“The Three Army Surgeons” by The Brothers Grimm

by Carol2 Comments
"The Three Army Surgeons" by the Brothers Grimm Over the last year or so, I've learned that fairy tales are not all sweet and light, some are downright gruesome and nasty. Today's choice, a new one to me, certainly falls in the second category. Three surgeons "who thought they knew their art perfectly" were traveling and stopped at an inn to stay the night. The innkeeper asks them to prove what they can do. They each state that they will cut off a body part, a hand, heart, and eye respectively, and reattach them in the morning.  The innkeeper believes that that will indeed prove that they know everything, but the surgeons actually carry a salve with them that joins body part together. Each of the surgeons cuts off the body part. The pieces are put on a platter and given to the servant, who placed it in the cupboard. During the night, though, the servant girl's lover, a soldier, comes and she...
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BBAW – Fourth Treasure

by Carol8 Comments
Sure we’ve all read about Freedom and Mockingjay but we likely have a book we wish would get more attention by book bloggers, whether it’s a forgotten classic or under marketed contemporary fiction.  This is your chance to tell the community why they should consider reading this book! I was looking through my list of "5-star books" that I've read over the last few years, seeing what treasures I found there that I wish would get more attention. Here's a few I found that I loved when I first read them. They each have quirky characters and outrageous plots, even the non-fiction choice. Pipsqueak by Brian M. Wiprud New York City taxidermy collector Garth Carson was seconds away from snagging the greatest find of his career-the original Pipsqueak the Nutty Nut, stuffed-squirrel puppet star of his favorite 1950s kiddie TV show-until a biker, a brawny redhead, and a murder derailed his dreams and stole...
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Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson

by Carol10 Comments
Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a "medieval noir," but I do have a fondness for historical mysteries and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Now I know little to nothing about London in 1384, so I'm not going to comment on the historical accuracy. I will say that the setting felt real to me, was an integral part of the story. London is a dark, grimy, dangerous place, if you're not one of the upper class. And Crispin Guest is no longer one of the privileged few. He used to be a knight, but accused of treason he was stripped up everything and only saved from being killed by an old friend. Now, Crispin known as The Tracker, down on his luck and making whatever money he can by finding things for those willing to pay for his services. He is hired by a wealthy merchant for a job that should be quick and...
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BBAW – Third Treasure

by Carol9 Comments
What book or genre have I tried due to the influence of another blogger?  What made me cave in to try something new and what was the experience like? I'm sure there are a bunch of books that I would never have heard of it weren't for being involved in the blogging community, like Last Night in Montreal and The Ace of Spades, two books that are very different from each other but that I truly enjoyed. I think blogging has just made me more aware of the variety that's out there, of new releases, of oldies but goodies that I've missed along the way. One of those classics that I never would have heard of had it not been for other bloggers was The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. To be honest, I'm not sure how I could never have run across it before, but when I finally read it last year I loved it. What's a book or genre...
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Where the Steps Were by Andrea Cheng

by Carol2 Comments
Where the Steps Were by Andrea Cheng (The suggested age range this is marketed to is grades 2-4, but I'm not sure if they would really get it or connect with the format. I read it by myself, so this review is from my point of view as an adult with a child in elementary school.) I found this book of free verse poems through the eyes of five third-graders touching, revealing, beautiful. Cheng truly captures the thoughts, dreams, fears and worries of a group of third graders spending their last year at Pleasant Hill Elementary. The five students, Dawn, Kayla, Jonathan, Anthony, and Carmen, are all in Miss D.'s class and they adore here. She teaches lessons about the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Harriet Tubman, and the kids relate, witnessing racism and oppression in their own lives. Each of the children are individuals dealing with issues common to all third graders, like friendships, family relationships and the...
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