I'd So Rather Be Reading: November 2018

Book Review: The Reader by MK Harkins (The Immortal Series #1)

Summary: Hunted, shot, and without her memory, eighteen-year-old Ann Baker wakes in shallow water on a deserted Pacific Northwest island. She is soon approached by two young men claiming to be her friends. Something isn’t right, but when gunshots sound, Ann is left with little choice but to allow Devon and Archer to help her escape. Soon she finds herself in their North Bend mountain compound, where the higher evolved humans claim to be mind-readers. While Ann heals, she realizes they believe her to be one of the last and most powerful of all – The Lost One.

She’s welcomed by most with opened arms, but not everyone is happy about her arrival. A jealous adversary has plans for Ann, which spirals the entire Reader community into chaos.

As lies, murder, and betrayal threaten to rip apart the once harmonious mountain dwellers, Ann is thrust into making a decision that could save or devastate not only The Readers, but all of mankind. But there’s just one glitch: by doing so it may require her to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Release Date: August 2016
Age Group: YA, Paranormal
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Reviewed By: Nat

Review:
I've read several Harkins contemporary books, I like the easy flow of words and the angst she gives her characters when it comes to love. However, the cover of The Reader is what initially caught my attention, the freckles reminded me of our middle grade reviewer Macy Kate. A simple, raw beauty. When I realized that it was Harkins work and her shift into the paranormal/dystopian genre I was interested!

Y'all, THE HOOK! Nothing like starting right off with a little amnesia, hot guys and bullets flying! This is the stuff YA dreams are made of... #allthefeels

At first the world building seemed simplistic and a bit mysterious but it didn't take long to realize that this was headed into a paranormal setting. The premise of genetically superior humans, divided by divine roles felt a tiny, tiny bit mythological/historical and it worked. The hidden city in the mountain was written very vividly and I really could picture the beauty of it all.

Humans with unique gifts, long life expectancy, bad guys, love triangles and mind reading is really what every ~~woman~~ YA teen girl pines for, right?!

The MC, Ann, is both strong and flawed. She isn't too go to be true but relatable... you know, she will scissor kick you in the throat if you cross her yet she can't make a decent judgment on a guy.

Devon & Archer were so Edward and Jacob for a hot minute but it worked. The character development was pretty steady and the plot twists kept making me love someone one minute and hate them the next. Good stuff.

The ending was a bit anti-climactic for me BUT that's because it isn't over yet! This is a duology and concludes with The Jack!

Overall, The Reader is a nice addition to the YA genre and fans of dystopian & paranormal lit. will enjoy its fast pacing and unique imagery.

If you liked: Gameboard of the Gods, Perfected, Uncharted you will enjoy The Reader.

*I waited FOREVER for book 2... I started to loose hope. But one morning BAM! there it was on NetGalley, just waiting for me to download!-- review coming soon (*spoiler: it was better than The Reader #sorrynotsorry).

Book Review: The Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray

I saved this little gem until today, in the Spirit of Thanksgiving, THANK YOU to all the authors, readers and friends who share the love of a good book!

You are special.

Summary:
"Perfect for fans of Margaret Wise Brown and Pat Zietlow Miller’s Be Kind, The Thank You Book explores the many ways of being thankful that can fill a child's day. Timely, wise, and accessible, the poetic text and tender illustrations celebrate the powerful impact gratitude can have on our lives."

Thank you isn't just for learning manners.
It's also for when something wakes a
little hum—a little happy hum—inside you
and you want to answer back.

The Thank You Book explores the many ways we can be thankful for the pleasures great and small that await us every day. Tender and poetic, it reflects on the role gratitude can play in our lives and celebrates the powerful impact it can have on us.

Release Date: September 2018
Age Group: Childrens, Picture, Read-Aloud
Source: Publisher
Reviewed By: Nat

Review:
The Thank You Book's target audience may be children but this is such a sweet reminder to everyone to simply be thankful, in all things.

"Thank You" and "I'm Sorry" are probably two of the hardest phrases for people to express to one another and yet they mean so much. Teaching young kids to say them may start out in an effort to teach a child good manners but it needs to progress into so much more. I think worldwide, we could use a good book full of Thank You's right now. Life is hard but it can still be happy.

This book is a sweet and gentle expression of simply being thankful for the big and little things, the good and the not-so-good times and everything in-between. I loved how the simple pleasures in life that we may take for granted were celebrated. I mean, I am pretty grateful for puddles. They sure brought me a lot of joy as a kid. They have also saved my sanity when all my kids were little and I'd yell "Go play in the puddles!" It's a real game-changer when you tell kids to go and get muddy.

Art.
The illustrations are beautiful and so detailed. I really enjoyed studying the pictures and finding little treasures (like the bear dressed as Harry Potter for Halloween!).

And I have to mention that the physical copy of this book, it is very nice quality! I know I am thankful for the good feel of a book.

This would be a perfect book to gift for a new mom, preschool teacher, and/or makes a great read for a new Thanksgiving tradition. I paired my book with our Turkey on the Table this year. Even though it's for a much younger audience than I have, it was still fun to read and have the older kids teach the younger ones about being thankful.

Hats off to Mary Ray & Stephanie Graegin for creating such a sweet reminder of gratitude.

Book to Movie Spotlight: Mortal Engines

MORTAL ENGINES – In Theaters December 14

Hundreds of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, a mysterious young woman, Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar), emerges as the only one who can stop London — now a giant, predator city on wheels — from devouring everything in its path. Feral, and fiercely driven by the memory of her mother, Hester joins forces with Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan), an outcast from London, along with Anna Fang (Jihae), a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head.

Mortal Engines is the startling, new epic adventure directed by Oscar®-winning visual-effects artist Christian Rivers (King Kong). Joining Rivers are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies three-time Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who have penned the screenplay. Visual effects are created by a Weta Digital team led by Ken McGaugh, Kevin Smith, Luke Millar and Dennis Yoo. The Universal and MRC adaptation is from the award-winning book series by Philip Reeve, published in 2001 by Scholastic.

On board as producers are Zane Weiner (The Hobbit trilogy), Amanda Walker (The Hobbit trilogy) and Deborah Forte (Goosebumps), as well as Walsh and Jackson. Ken Kamins (The Hobbit trilogy) joins Boyens as executive producer. Universal will distribute the film worldwide. www.mortalengines.com

Genre: 3D Epic Adventure

Cast: Hugo Weaving, Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Jihae, Ronan Raftery, Leila George, Patrick Malahide and Stephen Lang

Directed by: Christian Rivers

Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson

Based on the Book by: Philip Reeve

Produced by: Zane Weiner, Amanda Walker, Deborah Forte, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson

Executive Producers: Ken Kamins, Philippa Boyens