Close

Login

Close

Register

Close

Lost Password

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!
Leigh Bardugo's debut young adult novel, Shadow and Bone, is a fantasy set in a world inspired by the culture and setting of Old Russia.  It has a classic fantasy approach and a straightforw…
Consuming and arresting, S. J. Kincaid makes an auspicious debut in the enthralling young adult novel Insignia.  This is sci-fi that has it all:  compelling concept, artfully articulate…
Peter Pan has become a play, a Broadway musical, a movie, the name of a peanut butter, a mental complex--and the list goes on and on.  Interestingly, (and a testament to the brilliance of the original…
Between the Lines is a co-author effort by Jodi Picoult and her daughter, Samantha Van Leer.  I must confess that I have never read a book by Jodi Picoult because I have a healthy skepticism of books …
The Dead Gentleman by Matthew Cody has possibly everything.  Orphan...check.  Vampire...check.  Zombies...check.  Time travel...check.  Splash of steampunk...check.  Homage to Jules Verne...check.  Di…
Whether you hate it or love it, the 2012 Holiday Season is upon us.  One thing that we love at Compass Book Ratings is books and helping match books to a reader!  We consulted our reviewers to find ou…
The Unfortunate Son by Constance Leeds is a charming novel that historical fiction fans will find quite satisfying.  This book has boy and girl appeal because of its characters, Beatrice and Luc.  In …
Overall Review: Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt is everything that a great, middle grade fiction book should be.  It has themes, symbolism, complex and interesting characters, character develo…
Perfectly voiced!  Frances O'Roark Dowell nails it in her young adult novel Ten Miles Past Normal.  Janie Gorman is an authentic character and hilarious to boot.  By the end of pag…
In the mood for some runaway creativity and middle grade fantasy fun?  Try the Janitors Series by Tyler Whitesides.  Compass Book Ratings loves this series and is happy to join with Shadow Mountain to…
What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt is so unexpected that I kept referring to the cover to verify Schmidt had actually written this book.  Schmidt's previous works, such as The …
The publisher's book description, jacket flap, and title would lead a reader to believe that The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a young adult romance novel.  However, this introspec…