Recent Reads: Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman and Olga Pastuchiv

Source: From Librarything Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman and Olga Pastuchiv, Illustrated
by Susanna Chapman
Publisher: MIT Kids Press
Publication Date:  September 7, 2021

 

Format: Hardback


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Stargazers rejoice! In his first book for children, renowned physicist Alan Lightman and collaborators, with help from the Hubble telescope, light up the night sky.

New York Times best-selling author Alan Lightman, in collaboration with Olga Pastuchiv, brings galaxies close in a stunning picture-book tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Layering photographs taken from the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, illustrator Susanna Chapman zooms in on one child's experiences: Ada knows that the best place for star-gazing is on the island in Maine where she vacations with her grandparents. By day, she tracks osprey in the trees, paddles a kayak, and hunts for shells. But she's most in her element when the sun goes down and the stars blink to life. Will the fog this year foil her plans, or will her grandfather find a way to shine a spotlight on the vast puzzle of the universe . . . until the weather turns?

Review: 

Ada is a young girl that lives in NYC but loves the stars, only in NY you can't really see them because of all the bright city lights. When Ada visits her grandparents in Maine, she loves to view the stars and that is her one and only mission. Ada is so excited to see the stars that the day seems long and once it ends there is too much fog to see her starts so her Poobah (or grandfather) shows her photos of galaxies instead. 

I really liked that this book was beautifully illustrated and showcased Maine really well. It also includes scientifically accurate measurements for the stars and galaxies. Such a cool feature. I think that the book also illustrates a realistic portrayal of a young girl wanting something and not getting it all day, she is a bit moody and upset and asks about the stars every chance she gets. 

while I liked that she is interested in the stars and there are learning opportunities throughout the book, I felt that the grandparents fed into some of this not so great behavior. I know that grandparents are there for some spoiling but sadly Ada's not thrilled to see them... just the stars and I felt that could have been handled better.

All that said, this was a beautiful book. The illustrations are vibrant and detailed and, in a way, a little whimsical as well. It also included photos from the Hubble telescope which are magnificent full-page spreads. I think that star and space lovers will really enjoy this book and parents will appreciate the scientific accuracy. 

Building the Book Pile #357

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Sorry for being a little out of it last week folks, busy season officially starts tomorrow at work and so evenings I have been trying to relax before that time. I am so not mentally ready for this...

On top of that we put an offer on a house and it was accepted so we are moving throguh that process, hopefully we will close at the end of October, just in time for me to put up all my Halloween decorations 👻 in real life (I am already well on my way in Animal Crossing).

I have been reading and prepping some reviews too though! Going to have more foryour this week!

If you are interested in supporting my ability to stay awake and read please consider dontaing - Coffee (PSL!!) is appreciated ... Ko-fi

 

Coming up on the Blog

Recent Reads: Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman (Youth)

Early Reader Review: Unearthed by Lilliam Rivera (YA, GN)

Recent Reads: Board Books from Osborne Books (Youth)

Recent Reads: You Are My Happy by Patricia Hagerty (Youth)

Books Received Recently...

 

So I hosted an Usborne books party and achieved a lot of reqards so I started my holiday shopping for all the littles in my life - which also means SO MANY BOOKS. I hope to read them all before passing them along, so stay tuned for review clusters.

 

Explore America's National Parks

Let's Go Shopping Bookstore

Christmas Magic Painting Book

Halloween Magic Painting Book 

Secrets of the Apple Tree - Shine-a-Light

Secrets of the Vegetable Garden - Shine-a-Light

The Animal Orchestra Plays Mozart

The Four Seasons

Never Show a T. Rex a Book 

Baby's Very First Lift-the-Flap Peek-a-Boo 

Build It 

Little Lift and Look Bugs 

1001 Pirate Things To Spot 

Dragons Sticker Book 

Panda in the Park 

Monster Hide-and-Seek 

Christmas Patterns to Color 

Wipe-Clean Under the Sea Activities 

Wipe-Clean Halloween Activities 

Art Gallery Sticker Book 

Baby Bear 

On a Pirate Ship Little Board Book

Are You There Little Bat? 

Color by Numbers Book 

Art Deco Patterns to Color 

Nibbles: Numbers 

Gregory Goose is on the loose! In the Jungle 

Not a sales pitch but -> If you are interested in learning more about Osborne books, feel free to reach out, I have a rep that would be happy to work with you to place orders.

I also recieved the following for review:

 

Ada and the Galaxies bu Alan Lightman - from Librarything Early Reviewers program 

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff - This is the exclusive sampler, not the whole book, from Netgalley.

 

Have you missed anything lately?

Monthly Recap - August 2021 and September TBR

Recent Listen: A Pho Love Story by Loan Le (YA) -4 stars

Recent Reads: Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park (YA) - 5 stars

Early Reader Review: Whistle by E. Lockhart (YA, GN) - 3 stars

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: Whistle by E. Lockhart

Source: From DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Whistle by E. Lockhart, Illustrated by Manuel Preitano  

Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date:  September 7, 2021

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

From New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart (Genuine Fraud, We Were Liars) and artist Manuel Preitano (The Oracle Code) comes a new Gotham City superhero in this exciting YA graphic novel.

Sixteen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she's not on the streets advocating for her community, she's volunteering at the local pet shelter. She seeks to help all those in need, even the stray dog she's named Lebowitz that follows her around. But as much as she does for the world around her, she struggles closer to home--taking care of her mother, recently diagnosed with cancer. Her job as an adjunct professor of Jewish studies does not provide adequate health insurance--and Willow can see that time is running out.

When in desperation she reconnects with her estranged "uncle" Edward, he opens the door to an easier life. Through simple jobs, such as hosting his private poker nights with Gotham City's elites, she is able to keep her family afloat--and afford critical medical treatments for her mother.

Willow's family life quickly improves through the income provided by these jobs, but it comes at the cost of distancing herself from the people she truly cares about. Her time is now spent on new connections, such as biologist and teacher Pammie Isley. And when Willow and Lebowitz collide with the monstrous Killer Croc outside the local synagogue, they are both injured, only to wake up being able to understand each other. And there are other developments, too...strange ways in which they've become stronger together. Willow's activism kicks into high gear--with these powers, she can really save the world!

But when Willow discovers that Edward and his friends are actually some of Gotham's most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who kept her family together, or use her new powers to be a voice for her community. 

Review: 

Graphic novel set in Gotham about a girl and a dog... sign me up. I was very interested when this novel came into my inbox. The story follows Willow, a 16 year old Jewish girl who is trying to look out for her community, mother, and self all while trying to be a teenage girl... and Gotham is not an easy place to do that. It is teeming with baddies in addition to the normal bad community things like violence and lack of money for education. 

I was really interested in this new view of Gotham. We see a lot of the classic Batman characters throughout from another lense. Enigma aka Riddler, Poison Ivy, the Killer Croc are all characters in this graphic novel and have importants parts to play in it and in building up Willow.

The plot is about Willow as she tries to be an activist for her community but then gets a job that can pay the bills and her outlook changes, she struggles with herself and how she is changing and how she needs to do better.  It took a long time for this book to get into her super power, so the build was nice but then I felt like the climax and overall arc was not that great. The reveal was not big, the action scenes were not big, they were just kind of there. 

What I liked about the book was the showing of a Jewish character, a strong and capable young women and the fact that it covered a lot of internal turmoil of the character, but for a Gotham focused graphic novel it seemed a bit un-eventful in some ways. I would be interested to see how this character evolves in this landscape and read more about her.

Recent Reads: Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park

Source: From Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date:  June 1, 2021

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A social media influencer is shipped off to a digital detox summer camp in this funny coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty and Love and Gelato .

Sunny Song's Big Summer Goals:

1) Make Rafael Kim my boyfriend (finally!)

2) Hit 100K followers (almost there…)

3) Have the best last summer of high school ever

Not on Sunny's list: accidentally filming a PG-13 cooking video that goes viral (#browniegate). Extremely not on her list: being shipped off to a digital detox farm camp in Iowa (IOWA??) for a whole month. She's traded in her WiFi connection for a butter churn, and if she wants any shot at growing her social media platform this summer, she'll need to find a way back online.

But between some unexpected friendships and an alarmingly cute farm boy, Sunny might be surprised by the connections she makes when she's forced to disconnect.

Review: 

I am so glad I got the opportunity to read and review this book. It is hilarious. Sunny Song will Never Be Famous follows a high school girl living the life of a social media influencer. Sadly she has taken a few wrong turns, some accidently, and landed herself in a month long electronics and social media blackout camp for teens with social media addictions. 

   

Sonny is a hilarious main character, she is real and true to herself and trying to do what she thinks is right. She is awkward and fun to follow because she is so relateable. She is a flawed character and that lends to the story. The plot follows her at the social media detox camp and how she learns more about herself during her time there. Her detox from her phone makes her see more around her and really take note of issues, people, relationships etc and it was a really eye opening experience for both her and I think it will be for the reader as well since we are all on phones so often now. It talks about truths about being an influencer and the issues that might arise from that lifestyle as well.

Overall this book was a serious topic but told through the lense of comedic effect. There are a lot of laughable moments and a good amount of serious ones too. It was a great read. Not only did the book touch on social media, phone addiction, sense of self, and the need for mental breaks, but it also talked about high schoolers futures, race, racism, and judgement as well. There was a lot more to this book than I expected and I was so surprised by home much I enjoyed it.

As another note, I love seeing diverse characters and this book had a nice showing.

Recent Listen: A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le 

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 9, 2021

 

Format: Audiobook
Source: Bought on Audible

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he’d say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parents’ pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents’ fifth favorite employee. Not ideal.

If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she’d say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and fire. She loves art and dreams pursuing a career in it. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they’re not willing to admit, including working practically full-time at her family’s pho restaurant.

For years, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighboring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh, who’ve avoided each other for most of their lives, both suspect that the feud stems from feelings much deeper than friendly competition.

But then a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao in the same vicinity despite their best efforts and sparks fly, leading them both to wonder what took so long for them to connect. But then, of course, they immediately remember.

Can Linh and Bao find love in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?

When Dimple Met Rishi meets Ugly Delicious in this funny, smart romantic comedy, in which two Vietnamese-American teens fall in love and must navigate their newfound relationship amid their families’ age-old feud about their competing, neighboring restaurants. 

Review: 

Told from alternating point of view, this book follows two Vietnamese-American teens as they navigate a friendship and possibly more around their feuding parents restuartants and their own lives. Linh and Bao are both trying to find their placces in live as they go through high school, attempt to make names for themselves, and deal with some overbearing parents that think that they know what is best for them. On top of that, they shouldn't be friends, their parents both own Pho restuarants and are competitors, however here we are, not only are they friends but they are semi-forced to work together. 

This was a wonderful story of expectations and teenage uncertainty. It showed the emotional struggle of being an Asian-American teen with parents that think they know the right path for their kids. I should disclaimer that I did not have this experience, nor do I know anything about the amount of pressure this could be, but I had many firends growing up that talked about this struggle and the book seems to be pretty spot on. 

Linh and Bao are charismatic characters that are a delight to follow through this book. They are funny, nervous, angsty, and overally very real. The plot moved forward at a steady pace, helped by the alternating views and it was a good read. 

I should note that the reason it took me so long to listen to this book was mostly because of the food - don't go into this book hungry. The details about the food and tasting and the emotion and comfort that comes along with it is incredible and made me starving every time (and sadly there isn't a Pho place where I am living).

If you are looking for a read with diverse characters, a love story that has a slow build and is adorable, and that also showcases food, this one is SO for you.

Monthly Re-Cap August 2021/ To Read September 2021

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Here is the progress from the August TBR 

.

.

.

Another slow month, with a bit of a slump but I again got about half my reading done and loads of childrens books to fill some gaps.

~~Books I Read in August 2021~~

     

~~Links to Some Reviews~~

1. The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin 
2. Be Strong by Pat Zietlow Miller 
3. The Happy Pumpkin by D.K. Publishing
4. On the Seventh Day by Mark Wilson
5. Let it Grow by Mary Ann Fraser
6. Foul Play: Once Upon a Crime Murder Mystery CARD GAME
7. Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor
8. Picnic Pigs by Derek Fridolfs and Scott Gross
9. coming soon - Sunny Song will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park
10. coming soon - The Buzzy Bee Book for Kids
11. coming soon - Unearthed by Liliam River, illustrated by Steph C.
12. coming soon - A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

Thanks so much for reading!
Support late night reading by sending caffeine 😴

 TBR for SEPTEMBER

1. A Spot of Trouble by Teri Wilson
2. Lena, the Sea, and Ma by Maria Parr
3. You & Me at the End of the world by Brianna Bourne
4. Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian - June BOTM (carry over)
5. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri  (carry over)
6. The Mermaid Queen by Alane Adams (carry over)

Do you have a September or Fall TBR? Feel free to share it in the comments below! I would love to know what you are reading!

Building the Book Pile #356

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Another week and we are almost into September already. Where did summer go? I saw a meme online that said this year has been like

Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanuary

Feeeeeeeeeeebruary

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaarch

Apriiiiiiiiil, MayJuneJuly

AUGUST

 and I think that is pretty accurate. I am hoping that Autumn takes its time a bit although it is also the dreaded busy season at work so I like to get through that.

Speaking of work, I hope you are all continuing to stay safe and well. I work at a college so we are actively monitoring the situation and trying to keep on top of it. Luckily my boss is great and if we ever feel uncomfortable about being back in person we can go back to remote work until things get back to semi-normal.

In blog and reading news, I did make an effort to read this week and made some progress, but it was a bit forced. Still hoping for some reading motivation to surge through me so that I can read ALL the things in piles around me.

How was your week? How was your August?

If you are interested in supporting my ability to stay awake and read please consider dontaing - Coffee (PSL!!) is appreciated ... Ko-fi

 

Coming up on the Blog

Monthly Recap - August 2021 and September TBR

Recent Listen: A Pho Love Story by Loan Le (YA)

Recent Reads: Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park (YA)

Books Received Recently...

 

As always, the book pile grows and I need to read faster...

 

Life, Unschedule by Kristin Rockaway from Amazon Prime First Reads for August

You Are My Happy by Patricia Hegerty from Sourcebooks Early Reads

A Spot of Trouble by Teri Wilson from Sourcebooks Early Reads

 

Have you missed anything lately?

Recent Reads: Be Strong by Pat Zietlow Miller (Youth)- 5 stars

Blog Tour: Extract - The Map Maker's Daughter by Caroline Dunford (Adult)

Recent Reads: The Nature of Witches by Rahel Griffin (YA) - 5 stars

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.

Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: June 1, 2021

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.

In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It's wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―losing the ones she loves―is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she's the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she's terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves... before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing atmosphere, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate.

Review: 

The Nature of Witches tells the tale of Clara a powerful Everwitch who is learning to control her powers and coming to terms with what they mean to her.  Set in the modern day world that is teaming with climate change anomolies witches are trying to do their part to help the humans or shaders. Each which has a season in which their magic is more powerful and during their seasons they are trying to solve the problems cause by pollution and over expansion. Clara is different, she is one of the very rare Everwitches that is able to change with each season. Her powers are strong all the time, but the problem is that they have hurt people and she is having trouble coming to terms with that part.

A few things that I really liked about this book were the magic system, the romance elements, and the conflict. The magic system and the seasons taking on such an important part of the power and transitions were amazing and a very creative way to have magic in a real world setting. The climate change conlfict is on the forefront of many peoples minds and this was a very interesting take on how it is affecting the world, however I would have liked to better understand the build up to this point between the shaders and the witches. Last but certainly not least, the romance was beautifully written, the fall spans for seasons and Clara doesn't even realize it is happening. My heart was torn out, tossed on the floor and stomped on a few times, but it was a wonderful sequence of events. I also really liked that there was a previous f/f relationship in this book. I think it was interesting how the author tied the magic so well into the romances.

A few things that could have used a bit more love were the obliviousness that Clara has at times, (as I mentioned already) the background details about the witch/shader experience, and also I would have loved to learn so much more about each seasons magic. The biggest ugh moment for me in this book was that Clara is often self-centered and a little annoying. Luckily she had people along the way telling her that and I was thankful for that. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The plot, the characters, the magic, it was all so fun and I really love books about witches and this one surely stood up with some of my other favorites.

Blog Tour: Extract - The Map Maker's Daughter by Caroline Dunford

The Map Maker's Daughter by Caroline Dunford

  

About the Book

Sharra's world is a terrifying place. 

Violent seismic 'Shifts' and outbreaks of an all-consuming black fire radically alter landscapes on an increasingly frequent basis. Only the Map Makers can predict where the Shift will fall, and Sharra, daughter to one of the most famous Map Makers, yearns to join their ranks and break a cultural taboo that forbids female cartographers.

Sharra's father, Lord Milton, is one of the few to challenge the current order, but his shadowy past limits his political reach and his second wife, Lady Ivory, is determined to manipulate him to ensure a privileged future for herself and her daughter, Jayne. 

The main obstacle standing in Ivory's way is Sharra.

             

    On the calmest day of the year the harbour shines mirror smooth. The air lies warm and heavy over the village port of Frangelli. Maven sways high in the rigging of the Susan-May checking and rechecking that next time his twisting sail would properly unfurl. The sea breeze ruffles his jet black curls. The sharp salty smell of the sea invigorates him and he climbs higher. His nut brown skin, the lines around his eyes from squinting too long into the sun, make him appear older than his true age. But the way he scrambles up lithely among the ropes belies that.

    The Susan-May hasn’t been his for long and he is still learning her ways. The failure of her twisting sail to unfurl in the last storm was almost catastrophic. Not long ago he would have told this tale with bravado, now he is engaged and returning to harbor has never been more important. Yasmeen is his world, his obsession and the love of his life. His grandmother says he is infatuated, but if he is, he is happy about it.

    Maven tugs a final thread tight on the sail attachment. His eyes run searchingly over the mechanism. Today is a fete day and everyone else is preparing for the celebration. Maven wants to join them, but only when he is completely sure his ship is safe. He is taking a certain pride in delaying his pleasure. He feels as if he has truly crossed the boundary into manhood.

    He flicks the little silver cogs of the winding gear one last time with his fingers. They spin and hum sweetly. No problems. All it had been was a bit of dirt. His father was right. It was imperative to dismantle and polish the gears every time he came into port. It’s a tedious and time consuming job, but he won’t skip it again. 

    He has one more trip planned before his wedding to Yasmeen. One more voyage to catch the autumn Durfish migration and then every trip after that he will be coming home to his wife. Maven lifts his face to the suns and smiles into the clear sky. He can hardly believe he will soon be a married man, and the youngest village elder Frangelli has had in living memory. His parents, eager to retire, are as excited as he. The whole village has agreed to put aside some of the season’s gifts of food from Milton Hold to celebrate the day. 

    Maven looks down fondly on his home. Frangelli might be a small fishing village, but it’s a prosperous one. His family home is large; a group of low buildings surrounding a sunny courtyard where he and his sisters played as children. His sisters now all had homes of their own and his parents plan to move to a small cottage. Soon the house will belong to him and Yasmeen. Then, they too would raise their family there. This was the way of things. Maven could not have been happier.  

    A sudden ripple across the bay jolts him. Without thinking he locks his wrists and feet into the nearest rigging straps. The boat tips again. Not letting go, he twists to survey the horizon. Across the bay he sees the unthinkable, a series of incoming ripples, stacking up one after another on what had been an utterly flat sea. 

    There is no wind. No sign of any clouds.

    Under the warmth of the golden sun, Maven’s heart turns to ice.

    It can’t be.

    There’s been no warning. No messenger with maps from the Hold.    Everyone is in the village. Everyone.

    Maven shouts. He screams a warning to his village. His voice carries through the still air. A door opens in the house closest to the harbour. He can see Yasmeen. She is wiping her floury hands on her apron, her distant face raised to him in question.

    ‘Get to high ground,’ yells Maven. Frantically he begins to untangle himself from the safety straps. ‘Get up! Get up! Shift is coming! Shift!’

In response to his cry the villagers stops mid task. There is a moment of stillness, but only a moment. A silent understanding sweeps through the village. Shift, Maven had cried Shift.

     Impossible, but such a warning is too dangerous to ignore. As one, the villagers abandon their work, tossing aside baskets and tools. Everyone runs. Parents scoop up children. Others propel the elderly outdoors. Children catch their pets if they could. Everyone races towards high ground. The whole village flees. All except Yasmeen. 

    Across the harbour the ripples become waves. In less than a hundred heartbeats the water has grown monstrous, with rank after rank of foam topped crests as high as houses. 

    If she runs now, maybe she had a chance. Maven screams again to her to run. But Yasmeen only stood there watching him trying to free himself. She will not leave without him.

About the Author

Caroline lives for stories. Reading them. Telling them, Watching them. She can't get enough of them. She can hypnotise people and she sings well in the shower. She enjoys cooking, but hates housework, and has managed to convince everyone who knows her that she doesn't understand washing up. So much so that when friends visit some of them do it for her. Fortunately she also has a dishwasher. She always feels she didn't make enough of her teenage years, and hopes that at least the teenagers in her books do!

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