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Ms. Sarah

Ms. Sarah

I am a daughter of two book fiends, the wife of a speed reader, and the mother of two story-lovers. I'm also a professional librarian, a university lecturer, and a doctoral student.
  • Seattle, WA, USA
  • member since March 25 2008

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 119 reviews
  • The Wallflower 20: Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge (Wallflower: Yamatonadeshiko Shichenge)
    • Rated 5 stars

    I was worried this series was going on too long, but this volume was pitch perfect wacky.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Fruits Basket Volume 23
    • Rated 4 stars

    Nice ending to the series, though it felt somewhat disjointed. This seems to be a series you need to read back to back, not with months in between the volumes.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Uninvited
    • Rated 3 stars

    Despite the title and eerie cover art, this is not a ghost story, nor is it much of a thriller, but actually a twisted drama. First we meet Cramer, a young man trying desperately to keep his mentally disturbed mother from falling to pieces. We sense that his mother’s emotional abuse and crazy demands to support her attempts at art has warped his life. Next we meet our main character, Mimi, whose first year at NYU turned disastrous when the married professor she hooked up with became possessive and stalker-like. Seeking to get away, she takes up her artist father’s offer to stay alone at a remote cottage in Canada. Upon arrival, she finds Jay, a young musician working to find his muse in the solitary location which is not too far from his regular home. Initially highly attracted to each other, the two quickly figure out that they are half siblings via their famous father, unaware of each other until that moment. Although some strange desire remains between them, Mimi and Jay began to build a tentative brother and sister bond as they share the cottage and fend off some unknown intruder who leaves threatening messages. Could the intruder be Cramer, whose first glimpse of Mimi drives him to obsess over her or the lecherous old neighbor anxious to get friendly with Mimi? Add in the additional threat of a woman scorned by the viral artist father plus the amorous professor and you’ve got a muddled story that needs serious editing help. The language, age of the characters, and weird family dynamics, not to mention the constant lust experienced by all males within a certain radius, make this book best for late high school or early college readers. Not a priority purchase, but an addition to consider for libraries with high demand for thrillers, particularly Flowers in the Attic style.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Fetch
    • Rated 5 stars

    Despite the pink tinged cover and subtitle “A Paranormal Romance”, this second novel from the author of A Certain Slant of Light is actually an exciting historical adventure and an intriguing imagining of life after death. The story follows Calder, who at 19 had died and took the offer to become a Fetch, a death escort for dying souls. The Fetches live a peaceful, monastic life under the watchful care of the Captain, the one who ferries souls to Heaven. But Calder feels a peculiar stirring of human emotion while observing a young woman desperate to keep a baby alive. The baby’s soul stays, but to his surprise Calder visits the same child and woman in a later death scene. Overcome with emotion, he commands the child’s soul to live and leaves feeling certain this woman is meant to be a Star Fetch that he should train. Soon Calder encounters a wild eyed and strange soul by the name of Rasputin. Realizing this soul knows the woman, Calder breaks his Fetch vows and offers Rasputin the chance to visit the land of lost souls while he takes over his body. Once he finds the woman, Calder is horrified to discover it is the Tsarina of Russia, a married woman with children who will not want to leave her family. He decides to set things right, but discovers he can’t reopen the door to Heaven and that Rasputin is unwilling to leave the fascinating milieu of the angry lost souls. Soon Calder finds himself surviving attempted murder and guiding Alexis and Anastasia across the world and back to find a way into the afterlife. Whitcomb’s descriptive writing shines in her compelling vision of the post-mortal world and the dark reality of the Russian Revolution. After a brief slow down, the story picks up pace as dark forces drive our well-drawn characters forward and Calder soon discovers unfinished business from his own human life. There is a gentle attraction that builds slowly between Calder and Anastasia, but nothing much occurs. It is only the terrible details of the Romanov’s assassination that may disturb younger readers.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Princess of the Midnight Ball
    • Rated 5 stars

    Jessica Day George breathes life into the strange fairly tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses to create a beautiful and intriguing story of love and honor. In a setting similar to 19th century Europe, nineteen year old Galen is returning from a life spent on the battlefield where he lost his entire immediate family. Not embittered, but made wiser by the harsh realities of war, Galen is a kind young man determined to reconnect with his mother’s family in the home country. Taken in by this family, also haunted by loss, he becomes an apprentice gardener to his stern uncle on the king’s grounds. Here he encounters the twelve lovely but mysteriously exhausted princesses and finds an immediate attraction between himself and the eldest princess, Rose. Through Rose’s viewpoint, we see that her and her sisters are forced to dance nightly for the King Under Land, a formerly human evil wizard, to fulfill the promises made by their now dead mother. Frantic to uncover the secret, the girl’s father offers a daughter in marriage to one who finds out what happens to the princesses every night. Rumors of witchcraft abound, the church gets involved, and the townspeople become enraged. It will take Galen’s wits and knitting skills to assist the courageous Rose and sisters in escaping their fate and saving their country. A well crafted tale with fully realized details and a plot and characters that make this fantastical tale believable and utterly enchanting. Highly recommended for all school and public libraries.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Perfect Chemistry
    • Rated 5 stars

    Simone Elkeles manages to create a fresh, moving, and ultimately hopeful tale of star-crossed lovers. Brittany Ellis and Alex Fuentes represent the two sides of Fairfield High, just outside Chicago. Brittany is a white, wealthy head cheerleader with perfect grades and a football star boyfriend. Alex is a poor, Mexican gang member with a reputation for trouble and attitude. When their strict Senior Chemistry teacher forces the class to sit in alphabetical order, the two become lab partners, much to their friends and their own distaste. But working together, they discover they have much more in common than either could have imagined. Both are highly intelligent, have siblings they are desperate to protect, and want a future that doesn’t involve maintaining their image. Told in alternating first person narrative, we see Brittany softened by Alex’s kindness and sense of honor, Alex is in turn impressed by Brittany’s strength of character and love for her severely disabled sister. Their personal chemistry ignites into a passionate love as they find a way into each other’s world. With a well-written set of characters and pitch perfect dialogue, including Spanish slang, the novel pulls the reader into a well-paced, believable plot that rings true. The real difficulties of such divided communities are dealt with honestly, yet the ending is satisfying. The sensual scenes are particularly well done, but might be too steamy for more conservative locations. Highly recommended for all public and school libraries, particularly those in urban settings.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Herbert's Wormhole
    • Rated 3 stars

    Riding on the coattails of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this “novel in cartoons” also offers a chapter book interspersed with illustrations, though more detailed, and speech bubbles that support the story of a slightly snarky boy who puts up with the world around him, this time in a science-fiction setting. Unfortunately, the formula doesn’t work quite as well here, though some readers will find it amusing. The summer before 6th grade, Alex avoids his boring town by obsessively playing Alien Slayer 2. He only got the video game by promising his parents he’d go outside to play after he finishes the highest level, so by mid-summer he finds himself roped into a backyard play date with the strange neighbor kid, Herbert. Alex discovers that Herbert is a genius inventor who actually owns the really cool Alien Slayer 3-D game, but has modified the accompanying silver body suits. Wearing the suits while going down a slide causes a time rift that sends the boys about 100 years into the future. Here they find humans living in harmony with G’Daliens, a friendly octopus like race with Australian accents. They enjoy amazing technologies and make new friends, but Alex’s “I HEART SLAYING ALIENS” t-shirt and violent video memories get the boys in trouble. Eventually they bring their talented female neighbor to the future with them to play anti-gravity t-ball and save the town from a bitter G’Dalien bent on destroying humans. Older elementary students and middle school students looking for a loopy laugh will enjoy and may request more since the ending feels poised for a sequel.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Don Quixote
    • Rated 4 stars

    Author Martin Jenkins turns this classic novel into a rollicking road trip with plenty of rowdy humor, supported by the comical illustrations of Chris Riddell. Set in 16th century Spain, an aging country gentleman becomes so obsessed while reading novels of chivalric knights that he believes he is actually a knight errant. Convincing the local peasant Sancho Panza to accompany him as a squire, Don Quixote wanders throughout the country, imagining every person and situation he encounters to be part of his personal quest. Some fight him, while others indulge his insane ways, resulting in a series of wacky adventures including lost ones reunited, love being kindled, and Sancho earning a number of beatings. With the bathroom humor, the author’s skillful handling of bawdier scenes, and the overall feel of a buddy movie, this book seems perfect for older elementary and middle school students, particularly boys. But there are situations and references in the text that need historical context to be fully enjoyed and unfortunately no explanatory notes have been included. In contrast, the book’s physical size and illustrations may keep away teen readers who would find it enjoyable. Even with the detractions, this is a recommended purchase for schools, where it might make a good read aloud, and public libraries, for those young patrons assigned to read a classic.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Martin Luther King Jr. (10 Days That Shook Your World)
    • Rated 3 stars

    The 10 Days series attempts to cover the life of a historical figure through the lens of ten experiences. The story of Martin Luther King Jr. begins with a page and a half introduction explaining Dr. King’s significance. The first “day”, a moment of racial injustice from his teenage years, gives the background on his family and the Jim Crow laws, setting the stage for the civil rights efforts to come. In addition to describing Dr. King’s work, the influential organizations and leaders during the movement are given fair play and difficult topics (violence, extra-marital affairs) are handled in a straightforward, honest manner. Sprinkled with quotes, the narrative gives a sense of personal insight into the mind of this historical legend. Each chapter begins with a detailed small moment and then goes back in time to describe the preceding events and some of what happened after. While this adds a sense of excitement, the chronological mix up might confuse some young readers. A few typographical errors detract from the quality, but overall this is an even-handed and engaging introduction to Dr. King’s role in history.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Boys Over Flowers Vol 36 Shojo
    • Rated 5 stars

    A nice ending to one of my favorite series. The author resisted the temptation to end it with a wedding like many manga, making it seem more realistic to the characters. But we still have a feeling things will work out.

    Ms. Sarah wrote this review Tuesday, September 22 2009. ( reply | permalink )
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