Review: Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

I don't read many romance novels and I'm incredibly picky about what I do read. I can't stand anything resembling Fifty Shades of Grey and I'm not big on the classic mass-market romance novel writers like Nora Roberts or Danielle Steele. I picked up Rachel Gibson many years ago and since then, I've read everything she's ever written, usually multiple times. Gibson writes for the younger adult woman who likes a little plot, a little disaster, and a little fun. I love that Rachel Gibson has written several mini-series and connected some of the characters in her many different books. What's more, is Rachel Gibson writes a fantastic mini-series about a group of good-looking Canadian hockey players. Any Man of Mine is a part of the Chinooks hockey series and not only do I feel it's the best in the series, but it's the best of everything she's written. 

Sam is a famous hockey player for the Chinooks. He met Autumn at a very low point in his life and the end result of their fling is their young son, Connor. Autumn is a strong, confident, and sometimes stubborn single mom who has yet to get over Sam abandoning her. The story that unravels is one of making a choice to forgive and forget, and one of being able to accept someone truly being able to change. 

I love the interactions between father and son and the way that Autumn cannot help but fall back in love with Sam. Is he not the Canadian woman's dream: a sexy, rich hockey player who is a good father, and undeniably, utterly and completely in love with an average woman? 

There are some familiar faces from the other Chinooks books, as well as some NHL player name-dropping. Rachel Gibson is a perfect summer read. The intimacy of the characters is important, but not the central focus of the novel. There's something substantial in the plot to appreciate and her books are fun, witty, and leave you with a very sweet happily-ever-after.

Review: Defy by Sara B. Larson

This was a fabulous book! An action-adventure read with a strong female heroine, a sexy and spoiled prince, magic, and sword-fighting. The book is reminiscent of Disney's Mulan in the sense that Alexa/Alex disguises herself as a boy to survive; for a chance at fighting for a better life. It is a very dark story that is handled very well for the young audience. The story COULD have been darker and written for an older audience, but it works well as it is.

The book is made up of dark themes such as assassination, rape, violence, abuse, death, and war. This book is like a more tame version of Game of Thrones so it's a good choice if readers aren't old enough for the graphic nature of the television show. It's full of action and excitement, and from the moment you know the risk Alexa takes by disguising herself as a man, the suspense is gripping. I was on the edge of my seat --Larson keeps you guessing. Does Damian know she's a girl? What is going on with Tanoori (and why is this the only non-medieval-y name in the book?!). Who is the masked man?

Another interesting point is the fact that magic is evil--the black arts. Today, the supernatural is likened to an attractive quality so the fact that Defy twists magic into something frightening, dangerous, and dark is a refreshing change.

Alexa kicks ASS. She is the best fighter and strategist that the royal family has. If her skills aren't enough to rank her up there with Hermione and Katniss, Alexa has lost everything, but achieved so much in her short life. She's a survivor--like Katniss. She doesn't need a man to take care of her or to rescue her. She literally fights her own battles and she's as good as [if not better than] a man. I also enjoyed the fact that she knows her place in the world. Unlike so many other heroines who strive for and achieve their place in a higher realm (ie. human to be a vampire, commoner to a princess), she wants to be herself--someone she hasn't been since she changed herself into a man. This is a girl who puts the country's needs ahead of her own wants and desires. This a girl who has been forced to mature quickly and who has to take care of herself. This is a girl who makes a surprising choice in love.

Overall, Defy is an amazing read. Fast-paced, thrilling, and addictive. It will be published on January 1, 2014.

Review: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

My biggest regret about this book is the fact that the final cover has the blood splatter removed from her face. It was just so much more sinister that way. My only other complaint would be the loopy, low-ascender cursive writing in which the murders are written. I'm not someone easily tripped up my typeface, but sometimes this got aggravating. Please note that I did read this book as an ARC-- maybe the final copy is different.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer is a little cheesy, a little intense, and a lot of fun. You get a little history and a little tour of France along with all the murders and mystery, which is a great perk of reading the book. Sadly, there's not much history because most of the historical facts have been altered for the purpose of the story. Still... it will give you a window into a very prominent and interesting woman in history and it just might get some readers looking up Marie Antoinette on Wikipedia.

Katie Alender has crafted a murder mystery of girl-power proportions. It's a modern girl-power story crossed with horror and history genres, with a little bit of suspense and drama. Girl-world comes across in the wealthy, privileged class of girls on their school trip to Paris who worry about social status as much they worry about looking trendy and attending the right parties (Gossip Girl, much)?

Colette's friends Blair Hannah and Pilar are shallow and silly, which immediately make Colette much more likeable as the heroine of the story. The boys are romantic and dreamy, the murders are gory and many, and the ghost of Marie Antoinette is dangerous and vengeful. The story has everything you could ever want in girl-world: love, betrayal, attraction, friendship, rule-breaking, and luxury. Oh, and the ghost of Marie Antoinette.

The book is a fairly fast read and while it is enjoyable, the lack of real horror in the mystery or murders kept it from being as powerful as it could have been. Still, Katie Alender writes a great preteen novel with enough pretty things (boys included!) and excitement to hook in the younger teens.

Review: The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher is an addicting read, full of suspense, shrouded in mystery, and paired with danger. Lucy Christopher has written a teen murder mystery novel that will leave you breathless-- and that's a fun and ironic choice of words.

A modern who-dunnit tale of a group of teenagers who play a dangerous version of Hide-and-Seek in the woods, The Killing Woods explores tough subjects like drugs, alcohol, and PTSD. It's about teens who make wrong choices and about teens who have to deal with the death of a fellow student and friend. It's about uncovering the truth, no matter how terrible it might be. It's about bad things that happen alone in the woods.

I normally shy away from anything scary. I'll admit it: I'm a huge chicken. I'm not a fan of horror movies and I very, very rarely read mystery, crime, or horror novels. I'm just far too jumpy to be able to appreciate them. Fortunately, Lucy Christopher's novel was nothing like I expected--it was far better. The murder of a young girl in the woods did not set off a chilling murder mystery story as I expected. While the murder is the central incident of the book, Lucy Christopher's story takes a hard look at the characters and at tough subjects of grieving, psychological and emotional distress, as well as illegal substances. I only lost sleep because I could not put this book down.

I am recommending this book to anyone who enjoys teen books with a dark twist, mystery stories, or danger. This book will really hit home as the characters are so realistic to what teenagers are now. Everyone knows someone who makes wrong choices with substance abuse. It is sad that most people now attend a high school where a death has occurred.

The Killing Woods is one of the best teen books I've read this year. The writing is addictive and the characters are so relatable to young people today. I love that PTSD and the psychological and emotional aspects of this murder mystery are a huge part of this story, because a lot of time, authors ignore these issues, or at least they don't understand that they can play a huge role in a tragedy like this. The idea that the truth isn't being withheld because there's a criminal hiding it--but because the human brain has literally repressed it [for one reason or another] is realistic and a startling real truth.

The Killing Woods will be published on January 1st, 2014. This is a must-read for 2014. Pre-order your copy now!

Review: How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? By Jane Yolen

Part of the popular [and hilarious] How Do Dinosaurs series, How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? is a hilarious addition to your child's bookshelf. Jane Yolen and Mark Teague team up to teach children about expressing their anger constructively and dealing with difficult emotions. Moreover, this book also teaches children that no matter what, parents will always love you.

A variety of dinosaurs fill the pages, giving the book a very slight intellectual edge (learn about dinosaurs AND manners!). The text is short and easy to read for young readers who want to follow along. Even better than the comical nature of the writing are the hilarious illustrations. You and your child will not be able to hold back smiles and laughter at the ridiculous nature of dinosaurs losing their tempers. The illustrations are sweet, humorous, and fun.

The book covers misbehaviour from frustration, to anger, to tantrums, to acting out as a result of exhaustion, impatience, or other negative emotions. Anger and emotional development are difficult subjects to discuss with kids--but Jane Yolen and Mark Teague handle this subject with wit, cleverness, and a dash of brilliance.

Girls and boys can appreciate the humour, and this book is a timeless classic. They can see the behaviour of the dinosaurs as inappropriate and as out of proportion as the sheer size of the dinosaurs themselves.

Parents, be comforted that this book teaches a life lesson in a subtle way. This book can be enjoyed again and again!

Review: Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems

Anything Mo Willems publishes I will read--and without a doubt, love. 

The hilarious author of the very popular The Pigeon series, Mo Willems takes on the Goldilocks story and puts his own spin on this well-known tale. Look for the Pigeon to make an appearance, as he always does!


I laughed my way through this whole book, and then flipped back to the front to read it again. Mo Willems is undoubtedly one of the top children's authors publishing right now. His style, humour, and his ability to engage with his audience puts him up on a talent block with Robert Munsch. I love his wit and the slightly dry humour that comes across in his narrative and in his illustrations.

This book summary from the publisher sums up the humour: "One day-for no particular reason-they decided to tidy up their house, make the beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures. And then-for no particular reason-they decided to go . . . someplace else. They were definitely not setting a trap for some succulent, unsupervised little girl. Definitely not!" 

A great spin on a classic tale and a great choice for a book to share with your kids. They'll love the illustrations and the simple, yet conversational tone of the narrator. Children do need to be familiar with the original Goldilocks story to really enjoy this book, but this is definitely a must-have for your little one's bookshelf!

Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot's novel Abandon is the first in the Abandon series, which is a modern/teen retelling of the Persephone myth. It was the lure of a book using Greek mythology that drew me into the series, though I was a tad weary by the cheesy "romance"-style cover art. I do love the colour schemes and the flowery patterns, and the book cover fits well with the story.

A far cry from how Rick Riordan uses his mythology to both entertain and to teach kids about Greek mythology, this book does offer small insights into the mythology of the underworld, Hades realm, dying, the Fates, and the Furies. The Persephone myth is actually mentioned right at the beginning and continually crops up as Pierce tries to understand what has happened to her/how she might feel about John and her current predicament. Pierce is able to both identify and see herself as different from Persephone in many ways, and the comparison/contrast lets us explore the myth to see it as both a love story, but also as a dark tale of abduction.

John Hayden was a mortal who was given the job of lord of the Underworld, due to some mysterious crime he committed years ago. He falls in love with Pierce as a young teenager and she accidentally becomes his "consort." The way Pierce is "kidnapped" sets him apart from Hades and allows the reader to see him as 'good.' Personally, I don't think we see enough of John in Abandon. Fortunately, there are two books that offer plenty more of this mysterious, dark, dangerous, and certainly handsome male hero.

Pierce is a fiery heroine who tries to do right in the world and her heart and her head are constantly at odds with each other over John, who has an amazing habit of suddenly showing up to save her from mortal peril.

This supernatural love story is interwoven with themes of death and dying, dysfunctional families, and dangerous creatures called Furies. As someone who LOVES all things Greek and Roman, I enjoyed the book--more than I thought I would. The Abandon series is my newest guilty pleasure. It's a riveting tale of family, love, death, right and wrong, and good versus evil. Meg Cabot re-imagines the Persephone myth into an oddly sweet and addictive tale full of the supernatural, suspense, and an unexpected love story between people from two very different worlds.