Book Review: The Westing Game

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game
by Ellen Raskin

4 out of 5 stars

Sam Westing leaves a puzzle in his will, and any of the heirs who can solve the riddle will win the entire inheritance. The puzzle is, who murdered Sam Westing? The heirs are broken up into teams and given different clues, but only by working together can they solve the mystery.

Continue reading

Book Review: Short Stories from Robert Louis Stevenson

The Rajah's Diamond by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Rajah’s Diamond
by Robert Louis Stevenson

4 out of 5 stars

A British General receives a large diamond for services performed for a Rajah during a foreign war. The diamond tempts everyone who comes into contact with it, ruining their lives. The general, his wife, her secretary, a clergyman, a landlord, a bank clerk, and finally a prince all own the diamond for a short time. Their destinies are intertwined; their lives forever changed.

Continue reading

Book Review: The Song of the Sirin

The Song of the Sirin by Nicholas Kotar

The Song of the Sirin (Raven Son, #1)
by Nicholas Kotar (Goodreads Author)

2 out of 5 stars

Voran meets a mysterious Pilgrim while on a hunt for the white stag, and is sent on a quest to save his country. There is magic in the song of a Sirin that could heal his nation, but at a terrible cost.

I only read through page 85 of this book and then DNF’d it. I just wasn’t in the mood to continue, and I’ve seen in other reviews that it gets really violent later on. Not my cup of tea.

Continue reading

Book Review: Basil and the Cave of Cats

Basil and the Pygmy Cats by Eve Titus

Basil and the Pygmy Cats (Basil of Baker Street, #3)
by  Eve Titus, Paul Galdone (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

Basil is the Sherlock Holmes of the mouse world. He listens in on the cases of the great Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street, to learn at the feet of the master. Then Basil can use that knowledge to solve mysteries among the mice of the world. When danger calls, Basil is on the case with his trusty friend, Dr. Dawson, at his side.

In this book, Dawson and Basil are traveling to find an ancient island. There is a legend that tiny cats were once ruled by benevolent mice on this isolated island. However, evil Ratigan is also on the hunt, and it’s a race to see who will discover the lost island first.

Continue reading

Classic Book Review: The Woman in White

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins

5 out of 5 stars

Walter Hartright is an art teacher who is hired to give drawing lessons to two sisters at a grand estate. He falls in love with one of them, Laura, but knows that he is too poor and lowly to be considered as a suitor. She is already engaged to Sir Percival, and so Walter tries to hide his love for her. However, a mysterious woman dressed all in white warns them against Sir Percival, claiming that he is a villain. Walter follows the clues to discover the identity of the woman in white and find out what terrible secret she is hiding.

Continue reading

Book Review: Basil of Baker Street

Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus

Basil of Baker Street (Basil of Baker Street, #1)
by Eve Titus, Paul Galdone (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Basil is the Sherlock Holmes of the mouse world. He listens in on the cases of the great Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street, to learn at the feet of the master. Then Basil can use that knowledge to solve mysteries among the mice of the world. When two little mice children are mouse-napped, Basil is on the case with his trusty friend, Dr. Dawson, at his side. They must go up against a gang of criminals who are threatening to destroy everything Basil holds dear.

Continue reading

Book Review: Jane and the Barque of Frailty

Jane and the Barque of Frailty by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Barque of Frailty (Jane Austen Mysteries #9)
by Stephanie Barron

3 out of 5 stars

Jane Austen is visiting her brother and sister-in-law in London, when a foreign princess is murdered. Jane is accused of being involved, and she starts her own investigation to find the real killer. A “barque of frailty” is a polite society term for a prostitute, and Jane discovers that one such woman highly-placed in society might hold a clue to the murder.

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Rocki and Her Famous Tree

Rocki and Her Famous Tree by Analise G. Duques

Rocki and Her Famous Tree: The (Mostly) True Story of One Owl’s Unexpected Trip to Rockefeller Plaza
by  Analise G. Duques, Varya Shambrook (Illustrator), Ryan A. Duques (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

When the big Christmas tree is brought to Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, they discover a little hitchhiker who has been snuggled inside the tree since they cut it down- a tiny owl! A young boy recognizes the owl and helps to rescue it. The owl is weak and starving, but the veterinarian nurses the tiny bird back to health, until it ready to be released back into the wild. But will the boy ever see his little owl friend again?

Continue reading

Christmas Books from Familius

Lit for Little Hands by David Miles

Lit for Little Hands: A Christmas Carol (Volume 4) (Lit for Little Hands, 4)
by David Miles (Adaptor), Brooke Jorden (Adapter)

5 out of 5 stars

This board book tells the story of A Christmas Carol, simplified for little readers. It has interactive pull tabs and flaps to reveal the ghosts of Christmas! Some of the story is told with quotes from the original novel and includes original dialogue as well.

Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Zander Stays

Zander Stays by Maureen Fergus

Zander Stays
by Maureen Fergus (Goodreads Author), Scot Ritchie  (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

When the other geese fly south for the winter, Zander decides to stay. When the water freezes, he asks the other animals what he should do to prepare for winter. The bear says he should put on a layer of fat. The bats say to snuggle together upside down to stay warm. The squirrel says he should collect lots of nuts to eat. But Zander doesn’t even like nuts! Zander is freezing, ready to give up, when a human finds him and takes him home. They spend the winter skiing and skating and sledding, but also drinking hot chocolate and reading books by the warm fire. The next year, ALL the geese want to stay, and the house is overrun with a huge family of geese!

Continue reading