Review Borrowed Names

Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madame C.J. Walker, Marie Curie and Their Daughters by Jeanine Atkins

Available Now

Standalone Poetry

Bookologist Analysis: See an original way of looking on the world of these great women.

As a child, Laura Ingalls Wilder traveled across the prairie in a covered wagon. Her daughter, Rose, thought those stories might make a good book, and the two created the beloved Little House series.

Sara Breedlove, the daughter of former slaves, wanted everything to be different for her own daughter, A’Lelia. Together they built a million-dollar beauty empire for women of color. Marie Curie became the first person in history to win two Nobel prizes in science. Inspired by her mother, Irène too became a scientist and Nobel prize winner.

Borrowed Names is the story of these extraordinary mothers and daughters.

Borrowed Names is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

This book was utterly inspiring. We are told so many times as children that being ourselves and not our parents is okay, yet how many times are we reprimanded for not doing as our parents wish. These daughters all go out and decide who they want to be and it ends up being what their mothers were all about. From being farming girls to managers of businesses to award winning scientists.

Rose is just confused at the beginning before she finds her calling at home by being a scribe and editor to her mother and publishing the famous Little House books. A'Lelia learns that the entire world is not about being rich, but also giving back to the people that made you. She ended up being famous for sponsoring many Harlem Renaissance people. Irene finds the courage to be a scientist and continue her mother's work in radioactive materials. She ends up being awarded the Nobel Prize with her husband Frederic Joliot. 

The characters were strong in this book. You learn about people all born in 1867 and later. Where you see literally sea to shining sea from scenes on the seaside Poland to the shipyards of foggy San Francisco. You will learn things you never learned before. These people show you can start anywhere and end anywhere, but your choice is where you end. The world is an open door with this book take it!

“Years move forward, fold back, revealing the daughter she should have been and wasn’t, then was.” (Alone from Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane)

This line showed the demons that haunt us all. Here Rose travels around the world looking for meaning in her life as she just separated from her husband and doesn’t want to go back to her parents quite yet. Years later she finds the meaning she wants from helping her mother write the Little House books.

”How can she stand to pray the same thing over and over? A’Lelia wonders. Why won’t she ask for more?” (At Thirteen from Madame C.J. Walker and A’Lelia Walker)

At a time we start to realize we want more. This A’Lelia’s view point as she can’t stand to watch her mother never want more despite losing hair as a poor laundress in St. Louis. I think Madame C.J. Walker felt that the Lord would provide for them if she worked hard. However, A’Lelia got what she wanted as Madame C.J. Walker started her business in hair.

“How can she listen to her sister … dither through Polish conjugations? What can she teach a girl with no taste for abstractions? It lacks salt. Does a hunger for pianos and pretty shoes prevent Eve from knowing what can’t be held within hands? (Second Summer of the War from Marie Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie) 


This is from Irène who can’t understand her sister’s rejection of a world of equations and invisible atoms. Eve, (who ends up being a journalist and author) just yearns for a world of the solid things such as pianos and society. This shows that sometimes sister don’t get along, especially when one doesn’t have patience for another. Irène follows in her mother and father’s footsteps as a scientist, but continues to keep in contact with Eve despite their differences in the understanding of the invisible.

Hey if you have any reactions or interest at all in this blog I would appreciate if you would email me at bookologists@gmail.com 
Thanks,
Amelia

Book Beginnings & The Friday 56 The Girl With Borrowed Wings

Book Beginning is hosted by Rose City Reader. Where you share the first sentence of the book your reading, thoughts, impression, and inspiration from that. The Friday 56 by Freda's Voice. It is where you share a sentence from the 56th page or 56% of your ereader and thoughts/impression without spoiling.

This week is on The Girl with Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rosetti.

Book Beginnings

"I am unlike most other people because I began, not in the body of my mother, but in the brain of my father."

This book starts out with a rather direct statement being completely honest and a bit redundant. You want to see what the character actually is, and what she means by being a brain child quite literally. How does this affect her life?

The Friday 56

"He didn't know that there was a full-fledged battle being fought on my back, between the imaginary wings and the itch where I could feel my father's eternally pointing finger digging into my skin."

This makes you wonder who this mysterious stranger is as he does not know her. What wings is she referring to as she struggles with some mental barricade put up by her father. Why is he so controlling? How does this girl deal with her imagination?

Review Assassin

Assassin by Anna Myers

Available Now

Stand Alone Book (as far as I know)

Bookologist Analysis: This book is really great for a required book in historical fiction if you want to read a required civil war.

Would you betray your president to win the heart of America’s most celebrated actor? 

Bella isn’t evil. But even people with good intentions can end up doing bad things. Especially when they meet people with the power to persuade them to do almost anything, like John Wilkes Booth—the most charismatic and famous actor of his time. 


So when Booth sets his sights on Bella, an assistant seamstress to Mary Todd Lincoln, to help with his plot to kidnap President Lincoln, he is able to persuade her to betray her president and even turn her back on the boy she has loved her entire life. Bella believes Booth is only trying to force the North to release Southern war prisoners, and will not harm her dear friend Mr. Lincoln. But the kidnapping plot fails, and now Booth will stop at nothing--even if it means harming Bella in the process.

Anna Myers has crafted a provocative new look at the Lincoln assassination through the eyes of both a young White House insider and the assassin himself. An author’s note provides the historical background to this tragic event.

This book overall is not something I would recommend. It was a bit slow and unevenly paced. You could tell this book was choppy with inconsistent actions and point of views because it went between John Wilkes Booth (the assassin of Lincoln) and Arabella Gretchel (a seamstress of the theater and Mrs. Lincoln). 

This book was overall a bit choppy. The problem was that not all of the POVs lined up together in terms of timing. I mean Arabella would be talking about when she ten and wandering the streets of D.C. with Steven, but Wilkes (as John Wilkes Booth likes to be called in the book and will henceforth be called) would be talking about going out to dinner with a Senator's daughter five years later. I also felt that there was not interaction between the two characters to validate them being in the same book. The only scenes between the two of them were torture, Arabella having a crush on Wilkes, and having dinner (not enough right?). This book was written well, but was lacking the real passion and drive of a book that you love.

Wilkes was a little out there in terms of all aspects of him. I mean Assassin, the title, obviously referred to Wilkes as he killed Lincoln which meant we didn't have twist in the plot since we knew what would happen. Wilkes you could tell was a little twisted in his mind with his radical ideas of kidnapping Lincoln and loving the South. Overall, however I didn't find him really interesting in his feelings, but you learned a lot about the actor turned killer. He was just another man overcome by mental problems, nothing more in this book.I mean did you ever know he had a sister named Asia, an expensive taste, or was an acclaimed actor. Wilkes was a disturbing character that makes you wonder if the villains in history actually had good lives.

Arabella was an innocent little girl throughout the book. She made you want to bash your head on the wall as she made such stupid decisions. Seriously, never trust men that are so rich or nice to you because they will want something in return. The one friend she had in Steven was a little romantic, but I feel it could have been explored a little bit more in terms of confusion.  You could see how underdeveloped Arabella was as she didn't question anything Wilkes did despite it all going against her Unionist morals. It is quite perplexing watching a very naive character come to realization at how evil the world is. 

This book left us with a big question mark at the end. There was Arabella reflecting as she walked around Washington D.C. as she did as a child. Supposedly, she would never feel the ghost of Wilkes haunting her, but why would he? I mean she was a just a tool to him to get to his glory as hero of the South. He always understood how naïve and easily used Arabella was. The book had the guts to take on a very controversial part of American history, but lacked a strong plot and characters.

Room by Book is feature done by yours truly where I put together collages of rooms/furniture that fit the book. All pictures' credits are down below.

Proust (armchair) by Alessandro Mendini (Cappellini)

Caucasian Rug B by John Derian

Damask Design white On Khaki Vintage Wallpaper by Rosie's Vintage Wallpaper

Round Carved Chocolate Center Table by One Kings Lane

Assassin (book cover) by Anna Myers

Review Ignite Me

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Available Now

Book Three (Final) in Shatter Me Trilogy

Bookologist Analysis: This book was the epitome of licking flames on top of the shelves.

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, beTstselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and satisfying end

This book was a stunning conclusion with the minor flaws that each writer falls into. The book had the necessary things to make it a peaceful and accepted conclusion. The character changes in the book were sudden and violent.  I felt  it could have been able to be tweaked just a bit more.

Juliette in this book at a snap of fingers threw down the walls. She decides this after a conversation with Warner. She decided enough was enough and she wanted to be a leader.  I didn’t think it was realistic that she was able to turn herself from a timid shy little girl to this badass no nonsense girl in that short of a time period. Overall I like the new Juliette more because now she was out of her shell and used her powers to the fullest extent.

 Adam on the other hand just changed. I mean I used to think that he had actual feelings for Juliette, but then he just went total berserkos. He became violent and uncaring toward his friends and Juliette. Even though I was never a fan of Team Adam I never thought he would become so violent by breaking things over Juliette. A word of advice- never get into an argument with him. He likes protecting innocent quiet girls. He’s not ready for someone who speaks their mind.

Warner on the other hand in this book changes in a way that leans toward the positive side. He keeps on saying that he doesn’t want someone who thinks of him as a pity project or something to fix. I personally think Juliette still wants him to see the light she subtly guides him towards; she want hims to see it as a self-realized goal. She wants him to develop (not fix or repair) into someone who is more forgiving and lenient. In this book you really do seem him try to take the higher road and not kill someone at whim. He controls his outrages easier and starts to show emotion in public. He doesn’t kill Kenji for not agreeing with him for example. I like the newer Warner as he pushes Juliette to be a person without the shell and wall she made herself. Warner or should I say Aaron’s development was much more realistic and better for him overall than all the other ones.

I have to say I love the smaller characters in this book. Kenji was just the best friend you would want. A guy who has your back and stands up to even his dude best friend about you and won’t take crap about Juliette. He also has a sort of attitude that makes him be painfully (and hilariously) honest with Juliette. He tells her what he thinks no matter what it is and that makes him the conscience that Juliette need. Even if it means dissing Adam or telling her that Warner might break his heart. Kenji is the definite comic relief. James is such an innocent child that tries so hard to be mature. It is heartbreaking that he has to spend his childhood around so much fighting. James now is terribly honest on what he thinks of Warner or Juliette right to their faces. He will tell Warner that he thinks he is scary or Juliette that his brother is worried sick about her. He is the innocence in a world full of violence and terror. Castle draws back in this book and doesn’t really say much which is disappointing since of the important leader role he had in Unravel Me (I still think he should be a woman). The other ones that survived were just hard to keep up with overall which is kind of sad.

There are certain parts of this book however that I didn’t like so much. The romance in this book was dragged on a little too much. You could feel her decision already made (I was happy about that one), but still you had to play with her emotions that have been tangled up since Juliette got out of the asylum. I mean all the fights and all the little scenes were they really necessary? (No) I also didn’t like the lack of world building. I wanted to know more about the Reestablishment and who they really wanted to be.  I would have also liked a map to see the different sectors. The world could have described in how it worked better than it was. Tahereh also left out the plot twists she is so famous for. The plan went a little too easy considering the amount of protection and difficulties should’ve been. I thought the plot could’ve have been more dramatic and planned out with more turns such as a spy or hitch in plan (shakes head).

Overall I felt the book lived up to the praise. It was a good and filling conclusion to the end of the Shatter Me trilogy though I still feel Unravel Me was by far the best book in the series. This book showed the true character put under stress. People turned evil and true friends were shown. Remember the best way to learn if a person is a good person is to put them under stress. I mean Tahereh Mafi proved in this book under stress she is an okay writer.

Room by Book is feature done by yours truly where I put together collages of rooms/furniture that fit the book. All pictures' credits are down below.

Barcelona Stool by Ludwig Mles van der Rohe

Coral Bell by Sherwin-Williams

Eastvold Class Coffee Table by 2modern

Vintage Moroccan Battani Striped Rug by canvas

Ignite Me (book cover) by Tahereh Mafi

New & Update

Hey guys,

I have some exciting news and an update.

So some of you might have noticed that I don't have a rating system. I don't use them because I feel like you can't put a book into one number. Most blogs I follow don't. I though t I might start referencing them from time to time now to give you guys an idea on what I think of the book.

Some of you might have notice that Friday was Valentine's Day. For all of you Grisha/Shadow and Bone lovers- Malentine's Day. Anyways, it was Make War Not Love Day cause the Ruin and Rising cover and teasers came out. Some of you might have already seen them, but some of you haven't so... HERE!

As you can see there is the Firebird flying, will Alina get the third amplifier? Will she beat the Darkling?  I hope she doesn't because she will end up with him (that might be biased). The fire makes this one red, quite different from Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm. The towers as usual are still there. The fire means war.

Sounds Malish when he becomes estranged with Alina.

As Mal looses Alina to power or the Darkling, these two quotes sound like they are from the same conversation.

Definitely part of a conversation, there will be one between the Darkling and Mal; I see this! mwaahaha

*We also learn the Darkling first name and more world building stuff.

*Ruin and Rising will not be the last book set in Ravka!

Can't wait for the actual book it comes out June 17th! 

Review Evertrue

Evertrue by Brodi Ashton

Available Now

Book Three (Last Book) in Everbound Trilogy

Bookologist Analysis: This book made me just want to stab the book all the way to the Everneath and back.

Now that Nikki has rescued Jack, all she wants is to be with him and graduate high school. But Cole tricked Nikki into feeding off him, and she’s begun the process of turning into an Everliving herself... which means she must feed on a Forfeit soon — or die.

Terrified for her survival, Nikki and Jack begin a desperate attempt to reverse the process using any means possible. Even Cole, who they expected to fight them at every turn, has become an unlikely ally — but how long can it last? Nikki needs to feed on Cole to survive, Cole needs Nikki to gain the throne in the Everneath, Jack needs Nikki because she is everything to him — and together, they must travel back to the Underworld to undo Nikki’s fate and make her mortal once more. But Cole isn’t the only one with plans for Nikki: the Queen has not forgotten Nikki’s treachery, and she wants her destroyed for good. Will Nikki be forced to spend eternity in the Underworld, or does she have what it takes to bring down the Everneath once and for all?


In this stunning conclusion to the Everneath trilogy, Brodi Ashton evokes the resiliency of the human spirit and the indomitable power of true love.

This book was so maddening. It caused me to want to scream more decibels than the human hear are able to handle. It was just a chess game that went on forever with no real closing (don't you love my analogies?).

The second book Everbound hadn't fallen into the sequel slumper status, but the third book was a problem. Jack isn't someone you want to have in the books; I mean he is slow, stupid, and a jock. What is wrong with Nikki? She wants to destroy the Everneath not realizing what it does to people and just why does she still have the mental and emotional facilities of a seven year old.

About I get to my negatives later, so here are the positive-

1) Family- Nikki finally comes up to the duty of her family to support them, in a good way. She makes up to them and puts an effort to become a part of their lives. I enjoyed watching her father and brother come to terms with the new her. I can't say though that it is really a bad idea to make them so clueless, that hey maybe something is going on with my sister/daughter ( don't you think someone might have noticed?)

2) Setting- I know this might be kind of late, but I just realized that this book is set in Park City, Utah (a shout out to any Olympians from there). I honestly had to do some Wikipedia searching on this city to finally learn about it. It has about 8,000 people, so I guess it is a large enough size not everybody knows everybody, but in the book it feel so much bigger. I like how the setting feels like an actual place you could visit and normal people could live. 

That is about all I can say I enjoyed. I felt that the book was just dragging on forever. I could have just read the last couple of pages to get the gist of it. This love triangle just dragging on till the last ten pages and it made me upset. I hate bad end of trilogies more than sequel slumpers because so far the author delivers then boom they just a drop a piece of terribly bad disappointing writing on you. 

I never really did understand Nikki. She was given such a good chance at life had so much and then decides to screw with it by going on with Jack and Cole. Jack I never liked because he was  just a big old jock that never understood that he could make Nikki that much stronger. This book he became threatening and reckless. Cole however saw the strength she could offer as  the Queen, but no she hates the idea of being a reckoning.  Cole even with memory loss showed his love toward Nikki. The plot however was just running around looking for stuff to help them bring down the Everneath, all the action was concentrated too much at the end with no real twists in betrayal and it was a bit too easy.

This book was something that just ruined the series. I was a Team Cole and I can deal with losing the love triangle teams, but  I can't handle killing so many people without stories or a chance that maybe they will kill a story. The slow plot with such a drastic changes. This book is vital if you have read the first two books of the Everneath trilogy, but don't be surprised if you don't like the hype or any real conclusion. 

__________

Hey,
If you at all routinely read this blog or just found it; I would love if you emailed, commented, and subscribed.

Amelia

Rise Of The Arcane Fire Blog Tour: Review, Favorite Quotes & Giveaway

Yeah! This is my first blog tour so this is really exciting and all. There is going to be a review, favorite quotes, and even a GIVEAWAY (at the bottom)! This is all about Rise of the Arcane Fire by Kristen Bailey. It is the second book in the Secret Order (the first book was the Legend of the Clockwork which I adored). Click HERE for more of the tour. Thank you Kristen Bailey for the eARC from Edelweiss. 

Rise of the Arcane Fire by Kristen Bailey 

February 4, 2014

Book 2 in The Secret Order

Bookologist Analysis: You should get a gif of me after I finished the book.

Amazon

After her parents died in a fire and her grandfather disappeared, Meg Whitlock thought her life had come to a standstill. But when she learned that the pocket watch her grandfather left her was really an intricate key, Meg, with the help of a stable hand named Will, uncovered the Amusementists: members of an elite secret society dedicated to discovery and shrouded in mystery.

Now the Amusementists are convening in London, and Meg is determined to join their ranks. But being the first girl in the Order has its difficulties, and with Will away in Scotland Meg fears she can’t trust anyone but herself. Her worries are only supported by the sabotage happening at the academy, with each altered invention being more harmful than the last.

With threats lurking around every corner, and while trying to prove her worth as the first female Amusementist, Meg must uncover the identity of the academy’s saboteur before the botched devices become deadly. And after she finds evidence of a sinister and forbidden invention, Meg must stop it - or risk the entire future of the Amusementists.

This books blew me away like the Minotaur had hit me, beat me up, and then thrown me. I mean a lot of books fall into sequel slumper, but this did not in the least bit feel like that.  The plot was even more deceiving than the first book and I have to say I liked this one more.

I enjoyed Meg's decision and character development. Second books are known for the character to become more mature and a better person. She made the choice to become an apprentice and she will not quit, she will not stop, she will be an Amusementist. I like that she determined to do something that she will not stop. Heroines that are strong and not damsels in distress are the best type. Meg also didn't mope about Will, she moved on. I enjoy that she realizes that she has a life to fulfill. She has determination to do what she wants to do then maybe she will think about love. With her machines Meg will labor over them till she knows they are the best they can be.  Meg does what he wants and for that she is the best heroine in steampunk. Never let anything hold you back.

I feel that everybody else in the book besides Meg is a supporting character. I feel that is a good thing in this book, but some people don't like that. David is definitely someone to look out for. I personally like his many sides; it makes him one of those characters that you never saw coming. Will- I can't say Will got any more love from me in this book. He just sliced away anything in my heart that as there for him. Will just is someone not trying his best for Meg or himself. That makes me feel that he is no longer worthy, but is still Meg's sweetheart. My favorite minor characters were definitely Oliver and Lucy. They genuinely like Meg and do no backstabbing. Oliver doesn't hate Meg despite all the mistakes she does and Lucy is one of her only girlfriends. O how I love the few characters that do not backstab. Supporting characters, I could do entire thesis on them.

The plot had a different twist. I honestly can say that  I got confused a bit, till the end. I finally got the two villains figured out in my head. The writing itself was something that I only see great masters accomplish. This book was well worth the time waiting for. The plot made think if maybe the Amusementists are hiding something after all. I mean for a bunch of ‘enlightened’ scientists they are certainly close-minded to gender equality. The mysteries are superb. I liked the way it made your heart beat loudly till the very end.

Steampunk is one of my favorite subgenres. I like the fact of sci-fi where we can pretend we are in a much more technology enhanced world with cool Amusementist machines. I also love historical fiction where we see a world that happened. Victorian era is one of my favorite time periods because of the fact it is when women were just starting to come out. Combined they take on such a good part of my love of all things historical and scientific. Go Steampunk!

My review here is fairly short because it is just one more stop till I have to convince you to read the book. Steampunk with a little determination, romance, automen, killers, and pigeons totally make this book worth reading after you've read the Legacy of the Clockwork Keys. I have to say I liked this book better. I can't wait till I can fangirl over it with you. 

Favorite Quote
"I bet the only pi she knows is in the kitchen!"
Ignorant males, never underestimate the power of a female mind. Meg will blow you away with her intellect, stupid males [insert evil laugh]. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristin Bailey grew up in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid she enjoyed visiting the beach, camping and skiing with her two brothers. Now she is a military wife and mother of two young children. She is also terrible about spoiling her pets. She has one fluffy mutt, two cats who think they own the world, and a fish tank with a quartet of fat fish, and two secretive striped ninja-assassin snails.

In the course of her adventures, she has worked as a zookeeper, balloon artist, and substitute teacher. Now she enjoys writing books for teens who enjoy mystery and adventure as much as she does.

www.kristinbailey.com | twitter.com/KBaileyBooks

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Book Beginning & The Friday 56 Defy

Book Beginning is hosted by Rose City Reader. Where you share the first sentence of the book your reading, thoughts, impression, and inspiration from that. The Friday 56 by Freda's Voice. It is where you share a sentence from the 56th page or 56% of your ereader and thoughts/impression without spoiling.

I am doing Book Beginnings and The Friday 56 on Defy.

Book Beginning
"The crackle and hiss of the flames devouring our house couldn't block out the screaming and wailing of those who were still alive." 

This just makes you see a house going up in flames. The deafening roar is trying to make you forget the people who are still with you. Something is wrong and you as a reader most find out why the flames are lit and why people are screaming.

The Friday 56
"He must have some by his side at all times. We can take no chances with the life of the heir to the throne."

You realize that something is off. That someone is in danger and that person is an important person to the kingdom/country. You must find out why the person must be guarded at all times, especially a prince.

See you later guys! Have fun watching the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi!