About this blog...

Welcome to "Off the Shelf", a book review blog for the rest of us.

What does that mean?  Well, it means we're not professionals.  We're everyday readers, just like you.  To use the popular phrase, we don't know much about art, but we know what we like.

The contributors to this blog have been chosen because we each read a lot of different kinds of books, and at least one of us can offer something the others can't.  Sure, sometimes we'll overlap -- sometimes you might even get two reviews of the same book, from two entirely different viewpoints.  But this way, we can run the gamut from mystery to romance, literary to mainstream, fiction to nonfiction.  To be thorough, we won't just review the new stuff -- we'll go back and review some of the books we've already read, some we liked, some we loved, and a few that we absolutely hated.
 
While we all reserve the right to read and review whatever we want, in general: Lizzie is our romance, mystery, and Christian fiction reviewer.  Princess Ladybug is our mainstream and paranormal romance expert.  Phineas is our resident teenager, computer guru and mystery buff. Cleggy tends to read the nonfiction and literary stuff.  He also works for a library, so occasionally you'll see a repost of a review he did for their Teen blog.  This is not an attempt to "pull a fast one"' -- we just see it as an opportunity to give you more books to choose from.

We are all excited to have this forum to share our thought and opinions, and we hope you'll enjoy the reviews, enjoy the books, and support the authors who make it all possible.

Just a quick note about the reviews: the actual review format was borrowed (with kind permission) from Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes, the talented, hilarious and humble folks behind UNSHELVED.   Please show your support and appreciation by visiting their site, reading their comic strip... heck, order something if the spirit moves ya!  These guys deserve it.

See you later!

A Deadly Book

TITLE: Strawberry Shortcake Murder


AUTHOR: Joanne Fluke


REVIEWED BY: Phineas


QUICK OVERVIEW: Hannah Swensen is back in the book Strawberry Shortcake Murder. When Hannah is asked to judge a bakeoff in Lake Eden she gladly accepts. All is well until she finds the body of a local judge. It is up to Hannah to find the killer....


WHY I PICKED IT UP: It is the second book in the Hannah Swensen series. It is also a cozy mystery so there are no real sexual situations and language.

WHY I FINISHED IT: It was well written and it was exciting to read.

WHO I WOULD SUGGEST IT TO: Everyone who loves to read mysteries.

OTHER CONTENT WARNINGS: The "D" word is used but that is all.

Give a "Hoot"

Title: Hoot

Author: Carl Hiaasen

Reviewed by: Phineas

Storyline: Roy Eberhardt is new to Florida. He and his family move a lot because of his dad's job. Roy finally gets used to moving. On his first day of school he sees a kid running super fast. Of course he is curious and follows him. After making friends with him he knows why he was running. He is trying to keep owls safe where a new business is threatening their home.

Why did I pick up the book?: I saw some reviews on the movie but hadn't seen it yet. I really wanted to read it.

Why did I finish it?: The book was very fascinating. There is a lot of sneaking around and trying to help the owls.

Who would I recommend this book to?: I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in these types of stories.

Warning: There is a couple of swear words, there is vandalism which is very wrong. Some people might not want their kids to read this book because of that.

A Delicious Book

Name: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke

Reviewed by: Phineas

Brief Storyline: Hannah Swensen owns a bakery called The Cookie Jar. Hannah and her assistant Lisa Herman are waiting on a delivery. When the delivery man fails to show, Hannah goes outside to see if he is having trouble. When she finds him dead, it is up to Hannah to solve the murder.

Why did I pick up the book?: Because my aunt heard the audiobook and suggested I should read it.

Why did I finish it?: It was very interesting, it is a clean mystery, and it kept me guessing who did it until the very end.

Who would I suggest it to?: I would suggest it to anyone who really likes mysteries.

Warning: The "D" word is used a couple of times, and there is mild violence, but those are the only parental warnings I am aware of.