Guest Review!

Today I'm super happy to share a guest review from Summer, one of the awesome teens here at my library! She did some sleuthing and discovered that I have this blog and asked if she could write for it. I said she could, if it was library related and suggested she write a review for me. Summer reviewed one of her favorite books The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. Check out her review!

Why should you read this book?
If you love the thrill of an adventure or a nail-biting mystery, or heroes falling in love, then you’ll love this!
In the Lost Hero our favorite character, Jason, has his memories wiped out by Hera and is exchanged to Camp Half Blood, by the girlfriend who is eager to find Percy Jackson.
While trapped in the opposite camp of where he came from, he and his friends venture out on nail-biting quests to defeat the giants. Once they complete a mission, they are lured by Gaea’s traps. Usually trying to rescue a friend. Jason is good at everything he does. But where did he come from? Randomly he wakes up on a school bus in the middle of a desert holding hands with a girl he doesn’t know and a goofy boy in front of him claiming to be his best friend. What’s worse is the fact that he doesn’t even know his name. Luckily his new friends know his name. But maybe that’s just another trick of Hera’s. But what he does find out is that he is highly wanted by the sleeping goddess, Gaea. Only the gods will know what will happen to Jason and his friends. Will Gaea succeed in taking over the world? Will she permanently silence the gods?

Read to find out!


Been A While....

It's been a little while since I've had time to post an entry, but there have been big changes in my life. As the last post shows, the biggest adjustment for me was loosing my heart. I lost my baby Squirt after 9 years. I had raised him from a kitten, bottle feeding him and hand bathing him, the works, and he and I were super close. Burying him was the hardest thing I've ever done. Tigger, Rufus, Winston Ziggy-Stardust and I are slowly adjusting (not really) to the giant Squirt shaped hole in our lives, but it's hard.
My baby. ♥
Next up, I left a hostile working environment and moved to a different department. It is awesome to not be in a working environment that was making me physically ill. There are a lot a feels with that whole situation as well.
So now I'm no longer working in Children's Services, after 19 years I moved from Children's Services to Teen Services. Some of the previous libraries I've worked in had lumped teens under children/youth (don't get me started about that), but at my current place teens is lumped with Adult Services.
I have a lot of leeway with what I do in Teens, so this is a lot of fun for me. It's a learning curve, as I get away from the children's mentality and think teens, but I'm liking it a lot.
I've also joined Derby Lite, a roller skating class that teaches you the skills you need to learn to play Roller Derby. Which I am ridiculously excited about. I'm trying to get healthier and fitter, and the Derby Lite classes definitely help. I've also just joined the 21-Day Fix program to help me get healthier in my Derby goals. Being a librarian is pretty stationary, so I'm hoping the extra exercise boosts help.
I'm also hoping now that I'm a bit more settled in I can get back into a routine of posting here. I know I've lost some people in my months long gap.
Anyway, that's a lot of hoping and life changes, but that's what has been going on. With all these changes it might be time for a blog face-lift. Changes, changes.

Review: Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes

Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes by Dina Cheney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This cookbook was a ton of fun. I always look at the "mug meals" and roll my eyes, because really. But this had some awesome ideas, and even suggested making them in a bowl, which makes more sense to me.
The recipes are all simple, but sound wicked tasty. The pictures were bright and appealing, and showed what the recipe would look like, not a picture perfect image (think drips down the side).
Many of the meals in the lunch & dinner sections would work best for putting together lunch/dinner out of leftovers since they require pre-cooked foods like rice or noodles, but still a great section. My favorites were breakfast (I always seem to make eggs explode though) and dessert (duh). There were meals that would appeal to a variety of tastes, including picky eaters like me.
From the title you would think that this was one of the books aimed at college students, but I don't think it really is. Since many of the meals rely on precooked items (like the rice) it really is more useful for using up leftovers. Or if you're in a household of one or two and end up with extras from making a meal. That being said, I think this is a very useful cookbook and had some great ideas. I'm planning to use it as a jumping off point for a teen cooking class.

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Review: Space Dumplins

Space Dumplins Space Dumplins by Craig Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Super cute and fun.

This kids graphic novel deals with some slightly harder subjects that kids today can very much appreciate and benefit from. The novel is done in a fun and quirky way that in no way takes away the import though. Violet’s parents both work full time, so when her school is eaten by space whales they have to figure out what to do with her. Things get harder when her parents argue over who takes her to work with them. Dad’s past also gets involved and throws a wrench in things.
It’s clear Violet's parents love her and each other, but this graphic novel clearly depicts the struggle most lower and middle class parents face when school is canceled. Kids in this situation will appreciate both Violet's desire to stay home and watch cartoons and her upset when her parents fight.


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In Memory of Squirt

Review: Liar's Island

Liar's IslandLiar's Island by Tim Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love these books, but wish they were easier to find. I first stumbled on Pathfinder Tales at BEA in 2013. And loved them. They are so hard to find though. NO library in the entire state of Maine owns ANY. So the only way for me to get any is to buy them, and while I love supporting authors, books are expensive.
Anyway, this is a sequel to Liar's Blade, which I picked up at BEA. This story picks up a little over a year after Liar's Blade. It is very much a fantasy adventure story, but not the old fashioned typical ones. Roderick is a thief and trickster. He's accompanied by his best friend Hyrm, a sentient talking sword of ice. The two are getting into typical thiefy trouble when a djinn invites them to a remote island nation as a guest of the local ruler. Not being stupid, they accept and embark on an adventure full of magic, thievery, and treasure.

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Review: Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, Vol. 1: Revolutions of Terror

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, Vol. 1: Revolutions of Terror Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, Vol. 1: Revolutions of Terror by Nick Abadzis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved, loved, loved, Gabby as a companion. I wish that they had give with her in the show rather than Clara (yes I know I'm jumping Doctors). Gabby had more depth and personality and I found her so much more interesting.
Gabby meets The Doctor when he is investigating a psychic terror plaguing her neighborhood. As a good companion Gabby helps the Doctor figure out what is going on and Dave Earth. And, again of course, he takes her to see wonders.
They did a perfect 10 on this GN. He's a bit loopy and weird and totally fun. In the second episode he gets distracted by math and almost misses what's going on, only to have a light bulb moment and rush in.
The colors were vibrant and the art fit the iconic Doctor. I particularly loved the sketches and letter that Gabby wrote interjected in between the two episodes.

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