World After by Susan EeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Second reading, June 2015:
Not nearly as good the second time. It draaaaaagged until the last fourth.
First reading, November 2013:
Until about 70% of the way through, I had almost decided that the fact that I have hardly liked any sequel this whole year meant that it was me, not them. But turns out it probably is them, because World After is a great sequel. And it gets great right around the 70% mark (before that, it was just good).
I think the reason I like this series is because I like the characters. I think Penryn is one of the more believable and relateable heroines to have been written in YA lit in recent years. And forgive me, but I love her mother, too.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, even if it takes another 2+ years to come out, as this one did.
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End of Days by Susan EeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ultimately, there is less to this series than meets the eye. I still really liked the first book, and the second book got us moving in the right direction, and the third book was plenty thrilling and imaginative, but...
I do appreciate that the author told the story she had to tell, and did it without yammering on for 500 pages. This was a quick, brisk read and I salute her for that.
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Global Mom: Eight Countries, Sixteen Addresses, Five Languages, One Family by Melissa BradfordMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Second reading June 2015. I enjoyed this book even more the second time around. It's so much more than a memoir of a life lived abroad. And what a perspective shift it was reading it this time vs. a year ago - we are now in the middle of a move to our own new Northern European home. So the Norway chapters were that much more interesting to me (we're headed to Finland). Thus it was with considerably less wistfulness that I read this time about her children being able to integrate linguistically and culturally into a foreign country!
First reading March 2014. What a great book for me to read at this time in my life. I felt like I was talking to and learning from an older sister who's done this whole living abroad thing up and down and is giving me tips for raising kids and thriving overseas. I am surprised at how much I learned from her, considering that she has lived in very different countries than me (1st world vs. 2nd), but some things about living abroad are the same anywhere. This book did make me miss the days of living in Russia where we could blend in and integrate more into the culture. When you are blonde-haired and blue-eyed living in the Middle East, that puts up a wall between you and the locals before you even open your mouth. Sometimes it's hard to have that automatic distance there, and I found myself feeling jealous of how the author was able to fit in so well in Norway, France, and Germany.
Speaking of Germany: the Munich chapters. Woah. I was entranced by them and I think I will forever remember her visual of folding laundry by a window in Norway.
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I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala YousafzaiMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this out loud with my daughters (ages 6 and 9) over the last few months. My younger daughter kept wanting to skip to the part where she actually is attacked, but both of them enjoyed hearing more about everyday life for this Pakistani girl in the first 2/3 of the book. They could not believe there were people out there who think girls shouldn't go to school. I think it made them more grateful that they have so many educational opportunities here.
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Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. MaasMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another fun ride. I liked that in this book, we got to SEE how Selena really is a skilled assassin, rather than just be TOLD that she is, like in the first book. I got tired of enigmatic magical people appearing in spirit form just long enough to give obscure but important guidance to Selena, and (forgive me but) I never cared about Nehemia. Overall, though, a satisfying adventure.
One last observation. Sometimes authors have tics that show through their writing, usually word choice (or muscles rippling through shirt fabric, as two of my friends pointed out about the first book). In this book, I noticed:
1. People being tired, exhausted, hungry, and dirty from fighting/dispatching enemies/magical beings, and all they want to do is go take a nap/eat/bathe, but instead they march off and take care of even MORE business.
2. People having hang-ups about changing their bedsheets.
3. People needing privacy but their own room is too many turrets away, so they find refuge in a broom closet.
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Heir of Fire by Sarah J. MaasMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Holy increase in plot complexity, Batman! I never ever ever ever would have imagined this was where Book 3 would end up. It makes Book 1 look like a joke! All those ball gowns and that silly romantic posturing! Ain't nobody got time for that in this book. And I loved it.
Two - nay, THREE - things that if you had told me beforehand were done well in this book, I would not have believed you:
1. A platonic male-female relationship that is oddly alluring...in a totally non-romantic way. It's bizarre, especially in a series like this that, until now, had been using swoon as a crutch.
2. A heartfelt bromance during which the words "I love you" are spoken and rather than being ridiculous, it makes you get a little sniffly.
3. Witches with nuance. The first witch chapter, I was like man, I am so skimming these parts. But they were some of the best parts of the book!
What on earth! Where did this book come from! It was like I was reading The Selection and all of a sudden Juliet Marillier busted in and was like, "I GOT THIS."
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