Bi-Monthly Book Look - November/December

I did it, but barely.  I read the 26 books I set out to read this year. 

I was able to finish six books - five novels and one non-fiction -  in November and December:

The Flame Alphabet - Ben Marcus
My Rating: 1 out of 5.

I had high hopes of enjoying this book after reading the jacket flap.  Adults were becoming ill, sometimes fatally so, from the sounds of children's speech.  It seemed like such an interesting, if far-fetched premise, and the type of sci-fi/suspense story I could really get into.  Umm...not so much.  The plot was weak, and there was a Jewish sub-text that didn't seem to have any relevance to the story. I should have ditched this book early on, but I kept reading in hopes of find out why the adults were affected by communication with their children. Unfortunately, I felt as lost at the end as I did at the beginning.  

The Giver - Lois Lowry
My Rating: 4 out of 5.

Gathering Blue - Lois Lowry
My Rating: 4 out of 5.

Messenger - Lois Lowry
My Rating: 4 out of 5.

Son - Lois Lowry

My Rating:  4 out of 5.

I've read more young adult fiction this year than I have since I was a preteen.  This series of four novels was recommended by Kat's mom after I read the Hunger Games series. 

This series consists of three unrelated villages, the third being a haven for those who can escape the first two (as well as other) dystopian societies.  By the fourth novel, the connections between the characters from the different villages is made known.

Like Hunger Games, there are some disturbing premises in these stories.  Unlike Hunger Games, there is very little violence involved.  There are some supernatural elements involved, but if looked at symbolically rather than literally, they don't seem to detract from the plot.

The books, the first of which is a Newberry Medal winner, are well-written and suitable for 'tweens, teens and adults alike.

The Battle of Westport: Missouri's Great Confederate Raid - Paul Kirkman
My Rating: 2 out of 5

I am not a Civil War buff, but The Battle of Westport and surrounding events is of interest to me for its local history.  Unfortunately, this book was hard to follow.  The author seemed to be "all over the place", and I was often confused about who was fighting for the North, who for the South, whether they were in Missouri or Kansas at any given time, etc.  Many of the players' names were the same or similar, but the author would use full names here, only surnames there, until I couldn't decipher who was being written about at times.

I do think an account of this battle is worth my time to read, but I will first seek out a book that is less confusing.

Bi-Monthly Book Look - September/October

I'm finally finding a little more time for reading, and I'm right on track with my goal of reading 26 books in 2012.  I can't become complacent, though, or I won't make it through the last six books by the end of the year.

I was able to finish four books, all novels, in September and October:

Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
My Rating: 3 out of 5. 

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
My Rating: 5 out of 5.

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
My Rating: 4 out of 5.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this series or not, but Shane would like to see the Hunger Games movie, so I decided to read the books first.  Overall, it is a great story, and I'd give it 4 or 4.5.  I'm not usually impressed by Young Adult fiction, but this story didn't seem YA to me at all.  As stand alone books, the first is a little weak, in my opinion, with an unsatisfactory ending, but because I was able to go directly to the second book, it felt more like the end of a chapter than the end of a book.  I think most readers already know what these books are about, but for those who don't, teenagers in a post-apocalyptic country (formerly known as USA) are selected by government lottery and forced to enter a kill-or-be-killed game of survival.

Home Across The Road - Nancy Peacock
My Rating:  5 out of 5. 

This is the story of Roseberry, the plantation home of the white Redds and the the black Redds, whom they own as slaves.  The drama and tragedies of both families is told in a story that spans more than 100 years.  The author repeats parts of the story over and over throughout the book, yet never never becomes dull or tiresome in doing so.  Overall, it's a beautifully written book.

Bi-Monthly Book Look - July/August

I'm still having trouble finding as much time to read for pleasure as I would like.  I've been reading a lot of homesteading magazines and online-articles, which I also enjoy, but it's not the same as picking up a book simply because it sounds interesting.

I was able to finish three books in July and August, which is amazing considering I fell asleep most nights after just a few pages.

Arcadia - Lauren Groff
My Rating: 4 out of 5.  This novel follows the life of flower child Bit Stone from before his birth to late adulthood, as he both sheds and desperately hangs on to the hippie ideals of his commune-living parents.

A Lesson Before Dying - Ernest J. Gaines
My Rating:  4 out of 5.  This is an Oprah's Book Club book from the 1990s, reminiscent of To Kill a Mockinbird.  When a young man is wrongly convicted of murder, his former teacher is called upon to convince him of his self-worth before he dies.  When I picked it up and started reading, I remembered the story, but having finished it, I still can't say whether I had read it before or if I saw the film version.

Folks, This Ain't Normal:  A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World - Joel Salatin
My Rating: 5 out of 5. I loved this book, which is as much about child-rearing and personal responsibility as it is about farming.  I enjoy Salatin's tone, and learned quite a lot from this book.

Goodreads synopsis:  From farmer Joel Salatin's point of view, life in the 21st century just ain't normal. In FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL, he discusses how far removed we are from the simple, sustainable joy that comes from living close to the land and the people we love. Salatin has many thoughts on what normal is and shares practical and philosophical ideas for changing our lives in small ways that have big impact.

Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking -  Susan Cain
My Rating: 4 out of 5.  This in an important book for introverts like me, but maybe even a more important read for the extroverted majority to read.  The book explains how introverts and extroverts process information and seek stimulation differently, while sharing valuable insight on how we can all contribute and relate to one another better.

Bi-Monthly Book Look - May/June

I don't have much to add here this time around.  Gardening, RVing, swimming and other summer fun has kept me from reading as much as usual.  I do read nightly, but these days I'm so tired that I barely make it through a few pages before I crash.

Wind Through The Keyhole - Stephen King
My Rating: 3 out of 5.  This story is an afterthought, of sorts, to The Dark Tower series of novels.  To describe it wouldn't do much good unless you, too, are a fan of the series.  I am a long-time fan of Stephen King and of the DT series, but this story just didn't do much for me.

Lost Memory of Skin - Russell Banks
My Rating: 4 out of 5.  This novel is about homeless sex offenders living under a causeway because they can't, by law, live anywhere else.  These men, some rightly convicted and some not, but who have all served their prison sentence, are just trying to survive.  It is a much less disturbing book than it sounds.  The specific crimes are not detailed; the way in which these men try to turn their lives around (with little success) is.

I am deep into three more books as I post this, so I hope to have more books to write about in August.  Meanwhile, I am right on course with my reading goal of 26 books in 2012.

Bi-Monthly Book Look - March/April

I think I may have set a record for fewest books I've ever read in a two month period.  I managed to finish just three books, all fiction:

Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah
My Rating: 3 out of 5.  This novel follows the friendship of two young teenage girls through high school, college, early adulthood and into middle age.  When a single act of betrayal destroys their friendship, what can bring them back together?  This book is less melodramatic than the synopsis led me to believe and turned out to be an enjoyable read, but it wasn't very memorable.  A month after reading it, I had to review the synopsis just to remember what it was about.

Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
My Rating: 4 out of 5.
This is a work of dystopian fantasy, or as Atwood would call it, speculative fiction.  It was both fascinating and disturbing, in that the events are set in the not-so-distant future and seem at least somewhat plausible:

In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey–with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake–through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. Margaret Atwood projects us into a near future that is both all too familiar and beyond our imagining.

Oryx and Crake is the first book in the Maddaddam Trilogy, although the books don't need to be read in order.  I read the second book, The Year of the Flood, last year; it a stand-alone story that overlaps with Oryx and Crake only a bit.  I've heard the term "sidequel" used, which seems fitting in a way that neither "prequel" or "sequel" do.

The Outlaw Album - Daniel Woodrell
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
This is a book of a dozen short "Ozark noir" stories told in fewer than 200 pages by one of my favorite authors in one of my favorite genres, MO/KS/AR regional fiction.  Things aren't always what they seem, and being outside the law can look like a lot of things, from insanity to revenge, to patriotism to simple grief.

Bi-Monthly Book Look - January/February

I thought I'd take a look at the books I read in January and February of this year.  Maybe you'll find something here you like.

I've divided them into non-fiction and fiction.  Beyond that, they are in the order they were read.

Non-Fiction

Making It - Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen
My rating: 5 of 5.  This is a great book of formulas, recipes and instructions for making homemade food, drinks, cleaners and useful objects.  I liked this book well enough that I bought a copy for myself.

Fed Up With Lunch - The School Lunch Project - Mrs. Q
My rating: 3 of 5.  A Chicago-land teacher decides to eat her school's hot lunch every day for a year, and lived to tell about it.  While interesting, the book offers little to solve the problem of the declining quality of school lunches.

Made By Hand: My Adventures in the World of Do-It-Yourself - Mark Frauenfelder
My rating: 4 out of 5.  This is one man's account of his decision to delve into the world of "makers".  Not only does he describe his own experiences, but he discusses the philosphies behind what he calls the "DIY Movement" and the value of making mistakes.  It was a fun read and as someone who has always been a do-it-yourselfer  to some extent or another (and who doesn't think of this as a "movement" at all),  it was interesting to see the processes of DIY projects from the point of view of someone who wasn't naturally called to work with his hands.


Fiction

The Heart Specialist - Claire Holden Rothman
My rating: 4 out of 5.  Historical novel about one of Canada's first female physicians.

Gone For Good - Mark Childress
My rating: 3.5 out of 5.  A 1970s rock star finds himself plane-wrecked on a tropical island, where other inhabitants include Marilyn Monroe, Amelia Earhart and other famous dead folks.

11/22/63 - Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5.  What if you could travel back in time and prevent JFK's assassination?  That would be a good thing.  Or would it?

I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive - Steve Earle
My rating: 5 of 5.  Alt-country music fans will recognize Steve Earle as a singer/songwriter; I think he does an impressive job with his first novel.  Imagine being a washed up heroin-junkie physician living with the ghost of Hank Williams.  What would it take to make you go clean?  (Coincidentally, this was the third novel in a row that included JFK among their casts of characters.  What are the chances?)

Book Review: Small Batch Baking

This is one of the small gifts I bought for myself at Christmas time.

We're a family of two adults and one child.  We love our salty snacks and treats, but we have a hard time eating our way through a full-sized cake or pie and we never eat all of a batch of cornbread.   We have better luck with cookies, but sometimes even they go stale before we eat them all.

I've tried freezing baked goods, but they end up forgotten for months, then finally thrown out or composted.

I guess it's a good problem to have, as far as problems go, but we do like a baked treat once in a while and I hate wasting food.  That's why I thought I'd try small batch baking.

This is a nicely designed book.  The recipes are categorized by type and are simple to make in most cases.  Any special pans needed -- such as small pie pans or cake rings -- are described near the front of the book.  The recipes range from simple cornbread muffins and buttermilk biscuits to more elaborate cheesecakes, souffles and pavlovas.  Most recipes make 2 or 3 servings.

The only bad thing I can say about the book is that there are no photographs.  In order to keep myself from going wild with cookbooks, I usually insist they have photos before I buy them.  I made an exception in this case because I knew the book would be so useful to us.

So far, I've tried the recipes for "Old Fashioned Cornbread" (a wonderful flour-less version with molasses that I will post tomorrow), "Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Squares" and "Blueberry Upside Down Cake".  All were very good and I'm looking forward to trying more recipes.  With more than 450 pages in the book, there are plenty of them to try.

If you're like us and have a small family, or a small appetite for sweets, this is the book for you.  If you have a larger family or one that loves sweets, this is still the book for you.  After all, who says you can't sample more than one small batch recipe at a time?

Disclaimer:  I was not paid or compensated for this review.  It's just my own opinion of a book I recently purchased for myself.

Book Review: Knack Healthy Snacks for Kids

I recently read a book called Healthy Snacks for Kids by Amy Wilensky.  It's part of the Knack - Make It Easy series of books.

This is a cookbook, but it also offers tips, ideas and nutritional information.  I don't always believe everything I read about nutrition in the mainstream media, but most of the author's advice seemed solid to me.  I did find her tone just a little off-putting and it seems like she mentions Greek yogurt at least once in every 2-page spread. That's ok. I like Greek yogurt,...and don't have to like the author to like the book.

I'm trying to let go of some of my cookbooks, not bring more in, so I'll probably just return this to the library and not order a copy for myself.  It's tempting, though.  I found a lot of great new ideas for snacks -- and lunches -- not just for Kat, but for the whole family.  The book has lots and lots of pictures, which is a must for a cookbook to catch my eye these days.

Overall, I think this would be a good addition to anyone's cookbook collection, but especially for those who have kids.