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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Wrap-up Post for Bookish Bingo: Winter 2016-2017 Edition @ironteethbitch


This is my Wrap-up Post for the Winter 2016-2017 Edition of Bookish Bingo hosted by Becca at Pretty Deadly Reviews.

Well, I knew it was going to be tough to complete this one but I think I did pretty good!

FINISHED: 18/24 BOOKS
4 Bingos

  1. GREEN COVER: After the Woods by Kim Savage
  2. ROMANCE: A December Bride by Denise Hunter (A Year of Weddings 1, Book #1)
  3. ALTERNATIVE FORMAT (AUDIOBOOK): The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver (Greer Family, Book #1)
  4. CRIME: Mistletoe Murder by Leslie Meier (Lucy Stone, Book #1)
  5. SET ABROAD: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  6. SUPER HYPED: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
  7. SEQUEL: Death of a Cupcake Queen by Lee Hollis (Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery, Book #6)
  8. DEC, JAN, FEB RELEASE: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
  9. BANNED BOOK: Cut by Patricia McCormick
  10. GOODREADS CHOICE NOMINEE: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
  11. BLUE COVER: Shadows Still Remain by Peter de Jonge (O'Hara & Krekorian, Book #1)
  12. SURVIVAL: Unbroken: An Olympian's Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive by Lauren Hillenbrand
  13. NATURE ON COVER: Pax by Sara Pennypacker
  14. SCIENCE FICTION: When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
  15. NOT YA: Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
  16. OWN VOICES: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
  17. TWITTER POLL: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
  18. UNRELIABLE NARRATOR: The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
  19. 2017 DEBUT:
  20. PINK COVER:
  21. WHITE COVER:
  22. LGBT:
  23. COVER BUY:
  24. URBAN FANTASY:


That was fun, Becca! Thanks for hosting :)

#Audiobook #Review: 3 out of 5 stars for The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe @BrookForestVoic

AUTHOR: Edgar Allan Poe
NARRATOR: Michael Pearl
PUBLISHER: Brook Forest Voices
PUBLICATION DATE: 2016 (first published 1843)
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 18.5 mins 
GENRE: Classics, Horror, Short Stories
Written in 1843, “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a dark and eerie tale of a man’s unhealthy obsession that leads him to commit murder. Will his paranoia get him caught?

This is one of Poe's finest and most memorable short stories!
MY REVIEW:

This classic short story was a little disturbing!

The main character is obsessed with his older roommate’s eye, which is blue with a film over it. Cataract, maybe? Or perhaps he is blind in that eye? Despite his assertion that he is not crazy but loves the man and that the man has never done him any wrong, he is determined to kill the man because of this eye. He sneaks into his bedroom at midnight and tries to catch a look at the old man’s “vulture” eye. After a week, he gets up the nerve to do the deed and


Aside from that bit, I liked the story. The police didn’t suspect that anything was amiss, and he would have gotten away with it too were it not for his guilt playing tricks in his mind. It’s too bad that this short story wasn’t a bit longer!

Narrator Michael Pearl is new to me, and he captured the main character’s paranoia!

MY RATING:
3 stars!! It was good, and I enjoyed it.

This book qualifies as:

Monday, February 27, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

I'm reading: 

Something from the library.

TITLE: 113 Minutes
AUTHORS: James Patterson with Max DiLallo 
PUBLISHER: BookShots
PUBLICATION DATE: September 6, 2016
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 139 pages
GENRE: Mystery, Thriller
ISBN: 9780316317184
I know who killed my son.

Molly Rourke's son has been murdered...And she knows who's responsible. Now she's taking the law into her own hands. Never underestimate a mother's love.


Something from my bookshelf. This is my vintage 1970 edition, which I've kept from my childhood! I'm reading it aloud to my daughter, and our plan is to make our way through the whole series. This is a re-read for me, but I honestly don't remember a thing about it! It read it when I was young.

SERIES: Oz, Book #2
AUTHOR: L. Frank Baum 
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
PUBLICATION DATE: 1970 (first published 1904)
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 192 pages
GENRE: Children's Fiction, Classics, Fantasy
ISBN: 0590085654

"You'll never bother me again," says Mombi the witch, "once you drink this magic brew."

"What'll it do?" cries poor Tip.

"It will turn you into a marble statue!"

Tip's heart beats wildly.

Can a mere boy escape from a witch's evil power?

But this is Oz -- the marvelous, magical land where anything can happen!


I'm listening to:

Something from the library. I wanted to read this book before the movie hits the theatre in May, so I am doing a read-a-long with TuesBookTalk.

TITLE: The Dinner
AUTHOR: Herman Koch
TRANSLATOR: Sam Garrett
NARRATOR: Clive Mantle
PUBLISHER: Blackstone Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: February 13, 2013
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 8 hrs and 55 mins 
GENRE: Literary Fiction
It's a summer's evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse - the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. Each couple has a 15-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families.

As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.

Tautly written, incredibly gripping, and told by an unforgettable narrator, The Dinner promises to be the topic of countless dinner party debates. Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.



I just finished:

AUTHOR: Mariko Koike 
TRANSLATOR: Deborah Boliver Boehm
PUBLISHER: Thomas Dunne Books
PUBLICATION DATE: October 11, 2016 (first published 1988)
FORMAT: Hardcover
LENGTH: 325 pages
GENRE: Horror
ISBN: 9781250060549

A terrifying tale of a young family who move into an apartment building next to a graveyard and the horrors that are unleashed upon them.

One of the most popular writers working in Japan today, Mariko Koike is a recognized master of detective fiction and horror writing. Known in particular for her hybrid works that blend these styles with elements of romance, The Graveyard Apartment is arguably Koike’s masterpiece. Originally published in Japan in 1986, Koike’s novel is the suspenseful tale of a young family that believes it has found the perfect home to grow in to, only to realize that the apartment’s idyllic setting harbors the specter of evil and that longer they stay, the more trapped they become.

This tale of a young married couple who are harboring a dark secret is packed with dread and terror, as they and their daughter move into a brand new apartment building built next to a graveyard. As strange and terrifying occurrences begin to pile up, people in the building begin to move out one by one, until the young family is left alone with someone... or something... lurking in the basement. The psychological horror builds moment after moment, scene after scene, culminating with a conclusion that will make you think twice before ever going into a basement again.


TITLE: Reckoning
SERIES: Night Huntress Universe, Book #0.5
AUTHOR: Jeanine Frost
NARRATOR: Tavia Gilbert
PUBLISHER: Harper Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: June 24, 2014 (first published August 18, 2009)
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 1 hrs and 50 mins 
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 9780062361899
In New Orleans, a pair of undead serial killers is about to turn Mardi Gras into a horror show - unless the immortal hitman Bones can hunt them down first. From Jeaniene Frost comes a thrilling novella featuring characters from her New York Times bestselling Night Huntress series. Originally appeared in the anthology Unbound.



What are you reading? Have you read any of these books and, if so, what did you think? Please let me know in the comments and, if you are also participating in this meme, leave me a link to your blog post so that I can stop by!

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Stacking The Shelves and Sunday Post

This meme is hosted by Tynga over at Team Tynga's Reviews, which she describes as follows:
"Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!"

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Mother Nature does not know what she wants! Earlier this week we had temps on the PLUS side, and today I'm waking up to -18 degrees Celsius (that's -0.4 degrees Fahrenheit) with a windchill of -27 degrees Celsius (that's -16.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Well, at least it's sunny this morning. 

 



Yesterday we had a bit of snow:




If you missed it earlier, I have ARCs to swap. Check out MY POST to see if there's anything there that you'd like to read. If so, please let me know! I'd love to trade with someone. I will be adding to it once I have a chance to dig through boxes and bookshelves.


Penguin Random House was giving away this FREE AUDIOBOOK for 48 hours earlier this week. If you missed it, download their Volumes app and you'll get notifications next time there's a freebie.


The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore (Supremes, Book #1)


I received this gift from Shane:

Notes From the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Thanks, Shane!



I won this book in the Oct/Dec link-up for the Full House 2016 Challenge hosted by Kathryn @ Book Date (I picked a pre-order, so it took a while to arrive):

The Break Down by B.A. Paris

Thanks again, Kathryn! Can't wait to read it!! I still haven't read Behind Closed Doors (I bought that one at Audible), but I've heard rave reviews for that one.


Recap: Last Week On The Blog

Sunday: Stacking the Shelves and Sunday Post

Monday: It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday: Books That I Loved Less Than I Thought That I Would
Wednesday: Waiting On Wednesday: The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz
Thursday: Book Review: 5 out of 5 stars for Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Friday: Audiobook Review: 4 out of 5 stars for Born Survivors by Wendy Holden
Saturday: Wizard of Oz Read-Along Discussion Post for Book 1: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

What books have you added to your shelves this week? If you are also participating in either of these memes, please leave me the link to your blog post in the comments so that I can come and drool over all your goodies!

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Wizard of Oz Read-Along Discussion Post for Book 1: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum


This is the Discussion Post for the first book in the Oz series, The Wizard of Oz, for the Wizard of Oz Read-Along hosted by Louise @ Lone Star on a Lark.


My Discussion Posts may be a little late each month, since I am reading this series aloud to my nine-year-old daughter so it will take me longer to get through each book.

Questions:
  • Have you read this book before? How did your re-read match up with your memory? Or if you haven’t read it before, did the book live up to your expectations?
Yes, this is a re-read for me. I remember reading this book multiple times in my childhood, and I saved my 1958 vintage copy from my own childhood and now I'm reading this series to my nine-year-old daughter! I forgot many things such as the China Country, the field mice who saved the Cowardly Lion from the poppy field, and that Dorothy’s shoes were originally silver. Also, the violence! I had completely forgotten how the Tin Woodman beheaded various creatures. Now, reading it as an adult, I appreciate all the different themes of the book even MORE.

  • If you’ve seen the 1939 musical film, how do you think the book compares? Do you like one a whole lot better than the other?
The Wizard of Oz movie was one of my favourites growing up! I admit that I haven't seen it in years. I know that I did watch it with my older daughter, but that was over nine years ago. My younger daughter hasn't seen it yet, so I requested the Blu-ray disc from the library. Going based on my memory, I think the Cowardly Lion is more of a wuss in the movie, LOL! He did not seem like such a fraidy-cat in the book.

  • Did you have a favorite character or culture/land?
As a kid, the Scarecrow and the Winged Monkeys always kind of creeped me out! I remember that my favourite was Glinda because she was oh! so pretty in the movie and looked like a princess with that big, fancy ballgown and also because she is GOOD. I also liked the Munchkins and Dorothy, of course! 

The link to my review is HERE.

I am making a Wizard of Oz lapbook with my daughter, and I will post a photo of it when it is finished.

Friday, February 24, 2017

#Audiobook #Review: 4 out of 5 stars for Born Survivors by Wendy Holden @wendholden @TantorAudio

AUTHOR: Wendy Holden
NARRATOR: Elizabeth Wiley
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
PUBLICATION DATE: January 31, 2017 (first published May 5, 2015)
FORMAT: Unabridged audiobook
LENGTH: 13 hrs and 8 mins 
GENRE: Nonfiction, History, Biography
ISBN: 9781515917618
Eastern Europe, 1944: Three women believe they are pregnant, but are torn from their husbands before they can be certain. Rachel is sent to Auschwitz, unaware that her husband has been shot. Priska and her husband travel there together, but are immediately separated. Also at Auschwitz, Anka hopes in vain to be reunited with her husband. With the rest of their families gassed, these young wives are determined to hold on to all they have left-their lives, and those of their unborn babies. Having concealed their condition from infamous Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, they are forced to work and almost starved to death, living in daily fear of their pregnancies being detected by the SS.

In April 1945, Priska gives birth. She and her baby, along with Anka, Rachel, and the remaining inmates, are sent to Mauthausen concentration camp on a hellish train journey. Rachel gives birth on the train; Anka at the camp gates. All believe they will die-then a miracle occurs. The gas chamber runs out of Zyklon-B, and as the Allied troops near, the SS flee. Against all odds, the three mothers and their newborns survive their treacherous journey to freedom.
MY REVIEW:

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook for voluntary review consideration.

This remarkable story of how three women not only survived the atrocities of Auschwitz but had babies who also survived will break your heart and leave you in awe!

We first meet Piroska or “Priska” Löwenbeinová, a 28-year-old teacher from Slovakia. Her parents ran a café, and she is the fourth born of six children (the youngest of whom died in infancy). Priska and her husband, Tibor, are expecting their first child. She is approximately two months pregnant, and this baby is a bit of a miracle considering that she had three previous miscarriages.

Next, we meet Rachel Friedman, a 25-year-old woman from Poland. As the eldest of nine children, she was responsible for helping to take care of her younger siblings. She is married to Monik, a wealthy businessman.

Finally, we meet Anka Nathan, a 27-year-old law student from Czechoslovakia studying in Prague. She is the baby of the family, and her parents own a tannery and leather factory. She is married to Bernd, an architect.

All three ladies came from nice, respectable families and were hardworking. They were young and in love, and in what should have been the happiest time of their lives with babies on the way. Their only crime was that they were Jewish! Under Hitler’s Nazi rule, their lives were forever changed. They eventually were rounded up and brought to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, Poland in 1944. Those that were deemed fit enough to work were not executed. The ladies hid their pregnancies from Dr. Josef Mengele, also known as “The Angel of Death,” and they eventually ended up being sent to a munitions factory for slave labour in Freiberg, Saxony. They remained there until Spring 1945, when the prisoners that had managed to cling to life were to be sent by train to their final stop at Mauthausen concentration camp where they were to be gassed to death.

I had never heard of Dr. Josef Mengele before, and I was absolutely horrified to learn of his medical experiments on children. These ladies were subjected to intolerable living conditions, humiliated, degraded, and starved. It is tough enough on someone’s psyche to survive under those circumstances, never mind to grow a baby! It must have been sheer determination and will power that they survived. They were severely malnourished, weighing less than 70 pounds and close to death at the time each of their babies were born, and it is just a miracle that both mothers and babies all survived. It is a shame that the ladies were unaware of each other’s existence at the time, but it is so heartwarming that the babies all were able to meet and share their stories and forge an unbreakable bond.

This is such a tough story to hear. It is very difficult for me to fathom what these ladies went through, and my heart ached for them. I was very touched by the compassion that was shown by some of the fellow prisoners (like Edita Kelamanová) and even some of the Germans, putting their own lives at risk to show them acts of kindness. Most memorable was what the residents of Horní Bříza did for the survivors who were on their way to be put to death at Mauthausen. By some miracle, the train had to stop in that town because the railroad up ahead was blocked. When the station master realized that there were people on-board the train and seeing the state that they were in, he rallied the town’s residents to bring food for them. He also urged the Germans to leave the prisoners there in Horní Bříza so that they could care for them, but unfortunately his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Were it not for someone like Wendy Holden, survival stories like this would be lost in future generations. I am impressed with the detailed information that the author was able to piece together, and I learned not only about the lives of these amazing women but what transpired historically in the various European regions mentioned in the book. This book is a poignant tribute to these families, and it is one that I will not forget.

Elizabeth Wiley brought this story to life, with her various European accents. It actually made me shudder when she gave German commands, such as “Raus!” (get out) or “Schnell!” (quick). Her narration was very moving and expressive, and I thought she did a wonderful job. Here is a sample of the narration:


It is my understanding that the bound copy of the book includes photographs, and I would have loved it if the publisher would have included a digital file with these photographs so that listeners don’t miss out on it! I have requested the book from my local library. 

MY RATING:
4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR list if you enjoy survival stories. Thanks again to Tantor Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook!

This book qualifies as:

Thursday, February 23, 2017

#Book #Review: 5 out of 5 stars for The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum @Scholastic

TITLE: The Wizard of Oz
SERIES: Oz, Book #1
AUTHOR: L. Frank Baum 
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
PUBLICATION DATE: 1958 (first published May 17, 1900)
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 156 pages
GENRE: Children's Fiction, Classics, Fantasy

Join Dorothy Gale, Toto, and all of her friends as they explore the incredible land of Oz. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is American's most enduring fairy tale. From the moment Dorothy puts on the silver slippers (changed to ruby slippers by MGM to take advantage of their new advance in movie making: color) until the moment she clicks her heals and returns home to Kansas you will be swept away and captivated by her extraordinary story.

This edition with illustrations by Paul Granger.
MY REVIEW:

This classic is still enjoyable after all these years! This was a re-read for me. I saved this 1958 vintage copy from my childhood, and I just finished reading it aloud to my daughter.

I thought I knew the story pretty well, from having read the book in my youth multiple times and watched the movie many times. However, I forgot many things such as the China Country, the field mice who saved the Cowardly Lion from the poppy field, and that Dorothy’s shoes were originally silver. Also, the violence! I had completely forgotten how the Tin Woodman beheaded various creatures. I loved my daughter’s reaction to the story. She actually has not seen the movie yet, but it didn’t take her very long to start questioning things. For example, if the Scarecrow doesn’t have any brains, how can he talk and walk and know how to do things? Or, why does the Tin Woodman need a heart when he already has feelings as evidenced by his tears? The Cowardly Lion felt that he didn’t have any courage, yet he did courageous things leaping over the abyss in the forest multiple times to carry his friends on his back. Yes, my dear! You figured it all out!! We loved when they got to the Emerald City, and Oz admitted that he had no magical powers and could not give the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion what they desperately desired and thought they needed. He told them to return the following day and tricked them into believing that he really was bestowing these gifts upon them when in actuality they really possessed them all along! I love the whole theme of the story, which is that we already have within us what we need. Even after her friends all received their “gifts” from Oz, they did not abandon Dorothy until they knew that she had safely returned home. Dorothy’s compassion brought them together, and they helped each other along the way. The value of friendship is so strongly conveyed by Baum.

This is a wonderful classic of good versus evil, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series to my daughter! I think I love the book even more as an adult.

I have requested the Blu-ray disc from the library, and I will come back to add my thoughts after watching the movie again.

MY RATING:

5 stars!! I loved it and will likely re-read it again. You should definitely put this classic on your TBR!

This book qualifies as:
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