Novel Obsession

Bad Taste in Boys

2011-08-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

by Carrie Harris

I know I say this a lot, but.....review coming soon! (I'm sorry I'm slow!)

Sirensong

2011-08-03T23:37:00.000-07:00

by Jenna Black

Review Coming Soon!

The Emerald Atlas

2011-06-20T23:45:00.000-07:00

by John Stephens

I'm sorry to anyone who may be reading this blog! I've been a very poor reader lately (darn master's classes really do take up a lot of time!) Combine that with various cake-making and painting projects I've taken on (as well as the personal goal to watch the entire series of Battlestar Galactica (done!), as well as the complete Joss Whedon filmography (working on it!)) and I've found myself really lacking in extra time! (Go figure.)

Secondly, I don't really remember a lot of what I wanted to say about this book! I believe I wrote a couple notes down somewhere, but I can't find them. I suppose I'll update this if they turn up.

Anyway, I did really like The Emerald Atlas. I actually picked the book up because I saw that the author was a writer for the television show Gilmore Girls, which I always appreciated for it's witty, rapid-fire banter even when the story line went all over the place in later seasons. This novel is the story of 3 sibling - a brother and two sisters who get passed from orphanage to orphanage after their parents mysteriously left them as children. The kids finally end up in this strange, gloomy town in a orphanage that is only occupied by them. After some snooping around they find a green book that can transport them back in time if they put a picture from that year in it's pages. The trio eventually finds themselves transported to the same town but many years in the past when an evil witch in town held all the children captive. The siblings work together, along with other friends they meet along the way to try to save the children, and the town from the witch's magic.

This is a fun start to a new series. It's not the next classic children's novel, but it's unique and interesting and sure to be a kid-favorite. I'm eager to see how the next books in this series turn out!

Green-Sky: Below the Root

2011-04-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

It was a little over a year ago when a classmate in an online class recommended this book to me. After a few months of searching, I finally found it and it's two sequels.

And then they sat on my shelf for months.

Finally, I'm trying to catch up on some old books and I pulled these out. I'm glad I did. While the book is from the 70s it could very well have been written much more recently. The themes and genres are ones that are recently seeing a resurgence in YA literature: dystopian, alternate worlds, and post-apocalyptic to name a few.

The story takes place in the world of Green-Sky - a planet similar to Earth except for the abundance of large trees where the Kindar people make their homes, and a gravity much less severe than Earth's. The Kindars are a peaceful people, who live in harmony high in the trees while the sinister Pash-shan live below the root on the forest floor. Kindars are taught from birth to fear the Pash-shan, so when young Raamo is Chosen to become one of the revered elders of their society who protect the people from the Pash-Shan, he is eager to learn. However, in his studies as an Ol-zhaan, Raamo begins to discover that things aren't what they seemed, and there is much more to the Pash-shan than the Kindars know. Together with his new friends Neric and Genaa, Raamo must discover the truth and save Green-Sky from the true evil they face.

Prom & Prejudice

2011-03-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

by Elizabeth Eulberg

Could it be true?! Yes! I am finally caught up with my blog posts! And now I will allow myself to read a new book. :)

I picked this book up on a whim because 1) it's a Pride and Prejudice adaptation, and I love those, 2) I liked Elizabeth Eulberg's first novel, The Lonely Hearts Club, and 3) it's so pink!

I have a weakness for bright pink books - it's true.

Anyway, despite this book being a story I know well, and therefore I know who to trust and who not to, as well as the character's general fate, I found this retelling to be fun. There were a few differences, but mostly its the same story in a different setting. It's nothing new, but its enjoyable.

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

2011-03-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

by Brandon Mull

I absolutely adore Brandon Mull's previous novels - they are some of my favorite books of all time - and I was anxious to get my hands on the first book of his new series - Beyonders: A World Without Heroes.

This book starts out a little slow before eventually picking up toward the middle. Mull has a knack for writing great puzzles and mysteries, so I was intrigued by the story from the start.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't quite as engrossing and amazing as Mull's previous work I found the resolution of the story to be surprising but not as meaningful as I would have wished. They story was detailed and different, but so filled with minor characters that I sometimes found it hard to keep them straight.!

Thirteen-year-old Jason is just going about his business one day when he finds himself transported to Lyrian. Eventually he stumbles upon a man who he hopes can give him some answers, but only leaves him with more questions. Through his curiosity he finds himself on an unlikely quest to find a secret word to defeat the emperor.

Jason is actually thrust into Lyrian when he falls into a hippo at the zoo. Immediately after finding himself in this strange place he discovers a troupe of musicians floating down a river on a raft. He learns that they are about to let themselves sail off a waterfall and tries to help. In the end he only succeeds in shooting one of them musicians in the shoulder with an arrow and making the crowd gathered to watch angry with him. He escapes the mob to find himself at the Repository of Learning, where he meets the Loremaster. The Loremaster doesn't explain much to him, except to avoid a certain part of the repository and simultaneously telling a story of how he was told not to do something but he did it anyway. Jason hopes this forbidden section of the library will help him find his way home, so he finds a way in and discovers "the book". Once reading the pages and the first syllable of the word of power, Jason is set against the emperor Maldor and must continue to search for the word to evade capture. The Loremaster sends him to the Blind King, where he gets advice on his quest, and meets his soon-to-be companion, Rachel (also from Jason's world). The pair travel to a sea cave, where they obtain the second syllable and fight off a giant crab. Later they meed the displacer, Ferrin, who wants to help them on their quest. They travel to another town, where Jason challenged the chancellor and wins - thus gaining access to the third syllable. Next they travel to the White Lake, which Rachel travels across to learn the fourth syllable and learning that Ferrin is actually a spy for Maldor, the emperor. They part ways with him and nearly get captured by Maldor's men when they are saved my Jasher, one of the "seed people" who can die, but grow again from the seed on the back of their neck. The new group travels to a swamp to meet the Pythoness, but actually find her daughter, who gives them fifth syllable. They also learn that the sixth syllable can be found tattooed on the back of one of Maldor's men at The Eternal Feast. Jason goes to accept his previous invitation to the feast learns the final syllable. He fights a duel in order to leave the paradise and goes to gain an audience with Maldor by ringing a bell in the center of town. Once he meets the emperor he says the word, feels its power, but is dismayed to see it doesn't effect Maldor. Maldor reveals that the word was a fake to distract his enemies and offers Jason a place with his officers. Jason refuses and gets thrown in the dungeon. Ferrin returns and risks everything to free Jason. However, Ferrin has plans to send him back to his world, while Jason wants to find Rachel and his friends and tell them what happened. The two struggle and Ferrin manages to push Jason through the portal and back to his own world.

Tyger, Tyger

2011-03-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

by Kersten Hamilton

It's been quite a while since I've read a book, especially a series to get excited about. However, Tyger, Tyger has all the right elements to be an exciting, unique new series.

Things start getting strange for Teagan the night her best friend Abby tells her she' been dreaming of goblins. Later that night, she learns her parents have agreed to take in her street-tough cousin Finn. Finn also speaks about strange creatures and before she knows it, Teagan is immersed in the all-too-real world of goblins - desperately trying to save her family from them.

The blank space to follow is my spoiler-laden summary of the book (in beige font). This is basically for my own benefit (so I remember what happened when book 2 comes out.) If you want to read it, highlight the text. And you were warned! :)

Finn tells Teagan that he hunts goblins and is surprised to learn she's never seen them. A cat-sidhe invades their house soon after, as well as some other creatures. Finn defends them, but soon leaves, fearing he's brought the creatures on them. Shortly after, Teagon's mom falls ill and eventually dies - Teachan and her brother Aiden conclude that the shadow man Aiden say caused their mother to die. Things go from bad to worse when their dad disappears. Finn returns to help the brother -sister pair, eventually leading them into MAg Mell - home of the goblins to find their father. In one of the confusing segments of the book , they soon leave again without finding Mr. Wyllston and head toward Finn's grandma's (Mamieo's) house. They meet Mamieo and learn she rescued Teagon's mom from Mag Mell years ago - and she's the only person who's ever escaped it. The group fights off more goblin creatures and returns to Mag Mell (without Mamieo). There they learn Aiden's singing keeps the nasty creatures at Mag Mell at bay, and helps them find their way. They meet Roisen, Aileen's long lost sister, and learn she and Aileen (and therefore Teagona and Aiden) are part-goblin. They travel again (Roisen won't go with them because she's still waiting for her long-lost love to return to her) and Aiden makes a sprite friend who nests in his hair. Teagon frets that Finn will hate them now that they've learned they're part goblin. Eventually they find Fear Doirich who has taken their father. Teagon and Finn tie him up as Aiden weakens him with his singing. They also find and rescue Thomas, Roisen's love, and therefore convince her to escape with them. Teagon sacrifices the swamp girl to the dogs in order for them to escape. They get back to Mamieo and break the news of Aileen being part goblin - she takes it hard but accepts it. Teagan and Flinn talk about their relationship and Finn tells her he doesn't hate her - that she doesn't have to be like a goblin if she chooses not to. The book ends as Aiden announces to the pair that Thomas is growing feathers.

The False Princess

2011-03-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

by Eilis O'Neal

Unfortunately, I've neglected writing this blog for a very long time and therefore I'm probably not going to be as detailed as I'd like. However, I did write down some notes on the book when I finished it, so I do remember something!

The False Princess is a unique story about a girl named Nalia who suddenly learns that she's not who she thought she was. She's not actually the princess of Thorvaldor, and he name is not Nalia. She's been playing the part of the princess so the real one could be hidden away, safe from her prophesied death before the age of 16. But Nalia, or Sinda (as she's learned her name really is) in now 16 and very much alive. The King and Queen and their magicians are sending Sinda to live with her aunt so the real princess can come take her rightful place.

Sinda is shocked and crushed and goes without a fight. However, after finding life with her aunt unfulfilling, missing her friend Kiernan, and discovering she has magic, Sinda travels back to Thorvaldor where she soon discovers that the plot to conceal the princess is not all it seemed.

Interesting, a few surprising twists, and Kiernan is great.

The Iron Queen

2011-02-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey series was originally supposed to be a trilogy, with The Iron Queen as the last book. However, happily, there is now going to be a fourth book in the series. Something I was even more happy about as I reached the end of this book, because there are some many more stories to explore!

At the end of the previous novel, Meghan and Ash have both been exiled from the Nevernever for refusing to deny their love for each other. Trapped in the mortal world, Meghan wants nothing more than to return to her family with Ash at her side. The pair soon realizes just how impossible this is as scores of Iron fey are searching for Meghan. The false Iron King wants to take Meghan's power for himself, while the rebel Iron fey want to take Meghan to a safe hiding place. Meghan's journey eventually lead her back the Nevernever, where the Fey's last hope for their world is that Meghan can somehow manage to defeat the Iron King again.

The gap below is a spoiler-filled summary of the plot. Highlight the area to read.

The first part of the book is taken up with Meghan trying to get her memory of her father back. She and Ash steal a token from a graveyard to trade for her memory. With the memory returned, Grimalkin the cat takes the pair back to The Between and Leanansidhe. Once there, Meghan learns why her father Paul was taken (Titania was jealous of him and sought to have him killed. Puck went to Leanansidhe to ask her to save him.) Meghan is furious with Puck for a while because he knew what had happened to her father, had caused it, and never told her. The group negotiates Paul's release and housing at a cabin in The Between in exchange for the other token from the graveyard. At the cabin, Meghan spends time with her father while she tries to help him get his memory back. Ash also teaches Meghan to fight and Meghan asks him to become her knight- binding his life to hers. Eventually, a message is delivered from Oberon and Mab: they would lift the exile if the group returns to kill the Iron King. His territory is slowly taking over the Wildwood, and Meghan is the only one who can enter the Iron Kingdom unharmed. In the second half of the book, Meghan, Ash and Puck enter the Iron Kingdom to seek out and kill the false king. Ash and Puck are given special amulets from Mab to protect them form the poisoning influence of the Iron Realm. Meghan leads the way through the land, eventually taken the group to the tower of the Machina. The group allies themselves with Glitch and his gang of rebels and Meghan learns she can command the gremlins. The rebels are unwilling to face the Iron King because he is too powerful, but Meghan eventually convinces them to form a truce with Summer and Winter. Meghan, Ash and Puck find a way into the Iron Kings fortress and come face to face with the false king, who turns out to be Ferrum, the king of the packrats, and original Iron King before Machine came to power. With the strange hallucination-guidance from the Iron Power (who Meghan hears as Machina), Meghan finally learns to use both her glamours as once and therefore binding her Iron magic to her Summer magic. She then lets Ferrum attack her and gives some of her power to him, but because it is now bound to Summer, it kills him. Clinging to life, Meghan makes Ash take her back to the tree that killed Machina. Before sending the last of her power into the tree, Meghan releases Ash from his pledge as her knight, so he will not die alongside her, and orders him by his true name to leave her, so he will not be poisoned by the Iron Realm (because he amulet is destroyed). However, Meghan does not die. By giving the Iron Power to the land, she bound Iron and Summer together and the Iron land stopped it's advance on the Wildwood. The land, in turned healed Meghan and she became the Iron Queen. At the end of the book, Meghan goes home to tell her family all that's happened to her and how she must live in the Nevernever from now on. Ash and Puck come to a truce and go off in search of Grimalkin and the hope of finding a way to enter the Iron Realm without being poisoned.

The beginning of this book was a little slow and meandering for me, and end of is a little bittersweet, but once again I love this series. The ending doesn't bother me as much as it might were it truly the end of the series. As the conclusion to part 3, with part 4 on the way in November, I'm satisfied with what might be to come.

Tempestuous

2011-02-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

by Lesley Livingston

I'm just a little disappointed in the final book in the Wondrous Strange trilogy. I never really felt like I was absorbed into this book like I did with the others. A part of the reason for this, again, was that I didn't remember every detail of what had happened before! Seriously, there need to be recaps printed in the book before the actual novel begins.

Last book, Kelley said she didn't love Sonny, knowing he'd overhear and assume it was true and therefore he'd be safe from finding out he held the green magick. Well, this didn't work so well. In this book, Kelley's trying to figure out a way to save Sonny, and get ready for a new play her theater company is performing. Sonny is distraught and has retreated to the underground home of exiled faeries. Eventually, they meet again, Sonny finds out the truth and then they work together to save Sonny. (Which should have happened in the first place!)

I don't really remember much else - this book didn't really stick with me. Maybe if I'd read all three together, but broken up by a year or so it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. Parts were cool, I did like the ending. Meh, not much else to say.

Shadowspell

2011-01-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

by Jenna Black

Once again I've neglected to write this blog. I've decided that I have a lot of trouble remembering what's happened in previous books when I read their sequels, so I'm going to start writing more detailed spoiler-filled descriptions of the books I read. I'm going to try making the spoiler parts light font, so you won't accidently see it if you don't want to. If you do, just highlight the big blank space and then you can see it!

Shadowspell is the sequel to Glimmerglass. In the previous book Dana learned that she is a faeriewalker, meaning she can travel between the human world and the land of Faerie. More importantly, she can bring technology to faeries and magic to humans. Because Dana's powers are so rare, she's now spending most of her time in her own personal safe house with her father and fey bodyguard.

To complicate matters more, the Erlking is in town with his Wild Hunt. The Erlking is smooth and sexy and claims that he wishes Dana no ill will, but his sudden appearance make her (and her father) nervous. However, Dana's involvement with the Erlking is about to become much more complicated. When the Erlking tricks Ethan into attacking him, the Erlking is able to capture Ethan and make him a part of his wild hunt. In order to free him, Dana agrees to a bold proposal from the Erlking - that she'll give him her virginity. Oh, by the way, Dana learns later that if she does go through with this agreement it will result in the Erlking taking all of her powers. Oops!

I like this series because it's very different from lots of other faerie series. Dana can be annoying at times, and I don't always like Ethan, but it's an interesting story. A lot more sensual than the previous entry in the series - be warned!

Blue Fire

2011-01-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

by Janice Hardy

I've been very remiss in writing these blogs, and so I don't remember a lot of what I wanted to say about this book! My blog may be short.

Blue Fire is the sequel to The Shifter - the first book in The Healing Wars series. Nya lives in a world where some people can pull pain out of others and send it into a special kind of stone called pynvium. However, Nya has never been able to release the pain into the stone - she can only shift it to another person. In addition, the shifted pain grows in intensity within the person until they eventually die.

Due to the break-in Nya and her friends committed in the previous book to save the healers from the Duke, they are in hiding and on the run. They escape to Baseer, and are forced to rely on help from the people they don't really trust.

I like this story, but honestly, I had a really hard time remember what had happened in the first book when I read this one and the author didn't provide many clues to the reader. Now I'm finding now I'm having a hard time remembering what happened in this book! I really think all author's should put a one page recap at the beginnings of books that are part of series! Those of us who ready 50+ books a year have a hard time remembering them all!

The Little White Horse

2010-12-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

by Elizabeth Goudge

I've gone about this completely in the wrong order! A few weeks ago I watched a little movie called The Secret of Moonacre. I learned that it was based on a book titled The Little White Horse (the movie's title is superior in my opinion, although not sure if would work for the book). Then I learned that the book was one of J.K. Rowling's favorite childhood books. I then decided that I needed to read it.

Alas, though I can see why this was a favorite book of Rowling's childhood, it does not really do it for me as an adult. Much of the plot comes across as silly and entirely too unrealistic. **Spoilers** The characters decide to just go tell their enemies to stop being evil and it (eventually) works, Robin and Maria agree to marry in such a bizarre way (and then they get married at age 14!), and various other details are almost laughable. There is no suspense except for one brief chase scene (which was probably my favorite part of the book). Interesting characters and I liked the bare bones of the story, but this is a kids' book, and it doesn't really work unless you are one.

Poison

2010-12-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

by Chris Wooding

Poison is the happy result of wandering the aisles of Powell's books. I bought it because it sounding interesting and different, because it was a used paperback and therefore cheap, and because it is so purple it will not be denied.

Poison is the story of a young girl of the same name. Poison lives in the Black Marshes, with her father, baby sister and stepmother. Poison and her stepmother do not get along, although Snapdragon is not necessarily a bad person. Poison always dreams of one day escaping the Marshes and seeing the world. That day comes all too soon when Poison's sister Azalea is kidnapped by the phaeries and a changeling is left in her place. It is then that Poison sets out to find the Phaerie King and demand her sister's return.

I'd have to say that Poison is one of the most compelling stories I've read in a quite a while. The characters are interesting and the narration is stunning. I found myself frequently re-reading paragraphs simply because they were so beautifully written. The last time I did that was when reading one of N.D. Wilson's books (another of my favorite story-tellers).

Poison is pure delight from the very first chapter, and I was eager to share details about it with every new twist. I will say however, that towards the second half, the book looses a little steam as the story is set on a new path. Poison is now not only seeking her sister, but also unravelling a plot to overthrow the Hieriophant - the ruler of all the Realms. It is because of this that the original story goes partially unresolved, and therefore left me yearning for a sequel. I do not care for loose ends, or ambiguous resolutions that depend on the reader to make their own conclusion.

However, because the beginning was so amazing, and some of the adversaries Poison meets on her way so terrifying, that I simply have to give it 5 stars. The Lady of Cobwebs alone warrants it.

I really do wish for a sequel though. Perhaps Azalea's story??

Last Sacrifice

2010-12-23T16:06:00.000-08:00

by Richelle Mead

Here it is, the final book in the Vampire Academy series. One of the things I've liked most about this series is the different take on vampires. In the VA books, there are a few types of vampires - the royal, pure Moroi vampires, who live on blood, but don't kill to get it; the dhampirs - a mix of Moroi and human who don't drink blood and live to protect the Moroi, and the evil Strigoi, who kill anyone they can get their hands on. Throughout this 6-part series we've meet Rose (the dhampir), Lissa (her best friend, the Moroi), as well and their ever-widening group of friends and acquaintances. We've seen Rose's love Dimitri turned Strigoi and then back again, and watched Rose struggle with her feelings for both him and party-boy Adrian.

At the start of this book Rose is in prison, accused of killing the Moroi queen. Desperately trying to think of a way to clear her name and avoid execution, Rose is surprised when she is suddenly broken out of jail. On the run, Rose and her companions begin a search for Lissa's previously unknown half-brother or -sister. Meanwhile, back at court Lissa and the gang are searching for who really killed the queen so Rose's name can be cleared.

Oh, and did I mention that Rose is still trying to decide between Dimitri and Adrian? Because she is - that's what young adult book heroines do!

I liked the whole solve-the-mystery aspect of this novel, even though it was a little slower than the previous books. The main thing I didn't like was how blase Rose was at the end about how things had turned out for others. **Spoilers**Adrian was right when he called Rose out for not being concerned enough for others. She didn't fret long over cheating on him with Dimitri, as soon as she was back at court and had the answers she needed she forgot all about Sydney, and she only spared a few passing thoughts for how Christian was feeling about the turn of events. It was all about her getting Dimitri, with a side of saving Lissa. I actually think this could have been alleviated by including an epilogue at the end, to fully explain where everyone ended up, and hopefully showing how Rose had made an effort to patch things up with everyone. As it was, she came across a little selfish. **

Mostly satisfying conclusion, a few character problems, but redeemed mostly by good story-telling.

Matched

2010-12-10T16:02:00.001-08:00

by Ally Condie

Cassia lives in a future society (simply called The Society) where all of her decisions are made for her: what she will wear, what she will eat, where she lives, and now, who she will marry. Cassia is 17, and in The Society, that means a young person can decide to be Matched or to live life as a Single. The Society uses their extensive knowledge and resources to match each teenager with their ideal mate. Usually, teens are matched with another adolescent from a different district, who they then communicate with via computers before their initial meeting. Everyone is surprised then when Cassia is matched with Xander, her childhood friend.

Both Cassia and Xander are overjoyed, until Cassia sees another boy's face on the microchip with information about her match. The Society tells her it's a mistake, but Cassia is left very confused. The Society doesn't make mistakes, and this boy is also a boy she knows - her mysterious classmate Ky. Cassia is left with an agonizing choice to make - a safe, comfortable life with her best friend Xander, or a life of excitement and danger with Ky. Of course, if she chooses Ky, The Society will not approve.

The premise of this story was what really caught my attention. Along with vampires and faeries, dystopian novels are the next big thing in YA literature. And although I was left disappointed by the end of the Hunger Games, the genre still intrigues me. I did like Matched, and yet there were parts of it that bugged me.

**Spoilers** Now, I think it's pretty obvious from the start that Cassia is going to pick Ky. I have yet to find a book where a girl has to chose between the sweet boy next door and the dark, mysterious stranger when she doesn't go for the latter. And yet, I didn't understand why she ended up falling for Ky. She sees his face on the screen, she's puzzled by him and somewhere along the line she forgets her love for Xander and decides she loves Ky more. I knew it would happen, but it was not justified. **

The end is ok, but does leave a lot of loose ends - this is a trilogy after all.

Despite my reservations (and fear that this is going to end dismally like the Hunger Games), I'll probably be persuaded to read the next book.

A Tale Dark & Grimm

2010-12-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

by Adam Gidwitz

I bought this book because the cover was interesting, and the first few pages had me laughing out loud in the book store:

"Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome. I know, I know. You don't believe me. I don't blame you. A little while ago, I wouldn't have believed it myself. Little girls in red capes skipping around the forest? Awesome? I don't think so. But then I started to read them. The real, Grimm ones. Very few little girls in red capes in those. Well, there's one. But she gets eaten."

This book is a retelling of 9 Grimm fairy tales that are adjusted to feature Hansel and Gretel as the main characters. Not much of the gruesome stuff it changed from the original Grimm version, and thus this book is bloody at times. The author relieves some of that by jumping in at times with his own commentary, clearly marked by a bold-face font. Also weaving throughout the book is the theme that children should be valued and not cast aside as many of the adults in Hansel's and Gretel's journey did.

I particularly liked this line at the end:

"There is a wisdom in children, a kind of knowing, a kind of believing, that we, as adults, do not have. There is a time when a kingdom needs its children."

Four stars simply because some of the "icky" stuff makes it hard to recommend this book across the board.

Once a Witch

2010-11-14T22:02:00.000-08:00

by Carolyn MacCullough

Tamsin was supposed to be the most powerful witch in her family - at least that's what her grandmother predicted on the day of her birth. However, while other children's talents in her large family manifested by the time they were eight, Tamsin's never came. Since then she's felt like an outsider among her relatives, and it glad to attend a boarding school in Manhattan to be away from it all.

However, Tamsin cannot resist agreeing to help a handsome professor one day when he mistakes her for her very Talented sister and asks for her help finding a lot family heirloom.

Soon however, Tamsin realizes the request is not a simple or a benign as she thought, and she must use all her wits to save herself, her sister and her family.

It's been a while since I've found a new young adult book that I really liked, so I was happy to finally get around to this one and enjoy it so much. Tamsin had loyal friends, and an adorable boy who loves her even though she doesn't know it (of course). The best part is, is that this book is the first of series, and yet has a satisfactory conclusion of it's own! I'm excited to read the second which, unfortunately, doesn't come out until August 2011.

The Nightmarys

2010-11-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

by Dan Poblocki

Well I've done it again! I've let a month go by before I actually write this review and I can not remember much of what I had to say about this book.

I can't actually remember it much at all. Which, is one reason I only gave it two stars. The story is kind of interesting at the time, but it's not memorable.

I actually liked this book less than Poblocki's other book The Stone Child. Where The Stone Child had a nice creepy vibe to it, I felt like The Nightmarys was trying too hard. The creepy parts sometimes just came off a goofy to me (a graffiti dragon with swirling eyes peeling itself off the wall and chasing the boy is a good example.)

It just didn't grab me. Maybe middle-grade 'scary' books are not my genre.

Museum of Thieves

2010-10-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

by Lian Tanner

The city of Jewel is a strange little place. Until the age of 16 all children are protected from every danger by being tethered by a small silver guardchain to their parents, their Guardian, or to their beds at night. Years ago, Jewel was overrun with plague and slavers and dangers of all sorts. The children were lost or dying at a rapid rate, and a group of adults set out to protect them. These adults would become the first Blessed Guardians. Despite the passing of time, and the safety of the city now, children are still chained until Separation Day. At the beginning of the book, the age of separation has been changed from 16 to 12, much to the disagreement of the Guardians. Goldie Roth couldn't be more excited. She is 12, and more eager than ever to be free from her chain. However, when the Separation ceremony is interrupted, and then cancelled, Goldie can't bear the thought of being chained again. So she runs away. As the Guardians search for her, and imprison her parents, Goldie finds refuge in the mysterious Museum of Dunt. There she meets the museum's keepers, who take her in and hide her from the Guardians. However, the Guardians do not relent in their search for Goldie, or the quest to unravel the mysterious of the Museum - a quest that could end up destroying the town.

This book is delightfully different and yet reminiscent of so many things I love. The museum's got just a touch of Hogwarts to it, and the town of Jewel offers up a perfect contrast. While the book does state that one must be a thief to be able to navigate the museum, it also goes a long way to avoid glamorizing theft. There's a lot to think about here too, such as to what length we should go to protect children and when they should be allowed to make their own mistakes. In Jewel the children were so protected that they had no ability to think for themselves or make a decision when faced with trouble.

I'm happy to find another kids' book that's not just for kids. Also eagerly awaiting the next book in this trilogy.

The Limit

2010-10-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

by Kristen Landon

Matt lives in a society where all families are given a "limit" to their debt. Once a family goes over the limit they must complete some program to bring them back under the limit. One of those options is to send one of their children to a work camp where they work they do will help to pay off the debt. Matt never worries about this until one day his family unexpectedly goes over the limit. Before he knows it a big black vehicle arrives at his house and a small syrupy lady and some large men cart Matt off to the nearest work center.

The work center isn't what Matt imagined. He lives in a plush apartment on the top floor, doing exciting work during the day and playing in the pool and gym in the evenings. However, some things don't seem quite right. Matt phone doesn't work in the building, none of his emails seem to be going through, and kids keep getting headaches and then disappearing. Matt soon decides he needs to get to the bottom of this. The question is, once he figures it out, what will he do about it?

This book is a little hard for me to review. I enjoyed it. As a kids' book it's great. It's got an interesting plot, surprising twists and turns, fun characters, etc. I'd recommend it to many kids.

However, it's pretty much strictly a kids book. Some books in the kid section seem to transcend it and find a way to be relevant or thought-provoking to an older reader. While this book was great fun, it doesn't really have any of that. It's just a cool story.

The Replacement

2010-10-06T15:11:00.001-07:00

by Brenna Yovanoff

I barely finished this book, and now that I have I wish I hadn't wasted my time.

The Replacement is the story of Mackie Doyle - a 16-year old changeling boy. Mackie's parents and mostly his sister have done their best to love and care for Mackie, but his allergies to iron, steel, blood and consecrated ground are making it harder and harder for him to live in the human world. However, the world that Mackie came from is not a place he's dying to go back too. The Houses and Mayhem and Misery lie beneath the ground, under the slag heap and the dump hill. They are filled with creeping, mysterious dead and undead creatures. Mackie is content to avoid the world beneath the ground until he finds he needs their potions to keep him living. Then Tate's sister dies, and Tate isn't so sure the girl they buried was really her sister. Mackie finds himself attracted to Tate, which makes it harder and harder for him to deny to her that she's right, and he knows where her real sister is - he just doesn't think they can get her back.

It sounds so promising! Even when I describe the plot here I can't help but thinking, "Oh, that sounds cool!" Alas, the fabulous plot idea suffers from a few flaws:

One. The first half of the book drags. The author is intentionally vague about characters, history, origins, even what exactly Mackie is. Sure he's a changeling, but there are many types of changeling in folklore. Is he a faerie? A troll? An elf? A demon? Some new type of thing you just made up? It is NEVER explained. That bugs me. I read through the first half of the book feeling like I'd missed a chapter. I didn't know what was going on, who exactly people were, what they thought of each other, why they were doing things, etc. It felt like it does when you watch a TV show for the first time in the middle of the 3rd season. Lost and confused. You need a friend with you who knows the show to fill in the gaps for you. In the case of the book I needed the author to do that for me, but she didn't.

Two. Are these kids really supposed to be high schoolers? There is so much drinking going on with no apparent concern for being caught. Never mind the fact that the characters stay out all night and nothing comes of it. Where the heck are the parents? Wouldn't they be concerned? I've encountered this in other books, but it's often is explained away with and over-busy parent, or a poor (as in bad, not penniless) parent or something. But in this book Mackie's dad is supposed to be a pastor - shouldn't he be showing more concern?

Three: I just didn't understand the characters. Is Mackie popular or a freak? At one point he's freak, but then all these girls like him, so...? The twins were very flat and just seemed to be there to fill space. Alice was there one minute kissing Mackie and then she never comes into play again. Roswell was a nice guy, but if he's so close to Mackie, wouldn't you think he'd be more curious about what Mackie is? He seems to be aware of his oddities, but never questions. Maybe that's just supposed to make him a good friend who doesn't question, but I think it makes him seem too timid. Tate - one minute she's super mean girl, the next she's flirting with Mackie. I don't think I really understood any of them, and therefore I didn't really care that much about them.

Even though the ending was hastily and almost too-tidily wrapped up, I really didn't care anymore. I was just glad it was over.

Missing You

2010-10-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

It really bugs me that this book came out with new cover art that does not match the cover art on my other books.

However, I love the book itself. Jess annoys the heck out of me a couple times for being so dense about Rob, but I was very satisfied with the ending of the book and the series - this is a well-concluded series.

Missing You takes place a few years after the previous books. Jess has used her powers to find missing people in the war. She has found countless terrorists in her time overseas, before the trauma of it all caused Jess to lose her powers. Now Jess is back in the US, living in New York City with Ruth and going to Juilliard. She and Rob have falling apart and Jess is struggling with what she wants to do. So when Rob shows up at her door in NYC asking for her help to find his sister Hannah, she is upset with him. She can't find people anymore, she insists. But Rob begs her to try. So she does, and discovers that at some point her powers have returned. Jess goes back to Indiana with Rob, and while there she discovers more secrets than just where Hannah is hiding.

Sanctuary

2010-09-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

I have been blazing through these books so fast I can barely remember what I was going to write. Let's just say I loved it, and was glad that I am reading these years after they were published so I didn't have to wait 4 years before the 5th book came out. This book is great, but is not a satisfying ending to the series - it definitely needed one more.

In Sanctuary a new family moved in across from Jess's. However, shortly after the family's teenage soon turns up dead in a cornfield. There are rumors of gang activity, despite the family denying it. A few days later and young Jewish boy disappears, and a few days after that the Jewish synagogue is burned down. Jess and Rob discover that there is a white supremacist militia group living in the backwoods that is responsible for the recent events. Jess knows where to find the missing boy, but the problem is getting to him. Jess and Rob believe they can find a way to get in, but how will they get out with the boy and put this group to a stop?

Safe House

2010-09-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

Third book - darker and more mysterious than the first two. This time, Jess is searching for someone she knows.

Jess returns from her summer working at camp to learn that one of the cheerleaders has been found dead in the quarry. Not only that, but her classmates blame Jess for not finding the girl - even though Jess wasn't in town and knew nothing about it. When a second girl goes missing everyone turns to Jess to find her. How can she say no? But also, how can she keep the FBI away if she says yes?

This series is reminding me more and more of the Mediator series with the darker turn. I love the mystery and suspense and trying to figure out just who the culprit is. I was fooled. Love that even more.

Code Name Cassandra

2010-09-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

I like the second book in the 1-800-Where-R-You series even better than the first. In this book, Jess and Ruth are working at a summer orchestra camp for kids. Jess has gotten the press and the FBI to leave her alone by telling them she no longer has her powers. However, she's still working secretly with Rosemary from the 1-800-Where-R-You call center to find missing kids who Rosemary researches and makes sure they really want to be found. Jess is looking forward to a summer of flute playing, and story-telling and hair-braiding with the little girls in her cabin. It's not long though before Jess gets moved to a boy's cabin because the camp is short on male counselors. Jess's campers include a big bully name Shane, who seems to make it his personal mission to make everyone miserable.

Things are pretty normal, if not exactly how she planned, until a man shows up at the camp begging Jess to help him find his lost little girl. Jess wants to help, but how can she do so without tipping off the world that she lied about her powers?

I love the parts of this book with the kids - particularly the many sides of Shane and how Jess interacts with him. And we can't forget the ever-obnoxious Karen Sue Hankey. Meg Cabot has a talent for characters.

When Lightning Strikes

2010-09-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

After buying the first books of this series nearly two years ago, I am finally getting around to reading them - and I'm glad I did.

I loved Meg Cabot's Mediator series, and the 1-800-Where-R-You books remind me a lot of it.

The main character is Jess, an ordinary, if somewhat anger-prone high school sophomore. Jess's best friend Ruth meets her after school and insists on walking home, despite the gathering clouds that suggest a storm is coming. Ruth and Jess don't get very far before the hail starts and they must take cover under the metal bleachers. As Jess leans against the bleachers, a bolt of lighting hits them, and runs right through her. Despite being knocked quite a distance away, Jess seems to suffer no problems after her brush with death.

However, the next morning Jess wakes up knowing exactly where to find the little boy whose face she saw on the milk carton yesterday. From then on Jess learns that she can find any person, so long as she sees a picture of them and then goes to sleep. Of course, Jess starts making calls to 1-800-Where-R-You to report where to find the missing kids, and that's how she gets a lot more attention than she bargained for. Soon the FBI is following her, wanting to know just how she knew where these kids were and when they learn of her powers, they want her to come work for them. Not long after, reports from all over are camping out in Jess's front yard, hoping to get a glimpse of "lightning girl".

And in case things weren't complicated enough, Jess learns that the first little boy she found, didn't really want to be found. Now Jess must get the press off her back, make things right with this boy, and try to keep the FBI from controlling her life.

It's a fun start to the series, and certainly leaves you wondering, "What's going to happen next?!" Onto book 2!

Devastation

2010-09-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

by Gloria Skursynski

It took me a while but I finally figured this book out. This book is the republished version of the first two books in a science-fiction series entitled The Virtual War Chronologs. Devastation contains books 1 (The Virtual War) and 2 (The Clones).

Since the books are so vastly different I will write about them separately first.

The Virtual War was the better of the two books. We start off by meeting Corgan, a 14-year-old boy who has lived his entire life in isolation, with his only company being a virtual world and computer program mother/father named Mendor. Corgan was created by the government to fight in the upcoming virtual war. The winning region will receive the Isles of Hiva - the last piece of land on Earth that humans can live on without the protection of giant domes. Corgan isn't fighting alone though - he's soon joined by his code-breaker Sharla and strategist Brig. While Corgan is used to obeying every command, Sharla is much more prone to breaking them, and it's not long before she starts telling Corgan things about the government he's never even dreamed.

In The Clones, Sharla is working on a new project - analyzing human DNA. Shortly into the novel we (and Corgan) learn that she has been working on making a clone of Brig. She started with 4, and 2 survived. The government only wants one and tells Sharla to destroy the other. She can't bring herself to do it, and so she brings the tiny baby Brig (named Seabrig) to Corgan and asks him to take care of it. Corgan is shocked to hear what Sharla's been up to, and even more shocked to learn that this version of Brig (as well as the Clone Sharla has kept, named Brigand) will mature at an incredible rate. Things get even more complicated when Sharla comes back a few months later with Brigand in tow, and the two clones (who now look about 12) will actually meet.

Like I said, The Virtual War was better than The Clones, despite having a rapid conclusion. The Clones doesn't seem to know what genre it is. It starts out much like the first book - as a sci-fi post-apocalyptic novel, but somewhere along the way it turns strange. Brigand can communicate with the boars? The cannibal kings have given him their power? It was strange and oddly reminiscent of The Lord of the Flies though this is supposed to be sci-fi, not fantasy fiction. I was confused. Some things got half-heartedly explained toward the end and it did improve from that point.

I might read the next book sometime.

Infinite Days

2010-09-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

by Rebecca Maizel

Some book are just hard to rate! I liked this interesting and atypical teen vampire novel, but parts of it still bugged me.

Lenah is a sixteen-year-old girl, attending a prestigious boarding school for the first time. She's nervous, timid and at times naive. But Lenah's got a secret - she's been hibernating for 100 years underground, and only recently awoke from the ritual that turned her back into a human, after hundreds of years of existing as a powerful vampire queen.

In Lenah's world, being a vampire truly is a curse. Vampires lose their souls and therefore can never experience happiness or kindness. They delight in evil and give no second thought to killing humans. The thrill of the kill gives them a temporary respite from the constant pain and suffering, but there is never a relief that lasts. Lenah was tired of the suffering, and after much begging and threatening to walk out into the sunlight to end herself, Lenah's love Rhode performs the ritual that will give Lenah her humanity back. Rhode sacrifices his life for her.

And so Lenah wakes up in a unfamiliar place and time period, with virtually no instruction on how to live. She makes quick friends with a boy named Tony, and despite promising that she not "one of those girls", she soon finds herself falling for the heart-throb of the school - Justin Enos.

However, Lenah's time is running out as she knows her old coven will soon discover she is missing and hunt her down - and she's sure they won't be happy to find her human.

So the premise of this book is what grabs me - a girl who's hundreds of years old, turned from vampire back to human, trying to live a normal teen life in a time period so foreign to the one she's known. Lenah is smart, but she's also often clueless - she doesn't know what snorkeling is, or a prom. The book is peppered with flashback sequences where we get to learn what Lenah was like as a vampire. However, I didn't understand her many times. She makes friends with Tony, but gradually ditches him when she discovers that Justin likes her. She trusts Justin more than Tony even though Tony has given her more reasons to trust him.

Also, I really didn't understand why Rhode waited 100 years to perform the ritual. The hibernation was supposedly to throw her coven off the trail so Lenah could escape them to become human. If that was the case, why didn't they just tell the coven she was hibernating 100 years, then Rhode could dig her up after 5, perform the ritual, and then Lenah could live out her entire life before the vampires ever figured it out. By the time they realized she wasn't there anymore she'd be dead! Maybe there was a reason for it, but it wasn't explained and therefore made the whole time line of the story seem silly.

I'm still interested though, and anxious to see where Maizel takes this story with the next two installments in the trilogy.

The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1

2010-09-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

by P.J. Haarsma

Virus on Orbis 1 is the start to a four-part series entitled, The Softwire.

Thirteen-year-old Johnny has spent all of his life living on a spaceship in route to the rings of Orbis. His parents (as well as all of the other parents on board) where to complete 4 years of work on the rings of Orbis with the hope of eventually becoming citizens. However, there was an error on the ship and all of the adults died in the hibernation pods. The ship continued to pilot itself there, even somehow "hatching" the embryos of the hundreds of children. When the ship docks on Orbis the children are put to work in factories to pay for the cost of passage that their parents were originally supposed to work off. Soon after arrival, the aliens of Orbis discover that Johnny is a softwire - a being with the ability to enter a computer simply with his/her mind. But when the supposedly all-powerful, all-knowing, never-failing central computer starts to malfunction, suspicious is caste upon Johnny and he must find a way to clear his name, as well as save Orbis' computer.

Despite lack of description in some areas (I never really had a clear picture of what things on Orbis looked like, except maybe for Weegin's World), and a few strange plot twists, this was an enjoyable trip into kids' sci fi. I'm curious enough to read another entry and see how things continue to work out with Johnny and his friends.

Sabotaged

2010-08-31T20:43:00.000-07:00

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I still love the concept behind this series, although I found this book to be less captivating than the first two.

This time, Haddix's time traveling series takes us to early America where Andrea learns that she is actually Virginia Dare. However, immediately upon arriving, the kids find themselves in lots of trouble. They've lost the Elucidator (which allows them to communicate with the time-travelling adults who are helping them) and it seems that someone out there is trying to sabotage their mission to fix time and bring Andrea back.

I found this book to be more confusing than the previous two. It seemed to get bogged down by too much time paradox talk, and incessant mention but brief explanation of "tracers". By biggest complaint though was the ending. Haddix is known for being fond of the cliff-hanger ending, but this one was such a sheer drop that it didn't seem like an ending at all. I think my book is missing a few chapters! Virtually nothing is resolved and the characters are about to start off on an off-shoot to their original mission when, all of a sudden, the book is over. That just seems like the author ran out of time and decided, 'oh well, I'll just finish this story in the next book!"

Prada & Prejudice

2010-08-27T19:12:00.001-07:00

by Prada & Prejudice

Callie is on a class trip to London. She's supposed to be having the time of her life, but instead she's feeling just as left-out and unpopular as ever. One day, in a scheme to get the popular girls to like her, Callie goes out and buys a pair of red Prada heels. However, on her way back to the hotel Callie trips and suddenly finds herself stuck in 1815. She meets friendly Emily, who mistakes her for her friend Rachel and takes her in.

At first Callie thinks this is all some big joke or misunderstanding. (In fact, it's starting to get annoying right before she finally realizes she's been catapulted into the past). Soon she's becoming close to Emily, and trying to figure out how to save her from marrying a man much older than her - in the hopes that she can marry the man she loves instead. Of course, this is Prada & Prejudice - a non-so-subtle reference to the beloved classic Pride and Prejudice - so there must be a "Darcy" figure. Alex is a duke, and it is his house where the two friends are staying. Alex is gorgeous, but he really rubs Callie the wrong way. He's conceited, and selfish, and apparently hiding a pretty big secret.

Can Callie find a way to help Emily, confront Alex, and make it back to the twenty-first century before the real Rachel shows up?

This is a cute book, with some funny moments. Despite the nod to Pride and Prejudice, I almost think it would be easier to read this book if you didn't know much about the Regency time period. I'm not an expert, but I found Callie's complete ignorance to be frustrating. For example, she gets all bent out of shape about classes and superiors. Of course the duke acts like he's better than you - everyone in the time period would say that he is!

Another thing I thought was strange was that Callie often wore her 3-inch red patent leather heels around in 1815. I didn't think they wore heels back then.

Lastly, and the real reason this book gets 3-stars instead of 4 or 5, is that the ending was a bit of a let down. I'd been wondering from the beginning how things were going to work out since it was pretty likely Callie would return to her own time by the end. What would happen to the guy she liked and the friends she made? That aspect of it wasn't entirely satisfying.

Mockingjay

2010-08-24T21:36:00.001-07:00

by Suzanne Collins

Sigh.

I don't quite know what to say about this book, or what to rate it. Realistic? Perhaps. Engrossing? Yes. Satisfying? Not really.

And with that I must warn you that *spoilers* will follow. I do not know how to discuss my feelings on this book without them.

I close the final chapter in the Hunger Games trilogy feeling depressed. I know it's a dystopian novel, but I still hoped that there would be hope at the end: hope for a better life, hope for freedom, hope for the future generations. And while there was a tiny glimpse of that, as a whole the book was filled with doom and despair and a tragic resignation to mankind's tendency towards hate.

Lots of characters die. Many that we care about. Many in gruesome ways. One in particular that left me shocked and nearly made me want to put the book down right then.

The sweet romance between Peeta and Katniss is absent. Katniss feels cold and detached throughout most of the novel. It's hard to read. And even harder to connect to her. The passionate, spirited girl we feel in love with in The Hunger Games is not to be found in this book.

I kept hoping that despite the despair and horror of the beginning of this novel, that by the end the characters would find reason to move on. They would pledge to make things better. To right their wrongs and not make their children suffer through the world they did. Instead we see the rebels squeak out a victory by becoming almost as villainous as the Capital, and proceed to contemplate another Hunger Games as punishment for the Capital. Have they learned nothing?

I miss J.K. Rowling with her sweeping, victorious ending that honored the sacrifices of the fallen with a solid, strong hope for the future. There was sadness, but it was tempered with moments of joy, and hope.

I miss Stephenie Meyer with her golden, perfect ending were everyone is loved and happy and left with the feeling that they can conquer whatever comes next.

This book was not the satisfying ending I'd hoped for. There is no joy here.

My Double Life

2010-08-24T00:30:00.000-07:00

by Janette Rallison

Alexia is just a regular high school girl, except for the fact that she looks like famous pop star Kari Kingsley. Alexia's life is turned upside down with Kari comes to town herself hoping to hire Alexia to be her double. Alexia would move to California, live the rich and famous lifestyle, and make various appearances pretending to be Kari. At first Lexi turns the opportunity down, but when she realizes this might be her chance to meet the father she's never know, she changes her mind. However, things aren't so simple when she finally arrives. Lexi soon befriends famous heart-throb Grant Delroy, and despite being told to keep her distance, she simply can't resist him. Meanwhile, things are getting more complicated with Kari and her manager, and Alexia is trying to hold things together long enough for her to finally meet her father.

My Double Life is sweet, funny, happily-ended - all things I've come to expect from a Rallison novel. I wasn't disappointed! If I had to critique something it would be that sometimes the translations of the Spanish words and phrases were a bit heavy handed - but maybe I just felt that was because I knew what most of them meant in Spanish anyway.

Ring of Fire

2010-08-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

by Pierdomenico (P. D.) Baccalario

This book was a fun little discovery! The Ring of Fire is the start to a four-part series about a group of kids that meet in a Roman hotel over the New Year's celebrations. As they are getting acquainted they discover that they all share the same unique birthday - February 29. Things get weired as the group receives a mysterious briefcase. Soon they are on the trail of mystical device called the Ring of Fire. They aren't the only ones searching for it though...

This is an intriguing start to a new series. It kind of reminds me of National Treasure, but in Rome. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

You Wish

2010-08-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

by Mandy Hubbard

I adore this book.

It was all the right combinations of hilariously awkward situations, sweet moments, romance, and friendship.

Kayla's birthday is not going well. Her best friend Nicole just told her she going to be late to her party. Kayla doesn't even want this party - her mom (the party planner) has put it together without consulting Kayla at all. It's filled with people she doesn't know, decorations she hates, and to top it off - her high school nemesis, Janae. Things only get worse when Nicole is much later than she said she'd be. Because she's still out on her anniversary dinner with her boyfriend Ben - a boy who Kayla's happened to be secretly crushing on for 3 years. So when her mom pulls out the giant birthday cake and practically orders Kayla to make a wish, Kayle hopelessly wishes that her birthday wishes actually did come true, because "they never freakin' do!"

Kayla's wish does come true though, and she soon wishes it hadn't. A giant My Little Pony appears in her backyard. She awakens to a room full of gumballs. Her childhood doll comes to life. And that's just the beginning. As more and more of Kayla's past birthday wishes come true, she has to do more and more to hide them from her family and friends while tying to find a way to make them stop. Because it's not long before she realizes that her birthday wish from last year was that Ben would kiss her - and she's pretty sure that's going to ruin her friendship with Nicole.

As I mentioned before, this book is funny and sweet in all the right places. I laughed out loud at poor Kayla's predicaments and was left completely satisfied by the ending. All in all a super fun book.

Wild Magic

2010-08-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

by Cat Weatherill

I bought this book on a whim last weekend because the title intrigued me, the cover was pretty and the description was interesting. Sometimes despite all that promise, a book has still failed to deliver, but thankfully Wild Magic was mostly a pleasant surprise.

This book is a retelling of the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. After the piper successfully rid the town of their rat infestation and is refused payment, he plays his pipe again and leads the children of Hamelin away with him. Our main character, Mari is one of the children to be lead away, while her crippled brother Jakob is barely left behind. The Piper leads the children into the world of Elvendale where they soon learn that he is looking for one child in particular - a child with unknown magical powers who will help him lift an ancient curse.

The book is split into 3 different narratives that alternate back and forth. Mari and Jakob serve as two of the narrators, with the Piper as the third. It is interesting to read the story from both the perspectives of the "heroes" and the "villain".

The story is inventive and interesting. The ending was mostly satisfying. Despite a few "too-neat" aspects, and a couple unanswered questions, I enjoyed this take on the Pied Piper.

Sisters Red

2010-08-05T22:14:00.001-07:00

by Jackson Pearce

Was this book well written? Definitely. Was it fun? Not really. And therein lies my main problem with Sisters Red. I read Pearce's previous book and enjoyed it's fun style. This book is almost it's exact opposite.

Sisters Red is the tale of two sisters, Scarlett and Rosie, who narrowly survive a werewolf attack that killed their beloved grandmother. Scarlett is severely scarred in her efforts to protect Rosie and from then on harbors a desire to hunt down these werewolves, Fenris as they are called in the book. Rosie feels indebted to her sister, and therefore fights along with her, even though she secretly wishes for something more. To complicate things more, Scarlett's hunting partner, and only friend Silas is back, and he's falling for Rosie.

This book is dark, and there's not much relief from that throughout the book. Hope is lacking. The Fenris are evil, lurking creatures who are a danger to everyone. Scarlett's pain over her grandmother's death, feeling of obligation to kill the wolves, and despair at her ruined face consume half of the narrative. The rest is taken up by Rosie's narration, and her desire over wanting to do something else but hunt warring with her sense of debt to her sister. Never mind that she finds herself having feelings for Silas and worrying about if she should acknowledge them.

Pearce is a talented author to make you feel so terrible about the sisters' predicament. However, there was very little resolution at the end. There are countless wolves, and despite the group's efforts, it all seems very futile. Did they even make a difference? Is there a hope for relief for these traumatized girls? At of the end of this book it doesn't seem like there's much. However, this does appear to be a series - perhaps hope will be more evident in the next entry.

The Iron Daughter

2010-08-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

by Julie Kagawa

The sequel to The Iron King is no disappointment. While there were a few elements that were annoying, the book was a very satisfying second-part to the trilogy.

Meghan Chase has arrived in the Winter land of Tir Na Nog with Prince Ash. However, shortly after, Ash disappears, leaving Meghan distressed over what has happened between them. She loves Ash, but fears he deceived her. And when Ash reappears acting distant and cold, Meghan is even more upset. However, things quickly go from bad to worse for Meghan; Ash's brother Sage is killed and the Scepter of the Seasons stolen in an attack of Iron Fey right before her eyes, and no one believes her that the Iron Fey exist. Mab accuses Oberon of the theft, and it looks as if Summer and Winter will meet in war. Meghan and Ash must flee the land in order to hunt down the scepter before the courts of Summer and Winter destroy each other.

A few irks: Meghan spends way too much whining and crying about Ash's coldness to her. He warned her dozens of time not to show weakness in the land of Winter and she can't seem to remember this! Puck calls Meghan "Princess" all the time. Wish he used her name. The end is a little bittersweet, but I'm hoping that all gets resolved in The Iron Queen which comes out in early 2011!

Runaway

2010-07-26T11:51:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

I sort of wish I hadn't started reading this series until all of the books were out. The trilogy of Airhead, Being Nikki, and Runaway really read more like one whole story than 3 separate ones. I also had a really hard time remembering what had happened in the previous book. Cabot provides her reader with some clues, but a lot of the time I was just not sure what was going on.

Runaway concludes the story of Emerson Watts, average teen girl turned supermodel when she almost dies from a giant TV falling on her, and has her brain transplanted into a teen supermodel Nikki Howard's body. Problem is, Nikki's brain was removed and secretly placed into another body. And Nikki would really like her original body back. Oh, and Nikki's employer, billionaire Robert Stark, wants Nikki dead, and Em to obey his every command - after all, he gave her her body and her life back, and he can take it away. In this particular book Nikki is on the run with her ally/enemy Brandon Stark. She's also trying to figure out what shading dealings Robert Stark is undertaking that Nikki overheard and cause Robert to have her killed.

This is Meg Cabot, so of course there's a tumultuous romance, and a neatly-wrapped up ending. The series as a whole was fun. This book was fine, but I think I would have rather read the story as one book rather than three. The Mediator series is still Meg Cabot at her best.

Still Sucks To Be Me

2010-07-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

by Kimberly Pauley

After all the teen vampire books lately that demand to be taken seriously, Still Sucks To Be Me is a fun light-hearted take on the genre. This book is the sequel (not sure if it's going to be a series) to the book of a similar name, Sucks To Be Me.

At the end of the first book Mina has made her decision to become a vampire. She was finally able to tell her friend about it (although secretly), she now has a vampire boyfriend and she doesn't have the Vampire Council on her back anymore. Things should be looking up. However, it's not long before Mina learns that she and her parents are being relocated and must fake their deaths. Mina is distraught to learn she'll have to leave her best friend behind. She's even more upset to learn that her boyfriend George is travelling to Brazil to spend some time with his parents.

Mina end up moving to a tiny town in Louisiana. She make a few friends, but things are not going the way she'd hoped. Her pal back home is stressed about her parents and Mina can't be there to help. George doesn't answer her emails, and while her new vampire friend Cameron may seem nice, he associates with some questionable people. Mina's starting to wonder if her life will ever NOT suck.

This book is funny and light-hearted. Mina's narration is funny and sarcastic. It's not sophisticated, but if you're looking for a funny take on the vampire genre, this might fit the bill.

Winter's Passage

2010-07-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

by Julie Kagawa

It feels strange to be reviewing this "book" as it's really quite tiny - only about 66 pages. It's more a teaser for the next book in the series than something to be read on it's own.

However, I love this series, and I loved the teaser! I am now more anxious than ever to get my hands on The Iron Daughter, which comes out at the beginning of August.

Winter's Passage tells the story of Meghan's journey with Ash to the Winter realm. They encounter the menacing Hunter along the way, and of course, there's a little romance thrown in. Happily, Grimalkin makes an appearance as well. Can't wait to read the next full-length entry in this adventure!

The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows

2010-07-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Jacqueline West

I finally got my hands on a copy of this book with all the correct pages (thanks Dani!) and was able to finish it!

I love this book. It's like a delightful mix of 100 Cupboards and Coraline.

Olive and her parents just moved into a big, old Victorian house. Her parents are pretty busy with their jobs, so Olive has some time to explore her new house. Olive examines the paintings left on the walls and well as the drawers of dressers and other furniture left in the house when her parents bought it. Before long she discovers and old pair of spectacles, and and even bigger surprise - when she's wearing the glasses she can step into the paintings! However, there is something sinister lurking in the "elsewhere". Olive must muster up all her bravery and resourcefulness now to protect herself and her family from the mysterious presences that wants it's house back.

The book is just the right mix of funny, creepy, and fantastical. I loved it from beginning to end and can't wait to read where this story goes next! (I just hope that the next time I get a book with all it's pages!)

Glimmerglass

2010-07-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

by Jenna Black

Glimmerglass is another good faerie book with unique aspects and puzzling characters. It's also a successful beginning entry to a series: it has a complete story unto itself, but there is more than enough material left to expand upon in future novels. This aspect is one of the most crucial to me when reading a series, and I'm happy to say that Glimmerglass provides.

Glimmerglass is the tale of Dana, a high school student who is fed up with moving from town to town and having to deal with her alcoholic mother. She knows her dad lives in Avalon (the one place on earth where the faerie realm and the human realm intersect.) What she doesn't know is the reason her mother has kept her from Avalon and her father her whole life - she's about to find out that it's a lot more dangerous there than she ever imagined. Dana runs away to Avalon and soon learns that she's a Faeriewalker. While humans can't enter Faerie, and the Fae can't enter the mortal realm, a Faeriewalker can enter both. A Faeriewalker can bring magic into the human world, and technology into Faerie - this makes Dana very dangerous, and very desired by those who seek power. As Dana learns who she is, she must also decide who to trust - and it's not an easy decision.

I loved how difficult it was even for the reader to determine who could be trusted and who couldn't. You are forced into trying to make a judgement on very little information - just like Dana does, and it gives the reader a great perspective on what Dana is going through.

If I had one complaint it would be that is was unclear if all humans know about the Fae. Dana speaks of them as if they're no bigger a surprise than a English person, but it's not exactly clear if everyone knows of the Fae or if Dana simply does because of her heritage. It's not crucial to the story, but I was curious about this for the first portion of the book.

Dark Life

2010-06-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

by Kat Falls

I am shamefully slow with this update, but here it is finally: my review!

And now I am remembering why I try to be good about writing this right after I finish the book...because now I don't remember as many details!

I will say I enjoyed Dark Life a lot. The world (or rather, ocean) it takes place in is unlike any other book I've read. Kat Falls creates many new technologies to enable the characters of Dark Life to live beneath the surface of the ocean. Things such as "liquigen", bubble fences, and underwater jellyfish-style houses may seem fanciful at times, but are a unique solution to the problem of how exactly a group of humans would live and farm under the sea.

The villains are creepy, and certainly surprising, while the main characters are varied and interesting. I'm not sure if this book is a series, but I wouldn't mind reading more about this underwater world.

The Reckoning

2010-06-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

by Kelley Armstrong

I've really enjoyed the unique story of this trilogy, but I have to say, the last book was a bit of a disappointment.

Chloe, Tori, Derek and Simon have just escaped the Edison Group again and are hiding out with the group fighting against the Edison Group. Once again, a large part of the beginning of this book is spend doing very little. The action comes all at once, at the end, and involves a lot of twists, turns, and constantly flipping allegiances (Are these people really on our side? No! Let's run away! Wait, maybe they are. Let's stick around. Wait! We have to run away!)

Mostly, this book did not feel like it should be the end. The ending is pretty ambiguous as far as endings go, and many, many aspects of the plot were left unexplained. Some things were brought up in the storyline of this book only to be dropped casually a few chapters later. If this series was slated to continue in additional books, I would assume these things would come up in the next book, but as this is the final book, it seemed like the plot wasn't as well thought-out as it should have been.

On the positive side, Armstrong does a pretty good job of subtly reminding the reader what has happened previously. I didn't remember many details from the previous books, but whenever I'd start to be confused, there were some helpful hints placed into the narrative that reminded me of what I was supposed to know. Still, this is the 3rd book, and doesn't stand alone. If you're gonna read the series, start with The Summoning.

The Devouring

2010-06-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

by Simon Holt

The first half of The Devouring was creepy in a good way. Lots of slightly sinister, psychological stuff happening. The second half, however, was icky. Way too many gross-out, gory events. I was not intending to read a horror novel when I picked this up!

The Devouring is the story of Reggie, a teen girl who loves horror books and movies (as does her best friend Aaron). Reggie's mom left her family last year, and since then Reggie has had to take care of her little brother Henry a lot of the time. One day Reggie finds a mysterious hand-written book called "The Devouring". It tells the tale of the Vours - mysterious beings that feed on fear, and possess the bodies of people on Sorry Night - when that are at their most afraid. Reggie thinks it's an odd, but interesting tale, made up by some crazy person. However, for fearful Henry (whom she reads the story to), the Vours are real, and something to be very afraid of. Unfortunately for them all, it's Sorry Night; and Henry's right.

As I mentioned before, the first half of this book is a psychological thriller. The spooks are all from the dark, or flickering lights, or strange voices, or cold mysterious places. However, at the halfway turning point we are taken into an alternate world - a fearscape, as the book calls it - a world that is filled creepy clowns, swarms of spiders, all sorts of gruesome weapons and their resulting damage. Ick.

*Spoilers* I have a few other complaints that can't be explained without spoiling things, so be warned. When Reggie and Aaron first go to Eben and show him the book and mention that Henry is acting strange, he chastises them for fooling around with the book, but also shrugs off Henry's weird behavior. At the end of the book we learn that Eben knows all about the Vours and has been fighting them for years. Didn't he realize Henry was a Vour? And why didn't he tell them? If there is a reason for this - the author should have explained it, because left unexplained it just seems like a mistake. Also, Aaron just deduces all the answers to the puzzle of what the Vours are, where Henry is, how to get him back, etc. really suddenly! Reggie falls asleep and when she wakes up, he's found no info in his Internet search, but concludes that Henry is trapped in his own fearscape and Reggie went there because she ate the Vour and is now partially Vour, so she can go there by touching Henry. Ta-da! And "fearscape"? - just a little hokey. *End Spoilers*

In short, interesting premise, gross end of the book, annoying non-concluded ending.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

2010-06-07T09:18:00.001-07:00

by Stephenie Meyer

I have mixed feelings for this book. It's sad, and I don't particularly like sad endings. However, the ending isn't exactly a surprise, so that helps. Likely, if you're reading this book you've already read Eclipse and know that Bree dies. And even if you didn't, the title is kind of a dead giveaway (no pun intended).

However, on the flip side, it was interesting to see Meyer tackle a story that does not end well. The Twilight series is notorious for its peachy-keen ending, and while I did enjoy that, I also like seeing a different side of Meyer's writing. Does she pull off the sad ending? Yes, I think so. And notably, despite knowing that this character was doomed for destruction, and trying specifically to not get attached to her, I found myself loving Bree anyway! Ah! All in less than 180 pages no less. How do you do that Stephenie Meyer? I always get so invested in your characters!

Now I just want to know more about Fred!

Spells

2010-06-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

by Aprilynne Pike

A little less than a year ago, Aprilynne Pike's debut novel, Wings marked my venture forth into the "re-popular" genre of faerie fantasies. Since then I've read quite a few others, although Pike's remains one of the more unique when it comes to the faerie mythology. Sure, Shakespeare and A Midsummer Night's Dream still gets a token mention, but Pike's Avalon is not centered around the doings of Titania and Oberon, and the makeup of her faeries is something else entirely. I don't want to say much more so I don't spoil it for anyone who may not have read Wings yet. :)

This time around we get to see more of Avalon. Much of the discussion and tension in the faerie-land comes from the eons-old "class-system" that makes some faeries special and others common simply by the season they are born. I have a feeling we'll be dealing with this system and Laurel's dislike of it much more in the coming books.

Let's see...I still love Tamani. He's one of the more interesting characters of this book. Laurel is torn and stubborn, and David is in a bit over his head, but Tamani deals with the most longing and heartache of everyone, and despite being bound by his class and trying to do what is "proper", he is still strong and determined and protective.

Four stars because the action comes and goes in spurts rather than gradually building, which I prefer, and for the fact that I want Laurel to admit she likes Tamani, and because the ending is maddeningly vague! I'm very much looking forward to book three - Enchantments - but sad that it's not coming out until April 2011!

Eyes Like Stars

2010-05-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

by Lisa Mantchev

I just couldn't get into this book. The characters are bizarre, and at not very likable. The setting is vague and the background information is non-existent. I didn't even finish it. I didn't even get halfway - which I almost never do. I think a book deserves to be read to it's end, and I can honestly only remember two books in the recent past that I have not finished. However, despite a week with many opportunities to read, I have always found other things to do. So I'm giving it up for now. Maybe someday I'll come back to it.

Spirit Bound

2010-05-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

by Richelle Mead

Ok, last we left this series Rose had returned from her physically- and emotionally-draining trip to Russia to hunt down her former love Dimitri (who had turned from harmless dhampir to malevolent Strigoi) and kill him. Rose is relieved because she has freed Dimitri from his evil, undead state, just as he wished, only to soon receive a package in the mail - the stake she used to kill Dimitri, and a note from him - he's not dead after all, and now he vows to hunt her down and kill her.

In Spirit Bound, Lissa and Rose graduate from St. Vladamir's, and travel to court to receive their guardian assignments (Rose as the guardian and Lissa as the guarded). *Spoilers ahead* However, along the way they also stage a jail break, escape to Las Vegas, learn a possible method to restore Strigoi, dodge a mob of Strigoi attackers, and return to be punished. Lissa travels to her future college, gets attacked again by the Strigoi, and Rose assists the rescue operation. Lissa performs the nearly impossible feat of staking Dimitri herself with a spirit-charmed stake (was this really any surprise though?) and he remarkably becomes dhampir once more. They all return to court - the guardian assignments STILL looming...but no! More things must happen first! Rose attends a secret Moroi party with Adrian (of which they are none too happy about), Dimitri worships Lissa but pushes Rose away, the council changes the law to make guardians graduate at age 16, Rose had a swearing outburst at the queen, and right near the end we learn that Queen Tatiana herself has been murdered, and Rose is the prime suspect. *End spoilers*

In short, lots of twist and turns, which were interesting, but also made the book seem a little aimless at times. What is the point of this novel? Turning Dimitri back? Not quite. Guardian assignments? Not really that either. Graduation? Barely even mentioned. And all of a sudden, out from nowhere at the very end - a trial?! Sometimes it seemed like this book's purpose was to be a set up for the final book. However, I did enjoy it, despite Dimitri being annoying. Eager for book 5!

Oh, and the cover - only 1 star for that. Seriously, I took the blasted dust jacket off so I wouldn't look like I was walking around with a Harlequin novel! Sheesh. Less seductive looking next time, please!

My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions

2010-05-18T22:51:00.001-07:00

by Becca Wilhite

This book is adorable.

Most definitely predictable, romantic fare, but it is some of the best kind.

Sarah is a freshman in college. She's smart, but also insecure. She considers herself woefully average, with hair that's a wild mess. The last "relationship" she was in ended badly, and Sarah has let the experience make her believe she's not good enough to be "the star of her own story". So when incredibly good-looking Ben starts to hand out with her, Sarah keeps wondering when he'll come to his senses, and why he's being so nice to her.

I only have 2 complaints:

-- I want to know what happened with "existential girl". She appears, make some statements, but has no resolution in the end.

--The title of this book doesn't seem quite right to me. Still trying to decide what I'd call it instead...

Be a Genie is Six Easy Steps

2010-05-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

by Linda Chapman and Steve Cole

Cool concept, but definitely not for grown-ups.

There are some kids' books that can be read by adults and enjoyed. Harry Potter, Fablehaven, and 100 Cupboards are some notable ones. Some however, are clearly written just for kids and adults will just be bored by them. This is one of those.

This book is the story of 4 new step-siblings who are forced to move from their beloved London to a small town when their parents marry and open a book shop. So when they find a book that claims it will teach them to be genies, they immediately conclude that if they become genies they can wish their way back to London!

(*Some spoilers*) The front flap of this book promises a sinister presence that follows the children on their path to become genies. This promise is sorely realized by some mildly creepy people who turn out to not be creepy at all (it's all just a big misunderstanding! Let's all be friends! Which, in my opinion, is kinda lame. A book without a satisfying villain is no fun at all.) Also, the bookworm that acted as the book's spokesperson annoyed me. I really never understood why the kids loved him so much!

Maybe if I was a kid I would have liked this book. As an adult, it's just too childish.

Once Upon a Marigold

2010-05-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

by Jean Ferris

This is a super cute book. It's silly and fun, and not to be taken too seriously. I loved it.

Ed the troll comes across a 6-year old boy when out scavenging one day. The boy, named Christian, has run away from home and refuses to go back. Ed reluctantly takes him in and raises him. Fast forward 12 years and Christian is a curious young man, who loves to build and cook but has few friends. He begins a correspondence via carrier pigeons with the young princess across the river from the cave he shares with Ed. The princess, Marigold, and Christian soon become best friends, even though they both know they will likely never meet. Although we all know they certainly will - this is a fairy tale after all!

The reason I only gave it four stars? The stuff with the tooth fairy just seemed very odd and out of place to me. The rest was adorable, a bit hokey at times, but enjoyable for all it's silliness.

The Stone Child

2010-05-03T19:17:00.001-07:00

by Dan Poblocki

I'm really debating between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I enjoyed the book, thought it was inventive, captivating, sufficiently creepy, and satisfyingly ended. Maybe it deserves 4, but I'm just not overwhelmingly amazed by it, or left thinking about it for long after the end, although I can't put my finger on why.

The Stone Child is the story of a young boy named Eddie who moves to the mysterious small town of Gatesweed with his mother and father. His mom is an aspiring author and his dad deals in antiques. Upon their arrival to town Eddie learns that the author of his favorite scary books, Nathanial Olmstead, lived in the very same town. However, he also hears rumors of strange creatures and the "Olmstead Curse" that might have something to do with the author's disappearance 13 years ago. As Eddie makes friends and begins to try to find out more about the curse, things start getting creepier, and Eddie and his friends begin to be afraid that the creatures from Olmstead's books are real. The group must work together to solve the mystery of Olmstead's disappearance before it's too late to save him, or the town.

As I mentioned, this book does have a nice creepy vibe to it. It's written for kids, and if I was a kid I would be thoroughly scared. As an adult, only slightly. I loved the history to the curse and Olmstead's disappearance. I would have liked a little more puzzle-solving than there was, I also would have liked a little more length to the story. I think a few more pages of suspense during the scary creature sightings would have added a lot - but I guess what I'm wishing for is for this book to be geared more to young adults than to children. Some portions were very predictable and the characters were pretty simplistic and flat. However, the ending was different then I imagined (I had 2 scenarios worked out in my head), so that was a nice surprise.

Still debating that 4th star, but for now I'm sticking with 3.

Darklight

2010-04-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

by Lesley Livingston

Darklight is a respectable sequel to it's predecessor Wondrous Strange. However, there were a few aspects of the book that left me wanting.

First, it was really unclear what the point of the book was for a long time. What climax are we climbing toward? At one point it seems like it will have something to do with Auberon, but no, it actually ends up being something else entirely! A plot twist that wasn't even hinted at until halfway through.

Secondly, a few things were left unexplained at the end of the book. (*Spoilerish* One: Auberon's sickness, and two: the stuff about Sonny's parents.) Where Wondrous Strange succeeded in setting itself up for a sequel while still having a complete conclusion to the individual entry, Darklight did not.

Last (*define spoilers*, the end annoyed me a little! Kelly making Sonny think she didn't love him anymore so he would leave and she could save him from himself and whatnot was a bit too "New Moon" for me. Why don't you just, I don't know, talk to him?! This story has been done before!)

However, despite these things I like the mix of Shakespeare and faeries, the faery world and the human world. It works well together and, despite having many similarities to other faery stories, it's unique and interesting. I'm still eager for the next book.

Scones and Sensibility

2010-04-24T18:25:00.001-07:00

by Lindsay Eland

Scones and Sensibility is a fun little tale of 12 year-old Penny and her matchmaking adventures. Penny loves two books: Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice. She loves them so much that she wishes her life were like the pages of those books. Penny talks like shes living in regency England, and is as dramatic as Anne Shirley herself. It is her love of these classic romances that inspires Penny to help her friends in her small beach town find love. However, Penny's matchmaking does not always go as planned....

Most of the time it's cute, and funny. However, sometime Penny's old-timey talk and dramatics can grate on you. She uses the words "dear", "dearest" and "dainty" a lot. She often gets "swept away" by her imaginings and blows things way out of proportion. But the character IS supposed to be 12, so I can forgive most of that.

Bottom line: it's cute, although predictable and occasionally heavy-handed in it's gimmick.

The Books of Umber: Happenstance Found

2010-04-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

by P. W. Catanese

By the time I got to the end of Happenstance Found, the first book in the Books of Umber trilogy, I liked it. However, the beginning of this book is a little slow and aimless.

Happenstance is a young boy who wakes up wet and blindfolded in a cave. Soon a man named Umber and his two companions come across him and take him on their journey.

For most of the book Happenstance and his new friends (as well as the reader) are unsure as to who or what Hap is. Is he from this world? Is he magical? What happened to him in his past and why can't he remember anything? Thankfully, this mystery intrigued me, or I likely would have quit reading before the end. Not much happens in the first half of the novel besides wondering.

Thankfully, things finally start to pick up and Hap and Umber learn more about Hap's origins. By the end of the book we've also learned more about Umber's past and the book takes a turn slightly in genre. It is no longer a straight-forward fantasy - a twist I was eager for! I'm interested to see how the next book goes, since it will hopefully not have the problem of vagueness and the complete mystery of Hap that this book did.

The Iron King

2010-04-12T08:00:00.001-07:00

by Julie Kagawa

I've been reading a lot of faery books lately, but this one goes right up to the top of my list of favorites.

Lots of the faery themed novels have similar elements - the Seelie and Unseelie courts, changelings, advice to never promise anything to a faery. Many have the same characters - Oberon, Titania, Mab, Puck, etc. Julie Kagawa's novel The Iron King is no exception, however it is the way she mixes the classic legend with her own unique creations that makes this book really sing.

Meghan is about to turn sixteen years old when some strange things start happening to her. Life has always been a little odd since her dad disappeared when she was six, and her new step-dad can't seem to remember she exists. Then Meghan's little brother is taken from their home, and before she knows it Meghan is swept into the Nevernever - the land of the fey. She is about to discover that her father is not the man she knew, but is actually the Faery King, and in order to get her brother back she must face new dangers unknown to the fey.

This book is well-written and engrossing, with characters who are mysterious and frightening, both friendly and fearsome. And while the novel does hint towards a possible love triangle, it (thankfully) does not make that the focus just yet. There is a romance, but this is not simply a romance book.

This is the first book to a series, and miraculously - it has a conclusion (!) while also leaving much to be explored in future entries. I am happy and eager for more.

The Line

2010-04-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

by Teri Hall

This book would have been good.

The Line is the story of a girl named Rachel who lives on "The Property" with her mother and the owner of the property, among some other help. Rachel's mom serves as the housekeeper and Rachel has spent most of her growing up years by herself, with her mother as her teacher. The Property is situated right by The Line - an invisible border that separates the U.S. from Away - a place where it is rumored that frightening creatures and humans with alarming powers live. Rachel is curious about Away, so one day when she discovers a cryptic message that appears to have come from the other side, Rachel is eager to see what else she can discover.

Unfortunately, this book is a set-up for a series and it does not have an ending. What happened to each book in a series having a story complete unto itself and the ability to be read on it's own? I really don't like this new style of series, and unfortunately again, the only way to know if it's like that is to read it to the end. While I was a little irritated at the 'non-ending', the story is interesting (it's got a The Village mixed with The Hunger Games feel to it - mysterious creatures that exist beyond an non-traversable barrier and an oppressive government to keep it that way), so I will probably still keep my eyes peeled for the second entry.

A Conspiracy of Kings

2010-04-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

by Megan Whalen Turner

It's OK.

One of the main reasons I like Turner's series is because of the characters. And while the way she depicts and surprises you with her characters in still evident in this book, the character that I like the most is hardly in it! He's the main character (after all the series is called The Queen's Thief), but he only appears occasionally. Sad.

Also, this book is sometimes confusing! It's Turner's style to leave many things unsaid so you have to figure out what's going on on your own, but I felt like too much was left out this time. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention because I missed Gen. I'm hoping if there's another book in this series that it will be about the main characters!

Keys to the Demon Prison

2010-03-28T19:56:00.001-07:00

by Brandon Mull

One word to describe this book (and series): Amazing!

In the fifth (and final) book of the Fablehaven series, the battle to keep the demon prison Zzyzx closed comes to a conclusion. The Knights of the Dawn are fighting to find and protect the remaining artifacts, while the Society of the Evening Star continues to seek them out. Kendra and Seth are once again thrown into the middle of the conflict, and must use their unique gifts and abilities to save the world from destruction.

Once again, Mull does not disappoint! This book is filled with action, suspense, and humor. Despite the 500+ page count, there is not a dull moment. The book is evenly paced, and the action builds and declines multiple times throughout the novel.

If I had to pick something to criticize it would be Mull's tendency to create "throw away" characters. Often (in most of the books of the series), the Knights are about to head off on a mission and we are introduced to (sometimes multiple) new characters. Usually, one or all of them end up dying shortly after. Once you get used to this pattern it become pretty easy to predict that the character whose name you just learned is going to die in about 15 pages. However, since he doesn't always kill them off, and occasionally the more established characters have been the victims it doesn't bother me that much. I'd rather the characters I'm not attached to die than my favorites anyway!

Oh, and one other small complaint (*spoiler*) - I wish Bracken's speech to Kendra at the end had been Kendra's speech to him! It would have been good for her character to finally be assertive and strong by telling Bracken that she likes him, but that she needs some time to herself; and that he can wait for her if he wants, because after all the years he's lived he can certainly wait a few more, if he really cares about her. And she also should have kissed him before the big battle that they all thought they were gonna die in. Because that would have been funny. Just plant one on him and say, "Alright, I'm gonna go slay that demon for ya!" (*end spoilers*)

All things considered this is one of my favorite series. It's right up there with Harry Potter and Twilight (yes, it's that good!). It could appeal to both boys and girls, and really, readers of any age. I only wish it was more well-known that it is! Maybe if a movie does get made (last I've heard is sometimes in 2011), the series might start getting the recognition it deserves!

Wondrous Strange

2010-03-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

by Lesley Livingston

Finally a book worth being excited over!

Wondrous Strange is a lovely mix of fantasy (faeries specifically), danger, battles (with descriptions not too lengthy as to bore you), humor and romance.

I particularly loved the part when Sonny yelled "Seelie witch!" To say much more would spoil the story. :)

Despite this book being part of a series, the book itself does resolve! It seems like half of the series I read are plagued by cliff-hanger endings and lack of resolution in each individual novel. If there is no resolution, then the book should not be over! Wondrous Strange, however, avoids this pitiful, for which I am glad.

A satisfying entry, while still making me eager for more!

I do believe faeries are gradually becoming one of my favorite fantasy sub-categories!

The Blue Shoe

2010-03-15T19:40:00.001-07:00

by Roderick Townley

Once again, I'm not really sure what I want to say about this book. It was good, but not I-wanna-rave-about-it good.

The Blue Shoe is the story of Hap Barlow, an apprentice to town's cobbler. Accused of stealing, young Hap is banished to the harsh mountain of Xexnax. Hap is sad to leave his master and friend, Grel, but he is also anxious to get to the mountain as he hopes he will be able to rescue his father who was sent there a few years prior. However, once Hap arrives on the mountain, things are not at all like he'd imagined. Hap must use all his wits to survive on this mountain.

The book has a few moments in the narrative that really catch you attention due to their interesting phrasing. However, there are also a few moments where the author breaks the narrative style to address the reader. (Much like Kate DiCamillo's style - a style I don't always like.)

The story was interesting, but didn't fully realize the mystery I thought was potential in the beginning. By the end the story tried to return to that mysterious element, but by this point it felt like an afterthought.

Green

2010-03-09T21:19:00.001-08:00

by Laura Peyton Roberts

This book was cute, and an easy read. And it was about leprechauns, which is unique.

However, it was also a little simplistic (I guess it makes sense because of the middle-reader age group), and the characters were mostly flat, under-realized. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing.

In Green, Lilybet Green discovers a mysterious package on her doorstep on her 13th birthday. She opens it, and out explodes a few leprechauns. They explain (sort of) that she is to face her trials in order to become the next Keeper of the gold from the Green clan. She must pass three tests to earn this new job, and to ever be able to go home again.

Gone

2010-03-07T19:28:00.001-08:00

by Lisa McMann

I still don't understand why this is the final book to the Dream Catcher series. The story seems far from over, and this book didn't exactly leave you feeling satisfied.

The story is interesting, but I don't think it is worthy of a book to itself. The story of Janie discovering her dad, learning about him and about her gift, and deciding what she's going to do should have been a story running parallel to something with a little more suspense. The last book was chock-full of it! Janie puts herself in great danger to nail a sexual predator at her high school. This book? Janie goes to a tiny house in the woods and to the hospital a lot. Oh, and she talks to her alcoholic mom some more. It just lacked punch.

It didn't do it for me. There needed to be more meat to this book and there wasn't, which I think adds to my feeling that this story should not be finished so soon.

Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl

2010-03-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

by N. D. Wilson

I like this book.

It's not really my typical genre of choice, but since it's by N. D. Wilson, and I love his writing so much, I had to read it.

Wilson's distinct style of writing is evident throughout the book, however I did find that the beginning and the end of the book were my favorite parts. They seemed to flow better and have a more evident purpose. The middle section was not bad, but it had a more "stream of consciousness" style of writing, and sometimes I forgot what was being discusses, and other times it seemed Wilson was repeating himself. However, some truly wonderful gems in corners of this book, and the deliciousness that is N. D. Wilson's voice earn this book it's 4-star rating.

Fade

2010-02-28T21:18:00.000-08:00

by Lisa McMann

The sequel to Wake, this book is much darker than it's predecessor. In Fade Janie and Cabel start working a new case - one involving a possible sexual predator at their high school. And guess who's acting as bait?

I liked this book. It's was interesting and engrossing, however it was just a bit too creepy/disturbing for me to love it.

There were a few instances where McMann's sentence fragment style of writing or her intentional vagueness was annoying, but most of the time you don't even notice. Once you get used to it, it reads much the same way our brains think. "Vanessa's at her computer. Typing. Her blog. Running out of things to say." - It's a lot like that. And it makes the book read really fast.

A few complaints:

- I realize Janie's mom is so pitiful to suit the story and to make it easier for Janie to basically do anything, but really? She doesn't even come to the graduation?

- Lots of drugs mentioned in the case. A few more descriptions might have been beneficial. We learn that Janie has researched them, but what exactly has she learned? (There's that intentional vagueness!)

- *spoiler* Why oh why wasn't Janie bugged with a camera or a mic when she was undercover at the party? They could have gotten their evidence a LOT sooner, Janie would have been in less danger and perhaps some of the other students could have been rescued sooner as well. The one "panic button" tool they did give her was too risky. It very nearly wasn't helpful at all! Why in the world would they put her in such a dangerous situation with out extra precautions? Heck, even Drew Barrymore has better undercover tools in "Never Been Kissed" and she wasn't ever in danger! *end spoilers*

So, in summary: It's an interesting book. For mature readers. The ending is mostly satisfying despite some odd turns throughout the story. And I'm still planning on reading part three.

The Lonely Hearts Club

2010-02-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

by Elizabeth Eulberg

I don't really remember how I first heard about this book, but it's been on my list for a few months. Last weekend I finally got my hands on a copy.

First off, I like the Beatles references. It helps if you actually know the songs. Often the songs are names, and the content of the lyrics in mentions, but not really explained, so if you don't know the lyrics, you might miss something.

It's kinda nice to read a romantic book where many characters aren't coupled up by the end. Granted, we want the main character to, but it doesn't seem so "you're life is hopeless if you don't have a boyfriend" in this book.

A few minor annoying things:
- Penny's parents refer to her using both her first and middle name often - Penny Lane. A little silly sounding.
- And the end *minorly spoilerish* - why did Ryan leave with Todd when Todd was being such a jerk? I was just sure there would eventually be a really good, noble reason even for him to have done so, but there isn't really.
- The principal of the school is a unrealistic jerk. Much of the stuff he was doing he'd never be able to get away with.

All in all though I really enjoyed this book. It's fun. It's different. It's a great alternative to all the "I have to have a boyfriend!" books lurking out there in the YA section.

Magic Under Glass

2010-02-19T22:21:00.000-08:00

by Jaclyn Dolamore

I have slacked on in posting this review for over a week, and unfortunately, don't remember all the little details I wanted to write about. Thankfully, I did jot down a few quick notes before moving on to my next book:

Ends too quickly. Is it a sequel or not?
My biggest complaint! This book ends way too soon and their is not indication if there will be a sequel. There probably will be, since it's seems most books are series now, but still, I would have liked some confirmation.

Annalie and her orbs are a little bizarre.
There are a few details to the book that seem strange, and not fully explained.

Wish there was a map of the worlds.
Minor complaint, but I like maps.

Like that Nimira makes Hollin grow a spine.
Yes, the girls are tough! The men are either weaselly or wimps. At least Nimira makes one of them grow up a little.

Little Miss Red

2010-02-16T22:26:00.000-08:00

by Robin Palmer

I love a good fairy tale retelling, and they're actually seeming to pop up more and more lately. However, this book is based on one of the lesser common stories - Red Riding Hood.

Sophie is a good girl, but she's tired of everyone thinking they know everything about her. For example, she loves that red cowboy hat she spotted in a store window, even if all her friends tell her that it's "not her". When Sophie has to go visit her grandmother during her spring break, she's not exactly thrilled about it. However, on the plane ride to Florida she meets a mysterious, romantic stranger (just like Dante from her beloved Devon Devoreaux books) who invites her to take a walk on the wild side.

Sophie is a funny character to read about, although sometimes being inside her head is cringe-inducing. In nearly every instance of her life Sophie compares it to some occurrence in one of the many books about Devon Devoreaux. It's not as annoying as you'd think, mostly it just gives you a better understanding of Sophie's "head-in-the-clouds" state of mind. Plus it was amusing to read the many many titles and summaries of these books.

I was close to giving this book 5 stars, however the ending wasn't as great as I thought it was going to be. The wrong people were villains, the right people were not, and the hero just wasn't quite heroic enough for my taste. I was hoping for something a little more dramatic and a little less ordinary - after all this IS a book. :)

Wake

2010-02-15T15:15:00.000-08:00

by Lisa McMann

Wake is the beginning of a series about a girl named Janie who finds herself pulled into other peoples' dreams. She can't help it. If someone in the same room as her falls asleep Janie is along for the ride. This makes life increasingly difficult for Janie as she can't control or predicted when she'll be pulled into a dream, she can't pull herself out of the dreams, and she loses control of her body during them.

I enjoyed the premise of this book a lot. The characters were ok and the story moved quickly with some interesting twists. The things I didn't like were the drinking and drug use by teens that's not always portrayed as bad, as well as a bit too much swearing for my tastes. But I liked the story enough to make me want to continue the series.

Incarceron

2010-02-14T07:57:00.001-08:00

by Catherine Fisher

At some point in the future, as a result of great world trauma, an incredibly advanced system is created for containing and reforming the criminals of society. It is meant to be a paradise, as well as completely self-sustaining. This prison is called Incarceron. No one goes in, no one comes out. Incarceron is reported as a success, however the prison has a mind of its own....

Meanwhile, on the Outside, citizens are forced to live in a fabricated past century. There is no time, no advancement, just a static predictability and strict control held by the ruling parties.

Finn lives in Incarceron. Claudia lives Outside. Both are trapped in their worlds, and both will need to other's help escape. With the discoveries of a crystal key by both, Claudia and Finn find they can use the objects to communicate. As they learn more about each other and life on the other side, they soon realize things are a lot more complicated than they seem.

This book has a fascinating premise. I really like the general plot and the main characters are interesting. People who seem like "bad guys" have moments where you can understand their point of view and even sympathize with them. In turn, some "good guys" have definite flaws and even moments where you're not sure if they will turn out working as a enemy. I love that complexity of character. It makes you think, read closely, all the while trying to determine if someone should be trusted, forgiven, or forgotten.

There were a few things I didn't like about this book though. There are a couple sequences when what's going on is a little unclear. And possibly this is just because I'm trying to read so fast, but the random appearance of a flying boat just seems a little random to me. Also, despite that I usually enjoyed the unpredictability of characters, on a few occasions the unpredictability of a character made them seem incredibly untrustworthy and I wished the main characters were more cautious.

Lastly, this book does not end! I knew it was a series, and that's fine - I love a good series, but I still feel like each component of the series needs to have it's own ending, not just leave us hanging. Granted, some story lines are going to be left unfinished because it's a series, but this book had virtually no wind-down from the climax. It was just the big moment we've been waiting for, then the end. A giant "To Be Continued" - white words on a black background - is floating in my mind. Like some horrid season finale for the tv show you really like and have to wait til September to see the continuation of it.

The Chestnut King

2010-02-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

by N. D. Wilson

I have one complaint for this book: it's the final entry to the series!

I love, love, love N. D. Wilson's writing, and the 100 Cupboards series. I almost feel outraged that more people don't know about it.

The Chestnut King is, regrettably, the last installment in N. D. Wilson's tale of a boy who discovers a wall of cupboards behind the plaster wall in his aunt's and uncle's attic. This discovery leads Henry to new worlds, new friends, new family as well as new danger. In this final book, the evil and undying Nimiane is rising in power, and seeking to destroy Henry. Henry finds himself separated from most of his family and friends, and must rely on himself for answers on what to do and who to trust.

It's hard for me to say much more without telling the whole story, but this is a wholly satisfying end to Henry's story - while also making me want it to continue!

N. D. Wilson's way with words continues to make the narrative shine, and makes this book (and series) stand out from the sea of children's literature in my mind. It's amazing, and touching and beautiful and inspiring. I want to grab book one and start it all over again!

Jinx

2010-01-29T21:47:00.000-08:00

by Meg Cabot

Jinx is the story of Jean Honeychurch who earned the nickname "Jinx" due to here incredibly bad luck. Whenever Jean's around things seem to go wrong. At the moment she was born there was a blackout in the hospital and some patients had to be flown to other hospitals. Jean is now moving in with her Aunt and Uncle and their three kids in New York City, because of an incident back home. Jean is looking forward to spending time with her cousin Tori, who is her age, but before long she realizes Tori is not the same person she remembers. Tori is up to something, but she's not the only one keeping secrets....

I liked this book because it's by Meg Cabot and her books are funny. However, Jinx is a bit naive and slow to figure things out which is kind of annoying. Also, there were some "witchy" elements to the story that I thought were a little too real-to-life to be portrayed positively. Not bad, but not my favorite.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

2010-01-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

by Kate DiCamillo

I read this book in less than an hour today when I was subbing (during the times I was without students).

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is the story of a child's china rabbit of the same name. While the rabbit's owner loves him very much, Edward is a proud, vain toy who cares nothing for anyone buy himself. All this changes one day when Edward is lost at sea. It is then when his journey truly begins. Edward finds himself passed from one pair of hands to another. And gradually, along the way, Edward learns to love. He goes through many trials and sorrows that cause him to want to harden his heart forever, but through the wisdom of others Edward learns to open his heart again.

This is really quite a beautiful story, however I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. For some children, parts of Edward's journey may be too frightening or upsetting. However, for many the messages of learning to keep hope, and never stop loving even through the direst of circumstances is a much needed one.

The Maze Runner

2010-01-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

by James Dashner

Ah I'm having mixed feelings on this book too! I love the premise: mysterious maze, kids who've lost their memories, creepy creatures lurking in the dark, cryptic messages, etc. However, there were just a few things about it that I didn't love as much.

I thought the story developed a little too slowly over the pages of the book. The author revels very little of what's actually going on until the end, and even then many things are left unanswered (since this will be a series). However, I felt like the story developed too quickly over the time span of the novel. The entire book only encompasses a little over a week for the characters and it just seemed a little rushed.

My other complaint has to do with all the made-up words of the Gladers. They use a lot of words almost as if they are swear words, and some of them sound very close to actual swear words, with just the first letter different.

However, the ending was just chilling enough to make me really want to see where the next book goes. So I'll probably stick around for at least the next entry to this series.

The Maze Runner is the story of Thomas. He wakes up to find himself in an elevator going up, and that he remembers nothing of his past. All he can remember is his name. When the elevator stops, the top opens and Thomas is greeted by the faces of dozens of young boys, none much older than himself. He is in the Glade - a mysterious open area surrounded by giant stone walls. Outside the walls lies the maze, and as far as any of the Glades know, there is no way out.

Betraying Season

2010-01-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

by Marissa Doyle

I'm really struggling with what to rate this book. I gave it's predecessor 4 stars, and I feel like I liked this one about equally, but I don't know if it quite falls under the "I really liked it" category. I'm torn, but sticking with 3. If I did halves, perhaps I'd go for 3 and a half.

Betraying Season is the sequel to Bewitching Season, which I read last year about this time (maybe I'm just not remembering it well!) The first book focused on twins Penelope and Persephone Leland, although the story mostly revolved around Persy. This time around, Pen gets to be the focus of the novel. Persy is newly married in England, so Pen decides to live in Ireland for a while with her former governess and her new husband. While she's there she's studying magic and hoping to become as skilled as her sister. However, things get a little more complicated when the handsome and dashing Niall Keating comes into her life. What she doesn't know is that Niall's mother is a powerful witch too, and she wishes to use Pen in her plot to kill the Queen.

I did feel that the regency elements and the magical elements blended together better in this story than in the previous book. One thing that annoyed me though was that they used the word "horripilatious" way too much.

This book is written in third person with an omniscient narrator. Sometimes the narrative is about Pen and sometimes about Niall. And since you're told what they are thinking and feeling there's really no suspense as to whether Niall is legit or not. I kind of think I would have liked it all to be from Pen's perspective so you were wondering what Lady Keating was up to and if Niall was telling the truth or not. Would have added some suspense that the book was lacking.

The Shifter

2009-12-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

by Janice Hardy

I admit it. I picked this book because it's pretty - the cover grabbed my attention in the book store and I picked it up. Read the front flap, and was interested by the story. Book goes on Christmas list, and viola! I now have the shiny new thing in my hands.

The Shifter is the story of a fifteen-year-old orphan named Nya. Years ago all of Nya's family was killed in a takeover of their country and a resulting war, all except her younger sister Tali. Thankfully, Tali is an apprentice Healer - someone who can take injuries and pain away from and individual and then release it into a special stone called pynvium. She has a place to stay, food to eat and a future ahead of her. Things are a little more difficult for Nya. She can also take injuries and pain from others, but she can't release it into the pynvium. Nya must either hold the pain herself, or shift it to another person - a skill that is very dangerous to have. Nya knows that if the rulers found out out her talent, she could be taken to be used as a weapon. However, Nya soon finds it difficult to hide her secret ability. She's out of money, she's been kicked out of her room at the boarding house, and she can't find work anywhere. To top it off, strange things are happening at the League where her sister is training, and some apprentices are going missing. Nya will soon have to decide if it is better to hide her power, or use it, and if she does use it - is it right?

I loved the uniqueness of this book. It was completely different from anything I'd ever read. The characters are likable, and Nya's moral dilemmas are intriguing to mull over. The ending was mostly satisfying while also leaving it open for the sequel. A couple confusing sequences, and a rushed explanation of the political and social battles going on in the background cause me to give it four stars rather than five.

Betrayals

2009-12-27T15:28:00.000-08:00

by Lili St. Crow

This book is the sequel to Strange Angels, a book whose story I enjoyed but I had some reservations over the method of telling.

I have largely the same complaints for the sequel.

Again, Lili St. Crow seems to have a small vocabulary when it comes to words to expresses anger or shock. The only ones she can think of would get bleeped out on cable television. This is frustrating because these aren't words I enjoy hearing - even in my own head, and also because I think it shows a real lack of creativity. Seriously, not EVERYONE in the world uses those words in every sentence. It's crude, and sounds uneducated. I realize these are teenage characters, but I have a hard time believing that all teenagers have such a foul mouth as Dru and Graves do.

Second - the smells! Ms. St. Crow focuses way too much on the way things smell and not enough on other senses. Many sequences are hard to understand and picture in your head because the only information you have is what things smell like. (And yes, Christophe STILL smells like apple pie!) Oh, and by the way, it's mentioned quite a few times that Graves smells like cigarette smoke, as if this is supposed to be a nice thing - um, ew!

Unfortunately, I'm giving this book one less star than it's predecessor. I just didn't find the story as interesting, and it was often confusing! There were a few chapters that I wasn't really sure what was going on and it felt like the author was being intentionally vague.

Will I read the third installment? Probably only if Dani assures me that it's better than this one!

Leepike Ridge

2009-12-22T20:23:00.000-08:00

N. D. Wilson

I love N.D. Wilson! This is the third book of his that I've read, and each one is a treasure. Not only are the stories original and interesting, but the way he tells the story is lovely and lyrical and engrossing.

Leepike Ridge is actually Wilson's first book, and one I've been wanting to read for a while. However, I've never bought it because I didn't like the cover art of the paperback version and could never find the hardback version which I did like the art for (the art pictured). Finally found a copy at an outlet book store though, so it was finally time to buy it and read it.

While I do think I like the 100 Cupboards series better (mostly because it's fantasy and this is realistic fiction), Leepike Ridge was a fun story.

It starts off with this boy, Tom, who sails off down the river on a piece of Styrofoam from a refrigerator box and before he knows what's happening, the river dives under the mountain and Tom is sucked along with it. Once the current stops, Tom finds himself stuck in the pitch-dark and he can't find a way out. He also finds a body, a dog, a flashlight and eventually, a stream traveling farther into the mountain. Meanwhile Tom's mother is desperately searching for her son, and trying to determine who she can trust and who is keeping things from her. Will Tom ever find his way back above ground, and if he does, will he find his mom is safe or in danger?

Ballad

2009-12-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

by Maggie Stiefvater

Despite this book being a sequel to Lament, it really reads more like a stand-alone novel. The main character and narrator of this book is James, a secondary character in the first novel. The setting has changed, as has all but one of the remaining characters. Dee is still in it, but she definitely takes a back seat in this one. In fact, most of what we know that's going on with her is from "text messages" dispersed throughout the book. And the few times she does appear, she's kind of annoying.

And even though James' narration is funnier than Dee's, the story of Ballad just didn't excite me as much as Lament did. The faeries as a collective group are not a big part of the story until the very end. Many of the newer elements to the faerie myths are not fully explained. Stiefvater has based a lot of her story on actual Celtic myth, so I was able to look some of it up, but I still think she should have included more. I'm teetering on the edge of a 3 or a 4 star rating, but settled on a 3. Not jumping for joy over it, but not regretting taking the time to read it - a solid 3 I'd say.

Lament

2009-12-04T22:41:00.001-08:00

by Maggie Stiefvater

I've been wanting to read this book for a while. It's one of the regulars on my "Powell's List". Last time I was there I found a used copy - which is my permission to buy it!

Lament is the story of a girl who finds herself caught up in the world of faeries. These faeries are nothing like Tinker Bell though. They are based on old Celtic legends, and are dark, sneaky, crafty creatures. Faeries love to play games, deceive humans, and find ways to spirit them away. Deirdre's first encounter with the faerie world comes when a mysterious stranger comes to her aide at a music competition. Luke is beautiful, charming, a gifted musician, but also hiding something. Deirdre is cautious at first, but then her curiosity gets the better of her.. She finds herself trusting Luke - and it's not long before she learns whether that was a wise decision or not.

Some things I loved about this book:

Luke. Even though you're not sure if Luke should be trusted, he is an interesting character. He's very confident - on the border of cocky, and his exchanges with Deirdre are often amusing.

The faerie lore. I love the sinister undertone whenever the faeries are involved. The characters and the readers have to learn to never trust anything the faeries say, because while it may be true, there is likely some ulterior motive involved.

One slight reservation:

The ended is a little bit ambiguous! I wish the author would just give us a little more explanation and not make the reader assume!

Pastworld

2009-11-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

by Ian Beck

I picked this book up on a whim at Powell's the weekend before Thanksgiving. The front flap description sounded interesting. It sounded like shades of Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix and the Stoneheart Trilogy by Charlie Fletcher. Both of which I enjoyed. So I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, this book doesn't quite live up to its potential.

Pastworld is a sort of amusement park/historical preserve of 1890s London. The actual story takes place in the future, even though all the events take place within the park of 1890s London, so it's almost like it's set in the past. Confused yet?

The characters don't really do much and thus read as unimportant, even though they are the "main" characters. Eve, who is essentially one of the most important characters of the book does nothing but run away and join the circus (yes I'm serious), where she finds she has an amazing knack for tight-rope walking! (Forgive me if this does not qualify as an interesting character to me).

Bible J is an interesting fellow to some extent but he's given virtually no background and no believable motivation for anything he does.

The Fantom I had high hopes for. From the first page he is mysterious and sinister and all the things a great villain should be. Shortly after though he becomes nothing more than a cardboard murderer who has a penchant for cutting hearts out (and with a little too much detail from the author on that aspect - yuck!)

And the ending!! It was the most bizarre ending. And I'm going to **spoil** it, so reader beware: The "twist" is not fully explained. We learn that Eve and The Fantom were created for the park, but we don't learn much about how and what they actually are. Certainly not mortal since the Fantom jumps off buildings but never dies and Eve was created to be killed and then resurrected. I want to know how this is supposed to work! Also, we're left not really knowing what happened to the Fantom - he just gets away and...that's the end?! The author tries to make it sound like he won't come back, but judging from what we just learned about his nature and origin, doesn't it make sense to assume that he WILL come back? No one is concerned though, so book over! And randomly, Eve is pregnant. Why would they even create her in a way that she could reproduce when her whole purpose was to just die over and over? And did she and Bible J ever even kiss? Where they heck did this come from? It felt oddly out of place in the book. So in the end I was left unsatisfied. **end of spoilers**

It gets two stars because I like the concept and for the first half or so it seemed promising. Second half get 1 star or less - could have been so much better!

Fire

2009-11-16T15:05:00.000-08:00

by Kristin Cashore

This book gives me really mixed feelings.

I love the premise. Fire is a human "monster". Basically this means she has brightly colored hair and has the power to read others' minds and control them if she wishes. She's also extremely beautiful. She's also the last of her kind. She's always refused to use her power to manipulated people because of the way she saw her father do it. However, soon the kingdom needs her help to uncover whose plotting against the crown. Fire must decide if she will consent to use her power and how far she will go.

Unfortunately, my enjoyment of this book is marred by a few things:

One - Fire (much like Katsa in Cashore's previous book Graceling) refuses to marry. It seems that Cashore has some hatred towards marriage and wants to make her readers agree with her. Not only this but there are many similarity between Graceling and Fire - she should have just named is "Graceling 2.0!"

Two - Fire is (kinda) in love with (and sleeps with) this guy whose a total womanizer. Not only that, but he proclaims his love for her on one page and then a few pages later we learn that he's fooling around with somebody else! (***SPOILER: And then a few pages later we learn that he's gotten TWO women pregnant!) I'm supposed to LIKE this character? What a jerk. (SPOILER AGAIN - I was actually kind of revealed when he died! END OF SPOILERS***)

Three - Fire is totally over-dramatic and self-absorbed. She can't seem to see beyond her own self-inflicted problems to realize there are bigger problems out there. She's so concerned that her power COULD be used for evil that she can't see past her own nose to realize she SHOULD use it to save peoples' lives!

As You Wish

2009-11-05T21:38:00.001-08:00

by Jackson Pearce

Viola feels like she doesn't belong. Ever since her boyfriend broke up with her she's felt different, broken, and like she was missing something. One day at school Viola is feeling so sorry for herself, and wishing so fiercely to feel like she belongs, that she inadvertently summons a genie. The genie, who Viola calls Jinn in required to do as she commands and grant her three wishes. Once her wishes are granted he can return to his country - a place he's desperate to return to. However, Viola isn't quite ready to make her wishes. She wants to make sure she makes the right wish and not waste any. And so, reluctantly, Jinn is forced to wait. Unexpectedly for both, Viola and Jinn start to develop a friendship which may be beginning to turn into something more. The problem? Once she makes her three wishes Jinn will be gone forever and Viola won't even remember he existed.

This book falls into the very common "average teen girl falls for supernatural guy" category of young adult literature. However, it's a clever concept that's mostly entertaining. The end was wrapped up a little too quickly for my taste - I think the book could have benefited from an additional 5 chapters. But it's a pretty good effort for a first novel! I look forward to see what else will be coming from Ms. Pearce in the future.

Sucks to Be Me

2009-11-02T21:59:00.000-08:00

by Kimberly Pauley

It's another new teen vampire book! However, unlike Twilight and Vampire Academy, Sucks to Be Me does not take itself so seriously. The whole thing almost reads as a spoof of vampires.

Mina finds out in the first chapter that she has to attend vampire class and decide in a few weeks whether or not she wants to become a vampire. This is because the vampire council just found out her parents - who are already vampires - have been keeping her secret her whole life.

So Mina goes to classes, learns new things about vampires, is torn about what to do, meets a few cute guys, etc. It's pretty standard teen book stuff. However, Mina was an enjoyable character with some funny commentary. The other characters were pretty flat, and the ending was wrapped up a bit too tidily. It was amusing though.

The Sea of Monsters

2009-10-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

by Rick Riordan

Everyone loves these books so much I almost feel guilty giving it only 4 stars. Once again, this second book in the Percy Jackson series is inventive and clever. The way the characters from Greek mythology are woven into modern-day life and geography and such is probably one of the most interesting parts.

I can't really put my finger on what's keeping my from giving it a 5-star rating, but I just don't find myself raving on and on about it and recommending it to everyone I know. So, logically I can say that the story is great, but I'm just not giddy about it yet.

The Lightning Thief

2009-10-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

by Rick Riordan

In Rick Riordan's wildly popular series Percy Jackson & The Olympians, which begins with The Lightning Thief, 13-year old Percy discovers that his dad is actually a Greek god. Suddenly all of Percy's school lessons on Zeus and Hades, Athena and Ares have come to life, and he is in the middle of a fierce battle brewing between the gods.

I like the concept of this book. Despite being based off centuries-old stories, it's entirely original. The way the author describes the gods is unique and quite often humorous. Percy is likable, although entirely too trusting and sometimes the fact that he doesn't catch on that he's about to walk into a trap is frustrating. However, I can forgive this since he's only supposed to be 13. A promising start to a new series. Hopefully I will have less distractions and be able to read the next one a bit quicker.

Oh, and here's an exciting tidbit: This date marks the one-year mark since starting this blog. In that time I have read and blogged about 78 books!

A Kiss in Time

2009-09-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

by Alex Flinn

Much like Alex Flinn's other fairytale retelling, Beastly, this book is another fun, modern-day take on a well-known and loved fairy tale. A Kiss in Time is the story of Sleeping Beauty. However, unlike the traditional tale which ends shortly after the climactic awakening kiss, this story only begins there.

Oddly, one of the most enjoyable aspects of this version is that the princess and her "one true love" really can't stand each other at the beginning. Talia the princess is spoiled and selfish and expects everyone to adore her and cater to her every whim; her rescuer Jack just wants to get out of Europe, get back his girlfriend, and have fun partying the summer away. Needless to say after their first kiss the two do a lot of butting heads.

Soon both are forced to start to think about someone besides themselves. And as if that isn't difficult enough, the witch Malvolia, who put Talia under the spell in the first place is convinced Jack was not supposed to break the curse, and she is looking to bring Talia back and enforce her curse once and for all.

This is a sweet, funny book, whose characters really start to grow on you. If you're looking for light, but engrossing fairy tale retelling, this book fits the ticket.

Being Nikki

2009-09-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

by Meg Cabot

The continuation of Airhead, Being Nikki is pretty much the same story as before, just the next part of it. This time around it's quite a bit more exciting, with lots of mystery thrown in. Unfortunately, it's also a cliff-hanger - even more so than the first installment. Again, this is still reading like one long book to me broken into lots of parts rather than a series of books that work on their own also. You can't really read this without first reading Airhead, and I can't imagine felling satisfied without continuing onto the next. Too bad I've got to wait a while for that one.

Despite these gripes, I love the story enough, and Meg Cabot's ever-hilarious writing to give it 4 stars and make a mental note to keep my eyes peeled for the next installment!

Airhead

2009-09-15T20:55:00.001-07:00

by Meg Cabot

I love the plot of this book and the hilarious situation Meg Cabot puts her characters into, however it was just a bit too meandering and then abruptly ended for me to give it a 5-star rating.

Emerson Watts hates all things girly and popular among the teen crowd. However, her little sister Frida does, and when she wants to go to a CD signing at the newest Stark mega-store down the street, Em is forced into accompanying her little sis on the outing. Little does she know that this day will change her life forever. When Em dives at her sister to save her from a giant falling plasma screen, Em ends up being crushed beneath it. She blacks out, and when she wakes up she finds herself, well, not exactly feeling like herself. And suddenly, it seems that everyone is calling her "Nikki"...

This book reads more like the first half of a book than a whole book. There isn't much a climax, just a set up for one to come (perhaps in the next book?). So while I really loved the idea of this book, it just doesn't seemed finished. However, I am looking forward to reading the next installment.

Beastly

2009-09-13T19:35:00.001-07:00

by Alex Flinn

This book is a cute, funny, modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast told from the perspective of the Beast.

Kyle Kingsbury is a vain, cruel sophomore at a prestigious school in New York City. On the night of the big dance, Kyle puts his mean-spirited plan into action, however things don't go quite according to plan. A few days prior, Kyle convinced a unpopular girl that he wanted to take her to the dance. He asked her what kind of flower she wanted and asked her to meet him there. Kyle however, already has a date to the dance - the most beautiful, popular girl in school. The pair takes great joy in seeing Kyle's fake date show up and be humiliated in front of everyone. Kyle's victim though, has a few tricks up her sleeves.

She appears in Kyle's room later that night and proclaims that she has seen the cruelness in Kyle's heart, and because she is actually a witch, she proceeds to teach Kyle a lesson in the best way she knows how: by turning him into a hideous beast. There is a glimmer of hope: if Kyle kind find someone to love, and love him in return within 2 years, the curse will be lifted. If not, Kyle will remain a beast forever.

Pretty much the standard Beauty and the Beast pattern, but what makes this book interesting is that the Beast is the one telling us his story. At the beginning he's obnoxious, but as time goes on we see Kyle becoming more caring and thoughtful, and when he has a chance at maybe breaking the curse, you are really rooting for him to succeed. A fun book for anyone who loves a good fairy tale retelling.

Savvy

2009-09-11T17:43:00.000-07:00

by Ingrid Law

Savvy could be described as a coming-of-age story. It is also a fun supernatural fantasy geared for the slightly-younger set. But mostly it is a sweet story about family, trust, love, looking beneath the surface, growing up, and finding who you are and what you're good at.

It's not complicated or terribly action-packed, but the characters are so endearing and the narrative so richly detailed that it's really quite a treasure.

Ingrid Law uses LOTS of metaphors and similes through the text, and they just fit! I kept thinking this book would be great to use while trying to teach students to use these narrative tools in a way that is effective. The main character, Mississippi (Mibs) Beaumont (also our narrator) has such a innocent and charming way of telling her story, that you find yourself drawn into this story from the very first page.

You see, Mibs' family is pretty special: on their 13th birthdays the new teenagers develop a special talent called their "savvy". Mibs' eldest brother Rocket can control electricity. Her other older brother Fish can create storms. Mibs' birthday is just three days again and she's hoping for a savvy that can help her save her Poppa, who's very sick in the hospital. When she thinks she may have gotten just what she wished for, Mibs and 2 of her brothers and the pastor's kids stowaway on a Bible delivery bus in hopes of getting to Salina in time. However, when the bus turns north instead of south is when the group's real adventure starts.

*Spoiler* I'm giving this book 4 stars simply because I have mixed feelings about the kids not calling their parents to tell them where they are, and also deceiving the adults who are helping them. I understand the reasoning for it in the story, but if I were to read this book to a class, I would feel it necessary to discuss why this is not a smart choice made by the kids. Unfortunately, at the end the kids don't feel much remorse for making their parents worry for so long while they were missing.

Dreamquake

2009-09-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

by Elizabeth Knox

I have mixed feelings on this book. About halfway into it I would have given it 2 stars at best. It was slow and aimless. It seemed like there was no real purpose or point to it anymore. Oftentimes the characters didn't seem to be doing anything, and the times when they were, the description was very vague, which I found frustrating in a book with an otherwise omniscient 3rd person narrative. Because the narration was in 3rd person, the perspective hopped from one character to another, sometimes even in the middle of a chapter. This was usually clear, but it did make it difficult to remember what was happening with everyone at a particular time.

Just as I was starting to get tired of Laura's obsession with her Sandman, all the prep for ball, Cas Doren's mysterious dirty dealings, and Chorley's almost pointless investigations, the book finally picked up some steam, and as we neared the end, we finally got some answers.

The explanation of what The Place is and why it exists was especially interesting - and nothing like what I had imagined. The conclusion had just the right amount of resolution. The second half of this book was so much better than the first half!

I'd actually love to see this book and it's predecessor combined into one abridged version. I think a lot of the unnecessary and confusing parts could be cut out and the stuff that would be left would be an exciting, well-paced fantasy/mystery adventure!

Wings

2009-09-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

by Aprilynne Pike

Aprilynne Pike's premier novel Wings boasts praise from Twilight author Stephenie Meyer all over it's relatively simple cover. I can see why Meyer liked this book - partially because it's overall flow is very similar to Twlight, and also because it is a creative and interesting story.

Much like Twilight, Wings starts off slowly. The beginning (and larger half) of the novel is mostly spent in character development. We get to know Laurel, her parents, her new friend(/boyfriend?) David, and the mysterious Tamani. We learn along with Laurel and David that she is a faerie, and despite this fact, the pair continue to cautiously pursue a romantic relationship. And at just about the point when you've decided nothing epic is going to happen in this book, the action picks up. Main characters in peril, daring escape, nearly complete defeat of the bad guys - but enough left uncompleted for an easy sequel.

The characters in this book are great! From sweet, scientific David, to mysterious and compelling Tamani, there are lots of things to like about them. I also really enjoyed the author's take on faeries in this book. Some traits of her faeries were similar to folklore, some were completely different. Laurel is a faerie, but she is not Tinkerbell - Pike's faeries are much more inventive than that.

Catching Fire

2009-09-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

by Suzanne Collins

Despite this book annoying the heck out of me - it still must receive 5 stars. Why you ask? Well, the book is amazing. (We'll get to that in a bit.) However, the end is a total cliff-hanger (seems that's been a common problem for me lately.) We are left with a few characters in mortal peril by the book's end. And that's just annoying, because I now have to wait another year to read the conclusion to this amazing story!

In The Hunger Games - the first book of the trilogy - Katniss Everdeen finds herself competing in the Capital's annual Hunger Games. Katniss lives in a country called Panem - which used to be the United States. After a destructive war the country was restructured int0 13 districts surrounding the controlling government stationed in The Capital. Years ago, district 13 revolted, but The Capital prevailed. District 13 is no more, and as punishment for the district's uprising, The Capital has set in place an annual games as a reminder that all are under The Capital's power. Each year, a set of teenagers (one boy and one girl) from each of the districts are selected, and sent to compete - to the death - in the Hunger Games. One will prevail and win fame and fortune. The rest will never come home.

Katniss's sister is chosen, but Katniss takes her place. The boy selected from her district is the baker's son - Peeta. The two form a tenuous friendship as they are prepped for the game despite fearing the other may simply be planning a way to kill the other. However, partially as a plot to survive the games and partially due to Peeta's true feelings, the two develop a romantic relationship. And, against all odds, survive the games together. Both refuse to kill the other, and when the gamemakers attempt to force their hand, they threaten to both kill themselves - thus leaving no winner. And so, for the first time ever there are two winners.

However, in Catching Fire, Katniss's troubles are not over. Her desperate act in the arena is viewed by the President as an act of defiance against the capital, and her life and the lives of all she holds dear are threatened by the powerful government. Katniss must try to quell the rebellion she has inadvertently started before it's too late. The question is, does she really want to stop the rebellion? And if she doesn't, where will she hide?

This book is so absorbing it is incredibly difficult to put it down. The characters are endearing. The government is frightening and believable. The descriptions of the outfits and accessories of those in the Capital are outrageous, but funny. And despite the terrible make-me-wait-forever ending, I just adore this series and will keep recommending it to anyone who will listen!

Dreamhunter

2009-09-01T23:38:00.000-07:00

by Elizabeth Know

One of the more unique books I've read in the past few months, this book still has me wondering...

What's really going on in The Place?

Will Laura ever find her father?

What is Cas up to?

Why a sandman?

This book is part of a duet, and really it feels like it - the ending just ended so abruptly that I felt like I needed to turn the page right into the next book. Unfortunately, I don't have it yet. Hopefully soon I'll be reading it and then be able to more accurately critique the plot and characters. Because, you see, so much is left unexplained or unresolved by the end of the first book. And to give it 5 stars, I feel like I have to have a better idea of what going on, and I don't yet.

However, there were enough good things about this book that makes it close. First, the narrative is very rich and descriptive - it draws you right into the story and the environment. Secondly, the premise of this story is so unique - it's truly like nothing else I've read before. Thirdly, the characters are interesting and varied.

And while yes, the ending is abrupt, it does leave me wanting to read more! So I suppose that's a good thing as well. :)

Sent

2009-08-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I'm really loving this series! However I can't really discuss it without some major spoilers for the first book, so beware!

At the end of Found we learn that the adoptive kids who have been gathered together for the fake conference are actually famous missing children from history, who have been taken from their time by some advantageous businessmen in the future to be adopted. However, the plan went wrong and the children were dropped into the end of the 20th century and adopted by a variety of families.

This great tampering with time had caused a ripple effect that one group wishes to repair - and to do that they must send these children back to their own times. In Sent, Jonah and his sister have followed their friends, Chip and Alex back into time - to the 15th century. They must find a way to "fix time" and also save their friends from their inevitable deaths. The hard part - Chip and Alex are really Edward V and Richard - king and prince of England.

What I love about this book:

1) Haddix finds a way to simplify time travel and the time paradox in a way that kids can understand, but not so much that it is boring or silly for adults.

2) The events in the book are based on accurate historical facts, and real historical mystery. No one knows what happened to Edward V and his brother Richard, so Haddix explanation of time travel lends itself well to the historical facts.

3) The book cover is just pretty cool looking. And yes, I admit I'm a sucker for pretty cover-art.

4) There's going to be more! While I'm not sure how many more, Haddix clearly sets herself up for multiple sequels to come. If they are a good as the first two offerings I can see this books as being a great series to introduce to students or read to a class.

Blood Promise

2009-08-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

by Richelle Mead

I'll admit, when I read the last book in the Vampire Academy series, I was mad - it's pretty much certain that Dimitri is a Strigoi and Rose now feels she must hunt him down and kill him. It was such a downer of an ending! However, by the time Blood Promise was released I was eager to read more.

For the first time ever Rose has left Lissa behind. She has chosen Dimitri over Lissa, because while Dimitri's life has left him, he is not dead. He has been turned into one of the Strigoi - a type of vampire that kills for pleasure. Once Dimitri told Rose he'd hope someone would kill him if he ever became a Strigoi. And so it is with this conversation firmly in mind that Rose sets out to find Dimitri - to kill him and fulfill his wish.

The first half of the book is a little slow. Rose spends a lot of time vacillating between options of what to do next. All the while she is mourning for Dimitri and trying to push everyone from her old life away. Thankfully, Rose eventually gets herself and gear and continues on her mission. From that point on the book races toward the finish. As expected, Rose does manage to find Dimitri, and her encounter and interaction with him is one of the most interesting parts of the novel.

The ending of this book is less of a downer, while it does easily set itself up for the next instalment - another I'll be eagerly waiting for!