Don't Even Think About It - Review

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Rating: 4 Stars

Description:  When homeroom 10B at Bloomberg High School gets flu shots they get an unexpected side effect.  They can read minds.  Chaos ensues for this group of high school sophomores as they deal with the benefits and consequences of knowing what everyone is thinking.

Genre: YA

My Impression: I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book and kind of expected it to go to more of a science fiction angle.  Instead it was really about this group of 15 and 16 year old teenagers figuring out who they are with the added complication of knowing what everyone is thinking and knowing that a select group of people can read their thoughts.  For some, like nervous hypochondriac Olivia, it's a good thing when she discovers that people don't judge her nearly as much as she thought they did.  For some, like popular pretty Mackenzie, it causes her world to tumble as it's revealed that she's not nearly as perfect as she'd like everyone to think she is.  I have kids who are in this age range and I thought Mlynowski did a good job with making these teenagers act like actual teenagers.  They're not stupid, they're worried about the future and thinking about sex.  In some ways they're terribly mature and in other ways they're woefully immature.  There's a lot of angst regarding boy/girl issues that can come off as overly dramatic or silly to adult readers but I thought was appropriate and accurate.  It did drag a little in the middle once they had figured out what was going on and were trying to live with it but the story was well wrapped up.  This feels like a fun lightweight read but the issues about dealing with the world around you are thought-provoking.

*An added note - Emma (almost 17) was so intrigued by my description of this book so she borrowed my Kindle and got through it in about a day.  She really enjoyed the story and the characters as well.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Yes definitely!  I've already ordered a copy for Emma (almost 17 years old)

My Top 10 Favorite Books in the Children's Genre

I'm linking up with The Broke and The Bookish for one of my favorite memes of the week - Top Ten Tuesday!  This week's top ten list is my Top Ten Books in a genre I pick.  I struggled with this one because I read a lot of genres but when it really comes down to it the books I tend to grab for reread are either romance or children's books.  Then the other day Emma and I were having a discussion about books.  She was telling me that she had tried to reread her favorite series from when she was a kid (Michael Buckley's Sisters Grimm series which is pretty good) and couldn't get through it.  I read them when she got really into them and while they're definitely children's books I enjoyed them.  That got me to thinking about the time I tried to reread my favorite Louisa May Alcott book and came to the same conclusion but I've loved others of my childhood favorites I've read in the last few years.  So I'm wondering, maybe there's an age range that makes it more difficult to enjoy children's literature?  Maybe at 17 it's just too recent to have the beauty of nostalgia?

So after all that rambling here's my favorites:

1.  The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - This was one of my absolute favorite books as a child and when I reread it last summer (Yay free Kindle books!) I fell in love all over again.

2.  The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (Review) - I actually didn't discover this one until recently but it's definitely one of my favorite Montgomery's.

3.  Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright - this book is almost pure indulgence for me.  Two kids find an almost abandoned lake surrounded with abandoned Victorian summer homes and spend the rest of the summer having adventures.  The sequel is wonderful too.

4.  The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright - this is the 2nd book in the series that Enright wrote about the Melendy family.  All four are wonderful but this is probably my favorite.  I read this to pieces a child and was delighted when I rediscovered it.

5.  Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Errnestine Glibreth Carey - this is another book I read to pieces as a child.  This and it's sequel were 2 of my very favorite books and it's still a pretty fun read.

6.  Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - I loved this series and I reread this book not too long ago and really enjoyed.  The life they lead is so different than the ones we lead now and I really enjoyed the look at how much work it took to keep a family fed and safe.

7.  Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott - this book is often overlooked since it's not part of Alcott's books about the March family but I always loved it more.  The story of the newly orphaned badly spoiled Rose who finds herself suddenly living with her extended family and a large quantity of cousins is such fun. If you have a Kindle it's free which is always good.

8.  13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey by Kathryn Tucker Windham - these were my first taste of ghost stories and I read them until I had them memorized.  She has a number of books in this series all involving Southern States.  Her books for adults about growing up in a small town in Alabama and then becoming one for the few women reporters during WW2 are also very good.

9.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - I've read them all but this and the Magician's Nephew are my favorite.

10. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery - Okay so I'm using Montgomery twice but it's not the same series!  This one is probably my favorite of the Anne series though I do spend a lot of time wanting to shake Anne.

My Irish Table - Cookbook Review

My Irish Table by Cathal Armstrong and David Hagedorn

In a fairly desperate attempt to reconnect with my Irish heritage I've always been attracted to all things Irish.  Unfortunately, despite my best efforts the food has never really grabbed me.  I've paged through every Irish cookbook I've come across and always seem to find the same 10 heavy dishes.  That is until I came across My Irish Table.  This book includes recipes for anything you could possibly want - breakfast, quick food, more traditional food, fish, special occasions, bread, desserts and everything in between.  While there are several recipes that my rather conservative American palate is too chicken to attempt (blood sausage, steak and kidney pie) there are tons of recipes that simply make my mouth water.  The Spanish Omelet with Aioli, the Dublin Coddle, the Chicken Noodle Soup, Spiced Beef Sandwiches and lots of other main dishes as well as pretty much all of the bread and potato recipes look fantastic and include ingredients that are easily found at major grocery stores.

I did try the Potato Rolls recipe with dinner last night.  While I'm familiar with yeast breads I've never made this type of roll before.  Add the fact that I had a cold and a cranky 4 year old things could have easily gone horribly wrong.  What I got were light and tender yet hearty rolls with a slight salty taste that were fantastic with a little Irish butter.  While the instructions were long they were very well laid out and very clear and easy to follow.  I'm definitely looking forward to trying more recipes!

Verdict: Buy!  The pictures are beautiful, the food is different enough to add variety to the menu without impossible to find ingredients and the recipes are well laid out with clear instructions.

Showcase Sunday

I'm participating in the Showcase Sunday link hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea.  Last week was a pretty slow week for me but I think I more than made up for it this week!

Actual Books -

Allergic to Death by Peg Cochran - this is the first in the Gourmet De-Lite Mystery series.

A Finder's Fee by Joyce and Jim Lavene - This is the 5th in the Missing Pieces series.  I've read 1 & 2 and enjoyed them.

Heaven Preserve Us by Cricket McRae - I now have 1 - 3 of the Home Crafting series.  I probably should give it a try!

Library Books -

That Night on Thistle Lane by Carla Neggers - I really try to get out of the library without getting books for me.  The other day while I was waiting for the Tornado to pick out his movies I made the mistake of reading some of the backs of the books that were on display.  I read Neggers' newest one not to long ago and enjoyed it but was still going to resist this one until I got to the pharse "discover a secret room full of vintage costumes".  Vintage clothes and hidden rooms.  Can't resist it!

E-Book Purchases -

Amazon's daily deals got me a couple of times this week!

 

The House of Morgan: An American Baking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance by Ron Chernow - I've seen this book a few times and wanted to read it but never bought it.  I'm not sure when I'll get to it but at least I'll have it.

What the Duke Desires - by Sabrina Jeffries - I've read the book that comes after this one and really liked it so I was excited to see this one on sale.

E-ARCs -

Uganda be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler  - It's been awhile since I've read a funny book so I have high hopes for this one.

That Touch of Ink by Diane Vallere - a mystery involving an interior designer. 

Jennifer, Gwyneth and Me by Rachel Bertsche - really excited about this one!

The Awakening of Miss Prim by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera - a book about a librarian in France.  Couldn't pass it up!

Murder at Midnight by C. S. Challinor - an old fashioned locked room mystery in Scotland featuring Jacobite gold.

The Quick Guide to Home Organizing by Sandra Felton - exactly what it says. Takes a day by day approach.

Blossom Street Brides by Debbie MacComber - I've only read the first one in this series years ago but liked it.  This one looked interesting.

On Sunset Beach by Mariah Stewart - Newest book in the Chesapeake Diaries series.

Of Monsters and Madness by Jessica Verday - A prequel to Edgar Allen Poe's Annabel Lee told from the perspective of Annabel Lee.  I am intrigued.

Take Control of Your TBR Challenge Check In

This month is time for the Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge hosted by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  I've been reading mostly review books lately so I'm hoping to take this month and at least make some progress on my TBR shelves which are beginning to overflow.  So I sat down and pulled a few that I've been wanting to read for awhile.  Most are the 2nd or 3rd in a series that I have several more of with 2 being just books I've been wanting to read.  So here's my official starting pile list:

1.  Dark Witch by Nora Roberts (Review) - I was so looking forward to this.  Nora Robert's Irish books are some of my favorites.  The Gallagher series and Three Fates are absolutely wonderful.  This one not so much.  It did count as a book for my Irish challenge thoug.

2.  Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen - this is the 4th book in a really fun series that is set in England in the 1920s/30s.  I have #5, #6 and #7 sitting on my shelf.

3.  Home Again by Mariah Stewart - I read the 1st in the series last year and really enjoyed it.  Then I read #7 (Review) last month.  I have physical copies of #3 - 5 sitting on my shelf, #6 is on my list at the library and I just got #8 from netgalley.  I don't think I want to talk about this series anymore.  It's getting embarrassing!

4.  One Book in the Grave by Kate Carlisle- this mystery series about a book restorer is one I always put off reading yet always enjoy when I do.  This is the 5th in the series.  I have the 6th on my shelf and should be getting #7 soon from paperbackswap.

5.  Buried in a Bog by Sheila Connolly - This is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors.  I was so excited when this book came out that I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.  That was last year.  Still haven't read it and the 2nd is already out.

6.  Old Haunts by E.J. Copperman - I've really liked the first 2 in the series but haven't read any of it in awhile.  This is #3 and I have #4 and 5 waiting for me.

7.  Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay - McKinlay is another one of my favorite cozy mystery authors.  I absolutely love her mystery series and I really liked the first one of her cupcake series.  However I think I read that 2 years ago and haven't picked up another since despite my love of cupcakes.  This is the 2nd and I have 3 - 5 waiting for me as well as the 1st one of a new series by her.

I didn't even start on my nonfiction bookshelf and this only a tiny sampling of books I desperately need to read that are currently occupying shelf real estate but this is what I'm going to start with for now!  Anyone else accumulate serious series backlog?

This Week in Reading

What I Read:

Sinfully Yours by Cara Elliott (Review)

I really want to like this series but it just keeps disappointing me.  I had high hopes for this one but the first half was frankly boring.  It improved in the second half but I was still annoyed.  I have the third one so I'll read that but unless it's tons better that will be the last Elliott I'm getting for awhile.

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts (Review)

Normally Roberts' books that are set in Ireland are my absolute favorite but this had much more of a been there done that feel.  I'm hoping the next 2 books in the series are stronger.

What I'm Reading:

Murder at Hazelmoor by Agatha Christie 

Almost done but not quite.  This is one of her best and I'm really enjoying it.  I need to get some serious reading done if I have any hope of getting all the Agatha's read by the end of the year.

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Almost done with this as well.  So good!  I love the fact that kids really seem like regular 15/16 year old kids without making them look silly or overly mature.  

Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay

Just started this one.  I read the first one in the series ages ago and since then haven't picked up another one even though I've accumulated at least 3 more in the series.  I love her library series and I love cupcakes so I'm hoping I enjoy this one as well.

What's Been Distracting Me:

I don't even know.  It's just not been a good week for reading.  I don't think it helps that I wasn't really drawn in by the Roberts' book so I wasn't feeling the need to pick it up every second where I wasn't doing something else.   I'm starting to get a little panicky about all the books I have waiting for me though.  I'm starting to think that all the Agatha's in 1 year may be pushing it.

Dark Witch - Review

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

Rating:  3 Stars

Description:  Iona Sheehan came to Ireland looking for her place.  She finds her 2 cousins Branna and Connor O'Dwyer.  She also finds stable owner Boyle McGrath as well as a long history that she wasn't aware of.  Now she must learn who she really is and reconcile her feelings for Boyle.

Genre:  Romance

My Impression:  I really wanted to like this.  I really really did.  I got a little nervous when Lisa at Books, Lists, Life didn't like it but I persevered after all our tastes don't always line up.  Unfortunately, on this one they did.  I didn't dislike it.  The story was fine, the characters were interesting, the setting was beautiful but it definitely wasn't anything special.  Roberts has tackled all these subjects before and done it better before.  You want witchcraft?  Try the Key series or the Three Sisters.  Want Ireland?  Try Three Fates (which is one of my favorites) or the Gallaghers of Ardmore. The romance had the feel of a romance from Roberts' early years with the guy being a jerk for a large portion of the book and the woman sighing about how hot he is.  It's still a Roberts' book so it's a fun read but definitely not one of her best.  Branna and Connor are interesting so I have hope for their books.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes to both

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Not really.  There are too many good Roberts' books out there so no point in wasting your time with this one.

This book counts as part of the Take Control of Your TBR Challenge hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer