ARC REVIEW: The Wells Bequest by Polly Shulman

The Wells Bequest

by Polly Shulman

 Release Date: June 13th, 2013

This ARC was provided by the publisher at my request.

Synopsis:

Leo never imagined that time travel might really be possible, or that the objects in H. G. Wells’ science fiction novels might actually exist. And when a miniature time machine appears in Leo’s bedroom, he has no idea who the tiny, beautiful girl is riding it. But in the few moments before it vanishes, returning to wherever—and whenever—it came from, he recognizes the other tiny rider: himself!

His search for the time machine, the girl, and his fate leads him to the New-York Circulating Material Repository, a magical library that lends out objects instead of books. Hidden away in the Repository basement is the Wells Bequest, a secret collection of powerful objects straight out of classic science fiction novels: robots, rockets, submarines, a shrink ray—and one very famous time machine. And when Leo’s adventure of a lifetime suddenly turns deadly, he must attempt a journey to 1895 to warn real-life scientist Nikola Tesla about a dangerous invention. A race for time is on!

In this grand time-travel adventure full of paradoxes and humor, Polly Shulman gives readers a taste of how fascinating science can be, deftly blending classic science fiction elements with the contemporary fantasy world readers fell in love with in The Grimm Legacy.

Characters:

Leo: The main character, Leo is pretty level-headed for a teenaged boy. He's sweet and swooning over the girl he likes, and smart to boot. He comes from a family of incredibly intelligent people where he's a bit of an outcast, not because he isn't smart, but because his brain works in different ways. However, when he's visited by his future self, his life becomes a tad bit more interesting as he learns about a library that will change his life. He's a likeable kid, cautious and respectful of things like Time Machines and Death Rays... you can't help but admire those qualities.

Jaya: Headstrong and defiant and the girl that Leo is swooning over, Jaya is a character from The Grimm Legacy, the companion book to The Wells Bequest. At first I was worried I wouldn't like her, since headstrong girls are often obnoxiously portrayed in books... but I found Jaya completely likeable.

Simon: Simon is the villian of the story, but one could more aptly call him "The Teenaged Boy of the story" and be totally accurate in their description. He's actions are ruled totally by hormones, unfortunately, he just so happens to be a bit more connected than your average teenaged boy, so he can cause a bit more trouble.

Plot:

For me, this book cleared up the issues I had with The Grimm Legacy, I didn't read this one thinking, "Wow, they just solved that HUGE problem really easily..." I felt like a little more time was taken in this one to really craft each encounter that the characters had. This story was cute, the adventures were well paced and I truly enjoyed their historical and present-time interactions.

All around, a lot of fun, and I can't wait for more in this series from Polly Shulman!

After reading this book, I've also decided I need to figure out a new rating rank that is around 4 Squeeds, but instead of saying (but probably wouldn't read again) it needs to say (and will absolutely read this to my children). :)

Conclusion:
This is a book I highly recommend to not only friends, but also to the teachers I know. The combination of classic literature along with historical figures will entice any kid to want to learn more about these topics. Much like The Alchemyst series by Michael Scott, this is the kind of book that is going to make kids sit up and take interest in the past.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Welcome to another edition of "It's Monday, What Are You Reading?"

Click the image above to join in the linky fun!

Well, seeing as how I just picked this book up this morning, and it's one I've been

saying for quite some time, "I'm going to read!"

This week I'm reading:

39 Clues

Book 1:

The Maze of Bones

by Rick Riordan

Amazon Synopsis:

Minutes before she died Grace Cahill changed her will, leaving her decendants an impossible decision: "You have a choice - one million dollars or a clue."

Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost. 39 clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Now the clues race is on, and young Amy and Dan must decide what's important: hunting clues or uncovering what REALLY happened to their parents. 

I've been curious about this series for a while, and *really* wanted to start reading it when I learned that Rick Riordan wrote the first one... so, here goes nothing!

What did I finish last week?

Scent of Magic

Book 2 in the Healer series

by Maria V. Snyder

Amazon Synopsis:
As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomaniacal King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confidant, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon's opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon's most horrible creations yet: an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.
War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible…again.

Read my review HERE.

Mistle Child by Ari Berk

 The Mistle Child

By Ari Berk

 This is my highest rating for a book. It marks a book I found beautiful in prose, a book I just can't stop thinking about, a book I would absolutely read again.

 Amazon Synopsis:

In life, in death: family remains.

    Silas Umber has finally come into his own as the Undertaker of Lichport when a mysterious invitation calls him beyond the marshes to Arvale, the ancestral manor of the Umbers. There, his extended family endures, waiting for a living Undertaker to return and preside over the Door Doom, an archaic rite that grants a terrible power to summon and bind the dead in judgment.

    As Silas assumes the mantle of Janus, the Watcher at the Threshold, deep below the earth in the catacombs and sunken towers, grim spirits grow restless at his arrival--hungry for freedom and eager for vengeance against a family with a long history of harsh judgments. Now, Silas must right an ancient wrong and accept that even a house of ghosts can be haunted by its past--for in matters of family, we are who we were.

    Delving deeper into the haunting world of ghosts, ancestors, and eldritch lore, Ari Berk returns to the series that Publisher's Weekly calls "thought-provoking gothic fantasy," with a style the School Library Journal praises as "reminiscent of the classic gothic works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Shirley Jackson."

Characters:
Silas ~ Main character. In the last book he was looking for his lost father. This time around, Silas is trying to remember something he's forgotten (with the help of some friends, unbeknownst to him). He is also on a mission to answer the call of Arvale, the ancestral Umber family home that exists both in our world, and in others.
Lars Umber ~ Silas's guide through Arvale, only other living person in Arvale that Silas has come across. Lars is keeping secrets of his own though, and repeatedly states that he cannot return to Lichport.
Beatrice ~ Ghost in millpond, Silas's love interest
Jonas Umber ~ Ancestor of Silas, helps him become Janus
Maud Umber ~ Ancestor of Silas, helps him become Janus, the one who called him to Arvale in the first place, she is one of the older spirits of the house.
Ottoline ~ Silas's mysterious cousin, living at the "Summer House" within the grounds gates of Arvale with the other cousins. It's a good thing Silas never got around to dining with them.
Mother Peale ~ An elderly woman, and one of the Narrows Folk (the Narrows being the part of town filled with people of the sea) Mother Peale is an old friend of Silace’s father and wise in the ways of those who have remained to wander the streets of this haunted town.
Mrs. Bowe ~ A close friend of Amos Umber, Mrs. Bowe is a source of knowledge and support for Silas as he tries to walk in his father’s footsteps. She lives in a house connected to Silas's, and in this book, she and Silas have had a falling out, although she is still trying to protect him.
Dolores Umber ~ Silas's mother, and much more likeable in this book than the last. For being in the book so very little, she plays a pivotal role twice.
Cabel Umber ~ An Umber ancestor living in Arvale, Silas makes a pact with him before knowing all the details.

Story:

Where last time around (in Death Watch) we were introduced to Lichport and its odd inhabitants, this time around we are introduced to more of the Umber family through the estate of Arvale.
In the beginning of the book, Silas is summoned to Arvale by a messenger sent by one of his ancestors, Maud. Her exact motives aren't clear, although she wails about a child.
Where Death Watch dealt heavily in paternal matters, Mistle Child deals constantly with maternal ones. Everywhere you turn there are mothers surrounding Silas. Male voices are drowned out by the needs of the mothers in this story... and sometimes even the voices of reason are drowned out as well.

Since Silas spends a good portion of the book in a sort of "World Between", the Death Watch itself is rarely utilized. Instead we find ourselves introduced to strange, mysterious objects of power to which we are given passing hints about what they might be. We are introduced to the strange inhabitants of Arvale. In particular I love the cousins who reside at the Summer House. They are almost exactly as I imagined them, if not a bit less malicious than I would have expected. It does make me even more curious about the Umber lineage, though.

Silas spends a lot of time in action, getting done what he came there to do, without really knowing what he was doing at all. While I kind of felt like he was taking some big chances, at the same time, it's good to remember that Silas is a teen, and therefore prone to making rash decisions, especially when people try to keep him from them.

The only complaint I have is that this book was too short. Length is not a detriment to the YA novel when you have the world building capabilities, and luxurious vocabulary of Ari Berk.

I find that I should also note that the one part of the book that has lodged itself in my brain is one tiny, odd little chapter about a stone lion. It was an aside that pointed out how quickly our mark on the world can be destroyed... and how callously. How, even when things are set in stone, they are still subject to change. The chapter niggles at my mind, I find my thoughts drifting back to it. I want to know if there is a true history there, what it references, where this little lion came from, to see his way onto the pages of the book.

Conclusion:
Another beautiful, haunting novel from Ari Berk... and while I would have loved it to be longer, well, that's just me being greedy. I'll take what I can get, and revel in the fact that there is more yet to come.

Click the image below to purchase this book from Amazon

(I am in no way affiliated with Amazon... I just really think people should buy this book)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

Synopsis (via Amazon):

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


Characters:
Beatrice "Tris" Prior: The main character, Beatrice is from the faction of Abnegation, who are supposed to be the selfless types... but she's always felt she doesn't fit in, because by nature, she is not selfless. She chooses to go live with the Dauntless faction instead. Dauntless is a faction of warriors and risk takers, and also where Beatrice changes her name to the shortened version of "Tris"
Beatrice sees herself as unattractive... but as per usual in YA novels, it's simply her own perception of herself.
Four: Tris's instructor when she starts training as a Divergent. He is the main love interest, and a boy with secrets. I don't know what it was, but something about Tris and Four's love story really struck home for me. Maybe it's that it was born through blood and tears... and not just two dopey teens mooning over one another with little to no explanation of attraction other than hormones.
Thomas: Another High School student, and the one who lured Cas there in the first place... he is a mind-reader and a witch (although this book does not make it clear if ALL mind readers are witches or not). He attempts to befriend and watch out for Cas, and is dogged about it, even though Cas is a total jerk to someone who, you would think, Cas would recognize immediately as an important ally.  
Caleb Prior: Tris's older brother, who choose to go live in the Erudite faction, which is the "intelligent" faction, always seeking to learn new things.
Christina: One of Tris's first friends in Dauntless, she is a good friend, but struggling through issues of her own.
Peter: Another Dauntless boy who is cruel and vicious. He causes plenty of problems for Tris and her friends.
Will: Another good friend of Tris's, and Christina's love interest.
Marcus Eaton: One of the leaders of the Abnegation group.
Al: A sweet, but weak willed, Candor born Dauntless initiate, and a friend of Tris's.
Tris's Parents: Tris's father is one of the leaders of Abnegation, and both of Tris's parents have secrets they're hiding.

 Writing: The book is fast flowing, with constant action, making it a quick read. The language is dynamic and the prose flow smoothly from one event to the next.

Ending:

Shocking. That's all I have to say. Shocking.
While I saw some of it coming, I truly did not expect half of what happened in the last few pages of that book.

Plot:

I enjoyed the plot of this book. Granted, it's one of those dystopian futures, much like the Hunger Games, where you sit around for a while wondering why anyone would even set their whole society up like that in the first place... although it's more plausible when you realize that this is, in face, not the entire world, but one large city (Chicago).  
The story actually spends most of its time following the personal struggle of the main character, Tris, as she fights to earn her place in the Dauntless society, and to find out who she really is. 
The story then smoothly transitions from Tris's own inner struggle, to a much larger war that has been raging in secret between the factions. Tris and her friends are pulled into it in a plausible manner and the scene is set for book two.

Believability of World: Like I said, it's one of those dystopian novels that make you wonder, "How did the society even get like this?" ... but for me, that doesn't ruin the story in the least. I expect dystopian novels to have extreme societies.. and this one has a structure that is believable and fun to watch unfold.

Overall Grade: B ~ This was a fun, fast read. Would I reread this book? Probably not. It didn't bring anything new and ground-breaking to the dystopian genre... but will I pass it on to others to read? Heck yeah. An absolutely enjoyable book.

Waiting on Wednesday

 To join in the Waiting on Wednesday fun, click the image below:

This week my choice is:

Mistle Child

Book 2 of The Undertaken Trilogy

by Ari Berk

Release Date: February 12th, 2013

In life, in death: family remains.

    Silas Umber has finally come into his own as the Undertaker of Lichport when a mysterious invitation calls him beyond the marshes to Arvale, the ancestral manor of the Umbers. There, his extended family endures, waiting for a living Undertaker to return and preside over the Door Doom, an archaic rite that grants a terrible power to summon and bind the dead in judgment.

    As Silas assumes the mantle of Janus, the Watcher at the Threshold, deep below the earth in the catacombs and sunken towers, grim spirits grow restless at his arrival--hungry for freedom and eager for vengeance against a family with a long history of harsh judgments. Now, Silas must right an ancient wrong and accept that even a house of ghosts can be haunted by its past--for in matters of family, we are who we were.

    

Delving deeper into the haunting world of ghosts, ancestors, and eldritch lore, Ari Berk returns to the series that Publisher's Weekly calls "thought-provoking gothic fantasy," with a style the School Library Journal praises as "reminiscent of the classic gothic works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Shirley Jackson."

I *loved* loveloveloveloveloved Deathwatch and cannot wait for the sequel, Mistle Child. 

You can find my review on Deathwatch here:

Deathwatch Review

and you can find my interview with the author here:

Author Interview

Bloggiesta

Yup, there is some maintenance

I've been wanting to do on my blog,

so this weekend, I'm taking part in:

Click the image to join in!

Things I want to accomplish:

1. Update my pages to reflect the reviews actually available

2. fix any broken links

3. *maybe* implement a Halloween theme... maybe.

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

  Anna Dressed in Blood

 by Kendare Blake

There are spoilers in the PLOT section of this review.

Synopsis (via Amazon):

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.


Characters:
Cas: The main character, son of a ghost hunter and now a ghost hunter himself, he leads a lonely, troubled life. Personally, I don't like Cas much through most of the book. He's kind of an arrogant ass, and not in an endearing way. He makes assumptions about people, and is very contradictory, one minute thinking he's all that, then the next talking about how he's scrawny... his thoughts don't always mesh.
Carmel: The "It" girl at the High School Cas attends while he hunts Anna, Carmel find herself drawn into Cas's haphazard adventures. She seems to be a decent kid, and is a whole lot more likeable than Cas.
Thomas: Another High School student, and the one who lured Cas there in the first place... he is a mind-reader and a witch (although this book does not make it clear if ALL mind readers are witches or not). He attempts to befriend and watch out for Cas, and is dogged about it, even though Cas is a total jerk to someone who, you would think, Cas would recognize immediately as an important ally.
Anna: The ghost. She's obviously tormented, and for whatever reason, can't kill Cas, which allows him to have some deep conversation with her. Is it sad that I prefer Anna's character to Cas?
Cas's Mother: A white witch who travels the country at the whim of her teenaged son. She comes across as a protective, but meek character.
Mike, Will and Chase: The three moronic, predictable goons of the story. Are they jocks? Yes. Are they stereotypes? Yes. Did they offer any surprises? No.
Gideon: The mysterious British voice over the phone... aka, an old friend of Cas's father that we never actually meet, but he conveys really potent, important info to Cas, and gives a little background story concerning Cas's father. He reminded me of Giles from Buffy.
Morfran: Thomas's grandfather... and someone I really expected to step in a little more... I mean... you've got all these kids dealing with crazy occult and ghost stuff... you're pretty informed in that area, and you let the kids do their thing and call all the shots? Hmm.
Cas's Father: Dead from the start of the book, Cas's father is what set him on the path he's on. He died under mysterious circumstances that Cas just can't let go, despite everyone's warnings. 
Tybalt: Cas's mother's cat, he is a special cat who can detect the supernatural... which is evidently something all cats can do, but this one is better at it for some unexplained reason (literally, it's unexplained... Thomas mentions the cat is special... but no one ever says how).

 Writing: One thing I will say about this book, I actually love Kendare Blake's writing style. It flowed, and the description of the ghosts and the atmosphere were just downright creepy. She had my looking over my shoulder in rooms of my own house... and I've lived here for years without anything "spooky" ever happening. She is gifted at creating imagery in the reader's mind.

Ending:

The VERY end of this book really is enticing. Even though I disliked quite a lot of things about this book, I will read the second, hoping the things I disliked about this book are not quite as glaring in the next.

Plot:

Ah... the parts I hated most about this book all lie in the plot.
1. THE ATTIC. What... the... heck. Cas and his mother professionally hunt ghosts? They even have a cat who detects them... they clense every house they live in... and yet they neglect to check THE ATTIC???? It's like not checking the friggin basement. This was really, really unacceptable for me, as far as being able to believe this story or these characters... *especially* when Tybalt started freaking out about the attic, and Cas's mother heard things up there that went bump in the night. How was that NOT a glaring warning for them?? When I got to the part where the thing comes down out of the attic, I wanted to throw the book across the room... but it was a library book, so I refrained (I also wanted to smack Cas for literally telling his mother to shut up... it made me like him even less). It was so dumb that they didn't check EVERY room of the house, especially after their little house walk through, and the story of what happened to his mother once before. It made no sense and was an inexplicable, glaring oversight.. and just really bothered me because I felt like the author just couldn't think of anything better, so cheated to get the ghost in the house.
2. LOVE PLOT FROM A MANGA: Have you ever heard of shojo manga? It's the girly love story brand of manga (a manga is a japanese comic), where the characters tend to fall in love within the span of a page or two for no really great reason. Well... that's how I feel about the love story in Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas falls in love with this ghost (who has ripped human flesh to shreds right before his eyes) in the span of pages, and then suddenly trusts her whole-heartedly. Don't get me wrong, as far as characters in this book go, Anna is one of my favorites, but for Cas, Mr. Trust-no-one-even-if-they'd-obviously-make-an-excellent-ally, be-a-total-dick-almost-all-of-the-time, Super ghost hunter on a mission to do nothing but avenge his father... falling in love with Anna seems totally out of character. He literally is instantly transformed from a real jerk into a character I can actually find myself liking... it's why I'll read the second book, because I hope the author relents on his stupid machismo attitude... and there is promise of that... but unfortunately it came at the expense of a believable love story. I get it, he's all swoony and not thinking particularly straight... but his lack of fear around her just makes me think he's an idiot... even Sam took longer to fall in love with a Demon (that being Sam from Supernatural... a tv show with a hauntingly similar plot) than Cas did to fall in love with a Ghost. To me, it seemed just like the attic, a convenient plot device that felt contrived. Would it have been so awful for him to befriend her in the first book, and come to really respect her? There are obviously more than one of these books coming, so why not take your time and make it a rich, wonderful love story... why rush it?
3. TYBALT: Yes, it pisses me off that he died. I hope he haunts Cas and makes his life a living hell!!! This cat did his job 100% and they blithely ignored him. Shame on you, Ghost Hunters, shame on you (and really lame of you too, for supposedly being so experienced).
4. HUMAN VILLAINS WITH NO DEPTH: I mean this... did Mike, Will or Chase do a single thing that surprised you? Nope... very boring human villains. Normally, I wouldn't have an issue with this, but Cas made a point of pointing out repeatedly how clever Will seemed to be.
5. BIG BAD SUPERNATURAL VILLAIN WITH NO BACKGROUND: I can only hope this will be filled out more in future books... I'm hoping the end of this book didn't actually see the end of this villain... because an Obeahman could be really terrifying... if, you know, we had known more about him. I mean, yeah, the whole eyes stitched shut, jaw unhinging was creepy... but other than that, all we got was an info drop on what an Obeahman was, and a pretty skimmed one at that. Voodoo can be some really, really, really scary, creepy stuff... and he's supposed to be creepier than Voodoo? I need to know more to believe it. Just telling me isn't showing me... and what I was shown of him wasn't creepier than what I saw of Anna... so I wasn't really feeling the terror... nevermind we know *nothing* about this specific Obeahman... so he's just some vague, random ghost that Cas's dad had the bad luck of running into.

Believability of World: I think all the ghostiness works... it's creepy and I like the explanation that people don't WANT to explain some deaths. That works... we've all seen the world turn a blind eye to atrocities, especially when they can't explain them... but Cas's stupidity about certain things and the love story's rushed feel really kill a little bit of it for me.

Overall Grade: C+ ~ I really loved certain aspects of this book, and will read the second one... but there were certain things in this story that really just made me angry... just glaring plot holes, or contrived romances, or generally unlikeable main characters that made me want to chuck this book across the room. I'm hoping book two is a little more well thought out, and a whole lot less convenient when it comes to events that occur within the story.
I would like to give this book a higher score, because I really thought Blake's physical description of the ghosts was spooky and fantastic (and so was some of the emotional conflict the ghosts experienced)... but this book just made me so angry when it came to those other things that I can't overlook that.

Waiting On Wednesday

Click the picture below to join in:

 The Mark of Athena

by Rick Riordan
Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

Book 3 in the Heroes of Olympus series.

The only thing I can really say about this is... if you haven't read these books, READ THEM.

Amazon Synopsis:

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . .

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

*JUST A NOTE* I've added an audiobook clip to the Wake review I did, for anyone who is interested:
http://littlesqueed.blogspot.com/2012/09/wake-by-amanda-hocking.html

Wake by Amanda Hocking

 Wake

by Amanda Hocking

 Please check out the following link for an audiobook clip from the beginning of Wake,
provided by Macmillan Audio:
http://media.us.macmillan.com/video/olmk/macmillanaudio/wakeclip.mp3

When I first wrote this review, I was unaware the audiobook existed...
I've listened to this clip, and it seems to be the first chapter of the book.
It's really cute... but has none of the supernatural elements that come in later in the book,
which are the parts I liked best... but then... giving those bits away in an
audio clip might be a bit spoilerish, since they'd probably give away too much!

(just a total side note... but I love everything about this cover...except the girl... she looks so pissy and annoyed and if she's supposed to be the main character, Gemma, her expression is just too much "bitch" and all wrong. I don't think you *need* to stick a girl on this cover... or at least, not this one -_-)

Synopsis:
(from Goodreads):

Fall under the spell of Wake—the first book in an achingly beautiful new series by celebrated author Amanda Hocking—and lose yourself to the Watersong.

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

Characters:
Gemma: One of two main characters, Gemma is an avid swimmer. She is a likeable girl... but oddly, the story starts out really focusing on her emotions, and then sort of totally abandons them, explaining nothing and just detaching us from her.
Harper: Gemma's older sister, and the responsible one. Maybe a little too responsible, she seems to be forgetting to have a life. Harper is the more likable of the two sisters, in my opinion, if for no other reason than that the book doesn't abandon her thought process halfway through.
Alex: Gemma's love interest and Harper's best friend. Alex comes across as a likeable guy... but there doesn't seem to be anything exceptional about him.

Daniel: The bum who lives on a boat on the docks where the girls father works... he's probably the most interesting character in this book. There's obviously something going on with him that has yet to be explained. I have a guess... but we'll just have to wait and see.
Brian: Gemma and Harper's father... he was not too bad of a father figure, although came across as a bit immature.

Nathalie: Gemma and Harper's brain damaged mother (literally) She's an incredibly immature character, but it's not her fault. I think it's a pity she's obsessed with Justin Bieber though, in the future, this will date the book quite badly.

Penn, Lexi and Thea: Three beautiful, mysterious girls who have come to town, and who the locals are both in awe of, and a bit afraid of.

 
Writing:

After reading Hocking's Trylle series, I'd say she's progressing in her writing style after reading Wake. These books are not beautiful, poetic prose, but they're a fun, easy read that flow well enough.

I've got to say though, there is one thing about this book that I HATED. That is the fact that whenever the girls thought about their father, they called him Brian... but whenever they spoke to him, they called him Dad. WHO DOES THAT?! If they are calling him dad to his face, then they think of him as Dad when they think about him... and if they're thinking of him as Brian, then they should be calling him Brian to his face. It ripped me right out of the story every time... and I found it absolutely annoying as a reader.

Ending:
This book kind of fell apart for me at the end... and mostly because we had become almost totally disconnected from any real reason Gemma had for doing anything. We knew she was walking around acting a certain way, but her actions and what little of her thoughts we got just weren't lining up for me at all... she had sort of ceased to be the character I met at the beginning of the book, which really pulled me out of the story. I have no idea if I'm supposed to be rooting for her or not at this point. I'm not saying she goes evil or anything, I'm just saying she became a very vague, blah character... while her sister and Daniel became much more interesting.

Plot:

I think this book has a really interesting plot going... I like many, many aspects of it, like the fact that Gemma wasn't really given a choice, and the whole mythology background... I find it all enjoyable, and I'll read the second book to see what happens next.

 

Believability of World:
This is set in our world, so there is no amazing new world building going on, but it is believable enough.


Overall Grade: C+ While there are a lot of things about this book that interest me enough to read the next one... there were too many things in the story that ripped me out of it to give it a really high score. The weird trailing off when it comes to Gemma's POV... and the whole Brian/Dad issue... those were huge negative marks in my book. Is it a fun read? Yes. Is it phenomenal? No. Do I recommend picking it up for something light and fun? Yes.

Feature & Follow

Welcome to Feature & Follow!
To join in the fun, click the image above!!

Question of the Week:

Q: What hyped up book do you think was not worth all the talk?

Yeah... I'm sorry, but by "Twilight" I meant the entire series,
not just the first book.

Honestly, out of all of them, the first one was my favorite...
then it just went downhill from there,
ending at the final book,
with what is possibly the lamest "showdown" ever
(and Bella's poor child... saddled with
just about the WORST name ever).

I read them all because my sister was super psyched about them,
and she NEVER reads anything.
... maybe that should have been a clue right there?

Then there's the little issue of Bella being possibly
one of the worst female role models ever.

Honestly, my favorite thing about the Twilight Saga
is all the humor that's been generated by it.

You said it, boys, LOL.

I didn't have a problem with Stephanie Meyers
writing style... my problem was entirely
with plot, pacing and character development.
The series just kept degrading into Bella being
more and more pathetic, and the pacing often
got hung up on her angst...
which made it SO boring.

Plus, Bella's really UNHEALTHY relationship
with Edward bothered me to no end.
Would I really want this girl being a role model
for my daughter?!
Heck no.

I'll be happy when this franchise is dead and gone.

REVIEW: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

 Ashes

by Ilsa J. Bick 

Synopsis:
(from Amazon): It could happen tomorrow . . .

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.
Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Characters:
Alex: As far as a main character goes, I really like Alex in the beginning. She's strong, independent and self reliant. She obviously has issues... but rightfully so.
Tom: A soldier who is likeable through and through. Tom seems to be hiding issues that I'm sure will surface sooner or later.
Ellie: Obnoxious. Little. Brat.  I hate to say it, but it takes a while for Ellie to muster any redeemable qualities. I understand that she's in pain over her parents, and a bitter child, but she's repeatedly a brat... and the adults around here are almost saintly in their patience.

Chris: Described as a boy surrounded by shadows... which seems appropriate. Despite being in a good portion of the book, I am left feeling like I know this character barely at all.
Lena: One of the most believable characters in the book, especially for her age. Lena is a minor character, but she's stuck with me enough to be mentioned here. She's not a nice character, but she's a determined one, willing to risk anything for a chance at freedom, and a chance to go find her family.

Jess: Elderly woman who looks after the girls... as of the end of the book, I'm not really sure what Jess's motivations are. Does she see something in our main character, and she's trying to expose her to the reality of their situation... or is she just trying to get her killed?!

Everyone Else: This is a zombie novel... and like all good zombie novels... it's filled with characters that are seemingly important, the kind that you warm up to and begin to like... but that you know are there for the sole purpose of being hideously devoured. There are a lot of them, and it will be interesting to see what becomes of them all.

Writing:

The author's style is fast paced and easy flowing. I found I got through this book in record time. There are few moments of lull, and there is constant action... and it's not all zombie feasting action either. This book mixes it up and keeps things interesting.

The only thing that bothered me was Ellie. She was one of the most obnoxious children I've ever read... to the point where she seriously annoyed me and I started to find her character a little unbelievable... there's bratty, and then there's Ellie.

Ending:
Terrifying, and makes me 100% certain to read the next book.

Plot:

I kind of love the whole reasoning behind why things happened the way they did in this book.

First off, the "zombies" in these books are not the living dead... they're actually still the living... and while the bit about craving human flesh hasn't really been explained, the reason as to why they survived the initial attack, and why their behavior patterns have been modified, IS explained, and I love the concept. One of the reasons I'm going to KEEP reading these books is because I'm looking for more explanation. So often in zombie novels, things just happen (Oh, hey, yeah, your mom has been turned into a reanimated corpse and stuff... sorry bout that, oh, and she wants to eat your brains... no clue why. Bummer, huh?) and are left unexplained... this book actually tries to put a little science behind it... and of course there are holes in idea as big as Texas, but I just don't care. The initial idea is a great one.

Then there is the fact that everything isn't easy for the main characters. Terrible things happen to them, and about 3/4 of the way into the book, you totally lose track of 2/3s of the original main characters, and are introduced to a new set of characters that you just aren't sure you can trust.

 Believability of World:
Incredibly believable. All of the human interaction seems to be just the way I'd imagine it to go.


Overall Grade: B+ ~ I've read a lot of zombie novels and this one was one that not only kept me entertained, but also attempted to explain the whys and hows of it. I really enjoyed that.

REVIEW: Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

 

 Un Lun Dun

by China Mieville

Synopsis:
Strange things keep happening in London when Zanna is around, and the only one who notices (or will admit to noticing) is her best friend, Deeba. When the two of them follow a living umbrella and Zanna transports them to the strange world of UnLondon, they are hardly shocked to find that Zanna is the mythical Shwazzy, sent to save UnLondon from the wicked Smog.


Character Likability:
Deeba: “The Funny One”: as categorized by The Book, under Shwazzy sidekicks. A label she finds most insulting. However, it’s quickly apparent that Deeba is, in fact, the main character of this story, having much more depth and personality than the rather bland Zanna. Deeba takes over and pulls us through a danger filled adventure filled with the strangest of creatures.
Zanna: The Shwazzy, revered as the savior of UnLondon, and Deeba’s best friend.
Hemi: Half boy, half ghost, Hemi is misunderstood and bitter. He knows how society sees him, even if it’s wrong, but there’s little a semi-transparent boy can do about it… except team up with Deeba to save the world.
Smog: The big bad in this book, it is what is sounds like, one big, nasty, black cloud of evil.
Curdle: Deeba’s pet milk carton, Curdle shows amazing courage when you would least expect it from something that smells like spoiled milk.
Obaday: An interesting take on a tailor, Obaday has a pincushion head and makes clothing items out of book pages. I kind of wish he really existed.

Skool: Obaday’s sidekick, and an amusing take on the idea… but I won’t say more.

Book: The Book of prophecy, looked to by all for the answers on what is to come, but quickly it is discovered that what is written in the book isn’t exactly how things will be. The Book speaks, and is often heard lamenting its own new-found worthlessness.

Conductor Jones: A Conductor who came through from London when Conductors were gotten rid, he has found new life in UnLondon with his friend, the bus driver, Rita.

Brokkenbroll: Lord of the Unbrellas (read that carefully) he is working with a man named Unstible to create Unbrellas that can withstand the onslaught of the Smog… but one can’t help think that something sinister might just be up.

Writing:
This book pulled me right in, starting with the two girls, Zanna and Deeba, standing in London staring at a fox who was most certainly watching Zanna in a sort of awe. I was sucked in, and kept interested by the strange things that kept happening. Mieville’s style is smooth and never once pulled me out of the story, which is the number one thing I ask for from any book. As the story progresses, things start happening faster and faster, and while I enjoyed the action, I wish there had been a bit more time to develop certain characters they met along the way. There was a real opportunity here to create some deep, rich, strange, interesting people, but I think it was somewhat lost, since the story was more plot driven than character driven. The plot, though, was fascinating and rich in ideas and action.

Ending:
While the beginning of this book was a little slow moving, it quickly picks up speed and races along, straight to the end. I really enjoyed the end of this book, it was one of those endings that you can be satisfied with, even if another book in this world is never written… and really, with the end to this book, one doesn’t need to be.

Plot:
This particular book has a rich, bursting at the seams plot line. There is so much going on that it almost seems as if the book isn’t quite long enough for everything that is happening. This is one instance where I really wouldn’t have minded this story being broken into a series of more books. The world was amazing, interesting and bewildering, and I would have loved to slow down and see more of it. ESPECIALLY the land of the dead.

 Believability of World:
The author did a wonderful job making a rich world for these characters to play in. UnLondon is supposed to be a bit unbelievable, in so far as all of the insanity that takes place there, and the magic of it all, but it is written in such a way that one can easily buy into it.


Overall Grade: B+ ~ An exciting romp in a magical world, and a very likeable heroine.

REVIEW: The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica

This is book one in the series

The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica

by James A. Owen

Synopsis:
John, Jack and Charles, three young men from Oxford, find themselves called to duty to care for what is possibly the most well protected book ever, the Imaginarium Geographica.


Character Likability:
John: The Principal Caretaker of the Imaginarium Geographica, John is logical, wise and patient. He’s not only likeable, he endears himself to the reader with his compassion and at the same time, with his mistakes. He owns them, and does his best to live by a moral code he deems worthy. As the series goes on, John becomes more and more of an adult, and it’s evident in the disregard he pays to the children in the story. He is in no way unlikable, but he is no longer quite in touch with youth. It’s not that he disrespects children, not in the least, more like, he overlooks them.
Jack: Younger, brash, fighting against the powers that be, in the first novel, Jack comes close to being downright annoying. He is the second caretaker of the Imaginarium Geographica. He’s the one chosen to make the stupid mistakes, the one who has to rebel against his own youth and desire to do the right thing. As the series progresses, Jack grows, and it’s easy to see why he was chosen as a caretaker.
Charles: Possibly my favorite caretaker, due to his great affinity for the animals of the Archipelago, Charles is a bit of a third wheel once you discover who the first two caretakers are. Historically, he’s not as recognized, but in this story, he’s quite the standout character. If not him, then some alternate dimension version of him. He believes in travel through both time and space, and studies that intently. Possibly the most down to earth of them all, and certainly the one most prone to mistakes without meaning to (for Jack, it always seems to be a choice, to pick good or evil, for Charles, well… let’s just say, accidents happen).
Mordred: The big bad in practically all of the books except The Dragon’s Apprentice, Mordred (yes, the Arthurian Mordred) keeps showing up in one form or another to ruin the caretakers’ day. This may sound dull, or contrived, but let me assure you, Mordred becomes one complex character who I truly enjoyed reading about.
Merlin: Another character who pops up through the books, the story of Mordred and Merlin is captivating (and takes place largely in The Indigo King), setting up quite a bit of what occurs in both previous and future books.
Tummler: A character pulled from The Chronicles of Narnia, Tummler is a badger who is also a printer, making a mock Imaginarium for distribution, as well as guides to the histories of the world, as well as practical things, like how to get out of a binding, in a book called The Little Whatsit.

Samaranth: The greatest of the dragons we know, he’s often a source of knowledge when the characters don’t know where else to go. Unfortunately, he’s fond of not speaking clearly, so they spend a lot of time trying to figure out what he means.

Fred: The Grandson of Tummler, he is a constant companion from The Indigo King onwards, and becomes the first animal to become Caretaker to the Imaginarium Geographica. He’s another of my favorites, with his animal loyalty and ability to sniff out danger or quell it with a well placed blob of tapioca.

Bert: In it from the beginning, he is mentor and guide to the three new caretakers, Jack, John and Charles.

Aven: Daughter of Bert, future queen of the Archipelago.

Arthur: The “Arthur” character, be he the original, or a descendant (In this series, “Arthur” is the title of the kingship, not an actual name) shows up often. Their noble bloodline allows them to do things others can’t, such as summon dragons.

EVERYONE ELSE: Honestly, these books are packed tight with historical figures, be they real or mythical… everyone from Lovecraft’s Ancient Ones to Benjamin Franklin show up… and always with good reason.

Writing:
The books actually started out catering a bit more to children than I preferred. There were “big reveals” at the end of almost every chapter, and it started to wear on me as a reader. I understand that these books are, in fact, for children, but the “reveals” were starting to get out of hand… especially since the characters being revealed wouldn’t really mean anything except to adults or children who had learned about them. They weren’t often explained historically, and without the background, for kids not in the know, the reveal was meaningless. There was also one point, in particular, where a specific historical figure was eluded to… but one of the characters in the book said the equivalent of “Ah, never mind about them,” which… was actually really annoying… to introduce and then just as quickly dismiss a historical icon.

Other than those brief complaints (and the “big reveal” issue lessens as the series goes on, either that, or Owen has gotten better at making them less blatant), the writing is entertaining, the words flow and action is constant.

Ending:
I have to admit, at the end of the first book, when I reached the “BIG REVEAL”… I chucked the book across the room in disgust, and refused to pick up the next one… it took me a year to pick the next one up. I had no desire to read the series after finding out who the characters were at the end of the first book. For whatever reason it just annoyed the hell out of me. Perhaps because it seemed like such a gimmick… at the end of the first book, there seemed, at least to me, little point in having the main characters be who they are (I’m being vague on purpose, so as not to ruin the surprise), but as the series went on, it became evident that there was in fact a reason, and that the story was an interesting, well thought out one. I’m glad I picked the series back up… and the ends to the future books in it have been much more satisfying.

Plot:
The stories follow the adventures of the Caretakers as they try to keep balance between two very different worlds. I really don’t want to elaborate too much, for fear of giving away something important.

 Believability of World:
The way this series ties in to real world events makes it a believable bit of story telling. It is a wonderful flight into a million “What if”s concerning bringing some of the greatest literary minds together… and you get swept up in the energy of it.


Overall Grade: A-  Stick with this series. I did, and it’s become complex and twisted.