Junior Owlets: The Boggart by Susan Cooper

This month, the Junior Owlets (grades 3 to 6) read The Boggart by Susan Cooper.

When the Volnick family inherits a castle in Scotland, they have no idea tht is had been the home for centuries of a mischievious, pratcal joke loving shapeshifter known and the Boggart. Accidentally transported to Toronto, the Boggart finds many opportunities for mischeif making and trickery.  It’s up to the Volnick children to get him back home.

Comments from the Junior Owlets:

Loved all the characters.
Really enjoyed the humour.
Some parts slowed down, but if continued picked up again.
Computer part went on a bit long.
Some extremely funny parts.
Kept wondering what the Boggart would do next.
Glad that the Boggart got homesick at first rather than continuing to do tricks.
Liked the descriptions of the characters.
Liked how the Boggart’s description was elusive.
Would have liked more details.
Loved the theatre scene.  Good nex of funny & pathos.
Believeable characters.
Good build to climax.
Although an older book, it stands up well today.
Laugh out loud funny.

Final score: 9.1571428

The next Junior Owlets meeting will be on Saturday the 3rd of December at 9:00am.  The book under discussion will be When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, and they know who to avoid. Like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a kid on the street for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then a mysterious note arrives, scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows things no one should know. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

If you’re a kid in grades 3 to 6 and are interested in joining Junior Owlet’s, we’d love to have you.  Membership is free and open all year.  Just give us a call at 403-287-9557, email us at owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca or just drop in to one of the meetings.

Published in: on November 5, 2011 at 3:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Senior Owlets: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This month’s selection for Senior Owlets was The Maze Runner by James Dashner. 

He wakes up in an elevator.  The only thing he remembers is his name: Thomas.  The door opens, and he steps out into The Glade.  There are other boys there.  They have all arrived the same way Thomas did, with their memories wiped clean.  Beyond the stone walls of The Glade is The Maze, where the wall change every night, where the Grievers wait.  Every day the boys run the Maze, trying to solve it. 

Comments from the Senior Owlets:

Really enjoyed. 
Well written.
Excellent concept.
Liked the characters. 
Left with more questions after reading. 
Interesting idea.
Makes one think of a great computer; Greivers were the viruses and kids were the programmes. 
Wonder about the mind cleanse…was it selective for each?  How did certain characters have skills such as cooking?
Who were the first kids?
Kept reader interested. 
Liked how you didn’t notice things until Thomas did.

Final score: 8.866 out of 10

The next meeting of Senior Owlets will be on December 6th at 4:30pm.  The book up for discussion is The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. 

The summer of 1899 is hot in Calpurnia’s sleepy Texas town, and there aren’t a lot of good ways to stay cool. Her mother has a new wind machine, but instead, Callie’s contemplating cutting off her hair, one sneaky inch at a time. She’s also spending a lot of time at the river with her notoriously cantankerous grandfather, an avid naturalist. But just when Callie and her grandfather are about to make an amazing discovery, the reality of Callie’s situation catches up with her. She’s a girl at the turn of the century, expected to cook and clean and sew. What a waste of time! Will Callie ever find a way to take control of her own destiny?

If you’re a kid in grades 6 to 9 and are interested in joining Senior Owlets, we’d lo’ve to have you.  Membership is free and you can join any time.  If you’d like more information, call us at 403-287-9557, email us at owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca or just pop into one of the meetings.

Published in: on November 4, 2011 at 9:35 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Nefarious November at the Nest

Just because Hallowe’en is over, doesn’t mean we’re done being mysterious and/or dangerous.  In fact we’re just getting started. 

We have so many mystery authors visiting us, that we’ve decided to nickname the entire month Nefarious November. 

We’re putting the entire mystery section on sale for 10% off for the month of November.  It’s the perfect time to pick up a few new murders for the mystery maven on your holiday list. 

And why not surprise them with an authographed book by their next favourite author?  We have something for everyone with the following events. 

Tuesday, November 15th at 7:00pm

C.C. Benison, author of the mystery series Her Majesty Invetigates, launches a new detective series with the first volume, Twelve Drummers Drumming.

The Reverend Tom “Father” Christmas, the newest vicar of Thornford Regis, an idyllic rural town in England, turns detective when one of his parishioners turns up dead in a drum, and everyone in town seems to have something to confess. Tom Christmas came to picturesque Thornford Regis with his young daughter to escape the terrible experience of losing his wife in the city. Her murder sent him packing to the bucolic and charming town, where violent crime isn’t supposed to happen and the greatest sin is supposed to be nothing a member of the clergy can’t handle. Then, at the town fair, a woman is found murdered. Tom soon learns that everyone in Thornford Regis has a secret to hide–infidelity, theft, even past murders. Twelve Drummers Drumming showcases a lovely place to live and/or die, and marks the debut of a planned twelve-book mystery series featuring the brilliant Father Christmas.

Wednesday, November 16th at 7:00pm

Hootdunnit Book Club meeting, discussing Deadly Fall by Susan Calder (with a special visit from the author)

Paula Savard’s life has stalled. Her lukewarm love life, job as an insurance adjuster and grownup children are more frustrating than exciting. However, she gets more than she asked for when her once best friend, Callie, is murdered while jogging to Paula’s inner-city Calgary home. The police suggest Callie was coming to Paula for help, which is news to Paula since they hadn’t seen each other in ages. Soon, Paula’s suspicions zero in on Callie’s new husband, Sam.

An ill-considered investigation turns personal for Paula when she begins to get close to Sam, but is Sam’s interest a front to trick Paula? Lies begin accumulating. Suddenly, Paula’s not sure who she should protect and who she should fear. As the truth reveals itself, Paula hatches a plan to draw the killer out. The plan’s success would not only allow her to solve the murder, but also give her life a fresh start.

Tuesday, November 22nd at 7:00pm

Partners in Crime: Calgary and area mysteries from Touchwood Books

Join three local authors for three local mysteries, all in one evening.

Deadly Fall by Susan Calder

Deadly Dues by Linda Kupecek

End of the Line by Stephen Legault

Thursday, November 24th, 7:00pm

Mystery author Barbara Missen visits the Owl’s Nest to sign copies of her new mystery Tell Anna She’s Safe.

Based on a true story, Tell Anna She’s Safe is the tale of two women, one missing, the other searching for her. Driving home alongside West Quebec’s Gatineau River one April afternoon, researcher Ellen McGinn spots a parked car that looks like it might belong to her friend and colleague, Lucy Stockman. Lucy, a freelance writer, lives in nearby Ottawa. Shortly after arriving home, Ellen receives a phone call from Lucy’s common-law partner: Lucy has disappeared. That night Ellen has an unusual dream in which she receives three clear messages: she is to search and to write everything down—and Lucy is safe. Through the intertwining stories of Ellen and Lucy and the enduring presence of the river, Tell Anna She’s Safe takes the reader below the sometimes frightening, uncontrollable surface circumstances of our lives, to reveal the steady current of power and knowing we all hold within.

We wish you all a happy and safe Hallowe’en and we’ll see you in Nefarious November!

Published in: on November 1, 2011 at 5:33 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Fledglings: The Amanda Project by Amanda Valentino & Melissa Kantor

This month’s selection for our teen book club, Fledglings, was The Amanda Project by Amanda Valentino & Melissa Kantor. 

Mysterious, charismatic, and one of a kind — the only way to find Amanda is to think like Amanda. When enigmatic freshman Amanda Valentino arrived at Endeavor High, she chose three people — Callie, Hal, and Nia — to guide her through the choppy waters of her new school. Except she didn’t tell them about each other. When Amanda leaves, the three must reluctantly work together to figure out why. But once they start piecing together the cryptic clues that Amanda herself is leaving for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew about her is false. The more they dig, the mystery of where — and who — Amanda is deepens.

Comments from the Fledglings:

Much better book than thought would be.
Great characters.
Good chracter development.
Good documentation of social stratas in schools.
Very believeable characters.
Excellent mystery.
Kept you engaged.
Modern day mystery that captured attention. 
Lack of romance appreciated.
Lots of questions left unanswered.
Would have liked it to be longer. 
Book with such impact.
Intriguing idea to link with an interactive website.
Wonder what sequels are / will be like. 

Final score: 8 out of 10.

The next Fledglings meeting will be Tuesday, November 15th at 4:30pm.  The book up for discussion will be The Luxe by Anna Godbersen.

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions. White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups. This is Manhattan, 1899.Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan’s social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City’s elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone — from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud — threatens Elizabeth’s and Diana’s golden future.With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city’s gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan’s most celebrated daughter disappear…In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

If your a teen in grades 10 through 12 and are interested in joining Fledglings, please email us at owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca, call us at 403-287-9557 or just drop into one of the meetings.

Published in: on October 21, 2011 at 9:10 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Q/A – Quizzing the Author: Gordon Cope

Gordon Cope visits Owl's Nest this Thursday

This Thursday evening (Oct. 20th) at 7pm at we’re celebrating local author  Gordon Cope’s first mystery novel: Secret Combinations.  Gordon is probably most known for his memoir A Paris Moment, which was nominated for the 2005 W.O. Mitchell Book Prize.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

When I am in Mexico, I write for one hour, then jump into the pool and soak my head.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and Leaving Dublin by Brian Brennan.

Check out Gordon Cope's first mystery novel, Secret Combinations!

Do you have a pet?  If so, why did you pick the name you did?

Linda and I had a cat named China for 18 years, but she passed away several years ago. We called her China because when we adopted her, she was as tiny and delicate as a tea cup.

What is your favourite colour and why?

I have two; purple and yellow. They remind me of the tulips that emerge each spring in the public gardens around our home in Paris.

What was your favourite childhood book?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Back to the Marais district in Paris.

The inevitable desert island question: what book would you take with you?

Boatbuilding for Beginners by Jim Michalak.

Published in: on October 18, 2011 at 10:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Senior Owlets: Aarial by Collin Paulson

This month’s selection for Senior Owlets was Aarial by local author Collin Paulson.  Mr. Paulson was kind enough to join us for the meeting and we had an interested chat about the book and his writing. 

Dylan has never known a loving home and family.  He has been passed around through different group homes his entire life.  He is a troubled boy, miserable with his life and its challenges.  Dylan creates a fantasy world where he can do anything.  He is no longer at the mercy of others.  He is able to control is own destiny and make decisions for himself as the power of Aarial guides him on his quest. 

Character and setting excellent.
Drew reader in.
Some language seemed out of place. 
Some bits in Aarial were a bit awkward.
Enjoyed references to Calgary.
Really enjoyed realism of classroom.
Charcters in classroom were realistic.
Interaction between characters was excellent.
Favourite characters: Mr. Peters, Ted Dylan, Acorn.

Final score: 8.6

The next Senior Owlets meeting will be Tuesday, November 1st at 4:30pm.  The book up for discussion will be The Maze Runner by James Dashner. 

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

If you’re in grades 7-9 and are interested in joining Senior Owlets, please give us a call or visit us to register, or just drop into one of the meetings!

Published in: on October 11, 2011 at 3:40 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Sarah Winman stopping by for a quick signing

We’ve just heard that Sarah Winman, author of When God Was a Rabbit, will be stopping by the store for a quick meet-and-greet on Sunday, October 16th from 2:15 to 2:45 pm. 

Stop by on Sunday to meet Sarah, or call us at 403-287-9557 to arrange a personalized copy. 

You can also read Mike’s review of When God Was a Rabbit.

Published in: on October 7, 2011 at 4:25 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Junior Owlets: Attack of the Growling Eyeballs by Lin Oliver

The October selection for Junior Owlets was Attack of the Growling Eyeballs by Lin Oliver. 

Daniel Funk always wanted a brother, but he’s got three sisters instead. Until he shrinks to the size of a toe—and discovers Pablo, his twin brother who’s always that small! Together, they have mountains of tiny-size fun. In Attack of the Growling Eyeballs, they release a hissing cockroach at one of their sister’s slumber party and learn that tiny-size trouble can cause mega-size danger. In Escape of the Mini-Mummy, Daniel enters the school diorama contest against Vince the Pizza Prince. Pablo comes along, disguised as a toilet-papered mummy. Can Pablo help Daniel win big, or will he create big-time Egyptian chaos?

Comments from the Junior Owlets:
Characters well done. 
Funny book.
Would have liked it to be longer.
Bit repetitive.
Really liked the tiny brother, Pablo.
Liked how the characters were/seemed true.
Grabbed you attention.
Liked the detail.
Would have liked more action.
Liked the idea of having fantasy of miniature brother within realistic situation.
Felt characters were very believeable. 
Liked how the characters interacted.
Excellent book for younger readers.
Would have liked the book longer with more action.
Liked how inventive Pablo and Daniel were. 
Felt there was some parts that didn’t really add to story.
Would like the ability to shrink.
Good representation of family dynamics. 

Score: 7.9447368

November’s Junior Owlets meeting will be Saturday, November 5th at 9:00am.  We’ll be discussing The Boggart by Susan Cooper. 

When Emily and Jess Volnik’s family inherits a remote, crumbling Scottish castle, they also inherit the Boggart — an invisible, mischievous spirit who’s been playing tricks on residents of Castle Keep for generations. Then the Boggart is trapped in a rolltop desk and inadvertently shipped to the Volniks’ home in Toronto, where nothing will ever be the same — for the Volniks or the Boggart.

In a world that doesn’t believe in magic, the Boggart’s pranks wreak havoc. And even the newfound joys of peanut butter and pizza and fudge sauce eventually wear thin for the Boggart. He wants to go home — but his only hope lies in a risky and daring blend of modern technology and ancient magic.

If you’re in grades 3-6 and are interested in joining Junior Owlets, please give us a call or visit us to register, or just drop into one of the meetings!

Published in: on October 7, 2011 at 9:45 am  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Garry Ryan Q/A: Quizzing the Author

This Thursday evening (October 6th at 7:00pm) we’re happy to welcome Garry Ryan back to the Owl’s Nest.

Garry is a former guest of the store’s mystery book club and we’re excited to hear him read from the newest in his Detective Lane mystery series: Malabarista.

Here’s a little more about Garry:

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I wear sound deadening headphones to keep out noise and get me in the zone when I write. That way the real world can disappear and that other world of fiction can take over.

Do you have a pet? If so, why did you choose the name you did?
Sam the dog is a very kind and very big dog with no manners whatsoever. My family named him despite my objections. I have to say the name suits him.

What was your favourite childhood book?
Millicent and the Wind by Robert Munsch

What’s your favourite colour and why?
Blue is the colour of the ocean, the sky, and endless possibilities.

What are you reading now?
Trackers by Deon Meyer

If you could go any place in the world, where would you go?
Australia. I hear Melbourne is a very cool city. Or I’d like to go back to New York City (the people are very friendly there), or San Diego, or Toronto, or Quebec City or ….

Lastly, the inevitable desert-island question: You are allowed one book, which would you take?
The one I’m writing and have yet to finish (it’s called Indiana).

Don’t miss your chance to meet Garry this Thursday at 7:00pm!  We look forward to seeing you!

Published in: on October 4, 2011 at 3:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
Tags:

Fledglings: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

On Tuesday, Fledglings had their first meeting of the year.  The book up for discussion was City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing — not even a smear of blood — to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

Comments included:
Picked up as the book progressed.
The opening drew reader in.
Excellent imagery. 
Liked writing style.
Secondary characters were the extremely well-drawn.
Underlying current of humour…very subtle.
While romance is part of the story, it is not taking primary place.
Characters are very complex.
Enjoyed how author used different mythologies in the story.
Demons were more true to recognized original forms. 
Liked the author’s writing stle and language. 
Stands up to a second reading. 
Lots of attention to detail — ie: rune mark and scarring. 

Final score: 6.7195714

The Amanda Project by Amanda Valentino and Melissa Kantor

The next Fledglings meeting will be Tuesday, October 18 at 4:30pm.  The book selected is The Amanda Project by Amanda Valentino and Melissa Kantor.

Mysterious, charismatic, and one of a kind; the only way to find Amanda is to think like Amanda.When enigmatic freshman Amanda Valentino arrived at Endeavor High, she chose three people; Callie, Hal, and Nia; to guide her through the choppy waters of her new school. Except she didn’t tell them about each other. When Amanda leaves, the three must reluctantly work together to figure out why. But once they start piecing together the cryptic clues that Amanda herself is leaving for them, they realize that everything they thought they knew about her is false. The more they dig, the mystery of where — and who — Amanda is deepens.

If your a teen in grades 10 through 12 and are interested in joining Fledglings, please email us at owlsnestbooks@shaw.ca, call us at 403-287-9557 or just drop into one of the meetings.

Published in: on September 22, 2011 at 6:56 pm  Comments (1)  
Tags:
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »