reading a Chance!! ~ things mean a lot ~ Your link here?
Source: BookMooch

Unearthly

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

On the library stacks: YA Fiction
AR Reading Level: 4.2
Series: Unearthly #1 of 3
Recommended for: Ages 12+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clara Gardner has recently learned she is part-angel. Her mother has explained that all angels are given a purpose which they catch glimpses of in visions. Clara's visions of a boy standing in trees needing to be rescued from a fire has brought her family to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Now not only is Clara the new kid at a new high school, she's also trying to figure out what her vision means. She realizes that the stunning boy in her vision is a popular kid named Christian. But a cute cowboy named Tucker has her struggling to choose where to focus her attention.

This was my book club read for August. We all decided the summer is a great time to read something a little more frivolous, and most of us are pretty new to the angel scene. It turns out it was a great read. More people actually read the book this month than usual, and quite a few of us (including me!) had to check out the second book in the series right away.

Also reviewed by: The Book Nest ~ Ticket to Anywhere ~ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer ~ The Eclectic Reader ~ Emily's Reading Room ~ Book Lover Stop ~ Book Journal ~ Tales of Whimsy ~ Your link here?
Source: Kindle Purchase

A Crimson Warning

A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Series: Lady Emily #6

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lady Emily Hargreaves lives in Mayfair with her dashing husband Colin. While Emily continues her eccentric pursuits in studying classical languages and now promoting the women's suffrage movement, Colin serves quietly as a secret agent to the Crown.

As the season begins, red paint is found on some of the doorsteps of the 'ton' elite, and soon thereafter a scandalous secret is revealed about the inhabitants. Lives are being lost as part of the uproar and together Colin and Emily must solve the mystery behind the red paint before more lives are ruined.

After just feeling ho-hum about last two books in this series, I almost gave up. But I am SO very glad I read this one. I felt like so many of the characters got a new lease on life and I'm excited about this series once again. I love how the mystery included so many of the Hargreaves' friends and neighbors and I enjoyed the political aspects to this book also. Thankfully I won't have to wait long for the next installment.

Also reviewed by: Girl Who Loves to Read ~ Confessions of a Book Habitue ~ Books, Belles, and Beaux ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

The Peach Keeper

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Willa Jackson has been hanging out in Walls of Water almost her whole life. She was the former high school prankster, but returned to the town after her father's death to show how respectable and normal she could be. She runs a sporting goods store even though she has no passion for it, catering mainly to the tourists on the main street.

In high school Willa never hung out with the Osgood twins, the children of the most prominent socialite family. But when Paxton Osgood restores the house of Willa's grandmother, they are all forced to confront a past that had quite literally been buried.

I don't know why I have waited so long to read this one. I love the fictional North Carolina mountain towns the author creates and she infuses just the right amount of magical realism for me. This is a sweet story that has nice mystery and romantic elements. With cameos of characters from previous novels, this book will certainly satisfy the author's fans.

Also reviewed by: Confessions of a Book Habitue ~ A Bookshelf Monstrosity ~ Library Girl Reads and Reviews ~ write meg! ~ Lesa's Book Critiques ~ Chick Lit Reviews and News ~ 2 Kids and Tired Books
Source: Library