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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Book Review: Hunger by Michael Grant

Hunger: A Gone Novel by Michael Grant
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Publication date: May 2009
ISBN: 9780061449086
Source: Library


Hunger: A Gone Novel

Three months after all the adults disappear, things are far from normal in the Fayz.  Food has pretty much run out and kids are not willing to do anything about it.  When tension begins to break out between the supernaturals and those without powers, chaos seems to reign.  But there is a bigger problem - the monster in the dark who is calling to the kids.  What does it want and will they be able to stop its sinister influence before it is too late for them all?

Things I Liked:
Just like the first book Gone, this one was once again nonstop action.  There is always something horrifying or deadly happening.  I got angry and frustrated at the kids for their unconcern about having enough food, just like I got mad last time.  I loved how realistically it shows Sam, the leader who is still just a kid.  It is a fairly accurate account of what might happen with no adults and no one to assume responsibility.  It definitely keeps you wanting to know what happens next and also what's coming in the next book!  And what a surprise that ending was - definitely unexpected.


Things I Didn't Like:
There was a lot going on in the book.  It almost suffered from having too many plots and characters to keep track of and what each was experiencing.  I again found it to be pretty gruesome for me, but I'm sure many wouldn't be as bothered.  I admit I'm pretty conflicted about how much I "like" these books.


Read-alikes:
Read the first book in the series Gone by Michael Grant

Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a few, none very strong


mrg-factor: X
mostly just talk and kissing


v-factor: ->->->->
quite a bit, some of it gory


Overall rating: ****

Do you have love-hate relationships with lots of different books?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Thursday, April 28, 2011

First Impressions: Cover Sillies 2

Though the response to my first Cover Sillies post was not stellar, I am still interested in noting some strange first impressions I have on book covers.  My comments are not what I'd call criticism, more of strange or odd reactions to the covers.  Many covers I highlight are ones that I really love.  This collectin of covers is what I like to call the Awkward Bodies edition. 

Vampire Academy Signature Edition: A Vampire Academy Novel
Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this position is awkward - it literally makes me uncomfortable to look at it.  Maybe I'm just seeing it wrong or something. 

Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate)
Now I know this is odd on purpose, but I honestly think to myself "Don't try this at home, folks!"  It makes my back hurt imagining the model standing like that for any length of time.

 The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands and Teeth, Book 3)
I really love this cover, but since I've been experiencing neck problems recently, I cringe when I think about her neck pain. Hopefully she doesn't have to lie there for long (and is this a zombie or the main character?)

Now, I really really love this cover, but when I first saw it, I thought again of how painful her head position looks. Maybe it's just the placement of it in relation to his body, but it looks otherworldly. Probably part of its charm.

Do you notice these kinds of things or am I alone?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Book Review: The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication date: March 2011
ISBN: 9780547482477
Source: e-book provided by NetGalley


The Vespertine 

Amelia van den Broek is visiting Baltimore for the first time - leaving behind her small town secluded life to find a suitable match.  But when she starts seeing the future in the twilight, things become a lot more complicated than she expected.  Especially when she sees something horrible in the future that just might change all their lives.

Things I Liked:
I really enjoyed the interesting and unique nearly-paranormal mixed with historical fiction details.  I liked the way Mitchell described things so vividly.  The somewhat spooky, gothic and historical feel of the setting and atmosphere were my favorite things.  The relationship between Amelia and Zora was fun and I loved how they interacted and had so much fun together.  I felt like there was something missing from it at the end that should have been there (yeah, trying to be vague and avoid spoilers).  I also really liked the ending, since it was pretty unflinching and different.  Definitely not what I expected in a historical fiction or even a historical fantasy.


Things I Didn't Like:
I wish there was a little more historical detail.  It felt like there wasn't quite enough to make me feel like I was there.  At the beginning I really had a hard time following what was happening - it jumped around a lot from one thing to another.  Once I adjusted, it was easier to follow.  I wasn't too impressed with the romantic element either.  Definitely was too much like love at first sight.  Amelia acted a bit nauseating at times, but they did have some interesting interactions - up and down.


Read-alikes:
Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox

Prophecy of the Sisters and Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink
Sorcery and Cecilia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Everlasting by Angie Frazier

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few


mrg-factor: X
a little sensuality


v-factor: ->
not much


Overall rating: ***

I do wonder if my discontent at the beginning was a result of reading the ARC - anyone read the published edition and found the same thing?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Book Review: A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication date: October 2010
ISBN: 9780525423348
Source: Library


A Tale Dark and Grimm 

Hansel and Gretel you may have heard of, but there is a lot more to their story than a child-eating witch.  Born to a king and queen who treat them unspeakably poorly, they run away and find that there is a lot they don't know about the world and about parents. 

Things I Liked:
I liked the story, but I loved the side notes.  I think they made the whole book more enjoyable.  They were humorous and alleviated the sometimes repetitive and simplistic fairy tale story writing.  This felt like the perfect read-aloud and I almost wanted to close the book and find an audio version.  I read the first story to my husband and he liked it.  It would be a lot of fun to read to older classes, though I still don't know how young an age group I'd read it to.  (Hey, it does have some scary stuff and quite a lot of "awesome," ie: blood.)  So fun and different from most retellings.

You know how it is with stories.  Someone tells a story.  Then somebody repeats it and it changes.  Someone else repeats it, and it changes again.  Then someone's telling it to their kid and taking out all the scary, bloody scenes - in other words, the awesome parts - and the next thing you know the story's about an adorable little girl in a red cap, skipping through the forest to take cookies to her granny.  And you're so board you've passed out on the floor. [Prologue]
Oh no! he thought. Now I'm cooking for certain! He sniffed at the air.  And I smell delicious!  But he wasn't cooking.  It was three strips of bacon that he'd tucked into his socks at breakfast.  p 46
For a moment she stopped and considered following the rain's advice.  But then she shook her head.  "You're being foolish," Gretel told herself.  "Rain can't talk."
No, of course it can't.  The moon can eat children, and fingers can open doors, and people's heads can be put back on.  But rain?  Talk?  Don't be ridiculous.  Good thinking, Gretel dear.  Good thinking.  p 97
If you are gambled away to the Devil (and this is a matter of public record - I'm certainly not making it up), you are damned to excruciating pain for all eternity, and no matter what you do, no matter how good you are, or how many times yu ask, "Please pretty please with a cherry on top?," the Devil will never, ever, ever let you out.  It's excruciating pain from the moment you arrive in Hell until the moment after eternity.  p 125
Things I Didn't Like:
One thing I've always been annoyed by is the simplistic fairy tale writing style.  There is nothing descriptive or beautiful that goes with the stark writing to make it more enjoyable.  The parts where the author interjected made it fun, but when it went longer without those parts it was less fun.  Also, almost too gross and bloody for me in places :)


Read-alikes:
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
Plain Kate by Erin Bow

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
incidental when they visit Hell


mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->->->
lots and lots of blood and gore and scary stuff


Overall rating: ****

Do you like quirky or do you avoid it?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Monday, April 25, 2011

Craziness Ensues and Name That Book

Sorry all, life is getting really busy and I didn't get a chance to do a new Name That Book episode this week.  But, since last Name That Book episode no one guessed the book titles, I figured I could send you to that one and hope someone wants to guess this time around.  Thanks and see you next time!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Book Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9781595143372
Source: Library


The Replacement

Mackie Doyle is allergic to iron, steel, and blood.  He is anything but normal.  But in the town of Gentry, you don't talk about those kinds of things.  You don't talk about the fact that a little girl just died and about the horrible things that have been replacing children for decades.  Those are the kinds of things you accept in exchange for luck and avoiding disaster.  But Mackie doesn't know if he can accept those things anymore.

Things I Liked:
It was a really unique book - it felt original and different and also just plain weird.  The creepy setting and story was perfectly written to inspire spine tingles.  I liked Mackie, the kid who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere and who wants to acknowledge what is wrong with his town (well, eventually he does).  There is a lot of good stuff on accepting different kinds of people and also not ignoring things that are important simply because we don't want to talk about them.  Ugly things happen and they matter.  It was a crazy reading experience, but also quite thought-provoking.


Things I Didn't Like: 

The biggest problem I had was that it was too odd for my liking.  The story and sometimes what people said just didn't make sense to me.  I had a hard time getting into the story and relating to the characters because I couldn't figure them out.  I believe this is entirely me and not a reflection of the author or her writing even.  Another minor problem was there seemed to be an abnormal amount of grammar problems - missing words or incorrect choices.  I was pretty surprised it had so many problems; it almost made me feel like I was reading the ARC.  Anyway, overall, I think this is just not the book for me.  Others have really enjoyed it though, so check out what others' had to say.
 
Read-alikes:
A little like Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater 


BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
lots, some quite strong


mrg-factor: XX
one or two incidents


v-factor: ->->->
some very disturbing images and gore


Overall rating: **

Am I the only one who didn't get this book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Friday, April 22, 2011

Retro Friday Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Publisher: many
Publication date: 1910/1911
ISBN: many
Source: audio download from library


The Secret GardenThe Secret GardenThe Secret Garden

When Mary Lennox is sent to England to live with her uncle, she finds everything is very different than what it was in India.  She has no servants to wait on her hand and foot and no one cares if she is lonely or sad.  When she discovers a secret garden, she finds an outlet for her anger and begins to transform just as the plants do from winter to spring.  She also helps her cousin, Colin, to change from a sickly, weak and spoiled little boy to a strong healthy one. 

Things I Liked:
I'd forgotten just how magical this book was.  My husband and I listened to it on a road trip and it really is delightful.  Even my husband laughed and enjoyed the story.  We especially loved the accents and voices that Josephine Bailey used (top notch, really, she was great).  The story sucks you in and the magic of the secret garden seems so real.  I loved listening again to how Mary changed and then helped to change Colin and he helped to change his father.  A beautiful story of growing up and the magic of nature.  Seriously, I felt so nostalgic listening to this, remembering adoring this story when I was younger.  I can't wait until I have kids I can introduce to this story for the first time.


Things I Didn't Like:
Not much I can think of.  A great story that still has remarkable appeal for kids today (and adults, apparently).


Read-alikes:
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

And really a hundred other classic children's stories, simply for nostalgia

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

What's a book you loved as a child that you still love as an adult?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Salt Lake City Public Library

I got the chance to visit a more local, but still amazing library!  I love doing these libraries around the world posts, because it's fun to see so many beautiful buildings that house my life (ie: books).  I visited the main Salt Lake City public library a few months ago and was just amazed by the place.  Not only is it designed to look awesome from any angle, but it houses a fantastic collection as well.  Worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

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This is the outside courtyard in front of the building. I imagine in the summer, the shops are filled with vendors.  Personally, I think an ice cream shop would do a great business there!

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Here's a view of the front.  I love how it is all curves and glass.  On a sunny day, the reflection must be glaring (and amazing) if you're standing in the right spot.

Photobucket
Here we're looking at the main entrance.  I love how it feels asymmetrical!  

Photobucket
Looking back at that curving front, just before you enter the building.  So cool!

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Right inside the doors, this little atrium greets you.  It feels so light and airy, I just love it!

My husband and I got a huge kick out of riding in the elevator with its glass panels. Made me think of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Here's the view from the top looking down.

I just loved this list of some of amazing libraries around the world.  Interestingly enough, I've visited three of the fifteen and highlighted all three in Libraries Around the World posts!  Can you guess which three?

I've decided that before I move (in like, a month) I must highlight my own lovely local libraries - especially because of the huge part they played in my own childhood and young adult life.  Watch for that!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Book Review: Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Publication date: March 2011
ISBN: 9780547390093
Source: e-copy from NetGalley


Bless This Mouse 

Hildegarde is the Mouse Mistress for her clan of church mice.  She must try to hold everything together through the good times and the bad.  What they fear most, in their church home, is another Great X - a frightening event from their past that wiped out many of the colony.  Between saving them from a Great X and the cats that visit during the feast of St. Francis, Hildegarde's hands are full.  Will she be able to save all her mice despite all the many dangers?

Things I Liked:
This was a sweet and fun quirky story.  I loved the feel of the writing - the voice of Hildegarde making commentary about her colony throughout.  She was a stern and yet understanding Mouse Mistress.  The story is adventurous with action and danger throughout.  The ending is just about as perfect as it could be.  I also really enjoyed the illustrations, even though I was reading the advanced version and they weren't final.  I flipped through a final version and they were even better!   


Things I Didn't Like:
I sure wish this book had been around when I was a kid, cause I would have loved it a lot more then.  It's definitely for a younger crowd, being both short and fairly simple.  Give this to your Charlotte's Web or other classic children's book fans.


Read-alikes:
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Stuart Little by E.B. White

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

What books do you wish were around when you were a kid?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Monday, April 18, 2011

Listless Monday, Lost and Found Edition


Listless Monday was inspired by both Amanda at A Bookshelf Monstrosity's feature Books by Theme and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature.  Be sure to check out their lists!

I'm excited about the list this time (sorry it's so late again).  I thought it would be fun to do a Lost and Found list, though I'm seriously lacking in Found titles.  That word must not be nearly as popular as the word Lost.  

Lost and Found

Book of Lost Tales by J.R.R. Tolkien
Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein
Dragon of the Lost Sea by Laurence Yep
Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Found by Sarah Prineas
Happenstance Found by P.W. Catanese
How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found by Sara Nickerson
Lost by Jacqueline Davies 
Lost and Found by K.A. Applegate 
Lost and Found by Andrew Clements 
Lost and Found: Three by Shaun Tan
Lost at Sea by Jonathan Neale
Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card
The Lost Children by Carolyn Cohagan
The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Lost in Austen by Emma Campbell Webster
Lost in Cyberspace by Richard Peck
Lost in the Barrens by Farley Mowat
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
The Lost Saint by Bree Despain 
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It by Lisa Shanahan
What Janie Found by Caroline B. Cooney
What They Found by Walter Dean Myers

Any suggestions?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Book Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: March 2011
ISBN: 9781442409057
Source: ARC sent by publisher


Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy)

When Rhine is kidnapped and forced into a marriage with a man who has three other wives, she little expects to find any pleasure in the rest of her short life.  In her world, women live only until 20, while men live until 25, due to an unknown virus.  She only has four years left, but being trapped and at the mercy of her husband's creepy father is not how she wants to spend that time.  Little by little, Rhine develops relationships with those around her - her sister wives, a serving boy, even her husband.  Will she ever find a way out or will she decide that this life is not so very bad?

Things I Liked:
I thought the portrayal of Rhine's relationships and the changes she experiences throughout the book were really interesting.  DeStefano has taken a potentially horrifying situation and made characters that you should despise into relatable, sympathetic, real people.  I loved how those relationships were built over time and not instantaneously, like many romantic YA books today.  The writing is simply fantastic, each scene and place described in vivid and sometimes horrifying detail.  The future world's technology and situations are (for the most part) quite believable and well-realized.  And that ending really made me want to know what happens next!  An interesting and fairly unique dystopian debut.


Things I Didn't Like:
The one detail I had the hardest time accepting was the virus that kills people at specific ages.  I thought it was a little too much of a convenience for the story.  I just couldn't believe that there would be something so specifically able to target a person who suddenly reaches a certain age.  However, the dressings on the story and the beautiful exploration of relationships easily distracted me from that distraction.


Read-alikes:
Matched by Ally Condie

Bumped by Megan McCafferty
XVI by Julia Karr

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
some, not a lot


mrg-factor: XX
Nothing too descriptive, but because they're married...


v-factor: ->
mostly off-page and creepy, but not outright violent


Overall rating: *****

I've seen lots of reviews for this one, both positive and negative. Where do you fall on the spectrum?


If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Friday, April 15, 2011

Book Review: before i fall by Lauren Oliver

before i fall by Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: March 2010
ISBN: 9780061726804
Source: Library


Before I Fall

Samantha Kingston has it all - she's pretty, popular, and dating a hot guy.  Until all of that is ripped away from her.  When she is killed in a car accident, she definitely doesn't expect to wake up and relive the same day over again.  But, will she figure out what she must do differently with that last day or remain stuck there forever?

Things I Liked:
This book definitely had a high emotional factor.  It breaks your heart over and over again (with each "new" day, in fact).  I really loved how Samantha had to learn different things about each person in her life, a little at a time each day.  So much unraveled just because she started living purposely, instead of partying and not paying attention to anything else.  I was quite impressed with what she managed to accomplish in changing herself.  Oliver is very good at bringing her characters to life and making you care what happens to them, even the ones you don't like.  An interesting and very thoughtful book that will have you treasuring each day of your life, since you never know if it will be your last. This quote pretty much says it all and much better than I ever could:

Maybe you can afford to wait.  Maybe for you there's a tomorrow.  Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around in it, let it slide like coins through your fingers.  So much time you can waste it.  But for some of us there's only today.  And the truth is, you never really know. p 268
Things I Didn't Like:
I'd heard lots and lots of good things about this book, so I had pretty high expectations.  Plus, I had read and loved Delirium, so I was expecting more good stuff.  I have to admit, the first about four or five times she relived that day annoyed me to no end.  Not that I don't think it was realistic for the character, but I just really didn't want to read about the drinking and smoking and seducing that went on.  I'm a prude, so it's no surprise I didn't enjoy those parts, but I can see why Samantha acted like this.  The thing that these chapters actually made me realize was that I'm glad I never had friends like hers.  I was lucky to have the kind that take care of and make friends with those who don't have friends or are different.  And also to have the kind of parents who would care if I smoke or drank or spent the night at a boy's house.  Definitely made me glad for my own happy, if sheltered, teenage years.


Read-alikes:
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (for some reason)

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (a bit)
11 Birthdays (though only because of the repeated day and not for any kind of content, since it is very middle grade)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
lots in number, though surprisingly no f-words


mrg-factor: XXX
do they ever talk about anything else?


v-factor: ->
a few scary parts, nothing very descriptive


Overall rating: ***.5

What books did you like with unlikable characters?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Book Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont
Publication date: June 2011
ISBN: 9781606841440
Source: ARC provided by publicist


Hourglass

Emerson has definitely had a rough life.  Since her parents died, she's been seeing people that aren't there.  She ends up in a mental institution and she's been heavily medicated.  But now, she's finally returned home to stay with her brother and his wife.  When her brother brings around someone to "help" her, Emerson is understandably skeptical.  But Michael is definitely not like the others.  They have an immediate connection and she feels comfortable with the only guy who doesn't make her feel crazy.  But she will soon be drawn into a world she knows nothing about. 

Things I Liked:
This book had a really intriguing premise.  I loved the idea of time travel that's introduced into the story (hope that isn't really a spoiler - I think it's kind of obvious from the title and jacket summary).  McEntire is able to describe the time travel elements and almost make it just a little believable why and how it happens.  I liked the pseudo-science feel to the explanations.  Those parts that talked about how it worked and the intricacies of going back and forward in time were my favorite.  I love the twisty paths and difficult situations time travel can get people into.  The ending was pretty exciting and surprising as well.  The quirky writing was pretty good most of the time too.  I liked many of her descriptions and synonyms (some of the them were funny and interesting, but some of them were just awkward).  An interesting start to a new series.


Things I Didn't Like:
I have to admit there were parts of it that felt very much the same as every other YA romance I've read recently.  That is what I liked least about the book - the romance.  The connection between Emerson and Michael is electric - literally.  They are in love because they feel an electricity when they touch.  It isn't developed much beyond that.  I think I ended up liking the other love interest more than Michael.  He seemed more interesting to me.  But I really could have done without that element entirely.  


Read-alikes:
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some scattered throughout


mrg-factor: XX
nothing very descriptive


v-factor: ->
some scary and rather horrifying things happen


Overall rating: **** for premise *** for execution


Do you prefer books with a little romance and a lot paranormal (or fantasy or sci-fi) or the other way around?


If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Book Review: White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat by Holly Black
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9781416963974
Source: ARC sent by publisher


White Cat (Curse Workers) 

As the only non worker in a family of curse workers, Cassel is an outcast among his own.  Forced to build a regular life, he tries to fit in at a regular boarding school.  But when he starts sleepwalking, he finds himself in dangerous situations, wondering if he's been cursed, even though curse working is illegal.  He's tried to put his miserable past behind him, his accidental killing of his best friends Lila, but it seems to come back to haunt him over and over again.  Caught up in a web of lies and deceit, Cassel struggles to understand what part he might have played in the biggest con his family's ever undertaken.

Things I Liked:
Awesome world-building and story.  I really had no idea where it was going or what twists and turns it would take and it completely took me by surprise more than once.  I loved how realistically Black created an alternate reality with curse workers.  Every detail was thought through and executed completely!  It was so well done that I began to believe in Cassel and his family.  A unique and pretty well written paranormal fantasy.  Honestly, I'd probably just keep gushing if I said more about it, so I'll just say - read it.  I just finished Red Glove, watch for my review coming soon!


Things I Didn't Like:
I can't think of much I didn't like, though some of the surprises felt a little unbelievable at first; but after some time, they felt right.  Really a great new series.


Read-alikes:
I guess Heist Society by Ally Carter


BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@ 
some, but nothing too strong


mrg-factor: XX 
a few suggestive parts


v-factor: ->-> 
things got a bit brutal near the end, but not graphic


Overall rating: ***** 

Do you have a favorite stands-above-the-pack YA paranormal?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Book Review: The Magnificent 12: The Call by Michael Grant

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
The Magnificent 12: The Call by Michael Grant
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9780061833663
Source: Library (for Cybils)


The Magnificent 12: The Call

Mack is not the kind of guy you would pick as a hero.  He has phobias for nearly everything and he gets picked on at school.  But when a visitor from the past identifies him as one of twelve Magnifica - a kind of super hero - he must find in himself a power and magic beyond what he expected.  And then he must find the other eleven Magnifica to help him defeat an ancient evil.

Things I Liked:
This book's greatest strength is its humor.  I literally laughed at every page.  At times, it seemed like a spoof of fantasy and comic book-like heroes, which just made it all the funnier.  The golem was my favorite source of laughs as well - his notes made some of the less interesting parts bearable.  Mack was an interesting character, definitely not your typical hero, but more like a typical wimp who gets picked on.  This is the start of an action-packed and humor-infused series that tween boys should devour.  Just a hint of the fun:

Some were rich, as evidenced by their numerous teeth, their excellent clothing - two of the Magnifica had actual buttons - and their superior education.  The others were poor and wore coarse grain sacks with holes for arms and neck.  Some were really poor and wore nothing but strategically placed tufts of grass attached with mud - uncomfortable at the best of times and rather disastrous in a heavy rain. p 127
Shut your vile, filthy, fruit-chewing mouth, you low, slow, soggy bag of water; you sweat-oozing, cheese-scented wad of pulp mounted on toothpicks; you barely animated mistake of nature. p 186
Things I Didn't Like:
Aside from the humor and action, not much really happens in the book.  It felt very much like an introduction to a story without getting past the introduction; only giving us get a glimpse of what is to come.  Also, as several folks on the Cybils panel with me noted, it felt very commercialized with all the website tie ins.  The plot just didn't hold together well and all the characters other than Mack were not developed enough.  The flashbacks to ancient times kind of distracted from the story, rather than pulling it along.  Still, it will provide entertainment, if nothing else.


Read-alikes:
The 39 Clues series by various authors

A bit like The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some bullying and a few scary creatures


Overall rating: ***

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Monday, April 11, 2011

Name That Book, Episode 12

Name that Book is a biweekly game where you get to guess a book title from the photo clues.

Just a fun one this time!  Leave your guesses in the comments.  In case you missed it, I hosted a Book Puzzle mini-challenge for the 24-hour read-a-thon on Saturday and there are lots of folks who made puzzles, if you can't get enough of them :)

Book 1:
Jane Eyre (Masterpiece Theatre, 2006)

(P.S. It's NOT Jane Eyre :)

Book 2:


If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
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