Review: How Do Hang Gliders Work? by Jennifer Boothroyd

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Would you want to swoop through the air like a bird? Riding a hang glider is a fun way to fly. But a hang glider has no motor. How does the pilot take off? How does the hang glider stay in the air? Learn the answers in this book!

MY TAKE:
Here's another educational book you can read to your child.

In How Do Hang Gliders Work?, kids can learn all about hang gliders and how to ride in one.

The first part of the book is about the parts of the glider. The rest of the book tackles how hang gliders are handled and controlled. The images are lovely and give you the feeling of what it's like to be up in the air or on the ground observing the hang gliders.

There's also a glossary at the back, along with links to further reading materials which kids can read for more information about hang gliding and aeronautics.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lerner Publications for the e-ARC. Publication date of How Do Hang Gliders Work? is on February 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. The pictures are amazing.
2. It has everything kids might want to know about hang gliding.
3. It's very colorful.

THE BAD:

1. Some kids may find it boring.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

This is called weight shifting.

READ IT IF:

1. Your child likes flying.
2. Your child loves adventure.
3. Your child likes pretty pictures.

RATING:


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In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

FROM NETGALLEY:

Lily Robbins, M.D. by Nancy Rue
Chocolate-Covered Balone by K.D. McCrite
The Body Book by Nancy Rue

Review: From Iron to Car by Shannon Zemlicka

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

How does iron turn into a brand-new car? Follow each step in the production cycle—from digging up iron ore to hitting the road—in this fascinating book!

MY TAKE:
Educational books are a great way for kids to learn things without getting bored.

In From Iron to Car, you get to read about how cars are made, from iron to the finished product.

I've never been a car junkie so a few things in this book were new to me. For example, I wasn't aware that the iron ore is mixed with limestone and burned charcoal. There's also a glossary at the back to help kids understand words that they might not know yet.

The facts are presented along with pictures and colorful graphics, which I think kids will appreciate. The background color is mostly orange, though, so if you don't like orange, you might not like this as much.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lerner Publications for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD: 

1. Your children learn how cars are made.
2. There are plenty of pictures to make reading more fun.
3. There's a glossary for difficult words.

THE BAD:

1. The orange background can be monotonous.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Parts of the ore that are not iron float to the top.

READ IT IF:

1. Your child likes cars.
2. Your child is always curious.
3. Your child likes educational books.

RATING:


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Review: The Genealogist's Internet by Peter Christian

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

This practical guide identifies the major websites and online sources of data available to family historians. It is ideal for both beginners and more experienced researchers as it explores the most useful sources and helps readers to navigate each one. The Genealogist's Internet features fully updated URLs and all of the recent developments in online genealogy.
This fully updated fifth edition, endorsed by the National Archives, is the comprehensive guide for anyone researching their family history online. It covers:
·Online census records and wills, including the 1911 Census
·Civil registration indexes
·Information on occupations and professions
·DNA matching
·New genealogy websites and search engines
·Surname studies
·Passenger lists and migration records
·Information on digitised historical maps and photographs
This book also includes the impact of blogging, podcasting and social networking on family history research, allowing family historians to find others with similar research interests and to share their results. Whether you want to put your family tree online, find distant relatives or access the numerous online genealogical forums, discussion groups and mailing lists, this book is a must-have.

MY TAKE:
I have been researching my family tree for a few months now, so this book is perfect reading for me.

In The Genealogist's Internet, you learn about different websites and sources you can tap to learn more about your family.

The thing is, though, most of the things discussed in this book are focused on finding ancestors from the UK. If one of your ancestors were from the UK, you're in luck as there are plenty of things in this book you can use. If you're like me, however, whose ancestors are from Asia and Spain, you won't find as much things in this book that will be of help, other than as a general idea of where to look for ancestral records.

If you're new to the whole genealogy thing, however, then you will find a lot of useful things in this book, even if your ancestors aren't from the UK.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK and ANZ for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It's very comprehensive.
2. You can find something you can use even if you've researched before.
3. Beginners can learn a lot from this book.

THE BAD:

1. Majority of the focus is on UK sources and ancestry.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Your first online steps in genealogy will depend on how much research you have already done on your family tree, and what your aim is.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to research your family tree.
2. Your ancestors are from the UK.
3. You like shows like Who Do You Think You Are.

RATING:


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Review: Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

The classic bestseller is now available for the first time as an ebook
With an incredible understanding of the nuances of classic mythology, Bernard Evslin brilliantly recounts the most compelling stories of heroes and monsters, light and dark, good and evil. Get to know the iconic gods, heroes, and tragic figures: Zeus, the all-powerful father of the gods; Hera, his cunning and jealous wife; seductive, golden-haired Aphrodite, the goddess of love; King Midas, who greedily loves gold above all else; the sculptor Pygmalion who falls in love with his creation; and many more. With each story, Evslin captures the beauty and power of Greek mythology—and through his funny asides, he gives life to these ancient characters. A perennial staple of curriculums around the world, Evslin’s Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths is an invaluable resource.

MY TAKE:
I'm not as well-versed on Greek mythology as I would like, so this book immediately got my attention.

In Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths, we are treated to stories of heroes, gods and monsters. The name of the person or god which will be discussed is indicated at the start of each chapter.

I thought that this book would be straightforward stories of the myths which were faithful to the original. Even though it's been awhile since I read any Greek myths, a number of the myths found in the book were different from how I remembered them to be. For example, I'm fairly sure that it was Hades who tricked Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds and not a small child. Perhaps the book got its inspiration from another version of the myth.

The myths are also told the way normal stories are, that is, there is plenty of dialogue. The lines aren't far from how modern people talk, so kids won't have a hard time understanding them. There aren't any illustrations, though, so it can seem monotonous.

Thanks to NetGalley and Open Road Young Readers for the e-copy.

THE GOOD:

1. It covers a lot of heroes, gods and monsters.
2. The writing style makes the stories come alive.
3. Some of the dialogue can be pretty funny.

THE BAD:

1. The stories might not be exactly how you remember it.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

For all his mighty strength, she beat him, because she was a mistress of strategy.

READ IT IF:

1. You like Greek mythology.
2. You like myths.
3. You like new takes on old things.

RATING:


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Review: Pantomime by Laura Lam

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass - remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone - are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimeras is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.
Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

MY TAKE:
I don't think I've ever read a book quite like Pantomime before.

In Pantomime, Micah Grey is adjusting to life as an aerialist and circus worker at a circus. However, he is keeping a secret from everyone, even the one he cares about the most. When his secret comes to light, everything changes quickly.

In the first few chapters, it was easy enough for me to guess what Micah's secret was and his connection with Iphigenia Laurus. It was also easy enough to see who his love interest would be. However, despite some obvious plot twists, there were a lot of new things in the series that kept my interest.

The story is set in a place and time that is kind of like Victorian England, but with some modern conveniences. The magic and folklore of Ellada was a little bit messy and random to me, but the idea of the Penglass was interesting to me. Micah's secret was also a lot different for me and made for a more interesting love triangle. However, most of the romantic scenes between him and one of the characters made me feel a little bit uncomfortable and uncertain as I don't really read books or stories that have a similar nature or plot.

The writing was okay for me, overall, although there were parts that were a little clunky for me, particularly in the beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley and Strange Chemistry for the e-ARC. Publication date of Pantomime is on February 5, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. Micah's secret is pretty original for a YA book.
2. It's a different kind of love triangle.
3. Even without the love triangle, the book has an interesting premise.

THE BAD:

1. Very conservative readers might be bothered by some stuff in this book.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The food was marvelous - sandwiches of the freshest white bread filled with various cheeses, cucumbers, crisp lettuce, salmon, smoked meats, and thinly sliced fruit.

READ IT IF:

1. You are fascinated by the circus.
2. You like quirky characters.
3. You are looking for a new twist to the classic love triangle.

RATING:


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Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Try taking a
describing word,
like bright.
Now add e-r.