Book Review: Twin Sisters Livingston and the Mystery at Madame Molineaux's by Mary Knight

Twin Sisters Livingston and the Mystery at Madame Molineaux's by Mary Knight is about two sisters, Maddie and Jo Livingston, who discover something is amiss at their new boarding school, Madame Molineaux's. The twelve year old twins have spent most of their lives traveling the world with their famous archaeologist parents. However, when their parents take on a new assignment in Siberia, they decide to leave the girls at a new boarding school in Switzerland. The girls are disappointed that they can’t join their parents but they are excited that their new school is in a castle.

The school is filled with students and professors from all over the world. Shortly after arriving at the school, the girls realize that the school is unlike anything they have ever seen. Not only are the residents interesting but the school is filled with secret tunnels, weird hybrid animals, and tapestries that are hidden under artwork. Maddie and Jo are excited to try and figure out all the mysteries the school contains while they wait for their parents to return.

I was excited to read the novel because I love mysteries. However, I was thoroughly disappointed at how boring and unnecessarily long the novel was. The book clocked in at a little under 450 pages but nothing happened for more than 400 pages. I was more than 95% done before I stopped reading the novel because we learned nothing after 400 pages other than something is happening but we don’t know what, who, or why.  There was nothing keeping me tethered to the novel to continue reading the last few pages. I am very surprised that this book was targeted towards middle school aged readers as it is a hefty read without any humor or engaging plot to keep young readers entertained. 

Book Review - All You Have to Do by Autumn Allen

 

All You Have to Do by Autumn Allen is about two Black male students who struggle to gain acceptance and equality in the prestigious schools they attend. In April 1968, Kevin was a student at Princeton and lived through the day when Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated. He and his fellow students decide to join a protest to protect the neighboring community from losing their homes as Columbia University gobbles up more real estate to expand their institution to build a new gym. Kevin and his fellow students are disappointed in the college because those homes belong to low income people of color who won’t have anywhere else to go. The school made it seem that it cares about the community and its students of color but the move made the students think otherwise. Kevin is unsure where he falls in the spectrum because his family has afforded him more privileges in comparison to other Black students. At times, he questions if he should be pushing hard for equality or should be grateful for his opportunities and keep quiet.

In September 1995, Gibran attended a prestigious private prep school. He and his fellow Black male students want to attend the Million Man March to show support of their culture. When they try to convince the school to allow them to attend, they face backlash which might lead to several consequences for Gibran if he doesn’t get in line with the policies at school. Gibran feels that even though the school has a Black principal, his and his fellow classmates' needs are not being met. They are expected to conform to their White classmates and other faculty’s perspectives of them. Gibran is quick to anger and he feels with every injustice that he consecutively faces, that his fuse gets smaller and smaller. The people around him worry about him and for him, especially when he seems to be ready to explode at any given moment. 

The two students are connected and their struggles overlap in many different ways. They both want to emphasize the struggles and inequalities that Black people face on a daily basis. Both Gibran and Kevin came from families that were able to provide them with opportunities that other people of color might not have. They want to protest the quality of treatment Black people receive but, calling attention to the cause might cause them both to lose their opportunities that their parents worked hard to provide them with. Will Kevin and Gibran be able to discover who they want to be instead of accepting who society tells them they are?

I thought the book was an emotional read. It spoke of two turbulent times in history where racial tensions were high. I never knew about the Columbia gym fiasco and that was interesting to read and learn about. The book was narrated by Gibran and Kevin who were born decades apart but had similar struggles. It was interesting seeing how they both navigated what society and their respective families wanted for them and how they wanted the world to perceive them. Both character arcs were well developed and coincide with historical events to add more depth to their stories.

The book showcases how different people experience different things. In Gibran’s chapters, he talks about how he and his fellow Black students had to watch a talent show in which white students were mimicking their culture and how disrespectful it felt to them. When he tried to explain how it made them feel, he was expected to show them respect about their thoughts and feelings but he  didn’t get the same respect back. It was hard to read that because we are taught to show respect but I can relate to how he was feeling of not being seen and respected. I feel like these chapters might be hard to digest for some readers but it is important to understand other people’s feelings and culture and treat them respectfully. 

I thought the book was thought provoking and had many important heartfelt moments. However, I was surprised at the language the book had included for young readers. Personally, I wish the author didn’t include this but, I can understand if they felt that it made the characters more authentic. This was the author’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison

 

 

The Goode School is located on top of a hill in a tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia. The school is a prestigious prep school for girls that is also known as the Silent Ivy. Girls from rich and influential families flock to the school that is known to only accept the best and brightest students. The Goode students are expected to follow their honor code along with their long-held traditions. The students who attend the school can be expected to have bright futures at Ivy League universities and beyond.

However, a mysterious newcomer has arrived at Goode and things have started to turn for the worst. All the students have come to accept the rules and the cruelties of the secret societies.But when a popular student is found dead, the truth starts to seep through the cracks. The rumors suggest that she was struggling with keeping a secret and that drove her to suicide.

I thought the book was an interesting read. It was a suspenseful read with a twist ending. The book was told in alternating point of views but, it was hard at times distinguishing between the character at times. In the middle the book was a bit slow, I felt like if the author condensed the book in some parts, it would have been a better read. I would read other books by the author.

Book Review - Watch Her (Hester Thursby Mystery #3) by Edwin Hill

 

 

Angela White and her friend, Hester Thursby attends a prestigious gala at Prescott University to celebrate the new lavish campus. During the gala, they are called to the house of the college's owners, Tucker and Jennifer Matson, because there was a break-in. Jennifer claims that someone broke into their home. As Angela and Hester investigate, they realize that Jennifer might be lying about the break-in.   However, they are still curious why Jennifer would lie about the incident.

Hester is asked by Maxine, the general manager of the college, to locate some missing alumni. As Hester begins to dig into the project she notices a strange pattern between the students. The case becomes more urgent when one of the missing students turns up dead. As Hester and Angela delve deeper into the case, they unearth decade old secrets that someone wants to stay buried.

This was my first book of the series. I felt like readers could read this book as a standalone but, I felt like I was missing some nuances between the characters. I thought the book moved at a very slow pace for my liking. Most of the action happened in the last 75 pages and the first few hundred pages were just filler. I am not entirely sure the plot is completely believable either. I had a hard time liking any of the characters and didn't get some of the side stories between Hester and her partner, Morgan. That whole relationship was confusing for me and I am guessing it's because I didn't read the first two books. This book would be a good read for fans of the series or people who like cozy mystery reads.

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon

In 1950 in North Korea, twelve-year-old Sora and her family are living under a regime with harsh rules. They need permits to travel,  no criticizing the government, they must attend all Communist meetings and wear red. The people are afraid to speak their minds and don't trust their neighbors.

The war between North and South Korea is causing chaos. The people are using it as a chance to escape. Sora and her family walk hundreds of miles to get the city of Busan in South Korea from their tiny mountain village. They will just need to avoid frostbite, bombs,  hunger, border guards, enemy soldiers, and many other obstacles. 

When the bombing becomes more than the family can bear, Sora and her younger brother, Young has to get to Busan on their own. Will they be able to survive the journey by themselves?

The novel was a heart-wrenching and emotional read. I felt for Sora as we have similar cultural values to treat girls/women as disposable. I wish this horrible trend would end because every single life regardless of gender should have value and be treated as equals. I enjoyed reading about Sora's journey and how she learned to stick up for herself. The book is a great read for children and adults alike.

**Disclosure - I received a free unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

About the Book:

Title: BROTHER'S KEEPER

Author: Julie Lee

Pub. Date: July 21, 2020

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 304

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Can two children escape North Korea on their own?

North Korea. December, 1950.

Twelve-year-old Sora and her family live under an iron set of rules: No travel without a permit. No criticism of the government. No absences from Communist meetings. Wear red. Hang pictures of the Great Leader. Don't trust your neighbors. Don't speak your mind. You are being watched.

But war is coming, war between North and South Korea, between the Soviets and the Americans. War causes chaos--and war is the perfect time to escape. The plan is simple: Sora and her family will walk hundreds of miles to the South Korean city of Busan from their tiny mountain village. They just need to avoid napalm, frostbite, border guards, and enemy soldiers.

But they can't. And when an incendiary bombing changes everything, Sora and her little brother Young will have to get to Busan on their own. Can a twelve-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother survive three hundred miles of warzone in winter?

Haunting, timely, and beautiful, this harrowing novel from a searing new talent offers readers a glimpse into a vanished time and a closed nation.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

About Julie: 

Julie Lee graduated from Cornell University with a degree in history. After working in market research in Manhattan for over ten years, she decided to pursue writing full-time. Currently, Julie lives in Georgia with her husband and three children. When she is not spending time with her family, she is working on her next book while pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Brother's Keeper is her debut novel.

Website | Twitter | Facebook |  Goodreads 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of BROTHER'S KEEPER, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

8/31/2020	Debjani's Thoughts	Review
8/31/2020	Miss Elizabeth	Review
9/1/2020	Karma Readz Kidz Bookz	Review
9/1/2020	Her Book Thoughts	Review
9/1/2020	Her Book Thoughts	Instagram Post
9/2/2020	History from a Woman’s Perspective	Review
9/2/2020	Twirling Book Princess	Excerpt
9/3/2020	The Writer’s Alley	Review
9/3/2020	The Writer’s Alley	Instagram Post
9/4/2020	Two Points of interest	Review
9/4/2020	Fyrekatz Blog	Review
9/4/2020	Jaime's World	Excerpt

Book Review - Ben Braver and the Incredible Exploding Kid by Marcus Emerson

Photo Credit - Amazon

Last year Ben Braver saved Kepler Academy and it's students from mass destruction. Yet, he still feels that he doesn't fit in with the rest of the kids who have special abilities.  He has been keeping his lack of ability a secret since most of his classmates are getting stronger. Will Ben be able to find his superpower? Or will he risk everything to gain his ability?

This was the second novel in the series. While you could read each novel as a standalone, I found it to be more enjoyable to read the books in order. The second novel is packed with humor and surprises just like the first novel. The book is littered with comics shorts and fun drawings. A fun series and a great read for young readers.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - The Degenerates by J. Albert Mann + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

People who attend the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded knows it is a place where no one wants to be.  The young women who live there certainly don't want to be there. Maxine has to protect her younger sister Rose from mean attendants and older girls who like to bully the weak. Alice has to fend for herself after her brother couldn't support her because of her club foot. London was dragged to the school after one unexpected moment in her life. Each of the four girls is determined to change their fate, no matter what happens to them.

The novel was an interesting and unexpected read. Sometimes, it's hard to imagine that we make progress when we are now having "The first woman to do/win" or even a person of color to be the first. After reading this novel, I am truly glad I was born in this era, otherwise, I would surely have been deemed a moron, imbecile or idiot. It's hard to imagine what these people suffered through just because they were labeled as "different".  However, there were a few things I didn't like about the book. I wasn't fond of those endings where the reader gets to decide what happens to the characters. I wanted to know what happened to them. I wish there were more details on London's foster guardian and I wanted to know what happened to her.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

 

The Degenerates

by J. Albert Mann
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 17th 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

In the tradition of Girl, Interrupted, this fiery historical novel follows four young women in the early 20th century whose lives intersect when they are locked up by a world that took the poor, the disabled, the marginalized—and institutionalized them for life.

The Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded is not a happy place. The young women who are already there certainly don’t think so. Not Maxine, who is doing everything she can to protect her younger sister Rose in an institution where vicious attendants and bullying older girls treat them as the morons, imbeciles, and idiots the doctors have deemed them to be. Not Alice, either, who was left there when her brother couldn’t bring himself to support a sister with a club foot. And not London, who has just been dragged there from the best foster situation she’s ever had, thanks to one unexpected, life altering moment. Each girl is determined to change her fate, no matter what it takes.

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46404362-the-degenerates

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TKQGD7

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-degenerates-j-albert-mann/1132189225#/

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-degenerates/id1470017404

Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Degenerates-J-Albert-Mann/9781534419353?ref=grid-view&qid=1580238159491&sr=1-3

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-degenerates-4

Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_Albert_Mann_The_Degenerates?id=r6OeDwAAQBAJ

BOOK AUTHOR

J. Albert Mann is the author of six novels for children, with S&S Atheneum Books for Young Readers set to publish her next work of historical fiction about the Eugenics Movement and the rise of institutionalism in the United States. She is also the author of short stories and poems for children featured in Highlights for Children, where she won the Highlights Fiction Award, as well as the Highlights Editors’ Choice Award. She has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and is the Director of the WNDB Internship Grant Committee. 

Jennifer is represented by Kerry Sparks at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://jalbertmann.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14161864.J_Albert_Mann

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.mann.9?__tn__=K-R&eid=ARA7Ey2pAqWLJpcEJwvixZXeZGM5VmpmEJj-pJDdXTjB8Ch65E4Im38CGVpiZ4fIMFDW3-5R2mNhwNey&fref=mentions

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.albertmann/

TOUR SCHEDULE

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2020/02/tour-schedule-degenerates-by-j-albert.html

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GIVEAWAY

Prize: Win (1) copy of THE DEGENRATES by J. Albert Mann (US Only)

Starts: March 11^th 2020

Ends: March 25^th 2020

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86473/?