Middle Grade Book Challenge

Cindy from Cindy's Love of Books is hosting The Middle Grade Book Challenge this year. I read quite a few middle grade books together with my daughter so I have decided to join! Here is more info about this challenge:

Where: Cindy's Love of Books Include your name in the Linky
When: September 2010 to August 2011
What: Read 12 - 25 Middle Grade books, any genre (Books for ages 8 -12)

Do you read middle grade books? If you do, why not think of joining?

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Simply Scandinavian: Travelling in Time with Finnish Cuisine and Nature

Simply Scandinavian: Travelling in Time with Finnish Cuisine and Nature by Tero Kallio and Kimmo Saira
Raikas Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 978-9529996216
Publishing date: Nov 2010 2nd edition
Hardcover, 128 pages

This is a unique cookbook. It contains recipes with ingredients I’ve never heard of, a layout different from most cookbooks, and a collection of stunning nature photography.

The book format is large, 10 ¼ x 11 ¾, and the page layout is uncluttered with beautiful mouth-watering photographs of the dishes represented. The photos are not labelled though, and I would have liked to identify the places, flowers, plants and foods they depict.

The recipes are presented according to the seasons, starting with spring and ending with winter. For example, under each season heading you will find appetizers, main courses and desserts made from ingredients popular and available in that season. There are 40 recipes in total: 13 appetizers, 17 main courses and 10 desserts. Each recipe is accompanied by an introductory paragraph and ends with a selection of wine best suited for that dish.

The book begins with an introduction to Finland. I learned interesting facts about this country, among them that it contains one of the world’s largest archipelago and that almost every family has a sauna. It is a country close to the North Pole and much of the recipes reflect foods found from hunting in its forests, fishing in its lakes or known locally to the Finns.

The author chose Simply Scandinavian as a title for this cookbook because the recipes are uncomplicated and require only a few basic ingredients. The problem I encountered as I read each recipe is that sometimes I had no clue what the basic ingredients were or I could not find them at my local grocery store or food market, such as reindeer, nettle, birch sap, false morel (mushroom), mallard, smoked vendace, sal ammoniac, beestings, cep (mushroom), cloudberries, viili, lingonberries, blini, etc.

Although I find this book is not practical for me and my family, it is clear that care has been taken to produce a quality cookbook with traditional and modern Scandinavian gourmet recipes. This book would make an excellent addition to the repertoire of any chef or amateur gourmet cook. I will attempt to adapt some of the recipes because I have no doubt they are delicious. And perhaps if I find the missing ingredients at a specialty shop, I will have the pleasure of tasting Scandinavian cooking.

Disclosure: Thanks to Katelynn Knutson from Greenleaf Book Group LLC for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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Mailbox Monday (39)

It's time for Mailbox Monday, a fun meme created by Marcia at The Printed Page. It has now gone on tour and for the month of September will be hosted by Kathy at Bermudaonion's Weblog. (If you want to join in on the fun, just click and see what others have received in their mailboxes.) Two great books this week!

The Momnificent Life: Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms by Lori Radun (ReviewTheBook.com)

Authentic and empowering, The Momnificent! Life ~ Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms by Lori Radun is an important work of nonfiction, which can play a significant role in creating healthy families based on the concept that mothers are role models and that the path to a happy family begins with a happy mother. Prepare to be inspired, get ready to celebrate balance and begin learning how to create your own support network using savvy concrete advice on money, time and health management, not to mention a number of clear directives on how to have fun.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman ( bought at Amazon.ca)


The Princess Bride is a true fantasy classic. William Goldman describes it as a "good parts version" of "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure." Morgenstern's original was filled with details of Florinese history, court etiquette, and Mrs. Morgenstern's mostly complimentary views of the text. Much admired by academics, the "Classic Tale" nonetheless obscured what Mr. Goldman feels is a story that has everything: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles."
Goldman frames the fairy tale with an "autobiographical" story: his father, who came from Florin, abridged the book as he read it to his son. Now, Goldman is publishing an abridged version, interspersed with comments on the parts he cut out.

So what did you get in your mailbox last week?

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Kid Konnection: Boredom Blasters: Brain Bogglers, Awesome Activities, Cool Comics, Tasty Treats and More... by Helaine Becker

Boredom Blasters: Brain Bogglers, Awesome Activities, Cool Comics, Tasty Treats and More... by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Claudia Davila (Rated: C)
Maple Tree Press
ISBN: 978-1897066034
Published Sept 15, 2004
Trade Paperback, 160 pages, Ages: 8-12

I hear my kids giggling and talking in the living room, and for over an hour they are occupied without … fighting, whining, complaining or tears… Mmmm… seems too good to be true. I peek in. Ah yes, I see the Boredom Blasters book in their hands. How many times have my kids told me they LOVE this book? Every time I asked what they thought of it!

Being 6 and 9, my kids love exploring, doing arts and crafts, telling jokes, playing games, learning new things, doing puzzles and cooking with me. Well, this book has it all. It's ideal for them. Even though my 6 year-old can't read it, he does the activities with his sister, so the added advantage is that they cooperate and play together.

This paperback book (fits well into a purse or small backpack) is divided into four sections: Awesome Activities, Yummy Things to Make and Eat, Brain Bogglers and Games, Games, Games. The pages are visually stimulating with wacky illustrations and colourful designs. My kids loved the Silly Kid Tricks, the Opticklers, the Cool Comics, the Slapstick Story Time and so much more; 160 pages filled with entertaining, cool stuff.

I found this book unique and got caught up with the kids in exploring it. Most of the brain bogglers and activities were new to me; actually I found them innovative. This is not your typical activity book. It teaches children various things while having fun. It makes children use their brains (math, logic, decoding, language and science games) in ways they probably haven’t before. Are you stuck in finding ideas for your kid’s next party? Do you have a reluctant reader? This is the perfect book to get kids reading and having fun together.

Now, if I see boredom creeping up, I tell the kids to grab their Boredom Blasters book and try out a new activity. Before long, I hear laughter and then, “Hey Mom, look at this!” Highly recommended!

Every Saturday, Booking Mama hosts a feature called Kid Konnection—a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, visit Booking Mama.

Disclosure: Thanks to Kendal Gerard from Maple Tree Press for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall

The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall (Rated: P: mild, S)
Berkley Publishing Group
ISBN: 978-0-425-23423-5
Published: August 7, 2010
Trade Paperback, 410 pages

Reviewed by Sandra

I can rarely resist a book that either contains the name St. Petersburg in the title or promises a good tale with that city as its backdrop. I wasn’t disappointed as Kate Furnivall wove a tale of intrigue, treachery, loyalty, rebellion and love in pre-revolution Russia.

It is 1910 and Tsar Nicholas Romanov sits on the throne and as the narrative states, “he was the wrong man at the wrong time.” Weak, indecisive, oblivious to the plight of his people, his primary interest in life is his wife, the Tsarina, his 4 daughters and the heir to the throne, Alexei. While ordinary Russians are starving, he, his family, and most of the aristocrats live in opulent surroundings, including the heroine of the story, Valentina Ivanova. She charms the high society of St. Petersburg with both her beauty and her talent for piano. However, to her credit, Valentina wants desperately to be useful, not just spending her days drinking tea, shopping for new dresses and going to balls. Above all, she wants to take care of her younger sister, Katya, who was injured when a bomb exploded at their home.

The bomb attack was orchestrated by the Bolsheviks who were against all aristocrats. To enable her to care for her sister, Valentina becomes a nurse, much to the dismay of her overbearing father and delicate, elegant mother. Moreover, Valentina is expected to make a “good” marriage to a wealthy fellow Russian, a soldier in the Tsar’s army. Enter middle-class, Danish engineer, Jens Friis. Sparks begin to fly, not only between him and Valentina, but also between Stepan Chernov, the man her parents want her to marry. All of this happens as Russian peasants experience food shortages, rising prices, bitter resentment against the Tsar and growing revolutionary fervor.

The author uses excellent descriptions throughout the book. For instance, early on in the story, just after the bomb attack at Valentina’s home, the author writes, “the smoke was pouring out, swallowing the house in greedy gulps.” Referring to the wealthy, “Russians love to display their wealth as ostentatiously as peacocks unfurl their gaudy tails.” Referring to a fireplace, the author says “the fire muttered like an old man in the corner.” Furnivall uses such rich descriptive words that not only do we marvel at her ability, but these descriptions make the reader feel part of the scenes.

There is good character development of the main protagonists. We see Valentina grow in sympathy and understanding of the poor, prompting her to work on their behalf; we like the personality of Jens as he fights for Valentina’s love and shows his concern for the Russian people; we dislike Stepan’s uncaring attitude toward human life as he kills innocent Russians in the name of the Tsar. The reader is held in suspense to the end of the novel – will they all survive as rebellion and revolution swirl around them?

There are some expletives as well as two sexual scenes, but these are neither explicit nor unsavory.

This book kept me enthralled from the first sentence to the last. I recommend it for people who enjoy historical fiction set in the time of the ill-fated Romanovs.

For more information about this book, please visit Penguin.ca. The link will lead you directly to this book's page.

Disclosure: Thanks to Bronwyn Kienapple from Penguin for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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For the King's Favor by Elizabeth Chadwick

For the King's Favor by Elizabeth Chadwick (Rated: S)
Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 978-1402244490
Published September 7, 2010
Trade Paperback, 544 pages

After reading rave reviews about Elizabeth Chadwick’s books, I now understand why she is so well loved by fans of medieval historical fiction. She effortlessly weaves intricate political intrigue and chivalry into her stories filled with historical figures she brings to life. I simply loved her characters!

For the King’s Favor is based on the true story of Ida de Tosney, the young mistress of King Henry II and the man she chooses to marry, Roger Bigod, an honourable man who patiently waits for the earldom he is to inherit. The story spans almost twenty years from when Ida is seduced at a young age and becomes the King’s mistress against her will (a role she is ashamed of) to when her family and happiness are complete after being married to Roger for eighteen years.

There is plenty of action and romance in this novel. Chadwick follows the political events of the time and how they affect Ida and Roger who are closely tied to the royal court. Ida gives birth to a son by the king before she marries Roger and the heartrending choice she has to make when she leaves the court to start a new life with Roger plagues her throughout her life. Roger’s stepbrothers and stepmother continuously fight him over the issue of the inheritance of the earldom since Roger’s father annulled his first marriage in which Roger was conceived. (I was surprised at the ease in which people could do this—annul a marriage even after the conception of children. I suppose it was similar to divorce but without the stigma?)

These conflicts are well developed in the story and are enhanced by the fragility of court relationships, which can instantly change or reverse depending on the whims of those in power. Although Roger was loyal to the king, the evil Longchamp (Bishop of Ely) never lost an opportunity to sow doubts, posing a threat, as did the stepbrothers. This is what led me to believe the plot would thicken and something awful or momentous was going to happen to threaten Roger’s alliance with the king and thus his chances of gaining his earldom. I was waiting for Longchamp or his brothers to plot against him since Chadwick did such a marvellous job of building believable characters and plunging the reader right into the world of political betrayal. When this did not happen and Chadwick chooses to follow the chronological life of Roger and Ida as depicted historically, I was somewhat disappointed.

However, this does not take away from the fact that I enjoyed reading this novel. I want to mention that this book includes explicit sex scenes, tastefully described, except for one scene with a prostitute that was disturbing, and with details I could have done without. The main characters Ida and Roger are loyal to one another, love each other and their children, and their story is a good one. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will undoubtedly want to read this one. Well written, full of royal intrigue, with likable and not-so-likable characters you’ll love to hate, this novel is sure to please.

Disclosure: Thanks to Danielle Jackson from Sourcebooks for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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Giveaway: $60 Gift Certificate from CSN Stores!

Take a break from your reading and blogging and enter this $60 gift certificate giveaway courtesy of CSN Stores. Never heard of CSN Stores? They are one of the biggest online stores where you can find practically anything, from bedroom furniture sets to shoes, bags and kid's stuff. Entering is easy. Just follow the rules:

Giveaway rules: Read carefully. If you are not a follower or do not leave an email address your entry will be disregarded.

1. Open to Canadian and US residents.
2. Must be a follower of this blog, new or current. Click on Google Friend Connect found on the right sidebar to follow or state if you are already following and under which name.
4. Leave a comment with your email address. For example: laura (at) aol (dot) com
5. For an extra entry post this giveaway on your blog (on the sidebar) and leave me the link.
6. Giveaway ends September 13, 2010.

I love hearing from my readers, so I will reward those who take the time to visit and comment. For every comment you make on all posts published from now to September 13, an extra entry will be added for this giveaway!

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