ReadingGrrls Paper Safari

Title:   The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey Publisher: Hachette Book Group 408 pages Genre: Dystopian/sci fi/ fantasy I received an advanced e-copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for a fair review.  Synopsis:  Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius." Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh. Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children's cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad. Review:  This book is not at all what I expected, I'm not sure what I expected but it...

  Title:   Some people have two Mums by Fabri Kramer & Luca Panzini  &  Some people have two Dads by Luca Panzini & Fabri Kramer Publisher: Somefamilies.net 36 pages Genre: Children's books (lgbt families) Synopsis: Some People Have Two Mums: Milo is a happy little boy with two mums. We follow him through his bedtime routine and learn how his mothers were helped by a donor to bring Milo into their lives. Some People Have Two Dads:  It's Daisy's birthday and her two dads give her a portrait of their family. She asks them to tell her about her birth story and afterward she proudly shows off her family portrait to her friends. An increasing number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples are having children through surrogacy, co-parenting, donor and adoption. The Some Families books have been written to show that families come in many different combinations. Every child deserves a book that reflects their lives. At some po...

Title:   One of Us by Tawni O'Dell Publisher: Gallery Books 304 pages Genre: Thriller I received an advanced e-copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for a fair review. It is due to be released August 19, 2014. Synopsis:  Dr. Sheridan Doyle—a fastidiously groomed and TV-friendly forensic psychologist—is the go-to shrink for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office whenever a twisted killer’s mind eludes other experts. But beneath his Armani pinstripes, he’s still Danny Doyle, the awkward, terrified, bullied boy from a blue-collar mining family, plagued by panic attacks and haunted by the tragic death of his little sister and mental unraveling of his mother years ago. Returning to a hometown grappling with its own ghosts, Danny finds a dead body at the infamous Lost Creek gallows where a band of rebellious Irish miners was once executed. Strangely, the body is connected to the wealthy family responsible for the miners' deaths. Teamin...

Title:  And She Was: A Novel of Suspense (Brenna Spector Novel) by Alison Gaylin Publisher: Harper 389 pages Genre: Mystery/suspense Synopsis: Brenna Spector, a missing persons investigator afflicted with Hyperthymestic Syndrome, a rare disorder that enables her to remember every moment of every day of her life. A twisting mystery, both chilling and surprising, And She Was sets the haunted investigator on the trail of a missing child who vanished more than a decade earlier—a case with disturbing echoes in Brenna’s own scrupulously remembered past. Review: This book reminded me of the show "Unforgettable" in fact I was wondering if the TV show was based on this book but it wasn't, it was based on another book very similar to this one. This was a good quick read.  The characters were interesting and believable, the dialogue kept me interested but the drifting off into different time lines did get a bit clunky at times.  The play between Brenna and her assistan...

Title:   Finding A Family: A Journey Through Infertility and Adoption by Tina Nelson Publisher: Nelson Novels 45 pages Genre: Adoption, Embryo Adoption Synopsis: One couple takes you on a compelling journey through their infertility and snowflake adoption story. Their struggle highlights the value of families and faith. An insightful read for anyone dealing with infertility or helping someone who is. Review: Tina and her husband struggled with infertility, the tried adoption but waited for years with no results when Tina heard about a new option, Embryo adoption. They contacted an agency and decided to give this a try.  Through Embryo adoption Tina and her husband were able to experience pregnancy and give birth to twins. Tina and her husband are very religious and rely on their faith to get them through this difficult period in their lives.  They felt that their Heavenly Father would see them through and enable them to have children and raise a family.  ...

Title:   10 Adoption Essentials: What You Need to Know About Open Adoption (Guide to a Healthy Adoptive Family, Adoption Parenting, and Relationships) by Russell Elkins Publisher: Alcha Publishing 36 pages Genre: Adoption Synopsis:  These are the ten things you wish you knew before choosing adoption—the things adopted kids wish their adoptive parents knew before making the adoption decision. Many people begin to consider adopting a child without understanding how much adoption has changed over recent years. That’s understandable. The concept of having a relationship between birth parents and the adoptive family is still foreign to a lot of people. While open adoption has become increasingly more common, the tragedy is that so many hopeful adoptive parents don’t understand how their life will change once birth parents become part of the picture. Too many adoptions start out open only to close communication when things get difficult. Every open adoption is unique and com...

Title:   Princess Pink and the Land of Fake-Believe #1: Moldylocks and the Three Beards (A Branches Book) - by Noah Z. Jones Publisher: Scholastic 72 pages Genre: Beginning reader Grades 1-2 I received a free copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review Synopsis: This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow! In the Land of Fake Believe, Princess meets a strange girl named Moldylocks. When Princess's stomach grumbles, Moldylocks takes her to the home of the Three Beards. The girls sit in the Beards' chairs, eat their chili, and jump on their beds. The Three Beards are not happy when they get home--and they are very, very hungry! Will Moldylocks and Princess go into the chili pot? With e...