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!

It was the only code she could think of in a country where the Hispanic tongue has all but disappeared except in our Christian and last names.

Review: The How-To Handbook Shortcuts and Solutions for the Problems of Everyday Life by Martin Oliver, Alexandra Johnson

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Whether you plan on spending your life playing sports, serving clients, running businesses, or flying to the moon, there are certain things that everyone just has to know how to do: unjamming a jar, for instance, fixing a flat tire, and removing a particularly embarrassing stain. They may seem simple in retrospect, but you don’t have to turn all your laundry pink more than once before you learn that it’s best just to get things right the first time. The How-To Handbook packs over 50 essential life skills into one handy reference book, and uses dozens of illustrations to show readers the very best ways to:
Thread a needle
Pitch a tent
Tie a tie
Treat a bee sting
Chop an onion…and much, much more!

MY TAKE:
I remember reading several how-to guide books for kids when I was younger so I thought I would give this one a try as well.

In The How-to Handbook, kids get to learn skills such as tying a tie and how to take great photos. For some of the topics, there are only tips, while for others, there are detailed how-tos with illustrations for kids to follow.

Compared to the old books I used to read, I felt like this book covers more practical topics, although the older books had more variety and were more detailed.

Some of the tips here feel a little bit like common sense, such as how to prepare for a test (don't cram the night before, get a good night's sleep, etc.), but other stuff are truly useful such as how to tie a tie and how to remove a stubborn lid from a jar.

This book is definitely meant for kids, and while I already knew majority of the things discussed (thanks to my parents who made sure I had plenty of life skills), I was still able to learn or relearn a number of things. For example, I always forget how to tie a tie since I don't really use them, but it always seems like a good skill to have anyway. The book gives a detailed guide on how to get it done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zest Books for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. The topics are practical.
2. There are detailed steps to some of the more crucial skills.
3. The language is easy enough for young kids to understand.

THE BAD:

1. Some of the topics feel like common-sense stuff.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Here's how to wash them and eliminate lingering germs so your hands will be squeaky clean - even if you aren't performing open heart surgery.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to teach your child some life skills but don't know where to start.
2. You don't have the time to teach your kid all the things he might need to know to be independent.
3. Your child likes how-to guides.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

In My Mailbox

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

FROM NETGALLEY:

The How-To Handbook Shortcuts and Solutions for the Problems of Everyday Life by Martin Oliver, Alexandra Johnson

Review: Iva Honeysuckle Meets Her Match by Candice Ransom

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Uncertain, Virginia is no place for an explorer like Iva Honeysuckle to spend the summer. When Iva finds out her family is going on vacation, she's thrilled. She knows she will make her next great discovery at Stingray Point. The very name promises adventure and danger.
Iva soon realizes that Stingray Point isn't the exciting place she thought it was. But then Iva hears about the legend of Chessie, the town's very own sea monster. Spotting Chessie would blow all other discoveries out of the water.
Stalking a sea monster isn't as easy as it looks. Iva needs a partner--all the best discoverers have one. Iva may have the brains and determination to find Chessie, but she needs someone with a healthy dose of luck. When Iva realizes just who happens to be her perfect match, it will be her greatest discovery of all.

MY TAKE:
Interesting summer adventure stories about spunky heroines are few and hard to come by.

In Iva Honeysuckle Meets Her Match, Iva is going to Stingray Point with her mom, aunt and cousins.As an aspiring explorer, Iva hopes to find pirates' treasure. Will she find what she's looking for there?

The premise and the plot twists of the book are all interesting enough and something that kids can relate to in some way, especially if they spend the summer with their cousins and their families. Summer adventures are something that kids tend to hope for. My biggest issue with this book, however, is that I found Iva to be selfish and annoying. She tricked her sister, she lied to her mom and she's mean to her cousins. Of course, she has her nice moments too, particularly near the end when she stopped thinking about herself and started to think about other people.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the e-ARC. Publication date of Iva Honeysuckle Meets Her Match is on June 11, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. It gets you in the mood for summer.
2. Adventurous kids might find it inspiring.
3. The dynamics between the family members are fun to read.

THE BAD:

1. Iva can be annoying and selfish.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Iva handed over the rest of Lily Pearl's money and received a green basket with six deep-fat-fried cheesecake bites resting uneasily on a square of grease-soaked paper.

READ IT IF:

1. You're looking for a fun summer read for your child.
2. Your kid is adventurous.
3. You have a close relationship with your cousins.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Super Pop! Pop Culture Top Ten Lists to Help You Win at Trivia, Survive in the Wild, and Make It Through the Holidays by Daniel Harmon

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Super-Pop offers a maximum-pleasure, minimum-effort way to become smarter, happier, and more likely to survive your next family function (or a shark attack). This hilarious and wide-ranging guide sorts nearly 500 different bestsellers, blockbusters, and underappreciated gems into quirky top ten lists, like “How to Outwit Death: Ten Essential Survival Tales,” and “Wax on: Wise Old Men Who Can Show You the Way.”  So whether you’re looking for some motivational workout music, need help planning a July 4th double feature, or just want to pick up some knowledge without straining your brain, this book has you covered. With new insights on old classics and fresh ideas for jaded eyes, Super Pop makes sense of pop culture – and then puts pop culture back to work!

MY TAKE:
For some reason, I thought that Super Pop! would be like those Time and Nat Geo books for kids.

In Super Pop!, you get to read lists of books, movies, shows, etc., that have a certain theme or fit a certain category. Examples include what podcasts can help you become smarter, and where to find culinary inspiration.

Since this was classified as children's non-fiction, I was surprised to see how text-heavy it is. Some of the movies and books mentioned are also a little too adult for young kids. If this book was marketed towards an older group, though, like maybe teens or adults, it's quite appropriate. Older audiences may already be familiar with some of the books, movies and shows mentioned in the book.

The descriptions included for each item mostly focus on why it fits the certain category and doesn't really explain the plot. If you don't like spoilers, this is a plus point.

There aren't a lot of pictures though, like screenshots from shows or book covers for the books. There are illustrations at the start of each chapter or list, but I didn't find them all that interesting or aesthetically pleasing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zest Books for the e-ARC. Publication date of Super Pop! Pop Culture Top Ten Lists to Help You Win at Trivia, Survive in the Wild, and Make It Through the Holidays is on June 4, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. You may discover some new favorites.
2. The descriptions can be pretty funny.
3. The items listed come from a diverse range of genres.

THE BAD:

1. The book is text-heavy and there aren't a lot of illustrations to break up the monotony.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Anthony Bourdain is a little bit impossible to hate - and please trust me when I say that I, for one, have made an honest attempt to hate this wildly successful, somewhat smug, pretentiously "real," and ostentatiously "no-good/very bad" food celebrity.

READ IT IF:

1. You are looking for new books to read or movies to see.
2. You like trivia.
3. You are a pop culture junkie.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

The sequel to The Assassin's Curse
After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.
Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.

MY TAKE:
I really enjoyed The Assassin's Curse and I was eagerly awaiting this book.

In The Pirate's Wish, Ananna and Naji work together to complete the three impossible tasks that can break the curse. Along the way, the encounter new characters who can change the course of their lives forever.

While I didn't enjoy this book as much as The Assassin's Curse, there were still some parts I liked. I liked Ananna's friendship with one of the new characters that was introduced. It's an unusual friendship, which is precisely why it works. You don't see a lot of these kinds of friendships in YA books. I also liked the pace at which Naji and Ananna's romance is developing. It's not too fast but it's not too slow either.

What I didn't like, though, was how Naji sometimes acted like Ananna was incapable of defending herself. There were also some moments wherein he acted like he wasn't an alpha male.

I was also surprised at how the tasks were meant to be solved and how they were done. Given that, I wonder what the next book is going to be about.

Thanks to NetGalley and Strange Chemistry for the e-ARC. Publication date of The Pirate's Wish is on June 4, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. Ananna is a tough chick.
2. There are plenty of strong women in this book.
3. There are some unexpected plot twists.

THE BAD:

1. Naji can be annoying sometimes.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

The servants disappeared into the gardens and then reappeared with heavy stone platters laden with fruits and little savory pies and bottles of Empire wine.

READ IT IF:

1. You liked the first book.
2. You like strong heroines.
3. You like pirates and ninjas.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?

Review: Cozy Classics: Les Miserables by Jack Wang, Holman Wang

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Give a kid a classic! Cozy Classics is the popular board book series that presents well-loved stories to children aged 0+ through twelve child-friendly words and twelve needle-felted illustrations. Les Misérables is Victor Hugo’s sweeping French saga about one man’s search for redemption in a world of hardship and misery, and is one of the world’s most beloved classics. Now you can share this classic with children of any age.

MY TAKE:
I liked this book as much as I did the other books in the series.

In Cozy Classics: Les Miserables, we get to read the gist of Les Miserables.

As with the other books, I liked the book's ability to condense a great story into a handful of words and match them with needle-felt illustrations, which must have taken a long time to create.

I did realize, though, that if you're not completely familiar with the book and the characters, you might get confused about which characters the dolls in the illustrations are meant to represent. The best you can do is follow the doll/characters in the book but you won't really know their names. Given that the target audience are children, I guess this is okay, since I don't think babies and toddlers would be too particular about things like that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simply Read Books for the e-ARC. Publication date of Cozy Classics: Les Miserables is on May 30, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. Your child will be able to learn new words.
2. You and your child will be able to appreciate a classic at the same time.
3. It's something fun to read to your child.

THE BAD:

1. You won't know which character the doll represents if you're not familiar with the story.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

rich

READ IT IF:

1. You like Les Miserables.
2. You want to introduce your child to the classics.
3. You want to enhance your child's vocabulary.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?