FTC Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher

Tim Powers is one of a few authors whose works I collect and keep in my home library. I couldn’t wait to read Hide Me Among The Graves, especially with its connections to The Stress of Her Regard. I highly recommend reading them back to back to get the full effect of the ‘secret history’ Powers has created. The Stress of Her Regard came back into print in 2008, it shouldn’t be too hard to find.

You could read Graves on its own, but not having the backstory for some of the characters and their motivations may make it harder to follow some plotlines. Since you’re going to become a Tim Powers fan (if you aren’t one already), might as well get both books.

I admire the author’s skill at infusing historical fact with fictional elements instead of the other way around. It’s refreshing to read a book whose uniqueness is not only in its narrative, but the care taken to craft a story that never fails to entertain. The world he creates becomes frighteningly believable. His characters have a depth and complexity that you’d usually see in literary fiction, and works well in this story of phantoms and vampires.

If you haven’t read any Tim Powers, may I recommend The Anubis Gates and On Stranger Tides in addition to The Stress of Her Regard and Hide Me Among The Graves. Then you’ll truly see how gifted this author is in melding genres or really, transcending them. He writes for the story, not the niche it’s supposed to belong in.

I like that. And you will too.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
ISBN: 9780765318411
A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty and Associates, LLC
Science Fiction/Steampunk/Alternative History

Dreadnought by Cherie Priest
ISBN: 978076532785
A Tor Book, published by Tom Doherty and Associates, LLC
Science Fiction/Steampunk/Alternative History

FTC Disclosure: I own both of them and they look great on my shelves!

Whether you’re familiar with steampunk or not, this is an author who represents  it so well, I have no problem recommending her novels as an introduction to this sub-genre of science fiction.

The unique aspect, for me at least, with these novels is the horror element. Who thought zombies could work so well in an alternative history novel? Well, it does!

Boneshaker and Dreadnought are books 1 and 3 respectively in the Clockwork Century stories. Unfortunately, the second Clementine, a short novel, is only available as an eBook as far as I can tell.

The books don’t need to be read in order, although I recommend reading Boneshaker first to help set the tone, and offer a better understanding of the Clockwork Century.

What struck me about the writing and stories is how quickly I became involved, especially with Boneshaker. The strength of this novel is its characters and the setting.

Dreadnought is a different read. If you can refrain from trying to compare the two, and read each, and judge each, singularly, then they are equally excellent reads. Despite being set in the same century and having characters appearing in both, they are as unique, and similar as siblings – not twins.

There is no cookie cutter formula used here to develop this series of novels. I love the fact that the author has no fear in giving her characters and their stories a quality unique to each.

Another love was that each book has a female protagonist that is not stereotypical and has strengths and faults that make them easy to like. My only gripe may be that the supporting characters in Boneshaker had a stronger presence and more impact on the reader than in Dreadnought.

I think this is because the author told the story in Boneshaker from the point of view of two people and Dreadnought from only one person. This would affect the development of the story and its characters as it all has to be told in a way that is more limiting.

However, it’s still successful. It took no more than two days to read each book. And both times I was up to the wee hours of the morning finishing them because I couldn’t put them down.

In fact, they were such fun and great reads, I am going to find it nearly impossible to wait until September when Ganymede is released.

These books are adult fiction, but would be fine for older teenagers. There is no heavy romance, but there is violence as there is a horror element in each. Not too gory, and never gratuitous.

Whether you are a steampunk fan or not, these books are worth a spot on your shelves or eReader. Definitely.

1978 Newbery Medal winner; ALA Notable Children’s Book

FTC Disclosure: Borrowed from the library

There are several reasons I decided to read children’s books. Primarily it’s because I need to better understand the children’s area at work. This means understanding what books or type of books are appropriate for a child at any particular reading level.

For me, this understanding comes from not just reading about the books, but actually reading them.

In addition, it’s a book that has made the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books list for the last two decades. And as some of you know, championing the freedom to read is a passion of mine.

I’m not sure if it’s because I haven’t read children’s books since I was, well -  a child. But I had difficulty with the first part of the book. I had to keep reminding myself to lower my literary expectations in regards to the tone of the narrative. And I don’t mean this in a negative way. This is a children’s book, so I can’t expect the voice of the story to be as mature as the fiction I’m used to reading.

The only other issue, and it was minor, was the amount of similes used. It took some getting used to. However, once past the first few hurdles, mostly of my own making, I started to enjoy myself.

I found myself drawn into Jess and Leslie’s world and issues. They resonated with childhood memories and feelings. We all remember the pressures put upon us as we grew up, the ones asking us to be responsible, to be what others wanted us to be (whether perceived or actual), and how this causes a struggle as we seek to find our own identity when peer pressure to conform is at its strongest.

This book is about primarily about friendship, but its more important aspect is how children learn to cope with fear and loss: both emotional and physical. One of those ways is through creativity and imagination.

Terabithia then comes to be more than an imaginary kingdom. It’s symbolic of a greater purpose. The most important aspect of that kingdom is the bridge needed to cross the turbulent waters of childhood to get there. The bridge to Terabithia is the one built between reality and imagination, between conformity and individualism.

I highly recommend this as an addition to your home library. I also recommend reading the book first or with your child in order to be able to discuss any questions he or she might have. There is a sad part, and if unprepared, it may be upsetting.

If you are an educator, or an interested parent, Scholastic has a page that will explain better the benefits this book has to offer.