Book Review- Trackers by Patrick Carman

Trackers is the new book by Patrick Carman that combines web videos with the book for a multi-media experience that kids will love.  Carman's Skeleton Creek series was the first at blending the two mediums and proved to be very entertaining. This is another great addition to the genre.
Trackers is basically a techno-thriller for kids, told through transcripts of an interrogation of Adam, the creator of this group of teenage trackers, mixed with links to websites and videos. Looking to help others, and to have fun doing it, the group don't realize how much danger they are in for  when they get involved in something they shouldn't.
The book did seem to end very abruptly right in the middle of the action. Hoping the next book in the series isn't released to long after this one.
Trackers will be released on May 11, 2010 in hardcover. 
4/5
Source: ARC from author/publisher
_______________________________________________

Baby Knitting

I have started some baby knitting. Just a wee pair of socks but I have a lot of other knits that I want to get done for our little girl before she arrives.  I would love to have a hat knit and ready for her for her birth day.  The socks are looking a little too big for her to use right away. Of course, she could have feet like her daddy. He wears size 14 shoes compared to my size 6.5. I am hoping her feet are a little more like mine. Easier to find shoes. :)

So, are there any really cute baby patterns that I just have to knit? I would love to knit a really great blanket. Ideas?

Sunday Salon (April Recap)

I can't believe it is already May. Where did April go? The months are flying by. Getting closer to the day we move back to CA, closer to the day when our little girl will make her appearance. Big changes happening here and they have definitely affected my reading and reviewing.

The end of the school year is fast approaching and there is so much to get done, including figuring out what materials are mine and which will remain with the school. Not quite sure on a lot of things. Nine years of teaching with the same materials will do that. It is still hard to imagine not coming back to work next fall. This is my last class!
April was a slow month for reading. Here is what I managed:

23. Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz (review)22. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (review)21. Luxe by Anna Godberson 20. Trackers by Patrick Carman
19. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
18. Hunted by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast
These were all finished early on in the month. For the past two weeks I have been stuck on one book. I will let you know more about that one as soon as I finish. It's not a big book either.
Do look for my review of Patrick Carman's new book, Trackers on Wednesday. 
_________________________________________

Quick Review: The Spellman Files Series by Lisa Lutz (# 2-4)

Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

This book had everything I love! Humour, sleuthing, crazy antics, footnotes and Doctor Who! Really? I think this book was written just for me. The minute I finished this one I had to pass it on to my friend that got me reading the Stephenie Plum books. She loved them just as much. She took herself straight to the bookstore and bought the next two books that I hadn't gotten yet. She passed them on to me as soon as she was finished with them.

I can't wait to get them. Hoping they are as good as the first two.

4.5/5


Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

I am in love with this series. This "document" chronicles Isabel's court ordered therapy sessions and her life without sleuthing. However, that is harder to get away from than anticipated. Frequent visits from dad, getting blackmailed and taking cases on the side all seem to just drag her back in.

The humour is still there, the footnotes and appendices. Love it.

4/5



The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz

Best of the series. Loved this one. Are you surprised? Read it all in a day this weekend.

Doctor Who makes a return, Isabel is back where she belongs, working in the family business, now as a part owner. Filled with all the usual suspects from the previous books and all the fun. This book had me laughing out loud and cheering "finally", but it also had me crying in the end.


5/5


_________________________________________

Book Review- Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrew

About a month ago or more I started to reread Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrew for the first time since I was in high school. That was a long time ago. Don't think I need to mention exactly how long... 
Well, I couldn't finish it. I actually only read a few chapters before having to pick something else up. I couldn't get past the writing. It seemed so much more simplistic than I remember. The dialogue was hard to believe, it just all seemed a bit dumb downed. I think young adult fiction is now written so smartly and realistically that this book just showed its age. 
Has anyone else had this reaction to it?  I loved this book when I was a teen. The plot was different than anything I had ever read and it seemed so adult. Now, not so much.
dnf
Source: giveaway win_________________________________________

Book Review- The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

I picked up this book randomly from a clearance rack awhile ago and I am so glad I did. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. It was smart, laugh out loud funny and it had some really great, fun characters. Another plus...footnotes. I know I have mentioned before how much I love footnotes. 
The Spellmans are an interesting bunch. A family of private investigators that are always investigating each other instead of their clients. Being the first book in the series (there are currently 4 books), there is a lot of time spent learning about each family member. Usually this can get get a bit tiring but here they are presented with so much humour and all the information is associated with the plot so it was always interesting.
So much fun. Go out and get yourself a copy. 
4/5
Source: purchased_________________________________________

Mailbox Monday-04/05/10

Things seem to be getting back to normal. I had another book in the mail this week! Woohoo. This time I received Trackers by Patrick Carman from the author/publisher for review. I have actually already read it but don't expect my review until the end of the month. The hardcover will be available on May 1st.

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia of The Printed Page



_________________________________________

Sunday Salon (March recap)

The hubby and I are having a quiet day at home trying to get better. We both have colds so we haven't done much of anything today. I was quite jealous hearing about the bbq and egg hunting happening at my parents' today. Both sister's families there and us here on our own. This is why the minute we found out we were having a baby we decided it was time to move back to CA. 



I had my 16 week appointment on Monday and the doctor did a sonogram to check gender and do some measurements. There were no dangly bits! I am excited. It's funny. I always thought I would want a boy but I am actually really thrilled about having a girl. Now we must think of some girl names.

The list of names we are considering:

Emma
Madeline
Olivia
Violet
Sydney
There are some literary names in there and one family name. Three are from children's books.  
What other names from literature should we be considering? 
____________________________
Books Read in March:

17. The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket =
16. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz
15. Small Favor by Jim Butcher
14. Run For Your Life by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge ~
13. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
12. That Summer by Sarah Dessen (review)
11. Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen (review)
10. Frenemies by Alexa young
9. Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison
Read So Far in April:
19. Trackers by Patrick Carman18. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Expect reviews of these two soon.
_________________________________________

We are having a....

GIRL!

I had my 16 week appointment on Monday and the doctor did a sonogram to check gender and do some measurements. There were no dangly bits. I am excited.  It's funny. I always thought I would want a boy but I am actually really thrilled about having a girl. Now we must think of some girl names.

The list of names we are considering:

Emma
Madeline
Olivia
Violet
Sydney

Current Music: Phoenix

Have you all listened to them yet? I have recently discovered Phoenix and am loving this album. I heard 1901 on the radio and quickly purchased the album. It has been playing continuously on my iPod. 
So, supposedly the baby can hear now as her ears are formed. The hubby thinks I should be playing some classical music. Well, this album is called Woflgang Amadeus. That counts, right? :)
Oh yeah, we are having a girl! 

_________________________________________