The Legend Trilogy, A review

A flash back to the origins of this blog. Prior to 2013, I believe, all my post were reviews of YA and Middle Grade Fiction. I haven't read many books in the last six months due to the amount of work it took to illustrate my book, The Case of the Missing Mother . However, I did manage to complete the Legend Trilogy written by Marie Lu. I started the series September of 2012. I finished the series during Michigan's Ice Storm just before Christmas 2013. We lost power for twenty-four hours. It was during this time I read Champion. 

June and Day, the main characters, start Legend as enemies with June undercover pursuing Day for his criminal behavior. The story is set in a post apocalyptic, post-America Los Angeles. The story is well created and captivating. Sometime, when I read a series I have to reread a portion of the previous book to pick up the story line. I found the characters created by Marie Lu memorable enough to jump right into the next book. 

I recommend reading this trilogy. These books would be a good start if you've been wanting to try a dystopian, post apocalyptic series.


Blessings,

Kim Izzy


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Just Ella - Book Review

I love Margaret Peterson Haddix books but I have hesitated to read Just Ella. I'm not a Cinderella fan.

I should have trusted my faith in Haddix. I started the book last night and could not put the book down until I finished it at two a.m. this morning.

I love the big themes of not needing a member of the opposite sex to complete you and knowing oneself. While in the time frame of when cinderella and this book were to have been set, I am not sure that the many women/girls would have been able to accomplish Ella's level of success. However, I do believe it is a great message for young ladies and gentlemen today, to think for oneself.

Do yourself a favor and read this book!

Kim Izzy

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Daylight Savings & Book Review - Time Ghost

Time Ghost by Welwyn Wilton Katz peaked my interest. It's a middle grade scifi story. *Spoiler Alert* (sort of) I'm not giving away the plot just the mechanism to accomplish the story line.

The characters are fun. I enjoyed getting to know them.

Welwyn Wilton Katz is very heavy into saving the ecology. Man's destruction of Earth is a major theme of the novel and it acts like a character in the story.

Several years ago, I taught my children a small unit study on Daylight Savings Time which covered the beginning of time zones.You're probably wondering where this tangent fits into the Book Review of Time Ghost?

Everything! The author uses the convergence of the time zones as a natural time travel portal. Every time I read that fact, I cringed. Time zones are man made whimsical lines on the face of the Earth appropriately one hundred fifty years old. (I claim whimsical because they are not straight or logical like latitude or longitude lines.) How could a natural phenomenon like time travel be govern by them?

See what I mean, I don't do fantasy well! (The blog posting where I share my preference of genres.)

The book is well written and fully developed. I enjoyed the bigger theme of walking a mile in someone else's shoes and learning a lot about them and yourself. If you can suspend your beliefs to enjoy fantasy, join Sara and Dani on a trip back in time.

Hope Daylights Savings time is treating you well!

Kim Izzy

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http://www.zazzle.com/bendingtreedesigns*

Extras - Book Review

Extras by Scott Westerfeld is the fourth book in the Uglies Series. Uglies, Pretties, Specials are the titles of the first three books. I have read and enjoyed all four books. The series is set in a post apocalyptic world. The social ills are taken directly from today. In Extras, today's obsession with fame even only fifteen minutes of the infamous kind is a major theme of the story. Mr. Westerfeld creates a world relatable to today's teens and young adults trying to negotiate personal relationships with all of our new technology. A second major theme is interpretation of information, how easy it is to misunderstand facts. 

While reading the first three books helped understand the unique language style of the book, the book could be read as a stand alone. Any information needed from the previous books is included. The first three are best when read in order.

Look up a copy and enjoy hours of fun. I was sad when I finished the book as good scifi is hard to find.

Enjoy,
Kim Izzy

Book Review - Double Helix by Nancy Werlin

Double Helix by Nancy Werlin is a Edgar Award winner. The Edgar awards are sponsored by Mystery Writers of America. Usually when I start a book, I've at least read the back blurb. I came to Double Helix with only connotations of it's name and the picture on the cover, DNA & genetics.

This is not one of my favorite books but it is a compelling read. I struggled at times to understand why the main character was acting like such a jerk. Even by the end of the book I never found justification for his behaviour.

Keep reading,
Kim Izzy

P.S. Conservative readers will object to the liberal portrayal of parents.

Heartsong Presents: Grace by Linda Ford Book Review

The advice most often given to writers is to read, read, and read some more. Read both types non fiction and fiction; read all genres.

Sometime ago, I picked up an 2004 Heartsong Presents. I know it’s out of date but it was a pleasure read as I was drawn in by the blurb on the back. While it is technically an adult book, the heroine is an young lady of eighteen or nineteen.


I wasn’t an young bride as is Grace. I lived several years on my own but suddenly being responsible for someone beside myself and “running” a household was a little intimidating. Grace does a great job of describing this coming of age. I haven’t read very many books that deal with this topic. Fortunately, it is well done.

Grace had me examining my life for areas where I too have succeeded when I took a chance to try something new. We learn more from our failures than we ever learn from playing it safe or letting someone else do it for us. An important lesson is not letting pride (or fear) stand in the way of getting/asking for help.

Kim Izzy

Book Review - The Earthborn - Paul Collins

The Earthborn is a scifi YA story. Several hundred years ago, a space ship was dispatched to colonize a distant solar system. The planet was marginal at best and Earth's last transmission broadcast nuclear war. The ship, Colony, decided to return to Earth, purify it and recolonized it with Skyborn. Of course, as with any assumations, things go wrong. The human spirit to live and learn has survived.

The main character is a skyborn youth, causing me to question the title of the book. The story is well written until the end. It feels rushed and incomplete. Until the last few statements at the end of the book, I wondered if I was looking forward to a sequel.

While I didn't agree with some of the writer's assumptions, I could see his logic and enjoyed the story until the end. I walked away from this book disappointed.

Kim Izzy

Book Review - Because of Anya by Margaret Peterson Haddix

YA author Margaret Peterson Haddix 's portrayal of a young woman defining herself by her appearance, specially her hair, was very poignant to me. It's a trait, we, women the world over, struggle with. We spend millions ever year to wash, condition, color, brush, pull up, pull back, highlight, straighten, curl, clip, cut, comb, tease, rat and . . .   Have I forgotten any? Okay, okay, maybe a few! (Ha! Ha!)

My grandmother lost her hair during her treatment for lung cancer. It was almost like she lost herself. Grandma was vigilante to keep her head covered at all times.

One evening a former boyfriend and I popped in for an unexpected visit. As we were saying our good byes for the night, Grandma reached up and realized that she wasn't wearing her wig or one of her caps. The look of horror spread across her face followed by anguish.

"Why did you tell me?" Grandma demanded.

"It isn't important to me. I love YOU with or without hair." I replied.

We had a good healthy cry. Even twenty plus years later, I can remember the love, laughter and acceptance shared in those moments. Around the family, Grandma was able to be more confident and comfortable. I like to think I was a small part of that.

While this book doesn't deal with cancer, it does deal with loss in a realistic and yet positive way. Because of Anya is a great read for women of any age. It speaks to me as the mother of a teenage daughter trying to negotiate these unknown waters. I'm recommending the book to my daughter.

Kim Izzy

P.S. My daughter loved it, too!