REVIEW: Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Bird Box

by Josh Malerman

Goodreads synopsis:

Most people ignored the outrageous reports on the news. But they became too frequent, they became too real. And soon, they began happening down the street. Then the Internet died. The television and radio went silent. The phones stopped ringing. And we couldn't look outside anymore. Malorie raises the children the only way she can; indoors. The house is quiet. The doors are locked, the curtains are closed, mattresses are nailed over the windows. They are out there. She might let them in. The children sleep in the bedroom across the hall. Soon she will have to wake them. Soon she will have to blindfold them. Today they must leave the house. Today they will risk everything.

What I thought:

I would classify Bird Box as Horror Light.
I know a lot of people have written in their reviews "Don't read this before bed!",  but for me, this novel didn't get under my skin the way Henry James, Stephen King, or even a good zombie novel will. Nor was it as ghastly and horrific as a James A. Moore novel.

The novel is a fun romp through a horrific landscape, and reminded me a bit of "The Happening" (except much, much better). Most of this novel takes place in flashback, which works really well to keep the reader's interest and not bog down the actual act of Malorie and the kids leaving the house with what seem like contrived events.

The "big bad" in this novel, for me, was excellent. It was an unexplained phenomenon, with many theories thrown out as to what it was, but with no one truly knowing. I appreciate that there was no true answer given, and that the only way to really find out was to look, which, of course, had deadly consequences. The fact that you never got a straight answer really upped the creepy factor, because it left you in the same boat as the people experiencing what was going on.

There were a few things that bothered me a little about the book too. The first thing was the nature of the way people died. In the beginning, it seemed that people were prone to kill their loved ones and then kill themselves, but later on, it seemed they lost interest in being murderous and instead were just suicidal. For me, since I felt like we didn't get to know any of the characters particularly well, it would have been scarier if the phenomenon victims kept a more murderous intent.

The second thing that bothered me was one of the later plot twists. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that while the whole thing was actually foreshadowed in a way I appreciate, the event itself was something I saw coming a mile away. It's a plot twist that's been used before, so with the rest of the book being so interesting and refreshingly original, I kind of wish this major point in the story had been too.

Overall:

This was a really enjoyable, fast read. Perfect for the upcoming Halloween season!

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.

Thirsty for Comments Thursdays

Welcome to Thirsty for Comments Thursday

Click the image above to join in :)

What is Thirsty for Comments?

This is a blog hop dedicated to giving good comment - please, when you are visiting, actually READ the post that is linked and make a thoughtful comment!

This is NOT a hop for "I'm here from the hop, follow me back" comments!

Link up your own SPECIFIC POST that you'd like comments on - remember - no giveaways!

The rules are simple -

1. Link up a SPECIFIC POST (NOT just your blog URL) that you'd like to have more comments on - NO  GIVEAWAYS or OTHER BLOG HOPS - they will be deleted

2. Visit AT LEAST THREE other blogs and READ the posts and then comment thoughtfully on the post.

 

It's a fun idea, and I like that it's meant to generate thoughtful comments.

I've gotten... and given... my fair share of 

"Oh wow, I've never read that"

or 

"Yup, I loved that book too"

 

... yeah... 

 

it's time to step it up a notch. :)

So stop on over and check it out!

Review or Critique, Which is it?

Budroe over at Writing.com has written a really wonderful article about the difference between reviewing a book and critiquing it.

I think this is something EVERY book blogger should check out.

GO TO THE ARTICLE

Budroe goes in depth on the difference between the Review, in which one looks at the qualities of a book from a reader's standpoint, vs. the Critique, in which one examines a book from the viewpoint and expertise of a writer.

Obviously I write reviews.

I am in no way qualified to give any writer an in depth critique of their work... nor would I want to. Everything I write and rate on my blog is based purely on my own opinion as a reader, and each review is a description of what I took away from the book (as well as usually a list of characters and who they were, just for my own sake of having one somewhere... you have no idea how hard it is to find comprehensive lists of characters -_-)

When I write a review, unless there is something technically jarring (and it's got to be pretty darn jarring for me to notice it), I usually won't mention it. I sometimes talk about how well the prose flow, but for me, that's part of the reading experience. I'll also sometimes mention something technical, writing-wise, that pulls me out of a story, but again, it was part of the reading experience for me, so I mention it.

I do this for fun, and I do this for myself... to have a journal of what I've read with more detail jotted down than I likely would have remembered just from recall a few years later.

I don't network my blog to get my stuff seen, I do it because being connected to all of these other readers and authors offers me a wider perspective on what is being released, and what is going on in the literary world. I've learned about dozens and dozens of books that I'm pretty sure I never would have heard of or looked at, and it's all because of book blogging.

I am eternally grateful to the blogging community for helping me stay connected, for keeping up on the trends, and for keeping up on news that I just don't have the time to always seek out myself.

Also, just as a side note, I found this article because it was linked to a manga review in which someone left a comment slamming the reviewer, saying:
Was this written by a preteen? There’s no critical view, no actual structure or argument or thesis, just “i like this” and “then this happened, then this happened, ooh those characters look naughty.” It’s posts like this which make it difficult to take HU seriously, especially the slew of scornful posts on Eddie Campbell’s critical abilities. Not that I agree with Campbell but how is HU any different in being fanboying dressed up as criticism? Certianly not with insipid posts like this.

Now, for me, when I read reviews, I want to hear the "I like this" and the fanboy/girling... for me, that's what reviews are about, public opinions... and that's why I think Budroe's article on review vs. critique is so good... it really points it all out in a very concise way.

I think it is up to us as readers and bloggers to get to know the people who are writing these blog reviews, so that we can better judge how well their opinions mesh with our own.

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.

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.

Warm Bodies

Warm Bodies
by Isaac Marion

Synopsis:
(from Amazon):
 
R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, noidentity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and stragely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.
Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.

Characters:
R: The main character, and a zombie. While his spoken words are a bit... lacking, his thoughts are eloquent, and it's a beautiful juxtapose of what one wants to say and what one does say. Is this really the story of a zombie, or just any teenage boy? Well, except the brain eating bit... LOL!
M: R's kind of pervy zombie friend, and another of the zombies with a hint of memory of what life was like.
Perry: Julie's boyfriend, and the catalyst for this entire story.

Julie: The heroine of this story, and a living girl... she is strong and defiant... but for me, a little unbelievable.
Nora: Julie's best friend. She is a side character who is filled with character.

Julie's Father: He's not in it much, but when he is, he makes an impression.

Bonies: The "other" zombies... a strange, skinless religious faction of zombies that are absolutely terrifying.

 
Writing:

It pulls you in. The prose are beautiful and the pace is fast... I have to admit, I actually *didn't* want to read this book, but my neighbor gave it to me, and I felt obliged, since it was the first book he ever loaned me... but I am really glad I read it. This was an excellent zombie story. Once I started, I couldn't put it down.

Ending:
An ending that seemed to leave this book open to the possibility of more in the future.

Plot:

Ok, I have to admit... I REALLY love some aspects of the plot... and don't care much for other aspects of it. First... everything from R's perspective, I LOVE. It all makes sense in a zombie sort of way and I think it's a pretty awesome idea. I really, really, really love that bit... but... I have a really hard time believing Julie's half of it. Now, I'm being vague so as to do this without spoilers... but we all know this is a romance of sorts. I find the aspect of her befriending R to be absolutely plausible... I find the idea of her encouraging a romance to be just nuts. This book really takes a lot of liberty with overlooking what a dead body that hasn't been preserved is actually like... and "kissable" is not one of those things, unless, you know, you're into that -_-
I also have to say, I love the way the Bonies were explained... it was really, really terrifying, and frankly, they scare me.

 

Believability of World:
This is set in our world, post-zombie-apocalypse, so it's a pretty believable setting, and I love that zombies congregate the way they do.


Overall Grade: B+ I've read a lot of zombie stories, and frankly, a lot of them are awful... but this one is actually pretty darn excellent! Check it out!

The Enchantress: Alchemyst series michael scott

 The Enchantress
by Michael Scott

Synopsis:
(from Goodreads):

The two that are one must become the one that is all. One to save the world, one to destroy it.

San Francisco:
Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have one day left to live, and one job left to do. They must defend San Francisco. The monsters gathered on Alcatraz Island have been released and are heading toward the city. If they are not stopped, they will destroy everyone and everything in their path.

But even with the help of two of the greatest warriors from history and myth, will the Sorceress and the legendary Alchemyst be able to defend the city? Or is it the beginning of the end of the human race?

Danu Talis:
Sophie and Josh Newman traveled ten thousand years into the past to Danu Talis when they followed Dr. John Dee and Virginia Dare. And it’s on this legendary island that the battle for the world begins and ends.

Scathach, Prometheus, Palamedes, Shakespeare, Saint-Germain, and Joan of Arc are also on the island. And no one is sure what—or who—the twins will be fighting for.

Today the battle for Danu Talis will be won or lost.

But will the twins of legend stand together?

Or will they stand apart—one to save the world and one to destroy it?

Characters:

  Ok... I could break this book down character by character, but let's be honest, Michael Scott's book are overflowing with characters... in a Lord of the Rings kind of way. They're all important, and honestly, in this book, we follow "side characters" almost as much as we follow Josh and Sophie... so to pick and chose some to mention would do the book a disservice. All of the characters are interesting, engaging, and in this book, part of the main plot.

 
Writing:

Engaging and full of history and mythology.

Ending:
I was satisfied with this ending, but saw it coming a mile away, which was a little disappointing. A friend of mine who has been reading this entire series HATED the end with a fiery passion... and I can understand why... it's not a "happy-happy-joy-joy" finish to things... but, for me, it was congruent with the feel of the books.

Plot:

This is where everything comes together, all those dangling storylines that we've been following for the past several books. They weave together nicely.

Believability of World:
This is set in our world, a la Harry Potter style, where the magic is there, but most people have no clue about it.

Shadow of the Serpent: Kane Chronicles

The Serpent's Shadow

by Rick Riordan

Synopsis:
(from Amazon):

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld.

Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles.

Characters:
Sadie: The spunky, attitude-filled little sister has softened some from the beginning of this series... we find her in love and with more obvious affection towards her brother... she has become quite the likable character... not that she wasn't before, but now we see more of her loyalty shining through. She's not just an angry kid anymore.
Carter: Carter has really matured over this series, to the point where even his sister begrudgingly admits that he's quite the leader figure. He's a likable character, although I find him most interesting when he's hemming and hawing over teenage boy issues (aka, girls).
Walt: Sadie's love interest is as mysterious as ever, you know that Walt is a man with a plan through most of the book, and it's not that hard to guess what it might be, but you still wonder at the logistics of it.

Anubis: Sadie's other love interest, the poor girl... how does one choose between hot mortal guy and hot god guy?
Zia: Still coming to terms with the fact that another version of herself met and fell in love with Carter, Zia is also kind of losing her mind in this book. She's given the job of caring for the aged form of Ra, and it's having quite the effect on her.

Amos: Now Chief Lector, Amos is dealing with trying to keep a lot of very  nervous magicians under control, while still fighting off Apophis and his underlings. Due to events in previous books (aka, being possessed by Set), Amos is not the most trusted person around.

Setne: The guy you love to hate... he's bound to help Sadie and Carter, but he's tricksy, and causes them no end of trouble.

Everyone Else: To not at least mention other characters like Jet, Felix, Freak and Bes... would be criminal. These books are filled to the brim with an enjoyable supporting cast.

 
Writing:

As per usual, Rick Riordan is a master. These books go by waaaay too quickly.

Ending:
A wonderful ending in which you see satisfying conclusions to quite a few of the story archs that have been present through the series. Not only that, but there's quite the hint that this is not the last we'll see of the Carter siblings when it comes to Rick Riordan books. It looks like he's building up to something quite epic.

Plot:

This is a plot that's been building up through two other books. It concludes quite a few of the mysteries that were left hanging, and promises more. 

Believability of World:
I believe I've said it before, but I love that these books are set in "our" world, just kind of behind the scenes.


Overall Grade: A

REVIEW: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

 Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins

NOTE! If you have not read The Hunger Games or Catching Fire, this will reveal spoilers for the first books!

Synopsis:
With her home destroyed and Peeta missing, Katniss wakes up to find herself a resident of the fabled District 13. Unfortunately, the district isn't all its cracked up to be, and Katniss finds herself feeling more trapped than ever. Not to mention that those who escaped with her seem to be slowly losing their minds while she's being forced into the role of Mockingjay.

Character Likability:
Katniss: Have I mentioned my love for the character, Katniss? I love this girl. She's strong, she marches to her own drum, she learns from her mistakes, she fights for what she believes in, she gets broken, as any real person would in her situation... but she allows herself to be mended.  In this book, Katniss grows and learns yet again. She's beginning to see the bigger plan, she's beginning to understand that some things never end, no matter how hard you fight... she's pushed to, and past, the point of breaking, and yet, she persists in trying to reach her goal. She is an amazing character... and what makes her so amazing is that she does all of these amazing things... and remains believable. She is filled with just as much questioning and doubt as any of us.
Peeta: Absent for a good portion of the book... and then returned... Peeta breaks my heart in this book... and then in pure Peeta fashion, he mends it again.
Haymitch: During this book, you're left wondering what, exactly, Haymitch's motives are.
Cinna: Despite not physically being in the book, Cinna is still a very motivating character. His Mockingjay outfit is a major reason Katniss takes up the mantle.
Prim and her Mother: Used, once again, mainly as motivators for Katniss... Prim is given slightly more voice, and acts more as a support for her sister, while the mother still remains mainly out of the picture.
President Snow: Pulling out all the stops in his wicked handbook, President Snow outdoes himself in the evil department.
Finnick: Watching Finnick with Annie is almost heartbreaking, and hearing his story IS heartbreaking. I was glad I got to hear what he had to say. It really drove home the need for this system to be destroyed.
Briggs: The quiet military man from District 13... he turns out to be possibly one of the truest friends Katniss ever has.
President Coin: The president of District 13, she's cold, calculating and not to be trusted.


Quality of Writing:
Easy, quick flow. Engaging and un-put-downable. (oh yeah, I'm making up words now)

Ending:
Bittersweet, believable.

Plot:
District 12 has been destroyed, most of the people Katniss knew, dead. She, along with a few others, including her family and Gale, have been whisked off to District 13 to live underground. At this point, Katniss is starting to lose it. People she loved dearly are dead, most notably, Cinna, her designer from the Hunger Games. Peeta is in the hands of the Capitol and all Katniss can do is imagine the worst. Then, the video interviews with Peeta begin, and he's telling people to stop the rebellion... and Katniss knows she still has to save him... now from District 13 as well, who sees him as a traitor... and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
This plot really delves into the political motivations and the extent to which those in power will try to retain it. It's harsh, cruel and believable... which makes it all the more terrifying. The plot of this book is deep, twisted and worthy of more than just a casual read. The ideas being presented here really beg for, and deserve some deep thought on the part of the reader.

Believability of World:
The most believable yet. It really points out that it's often hard to tell the difference between good and evil.


Overall Grade: A

Guest Review: Daughter of Darkness by V.C. Andrews

Daughter of Darkness
by V.C. Andrews

This will not be my typical review, because I passed this book along to a friend of mine who was an avid V.C. Andrews fan... back when V.C. Andrews was still writing her own books.

She has read everything written by Andrews, as well as through the Logan series, which supposedly, until then the books were still plotted out by notes from Andrews found after she died.

After the Logan series, my friend lost interest, and she only found today that after the Logan series, that's when the ghost writer, Andrew Neiderman, took over completely. Coincidence? I think not.



From the very beginning, she found herself bored with the storyline of Daughter of Darkness. About 1/3 of the way into the book, nothing of any great significance had occurred and she was questioning whether it was even worth it to continue on.

She described the writing style as a long, drawn out monologue of inner-angst from the main character... where as the old V.C. Andrews books (you know, the ones actually written by Andrews), while still being from the main girl's perspective, would focus more on other characters as well, and not have so much self centered internalizing.

When she got to the end of the book, she literally flung it back at me and exclaimed, "What kind of ending was that?! What a letdown!" Needless to say, I don't think she liked it much. I could go into detail on what she said, but that would be spoilerific.

She did wonder at the lack of thinking on the other characters parts... feeling they were unintelligent and had no thoughts of their own. That was one thing she appreciated about the main character, who at least seemed to be smarter than the rest of them.

However, as an avid Andrews fan, she neither liked this book, nor felt it lived up to the quality of the books Andrews actually wrote or plotted herself.

REVIEW: Book One of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones

by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis:
Clary Fray considers herself a normal girl... that is, until she starts seeing some really strange things. People who aren't there, boys with claws for fingers, evil monsters in her own home. Suddenly confronted with a world she'd never known was there... and a boy she never would have imagined could exist... Clary finds herself tripping blindly through situations totally alien to her.

Character Likability:
Clary: I enjoyed Clary... she's a female character who, despite being attracted to Jace, isn't consumed by it, and this is so refreshing it's unbelievable. She has a mission... to save her Mother, and everything else is just kind of bonus for the reader, but not the main focus. Clary is on a set path to do what she feels she needs to do, and she absolutely gains my respect for that. There is no sniveling over dreamy boys... oh sure, there are dreamy boys, but Clary is smart enough to know what matters in life, and to chase after that first.
Honestly, Clary is what Bella from Twilight SHOULD have been... a strong, independent girl who thinks for herself, and thinks about what is important first, and not just how HAWT the guy she's with now is.
Jace: Snarky, good at what he does, and placed in the story to be the obvious love interest, he remains an interesting character. His past is tragic, his upbringing questionable, and his views on what good parenting is are horribly skewed... but, thanks to said tragedy, he was saved from a totally barbaric upbringing and manages to be a somewhat caring, thoughtful guy.
Simon: Clary's "Mundie" friend from school, Simon is obviously in love with her, and has been for years. Honestly, if Clary and Simon don't end up together, I might actually be mad. Thankfully though, while Simon is wrapped up in his own little love triangle angst, Clary just doesn't have time for it... so the love story isn't sickening and overwhelming, but is actually useful to the story... and despite Simon being part of the "love triangle"... he's a useful, interesting, developed character who I want to see more of.
Alec: A newer twist on the love triangle thing, Alec is in love with Jace, but has never told him. Clary realizes this pretty much from the start. Alec is Jace's partner in hunting demons. I appreciate that Alec is not in the running as a potential mate for Clary, because frankly, I find him more interesting than Jace early on and would have chosen him.

Also, just a note... I've noticed a real upswing in homosexual male characters in YA literature... but not an upswing of homosexual female characters. I find that odd. 

(In fact, the only one I can think of recently was in the Anthology Zombies vs. Unicorns)

Now, I'm not talking about books specifically about the trials of being homosexual, I'm talking about extra characters. It seems I've run across quite a few of the gay male friends, but rarely any lesbian ones. It feels like there is a subtle undercurrent saying that male homosexuality is permissible since they can make such good buddies... but female homosexuality is still taboo.
Isabelle: Possibly the least fleshed out main-ish character in this book. I hope she gets more depth later on.
Luke: The obvious "Not what he seems" father-figure... Luke is a character that I was a little disappointed in, just in so far as he wasn't really mysterious. You could see what was happening, and it didn't shock you.
Valentine: A FANTASTIC villian. This man is wicked and evil. He's not cut back or toned down for the kiddies... he's all out there, waving his evil flag around like he's claiming a new world... and he kind of is. He's done terrible things, has a well thought out, elaborate evil plan, and is just wickedly cruel to everyone, even those he should love. I'm very interested to see *why* he became so evil.

Quality of Writing:
This was a fairly fast read for me, so the style wasn't choppy or distracting. There wasn't anything particularly beautiful or poetic about it, it was straight to the point, telling the story as it needed to be told.

Ending:
Since this is part of a trilogy, it wasn't concluded as far as the BIG story goes... but the ending of this one was satisfying and set you up to want to read more. There was a twist that, while I saw it coming, I was incredibly glad it existed... and there is still a LOT for the main characters to accomplish.

Plot:
Girl realizes the world isn't what she thinks it is.
Girl gets sucked into new world.
Girl realizes only she can get herself out of this mess.
Girl kicks some arse while still fumbling around and not knowing what she's doing (I really appreciated this, actually).
Girl realizes this is just the tip of the iceburg.


Ok, honestly there's so much more going on than just that. This is a fun, rich story full of layers and magic and we get to discover this new world right along with Clary, and I think knowing what she knows is a wonderful way to do that. I enjoy it, as a reader, when things aren't revealed to me too quickly.

Believability of World:
It's a pretty well thought out alternate version of our world.


Overall Grade: A-

REVIEW: St. Lunatic High School, Volume 1

   St. Lunatic High School

by Majiko!

** I find this 2 manga series to be adorable and funny, and usually like to
pick it up for a reread around Halloween**

Synopsis:
Niko's brother, Atchan, gets a real job teaching a night class at a school called St. Lunatic (why doesn't that raise suspicion?!) They are promised a home with a bathroom and garden... only to find out that what was meant was the house (if you can call it that) is on school grounds, and they are allowed to use the restroom in the school.
Sadly, though, after fleeing their last abode without paying, this is the best these siblings have got. However, what Niko didn't realize... what her brother might have forgotten to mention, was that the night class at St. Lunatic was filled with monsters.

Character Likability:
The characters in this manga are goofy, quirky, cute and endearing. At times, I suspect if I were watching the anime version (if there even is one) they might be terribly annoying... but being written on paper, their over-reactions and disbelief are really quite endearing.

Quality of Writing:
There is nothing in the manga that seems strange or out of place, the translator did an excellent job.

Ending:
This is a 2 manga series that, in and of itself, is a bit episodic even within the short volume of one manga. The manga did end on a humorous note, dealing with the poor situation of Niko and Atchan... and how they can never quite catch a break. It was a closed enough ending that the series could have stopped there without anyone feeling too dissatisfied, but thankfully there is another volume... and I truly wish this quirky manga was more than just two volumes long.

Plot:
The main plot here is that Niko has to adapt to her new life at St. Lunatic. She makes the effort, despite being constantly razzed by her rather bizarre classmates, for the sake of her brother, who has never held a job longer than a week (thus their issue with having no money). Oh sure, she still thinks her fellow classmates are weird as heck, but she finds ways to relate and cope with their bad behavior.
There are other things going on here as well, such as a strained father/son relationship between one of Niko's classmates and his dad, the reoccuring issue of hunger, starvation, and this interesting, Boxeresque notion that if you just work harder then everything will be ok.

Illustration Quality:
I LOVE the illustrations in this book. The characters are adorable, and the artist really has expressions down well... Niko goes through such a constantly changing array of facial expressions that it is endlessly entertaining. Proportions are well done, line quality is lovely, and detail is amazing.

Believability of World:
Despite the fantastic nature of the creatures and things going on around Niko, her world is believable because it remains consistently against her and her brother, lol!


Overall Grade: B+