Month: April 2023

Book Review: Ramona the Pest

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Ramona the Pest
Ramona Quimby #2
by Beverly Cleary
Read by Stockard Channing

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic

Cleary seems to have some great insight into the mind of a child; though it’s been a long time since I was Ramona’s age in this book, I can definitely remember having some of the same thoughts and feelings she has here. Her ups and downs are so realistic and make me wish her parents would see her more, while knowing that they’re normal and understanding why they’re not always fully aware of what’s going on with her. The very end of the book, the culmination of Ramona’s trouble at school and her love of making cats with her Qs, made me so happy! I liked the first book in the series, but this one definitely tops it!

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Book Review: The Prophet of Yonwood

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The Diamond of Darkhold
Book of Ember #3
by Jeanne DuPrau

My rating: 1 / 5
Genre: Children’s dystopian

Some decades before the city of Ember is built, before the Crisis that moved the first inhabitants of Ember underground, a woman in the town of Yonwood has a fiery vision. But her comatose-like mind might hold the secret to keeping Yonwood safe from that catastrophic future.

I don’t really see a lot of point to this book. It’s a prequel to the first two books in the city, but it’s barely connected. And even the elements within this book were fairly disconnected from each other. There’s the main character, Nickie, and her aunt, who are visitors to Yonwood, and their disagreement about selling the house they’re there to clean out and possibly sell. The actual Prophet storyline, which barely comes across as the main storyline. Grover and his plight to make it to camp in Arizona. The kooky man who is interested in the heavens and is the only who who successfully defies the Prophet’s lackeys. There is just too much going on, and even by the halfway point, I had no idea what the purpose of the book really was.

As the Prophet’s main interpreter begins to get more and more ridiculous with her rules, I quickly began to realize that this is just another attempt on the author’s part to teach readers something she feels is important. But unlike a more universally accepted truth in the 2nd book (“War is bad”), this one is a lot more controversial. The book turns into basically an indictment on religion, seeming to imply that religions are largely fabricated by their followers. It actually reminds me most of the Pharisees who, by Jesus’ time, had imposed so many of their own rules, they had lost the core message. On top of all of that, the author attempts a tug at the heartstrings that is likely far more successful for dog lovers. I’m more of a dog tolerater (I know that’s not a word). I can acknowledge that what happens is ridiculous (stupid, really), but definitely didn’t get as emotionally invested as others might. In the end, I really wish DuPrau had kept this series more in line with the first book. The second wasn’t bad, but the first and fourth were my favorite, and I really just wish for more like them. If you are considering reading this series, I recommend it, but feel free to skip this third book.

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Book Review: The Long Winter

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The Long Winter
Little House #6
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
read by Cherry Jones

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Children’s historical classic

I expected this book to be slow and boring, but it was anything but. In fact, I think this might be tied for my favorite book in the series. Through blizzard after blizzard, the story is interesting and even exciting at times. I really liked the perspective of the Wilder brothers being thrown in from time to time and was fascinated to read about some of the things the Wilder family had to improvise in order to have just enough food and heat. I was glad to have warm weather when I started listening to this book, though it did get cold again, which added to the frigid feeling the book gives.

As before, my enjoyment of the book was greatly enhanced by the audiobook narrator, Cherry Jones, who does a fantastic job, and being able to hear Pa’s fiddle, thanks to Paul Woodiel. If you’ve ever considered reading this series, or have already read it and have occasion to listen to the audiobooks, I say do it!

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Book Review: Runaway Ralph

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Runaway Ralph
Ralph S. Mouse #2
by Beverly Cleary
Read by B.D. Wong

My rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic, fantasy

I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first, I think because Ralph starts with the motorcycle and spends the first little bit of the book just trying to keep it from his family. Then he begins to yearn for freedom, so he doesn’t have to share his motorcycle. I mean…I get it, kinda, but mostly I just feel like he’s being selfish and spoiled. Granted, he has dozens of siblings and cousins and would easily spend all night giving them rides and not have time to ride it himself, and it’s clear that his mom and uncle, who forced this on him, don’t get him at all. But I still didn’t care for his attitude.

It was interesting to watch poor Garf, a kid who isn’t happy with his circumstances either and acts out in different ways, from Ralph’s perspective. I liked how the camp leader lady is portrayed—that she clearly cared about Garf and trying to help him come out of his shell and not hate being at camp so much. It’s a nice change from kids’ books where adults are so often terrible people at worst or apathetic at best. Overall, not as charming as the first, but not bad.

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Book Review: The Inimitable Jeeves

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The Inimitable Jeeves
Jeeves #2
 by P.G. Wodehouse
Read by Kevin Theis

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Classic British humor

After hearing family members talking about this series/author for years, I finally gave it/him a try. I don’t know if I started with the right book, since this seems to be one of those kinds of series that is published in a weird order and has short stories, and novels, and I don’t know what else. It was a good introduction to Jeeves and Wooster, and though I don’t always fully get British humor, I did enjoy it for the most part. Some parts of the story made me think that sitcom writers (mostly older sitcoms) may have gotten some ideas from this author.

I decided to go with the audiobook, because I thought it would help to hear the British accent, and while at first I wasn’t sure about Kevin Theis, he grew on me, and I liked his interpretation a lot by the end. I plan to continue on with him, if I can get his versions.

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Book Review: Where the Red Fern Grows

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Where the Red Fern Grows
by Wilson Rawls

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic

I remember liking this book more when I read it as a child/pre-teen than I did this time. I seem to recall being emotionally invested and thinking it was poignant (I probably didn’t use that word in my mind as a kid though). As an adult, I feel emotionally manipulated. Let’s start with the overall story first, though, and leave the ending for later.

I read this at the same time as my 12-year-old daughter, who was reading it for school. We agreed that the book starts off pretty slow—Billy pining for a couple of hounds and then working toward getting them. I’m all for the lesson about going after what you want instead of expecting it to be given to you, but it could have been a little more interesting. The story gets going once he gets into the coon hunting, and it certainly taught me about a way of life I would never have otherwise known about. Running alongside Billy, Old Dan, and Little Ann as they tree those coons, with the dangers that come along with that, is exciting and immersive.

I was prepared for a tragic ending but did not remember it being so gruesome. On top of that, the way Billy reacts to the loss hit me a little close to home, after the recent loss of my mom and the way my daughter has handled it. I was truly concerned for her to keep reading it (she was behind me at this point), but she apparently handled it better than I did. I also think she liked the book overall more than I did, reminding me of my own different opinion as a kid. Me, though, I felt like there was no reason for the extremity of the tragedy and aftermath other than trying to make people cry. If you’re wondering whether your child should read it or not, I’d recommend reading it first to make sure you think it’s not a bit too much for them.

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Book Review: Code Name Edelweiss

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Code Name Edelweiss
by Stephanie Landsem

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Christian historical fiction

Stephanie Landsem fictionalizes the true story of Jewish lawyer Leon Lewis who helped to foil Nazi plots in America in the 1930s. Liesl Weiss isn’t looking to be a spy—she really just needs money to take care of a family that depends on her. Though she doesn’t believe claims that the Friends of New Germany could be as bad as Lewis claims, she has no other options. She soon discovers that the anti-Semitism is real, and she must examine her own actions and motives as well.

Though my interest in this time period and overall subject is usually in the events in Europe, that may be because most books written about this time period are set in Europe. The premise of this book intrigued me, though, so I jumped at the chance to read it. Early on, I was uncertain how I would feel about the main characters—Liesl (code name Edelweiss) and her male counterpart, Agent Thirteen—due to the way they were both presented. Once I was certain of Agent Thirteen’s real identity, it became a little weird to read of Edelweiss and Thirteen completely distrusting each other for so long. For some reason I can’t explain, the big moment when they made the connection didn’t hit home like I wanted it to. And though the book is not billed as romance, and I don’t need romance in my books by any means, it does have some romance happening and in enough doses that the way it played out left me a little unsatisfied.

However, each of these characters individually were well developed and the story was interesting overall and at times thrilling. I was never concerned about the safety of the main characters, but some side characters’ plights did give me a few moments of uncertainty. From the little bit of research I did out of curiosity after finishing the book, the history seems well researched and well represented. My favorite story arcs were about Liesl’s husband and brother (separately). There was a sub-plot for Agent Thirteen that I don’t really understand the purpose of, but overall, I would have just liked to see a little more of an ending for him. I don’t think this is is a book I’m going to hurry to re-read, but I am very glad I read it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction of this time period. It is Christian, but not super heavy on it, so keep that in mind as you consider.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me a copy of this book to review.

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Book Review: The Cat Who Came to Breakfast

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The Cat Who Came to Breakfast
Book #16
by Lilian Jackson Braun

My rating: 2.5 / 5
Genre: Cozy mystery

Former crime reporter Jim Qwilleran reluctantly decides to spend some time on local Breakfast/Pear/Grand/Providence Island (and I may have forgotten another name), which has recently started being developed away from its natural state. But some suspicious accidents set Qwilleran’s moustache to tingling, so he and the cats investigate.

This was my least favorite book in the series so far. That has a lot to do with the fact that it feels almost like a repeat of The Cat Who Moved a Mountain, with the primitive locals vs. the tourists, developers, and wealthy people, except on an island. On top of that, Qwilleran often starts out in a story with reluctance and grumbling, but he usually ends up finding something to appreciate, if not enjoy. Not so in this book, where he is basically unhappy the entire time on the island.

One thing I did enjoy about the book was that island strongly reminded me of Mackinac Island in Michigan, with the no-cars rule, the bicycles to compensate, and the smell of fudge everywhere. I don’t know if that was on purpose, or if Braun had some other touristy island in mind (or none at all, though I’d doubt that), but I have very fond memories of vacations spent there, so it provided a little nostalgia. Unfortunately, the mystery wasn’t particularly intriguing or surprising. I finished the book just under a month ago, and I no longer remember for sure who the “bad guy” was. Not really what you want from a mystery book. Hopefully this doesn’t signal Braun starting to run out of ideas, but I’ll continue on with the hopes of a better book to follow it up.

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Book Review: Beezus and Ramona

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Beezus and Ramona
Ramona Quimby #1
by Beverly Cleary
Read by Stockard Channing

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic

I’m pretty sure I read some of the Ramona books when I was younger, though this one wasn’t familiar. When I first started listening, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Stockard Channing’s narration, but it grew on me along the way. Now to the story…I totally felt for Beezus in these little vignettes—not because I had any kind of a similar situation when I was a kid, but because if I had, I would definitely have felt the same way as Beezus did. I found myself wishing often that the mom was a little stronger in how she handled the things Ramona did. Often, Ramona simply doesn’t understand that she’s done something wrong or why it’s wrong, but that doesn’t mean she can’t learn.

I appreciated how Ramona comes to understand that just because she doesn’t always feel love for her sister doesn’t mean she’s a bad sister. And though the main theme of the book is Ramona’s…obnoxiousness, I liked that Beezus had some little wins in there. Overall, a fun book with some good nostalgia in it.

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Book Review: By the Shores of Silver Lake

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By the Shores of Silver Lake
Little House #5
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
read by Cherry Jones

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Children’s historical classic

This book was a little faster-paced than the previous ones in a way, with the bustling railroad workers nearby, the steady stream of homesteaders filing past them, and the short time living in town. There are some exciting surprises and some heart-stopping moments. After all of the moving they’ve done, I feel for Ma here and hope for her said that Pa’s promise to settle down won’t be broken. I wish more and more that I’d read these books when I was younger, but I’m glad I’m reading them now.

As before, my enjoyment of the book was greatly enhanced by the audiobook narrator, Cherry Jones, who does a fantastic job, and being able to hear Pa’s fiddle, thanks to Paul Woodiel. If you’ve ever considered reading this series, or have already read it and have occasion to listen to the audiobooks, I say do it!

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