Review: Sapphire Blue

Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

I had really enjoyed the first book in the "Edelstein Trilogie," Ruby Red. I finished the second book in the series, Sapphire Blue. I liked it and liked reading about Gwen and Gideon's adventures through time, but I enjoyed it slightly less than the first book.

Like Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue starts with a prologue that follows Lucy and Paul. Readers get a glimpse into their side of the story, and a few clues into the many mysteries in the book. Lucy and Paul are the two time travelers who are responsible for Gwen and Gideon's current task: finding all past time travelers and getting a few drops of their blood to put into the chronograph (the machine that helps the time travelers go back to specific time periods). Only a small amount of blood is needed, and most of the past time travelers are willing. There are a few who refuse, though, making a task that could be simple, difficult. There is also the part where Lucy and Paul stole one of two chronographs specifically to prevent all 12 time travelers from putting their blood in and closing "the circle of 12." They will not be donating their blood any time soon. If the circle is closed, it will reveal a secret that may or may not save the world. Save it from what, I don't know... but neither do the characters in the book. It's a secret, after all.

New Layout

As you can see, I have decided to redo the blog layout. There are still some things I need to work on, but so far I like it a lot more than the previous design. What do you think? Any suggestions?

Review: All Clear

All Clear by Connie Willis

I finally read All Clear by Connie Willis. It is the sequel to Blackout, which you may remember I read way back in March. The story is about historians who are from the year 2060 and travel back in time to World War II. In Blackout, The three main characters, Polly, Eileen and Mike, all started on different assignments and wanted to observe different parts of England in WWII. Eileen was in the country observing evacuated children, Mike went to Dunkirk to learn about heroism, and Polly went to London to see how people survived the Blitz. When each of these historians want to go back to 2060, the find that their drops -where they go to be transported back to the future- don't open. They are stuck in the past.

All Clear begins exactly where Blackout left off. The three historians have found each other and are trying to figure out how to get word to their retrieval teams (the people who are supposed to rescue them should anything bad happen) to let them know they are stuck and need to get out. The three end up writing ads in the news paper that will hopefully survive for historians in the future to find, letters to the editor and articles with their names and location coded in them.

Reading ChallengeS update

I have written and updated on the Semi-Charmed Winter Book Challenge that I am doing. It's fun and I am reading a lot of books that I have been meaning to scratch off my 'to-read' list. But I signed up for another reading challenge, too. The Good Reads book challenge. I did it last year, as well. All I did was set a goal of how many books I want to read this year, and try to finish. Last year my goal was 50, and I went past that by reading 62. This year, I am making my goal 70. It will be a lot of reading, but I have faith that I am a big enough book worm/nerd to get it all done. I have already read two books, after all. Only 68 to go! I added a widget so everyone can see my progress and check out which books I am reading. Below, I updated my stats on the Winter Book Challenge. 


Happy New Year!

Review: Ruby Red

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Everyone thinks that Charlotte is the one in the family to inherit the time travel gene. Her birth date was predicted by Sir Isaac Newton, after all, and he knew a thing or two about equations. As a result, she has spent her entire life training for time travel; she is fluent in several languages, is a history-wiz, and knows how to ride horses and fence. And she is the only one in the family who can tell her grandmother to mind her own business. But Charlotte does not inherit the gene. Her cousin, Gwyneth does.

Reading Challenge Update

Here is a list of all the book I have read for the Semi-Charmed Book Challenge so far (Points are in parentheses next to the books):

A Storm of Swords By George R.R. Martin (10)- Different Genres
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner  (10)- Different Genres
Divergent by Veronica Roth (5)- Author I never read before
Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (20)- Number in the title
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (15)- The ________'s Daughter
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (15)- Translation
The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore (20)- Holiday story
The Hobbit  by J.R.R. Tolkien (25)- Re-read this book

Total Points: 120 (200 to win!)

Review: Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour Bookstore

Mr. Penumnra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Simply put: I thought this book was awesome. I only wish I had a chance to read it before the author came to the library I intern at. It would have been fun to talk to him about the characters in Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore and not seem completely clueless (which I was). For details on why he was there, check out this link.

Clay is a currently unemployed graphic designer. In his desperation to enter the ranks of people with money, he stumbles into a book store and asks the old shop owner for a job. The question Clay has to answer before he gets the job is about what he likes to read, and then is hired for the night shift in the 24 hour bookstore. Employment: Achieved.