Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

Has is really been a whole month? Yikes.

Here's a looooong overdue review....

Life on the Refrigerator Door: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter by Alice Kuipers.

Review by Heather Walker of Life, Lessons, and Laughs

This is a delightful book. I was looking for an inspirational, thoughtful, and easy to read book, and I found it.

The book tells the story of the mother who is a single mom and an obstetrician, and the daughter, Claire, who is a young high school student. They rarely connect in person and instead heavily rely on notes on the refrigerator to communicate to each other. The notes unfold a journey that the mother and daughter go through. We see their struggles and their joys through the refrigerator.

While I didn't feel this book was incredibly original, the prose and notes are beautifully written and the characters come out through and shine. The book really is about the relationship, and this relationship is most poignant part of the story. I wanted Claire and her mother to get along, and when they had struggles, I felt for them. Whenever they fought, I felt for both sides of the argument.

While a bit sad, this book is definitely worthwhile. At the beginning, there is the poem "This Is Just to Say," by William Carlos Williams. That poem is a note on the refrigerator door that was found and determined to be poetry. This book has the same sort of quality to it--poetry is found in the notes on the refrigerator, and it is a beautiful story.

Recommended especially for girls in high school and mothers, though anyone can read it and be delighted.

Ages 10-12 and up.

Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM by Garth Nix

Review by Heather, regular contributor

Heather's Blog

Garth Nix is in the process of writing a seven-book series--The Keys to the Kingdom Series--and I wish I could read them all, but I will be patient while the author writes. The currently published books in the series are: Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, and Lady Friday. I have not yet had the opportunity to read Lady Friday, but I am excited to do so.

The series starts as Arthur Penhaligon has a severe asthma attack. He is supposed to die, but a mysterious Mister Monday gives him a large minute hand of a clock right before his death. The minute hand turns out to be a magical key that saves Arthur's life, but also makes it so he is the Rightful Heir to the House. The House, created by the Architect, is responsible for recording everything that happens in the Secondary Realms, but the House has started to interfere in the Realms in ways it shouldn't. The Architect has left and now there are seven evil leaders of the House, all of them assigned to a specific day.

Arthur must defeat each leader (starting with Mister Monday), gain control of the house, and stop it from interfering with the Secondary Realms. He does this aided by the Will of the Architect (the parts of which manifest themselves as different animals), Suzy Turquoise Blue, Leaf, and others.

The tension is high, especially as the series progresses. So many things go wrong with Arthur, yet he always ends up all right in the end. All he wants is to go back home and live an ordinary life, but the people of the House keep making this impossible. He doesn't want to be heroic or brave, and he goes about his adventures not fighting strongly, but just trying his best and doing whatever he feels is right for himself and for the people around him. Sometimes he is exasperated with the whole situation, but he continues to fight to save his family and his life on earth.

The books go in many different directions--the back of the book explains it well: "On the first day, there was mystery. On the second day, there was darkness. On the third day, there were pirates. On the fourth day, there was war. . ." and so on. All the books are packed with action, tension, enjoyable characters, humor, and emotion. The setting is quirky, eccentric, and original.

The books are fun to read and fun to experience, and you become genuinely worried whether the characters are going to turn out all right.This series is currently my favorite fantasy series of its type. I love reading these books and can't wait (though I'll have to) to read more.

Recommended Readers: 10 and up.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale Review Giveaway

Today is the start of 100 Week! We are celebrating our 100th review by spotlighting Shannon Hale all week. We will be posting reviews, an exclusive interview, and a book group discussion.



And GUESS WHAT? If you comment on ANY of the Shannon Hale posts this week, you will be entered into a drawing for one of two signed books by Mrs. Hale. You may enter as many times as you wish, but please make comments that are relevant to the posts. THANKS. Winners will be announced one week from today, on November 12, 2007. (Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you, a blog link or email addy.)





BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS by Shannon Hale

Review by Heather Walker
Heather Walker's Blog


I have read quite a few good reviews of Book of a Thousand Days, by the wonderful Shannon Hale so I was expecting good thing.

It was better than I could have ever hoped for. It was perfect.

The book follows Dashti, a lady's maid, and Lady Saren as they are locked up into the tower for seven years and their subsequent adventures as they try to survive in a war-ridden land.
It was a story that made you forget every story you have ever read before. I had no idea what was going to happen with the characters–I was reading something new and raw, with no expectations. I read as if it were the only book that existed in the world.
Why? Because of Dashti. Dashti is the author of the book. The book is her journal. I usually end up understanding characters, relating to them, and liking them. I loved Dashti. I loved her as if she were my best friend, as if she were my sister. As if she were real. I've read many books and stories where the characters are real, but I haven't loved them as I have loved Dashti. I loved Lady Saren as Dashti loved her. I knew these people and I became a part of their world.
The setting was magnificent. Gone with the Western norm, this was set in a world based off of Asia. Gone was the cliched magic of fantasy books. It was Shannon Hale magic in its best: subtle, gentle, feminine, beautiful.

The voice and tone were Dashti. The words were so different from what many books are, but the newness and rawness of the words became part of me. There was beauty, and there was deep, deep sadness in the book. I have never read a book that so adequately portrayed the sadness of life and war–it could have been real. This never seemed like a world of fiction, ever, it was real. Instead of pretty heroines with feisty attitudes, the book offered something heartfelt, real, and full of inner beauty.

I love Book of a Thousand Days. Wow. Wow. Wow. Please read it. It isn't an enjoyable, fun read. It isn't something that you laugh through and are entertained. You do laugh, but it is the deep laugh that comes from sadness. You cry, but it is because you are happy. You see these characters and you join them and can weep for them, laugh with them, and rejoice with them. This book is what any book should aspire to be.

Recommended readers: 12 and up. Some of the material is somewhat dark, involving death and tragedy (there is some kissing as well).

The original review was posted at: http://heatherwalker.wordpress.com/2007/09/22/book-of-a-thousand-days/