Book Review: Outlander

Claire Randall is in Scotland, celebrating her second honeymoon with her husband after the "official" end of World War 2.  Both Claire and her husband were involved in the war effort and have seen each other only occasionally over the seven years that they've been married, and this is their first opportunity in a long time to spend some serious time getting to know one another all over again.

Claire is an amateur botanist, and she has taken advantage of her time in Scotland to find out more about the native flora and fauna, and spend time with the people of the area, learning more about the healing properties of these herbs. She finds some particularly fascinating herbs up around a stone circle.  After one trip up with her husband, Claire goes back a second time to gather more herbs.  Through some strange twist of the cosmos, Claire is flung 200 years into the past - back into Scotland in the years immediately preceding the Jacobite Rebellion.

As Claire struggles to come to grips with her new reality, she finds love - a love so strong and so deep that it crosses the boundaries of time.  Surrounded by intrigue and uncertainty at every turn, Claire struggles to find her way back to her husband and her own time.  But if she ever finds the portal back to her own time, will this love keep her in this strange world?

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Book Review: The Underground Railroad

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Cora is a slave on a plantation in Georgia.  The life of a slave is difficult, but life has thrown her some unexpected complications over the years.  Her mother ran away - and was never seen again - when she was 10 years old.  Cora was left to fend for herself in a hostile environment, where even the strong don't last long.

Image: Amazon

Cora finally reaches her breaking point and escapes with her friend Caesar, hoping that she is a good luck token that will help them escape like her mother did. Unfortunately, as they are making their first break for freedom, they are confronted by a gang of bounty hunters, and in the ensuing struggle, Cora kills a young boy.  Knowing that death - and an ugly death at that - will be her ultimate punishment, Cora becomes desperate to escape to freedom.

Forget what you have learned about the Underground Railroad.  In Cora's story, this is an actual railroad, on tracks, that exists in tunnels bored throughout the south. 

As Cora and Caesar search for the peace that has been denied to them, they find themselves wrapped up into places and situations where the chains that bind them are not the visible ones they had on them in Georgia, but they are every bit as real and deadly.  With the specter of the murdered white boy behind them, the fugitives struggle to settle in to new identities with the hope that they will not be recognized.

Unfortunately, they are pursued by the most determined of bounty hunters - the same man who was assigned to find Cora's mother.   Haunted by this one failure, he is determined to track down the fugitives and return them to their plantation.

Join Cora in her desperate race to Freedom as they journey through several stops along the Underground Railroad and find perils both unexpected and unseen.



The Underground Railroad is Historical Fiction at its very best - well researched and thought provoking.  This haunting tale will reel you in within the first 50 pages, and keep you reading until the very last word.

The Girl on The Train

This is the book that was made into a movie!  It's very similar in title to the book I reviewed last week, "Girl on a Train".  Maybe they were both on the same train at some time?  Both books are set in England.  It could happen!

Rachel travels back and forth from London on the train every day.  The train stops almost daily at a signal across from a house with a beautiful, perfect couple.  While Rachel does not know the names of this perfect couple, she has named them Jess and Jason.  Every day she looks at the house and imagines how perfect their lives must be, and creates a fantastic, loving world where they live.

Two doors down from Jess and Jason is the house where Rachel used to live, with her husband Tom.  She and Tom broke up two years ago, and he now lives there with the "other" woman and their child.

One day Jess - whose real name is Megan - is found to be missing.  Convinced that the real Megan and her husband have the perfect life, Jess begins to dig deeper into their stories in order to discover what really happened to her.  The deeper she digs, the more she discovers about just how flawed they are.

Most disturbing of all is that Rachel has hours of time she can't account for on the night that Jess/Megan disappeared.  She discovers she was in the neighborhood at the time of Jess/Megan's disappearance, but she herself is incapable of remembering anything through the alcoholic haze.

Can she remember the truth behind that evening before the wrong person is arrested?

Book Review: Girl on a Train

This is the fantastic, fabulous book that I thought had been made into a movie. (And it should be made into a movie!) While it is not that book, this edge of your seat thriller will grab you by your imagination within the first two chapters and not let you go until the heart stopping finale.  It's a mystery.  It's a thriller.  There's some self-discovery, and much needed closure.  Ye Gods, the more I read this book, the deeper I was pulled into this world.... and the ending... Who would have seen that ending?  I was not expecting this book to end in this way! 

Anna Rothman is a journalist traveling home from a holiday on the train.  The only seat open is next to a young woman.  A woman who speaks with her briefly before leaving the train - and then jumps in front of that train as it pulled out of the station. 

Anna's husband had committed suicide, and something about this young girl, and the way she looked at her as she exited the train told her that this was not a suicide.  This was something else. Something sinister and deadly.  Try as she might to put this behind her, Anna finds herself drawn into the world of this young girl who was named Ellie.  The more she discovers about Ellie, she is shocked to realize that not only do they have much in common - their lives had crossed paths - and finding the truth of Ellie's story becomes more than just a casual fascination as the same phantom forces that had chased Ellie begin pursuing her.

Can Anna bring closure to her own painful past by finding the answers to Ellie's story?

Book Review: Vegan Bowl Attack

Image: Amazon

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What an awesome find!  As you may know, daughter is a Vegetarian and both of us are allergic to dairy.  So, this book seemed like an answer to our "What's for Dinner" dilemma that we face most nights of the week.

The recipes in this book are tasty and easy to follow.  Many vegetarian meals call for extensive chopping and slicing and dicing.  Not this one!  Minimal chopping and slicing and dicing are involved, and the meals are more than filling.  The directions are clear, concise, and easy to follow

While we've tried several of the bowls for both breakfast and dinner, my favorite so far has been the Mushroom Wild Rice Slow Cooker stew.  Oh my stars!  Filled with the rich earthy taste of mushrooms, this bowl was a wonder of tastes that filled us up and kept us going for hours.  I have to admit - I cheated on the mushrooms.  I bought a pound of assorted sliced mushrooms from Wegmans.  I then diced them down before adding them to the stew.  I also neglected to put the ingredients in the slow cooker before I left for work.  So, I came home and tossed everything in a big pot.  One hour, start to finish.  It was amazing!  I already have plans to make it again.  It's in the permanent dinner rotation.

I don't have permission to post any of her recipes directly, but I can link you over to her wonderful blog, the Vegan Yack Attack!  Great name!  Head on over to her site, and take a look.  Not only does she have the most beautiful food pictures I've ever seen, she has posted some recipes.  I now have her top recipe for today - Roasted Carrots and Creamy Quinoa on my list of meals for the week.  It looks so good!

If you are looking for a healthy change of pace to your normal meals, I highly recommend this book!
(I see Christmas presents for the kids!)

How to Bake Pi

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I am not a fan of "doing" math.  I enjoyed math up until I got to Calculus in college.  That class was my Waterloo, and ever since then I have never willingly picked up a Math book.  Don't get me wrong - I managed to teach elementary school math, and my kids all had it down cold by the end of the year.  I helped my own kids with math through Algebra 2.  So, I do understand Math, and I am good at it.  I just hate the entire concept of reading higher level math text books.  Since both of my boys are Math majors, I decided I would pick up the book and read it and see if I could grasp a deeper understanding of the higher levels of math.

I enjoyed the fact that the author tied Math into something I enjoy - food.  Specifically, baking.  With the detailed explanation tied into some of the more basic concepts of higher math, I was able to make some connections I had not been able to make before. Unfortunately, once I got to the section on Calculus and smaller and smaller boxes, I just couldn't understand.  It's a mental block that I have, not a fault on the part of the author.

I did enjoy the explanation of Topology, though. My youngest son loved Topology.  This section (for me, the Calculus Dunce) was written in such a way that I understood and enjoyed the information.  While I'll never be able to discuss Topology with him, I now understand his fascination with the topic.  If I had ever been capable of passing Calculus, this is would have been my absolute favorite subject.

If you're looking for a book that puts higher levels of Math on a level that the common lay person can understand.

In the meantime, here's how to bake a pie you can really sink your teeth into:

Apple Pie

2 prepared commercial pie crusts
(What, you expected home made?  Do I look like Martha Stewart?)

7-8 Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP butter or margarine

Spray a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray.
Put one pie crust into the bottom of the pie pan.  Press firmly into bottom and sides.

In a large bowl, gently mix the apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Pour the apples into the pie crust.

Cut the butter into small pieces and put it on top of the apples.

Gently place the pie crust on top of the apples.  Press together the top and bottom crusts of the pie.  Cut several steam vents into the top of the pie crust.  Cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning of the crust.

Bake 40-45 minutes.  Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Book Review: Hitler's Last Days

O'Reilly, Bill.  Hitler's Last Days.  2015.  Harry Holt and Company, LLC.  New York, New York.

Written as a children's book, this well told tale that encompasses the last 90 days of Hitler's life will enthrall you.  Even though we know how the story ends, the in-depth look at the inner workings of the Allied Army and Nazi Germany presented almost side by side will put a very different spin on how you view the end of World War 2.

I especially appreciated that O'Reilly alternated chapters between what was going on with the Allies and what was going on within the Nazi army.  The tale covers the last gasp of the Nazi army, beginning just before the Battle of the Bulge.  Reading through the book, you realize just how close the Nazi army came to winning the battle and potentially changing the course of the war. I came away from the book with a new respect for the genius of General Patton.  If not for his cunning, the war on the European front could have lasted much longer.

I also appreciated the look into Hitler's inner circle in his final days.  As his paranoia and circle of distrust grew, this charismatic leader became a shadow of the man he was.  I don't think I ever before understood the struggles that surrounded the Nazi leadership in its final days.

Curious about the events that surrounded the final days of Nazi Germany?  This book will clarify many points that have been shrouded with the passing of time.  Sometimes, we need to be reminded of what has happened before.  Harsh lessons were learned that should never be forgotten.

Book Review: The Name of the Wind

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Rothfuss, Patrick.  The Name of the Wind: The King Killer Chronicles, Book 1.  2008.  DAW Books.

Kvothe, the most powerful magician of this, or any age, begins recalling his early life - and the experiences that made him into a household name and a legend in his own time.  Currently living as an innkeeper in a small, in the middle of nowhere town, he strives to keep his name and true identity hidden from the people that he lives with.  When the Chronicler appears seemingly out of nowhere, he cajoles Kvothe into telling his tale so that the truth - not the legends - can be recorded for all time. 

The story weaves through the extraordinary circumstances that surround Kvothe's early life and the beginning of the Legends that will surround Kvothe until the end of his days.


This story moves fast, and you will find yourself wound into the tale and intertwined with the characters faster than you can name the wind...

The Dinosaur Hunter's Handbook

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image: Amazon

The perfect book for the dinosaur enthusiast!  The Dinosaur Hunter's Handbook reads much like a field guide for birds!  50 dinosaurs are highlighted in this book.  Each entry contains a full color illustration of the dinosaur, location where they lived, a pronunciation guide, their habitat, their preferred food - and a timeline of when they lived!

I found this book recently at the public library and I was enchanted.  Filled with facts that reflect the most current research about dinosaurs, and full colored pictures that capture the might and majesty of these ancient animals, the imagination of everyone who picks up the book will be grabbed!  I had visions of taking this book and any resident children in my life to my closest museum so that we could look up information about the dinosaurs while we were looking at the models and skeletons in the museum.  Too bad I don't have any resident little people in my family!

This book is recommended for students in grades 2 and up, but I could honestly see a younger child devouring this book while sitting in Mom or Dad's lap as they read the book aloud.

The introduction to the book includes detailed information about dinosaurs and their times, as well as what our earth looked like at that time. 

Book Review The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins

Have you ever heard of Waterhouse Hawkins?  150 years ago, he was "the man".  Waterhouse Hawkins was an artist who specialized in animals.  Not only did he draw and paint them, but he was a master sculptor, and his work was highly sought after.



During the 1850's, the first giant bones of what came to be known as dinosaurs were being reconstructed into models.  Waterhouse Hawkins had been hired by Richard Owen to construct the first ever models of these fantastic creatures.  Working together, the two scientists used existing animals to determine what the dinosaurs looked like, how the bones fit together, and what the overlying muscles and skin looked like.  Waterhouse then constructed models - scale models at first, and finally life size models - of their dinosaurs.  This was the first time, ever, that people had seen these gigantic creatures!

With gorgeous illustrations by Brian Selznick, the author Barbara  Kerley bring to life the story of the first dinosaur models, and how they came to be known by the general public.   They follow the tale of Waterhouse Hawkins from his triumph in London to the horrifying situation in New York City and on to his stops at the Smithsonian Institution and Princeton University.

The tale is true - Selznick and Kerley painstakingly researched this story using primary sources ranging from Hawkins' own journal to the Illustrated London News, the London Quarterly Review, and the New York Times.  Enjoy this fascinating tale of the man who was the first to bring dinosaurs to life! 

Note - this is a picture book, illustrated by one of the best illustrators currently working - Brian Selznick.  This is a Caldecott Honor Book - honored for the quality of its illustrations.  While the book is intended for elementary school age children, it is worth venturing out to the children's section of your library or book store to read.  Fascinating story!

Book Review: Fossils Tell Stories

Years ago, I served on the Great Picture Books Committee for the State of Maryland.  We looked at every picture book that had been published in the previous year, and we made a decision as to which books we thought were the most exemplary.   Consider it kind of like a Caldecott book award, but without the big distinction of winning a Caldecott Award.   Just recognition from the children's librarians in the State of Maryland that these books were among the best published that year.

Since that time, I have always kept an eye on the picture books in my library.  There are some that are so-so, but then, there are the amazing ones that basically leap off the shelves at you.  The art work is so extraordinary that it leaves you breathless.

I found one of those books at my local library last week.  Fossils Tell Stories, written by Yu-ri Kim and Illustrated by Hyeon-joo Lee.

The story of fossils - how they are formed, and why they are important is told in simple words and bright multi-media collage illustrations.

The art work is dynamic and will draw you in to look at the details.

Photographs of real fossils are super-imposed over top of the collage to illustrate types of fossils and how to identify them.

The book ends with a short time line about the formation of fossils as well as a hands on experiment.

Book Review: Supernotes

image: Amazon

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Agent Kasper works in Cambodia with his partner, Clancy.  The two of them own a bar in Phonm Penh named Sharkey's.  People come into Sharkey's to conduct business, and to get a drink and a bite to eat.  However, Sharkey's is not all that it seems.  Both Clancy and Kasper work for foreign governments.  Clancy for the CIA, and Kasper for the Italian Intelligence Agency.  In the course of their work, they have stepped on some powerful toes and have been warned to leave the country, immediately.

Unfortunately, the two do not get out of Cambodia fast enough, and they are captured by the government and then disappear.  Kasper's living nightmare begins with his capture, and he knows that he will never be allowed to leave alive.

Meanwhile, his girlfriend and mother back in Italy hire a very determined lawyer and they work together to find out what happened to Kasper and free  him.  As they dig deeper into the circumstances behind Kasper's disappearance, they find deeper and bigger forces than they ever expected are behind his disappearance, and that they have every intention of keeping Kasper and the information he has uncovered disappeared forever.

This book is a page turning, edge of your seat spy novel set in modern day Cambodia and Italy, with flashbacks to events that lead up to Kasper's situation.  With events ranging all over the globe, and people and events tied to every major government in the world, knowing who you can trust and who you can't is a guessing game.  Trusting the wrong people will leave you dead.

Book Review: Not Your Mother's Make Ahead and Freeze Cookbook

Disclosure Notice: No Affiliate Links here!  I couldn't figure out how to get through Amazon's new screens to get a good picture.  Ergo, this fun picture that I took with my phone.

I had to laugh when I was reading Jessica's introduction to the book.  She talked about Once A Month Cooking.  (OAM).  Have any of you ever done that hot mess?  It was a big thing back in the 90's.  I would sit down and carefully plan out my meals for a month (or a little longer).  I would vary my recipes between chicken, beef, pork, and vegetarian.  I would then spend a day shopping.  We're talking a huge grocery shop here.  I'd go to BJ's, and I'd spend about $150 on the food.  Come back home and stuff it all in the fridge and freezer.  The next day was cooking day.  I'd chop vegetables, cook meat, saute things, assemble meals, and then freeze them all.  Clean up was hideous.  Every pot pan and bowl in the house was used.  BUT - at the end of the day, I had cooked meals for a month or so.  My kids were all born in the 90's, and I loved having quick meals to pull out and put on the table when they were infants and toddlers.  Not having to do meal prep with hungry toddlers running around.  Not quite bliss, but it was wonderful.  Over the years, I've moved away from OAM meals, but I am still a very big fan of cooking ahead.  I'll assemble meal kits, or crock pot dump meals, or cook two of something and freeze on for later use.  This has saved me more than once when faced with the conundrum of "What's for Dinner?"  I am always on the lookout for recipes that lend themselves well to preparing ahead, but don't leave me with a frozen, soggy mass of limp vegetables and tough, overcooked meat.  I was browsing through my local library last week when I found this gem!  Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook is going to become a staple in my house.

This is not a collection of dump recipes.  Nor is it a collection of casseroles.  Yes, there are some casseroles.  There are a couple of dump recipes.  But what really sets this book apart for me is that you are assembling meals.  Sauces and spices and meats are frozen together so that when you get ready to prep a meal, items are combined to make a fresh fantastic meal.

 

I've tried two recipes out of here so far.  The Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole is a freezer meal - but not the way you might expect.  The raw chicken was stored in a zip top bag with the marinade, and that bag was stored inside of a larger bag with the rice and seasonings.  The night before, I pulled the materials out to let them thaw in the fridge, and we had an awesome dinner the next night.  I came home, dumped everything in a 13 x 9 inch casserole, put dishes in the dishwasher away, and then looked up in surprise when dinner was ready.  Holy cow, that was good!  (Hint- if you do check this book out and decide to try this recipe, keep an eye on the rice.  It doesn't need a full 2 hours of bake time.  Mine was done in about an hour.)  

I tried the fish tacos over the weekend.  So awesome!  The make ahead version calls for the fish to be stored in a zip top bag, and for the seasonings to be stored in a separate baggie within the bag.  Personally, I'd be tempted to also store the corn tortillas in the same zip top bag.  I like having as many parts together as possible when I pull something out of the freezer.  

For me, with my food allergies, I love the recipes.  Jessica calls for fresh, not processed foods.  No processing means no chance of gluten or dairy.  Even better, it is easy for me to substitute out the foods that I can't eat or don't like.  

If you're looking for some new, fun ideas for freezer cooking, give this book at try!

Book Review: Chomp

Derek Badger is a reality tv star.  His show, Expedition Survival, is all about his adventures in the wilderness while battling wild animals who are out to eat him for dinner.

Wahoo Cray is a teenager whose father - Mickey - is a Wildlife Wrangler.  Mickey's the man you talk to if you want "tame" wild animals on your program.  He has trained the animals, and he takes care of them and makes sure that you treat his animals safely while they are on your program.

A few months back, the lives of the Cray family were turned upside down when a frozen iguana dropped on Mickey's head after a hard freeze and dented his head - giving him a concussion, persistent migraines, and double vision.  Since the accident, Mickey has not accepted any work, and the family's financial situation is getting dire.

When a phone call comes in from the Expedition Survival crew, asking Mickey's father to be the animal wrangler and provide them with an alligator, a snake, and a snapping turtle, Wahoo snaps up the offer without consulting with his father.  "What could possibly go wrong?"

Derek Badger really isn't the Wildlife Survival expert that he plays on tv.  He loves comfort and luxury, and doesn't like being  uncomfortable.  However, after an incident with an alligator, Derek is convinced that he can conquer anything and insists that his crew film in the Everglades with real wild animals along, so that the viewers can get the true Everglades Wildlife Experience.

Wahoo and his Dad are hired to be the animal wranglers on location, and Wahoo's friend Tuna tags along with them at the last minute, sporting a black eye that she claims came from "falling down a set of stairs", but everybody knows was given to her by her father.

What happens when the crew hits the Everglades is the stuff of nightmares:

1) Derek Badger goes missing in the middle of a storm.

2) Tuna's Dad shows up waving a gun, threatening to kill anyone who stands in between him and his kid.

Will Derek be found in time?
Can Tuna escape her father's wrath?

Book Review- The Sleeper and the Spindle

Not quite a graphic novel, not quite a storybook, this is a crossover between the two.  Neil Gaiman's words are framed beautifully by the illustrations so masterfully drawn by Chris Riddell.


You might think you know your Fairy Tales, but this Fractured Fairy Tale will keep you guessing up until the very last page.  As you read through the story, you will find familiar stories and faces that take the story into some very unexpected places!

This Young Adult Novel is worth your time!

I have a complete, professional review written on my YA Literature Blog, found here: 
http://librarynut-booksforteens.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-sleeper-and-spindle.html 

Book Review - House of Cards

image: Amazon

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Not the television series, no.  This is the book that started it all!  Written by Michael Dobbs in 1989, this series has become an international bestseller that has withstood the test of time and geography.

Set in Britain in the 1980's, this book weaves the tale of Francis Urquhart and his rise to power - and the extreme lengths that he is willing to go to in order to seize the power he so desperately craves.

Fans of the Netflix series will find many similarities between the two stories - but enough differences to keep them involved and engaged with the series. The themes between the two stories are so entrenched that you will find yourself pulled into the intrigue of the tale.

House of Cards is the first book in the trilogy that continues with Play King, and ends with Final Cut.

One thing is certain - you will be struck by how people in power crave more power, and the lengths that some people are willing to go to in order to have more power. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This post contains Affiliate Links.  I have cross-posted this review on my "Books for Teens Blog"

Image: Amazon

This is the book that started it all.  One very imaginative, fanciful story about an ordinary boy who finds out that he is a wizard, and that hidden within his own world is another, unknown world of witches, wizards, and magic.  I stumbled across this book while cleaning the basement last month, and I've been rereading the series.  I enjoyed the movies - but the books just have so much more to offer - so much more depth of detail and plot that is necessary to help see the overall picture of the book.  If you haven't spent some time with Harry, Ron, and Hermoine lately, you might want to go back and spend some time with them!

Harry Potter is known as "The Boy Who Lived" among the Wizarding Community.  One dark night, when Harry was a year old, a dark wizard known as "He Who Must Not Be Named" showed up at the Potter's house with the express purpose of killing young Harry.  While both of Harry's parents died that night, Harry survived - and He Who Must Not Be Named disappeared.

Harry lived a quiet life with his mother's sister and her family - the Dursleys - and they were determined to stamp that magic nonsense out of him so that he would never know what he - or his parents truly were.

The joyful romp into the world of magic begins when Harry receives an owl from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, letting him know that classes will be beginning soon, what school supplies he will need, and where to catch the train for school.

Come and join Harry as he discovers the world of magic.  Discover the wonder of Quidditch, and the charms of a very old school peopled by students, eccentric professors, and ghosts.

While Harry revels in the challenge of a new school and new friends, there seems to be a dark presence lurking in the background that is slowly taking shape.

Is it true?  Could it be possible?  Is the dark wizard slowly taking shape once again?  Has he come back in order to finish the job he started on Harry?  Find out in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Book Review: Born of Betrayal

image: amazon.com

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What would you do in the name of family loyalty?  Would you give up dessert?  Would you move out of the area?  Would you leave the person you love most in all of the world and move to another planet?

Years ago, Fain Hauk made the choice.  Family loyalty above all else.  Given the choice of watching his younger brother die a slow, tortuous death or leaving the woman he loved, he chose to save his younger brother.  But he never told the woman he loved why he left her.  He allowed her to think he was having an affair with another - a human no less - and walked away from the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Betrayed and humiliated, Galene Batur vowed vengeance against Fain.  Disowned by her family for the secret she carried, Galene made her own way in the world.  She became a commander in the military.  While she continued to hate Fain, she assumed that his life had been easy and comfortable ever since he walked away from her.

But fate can be a cruel and heartless bitch.

Galene and Fain find themselves thrown into an unexpected alliance when their respective alliances throw them together to forge a truce and keep the peace.

Galene begins their encounter by shooting Fain in the chest the first moment she sees him.

And Fain finds that none of his feelings for Galene have been lessened by time or distance.

As Fain and Galene strive to work together, Fain discovers the true secret that Galene has kept hidden from him for all these years.

And Fain discovers that despite his fearless reputation, he finally has something to fear.

Something to love more than life itself.

While the worlds crumble around them, Fain works desperately to save the most precious and valuable things in the entire universe.

 NOTE- This book contains adult themes and adult situations.

Book Review: Divergent

amazon.com

Imagine a world where everyone chooses a faction - a home where they belong for life - when they are 16 years old.  Each faction has a specific job in life.  A specific knowledge or trait that they value above all others.


The Erudite value intelligence.  The Dauntless treasure valor and fearlessness.  Amity values peace.  Candor values honesty.  Abnegation are selfless.  Once you choose a faction on graduation day, you are a member of that faction for life. You will put your faction above all else, even family.  Every person shows an aptitude for a certain faction.  During the graduation tests, they find which faction best matches them.  They are free to choose any faction, but the tests help them see where they would best fit in.

But, what if?  What if you don't fit into any one faction?  What if the tests don't work for you?  What if you don't fit the mold? 

You are Divergent.... and the Divergent are considered to be dangerous and outside of the control of the faction.  The Divergent are hunted down and killed when they are found.  Their deaths are explained away as accidents or suicides.

Beatrice Prior grew up an Abegnation.  When she takes the tests, her results come back with a scary answer.  She is warned that she is Divergent, and that she must guard this secret with her life.  With no true faction affiliation showing in her nature, she will be choosing whichever faction will make her happy.

What will she choose?  Will she choose a life of selflessness?  A life of danger?  One of constant honesty?  If she chooses outside of her faction, she will never again be a part of her family, and her choice could bring shame to her family.

The choices you make define who you are...

*This review is cross-posted on my YA book blog, Books for Teens.*  

Book Review: Empire of Tea, The Asian Leaf That Conquered the World

www.amazon.com

Tea Time.  Nothing brings to mind such a peaceful scene as the thought of an English Tea.  I've been to my fair share of formal and informal teas here in the United States, but one of my dreams is to someday have a high tea - in England, and a cozy tea in some wonderful little country inn somewhere in the countryside.

Think about those tiny little leaves.  Dried leaves, that we steep in hot water and drink.  You can pick some up at the supermarket, or, if you know what you're doing, you can blend your own combination from leaves you pick yourself.  It all seems so idyllic and simple, doesn't it?

But is it really?

The history of the tea leaf is a fascinating look at the history of the world.  While I was reading this book, I was reminded in many ways of the Spice Empire in the Dune books written by Frank Herbert.  The politics surrounding tea are fascinating.

From the simple leaf that was cultivated, steamed, dried, and then eventually brewed into a warm concoction in Ancient China to the powerhouse that drove the East India Company.  The "discovery" of the New World by the Europeans was driven by the desire to find a shorter route to the East, ostensibly for the spice trade.

Tea is featured prominently in so much of World History, but it has become such an ordinary staple on our tables now that we tend to forget what a powerful geopolitical force tea has been.

Come, be reminded of the power of the tea leaves.  Renew your acquaintance with the history of a simple little leaf - and how that little leaf has driven the course of history.