Under the Big Green Roof: September's Picture Book Reviews

Worms
Bernard Friot and Aurelie Guillerey

John-Paul is bored, bored, bored.  His dad invited a bunch of important people over for dinner, and no one's talking about anything fun.  So when John-Paul's dad asks him to go get the salads, he decides to add his own addition to the dishes.

I absolutely adored this picture book!  The vintage style illustrations, and ridiculously expressive worms were a perfect pair.  And the result of John-Paul's mischief making at the end is a wonderful example of taking your own dues.

Publication: September 1 , 2015
Publisher: Kids Can Press
-Digital ARC provided by NetGalley, in exchange for a review.

~*~

Snap!
Hazel Hutchins and Dusan Petricic

What could be more perfect than a brand new set of crayons? Evan can't wait to use them, until Snap! the brown one breaks in two. Then one by one, the others break, get crushed, are blown away, or simply disappear. How can he possibly draw when there's no green, purple, or even black?

I love this book!  The colors are bright and eye catching, the illustrations whimsical, and the message of finding new ways to be creative is fantastically portrayed.  Both Hutchins and Petricic do a wonderful job of showing the different emotions Evan goes through in a way that will translate well to the story time audience.  If I had kids of my own, Snap! would be a staple of their library.  As it is, I still want a copy for my own library, for when I get called to read to kids, or have kids of my own. :3

Publication: September 22, 2015
Publisher: Annick Press
-Digital ARC provided by Netgalley, in exchange for a review.

~*~

The Night Children
Sarah Tsiang and Delphine Bodet

When the streets are empty and kids are called home for dinner and put to bed, the world becomes a magical place. It's only then that the night children emerge from the shadows, ready to play. In this evocative and lyrical picture book, it is the night children who rule, taking over the world that the day children have left behind.

I really liked the whimsical illustrations Bodet created for this book; however, I can't help but think this story would fail to retain the younger set of story time audiences.  It's a whimsical and poetic picture book, but the story is quite loose and very abstract.  I found myself underwhelmed by the whole of it, and wished there'd been more to the story to pull the audience in.

Publication:
Publisher:
-Digital ARC provided by Netgalley, in exchange for a review.

Waiting on Wednesday #3 - The Rosemary Spell

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

This week's pick is:

Title: The Rosemary Spell
Author: Virginia Zimmerman
ISBN: 9780544445376
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication Date: December 1, 2015

From Goodreads:

Part mystery, part literary puzzle, part life-and-death quest, and chillingly magical, this novel has plenty of suspense for adventure fans and is a treat for readers who love books, words, and clues. Best friends Rosie and Adam find an old book with blank pages that fill with handwriting before their eyes. Something about this magical book has the power to make people vanish, even from memory. The power lies in a poem—a spell. When Adam's older sister, Shelby, disappears, they struggle to retain their memories of her as they race against time to bring her back from the void, risking their own lives in the process.

~*~

Why this is on my list:

I love books, as if you couldn't tell, and a book which incorporates a magical, people erasing book as a pivotal part of the plot?  Sign me up!  I'm super excited to hit bookstores in December and nab me a copy of The Rosemary Spell to read.


What are you waiting on?

September Chapter Books

So, there's only one book in this review for September; but it was an adorable, adorable read!


My Pet Human
Yasmine Surovec

Oliver is an independent kitty. He has his run of the neighborhood and looks at his animal friends with their fussing humans with pity. But when a freckle-faced girl moves into town, Oliver sees the opportunity to train a human to provide him with a few creature comforts. And if he can help her adjust to her life and make a new friend, that's just all in a day's work. The real surprise comes, however, when Oliver needs Freckles just as much as she needs him.

~*~

My Pet Human is freaking adorable!  I love every little bit of it; from the expressive black and white illustrations, to the cat's eye view story about humans.  Oliver is the best kitty narrator as he describes his training of the little Freckles.  His adventures through the neighborhood trying to help his human make a new friend are just the right blend of humor and emotion.  

Definitely a must for any kitty loving child, or any kitty loving adult!  I can't wait for the next installment in Oliver and Freckles' adventures in pet ownership.  Plus, Surovec has some other equally fantastic looking books all about cats, and their shenanigans with us humans, and a website featuring her hysterical comics - Cat vs Human.

-Digital ARC provided by edelweiss, in exchange for a review.
Publication Date: August 4, 2015

Review: Lost in Geeklandia - E.J. Russell

"I'm pond scum.  I'm lower than pond scum.  I'm the scum on the bacteria of the pond scum virus."

Title: Lost in Geeklandia

Author: E.J. Russell

ISBN: 9781633753754

Publication Date: September 28, 2015

Publisher: Entangled: Select Contemporary

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:

She has 30 days to turn her enemy into her boyfriend...

Introverted computer engineer Charlie Forrester has coded an algorithm for love, a nearly flawless matchmaking program. But then she's challenged to prove its accuracy - on herself. With her dream job on the line, Charlie has thirty days to forge a romantic relationship with her "perfect" match...her ex-friend and now-nemesis, Daniel Shawn. Since her dating experience is expressed in binary, she'll need more than flirting lessons and a wardrobe overhaul to pull it off.

After falling victim to the same online matchmaking con he was investigating, reporter Daniel Shawn's professional reputation went up in flames. Now he suspects someone has rebooted the scam, and he's determined to expose the fraud and rebuild his career. Unfortunately, his efforts to get back in the game get sidetracked by Charlie and her adorable geekitude, even though she seems to know a little too much about digital dating for Daniel's comfort.

Review: Firsts - Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

"Tonight, I'm doing Evan Brown's girlfriend a favour.  An awkward, sweaty, fumbling favour."

Title: Firsts

Author: Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

ISBN: 9781250075963

Publication Date: January 5, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.

Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.

When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up.

Review: Art in the Blood - Bonnie MacBird

"Pack your bags, Watson; we leave for the Continent in less than ninety minutes."

Title: Art in the Blood

Author: Bonnie MacBird

ISBN: 9780008130831

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Publisher: Collins Crime Club

Source: edelweiss

It’s 1888. A perfumed letter featuring a doubly encoded message arrives at 221B Baker street London, a snowy December, 1888. A disastrous Ripper investigation has left 35-year-old Sherlock Holmes in a deep depression and back on cocaine. The newly married Watson is summoned urgently to 221B to rouse his friend. Nothing works until the arrival of an intriguing encoded letter from a beautiful French singer, Mlle. Emmeline La Victoire. 

~*~

I rather enjoyed MacBird's addition to the Holmes repertoire.  As it has been a couple of years since I've read the original Conan Doyle Holmes stories, I was quite happy with the tone and language in Art in the Blood.  It felt authentic, and as though it could fit right in.

Watson and Holmes felt like dear friends whom I hadn't seen, but could just pick right back up with.  And the interactions between the two of them were wonderfully done, that perfect blend of nostalgia and new.

Admittedly, the crime did have more of a modern feel than I recall from the Victorian era Holmes stories; however, it is still a fun adventure through a world which has become increasingly popular thanks to Robert Downey Jr and Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes.

-Digital ARC provided by edelweiss, in exchange for a review.

Waiting on Wednesday #2 - Carry On

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

This week's pick is:

Title: Carry On
Author: Rainbow Rowell
ISBN: 9781250049551
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 6, 2015

From Goodreads:

Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

~*~

Why this is on my list:

Holy cats, this book.  Ever since Rainbow announced she was writing a Simon and Baz novel, I've been chomping at the bit to get my hands on it.  I loved Fangirl, especially the Simon/Baz addition that played to my adoring little fangirl heart (no pun intended).  I am soooooo excited for this book's release that I had to babble about it on Wednesday, even though I only have to wait another two weeks for it to hit shelves.


What are you waiting on?

Coming Soon: Tours, Crimson Peak, and all the Pumpkin Spice

So, let's talk about what I'm gearing up for, book review related, what I've been up to other than reading a bajillion books, and what I'm looking forward to, non-book review related.

In books, I've got some blog tours coming up in October:

I've got a review posting as a part of this tour on October 7th :)

Review: The Time Garden - Daria Song

Title: The Time Garden

Author: Daria Song

ISBN: 9781785032097

Publication Date: July 9, 2015

Publisher: Ebury Press

Source: Blogging for Books

I'd managed to somehow stay off of the 'adult coloring book' bandwagon until now, mostly because I regularly will pick up a 'kiddie' coloring book at a drugstore with a box of crayons and go to town.  However, when I was given the opportunity to get a copy of The Time Garden I couldn't resist any longer.  And boy am I glad I gave in!

This book is so gorgeous I'm almost afraid to touch it.  The crisp whiteness, and shiny foil of the cover would make a stylish wall print on its own, never mind the super intricate line work illustrations inside.  Seriously, some of Song's work makes my jaw drop in awe.

I especially adore how Song intertwined a story about a curious little girl climbing into a cuckoo clock to discover a magical land inside with the actual pages to color.

Colored pencils, or fine tip markers seem to be the optimal fit for the intricacy on some of the pages; though I will have to test the paper to be certain if markers or felt pens would be a doable option without bleeding through to the flip side's illustration.

All in all, I love this coloring book in every way!

-Physical copy provided by Blogging For Books, in exchange for a review.

Review: Bloody Mary, vol 1 - Akaza Samamiya

Title: Bloody Mary, volume 1

Author: Akaza Samamiya

ISBN: 9781421582864

Publication Date: December 1, 2015

Publisher: VIZ Media LLC

Source: edelweiss

“Bloody” Mary, a vampire with a death wish, has spent the past 400 years chasing down a modern-day exorcist named Maria who is thought to have inherited “The Blood of Maria” and is the only one who can kill Mary. To Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him.

“Bloody” Mary is not your typical vampire. He can withstand sunlight, holds a reflection in mirrors, refuses to drink blood—and wants 17-year-old student and priest Maria to kill him. But to Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Maria can find a way to kill him at last.

~*~

It's been ages since I picked up a volume of manga, so when I saw the opportunity to read Bloody Mary I jumped.  This manga is very much what I used to devour like candy in high school, but maybe I've fallen out of range with this genre/style.  Because while I really liked the art style Samamiya works with, and Maria's characterization, I found the overall story line to be rather bland, and Mary's characterization quite two dimensional.

If I stumble across volume two, I will definitely give it a read, just to see what's happened to Maria; however, it's not something I'm putting in my calendar to run out for on release day.  Still an enjoyable read though.

-Digital ARC provided by edelweiss, in exchange for a review.

Review: Besh Big Easy - John Besh

Title: Besh Big Easy

Author: John Besh

ISBN: 9781449469177

Publication Date: September 29, 2015

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Source: NetGalley

I was lucky enough to spend a few weeks in New Orleans in 2005, and absolutely fell in love with the food.  Besh's book is packed with photos so fabulous you can almost smell the food wafting off the pages, and fun quips sprinkled throughout the recipes.  One of the biggest draws for Besh Big Easy is the fact that Besh incorporates quite a few simple substitutions for those of us who don't live in the South and have ready access to some of the more 'unique' ingredients.  Further, I loved that the recipes, while sometimes complicated in appearance, are really easy to follow.

So far, I've only made the red beans and rice; but that was a huge success on my night to cook the family meal.  I definitely look forward to trying out some more of Besh's recipes, with a similar success rate.

-Digital ARC provided by NetGalley, in exchange for a review.

Review: Signs Point to Yes - Sandy Hall

'"That does not seem like appropriate work wear to me," Teo said.  "I mean, to each his own, but assless chaps in public are so last year," Jane said.'

Title: Signs Point to Yes

Author: Sandy Hall

ISBN: 9781250066008

Publication Date: October 20, 2015

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Source: edelweiss

Jane, a superstitious fangirl, takes an anonymous babysitting job to avoid an unpaid internship with her college-obsessed mom. The only problem? She's babysitting the siblings of her childhood friend and new crush, Teo. 

Teo doesn't dislike Jane, but his best friend Ravi hates her, and is determined to keep them apart. So Teo's pretty sure his plans for a peaceful summer are shot. His only hope is that his intermittent search for his birth father will finally pan out and he'll find a new, less awkward home. Meanwhile, at Jane's house, her sister Margo wants to come out as bisexual, but she's terrified of how her parents will react.

In a summer filled with secrets and questions, even Jane's Magic 8 ball can't give them clear answers, but Signs Point to Yes.

Waiting on Wednesday #1 - This is Where it Ends

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we can't wait to get our hands on.

This week's pick is:

 Title: This is Where it Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
ISBN: 9781492622468
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: January 5, 2016

From Barnes and Noble:

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

~*~

Why this is on my list:

As depressing, and weird as it is, I have an unending want to read every book I can find which deals with school shootings.  Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes and Dave Cullen's Columbine are two books I can, and have, reread multiple times.  So, when I first heard about Nijkamp's This is Where it Ends, I knew it had to be added to my TBR list.

I'll balance out this week's pick by sharing a super fluffy, feel good novel I'm eager to read. :P

Review: Dumplin' - Julie Murphy

"I'm fat.  It's not a cuss word.  It's not an insult.  At least it's not when I say it."

Title: Dumplin'

Author: Julie Murphy

ISBN: 9780062327185

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Source: edelweiss

From Goodreads:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy's, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she'll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

Cover Reveal! ILLUSION by Lea Nolan

It’s cover reveal day for Illusion by Lea Nolan. This is the third book in The Hoodoo Apprentice Trilogy, and I am so excited because all three books are getting gorgeous new covers! Check it out!

Title: Illusion

Author Name: Lea Nolan

Release Day: October 5^th

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Preorder: Amazon

Review: This Book Will Change Your Life - Amanda Weaver

"That's the great thing about books...As opposed to movies, or God forbid, real life- The only thing that matters is how the reader perceives it."

Title: This Book Will Change Your Life

Author: Amanda Weaver

ISBN: 9781633754317

Publication Date: September 28, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Source: Netgalley

From Goodreads:

College was supposed to be where Hannah’s hard work paid off, but the major in honors chemistry she’s been working towards since childhood is slipping away. Worse, she’s not sure she wants it anymore. Salvation comes from an unlikely place—a used bookstore and Ben, the passionate college senior who works there.

Ben’s trapped in a life mapped out for him. Trapped in a future career as a lawyer to make his father happy. Trapped pursuing a girl he doesn't even like because she fits into a world he doesn’t want, but can’t escape. But then he meets Hannah. And for the first time, he knows what it means to truly want something.

Review: One Small Thing - Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea

"Love is messy.  Sometimes, that's the best part."

Title: One Small Thing

Author: Piper Vaughn and M.J. O'Shea

ISBN: 9781613724972

Publication Date: May 4, 2012

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Source: NetGalley

From Goodreads:

"Daddy" is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies, but he can’t give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and he’s running out of options. He’s on the verge of quitting school to watch Alice himself when he remembers his reclusive new neighbor, Erik.

Erik Van Nuys is a sci-fi novelist with anxiety issues to spare. He doesn’t like people in general, and he likes babies even less. Still, with his royalties dwindling, he could use the extra cash. Reluctantly, he takes on the role of manny—and even more reluctantly, he finds himself falling for Alice and her flamboyant father.

Review: The High King's Golden Tongue - Megan Derr

"I have no idea which is worse:  saying that Prince Allen has gone missing and I have no idea where he is, or that I know precisely where he is."

Title: The High King's Golden Tongue

Author: Megan Derr

ISBN: 9781620046234

Publication Date: November 3, 2015

Publisher: Less Than Three Press

Source: NetGalley

From Less Than Three Press:

Prince Allen has trained his entire life to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious mother, who has made their kingdom one of the wealthiest and most influential in the empire. For the past few years he has trained to become the new consort of the High King. The only thing no one prepared him for was the stubborn, arrogant High King himself, who declares Allen useless and throws him out of court.

High King Sarrica is ruling an empire at war, and that war will grow exponentially worse if his carefully laid plans do not come to fruition. He's overwhelmed and needs help, as much as he hates to admit it, but it must be someone like his late consort: a soldier, someone who understands war, who is not unfamiliar with or afraid of the harsher elements of rule. What he doesn't need is the delicate, pretty little politician foisted on him right as everything goes wrong. 

Publisher note: this is a highly expanded, completely re-written version of the free short that was previously available under the same title.

Review: Shattered Blue - Lauren Bird Horowitz

"It's OK, the tree missed me.  I'm fine."

Title: Shattered Blue

Author: Lauren Bird Horowitz

ISBN: 9781503949973

Publication Date: September 15, 2015

Publisher: Skyscape

Source: NetGalley

From BN.com:

For Noa and Callum, being together is dangerous, even deadly. From the start, sixteen-year-old Noa senses that the mysterious transfer student to her Monterey boarding school is different. Callum unnerves and intrigues her, and even as she struggles through family tragedy, she’s irresistibly drawn to him. Soon they are bound by his deepest secret: Callum

~*~

I did not finish this book.  I tried, but couldn't get myself to keep reading beyond the first quarter.  That's not to say it's a bad book, just that the book and I weren't meant to be.

Based on what I did read, I do have to say I really enjoyed that Horowitz brought in some of Noa's poetry, because it did give her more depth.  Noa is also a strong portrayal of a young woman being hit by a number of difficult experiences ad refusing to allow these to defeat her; her sister dying, her mother basically giving up on everything, and a rambunctious little sister. all work together to show us a well rounded character.

Further, I liked what world building I did see before I decided I was done trying to force myself to read further.

~*~

I would recommend this to fans of Colleen Houck's The Tiger Saga, Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, and other similar titles.

-Digital ARC provided by Netgalley, in exchange for a review.

Review: The Inn Between - Marina Cohen

"Welcome to Inn Between," said a woman in a chirpy voice..."We've been expecting you."

Title: The Inn Between

Author: Marina Cohen

ISBN: 9781626722026

Publication Date: March 22, 2016

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Source: edelwiess

Eleven-year-old Quinn has had a rough time lately.  She was caught cheating in school, and then her little sister Emma disappears while walking home from school.

On a last road trip with her best friend Kara before she moves away, Quinn instantly gets the creeps from the Victoria inn they stop at for the night.  When Kara's parents, and then brother, vanish without a trace, the girls are stranded in a hotel full of strange guests, hallways that twist back in on themselves, and a particularly nasty surprise lurking beneath the floorboards.  Will Quinn and Kara be able to solve the mystery of what happened to Kara's family before it's too late.

Review: Pop Sonnets - Erik Didriksen

"I'll thee protect from all the story's ghosts, for I'm the one who'll thrill they soul the most."

Title: Pop Sonnets: Shakespearean Spins on Your Favorite Songs

Author: Erik Didriksen

ISBN: 9781594748288

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Publisher: Quirk Books

Source: NetGalley

From BN.com:

The Bard meets the Backstreet Boys in Pop Sonnets, a collection of 100 classic pop songs reimagined as Shakespearean sonnets. All of your favorite artists are represented in these pages—from Bon Jovi and Green Day to Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, and beyond. Already a smash sensation on the Internet—the Tumblr page has 20,000+ followers—Pop Sonnets has been featured by the A.V. Club, BuzzFeed, and Vanity Fair, among many others. More than half of these pop sonnets are exclusive to this collection and have never been published in any form.

Review: Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon

"Everything's a risk. Not doing anything is a risk.  It's up to you."

Title: Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

ISBN: 9780553496642

Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Source: NetGalley

Maddy hasn't left her house in seventeen years.  She spends her days in her white room, with her books, her mother, and her nurse, Carla, for company.  One afternoon, a moving van arrives next door, and suddenly the precautions Maddy's forced to live by as a result of her disease are no longer ignoreable.  Because the new neighbors have a son.  A 'dresses in all black', wall climbing, butterfly inducing son named Olly.

To Be Read Pile: September

Since August went so well, I'm doing it again.  

What follows are the titles I hope to get through during the course of the month of September:

Picture Books

Chapter Books

Middle Grade Books

Young Adult

New Adult

Adult

Non-Fiction