Review - Call Me Marianne by Jen Bryant

Title: Call Me Marianne

Series:: None

Author(s):: Jen Bryant

Genre:: Children's Picture Book

Summary: A Young Boy takes a bus trip on a bus to the zoo, where he meets poet Marianne Moore. They talk about animals and writing.

Finished: 04/7/09

Pages: 32

Challenges: none

Rating:

My Thoughts: This picture book is about a little boy meeting poet Marianne Moore at at a zoo. I found it less interesting than most picture books. It just seemed a little boring. The boy meets Marianne after she loses her hat. She then walks with him through the zoo and tells him about being a poet. But there was nothing fun about that, except maybe that they were at a zoo. Even that seemed tedious, though. One of Jen Bryant's better book is Abe's Fish, about Abraham Lincoln, which I reviewed also.

About the Author: Jen Bryant is a mother, writer and poet. Check out her and her books at http://www.jenbryant.com/

Review - Wicked Game by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush

Title: Wicked Game

Series:: None

Author(s):: Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush

Genre:: Mystery/Romance

Summary: In a sleepy little Oregon town, high school friends reunite to discuss their missing classmate, Jessie, 20 years ago. When a body is found that is thought to be hers, one of the friends, a reporter, investigates Jessie's life. But as she gets too close to the mystery, one by one her friends start getting killed.

Finished: 04/22/09

Pages: 384

Challenges: none

Rating:

My Thoughts: Everyone is pretty sure the body is Jezebel "Jessie" Brentwood, including her high school friends. One of those friends, Becca, has been having visions of Jessie ever since the body was found. Little does Becca know, someone wants her dead because of her connection to the dead girl. This was a thrilling book. It even gave me dreams at one point, and not good ones. I realize now I've gotten to the end that it wasn't that scary, but there was a good amount of scare. The love story between Becca and Hudson was my favorite part. From the start, you want them to get together. I also found the storyline about the Colony, it's a Cult, interesting. Lisa Jackson stated at the end of the book that there where more books about the Colony, and I'd like to read them. This one was pretty decent.

About the Author: Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush are sisters. This is their first book together, but they have written many separately. To visit Lisa Jackson, go here http://www.lisajackson.com/. To visit Nancy Bush, go here http://www.nancybush.net/

It's Tuesday Where Are You? New York, Louisiana and Washington

Event takes place at raidergirl3's An Adventure in Reading

I am in New York. I just visited my friend Nima in front of the Art Museum where he sells food from a cart. I am in the process of creating one of my greatest inventions. ( Slob by Ellen Potter)

I am also in New Orleans. I just found out a friend I had made died. I also found out my father is cheating on my mother. (Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa)

I am in Forks, Washington with Edward. He won't let me go see my best friend in La Push because he is afraid he will hurt me. (Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer)

Review - The Hog Prince by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

Title: The Hog Prince

Series:: None

Author(s):: Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

Genre:: Children's Book

Summary: A confuzzled fairy tells a hog if he kisses his true love he will become a prince

Finished: 04/7/09

Pages: 32

Challenges: none

Rating:

My Thoughts: A retelling of The Frog Prince, but instead of a frog, a fairy gets confused and thinks it is a hog that is really the prince in disguise. All the hog has to do to become a prince is kiss his true love, or so the fairy thinks. This is a quaint retelling with a sweet ending, and the artwork is excellent.

About the Author: Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen is a mother of three who has published 6 original picture books. To find out more about her, go to her website: http://www.sudipta.com/.

Winner Of Refer A Book Weekend 4/27/09!

And the Winner is..... nbbaker1102 who said...
For a cute teen romance, check out The Anatomy of a Boyfriend. I have heard good things about this book. Congrats I will contact you later today.


Thank you Liyana who said... I would recommend Twilight. - I have actually read Twilight. You can read my review here. I just finished New Moon and I am starting Eclipse.

Weekly Geek - Animals

Weekly Geek.com

This week you are asked to share books (fiction or nonfiction) and/or movies which center around an animal or animals.
Which are your favorites? My favorite book about an animal when I was young was The Pokey Little Puppy. It's been a long time since I read and I can't think about what it is about. As I got a little older my favorite books changed to Charolette's Web and Old Yeller . These were book that I read over and over again.

Which touched your heart the most? Ones that touched my heart where probably the later two mentioned above. But more recently I would say A Mama for Owen. It is based on a true story and it is so sweet.

Which have found their way onto your wish lists or TBR stacks? I have Dewey on my TBR Mt.

Is there a childhood favorite? I would have to say out of all of them my favorite has to be Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. That is the first author that ever got me interesting in reading all of there books.

Have you ever named a pet after an animal from a book or movie? Actually yes but i can't seem to find the book. I was walking out of a library when I was young and I remember seeing a book called something like Chino the Cat. It had a orange and white tabby kitten on the cover. I never read the book because I could never find it again but I remember thinking if I have a orange and white cat I will name him Chino. Low and behold I got my wish and I named the pesky critter Chino. We had kinda a love, hate relationship. I despertly wanted to love the cat and he wanted nothing to do with me. I only had him for a month or so and then my dad gave him to my aunt who had him for many years. He is long gone now and in his later years mellowed out and seemed to like everyone except most men and especially my dad.

You get the idea! Have fun with this; use your imagination. Share your thoughts!

Refer A Book Weekend 4/24/09!

Rules of Refer A Book Weekend: To play all you have to do is recommend a book that you liked and post in the comments. Tell me why you liked the book or link to your review. I will pick a recommendation, then add it to my TBR pile and the person who recommended the book will get to win a book from this Pile of Free Books that I reviewed.I usually post the Refer A Book Weekend post at 12pm EST after I am done work. Each week I will post a new post for you to comment in. The winner will not be picked until Monday so you have the weekend to recommend.


Hint : Let's go with Romance . I would prefer Teen Romance but it can be any form

Review - Abe's Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln by Jen Bryant

Title: Abe's Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln

Series:: None

Author(s):: Jen Bryant

Genre:: Children's Book

Summary: Young Abe goes fishing and comes across a solider fighting for freedom.

Finished: 04/07/09

Pages: 40

Challenges: none

Rating:

My Thoughts: Interesting little story. I don't know if it's based on any truth, but young Abe Lincoln goes fishing, and on his way home with dinner, he runs into a solider. Out of the kindness of his heart, Abe gives the hungry solider his family's dinner, knowing his family will be proud of him. This tale talks a lot about freedom, and foreshadows Abe's own future with freedom as president. It is a nice story, and I could see it possibly happening in Lincoln's lifetime.

About the Author: Jen Bryant has published 14 books. You can visit her at http://www.jenbryant.com/index.html

It Tuesday Where Are You ? New Orleans, Oregon , and Washington

It Tuesday Where Are you Event takes places at raidergirl3's An Adventure in Reading.


I am somewhere near New Orleans. My brother picked me up from school. Mom doesn't work after the miscarriage and Dad stays at the bar often. (Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa)

I am also in Forks, Washington with Bella and Jacob. Bella just had her first run in with a werewolf. (New Moon by Stephanie Meyer)

I am still in Oregon with my new boyfriend and now father of my yet born child. 3 of our friends have died. One my boyfriend twin sister. We travel to the ocean side to find out why she died. (Wicked Game by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush)

Review - The Truth Lies In The Dark by Kristin Callender

Title: The Truth Lies in the Dark
Series:: None
Author(s):: Kristin Calender
Genre:: Mystery
Summary: A married woman finds there is mystery locked in her past that she cannot remember. But her family knows, have kept the truth from her.
Finished: 04/17/09
Pages: 188
Challenges: none
Rating:










My Thoughts: The book moves back and forth between California and, I believe, Connecticut. The main characters, Amanda and Nick Martineau, have a deep and loving relationship, and it shows throughout the book. The plot surrounds the secret from Amanda's past that her family keeps secret, including her husband Nick.

The book kept me interested and, while I don't think the plot was too original, I still enjoyed it. I found Amanda's dreams most interesting. Her amnesia, and other parts, reminded me of My Sweet Audrina by V.C. Andrews--to which it was a little similar to that book, but not completely. The pacing was quick and exciting, and I had a good time reading it.

About the Author: Kristin Callender is the mother of four and lives in Connecticut. The cover of this book was painted by one of her children. You can visit her website at http://sites.google.com/site/kristincallenderbooks.

Winner of RABW 4/20/09!

The winner is
gautami tripathy who said...I recently read The Farwalker's Quest and liked it.
Congrats Gautami it looks interesting. I love YA books and this one seems right up my alley.
I will contact you soon.

Author Interview with Danielle Thorne

What are your favorite books and authors to read? If I’m going to read a book, it has to have romance or adventure. I love Jane Austen and have read all of her books. My favorite author though would be Patrick O’Brian. He wrote MASTER AND COMMANDER and turned it into an addictive series. I don’t see how anyone could get enough of Jack Aubrey (O’Brian’s hero). As far as just picking up a paperback to hit the beach, I love Clive Cussler.

Can you tell me little about what got you started in writing? I had a lot of encouragement in my childhood. After winning an Honorable Mention in a national poetry contest with Scholastic, I felt like I really had a talent I could strive to cultivate. I didn’t always pursue publication because it wasn’t the right time, but I have always made writing a part of my life. It’s the portal through which I express myself.

Do you have a routine when you write? I write during school hours when I have the most quiet. Raising four sons, three of whom are teenagers, makes for a lot of distraction (but in a good way). Sometimes it’s almost too quiet and I have to run a fan for white noise! I also stay up and write through the night when I’m into a project. I have to balance writing with other responsibilities life, so that takes some juggling. The important thing for me is to schedule and commit to writing times so I make progress. It’s too easy to come up with excuses for why you can’t.

Do you have any tips for a writer starting out? Besides “Just Do It,” I think I’d have to advise getting some good books. There are a lot of books out there that explain the fundamentals, and they really can help open your eyes to the technical process if you’re new at it. One book I came across that helped me tremendously was HOOKED, by Les Edgerton. I was having a hard time with my first few chapters and he helped me see what I needed and what I didn’t.


You just released a new e-book called The Privateer. Could you tell us a little about it? THE PRIVATEER is my take on what kind of men actually lived and endured piracy during the Golden Age. My hero, Julius Bertrand, secretly privateers for the British. He has a pardon for past piracy and uses his experience to seek fame and fortune. Unfortunately old enemies want him out of the way when a secret shipment of diamonds sails through the Caribbean. Their attempts to get rid of him puts people he cares about in harm’s way.

What made pirates appealing? Are they better than ninjas? (laughs) Where TREASURE ISLAND made pirates intriguing, I think Disney’s take on pirates with the 2003 film has given them a whole new image of charm and appeal. Everyone loves a rebel, and pirates glam up the whole rebellion thing with ships, sword fighting, and buried treasure. It’s a pity that the truth is they were cold-hearted thieves and murderers; we all want to believe there had to be one good guy in the bunch to redeem them as a species. As far a ninjas, pirates were a lot less honorable. They were out for themselves and I don’t think they got quite the same kind of training. If you put Bruce Lee and Jack Sparrow in a room, much as I love old Jack, I’d have to put my money on Bruce every time.

How does The Privateer's setting and characters compare to what readers may be used to seeing about pirates in pop culture (like in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies)? That’s a good question and I’m glad you asked it. THE PRIVATEER is not a tribute to the Pirates of the Caribbean series. It certainly did inspire me to ask questions like, Could there really have been good pirates? Could a British officer and a pirate ever form a friendship? And what kind of smart, plucky female might actually fall for a plunderer? THE PRIVATEER is set around the same era, 1729, about a decade after Blackbeard’s demise. I took artistic license and created my own island, San Madrid, but I set it in the Leeward Islands between Antigua and St. Kitts so that I could use their history and political figures to put a story together. My hero Julius Bertrand would probably have tolerated Jack Sparrow but only to a degree. I think Jack would make Bertrand grudgingly laugh. Bertrand has a pirating past and will do what he must to get ahead, but there is a noble streak running through him. He works with the British Navy and this gives him a sense of self-worth. Though his seeking social status colors him somewhat shallow in the beginning, this is what opens him up to love and putting up a fight when his past comes back to haunt him. Maybe if Jack Sparrow would have had that taste of acknowledgment, the movies would have ended differently.

Do you have a favorite part in the book? Once the true action begins to unravel, as one reviewer has said, it’s a runaway train. I love the chase sequences aboard ships in the final chapters. My battle scenes are all figments of my imagination and long hours of research melded together. Of course, I have never lived aboard a wooden ship of the line and engaged in combat, so I hope I did the scenes justice. It is an amazing feat to wage war by floating vessel with all that fire power. Those passages were my favorite to write and are still my favorite to read. I do have one special scene that is dear to my heart. My favorite emotional turning point would be when Bertrand realizes he has nothing left but a girl who loves him. In that moment, he understands nothing else he had, has, or will have, will ever matter as much as being cherished. He goes so far as to contemplate piracy--that past he has let go of--in order to get her back.

Would you fall for a pirate? If I were a literary character, absolutely. Despite that the Golden Age was a terrible time, in many respects I do believe there were some good men out there, even some good pirates, who meant no harm. The courage it takes to live a life at sea--who wouldn’t want a man with guts like that? As far as in reality, those pirates are some nasty villains. I wouldn’t want to rub shoulders with one in real life. It’s much easier to take risks from behind the pen.

Author’s Website: www.daniellethorne.jimdo.com
Publisher’s Website: www.awe-struck.net

Refer A Book Weekend 4/17/09

Rules of Refer A Book Weekend: To play all you have to do is recommend a book that you liked and post in the comments. Tell me why you liked the book or link to your review. I will pick a recommendation, then add it to my TBR pile and the person who recommended the book will get to win a book from this Pile of Free Books that I reviewed.I usually post the Refer A Book Weekend post at 12pm EST after I am done work. Each week I will post a new post for you to comment in. The winner will not be picked until Monday so you have the weekend to recommend.


Hint : Up for pretty much anything.

It Tuesday Where Are You? Oregon and Connecticut

Event takes place at raidergirl3's An Adventure in Reading.

I am in Oregon mourning the death of high school friend and rekindling a romance. (Wicked Game by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush)

I am also in Connecticut after finding out I am not who i thought i was and my whole family lied to me about my identity. (The Truth Lies in the Dark by Kristen Calender)

Review - Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy by David Soman

Title: Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy
Series:: Ladybug Girl Series
Author(s):: David Soman
Genre:: Children's Book
Summary: A little girl finds a friend to play with at the playground. They create there own superheroes.
Finished: 04/07/09
Pages: 40
Challenges: none
Rating:









My Thoughts: A companion to the lovable Ladybug Girl. In this one, Ladybug Girl befriends a boy and they pretend to be "Bug Squad" superheroes fighting crime at the playground. As good as the first book, possibly better.

About the Author: David Soman is the author and illustrator of both Ladybug Girl books.

Review - Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis

Title: Ladybug Girl
Series:: Ladybug Girl Series
Author(s):: David Soman and Jacky Davis
Genre:: Children's Book
Summary: A little girl pretends to be a superhero because her older brother won't let her play with him.
Finished: 04/07/09
Pages: 40
Challenges: none
Rating:










My Thoughts: Just like its artwork, this story is adorable. Out of boredom and just plain fun, this little girl creates ladybug girl. She travels with her dog, doing good deeds to insects and all living creatures. I loved this story; it was so fun. It reminded me a little of David Shannon's Alice the Fairy book.

About the Author: David Soman is the author of three children's books, including this one. I couldn't find anything about Jacky Davis.

Refer A Book Weekend Winner for 4/13/09!

Congrats to Tea who said Tea said...I would like to refer "Ill Met By Moonlight" by Sarah Hoyt.
Shakespeare, Fairies and a beautiful cover. I will be emailing later today. Oh and double Congrats to you for passing the first step in the Confuzzled Faerie Book Challenge!

Charlotte said...I very enthusiastically recommend Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor. Fairies you found my weakness. This would have been the second pick. I just loved the cover on Tea's pick a little more.

BookWormz said...I'd highly reccomend "The Help" by Katheryn Stockett. Sorry Rachel this one didn't interest me.

Sherrie said...Hi!
I found you at Beth Fish's place. I would like to recommend StarClimber by Kenneth Oppel. Hi Sherrie Welcome to Confuzzled Books! I have seen this series and have often wondered about it. It sounds interesting but maybe for another time.

Review - Of Dreams And Realities by Dr. Frank L. Johnson

Title: Of Dreams and Realities
Series::
Author(s):: Dr. Frank L. Johnson
Genre:: Poetry
Summary: From the back of the book: "Of Dreams and Realities is a splendid new collection of poems that proves insightful in it's reach and elemental in it's grasp. The collection is industrious and sly--a bit of hardworking magic in the everyday subtleties of life."
Finished: 04/12/09
Pages: 44
Challenges: none
Rating:










My Thoughts: This is the first grownup poetry book I have ever reviewed, so let me say a little bit about what kind of poetry I like. I like poetry that tells a clear story, not something you have to breakdown and analyze every sentence. I tend to like love poems--something I just realized after reading this. This book has what I like. My favorite was the first poem, "Accidentally on Purpose". The rest of the poetry was good, not great but good.

About the Author: Dr. Frank L. Johnson lives in Virginia and has won awards for his poetry. This is his first book.

Review - It Sucked And Then I Cried by Heather B. Armstrong

Title: It Sucked And Then I Cried
Series::
Author(s):: Heather B. Armstrong
Genre:: Biography
Summary: Memoir of Heather B. Armstrong as she becomes a first time mother, has a breakdown, and gets through it all.
Finished: 04/12/09
Pages: 256
Challenges: none
Rating:










My Thoughts: Heather Armstrong gives us a funny and truthful look into her life as a first time mother.

After her baby's birth, Armstrong suffered from Postpartum depression and spent a short stay in a mental hospital. While I enjoyed all of the book, I could not truly relate to her role as mother, as I am not one. But I related deeply to her battle with depression, trying many different medications until something worked, and her stay in the mental hospital. It was hopeful to see she found a doctor who got her on the right medication and helped her through the tough time.

Reading this book, I became a fan of Heather's humorous writing and started visiting her blog, which I had never heard. I think this is a book, and a blog, everyone could enjoy.

About the Author: Heather B. Armstrong is a mother and blogger. This is her second book, the first being Things I Learned About My Dad In Therapy. You can Visit her blog at http://www.dooce.com

Review - The Adventures of Songha: The Amazing Savannah Cat by Linda R. Caterine

Title: The Adventures of Songha: The Amazing Savannah Cat
Series::
Author(s):: Linda R. Caterine
Genre:: Children's Book
Summary: The story of a mixed breed house cat who is half African leopard
Finished: 03/20/09
Pages: 80
Challenges: none
Rating:










My Thoughts: A touching story of a mixed breed cat that is half African leopard. We see the cat through its life with its human owners and its wild side. After each chapter, there is a poem that basically reviews what happened. I thought the story was interesting, creative and cute.

About the Author: Linda R. Caterine is a mother of four. This is her first book.

Refer A Book Weekend 4/10/09

Rules of Refer A Book Weekend: To play all you have to do is recommend a book that you liked and post in the comments. Tell me why you liked the book or link to your review. I will pick a recommendation, then add it to my TBR pile and the person who recommended the book will get to win a book from this Pile of Free Books that I reviewed.I usually post the Refer A Book Weekend post at 12pm EST after I am done work. Each week I will post a new post for you to comment in. The winner will not be picked until Monday so you have the weekend to recommend.


Hint: Open to anything.

Signed Book Giveaway The Truth Lies in The Dark by Kristen Callender

Here it is Mystery Book Giveaway #5 The Truth Lies in The Dark by Kristin Callender . I twittered through about halfway through the book. It is a mystery and it is a interesting one. If you like you can read my interview with Kristin Callender Here.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN A SIGNED COPY OF THIS BOOK. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR EMAIL.

AGAIN I SAY WITH YOUR EMAIL

Winner of RABW and Signed Book Giveaway!!

Congrats to Janel for Winner REFER A BOOK WEEKEND! She recommended That Went Well by Terrell Harris Dougan. This one seemed the most interesting to me.

Melange said...Oh! I must recommend Princess by Jean Sasson. - Sounds interesting but i think it may get to dark for me and see my self not finishing it if it does. I am having that problem with a book now.

Kristi said...I just got this one to review - Jantsen's Gift by Pam Cope and Aimee Molloy. - This one just didn't interest me. I would have to keep rereading what it was about because I would forget. Sorry.

Thank you everyone for playing


Now for the winner of the Signed Book Giveaway Baron Think Dogs Are People Too by Laurie Dean! The winner is picked by random number generator and is NUMBER 9.
WHO IS

elaine said...

Looks like a fun book for my nephews!

Elaine R

Congratulations! Everyone I will be contacting you soon!

LOOK OUT TOMORROW FOR THE PROMO OF A NEW SIGNED BOOK GIVEAWAY. FOLLOW MY POST ABOUT THE MYSTERY GIVEAWAY ON TWITTER UP UNTIL THE TIME I POST THE TITLE HERE!

Last Day For Signed Book Giveaway!!

Today is the last day to enter into the Signed Book Giveaway of Baron Thinks Dogs Are People Too by Laurie Dean. Go here to Comment And Enter

Refer A Book Weekend 4/3/09

Rules of Refer A Book Weekend: To play all you have to do is recommend a book that you liked and post in the comments. Tell me why you liked the book or link to your review. I will pick a recommendation, then add it to my TBR pile and the person who recommended the book will get to win a book from this Pile of Free Books that I reviewed.I usually post the Refer A Book Weekend post at 12pm EST after I am done work. Each week I will post a new post for you to comment in. The winner will not be picked until Monday so you have the weekend to recommend.

Hint: Recommend me some memoirs or anything else you can think of.