Blah Blah Blah: What To Do When Words Don’t Work by Dan Roam: Adult Nonfiction

For a book about finding and ending useless speech, Blah Blah Blah: What To Do When Words Don’t Work by Dan Roam does a lot of talking.  The book started out interestingly enough, but became less so as it continued, until finally I was just glad when it was over.  Recommendation: Stick with Roam’s first book The Back of the Napkin and skip this one.

Nutshell: The world is full of blah, blah, blah.  Use the FOREST acronym to keep the ideas but throw out all the verbiage.

C         [Information C; Flow/Organization B-; Usefulness C]

Genre/Subject: Nonfiction/Speech; Pictures

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George: Teen Fiction

I could have sworn I read another book just like Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George.  The characters and story are wonderfully orchestrated, but it seems so similar to a book I’ve previously read (I can’t remember what it’s called, so if you know which book I’m talking about, please let me know.)  Otherwise, it’s a wonderful read.

Nutshell: The twelve princesses’ shoes are mysteriously worn through each morning and yet they don’t seem to leave the castle.  At his wits' end, the king offers a prize to the man who can discover why this happens and where they go each night.

B         [Story/Plot B; Characters A; Content A; Setting A]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/Fantasy

Additional Note: AR Level 5.6

The Silver Crown by Robert C. O’Brien: Child Fiction

The Silver Crown by Robert C. O’Brien is quite a bit more violent than I was expecting.  Wonderful story idea, great pace, but disturbing and darker than I thought it would be.

Nutshell: Ellen finds a silver crown on her pillow the morning of her 10^th birthday.  She heads off to the park, only to turn back to discover her house has been burned to the ground, with her family inside.  The next days and weeks are a quest to find her only living relative while mysterious people try to capture Ellen and the crown.

C         [Story/Plot B; Pace B; Characters A; Content C-; Setting A]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/SciFi; Fantasy; Children

Additional Note: AR Level 5.2

Heaven Is For Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo: Adult Nonfiction

What a wonderful account!  Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo is an encouraging, and Bible-backed story.  Sure to encourage those with faith, and for those without, it’s still a great story.

Nutshell: What will heaven really look like?  Who will you meet?  Do you get to see God?  Are there angels?  These questions, along with others, are answered through a little boy’s three-minute trip to heaven and back.

A         [Story A; Information A: Flow/Organization B; Content A; Usefulness A;]

Genre/Subject: Nonfiction/Christianity; Heaven

The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures; Expanded Edition by Dan Roam: Adult Nonfiction

Wow.  The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures; Expanded Edition by Dan Roam is fantastic.  Roam explains his ideas excellently and walks through each step of using pictures to solve problems.  Everyone should read this book.

Nutshell:  (click to enlarge image)

A+       [Information A+; Flow/Organization A+; Usefulness A+]

Genre/Subject: Nonfiction/Business; Solving Problems

Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray: The Uproar at the Front Door by Nick Bruel: Child Fiction + Nonfiction Excerpts

A slow beginning, but Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray: the Uproar at the Front Door by Nick Bruel picks up speed quickly.  This book is bizarre and random, but in a good and humorous way.

Nutshell:  Kitty and Puppy are left at home with Uncle Murray while the adults leave for a week, promising to bring home a surprise when they get back. 

A         [Story/Plot B; Characters A; Content A; Humor B+; Setting A]

Genre/Subject: Fiction; Nonfiction/Pets; Cats

Additional Note: Picture/Chapter Book; Bad Kitty: Book 5; AR Level 2.9

Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots by Debbie Dadey: Child Fiction

A decent book and with lots of excitement, Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots by Debbie Dadey is a fun read.  Less name calling by the characters would be nice, but otherwise it’s a good book.

Nutshell:  The third graders at Baily Elementary School are in for a surprise.  After their atrocious behavior leads their teacher to quit, someone new comes to teach the class.  Her strange accent and behavior leads the kids to believe that she must be a vampire.  But vampires don’t wear polka dots, do they?

B         [Story/Plot A-; Characters B; Content C+; Setting B]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/Fantasy; Classroom; Children

Additional Note: The Adventures of the Baily School Kids: Book 1; AR Level 3.8

Heartless by Gail Carriger: Adult Fiction

Humorous and full of adventure, Heartless by Gail Carriger is her best book yet.  No more icky romance scenes, either!  I’m rather hopeful the next in the series will continue this lovely trend.

Nutshell: Alexia Tarabotti is on the vampire hit-list, a situation she finds very tiresome.  Along with working to resolve said issue, Alexia moves to town, her rather annoying sister moves in with her, and a giant contraption is on the loose in London.

A-        [Story/Plot A; Characters B; Content A; Humor A; Setting B+]     

Genre/Subject: Fiction/SciFi; Fantasy

Additional Note: The Parasol Protectorate Series: Book 4

Zero by Kathryn Otoshi: Child Fiction

Not quite as good as One, but Zero by Kathryn Otoshi still has a pretty good message in it.  Still simple design, but with quite a bit portrayed through the numbers and colors.

Nutshell:  Be yourself! You are exactly like you should be and the world is a better place for it.

B+       [Story/Plot B; Characters B; Flow A; Content B+]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/Numbers; Self-worth

Additional Note: Picture book; AR Level 2.7

One by Kathryn Otoshi: Child Fiction

What a fantastic book!  One by Kathryn Otoshi is simple in design, but the message is anything but!  Artistic and articulate, this book is a must for every classroom, library, and home.  Kids and adults alike can appreciate the story and strive to follow its example.

Nutshell:  The colors are being bullied until 1 shows them a new way.

A+       [Story/Plot A+; Characters A+, Flow A+; Content A+]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/Colors; Numbers; Bullying

Additional Note: Picture book; AR Level 2.2

Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard: Child Fiction

One of my favorite children’s books, Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard is quite entertaining.  Children love it and understand the unspoken (and funny) twist at the end.

Nutshell: The kids in room 207 are so awful, their regular teacher goes missing and she is replaced by Ms. Viola Swamp.

A+       [Story/Plot A; Characters A+; Flow A; Content A+; Humor A; Setting B]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/Classroom; Children

Additional Note: Picture book; AR Level 2.7

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester: Child Fiction

There are two words to describe The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester: Bizarre and incomplete.  It has many useful ideas and morals, but the story itself is like an unfinished piece of marble; it could have been beautiful, but isn’t.  Rather sad, really.

Nutshell: From an early age, Piper has been able to fly.  Unfortunately, she is in a small rural town where individuality is unacceptable.  A government agency takes her to an underground facility, but the help they offer isn’t what it appears.  Piper struggles to be herself and help those around her as well.

C         [Story/Plot C; Characters B+; Flow C; Content A+; Setting C]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/SciFi; Fantasy

Additional Note: AR Level 6.0

Blameless by Gail Carriger: Adult Fiction

The third in the Parasol Protectorate series, Blameless by Gail Carriger is actually pretty good.  Past the second book slump, I’m curious what the fourth book will hold.  And even better, the whole story is almost completely romance void (amazing!).

Nutshell: Alexia Tarabotti seeks out answers by visiting Italy, her father’s homeland.  She discovers more about her past and lineage through this danger-filled journey.

B         [Story/Plot A; Characters B; Content B; Humor B; Setting B]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/SciFi; Fantasy

Additional Note: The Parasol Protectorate Series: Book 3

Pirate King by Laurie R. King: Adult Fiction

The eleventh book in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series, Pirate King by Laurie R. King is fantastic.  It starts out slowly but makes up for it later on.  King is a marvelous writer and she has brought her characters brilliantly to life once again.  For those interested, the first in the series is The Beekeeper’s Apprentice.

Nutshell: A British film company is under suspicion when their movies seem to come to life.  Now, with a film about pirates underway, Mary is asked to go undercover and see who, if anyone, is copycatting the story.

A+       [Story/Plot A; Characters A+; Flow A; Setting A+]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/Mystery

Additional Note: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes Series: Book 11

Changeless by Gail Carriger: Adult Fiction

The second book in the Parasol Protectorate series (the first being Soulless), Changeless by Gail Carriger is a typical second book: the beginnings of a new and expanded plot, additional main characters, and not as solid a story as the first.  I will say that the romance scenes are toned down, and for that I am quite grateful.

Nutshell: Vampires, werewolves, and ghosts are losing their immortality and no one knows why.  Alexia travels to Scotland to uncover the cause while an unknown assailant creates problems along the way.

C+       [Story/Plot C-; Characters B-; Flow B; Content C+; Humor B-; Setting C]

Genre/Subject: Fiction/SciFi; Fantasy

Additional Note: The Parasol Protectorate Series: Book 2