FDL Reads: Mooncakes

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

Reviewed by: Cindy Thomas, Youth Services Assistant

Genre: Fantasy graphic novel

Suggested Age: Teens, Tweens, and Adults

What is this Book About?  Nova is a witch who lives with her grandmothers and works in their magic bookstore.  When her friend tells her there have been weird lights coming from the woods, she goes out to explore and runs into her childhood crush Tam, who is a werewolf.  Tam gets attacked by a horse possessed by dark magic, but manages to get away safely with Nova’s help.  The two go back to the bookstore to research the creature and discover that it can be stopped if Tam can harness the full power of their werewolf magic.  There are still problems, though. Who put a spell on the horse in the first place, and why is it always trying to attack Tam?

My Review:  It’s clear that the creators put a lot of heart into this work.  The characters are really likable and fully thought out.  I think many graphic novels and comics have an unattractive art style, so I’m very picky about which ones I read.  I liked the way this one looked, though, and the story was interesting.  If you read a lot of fantasy novels or magical girl manga, then the plot will be predictable and feel like something you’ve read before.  That being said, I thought this was super cute, and I hope they publish more volumes.  It’s great if you’re in the mood for a quick, lighthearted read.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Adorable, Nerdy, Magical

Give it a Try if You Like:  Lumberjanes, Kiki’s Delivery Service

Rating: 4/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads

 

2019-12-03T16:32:26-06:00January 29th, 2020|

FDL Reads: Komi Can’t Communicate

Komi Can’t Communicate by Tomohito Oda

Reviewed by: Atlas Agunod, Circulation Assistant

Genre: Graphic novel, comedy

Suggested age: ​Teens and Adults

What is This Book About?  ​Komi’s dream is to make 100 friends! However, she’s got a big problem: she has terrible social anxiety. None of her peers seem to notice though. Rather, everybody mistakes her quietness and lack of expression as cool aloofness until she meets Tadano. He finds out about her lack of communication skills and her dream to make 100 friends, so he does what any good friend would do, help Komi achieve her dream! There’s just one more problem though…Tadano doesn’t have any friends either!

My Review: ​I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did! The situations Komi is put in mixed with her shyness make great comedy, especially because of how relatable some of them are. I was scared it might turn into a poorly written, almost forced romance between her and Tadano, but there are only well-written hints of that in the story that feel well earned. The different characters Komi attempts to befriend are also a driving force for this series, and each one is like a walking comedy bit. However, the comedy never gets in the way of actually progressing the story. When reading, I could tell the side characters really do care for Komi and want to be her friends. I can’t wait to see where this series goes! I’m rooting for Komi to make those 100 friends!

Rating: 5/5

Three Words That Describe This Book: Funny, Relatable, Cute

Give This a Try if You Like: ​Slice of life manga, Shoujo manga

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads

 

2020-01-15T14:06:50-06:00January 22nd, 2020|

FDL Reads: The Starless Sea

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Reviewed by: Beth Weimer, Communications Specialist

Genre: Fantasy

Suggested Age: Adults, Teens

What is This Book About?: Zachary Ezra Rollins encounters a mysterious book containing a story about himself as a child. This bewildering discovery leads him on the quest of a lifetime through magical doors and down the tunnels of an ancient underground world full of whispering bees, lost lovers, secret seas, loyal guardians, and stories within stories of beautiful, heartbreaking fables and tales. Zachary must unlock the secrets of this strange world to protect his friends and save this mythical place from those who would destroy it before Time and Fate run out.

My Review: Morgenstern writes with undeniably enchanting language and stunning imagery, creating a captivating atmosphere for anyone who loves storytelling to relish. I enjoyed the concept of the book overall but was frustrated by the glaring lack of plot. I grew tired of the endless keys and bees – gilded doors and feathers and fairy tales and such – halfway through and then was fairly disappointed by the non-ending. It felt like the writer was just as lost in the labyrinth as her characters and didn’t quite know how to finish – resulting in a book about the power of stories that muddles the fundamentals with too many tangents and layers upon layers of metaphors. Hopefully her next effort will involve more thorough worldbuilding with bolder conflicts and resolutions.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Intriguing, Dizzying, Lyrical

Give This a Try if You Like… The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Rating: 3/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2020-01-16T17:26:34-06:00January 16th, 2020|

FDL Reads: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Reviewed by: Alexandra Schenk, Student Intern

Genre: Fiction

Suggested Age: Adults

What is this Book About? Evelyn Hugo was a world famous actress in the 1960, but the thing most people seem to remember about her today are her seven marriages. Evelyn usually is a private person but she decides to come forward one more time. She agrees to give one last interview to unknown journalist Monique Grant. Monique, who just separated from her husband, sees the opportunity to improve her career. But the young journalist soon understands that Evelyn has her very own motives to share the story of her life. And what a story the aging actress has to tell: from her childhood in Hell’s kitchen, her marriages to two Hollywood stars, and her retirement in Spain with the love of her live.

My Review:  First of all this is one of the best books I read in 2019! Taylor Jenkins Reid created an incredible strong and relateable main character. Evelyn Hugo gave up her name, her language, and her appearance for a career in Hollywood. She fought hard for her place in the glamorous movie world but she also learned that Hollywood is not as flawless and glamorous as it might seem. Evelyn Hugo is a strong woman in a time when women weren’t supposed to be strong and ambitious. She is reckless and arrogant, but this is what makes her such an amazing character! And besides having an incredible main character, the book also contains one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever had the pleasure to read.

Taylor Jenkins Reid confirmed in an interview that the fictional character of Evelyn Hugo was inspired by actress Elizabeth Taylor. If you like the glamour of old Hollywood, I can recommend this new favorite read of mine!

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Romantic, Painful, Honest

Give it a Try if You Like: Cat on the Hot Tin Roof, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Casablanca

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads

 

2020-01-09T17:27:17-06:00January 8th, 2020|

FDL Reads: Skyward

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Reviewed By: Katie Smith, Reference Specialist

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy

Suggested Age: Teen and Adult

What is the book about? Spensa has never been good with confinement. Her planet, bombarded by alien attacks and surrounded by a crumbling metal sphere, is what keeps her people trapped in caverns below the surface. In order to find freedom, she dreams of becoming a pilot – but her father, the legendary pilot called Chaser, was shot down and branded a coward during a fateful mission nine years ago. Guilty by association, her family inherits the label of “coward” and are now shunned by those who once idolized them. However, when colony leaders try to thwart her efforts in joining the pilot’s academy, Spensa refuses to accept defeat. She also happens to stumble upon the abandoned wreckage of a spaceship, which is equipped with a sassy, fully functional AI system called M-Bot. Together, Spensa and M-Bot will attempt to fight off the full force of the Krell – the alien space-race determined to battle her colony into extinction.

My Review: When I first heard about Skyward, I thought it would be similar to Ender’s Game – and even though there’s a flight school where teens are trained to fight aliens in space combat, that’s really where the similarities end. Sanderson is an amazing storyteller, crafting worlds and peoples that are equally unique, fascinating, and mysterious. The humans in this story survive insurmountable odds and find thrilling new ways to defeat their adversaries, though their society is similarly flawed and broken. Spensa is head-strong, courageous, and even (delightfully!) barbaric. She aspires to clear her father’s name and become a fighter pilot, which is noble and inspiring – and as for the space action, the stakes for Spensa just keep rising! Why are the Krell attacking? Who abandoned M-Bot in the caverns? What is this strange power that allows Spensa to feel the stars? With each new discovery, there were so many more questions to answer – and even though it was an emotional roller coaster, I loved every second of it.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Heroic, Thrilling, Epic

Give this a try if you like… Star Wars (movies), Battlestar Galactica (TV series), or The Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Rating: 5/5

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2019-12-20T14:19:37-06:00December 20th, 2019|

FDL Reads: Born a Crime

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood By Trevor Noah

Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant

Genre: Autobiography

Suggested Age: Adult

What is the book about?  Trevor Noah, the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, was born in South Africa just before the end of apartheid when the act of conceiving an interracially mixed child was punishable with prison time. Being the son of a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, Noah was literally “born a crime.” This book is a collection of essays that Noah has written showcasing a wide variety of events during his unusual upbringing. With his unconventional mother, Noah navigates his way through South Africa’s post-apartheid society using creative and sometimes legal solutions for his struggles.

My Review:  I listened to the CD book that is narrated by the author, which I enjoyed quite a bit.  Noah’s sharp wit and self-effacing humor is quickly evident while listening. There is a “young reader” version that cuts back on the mature content and is appropriate for grades 5-12.  As is, the adult version is funny, surprising, and sometimes a little disturbing. His firsthand account of living with poverty and institutional racism are sobering at times.  His mother seems to be an extraordinarily astute person whose parental instincts armed him with skills like fluency in the languages of South Africa’s many ethnic groups. Along with a discerning intellect, he was able to be a chameleon of sorts. I was particularly impressed with how he found a way to move in and around the racial cliques in high school (none of which he could fit into easily) in order to avoid the dangers of identifying himself as any specific racial class. The only criticism I would have for the book is that being a collection of essays, the subject matter and timing of events jumped around a bit. Overall, it was an insightful read.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Post-Apartheid, Multicultural, Eye-Opening

Give This a Try if You LikeThe Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Unbowed: A Memoir, Notes from a Young Black Chef

Rating: 4.5/5

Find it at the library!

 

2019-12-13T14:10:25-06:00December 13th, 2019|

FDL Reads: The Blue Castle

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Library Volunteer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Suggested Age: Adult

What is this Book About?  Valency is 29, an old maid with no prospects in 1920s rural Canada. She’s miserable – her family have pigeon-holed and hen-pecked her to the point that she won’t stand up to them or disobey. And she’s had this strange pain in her chest of late. When a doctor gives her a grim diagnosis, Valency decides to live life on her own terms.

My Review:  I wasn’t sure what to expect from this but it was delightful! Valency’s family is stiff and formal, never letting anyone forget even tiny transgressions, and poor Valency is pushed down from a young age. So when she rebels, you can’t help but cheer for the girl. She shows more pluck and care in the course of a few days than most her family have shown their whole lives. And when she leaves to go take care of an ostracized girl who is dying, she does so because she knows it’s the right thing to do. Her time with the Gays lets her blossom and become the woman she always should have been. And she does​ take a husband, the most disreputable Barney Snaith. It’s not a love match, but Valency loves him and he has affections for her. The ending did my poor heart some good.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Thoughtful, Fun, Inspiring

Give it a Try if You Like:  Anne of Green Gables, Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters, When Calls The Heart

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads

 

2019-12-04T11:31:07-06:00December 4th, 2019|

FDL Reads: Brave the Tempest

Brave the Tempest by Karen Chance

Reviewed by: Alexandra Schenk, Student Intern

Genre: Fantasy

Suggested Age: Adults, Teens

What is this Book About? Cassandra Palmer recently (6 books ago) became chief clairvoyant of the magical world but she is still not very happy about her new position. She can barely uphold all the responsibilities weighing on her shoulders. As Pythia, she not only has to rule her own court and interact with the most powerful creatures of the magical world, but she also has to protect the timeline from being manipulated. And protecting the time is a hell of a job with the magical world at war even with the ability to “jump” in time and space. But, Cassi manages everything even if it might drive her crazy, she learns to trust in other people and she also learns to stand up for herself and for the people depending on her. Between saving the world from destruction, planning a war against the realm of a fairy king and nearly dying several times, there is still time for some romantic interaction between Cassi and her bodyguard mage John Pritkin.

My Review:  I started reading Karen Chance’s books a long time ago when someone gifted me the first book in her Cassandra Palmer series and I became a fan since then. I love the world Chance created for her books. There are vampires, mages, fairies, witches, demons and many more magical creatures. They live parallel to us normal humans. Each species has their own government and we learn about how they live, but there is always a perfect balance between what we learn about the “circumstances” and what we read about the personal drama. And there is a lot of that! The main character Cassi has a big mouth, a super powerful vampire ex-lover, a super powerful half mage half demon boyfriend and she apparently is a half goddess herself. Like I said, potential for a lot of drama, but also for a lot of fun! Especially in that book we witness how Cassi grows, accepts her new responsibilities and  begins to find her place between the magical rulers and I really liked that. Chance’s books always have a funny tone.  Cassi always seemed a little bit clumsy, but in Brave the Tempest we see that she is grown up now and with war on the horizon the book, all in all, seems a little bit darker and more serious. But the book still had its funny moments and especially the secondary characters made me laugh out loud sometimes. Like I said, I always loved Karen chance’s books so I might be a little bit biased. It was a quick and joyful read and I recommend the Cassandra Palmer series to everyone who likes paranormal romances. The only reason I don’t rate it 5/5 is that I would have loved to see a little bit more of my favorite character…

Three Words That Describe This Book:  fast, funny, magical

Give it a Try if You Like: The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh, The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward

Find it at the library!

Rating: 4/5

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2019-11-27T14:21:33-06:00November 27th, 2019|

FDL Reads: It’s Not Supposed to be This Way

It’s Not Supposed to be this Way by Lysa Terkeurst

Reviewed by: Becky Houghton, Reference Assistant

Genre:  Nonfiction- Inspirational, Self-Help

Suggested Age: Adults

What is this Book About?  What do you do? How do you react when unexpected disappointments, tragedies, and events happen in your life? Lysa Terkeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, uses her own experiences with these types of events in order to help others find inner strength when disappointments leave them shattered. Terkeurst has written several Christian inspirational titles, but this one is particularly personal for her. She gives the readers her own insights and shares her personal journey to reorient herself to a life much different from the one she expected to be living.

My Review:  I enjoyed Terkeurst’s style in telling how she handled the disappointments in her marriage and health.  She uses humor in a mildly self-deprecating way to describe her feelings and some of the events that occurred, but she always alludes to her faith as the source of her strength.  All of the encouragement offered is filled with quotes from the Bible, examples of triumph over adversity, and the unexpected disappointments with which life challenges each of us. She includes strategies to help readers reorient to the changes that happen when life throws you a curve ball and life- changing events happen.  This book offers encouragement for the reader and provides help facing the unexpected when it occurs.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Encouraging, Spiritual, Inspirational

Give This a Try  if You Like: Other books by TerKeurst such as Unglued or The Best Yes or books by Max Lucado such as Anxious for Nothing.

Find it at the library!

Rating: 4/5

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads
2019-11-22T16:39:26-06:00November 22nd, 2019|

FDL Reads: They Called Us Enemy

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker (Illustrator)

Reviewed by: Katie Smith, Reference Specialist

Genre:  Graphic Novel, Autobiography, Nonfiction – WWII

Suggested Age: Adults

What is this Book About?  George Takei, actor and activist well known for his role as Sulu on Star Trek, describes his childhood imprisonment in Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Takei’s family was living in Los Angeles, California. Only a few short months later, his family was forced out of their home and relocated to an internment camp – the Santa Anita Race Track in Arcadia, California. Their first “assigned room” was a well-used horse stall, and as a family of five (two adults, and three children under the age of four) they had to share the small living space. During their internment, the Takei family was uprooted and relocated twice, but were finally released after the war ended in 1945. As an adult, George Takei looks back on his family’s imprisonment with fresh perspective – one that draws attention to a time that America wishes to forget, while also drawing parallels to what is happening today – in an effort to not repeat past mistakes.

My Review: In the early 2000s, I remember studying WWII and the Holocaust, but the incarceration of Japanese-Americans was never discussed. Much more recently, people have begun to speak out about this unsettling part of American history. The way that George Takei talks frankly about his childhood incarceration – describing events through the eyes of a child, but interpreting them as an adult with full understanding – is heartbreaking. He writes,  “Years later, the trauma of those experiences continued to haunt me. Most Japanese Americans from my parents’ generation didn’t like to talk about the internment with their children. As with many traumatic experiences, they were anguished by their memories and haunted by shame for something that wasn’t their fault. Shame is a cruel thing. It should rest on the perpetrators but they don’t carry it the way the victims do.” This is a cautionary tale for Americans, which resonates well with the current political and social climate. VERDICT: I appreciated the graphic novel format – this book will appeal to adults and teens equally, and the story will stick with you long after you are finished reading.

Three Words That Describe This Book:  Unsettling, Informative, Uplifting

Give This a Try  if You Like: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed, and Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Find it at the library!

Rating: 5/5

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

FDL Reads

 

2019-11-18T15:39:02-06:00November 18th, 2019|
Go to Top