The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

Posted on by lynndellwatson

I enjoyed every page!

Hazel is the thirteenth child in her family and treated like she’s not wanted by anyone except her brother Bertie who is one year older. When Hazel is twelve, her godfather takes her so she can train to become a great healer while Bertie is sold to a temple to pay off their father’s debts. Hazel learns that her duties as a healer also include helping people pass onto their deaths as gently as possible. She feels that this is a curse and not a blessing. When she’s nineteen, Hazel has become the healer of the royal family after she saved the king’s life from a plague; she was supposed to move him onto death but didn’t want his children to be orphans. Now that the king feels well, he is becoming an unpredictable, angry tyrant and Hazel knows she made the wrong choice by healing him. Will she be able to make this right before he destroys the kingdom?

Likes/dislikes: I loved every bit of this story! Amazing character development and wonderful world building. Hazel is strong and kindhearted.
Mature content: PG-13 for fondling (only two sentences out of the 512 page book).
Language: PG-13 for 14 swears and no f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Hazel and her family are white. Merrick, Hazel’s godfather is obsidian skinned. Hazel’s friend Kieron has chestnut skin.

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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So many books, so little time!
Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the opportunity to read and review 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich! This book is organized alphabetically by authors’ last names. Some titles are used to organize the book alphabetically, such as the Qur’an which is a work of scripture. Many poets, historians and classics are listed and their books reviewed, as well as newer literary works and popular reads. Each author/work is summarized and evaluated, giving enough information for readers to be able to decide whether or not they want to read the book that’s being discussed. At the end of the book, lists can be found organizing the books differently, such as books to read before 12 years of age. A general index lists the titles and authors alphabetically for ease. A 1,000 books checklist is also included. 5 stars!