What’s Ashley Reading?: Later

Later by Stephen King

First line: I don’t like to start with an apology – there’s probably even a rule against it, like never ending a sentence with a preposition – but after reading over the thirty pages I’ve written so far, I feel like I have to.

Summary: Jamie Conklin was born with a gift. But not a gift he wants. He can see and talk to dead people. Only his mom and he know of this gift until she tells her friend, an NYPD detective, who then uses this information to help find a killer. Through his involvement in the case, he gets more than he expected.

My Thoughts: I loved this book! Think The Sixth Sense meets crime drama with a Stephen King twist. It is King at his best. He can fit such a great story into 250 pages. I was a little nervous starting this since I loved so many of this older books that it’s scary to start a new one, hoping that it lives up to its predecessors. Starting out I wasn’t sure where the story was going to take us. And that was perfect. I did not find it predictable or cliché. I enjoyed all the characters especially the professor who is like a father figure to Jamie.

I liked how King laid out his story. It starts with Jamie as a young boy, then as he grows up but he flashes farther forward and back to help explain events in Jaime’s life. Plus the layout also gives the reader the meaning behind the title. I knew that there was going to be a big showdown at the end which was just as great as the rest of the book. But King threw in one final twist that I did predict even though it seemed a little farfetched when I guessed it. But as I read it, I yelled out, “I knew it!” All around a fun, quick and spooky little book to read over the weekend.

FYI: Language, death, ghosts, murder and drug use.

Kristy’s Reviews: The Deal of a Lifetime

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

First Line: Hi. It’s your dad. You’ll be waking up soon, it’s Christmas Eve morning in Helsingborg, and I’ve killed a person.

Summary: A father and a son are seeing each other for the first time in years. The father has a story to share before it’s too late. He tells his son about a courageous little girl lying in a hospital bed a few miles away. She’s a smart kid—smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it. (www.amazon.com)

My Thoughts:   Intriguing quick light read. What would you do? What would anyone do when you have cancer and know you’re gonna die? What would you do? For one man that lived a decent life, the end was an easy choice. Looking thru the windows at the hospital said it all. He knew from the first moment he saw this little girl what he would do in the end. And for him it was an easy choice to save the life of a little girl he barely knew. So he traded his life for hers with the help of the lady in the grey sweater and clipboard.

Mom and Me Reviews: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

This family is going on a bear hunt. They’re going to catch a BIG one, and they are NOT afraid! The adventure takes them through lots of different types of terrain though.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt: Lap Edition: Rosen, Michael, Oxenbury, Helen: 9781481419246: Amazon.com: Books
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

First Line: “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!”

Summary: This family is going on a bear hunt. They’re going to catch a BIG one, and they are NOT afraid! The adventure takes them through lots of different types of terrain though.

Ratings:

                Maggie: 5 stars for preschoolers. It’s not for “my age” (3rd graders), though, mom.

                Conor: Constant smiles, and one excited “fake run”

                Mama Lala: 4 stars.

Their Thoughts: “That was a lot of fun!”

My Thoughts: This truly was an adventure!

FYI: For extra fun, read it like a song. My kiddos loved that part. There are also movements you can do for each different type of terrain.

Happy Reading our friends,

Mama Lala, Maggie, & Conor

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Nature of Fragile Things

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

First line: Interview with Mrs. Sophie Hocking conducted by Ambrose Logan, U.S. Marshal

Summary: When Sophie Whalen, a young Irish immigrant, answers a personal ad for a wife and mother to an man in San Francisco she sees this as an opportunity for a better life. She leaves her life in tenements of New York City for a man she has never met. Upon arrival she finds her new husband to be distant but she immediately falls in love with her step-daughter, Kat.

However, on a fateful evening a woman shows up on her doorstep with a story that throws her world into chaos. As these women decide what to do with their new information, tragedy strikes in the form of the largest natural disasters in California history. They must survive the earthquake, its aftermath and the secret that they now hold.

My Thoughts: Susan Meissner is a wonderful writer. She brings to life stories of remarkable women. I can always tell she does lots of research and builds intricate lives for her characters. I enjoyed the story, the history and the ending. It was a wonderful twisting plot with little surprises.

I was not too familiar with the events of the San Francisco earthquake. This was one of the main reasons I picked to read this book. It gave me a little bit more insight into what it must have been like. Having now experienced minor earthquakes here in Kansas, I cannot imagine having to live through one such as this.

And as always there is a little twist at the end which just makes the book that much better.

FYI: Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Marie Benedict.

Dylan’s Book Recommendation: The True Jesus

The True Jesus by David Limbaugh

First line: In my last book, ​The Emmaus Code, ​I detailed how each of the Old Testament books points to Jesus Christ.

Summary: David Limbaugh historically examines Jesus Christ, and the historical authenticity of all of the evidence about the teachings, birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through anon-biased, purely evidence based assembly of writings.

Thoughts: As a skeptic towards everything, I need to question everything. Through this work of nonfiction, my skepticism of Jesus Christ has been removed. There is too much historical evidence to logically deny that Jesus lived, died, and literally came back from the dead. If you are struggling with your faith, turn faith into a knowing with this collection of evidence, and see for yourself the true Jesus Christ.

Mom and Me Reviews: The Book With No Pictures

Summary: An adventure for any family, this book is exactly what is says it is– a book with no pictures. It makes up for that with its silly words and instructions for the readers. You’ll see.

The Book with No Pictures (2014, Hardcover) for sale online | eBay
The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

First Line: “This is a book with no pictures.”

Summary: An adventure for any family, this book is exactly what is says it is– a book with no pictures. It makes up for that with its silly words and instructions for the readers. You’ll see.

Ratings:

                Maggie: 5 stars

                Conor: Two laughs, three smiles

                Mama Lala: 5 stars

Their Thoughts:

Maggie says this book is very silly and she likes it. “It’s the weirdest book in the whole world, and also the funniest.”

Conor was pretty bored with the “adult responses” in the book, but he perked right up during all of the funny parts.

My Thoughts: What an ADVENTURE! I’m so glad we picked this book up.

Happy Reading our friends,

Mama Lala, Maggie, & Conor

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Gilded Ones

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

First line: Today is the Ritual of Purity.

Summary: The Ritual of Purity is the day that young girls enter womanhood. Deka has always been different from the others in her tribe but she hopes that the ritual will redeem her in their eyes. But on the day, her blood runs gold rather than red, marking her as impure. She is imprisoned by the village elders.

After weeks of torture, a strange woman arrives and takes her to join a group of girls just like Deka. She learns that she is alaki, near immortal with special gifts. The girls are trained to fight and kill Deathshrieks, a creature that attacks and kills the people of Otera. As she trains she finds friendships but also starts to question everything that she grew up learning.

My Thoughts: The cover immediately caught my attention. It is stunning. Gorgeous colors that bring to life the West African feel of the story. The magic system, the different characters and the creatures were all wonderfully done. Even though many of the themes were typical of the young adult fantasy novel the details made it different. I was intrigued by the way Deka could heal, her powers and her backstory (once we learn more about it at the end).

I did find that parts seemed rushed. Especially the training at the beginning and the battle at the end. Everything happened so fast with very little build up. Part of me liked not having it drawn out but also it seemed to suddenly be over too. I had to sit and think about the big reveals at the end because there was a lot of information dumped in but once I figured out everything it was a great twist. Even though the book seemed to end without a cliffhanger there are at least 2 more books planned.

FYI: A new young adult book with a strong female lead and feminist ideas. Perfect for fans of The Children of Blood and Bone.

Xochitl’s Book Thoughts: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood by Fred Rogers

First line of the book: Once upon a time, a little boy loved a stuffed animal whose name was Old Rabbit.

Summary and thoughts: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood was a read that left me in tears in some parts and left me doing a lot of self-reflection at the end. The book begins with an essay written by Tom Junod, a journalist who spent time with television star Fred Rogers, better known as Mr. Rogers. Junod follows Rogers around New York City and his hometown. It details what Rogers likes to do, how he maintains his weight and why, just stuff that makes him Fred Rogers. Rogers tells Junod about his upbringing and the charitable deeds being a celebrity has offered him the chance of doing. Advice from Mr. Fred Rogers took over after the essay. It is split up into different parts so the right advice would fit under a certain category. The guidance he offered were rarely more than a couple of sentences, a paragraph at most. He talks about how to reflect on your own childhood, how to form meaningful connections with your child and their educators/caretakers, discipline, and adulthood.

The essay was a beautiful read as we see that Rogers really is one of the rare few who are the same off-screen as they are on-screen, maybe even better. I liked that the essay was good at showing the human aspects of Fred Rogers. The advice portion was my favorite part. What I adored was that a lot of the advice tied to love. Whether it be showing love to others or to yourself, he emphasizes the importance of both. As long as you are surrounded by love from childhood to adulthood, you will be just fine. This resonates with me as I find lack of love to be prevalent in this world. I appreciate how he goes into compassion, empathy, meaningful relationships, and accountability in such a sensitive and careful way that it is easy for anyone to understand. This was a cute and needed read. It made me want to be better for myself.

Mom and Me Reviews: The Odyssey by Jennifer Adams

The Odyssey: A BabyLit® Monsters Primer (BabyLit Primers): Adams, Jennifer, Oliver, Alison: 9781423641780: Amazon.com: Books
The Odyssey by Jennifer Adams

First Line: “I keep Odysseus here with me, since I saved him from the wine-dark sea.”

Summary: Jennifer Adams’ retelling of The Odyssey is an extremely paired down introduction of the story via the characters. In other words, there is no plot in this board book, but there are a lovely assortment of classic characters (monsters) displayed across the 10 pages.

Ratings:

                Maggie: did not participate in this adventure

                Conor: two kisses and one throw down from the high chair

                Mama Lala: 5 stars.

Their Thoughts: Conor was quite attached from the beginning. He was even smart enough to figure out the sirens were the characters to be kissed. He wasn’t interested in the wordy descriptions, but the illustrations were more than enough to keep him entertained.

My Thoughts: What a great way to introduce the classics to the little ones!

Happy Reading our friends,

Mama Lala, Maggie, & Conor

What’s Ashley Reading?: Queens of the Crusades

Queens of the Crusades by Alison Weir

First line: On Sunday, 19 December 1154, Henry II, the first Plantagenet King of England, was crowned in Westminster Abbey, along with his Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, amidst great splendor and rejoicing.

Summary: In the second installment of Alison Weir’s histories of the queens of England is Queens of the Crusades. It covers Eleanor of Aquitaine, Berengaria of Navarre, Isabella of Angouleme, Alienor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile spanning their lives over several centuries. These women lived in an age when they were expected to be humble and pious. But the queens of this time held power over their lands and income that drew the ire of their male subjects giving several of them tarnished reputations that Weir tries to dissolve.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed learning about these remarkable women. I love Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is one of my favorite queens of England. She lived for such a long time and was queen of France and England as well as duchess of Aquitaine. I was very excited to learn more about her daughter-in-law, Berengaria. She is glossed over so much in fiction since she was queen for such a short time and did not do much to gain prominence in England.

I like that Weir takes into account how often names are reused for different people that she tries to vary the spellings in order to keep them straight for the reader. I knew nothing about the queens after Eleanor. The amount of wealth these women had and spent is astounding. I love to see what the conversions are because it is so shocking.

Having visited England several times I have been to some of the places listed such as Westminster Abbey. I knew many of the tombs there but now I will need to find the ones for these medieval queens on my next visit.

FYI: Second installment of a four part series. Part one was Queens of the Conquest.