This was over all a fun read, though at times felt a little slow.

In my opinion, it felt like it was missing a lot of details and actions. I could not get a clear picture of the surroundings or characters. However the descriptions of the bones and dinosaurs was handled really well.

I liked the main character. She was spunky, spoke up for herself and knew what she wanted to be and didn't let stuffy scientist guys stop her.

This is a fictional take on what if a little girl discovered some of the most known dinosaurs. The story was cute, there was segments that told the true facts of the dinosaurs she discovered, which I found really neat.

Any dino loving kid sound read this and hopefully it turns into a series of kids doing great things.

But, let's forget about age; anyone who enjoys middle grade may like this book. It is well written and if you like diary format, that is a plus. I also want to point out that I loved the artwork by Sarah Horne.

*Provided by Netgally*

 Books Read: 6

The Ersatz Elevator, The Vile Village, The Hostile Hospital: I'm continuing A Series of Unfortunate Events, hoping to finish by the end of this month. Sunny, Klaus, and Violet begin to investigate the VFD after the loss of the Quagmire triplets. At the end of The Vile Village the series breaks off from it's usual search for a guardian for the siblings and leaves them to fend for themselves completely. 4 1/2 stars.

Champagne For One, Black Orchids, The Silent Speaker: I stated last week in my round-up that going back and re-reading the Nero Wolfe books I enjoyed them even more than the first time, this continues to be accurate. Champagne For One is my favorite of the three I've finished this week (5 stars), Black Orchids comes in second (4 1/2 stars), and The Silent Speaker comes last (3 1/2 stars).

Ongoing Reads: 1

The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Reveled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime: I'm still working my way through this. Reading this, I have to say, not much has changed in regards to how people behave during and after a murder investigation.

 At twenty-five, Len Shields had it all, a promising medical career, a loving family, amazing friends, and her brother back from his time in the Navy. Everything was perfect—until the first letter…

At twenty-seven, Dante De Luca was finally finished with his time in the Navy and was starting his new career at Seal Security with his buddies from the service. Everything was finally settling into place for him—until the phone call…

Now the hunt is on to find a stalker that could shatter everything Len and Dante have been building…including the love they have for each other. When they both finally admit their feelings for each other, the worst happens…will they ever get their one more time?

 S. Van Horne was born and raised in the small town of Belton, Missouri, which is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. She’s from a very large family and is the oldest of six. Growing up, she didn’t have the easiest life. She learned quickly that family means everything, even if it’s the type that you get to pick for yourself.

She met the love of her life at the early age of twenty and was married just after nine months of meeting him. Shortly after marriage, her husband rejoined the U.S. Navy and they moved from Kansas City and started their journey together. Currently they have two amazing children, a boy and a girl, and are still enjoying the Navy life.

She spends her days being a wife, mom, reading books, writing her latest novel, watching her beloved Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals, watching movies, hanging out with family and friends and having girls’ day at least once a month.

1.What literary pilgrimages have you gone on? 
I have only been on one so far. I have went to visit Forks WA. I went and spent a four day weekend with a friend and her mom visiting all the places that are mentioned in the Twilight Series. It was just like the book said it was. I’m looking forward to a few more that are currently in the works with other friends.

2. What is the first book that made you cry?
I honestly don’t remember. I have been reading since I was around four years old. I have read about a book a day since then.

3. Does writing energize or exhaust you?
A bit of both. If I’m really into writing and my flow is going well… I find that I have energy. Now, if it is the opposite I find that I get so tired trying to force something. I have learned that those days I just need to step back and read a book or watch a movie.

4. What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Thinking it is easy and that your book will do amazing. I was blessed to have been told by two experienced authors from the beginning that it isn’t easy and that my book would take a while to get out there. I knew that was the case but it was good to hear too.

5. What is your writing Kryptonite?
Not having coffee on hand, or something sweet. I don’t know why because I’m not a big sweet eater but I have to have both to write or it just doesn’t work. Another, day time writing. I have found that I write better in the afternoons/nights. 

6. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
Both… Honestly, I want my readers to like my work, any author wants that, but I write for me. I write what my characters tell me. I can just pray that the readers like it. 

7. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
My books are standalones but they are connected as well. I like series and like learning about the characters from the books I have read and wanted to do that with my books. I don’t like cliffhangers. I will buy them but wait to read them until the series is complete. Based on these feelings I decided I won't be writing cliffhangers. 

8. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Stay true to yourself and your beliefs. Never compromise or change just for the sake of selling a book or joining the “in” crowd. 

9. What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
EDITORS! That was the best money I have ever spent so far. I hate grammar.

10. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
Haha… I learned that honestly, authors don’t have a right to voice their opinions on something. Once you’re in the public eye… no matter what you have to keep your opinions to yourself. 

11. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Cup of coffee with a heart in it. Spirit animal… it has always been a white tiger.

12. What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?
I owe them a lot. Without them I’m not sure I would be writing. 

13. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I actually do research before I begin and while I’m writing. How long? Well, as long as it takes until I have the right information. 

14. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?
Nope. But it is great therapy. 

15. How many hours a day do you write?
Depends on the flow of my writing that day. The shortest I’ve ever spent writing was fifteen minutes before I realized it just wasn’t coming to me. The longest… ten hours. 

16. What period of your life do you find you write about most often? (child, teenager, young adult)
Mostly my adult time. I would like to write more of a personal book about my challenges growing up. But that is something for another time :)

17. How do you select the names of your characters?
They are all real people in my life. The last names are the only names I have made up.


18. If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
I would of went back and gotten my RN license. 

19. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Yep, I sure do LOL 
Good Reviews: I smile and feel encouraged to continue to write. 
Bad Reviews: Depends on what it is. If it is just a simple, “I don’t like it.” Well, there isn’t much I can do with that. Now if it is constructive criticism and outlines issues they had. I actually read them and see what I can do to make it better in the next book. 

20. Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Yep :) And not telling <3

21. Do you Google yourself?
Nope, I have never googled myself once I started writing. Before… yep I did. Now, this question makes me want to google myself.

22. What is your favorite childhood book?
Where the Sidewalk Ends… Love love love that book.

23. What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Outlining the book. I hate doing it but I know I have to do it to get the book written.

24. Does your family support your career as a writer?
Yes. They are without a doubt my biggest cheerleaders I have and I am so blessed to have that. My husband reads my books and even helps me plot it out. 

25. Do you believe in writer’s block?
Yeah… stupid writer’s block. 

 

'Lucifer with a Book' follows a year at The Academy, a remarkable institution that was founded on the idea that education is a refuge for the mind and should be available to everyone. By the late 1940s, however, The Academy shows a disturbing shift towards conservatism of an almost fascist kind, blind patriotism, psychoanalysis either condemns or apologizes for everyone, and is possessed of a faculty composed of toadies or worn-out defeatists all because of the self-interest and poor management of the principal. The Academy just might be a metaphor for someplace. Prompted by public opinion, Mr. Pilkey's brought on a bright but angry veteran to teach history. This new teacher objects to the direction the principal is taking the school, leading to conflict.

Two things stand out about 'Lucifer': its bitterness and its overt sexuality. This was published in 1949, and Burns isn't shy. There was also the movement towards standardization of schools, of politics, of image. Burns describes the beginnings of that myth of America the Wholesome. Guy Hudson and Betty Blanchard, another new teacher, are systematically opposed when they teach and grade without concessions to which students' parents are wealthier or better connected.

Burns, using Hudson, makes several powerful speeches against the dangers of conformity, of forcing teachers to prepare their students to take tests rather than think critically, to parrot what the government, or at least the principal, wants them to say about America instead of asking questions. These are excellent points and their timing is important. Burns drew much of this novel from his personal experiences, however, so much of the content is lost in the acid of the characterization and the evident revenge the author was exacting on his former colleagues. No matter how justified it may be, a screed is a screed and not very much fun to read.

What was sometimes fun to read, more often disturbing and icky, was that Lucifer places so much emphasis on the sensuality of men, the shrill nervousness of women without men and almost every conceivable pairing possible on a prep school campus that the plot is at times secondary. The principle is introduced as a man in his prime being offered the job while he strips off his football uniform, the handsome and scarred protagonist Guy Hudson closes in on the other new teacher Miss Blanchard even while he is himself admired by many of the boys, the cloistered ladies of the girls' faculty cling to each other, one of the faculty wives has her "club" of handsome athletes, one professor appears to sleeps with about a third of the boys school, and obviously the students have their own associations with each other. A lot goes on.

John Horne Burns was talented and 'Lucifer with a Book' was almost great. His WWII novel 'The Gallery' showed a very different and very real side of life at war in Europe and North Africa. He blunted the edge of his writing with compassion, and when lacking that, humor. The way the characters interacted, how they were described, it was all open and astonishingly honest. There are no blunt edges here. With a few deep breaths and some outside criticism, this novel could have developed into something transformative, but it never gets there.