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Cindy M
An accountant and CPA by profession, I found myself a book reviewer for Squeaky Clean Reads by happenstance. When the opportunity came to transform that website into Compass Book Ratings, I was excited to seize it and meld my business background with my love of books. As the mother of three teenage sons, I have read a large number of children and young adult books and I believe that there is great value in a content review service. As much as we would love to read everything our children read, there just isn’t enough time. I also appreciate being able to select books for myself that are really worth my precious and limited reading time. I believe there is a book out there for everyone–they just have to find it!
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass is a charming, middle grade mystery.  Channeling a little bit of Willy Wonka, four contestants are invited to a candy factory with a challenge to create a winni…
Hidden is a beautifully told story that will educate even young children on some of the issues of the Holocaust without overexposing them to all of its horrors. Loic Dauvillier gently reveals the conf…
Set in an alternate political Europe at the end of the 19th century, The Ring and the Crown is difficult to categorize neatly.  Although there are elements of magic, the magic is really a footnote to …
The Mark of the Dragonfly is a fresh, middle grade adventure that begins with a slight dystopian feel, has some science fiction concepts, and a few fantasy elements incorporated.  The book clips along…
These are a few of my favorite things: dystopian fiction, fairy tale retellings, cyborgs, and aliens. Scarlet has them all! This exciting second installment in The Lunar Chronicles starts up…
Sometime it is just tough to be a kid... Every kid has tough times, but some children have extra, real-life problems to deal with on top of the everyday stuff.  Whether it be a disability or homeless…
Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule has a haunting quality that lingers with the reader long after the last word.  The beginning of the book juxtaposes mystery and legend with the drama of a contemporary, …
The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas is charming!  Sixth grader Griffin Penshine loves to wish, but after being tricked into accepting a gift that transfers a curse, wishing becomes a problem and possibl…
Outstanding job by author Barbara O'Connor in creating an intimate and personal look at the crisis of homelessness through the eyes of a young person!  The voice of the protagonist, Georgina, is reali…
Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell is a delightful middle grade fantasy with some refreshing elements.  Although a fantasy, the setting is in Europe, in the vicinity of the Rhine, which is …
 Now that my first published novel is out and about (the most terrifying and awesome feeling ever), folks are getting curious. How long did it take you to write it? (1 year to write, 1 year to edit) …
The Twistrose Key, by Tone Almhjell, has many of those endearing elements essential to fantasy:  a magical portal to another realm, a brave protagonist, a quest, and a truly magnificent map.   Unlike …