Book Review: The Finches’ Fabulous Furnace

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The Finches' Fabulous Furnace
The Finches’ Fabulous Furnace by Roger Wolcott Drury

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One cold winter, when the Finch family moves into their new house, Mr. Finch and his son find a tiny volcano in the cellar, pumping heat and steam into the house instead of a furnace. They decide to keep it a secret, so as not to alarm the ladies of the family, but when the summer heat makes the volcano unbearable, Mrs. Finch and her daughter are determined to know why their house is always so hot! The townsfolk begin to suspect that Mr. Finch is hiding something huge in his cellar, and they pester him for answers. Mr. Finch has to decide whether or not the volcano is a threat to the town, but his children have something to say about that too!

I loved all the clever little details about a family living in a house with volcanic activity! The snow melts off their roof, and their plants bloom in the winter. There are strange updrafts and strong winds surrounding their house as the steam rises from their cellar. All those details were so fun to read about! Continue reading →

Book Review: Death at Glamis Castle

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Death at Glamis Castle
Death at Glamis Castle by Robin Paige

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kate and her husband, Charles, are called up to the mysterious Glamis Castle to covertly search for the missing Prince Eddy, who has been in hiding after his staged death 10 years before. The murder of a local servant-woman, in addition to the disappearance of Prince Eddy, has Kate and Charles scrambling to find out the truth amongst local gossip, rumors, and lying townsfolk.

I enjoyed this mystery, mostly because of the human interest, the little romance woven into it, and the continuing backstory of Charles’ bachelor days before he met Kate. Every character we meet has their own little part to play in the mystery, and their own hopes and motivations that propel them into the adventure or keep them out of it. Continue reading →

Book Review: Help! I’m a Prisoner in the Library

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Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library
Help! I’m a Prisoner in the Library by Eth Clifford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remember loving this book when I was a kid, and I fantasized about spending the night in a library.

Jo-Beth and Mary Rose are sisters who get stranded in a library during a blizzard. The library displays and mannequins depicting literary characters are creepy in the dark, and there are weird noises coming from upstairs. The sisters find an injured librarian, and have to use all their common sense to help her and get themselves rescued from the blizzard.

The simple writing style makes this a perfect book for young children who are reading chapter books. While the sisters are mildly frightened at every mysterious sound in the old library, the reader never really feels scared. It’s just suspenseful and interesting enough to keep you guessing, but will not give a kid nightmares.

I really love that each of the characters have their own prickly and funny personalities. Their dialogue is hilarious!

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Book Review: Candle Man: The Society of Dread

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Candle Man: The Society of Dread
Candle Man: The Society of Dread by Glenn Dakin

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Theo is officially the new Candle Man, and with that power comes responsibilities that Theo doesn’t want. But the police are dragging him into an investigation of the underground tunnels, and when Chloe is kidnapped by mysterious creatures, Theo has to use his power as the Candle Man to rescue her and bring peace to the underground. Theo will fight alongside terrible allies, and some strange people come out of the shadows.

Not really impressed with this book. I got bored towards the end, what with all the monster fights and gooey slime stuff. The plot moves along pretty well. There are many interesting and weird characters. I do like the main character, Theo, and enjoy seeing his awkward attempts to make friends. But it feels like the same plot from the previous book.
Disappointment.

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Book Review: The Everything Guide to Meditation

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The Everything Guide to Meditation for Healthy Living: Reduce Stress, Improve Health, and Increase Longevity
The Everything Guide to Meditation for Healthy Living: Reduce Stress, Improve Health, and Increase Longevity by David R. Dillard-Wright

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A comprehensive look at many different meditation traditions and styles from different religions and beliefs, along with their development, prominent figures in history, and explanations of how to practice each meditation style. It includes easy meditation for beginners all the way up to more advanced techniques.

I found a lot of good ideas about how to deepen my meditation practice, and I was inspired by many of the concepts and quotes, but some of the religious and mystical practices were way too creepy and/or strange.

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When Authors Hate Your Negative Review

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Book Review: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance

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The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance
The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance by Glenn Dakin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved it! This book is fantastic, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one!
Reading it the second time, I still found this book really enjoyable. The mysteries of the past haunting everyone, the suspenseful magic being revealed, the ghoulish setting with steam punky elements everywhere… I loved it all!

I found the main character, Theo, to be an enigma, and that kept my attention throughout the book. Due to his secluded upbringing, he is weird and has strange ideas. He doesn’t know how to act in society, so he is deliciously awkward and doesn’t even know it. Watching him rediscover the world provided so much comedic relief in this book.

I was grossed out by the slime and the melting eyeball faces towards the end, but I’ll bet boys would love that kind of thing.

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