Book Review: Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

TITLE: Caddie Woodlawn

SERIES: Caddie Woodlawn, Book #1
AUTHOR: Carol Ryrie Brink 

PUBLISHER: Aladdin
PUBLICATION DATE: December 26, 2006 (first published 1935)

FORMAT: Paperback, 288 pages
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Classics

ISBN: 9781416940289

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother's dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors -- neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all. Caddie is brave, and her story is special because it's based on the life and memories of Carol Ryrie Brink's grandmother, the real Caddie Woodlawn. Her spirit and sense of fun have made this book a classic that readers have taken to their hearts for more than seventy years.

MY REVIEW:

I read this historical fiction classic aloud to my children. It takes place in 1864 during the pioneer days, and it won the 1936 Newbery Medal.

Caddie is 11 years old, and she is a tomboy who feels more comfortable roughhousing with her brothers (Tom, age 13 and Warren, age 9) than cooking and sewing with her sisters. Interestingly, the adventurous children in the Woodlawn family were the red-headed ones, and the dark-haired ones were more proper. The family moved from Boston to Wisconsin, and both Caddie and her sister, Mary, were frail and weak. After little Mary died, Father begged Mother to let him try an experiment with Caddie because he was desperate not to lose another child. He wanted Caddie to be allowed to play in the sunshine because he believed it would restore her health. He didn't want her to be keep indoors being raised as a proper young lady. He was right. Caddie thrived, and she was the apple of her father's eye.

Across the Menomonie River, there lived a local Native American tribe. Caddie struck up a friendship with the Chief, whom the kids called Indian John, and the natives were fascinated with the red-haired children. They did not mind when the kids crossed the river to come for a visit.

A rumour runs rampant among the white settlers that the natives are planning a massacre, which was what happened two years before when the Minnesota Natives killed over one thousand white settlers. Because of this, most of the settlers are apprehensive about the natives. Father does not believe that the rumour is true because he trusts the honour of Indian John and his tribe. The settlers are afraid, and they band together so that they can be united in the event that a massacre does occur. Father assures his neighbours that there is nothing to fear, but he still invites them to stay at the Woodlawn farm. Caddie overhears some of the men discussing the situation, and they want to take the offensive position and attack the natives instead of waiting to see what will happen. She is horrified, and she feels she must go and warn Indian John before it is too late.

Wow, what a fantastic story! Caddie is such an excellent role model for young girls. She is courageous, thoughtful, and fiercely loyal to those she loves. She refuses to be swayed by the opinions of others, and she is not afraid to be the one in the crowd who is different. She stands up for what she believes in, even when she is in the minority. She has more character than many adults.

We loved this book, and I highly recommend it! We have already bought the companion story, Caddie Woodlawn's Family. 

MY RATING:

5 stars!! I loved it, and you should definitely read it!

This book qualifies as: 
#53 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#53 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge   
#24 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Book Version  
#18 for my 2013 Where Are You Reading? Challenge
#18 for my 50 States Challenge 2013   
#27 for my 2013 Quick Fix Challenge      
#45 for my 2013 Women Challenge   
#30 for my New Authors Challenge 2013
#30 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: First-Reads   

#21 for my 2013 1st In A Series Challenge    

#38 for my 2013 Books-in-a-Series Reading Challenge 
#20 for my Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013
#20 for my 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
#21 for my Embarrassment of Riches Reading Challenge 2013
#19 for my 2013 Dusty Bookshelf Challenge

#6 for my 2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 
#12 for my 2013 Award Winning Books Reading Challenge 

#2 for my The Classics Reading Challenge 2013
#3 for my Back to the Classics Challenge 2013
#3 for my 2013 Pre-1960 Classic Children's Books Reading Challenge    
#36 for my Monthly Mix-up Mania: 2013 to 2015 Edition    
#22 for my Spring Reading Thing 2013
#8 for my The Classics Club Five-Year Reading Challenge 
#37 for my Newbery Project  
#11 for my 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up 

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Book Review: Pretty When She Kills by Rhiannon Frater

TITLE: Pretty When She Kills

SERIES: Pretty When She Dies, Book #2
AUTHOR: Rhiannon Frater 

PUBLISHER: Rhiannon Frater
PUBLICATION DATE: September 5, 2012

FORMAT: Paperback, 246 pages
GENRE: Horror, Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

ISBN: 9781441440105

Amaliya Vezorak never believed in happy endings…

When Amaliya harnessed her necromancer powers to defeat her greatest enemy, she believed she had finally found a happy ending with Cian, her lover and the master of Austin. That happiness is short-lived when the vampire ruling over San Antonio attempts a takeover of Austin in order to capture Amaliya and use her power for his own devices.

To make matters worse, Samantha, Cian’s ex-fiancée, is seeing ghosts, the untested vampire hunters of Austin are running scared as a supernatural war looms, a mysterious man is hunting Amaliya with the help of her one time lover, Pete, and Rachon, the Summoner’s favorite progeny, appears to be out for revenge.

When Amaliya’s grandmother, a powerful medium, experiences terrible visions that reveal there is another necromancer vampire and she is crying out for help, Amaliya realizes happy endings do not come easily…

MY REVIEW:

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

I really enjoyed Pretty When She Dies, and it was great to re-immerse myself into Frater's dark vampire world.

The story picks up four months after the conclusion of Pretty When She Dies, and Cian is teaching Amaliya how to defend herself and helping her to practice how to control her necromantic powers.

Amaliya's grandmother, Innocente, is warned in a vision that Amaliya's life is in danger. When a paranormal investigator named Ethan Logan tracks down Pete, the man who has been crushing on Amaliya all of his life, he tells Pete that he can save Amaliya and restore her to human form. Pete agrees to help Ethan, together with Innocente and Amaliya's cousin, Sergio.

Meanwhile, Cian's ex-girlfriend, Samantha, has discovered that her brush with death in Pretty When She Dies has resulted in some unusual paranormal abilities due to the blood that Amaliya gave to her to save her life.

I really enjoyed this second book in the series even more than the first one. In Pretty When She Dies, Amaliya was mad with the hunger of a newborn vampire. In this story, she is learning how to control herself and drink from humans without killing them. I liked seeing her growth from a ruthless killer. An unexpected favourite this time around is Samantha. I enjoyed her so much more in this book, and she has undergone a bit of a transformation herself. She is definitely more strong-willed and courageous, and I like her love/hate relationship with Amaliya.

I am looking forward to reading the conclusion of this series, Pretty When She Destroys, which will be released later this month.

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should add it to your TBR list. A big thanks to Rhiannon Frater for the opportunity to review this book!

This book qualifies as: 
#52 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#52 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge   
#23 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Book Version  
#26 for my 2013 Quick Fix Challenge      
#28 for my 2013 ARC Reading Challenge 
#44 for my 2013 Women Challenge   
#14 for my 2013 2nds Challenge     
#16 for my 2013 Sequel Challenge   
#37 for my 2013 Books-in-a-Series Reading Challenge 
#5 for my 2013 Ebook Challenge    
#32 for my 2013 Free Reads Challenge   
#4 for my 2013 Self-Published Reading Challenge
#4 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: Indie-Fever 
#17 for my Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Reading Challenge 2013  
#24 for my 2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge    
#3 of Category #1 for my 2013 Immortal Reading Challenge 
#6 for my 2013 Horror Reading Challenge  
#35 for my Monthly Mix-up Mania: 2013 to 2015 Edition    
#23 for my What An Animal Reading Challenge VI    

#22 for my The Summer Reading Challenge

#1 for my Beat the Heat Readathon
#1 for my ARC August

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Audiobook Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

TITLE: The Program 

SERIES: Program, Book #1
AUTHOR: Suzanne Young 

NARRATOR: Joy Osmanski
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: April 30, 2013

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook, 10 hrs and 56 mins
GENRE: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Dystopia
ISBN: 9781442357938

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone - but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

MY REVIEW:

I received this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

Wow, I think this book has now moved into the top spot for my favourite YA book of 2013!

In this dystopian world, the suicide rate amongst teenagers is on the rise, with one out of every three teens succumbing to the tragedy. Scientists have failed to determine the cause and have speculated that it could be due to pesticides used in the production of food or contaminants in vaccines. They believe the most likely cause is due to overuse of anti-depressants in the generation of the parents, which has altered the chemical makeup of their offspring making them more prone to depression.

The protagonist is Sloane Barstow, a 17 year-old teenage girl whose school district in Oregon has established a program where students are observed closely for any changes in their manner or disposition that could signal the threat of depression. If a person is exhibiting any such symptoms, they are flagged and handlers are called in to take the “infected” student to a treatment facility. The patient will be subjected to a cocktail of pills that will strip away the troubling memories that are affecting their mood. The Program generally lasts about six weeks, and then the patient is released but is not permitted to mingle unsupervised with the regular teens. These patients, referred to as “returners,” attend high school with other returners and will remain there until graduation. If they wish to visit with friends, they can do so at the Wellness Centre while being chaperoned by a handler. Once the teens turn 18 years of age, they cannot be forced into treatment.

Sloane’s brother, Brady, committed suicide when she was 15 years old. Her boyfriend, James Murphy, was Brady’s best friend and he is the only person who is holding Sloane together. He keeps reminding her that they cannot show any vulnerability and must hide their true feelings or risk being flagged. When one of Sloane’s friends is forced into treatment, it sets off a chain-reaction from which there is no turning back. Fearing for the safety of their only remaining child, Sloane’s parents call in the handlers to have her taken away. Sloane is adamant that they will not succeed in erasing her memories, and she is desperate to hold onto her identity. 

The Program is one of those books that just grabbed me from the get-go and never let me go! The concept of being taken against one’s will into a program that would brainwash me is so frightening. A teenager wouldn’t be able to trust anyone. What a way to live! Young created a gripping, emotional story with a sweet romance that has me yearning for more! I cannot wait to read the sequel, The Treatment, which is expected to be released in April 2014. That seems so far away, so I’m definitely planning to check out her A Need So Beautiful series while I wait. Just a caution out there for the parents: There is sexual content, so I would recommend this one only for those at the upper end of the teen range.

Memorable quote: 

“He said that some things are better left in the past and true things are destined to repeat themselves.” 

This is my second narration by Joy Osmanski, and she was bang-on! She captured Sloane’s emotions perfectly, and she made it very hard for me to put this book down. 

MY RATING:

5 stars!! I loved it, and you should definitely put it on your TBR list!  A big thanks to Simon Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook!

This book qualifies as: 
#51 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#51 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge   
#27 for my 2013 ARC Reading Challenge 
#43 for my 2013 Women Challenge    
#29 for my New Authors Challenge 2013
#29 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: First-Reads   
#20 for my 2013 1st In A Series Challenge   
#36 for my 2013 Books-in-a-Series Reading Challenge 
#29 for my 2013 Audio Book Challenge
#29 for my 2013 Audio Book Challenge
#11 for my 2013 Young Adult Audiobook Challenge 
#29 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Audio Version  
#31 for my 2013 Free Reads Challenge   
#20 for my 2013 Young Adult Reading Challenge  
#6 for my Dystopia Reading Challenge 2013 

#21 for my The Summer Reading Challenge

#6 for my Random House Sizzling Summer Read-a-Thon

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Book Review: The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr

TITLE: The Great Turkey Walk 

AUTHOR: Kathleen Karr 

PUBLISHER: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
PUBLICATION DATE: September 1, 2000

FORMAT: Paperback, 208 pages
GENRE: Juvenile Fiction, Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9780374427986

Yeeeeeee-haw! Git along, little . . . turkeys?

Big, brawny Simon Green, who's just completed third grade (for the fourth time), may not be book smart, but he's nobody's fool. When it's time to be done with school and make his way in the world, Simon hatches a plan that could earn him a bundle. He intends to herd a huge flock of bronze turkeys all the way from his home in eastern Missouri to the boomtown of Denver, where they'll fetch a mighty price. In the year 1860, the hazards of such a trek are many - how does one shepherd the birds across a river, for instance? - but Simon is undaunted. Accompanied by a faithful drover, and eventually to be joined by two boon companions, he undertakes the biggest journey of his young life, in this high-spirited Wild Wild West adventure by an acclaimed author of historical fiction.

MY REVIEW:

I read this historical fiction novel to my children, which takes place in 1860 before the Civil War.

Simon Green is a 15 year-old boy, whose parents are deceased. He has been raised by his aunt and uncle, and they never let him forget what a burden it is for them to have to have an extra mouth to feed. He is slightly dimwitted, being the oldest boy in the one-room schoolhouse and having taken Grade 3 four times. The teacher, Miss Rogers, is not much older than he is! At the end of the school year, she takes Simon aside and tells him that she believes that it is time for him to move on and that she must graduate him and wishes him well.

Simon wonders what he shall do with his time, now that he no longer has school to attend. He comes up with a brilliant plan after speaking with Mr. Buffey, who tells him that turkeys fetch $5 a head in Denver because food is in short supply. Simon reasons that if he buys 1,000 turkeys for $0.25 a head in Union, Missouri and walks them to Denver, Colorado and sells them for $5 a head, he will make a profit of $4,750. It’s a great idea, but only if he can make it work. He excitedly speaks with Miss Rogers about his plan, and she decides to invest in his business proposal. This gives him the financial backing that he needs in order to buy the turkeys from Mr. Buffey.

Along the way to Denver, Simon encounters a reformed alcoholic named Mr. Peece and his dog named Emmett, a slave boy named Jabeth, and a teenage girl named Lizzie who has gone a bit mad after the deaths of her parents and siblings. The unlikely quartet become somewhat of a family of their own, and Simon graciously includes the trio as business partners and agrees to split his profit after repaying Miss Rogers her loan plus 10% of her share in the revenue. 

The Great Turkey Walk is a fun adventure, and Simon’s business plan proves that no one gave the boy enough credit. We really enjoyed how Simon proved everyone wrong. He is very kind-hearted and thoughtful, as well as street-savvy. 

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR list!

This book qualifies as: 
#50 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#50 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge   
#22 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Book Version  
#17 for my 2013 Where Are You Reading? Challenge
#17 for my 50 States Challenge 2013   
#25 for my 2013 Quick Fix Challenge     
#42 for my 2013 Women Challenge    
#28 for my New Authors Challenge 2013
#28 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: First-Reads   
#19 for my Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013
#19 for my 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
#20 for my Embarrassment of Riches Reading Challenge 2013
#18 for my 2013 Dusty Bookshelf Challenge

#5 for my 2013 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge  

#35 for my Monthly Mix-up Mania: 2013 to 2015 Edition   

Letter G for my 2013 A to Z Reading Challenge  

#22 for my What An Animal Reading Challenge VI     

 

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Audiobook Review: Twenty-Five Years Ago Today by Stacy Juba

TITLE: Twenty-Five Years Ago Today 

AUTHOR: Stacy Juba 

NARRATOR: Erin Moon
PUBLISHER: Stacy Juba
PUBLICATION DATE: February 1, 2013

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook, 7 hrs and 47 mins
GENRE: Mystery

Should we dig for the truth when Pandora's Box is a coffin of buried secrets? For 25 years, Diana Ferguson's killer has gotten away with murder. When rookie obit writer and newsroom editorial assistant Kris Langley investigates the cold case of the artistic young cocktail waitress who was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology, not only does she fall in love with Diana's sexy nephew, but she must also fight to stay off the obituary page herself.

Thousands of readers have been riveted by Twenty-Five Years Ago Today.

MY REVIEW: 

I received this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 

This was a great mystery that kept me guessing right up to the end!

Kris Langley is a young editorial assistant, who works for the Freemont Daily News in Massachusetts. In addition to typing up obituaries and birth announcements, she scopes out interesting historical tidbits from the paper’s microfilms for the “Twenty-Five Years Ago Today” feature. She comes across an unsolved murder of a young woman named Diana Ferguson, whose body was found bludgeoned to death in the Freemont State Woods. Tortured by guilt in connection with her own cousin’s murder when she was just 12 years old, Kris is driven to solve this cold case and she contacts the family as well as the police in an effort to piece together the circumstances that led up to the crime.

Kris is a great character, and I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards her. She is wracked with guilt over the death of her cousin, and she has never been the same since. When she contacts Diana Ferguson’s family, she is very compassionate and wants nothing more than to bring closure to the family and give them the peace that they so richly deserve. The many years of not knowing the who or why of the crime has tormented Diana’s mother, Irene, and Kris yearns to give her the finality that she needs. At first, Diana’s nephew, Eric, is angry at Kris for stirring things up and causing his grandmother to become hopeful again. He worries that she will be crushed when Kris’ digging will lead to what he believes will be more frustration and unanswered questions. As time goes on, Eric sees that Kris really does want to help and isn’t just doing this for the sake of making the headlines. There is a lot of chemistry between Kris and Eric, but their relationship progresses too quickly and complicates matters.

Juba is a new-to-me author, and she delivered a story that held my interest and made me analyze the evidence to try to figure out who did it. The ending blind-sided me, and I love it when an author can catch me off-guard like that!

Narrator Erin Moon is also new to me, and she did a pretty good job. There were a few awkward moments when she appears to nearly stumble over the words but catches herself and the result is a small pause in the narration. However, her pacing was good overall, and the slight inflections in her voice made each character distinctive. 

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR list!

This book qualifies as: 
#49 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#49 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge   
#16 for my 2013 Where Are You Reading? Challenge
#16 for my 50 States Challenge 2013   
#24 for my 2013 Quick Fix Challenge     
#26 for my 2013 ARC Reading Challenge 
#41 for my 2013 Women Challenge    
#27 for my New Authors Challenge 2013
#27 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: First-Reads   
#28 for my 2013 Audio Book Challenge
#28 for my 2013 Audio Book Challenge
#28 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Audio Version    
#30 for my 2013 Free Reads Challenge   

#3 for my 2013 Self-Published Reading Challenge
#3 for my 2013 Reading Challenge: Indie-Fever 

#12 for my 2013 Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge    
#8 for my Monthly Key Word Challenge 2013 

#20 for my The Summer Reading Challenge

#5 for my Random House Sizzling Summer Read-a-Thon
#3 for my Semi-Charmed Summer 2013 Book Challenge

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Audiobook Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

TITLE: Insurgent 

SERIES: Divergent, Book #2
AUTHOR: Veronica Roth 

NARRATOR: Emma Galvin
PUBLISHER: Harper Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: May 1, 2012

FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook, 11 hrs and 22 mins
GENRE: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Dystopia
ISBN: 9780062132673

One choice can transform you - or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves - and herself - while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable - and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

MY REVIEW: 

I absolutely loved Divergent when I read it earlier this year. I have been itching to read Insurgent, which won the 2012 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fantasy and Best Goodreads Author. 

It was great to re-immerse myself in Roth’s world of factions and factionless. The story resumes immediately from where Divergent ended, which was where we saw Tris and Tobias on the train to Amity with Marcus and Caleb. Everyone now has to deal with the fall-out from Amity’s mind-control simulation and new alliances are being formed between factions. I enjoyed this shift in stability, and there is much political unrest. Roth addresses one of the burning questions that I had when I read Divergent: Why don’t the factionless just get together and overthrow the other factions?

Although I didn’t love it as much as Divergent, I still really enjoyed Insurgent and can’t wait to read Allegiant when it comes out in October 2013.

This is another great narration by Emma Galvin. She portrays teenage Tris so well, without being overly dramatic. I love the attitude she brings to Tris' character! 

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR list!

This book qualifies as: 
#48 for my 2013 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge
#48 for my 2013 Read-a-Latte Challenge   
#5 for my 2013 Mammoth Book Challenge  
#40 for my 2013 Women Challenge    
#13 for my 2013 2nds Challenge   
#15 for my 2013 Sequel Challenge   
#35 for my 2013 Books-in-a-Series Reading Challenge
#18 for my Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2013
#18 for my 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
#19 for my Embarrassment of Riches Reading Challenge 2013
#17 for my 2013 Dusty Bookshelf Challenge
#11 for my 2013 Catch Up Reading Challenge  
#27 for my 2013 Audio Book Challenge
#27 for my 2013 Audio Book Challenge
#10 for my 2013 Young Adult Audiobook Challenge 
#27 for my 2013 Let Me Count The Ways Reading Challenge: Audio Version    
#19 for my 2013 Young Adult Reading Challenge  
#5 for my Dystopia Reading Challenge 2013 
#11 for my 2013 Award Winning Books Reading Challenge  

#19 for my The Summer Reading Challenge

#4 for my Random House Sizzling Summer Read-a-Thon
#2 for my Semi-Charmed Summer 2013 Book Challenge

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