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For Review

Thanks Random House

Thanks William Morrow (HarperCollins)

Purchased

From Indigo for Birthday presents (And I bought nothing for me GASP!)

 George RR Martin Indigo Event

For lavender_lines hubby

Liam and GRRM - sorry crappy photos

Falling Backwards by Jann Arden

Falling Backwards
by Jann Arden
Vintage Canada (Random House)
ISBN: 978-0-307-39985-4
Buy from Indigo

Description: This long-time darling of the music industry and singer-songwriter of international renown will capture your heart--and keep you in stitches--with her powerful stories about coming of age as an artist and as a human being.


Jann's legions of fans are drawn to her sincerity, wit, humour and that infectious sparkle she brings to everything she does. Oh, and did we mention her sense of humour? Jann's natural comedic talents translate seamlessly into her writing, and her dedicated fans will delight in the details of this memoir--where there is no such thing as too much information. Readers will learn about how her brother used to steal her maxi pads to repurpose as GI Joe bunk beds and how she once got gum stuck in her hair so badly that when she woke up her head was glued to the pillow. But with the good times come the bad, and Jann opens up about the darker side of her so-called prairie-perfect nuclear family and the first signs that her brother was a uniquely troubled young man. Jann's readable prose keeps the reader tuned in as she reminds us of the inestimable value of having a teacher who believes in you, wide-open spaces to play and be a child, and a good mother

The Good Stuff

• I love Jann, she is so delightfully honest and hilariously funny -- and so very accessible, you will feel like you are just shooting the shit with one of your pals while reading it
• She talks about things that we all felt while growing up but didn't always have the honesty to talk out loud about
• The paragraph when she talks about God and wonders if he had a Penis made me laugh so hard coffee came out my nose
• Never lays blame or talks mean spiritedly about anyone
• The love for her family is so real and loving
• I really enjoyed how she describes her passion for music and for the written word
• Self deprecating sense of humour
• In the paperback copy I received for review - my pal Lavender Lines is quoted!
• Honestly she is just a straight forward down to earth fun and wise broad that I would love to hang out with 
• Enjoyed the commentary on her parents taste in music - yup my mom and dad loved Nana Mouskouri and Roger Whittaker too -- and I hated that crap as much as she did (My brother and I used to take their albums and play Frisbee with them)
• I totally agree with her description of brussel sprouts as tasting like dog farts and copper pennies!

The Not So Good Stuff

• Sorry Jann if I ever see you out in public I am going to give you a big hug & talk to you like we are old friends
• Might not want to read out in public because you will be laughing so hard
• The last chapter sort of ends abruptly - I can understand why, but still its a little jarring 

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"In a womb? My dear mother said it was nothing short of agony. I have given her the odd sympathy card on my birthday. It seems fitting, somehow. The card simply reads, "I am sorry about your vagina. Love, Jann."

"You find out early on that life is not based on a system of punishment and reward. Bad people often get ahead and good people can will die of cancer. There is no sense to be made of any of it. You just have to get up and deal with the day."

"M yidea of pigs has never been the same. Charlotte's Web has never held much water with me. You can forget Babe as well. Pigs are vicious killers with no regard for a child's young life. I am lucky to be alive. Yes,I  am dramatic."

"All of the other singers that my parents owned on vinyl seemed to me to have one foot in the grave. Roger Whittaker whistled, for crying out loud, and Nana Mouskouri had big, thick, black glasses. Only old  people wore glasses. Only old people whistled. My shop teacher whistled and wore bifocals, that's how I knew the singers on my parents' records were ancient. I was grateful to finally be exposed to artists with whom I had something in common- first and foremost among which was being alive."

Who Should/Shouldn't Read

• If you are a fan of Arden's music,  you will love this book
• If you are Canadian -- and most importantly a self deprecating Canadian women (Is there any other such Cdn women) you will frickin love this book

5 Dewey's


I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Blood Red Road
by Moira Young
Doubleday Canada (Random House)
ISBN:  978-0-385-67185-9
Suggested Ages: 13+
Buy from Indigo

Description: Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.


Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.


The Good Stuff

• Sorta have a crush on Jack with his swagger and his cockiness - love me those kind of boys (Yes I try to pretend he's not that young, don't want to be called a cougar or anything)
• Author is Canadian
• Had a Mad Max sorta feel to it - that is how I pictured the world they lived in -- not as violent as Mad Max of course -- as it is marketed towards YA
• Saba is a strong feisty heroine and there is some great character development with her - didn't always understand her decisions, but I still liked her
• Love Nero - I want me a bird like that
• Like the intriguing secondary characters and want to know more about them 
• Exciting fast paced story - on the edge of  your seat moments
• good use of humour - right when you need it most 
• Strong female AND male characters - working together  
• Fabulous ending 
• Just a really good adventure tale to lose yourself in for a while
• Author is Canadian -  yes I know I mentioned that fact already - but I'm Canadian and well I have to promote a fellow Canuck (and yes I know she lives in England now)

The Not So Good Stuff

• sort of creeped out for her obsessive love for her brother, but maybe its a twin thing 
• I don't get the appeal of Lugh - but maybe we will get to know him more
• The writing style took a little to get into at first, but keep going it really does add to the story

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"There ain't nuthin written in the stars. There ain't no great plan. The world goes on. Our lives jest go on and on in this gawdfersaken place. An that's it. Till the day we die."

"Sometimes I think, if only I'd come earlier, if only I'd been there, maybe Allis would have lived. But you cain't think like that. If you do, you'll make yourself crazy. I did get there in time to keep you alive, red little scrap that you were, and I comfort myself with that."

"I ain't never seen a creature like that before, she says. He's so smart, he's --
More like a person than a bird? I says.
Yeah, she says. That's it.
Whatever you do, I says, don't tell him that. I'll never hear the end of it."


Who Should/Shouldn't Read

• Fans of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction will enjoy
• Will appeal to both adult and YA readers - there isn't too much angst and adult bashing so us older readers won't get offended
• I can see the Hunger Games comparisons, but don't read it based on that - it is different

4.5 Dewey's

I received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review

A Day in the Life: Janet Murie from Scholastic

One of the first people I met when I began blogging was the lovely and hilarious Janet Murie from Scholastic - actually everyone I have met from Scholastic has been awesome -- hmm must get job there. She is extremely passionate about her job and  about books so you can see why I love her so much.  She is also one of the members of the Dewey Diva's

BTW, anyone who comments on any of the A Day in the Life series (over the year) will be put into a pool and I will randomly select a commenter to win a prize pack including some of the books/authors mentioned or profiled

Janet Murie
Job Title: National Accounts Manager, Library and Educational Retail Markets (Scholastic)

Education/Work Experience (that led to current job) 
My first job out of university was being The Special Orders Department in a university bookstore. From there, a job selling books with a commission agency. Now it is 30 years later.

What’s a “Typical” day like for you?
A typical day is driving to a library or library wholesaler in the morning, another one in the afternoon, and presenting forthcoming titles from new catalogues. In between, I field emails on my blackberry and listen to CBC on my car radio.

Have you ever “geeked” out over an author
No, but I have escorted some very fine authors. I was so scared of Robertson Davies I was nearly speechless for two solid days of having him in my car, and when I wasn't speechless I was stupid.

Who has been your favorite author to deal with ?  
Robert Bateman, hands down. Such a gracious, intelligent and interesting man.

Any advice for people who would like to do what you do?  
People think selling anything - including books - is all about talking. Listening is the most valuable tool anyone selling books can have.

What One book would you bring if you were stuck on a desert Island? 
Arg! One????

Cats or Dogs  - Why?   
Both! Dogs are joy on paws, and cats are deep thinkers.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Lisa Simpson

Thanks Janet for taking part!

Overbite by Meg Cabot

Overbite (Insatiable #2)
by Meg Cabot
William Morrow (HarperCollins)
ISBN: 978-0-06-173511-0
Buy From Indigo

Description: Meena Harper has a special gift, but it's only now that anyone's ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard — a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican — has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena's ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead.  Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Antonescu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena's sworn off vampires for good ... at least until she can prove her theory that just because they've lost their souls doesn't mean demons have lost the ability to love.

Meena knows convincing her co-workers — including her partner, über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf — that vampires can be redeemed won't be easy ... especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena's friends and family as well.  But Meena isn't the Palatine's only hope. Father Henrique — aka Padre Caliente — New York City's youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case.  So why doesn't Meena — or Alaric — trust him?

As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare ... and  temptations she never even imagined existed, but finds impossible to resist.  This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew.

The Good Stuff

•  Good ending to the story  - can't go any further on this point as it would be to spoilerish - but it worked for me - not what I wanted, but I could see how it could come about
• Lots of Meg Cabot humour which I adore. Some of her dialogue makes me LMAO
• Quite a significant improvement in the maturity of the characters, which was a major complaint from most readers of Insatiable. It actually felt more like an adult novel than a young adult story
• Meena is a likeable character and you feel yourself routing for her. She's just so adorable and has a good strength of character  
• Cabot's writing style is enjoyable to read, so even when you don't love the story, you still want to keep reading
• Alaric is an intriguing character and would have liked more of his back story
• Also cannot mention why I loved Lucien as this would give away the ending -- but nice one Lucien
• As always she drops some fun pop culture references and the names of the characters are deligtful for any fan of Dracula.

The Not So  Good Stuff

•  Not enough of Cabot's trademark humour, felt she went a little too dark considering the first book in the series
• Actually a little dull in parts
• Was a little disappointed as I expected much better from Cabot who is one of my favorite writers.  The story felt a little rushed and the characters actions didn't always ring true for me.
•  Also not enough development of the character of Alaric. He had huge potential but he kinda felt a little flat and I can see why others were disappointed in the ending
• Secondary characters were not developed enough for my taste, again they had potential, but its like Cabot lost interest in the story

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"I didn't know you were stopping by," he said. "Sharp-looking tux there, dude. Very Daniel Craig in Casino Royale."

"Well, I have to be honest with you," she said, pulling her wrist from his grasp. " The only reason I'm wearing this necklace is because members of your species keep trying to bite me. So if you don't mind, I'm going to keep it."
"She lifted her head from the door and whipped it around to face Meena - completely ignoring Jon - letting out a  hiss that revealed a set of blood-soaked fangs. Clearly dental hygiene was no longer a priority in the Delmonico household."

Who Should/Shouldn't Read

• If you read Insatiable I know you will want to read this just to get a closing to the story
• If you are a huge fan of Cabot you might be a tad disappointed

3.25 Dewey's


I received this from William Morrow in exchange for an honest review

Winner of Leah Bobet's Above

The Winner of Leah Bobet's Above is

Jackie  the Hardcover Obsession

Congrats Jackie I am emailing you now

Mom and Me Mondays: Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero
by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0-545-29882-7
Suggested Ages: 8 - 10
Buy From Indigo

Description: A hilarious new series from Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver, authors of the bestselling Hank Zipzer books! 
Billy Broccoli is a boy with questions: about his new school, his new stepfamily...his whole new life, in fact.
Hoover Porterhouse is a ghost with all the answers.
When a trick of fate makes them roommates, Billy discovers that having a ghost around might not be so bad after all. The Hoover is funny and cool, a great baseball player, and is a real people person (even if Billy is the only one who can see him). And with obnoxious school bullies out to demolish him, Billy can use all of the advice he can get. With Hoover by his side, Billy just might get in style, get even, and conquer the school.


Jake's Review: This book is a little too boring and I think its for younger kids than me.  I also don't like books with Ghost's in them (mom's note: um Jake you have 10 goosebumps books). Ok mom I just don't want to read this book.  Do I have to read it?

Jake's Rating: 4/10

Mom's Review:  The Fonz co-wrote this -- I know I am a nerd, but I think that is pretty cool.  I agree with Jake it is definitely more suited for a younger audience (he is 10).  So I didn't make Jake finish the book since there is nothing worse than being forced to read something you don't like (Hello Canadian public schools 12 year old kids HATE Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel -- it is dull and depressing).  I thought it was a funny story that was fast paced and not at all boring.  Good moral lessons thrown in, without being too obvious. Billy is a likeable kid that most middle grade boys can relate to.  These books will definitely be in high use at most school and public libraries. I even laughed out loud a couple of times!

Mom's Rating: 8/10

We received this from Scholastic in Exchange for an honest review