Thursday’s Tale: Cinderella and the Furry Slippers by Davide Cali

by Carol2 Comments
This is a modern twist on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Cinderella, per usual, spends her days cleaning and doing her stepmother's and sisters' hair. She sees the prince in a magazine and dreams coming to save her. When she finds out he's having a ball, she calls up a fairy godmother and makes an appointment. That's when it all starts to go awry. The godmother is not what she expects - and neither are the clothes. Even the ball is disappointing, and the prince - well, let's just say he was more attractive in the magazine. So she makes her own happy ending. I like the girl-power feel of this one, and the illustrations are bright and funny. I think this would make a good book to read aloud to any little girl, reinforcing that a girl can be whatever she wants to. And that pictures in magazines aren't always realistic. Thursday's Tales is a weekly event here at Carol's Notebook....
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The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

by Carol3 Comments
I really liked The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, but I don't have much to say about it. Do you ever run into that problem. For the most part, we're hanging out with the crew of the Wayfarer who are an awesome group of "people" - humans and other species, even a sentient AI. They are wormhole tunnelers, which is can be tough, but this newest job is the chance of a lifetime. Often, it seems like sci-fi is about the politics or the weapons or the conflict, whatever it is. In The Long Way, all those things exist, but it's more about how the crew are a family, how they face the big issues. We tag along on their adventures in ports or planets where friends live. We worry with them when they face a crisis, but know it will work out, because together they can handle most anything. I became attached to them all. I may have...
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WTF by Cathy Yardley

by Carol1 Comment
Amber and I were talking yesterday about what makes me a geek - because I'm obviously a geek. Just the fact that I write book reviews for fun probably qualifies me, but add in our weekly board game night and the fact that we literally had a 45 minute discussion on monster types the other day and there's little doubt. But I don't have any geeky female friends like the women of Geek Actually. I do wish I had a group of friends like them. In this episode, we meet all the women and learn a bit about where they're at in their lives. We see their jobs, husbands and lovers. It's fun and sexy but it also touches on some heavier topics  like body image and sexism. I love the diverse cast of characters and people who I have something in common with (not that I ever go out of my way to swing by a PokeStop). I have read serial...
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The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi

by Carol2 Comments
The Collapsing Empire is my first Scalzi book, but since it's the first in a new series in a new world that wasn't a problem.  I have to say I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was getting good review and I needed an audio for the Sci-Fi Readathon. Now, I'm a little upset that I have to wait for the next in the series, which, at least according to Goodreads, isn't expected until 2019. :( The Flow has allowed humans to build a far-flung empire, the Interdependency. The Interdependency is set up so that all the colonies must depend on each other, hence the name. The problem is the flow is changing, moving, becoming inaccessible - outposts will be cut-off, unable to send or receive supplies or people. Eventually, it's going to be a matter of survival, but now it's a political issue, one that the brand-new Emperox has to handle. It's clearly the first in...
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Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

by Carol4 Comments
Around the World in 80 Days was pretty much what I expected. Phileas Fogg makes a bet with his friends that he can travel around the world in 80 days and sets off with his newly-hired servant, Passepartout. Fogg is a calm, organized, rich man, and nothing throws him. It's basically his money that lets him accomplish his aim. Passepartout has most of the adventures. It's really more about the race against the clock than experiencing the countries they were travelling through. The story was first published in 1872 and it's attitudes toward native cultures are definitely dated. It was interesting to see the view of the America West at that time, though. The blurb makes it sound a bit more exciting than it is. Fogg is a bit too reserved, while Passepartout worries about everything that comes up, we know Fogg will make it work. He is too unflappable. In all honesty, Passepartout is my favorite character. He's the one out in...
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The Freedom Broker by K. J. Howe

by Carol3 Comments
I have to admit, I really enjoyed this action adventure/mystery novel. Thea's job is get back people who have been kidnapped, whether through negotiation or rescue operations, and she's good at it. So when her father is kidnapped she can't trust anyone but her team to get him back. Of course, it's not simple. We've got arms dealers and African politicians and oil magnates all vying for power, with her father smack dab in the middle of it. And we've got a love interest for Thea. It's got a lot going on, but exciting and fast-paced. Thea's a great character, smart, tough, and skilled. She's also a bit blinded by her feelings toward her family. This is one of those instances where the reader knows a lot more about what's going on than the protagonist, but even at that there are a few surprising twists. The author has clearly done her research into kidnappings and hostage situations. I also appreciated that Thea is...
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