Skip to main content

Ticker by Lisa Mantchev

By
Brief synopsis (no spoilers)
Steampunk novel about a family of inventors, focusing on a young lady with a clockwork heart. Despite her fragile health, she has many adventures and is completely untamed.

 Category
YA Fiction

 Why I chose this book
Kindle First

 My personal opinion (the review)
This is my first steampunk novel, and I really enjoyed it. The guarded, proper behavior of society made the content clean, and the advanced technology wrapped in antiquated materials (no plastic anywhere) kept my imagination intrigued. I liked this enough to want to read prequels or sequels, but I don't know that it was enough to push me into a deep steampunk dive. I'll recommend it to my wife, though, who is a big fan of Jane Austen.

 Warnings
Language: none
Violence: not really
"Adult" situations: none
Death: a few, none graphic; the society is more casual with death (descriptions of family photos taken with cadavers)

 Movie rating equivalent
PG

 Protagonist description
Penny is dynamic and full of life. She's loud, but not overbearing or obnoxious. She steals the hearts of everyone around her.

 Point of view of story
First person (Penny)

 Book length
Medium

 Story flow
Excellent- no slow parts

 Grammar and spelling issues
None

 Character connection (no spoilers)
I'd like to see a sequel, and hear more about Violet and Nic

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

By
Summary: Every book needs you to turn the pages. But not every book needs you to tap it, shake it, jiggle it, or even blow it a kiss. Innovative and timeless, Tap the Magic Tree asks you to help one lonely tree change with the seasons. It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. (Amazon) Attention Span/reading level: Perfect for my three year old. I would say that ages 2-10 would really enjoy something like this. It really keeps kids engaged and makes them feel like part of the story. There is one word to one sentence per page. Good uses for book in teaching: Interaction, that the reader takes part in making the story, what a tree can do (leaves, blossoms, fruit) Favorite part:      Child: The fact that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh

By
Summary: Two mice make a teeter totter. Soon a frog comes along and wants to join. Can the mice balance all the friends who want to play with them? Attention Span/reading level: 3-6 years old, usually 5 or less words on a page Good uses for book in teaching: Balance, science Favorite part:      Child: When the frog joins in     Mine: That the mice keep playing at the end  Least favorite part: None:   W arnings/negative feedback: None.  Review: This is a really simple but fun way to introduce the idea of balancing and weight to kids. It's fun to show them how it must be equal on each side to balance. Showing that size can affect weight is shown on the page where all the animals are on one side with the big bird on the other. This could be a fun activity to replicate with toys if doing a science lesson at home. 
Post a Comment
Read more

The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury

By
Brief synopsis (no spoilers):  " Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic. But then she botches her audition and her dream comes to an abrupt and humiliating end—until the school agrees to give her a trial period. Amelia is determined to prove herself, vowing to do whatever it takes to become the perfect musician. Even if it means pretending to be someone she isn't. ​ Between a teacher who really dislikes her and a roommate who wants to see her expelled, life at Mystwick is harder than Amelia thought it would be. And that’s not even counting the mysterious something that’s starting to make the teachers worry. When supernatural powers threaten the school, can Amelia find the courage to be true to her herself, save Mystwick, and prove once and for all where she belongs?" Author's webpage Category: Middle Grades/J Fic. Why I chose this book: Free on Audible My personal ...
Post a Comment
Read more