Donna Underwood is a student of the Alchemists. She can't help it, it's her family. When she was 7 years old, she was being attacked by wood elves and her Dad died trying to save her. Shortly after that, her Mom got sick and no one knows why or with what. It seems to be mostly mental. Now Donna lives with her Aunt and is home-schooled. She tried public school, but one argument and a ruined locker later...here she is...at home.
See, when Donna was attacked by the wood elves, there was terrible damage done to her arms. But the Maker was able to fix it, using iron and silver. Now she wears long gloves all the time, has to remember to control her strength and feels cold - a lot.
Donna has a best friend, Navin, who knows nothing of what she really is. But he loves her and has stuck by her even when she got kicked out of school. Then Donna meets a boy that, like her, has questions, scars and no parents. Xan, it turns out, is part fae. His wings were ripped off when he was stolen by the wood elves. Together they try to solve some of the mysteries surrounding Donna's life and the Order of the Dragon.
While I like Donna ok, she didn't make me want to cheer her on. Neither did Xan and I'm usually a big fan of the fae. However, Navin made me want to find out more about him. Too bad he's not really a main character. I hope that in the second book we find out more of Donna and Xan's background stories so that I can feel like I 'know' them more. I'll admit it...the cover drew me in! The show more writing was fair, but I never felt drawn in...which is what says "great story" to me. show less
See, when Donna was attacked by the wood elves, there was terrible damage done to her arms. But the Maker was able to fix it, using iron and silver. Now she wears long gloves all the time, has to remember to control her strength and feels cold - a lot.
Donna has a best friend, Navin, who knows nothing of what she really is. But he loves her and has stuck by her even when she got kicked out of school. Then Donna meets a boy that, like her, has questions, scars and no parents. Xan, it turns out, is part fae. His wings were ripped off when he was stolen by the wood elves. Together they try to solve some of the mysteries surrounding Donna's life and the Order of the Dragon.
While I like Donna ok, she didn't make me want to cheer her on. Neither did Xan and I'm usually a big fan of the fae. However, Navin made me want to find out more about him. Too bad he's not really a main character. I hope that in the second book we find out more of Donna and Xan's background stories so that I can feel like I 'know' them more. I'll admit it...the cover drew me in! The show more writing was fair, but I never felt drawn in...which is what says "great story" to me. show less
Joan Bauer has done a beautiful job! This is a delightful story of a young girl who dreams big.
Foster McFee is in 6th grade and she is an amazing baker. The only thing keeping her down is that she can't read. Her Dad died in Iraq and now it's just her and her Mama. Her Mama sings backup for an Elvis impersonator...for now.
Before long, they're on the road - Foster with her baking supplies and her Mama with a black eye. They end up in the tiny town of Culpepper, West Virginia . There's a lot going on for such a small town and Foster is in the midst of it.
Foster is a strong character and will be great for young girls!
Foster McFee is in 6th grade and she is an amazing baker. The only thing keeping her down is that she can't read. Her Dad died in Iraq and now it's just her and her Mama. Her Mama sings backup for an Elvis impersonator...for now.
Before long, they're on the road - Foster with her baking supplies and her Mama with a black eye. They end up in the tiny town of Culpepper, West Virginia . There's a lot going on for such a small town and Foster is in the midst of it.
Foster is a strong character and will be great for young girls!
Read as a teen, this book was horrifying and had many layers to the story. I was glad to see that when reading it as an adult, the story held up.
The story begins at a fancy prep school. Del and Tom become friends quickly because they are both fascinated with magic. There are all kinds of things going on at the school - the students are having nightmares and other odd things are happening. Once school is over for the year, Tom accepts an invitation from Del to spend the summer holiday at Del's Uncle Collins' estate.
It turns out that Uncle Collins is a retired magician and plans on teaching them a lot over the holiday. Some of it is fun and some of it is terrifying. The problem is deciding which is real and which is not. Uncle Collins is also an alcoholic and half-crazy.
Some of the scenes are still disturbing to me, but nothing that shouldn't be read. There is a crucifixion scene that is very realistic and disturbing, but without it the book wouldn't be the same.
This is a great book as an introduction to what Peter Straub does. He is right up there with Stephen King - just as scary, using everyday objects and people, for the most part. Excellent Spring Break or Summer Break reading!!
The story begins at a fancy prep school. Del and Tom become friends quickly because they are both fascinated with magic. There are all kinds of things going on at the school - the students are having nightmares and other odd things are happening. Once school is over for the year, Tom accepts an invitation from Del to spend the summer holiday at Del's Uncle Collins' estate.
It turns out that Uncle Collins is a retired magician and plans on teaching them a lot over the holiday. Some of it is fun and some of it is terrifying. The problem is deciding which is real and which is not. Uncle Collins is also an alcoholic and half-crazy.
Some of the scenes are still disturbing to me, but nothing that shouldn't be read. There is a crucifixion scene that is very realistic and disturbing, but without it the book wouldn't be the same.
This is a great book as an introduction to what Peter Straub does. He is right up there with Stephen King - just as scary, using everyday objects and people, for the most part. Excellent Spring Break or Summer Break reading!!
Stephen King and Peter Straub are two of my favorite authors. To see them write together was amazing. I read this book as a teen and have re-read it multiple times as an adult. It never gets old. If you look at YA books coming out now...a lot of the things in THE TALISMAN are in the current books. We've got: an alternate universe, a kid saving the world...all the goodies.
Jack Sawyer is a 12 year old boy. His father is dead and his mother is dying of cancer. She takes him off to an almost deserted hotel while she lays dying. As Jack wanders the hotel and grounds, he starts to realize that he could possibly save his mother. His father and his father's best friend had discovered an alternate world - one called "The Territories". The people that live there are Twinners (parallel individuals) whose major life events mirror ours. You can 'flip' into the Territories and inhabit the body of your Twinner. But some people, like Jack, are 'singles'. He has to learn to flip back and forth by himself. He has no other body to inhabit.
My favorite group in The Territories are Wolfs. They are similar to Werewolves, but not as we know them. They are herdsman and bodyguards. Jack quickly becomes friends with one of them, whom he simply calls "Wolf". Wolf sees Jack as his flock, his responsibility, and cares for him and tries to keep him safe throughout his travels.
Jack's father's best friend is trying to steal their business from Jack's mother. In The Territories, the Queen lay dying - she show more is Jack's mother's Twinner. Jack needs to find the Talisman to save both of them and save their worlds from going swiftly downhill.
This is a really long book (as most Stephen King books are) but it is well worth reading. I still have my battered paperback copy from years ago and was overjoyed when BLACK HOUSE came out in 2000. That is the story of Jack Sawyer as an adult and involves The Territories again. There are, ofcourse, connections to the Dark Tower books also. show less
Jack Sawyer is a 12 year old boy. His father is dead and his mother is dying of cancer. She takes him off to an almost deserted hotel while she lays dying. As Jack wanders the hotel and grounds, he starts to realize that he could possibly save his mother. His father and his father's best friend had discovered an alternate world - one called "The Territories". The people that live there are Twinners (parallel individuals) whose major life events mirror ours. You can 'flip' into the Territories and inhabit the body of your Twinner. But some people, like Jack, are 'singles'. He has to learn to flip back and forth by himself. He has no other body to inhabit.
My favorite group in The Territories are Wolfs. They are similar to Werewolves, but not as we know them. They are herdsman and bodyguards. Jack quickly becomes friends with one of them, whom he simply calls "Wolf". Wolf sees Jack as his flock, his responsibility, and cares for him and tries to keep him safe throughout his travels.
Jack's father's best friend is trying to steal their business from Jack's mother. In The Territories, the Queen lay dying - she show more is Jack's mother's Twinner. Jack needs to find the Talisman to save both of them and save their worlds from going swiftly downhill.
This is a really long book (as most Stephen King books are) but it is well worth reading. I still have my battered paperback copy from years ago and was overjoyed when BLACK HOUSE came out in 2000. That is the story of Jack Sawyer as an adult and involves The Territories again. There are, ofcourse, connections to the Dark Tower books also. show less
"There is such a thing as a tesseract." That line sets us up for a wonderful adventure. A tesseract is...well, we all know that the shortest path between two points is a straight line, right? Nope! It's a tesseract, or 'folding' the fabric of space and time.
This book has been banned off and on in certain areas, but has never been out of print. Why was it banned? Because it talks about witches/angels (Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which) and religious liberalism, mostly the usual nonsense.
I first read this book when I was nine years old, I was probably too young for it, but thought it was a brilliant fantasy story. I read it again as an adult and saw all the political and religious aspects...along with the fantasy story and loved it even more! The entire series is amazing, but at least read this one!
L'Engle's characters are well-rounded and fleshed out. It's easy to come away feeling like you know the Murray family:
Mr. Murray - a brilliant scientist on top secret work, missing for 2 years
Mrs. Murray - a beautiful, brilliant scientist; lonely and raising 4 children on her own
Meg - a 'misfit', she's bright, wears glasses, believes she is plain, protective of her family, misses her Dad, gets in trouble and fights in school because she's difficult and is terribly stubborn
Sandy and Dennis - twins, into sports, they're the 'normal' ones in the family
Charles Wallace - everyone in town believes Charles Wallace is retarded, but he actually way above average. He's 5 years old but show more has the vocabulary of a teenager.
Then there's Calvin. He goes to school with Meg and 'accidentally' falls in with the Murrays. He's bright, athletic and unlike the rest of his family.
Add in three witches/angels, Evil and time travel and you've got an amazing book. show less
This book has been banned off and on in certain areas, but has never been out of print. Why was it banned? Because it talks about witches/angels (Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which) and religious liberalism, mostly the usual nonsense.
I first read this book when I was nine years old, I was probably too young for it, but thought it was a brilliant fantasy story. I read it again as an adult and saw all the political and religious aspects...along with the fantasy story and loved it even more! The entire series is amazing, but at least read this one!
L'Engle's characters are well-rounded and fleshed out. It's easy to come away feeling like you know the Murray family:
Mr. Murray - a brilliant scientist on top secret work, missing for 2 years
Mrs. Murray - a beautiful, brilliant scientist; lonely and raising 4 children on her own
Meg - a 'misfit', she's bright, wears glasses, believes she is plain, protective of her family, misses her Dad, gets in trouble and fights in school because she's difficult and is terribly stubborn
Sandy and Dennis - twins, into sports, they're the 'normal' ones in the family
Charles Wallace - everyone in town believes Charles Wallace is retarded, but he actually way above average. He's 5 years old but show more has the vocabulary of a teenager.
Then there's Calvin. He goes to school with Meg and 'accidentally' falls in with the Murrays. He's bright, athletic and unlike the rest of his family.
Add in three witches/angels, Evil and time travel and you've got an amazing book. show less
I have to say that I really really really love when an author takes a subject that has become popular and makes it his/her own. Yep, as you can see by the cover, this is a novel about zombies. But not like any zombies you've read about before or any situation you've read about before. Mr. Drago has taken a new road for these zombies.
Will Ritter, the main character, is 12 years old. One day he gets up and as he heads for school finds that suddenly his neighbor, his principal and even some of his teachers are zombies! Apparently this isn't a new scenario, but not everyone can see the zombies. Will is special and is about to join a special team - The Undertakers. This means leaving everything and everyone behind. Oh yeah, the Undertakers are all kids.
This is going to be an excellent book for reluctant readers, the chapters are short enough to keep your attention, the story moves along very quickly and the character's 'lingo' rings true. Ty Drago does credit his son with helping him with keeping the kids' sound right. Kudo's to him and his son - the lingo is excellent and the characters sounded like they were described. I really love this one and think it will go over huge with boys as well as girls. I'm hoping that we'll see much much more of Ty Drago in the coming years.
Will Ritter, the main character, is 12 years old. One day he gets up and as he heads for school finds that suddenly his neighbor, his principal and even some of his teachers are zombies! Apparently this isn't a new scenario, but not everyone can see the zombies. Will is special and is about to join a special team - The Undertakers. This means leaving everything and everyone behind. Oh yeah, the Undertakers are all kids.
This is going to be an excellent book for reluctant readers, the chapters are short enough to keep your attention, the story moves along very quickly and the character's 'lingo' rings true. Ty Drago does credit his son with helping him with keeping the kids' sound right. Kudo's to him and his son - the lingo is excellent and the characters sounded like they were described. I really love this one and think it will go over huge with boys as well as girls. I'm hoping that we'll see much much more of Ty Drago in the coming years.
The Doyle's are your typical family...kind of...if the typical family had a child go missing and a changeling left in his place. For 16 years, they've hidden the fact that Mackie Doyle is not really human. His Dad lectures him on how not to stand out and his sister devotes her life to making sure he's okay...his mom, well, she loves him.
However, Mackie is getting sick, or at least more sick than usual. Things with iron in them seem to be affecting him more and more. Then his sister makes a new friend, Janice, and she gives Mackie something that makes him feel great! Who is Janice and can Mackie get more of this wondrous potion?
The town of Gentry has a secret and all the townspeople ignore it. Children come up missing every once in awhile. Sometimes other children are left in their place, but they die quickly. The townspeople follow all the old wives tales, such as tying a pair of steel scissors over the baby's crib to keep the fae away, nailing horseshoes over their doorways and other things. But it's just not helping and no one will do anything about it. Then a child dies, but her sister knows it wasn't really her that died. Mackie has to help, for the girl, her sister and himself.
Mackie Doyle has to be one of the best, most easily liked characters I've read in quite some time. I certainly hope we'll see more of him and his friends. Mackie is more human than most...humans. It just goes to show you that it doesn't matter where you come from, genetics don't even matter - show more it matters who you love and what you believe in.
Have you read this one? Do you like novels of the fae? show less
However, Mackie is getting sick, or at least more sick than usual. Things with iron in them seem to be affecting him more and more. Then his sister makes a new friend, Janice, and she gives Mackie something that makes him feel great! Who is Janice and can Mackie get more of this wondrous potion?
The town of Gentry has a secret and all the townspeople ignore it. Children come up missing every once in awhile. Sometimes other children are left in their place, but they die quickly. The townspeople follow all the old wives tales, such as tying a pair of steel scissors over the baby's crib to keep the fae away, nailing horseshoes over their doorways and other things. But it's just not helping and no one will do anything about it. Then a child dies, but her sister knows it wasn't really her that died. Mackie has to help, for the girl, her sister and himself.
Mackie Doyle has to be one of the best, most easily liked characters I've read in quite some time. I certainly hope we'll see more of him and his friends. Mackie is more human than most...humans. It just goes to show you that it doesn't matter where you come from, genetics don't even matter - show more it matters who you love and what you believe in.
Have you read this one? Do you like novels of the fae? show less
I really like that Melinda's life is separated into the marking periods of her high school life. At the end of summer, right before the first marking period, Melinda is at a party. Something happens and she calls the police, but leaves before they get there. Now everyone is mad because she ruined the party and some people got in trouble. Even her best friends won't talk to her. Now Melinda has pretty much stopped talking, her grades have dropped and she has started skipping classes.
I really liked that Ms. Anderson doesn't say exactly what happened to Melinda at the party, she just hints at it. I was pretty sure that I knew what it was just a few pages in. I had friends that had similar things happen, not in high school, but in college. It's devastating. I think that it was handled in a wonderful manner in this book. This is definitely a must read for everyone.
Have you read it? What did you think?
I really liked that Ms. Anderson doesn't say exactly what happened to Melinda at the party, she just hints at it. I was pretty sure that I knew what it was just a few pages in. I had friends that had similar things happen, not in high school, but in college. It's devastating. I think that it was handled in a wonderful manner in this book. This is definitely a must read for everyone.
Have you read it? What did you think?
Jay Asher hit a homerun with his first novel. It's amazing...simply amazing.
I need to share a couple things here before I talk about the book: 1) I'm beginning to rethink how much my sister loves me as she keeps sending me books that make me cry. 2) in 7th grade my Reading teacher ran out of things for the highest reading group to do so she taught us things like speedreading. Why is that important? Because this weekend I read 2 books, one was 562 pages and one was 289 pages, I also attended a Saturday class, slept 8 hours each night, did housework, went out to dinner, hung out with my family and did homework. So...it took me an entire week to read this book. It's a slim book, only 288 pages. I had to keep putting it down because the author kept hitting on those small things that happen to a lot of teens - those things that we try (or tried) to shove back in our minds and hearts and forget about.
Hannah Baker committed suicide. It wasn't due to any one thing, it rarely is. It was all those little things, building and building until she couldn't take it anymore.
But Hannah decided that her death shouldn't be for nothing. She wants the people that contributed to hurting her to know and understand what they and the others did. She records her story on cassette tapes and mails it off to the first person with a list of who to send it to next.
Do the recipients follow directions? Better yet, do they learn anything?
Parents, teachers, counselors, teens...everyone should read this and show more hold the message in their hearts.
There's an excellent blog post about this very subject over on Auntie Heather Brewer's blog - go check it out here: http://heatherbrewer.com/blog/2011/03/16/the-dark-place/
Note: THIRTEEN REASONS WHY comes out in paperback in June 2011 - great chance to pick it up if you haven't already. Word on the street is that the movie will come out in 2013, no actual date yet. Who'll be in it? I don't know, but rumor says Selena Gomez...who knows? show less
I need to share a couple things here before I talk about the book: 1) I'm beginning to rethink how much my sister loves me as she keeps sending me books that make me cry. 2) in 7th grade my Reading teacher ran out of things for the highest reading group to do so she taught us things like speedreading. Why is that important? Because this weekend I read 2 books, one was 562 pages and one was 289 pages, I also attended a Saturday class, slept 8 hours each night, did housework, went out to dinner, hung out with my family and did homework. So...it took me an entire week to read this book. It's a slim book, only 288 pages. I had to keep putting it down because the author kept hitting on those small things that happen to a lot of teens - those things that we try (or tried) to shove back in our minds and hearts and forget about.
Hannah Baker committed suicide. It wasn't due to any one thing, it rarely is. It was all those little things, building and building until she couldn't take it anymore.
But Hannah decided that her death shouldn't be for nothing. She wants the people that contributed to hurting her to know and understand what they and the others did. She records her story on cassette tapes and mails it off to the first person with a list of who to send it to next.
Do the recipients follow directions? Better yet, do they learn anything?
Parents, teachers, counselors, teens...everyone should read this and show more hold the message in their hearts.
There's an excellent blog post about this very subject over on Auntie Heather Brewer's blog - go check it out here: http://heatherbrewer.com/blog/2011/03/16/the-dark-place/
Note: THIRTEEN REASONS WHY comes out in paperback in June 2011 - great chance to pick it up if you haven't already. Word on the street is that the movie will come out in 2013, no actual date yet. Who'll be in it? I don't know, but rumor says Selena Gomez...who knows? show less
Lucinda lives with her Nana in a falling down house. It's the family home and neither one can imagine moving, but one day Lucinda reads a letter from the bank - they owe back taxes and the house is in disrepair and in danger of being condemned. While Nana disappears to 'talk to people', Lucinda comes up with a plan to save the house.
Lucinda's family are Demonologists - Demon Callers. Well, some of them are. Nana's mother was and Lucinda's mother is...was... Nana refuses to let Lucinda even talk about it. It's dangerous work and addicting. Lucinda's mom disappeared years ago while calling demons.
Lucinda knows she can make money off calling demons. She calls on her ex-friend, Brittany. Brittany acquires things for college kids, in return she gets to hang out with them. The girls strike a deal: Brittany will get paying customers, Lucinda will call up a fairly harmless demon, keep it controlled, dismiss it and then they split the pay.
It seems like a great plan...it always does...but of course there are issues. So now there are demons roaming the halls at Caldera High and, even worse, Lucinda might be falling in love with one of them.
A pretty good story, although I felt let down by the ending. I can only assume that there will be a sequel to answer all my questions. I think that part of my letdown might be because I'm a big fan of Kim Harrison's adult series The Hollows. That involves demon calling and all the details...this one wasn't quite as good, but then this is YA, not show more adult. :) Lucinda really starts to come across as fascinating and tough, but never really makes it there. Brittany is a little more interesting and one of the demons is pretty good. I hope that there is a second book and that the characters get fleshed out more. show less
Lucinda's family are Demonologists - Demon Callers. Well, some of them are. Nana's mother was and Lucinda's mother is...was... Nana refuses to let Lucinda even talk about it. It's dangerous work and addicting. Lucinda's mom disappeared years ago while calling demons.
Lucinda knows she can make money off calling demons. She calls on her ex-friend, Brittany. Brittany acquires things for college kids, in return she gets to hang out with them. The girls strike a deal: Brittany will get paying customers, Lucinda will call up a fairly harmless demon, keep it controlled, dismiss it and then they split the pay.
It seems like a great plan...it always does...but of course there are issues. So now there are demons roaming the halls at Caldera High and, even worse, Lucinda might be falling in love with one of them.
A pretty good story, although I felt let down by the ending. I can only assume that there will be a sequel to answer all my questions. I think that part of my letdown might be because I'm a big fan of Kim Harrison's adult series The Hollows. That involves demon calling and all the details...this one wasn't quite as good, but then this is YA, not show more adult. :) Lucinda really starts to come across as fascinating and tough, but never really makes it there. Brittany is a little more interesting and one of the demons is pretty good. I hope that there is a second book and that the characters get fleshed out more. show less
Set in the small southern town of Gatlin, South Carolina; this story made me feel the humidity - the history - the Southernness - of it all.
It's a love story that spans 100 years and two couples from very different families. A modern type of Romeo and Juliet.
It's hard to be the new girl in any town, harder in a small town and ridiculous in a small Southern town.
Lena Duchannes (rhymes with rain) is the new girl. She's also the niece of the town hermit. She drives a hearse. She has a large wolf dog that follows her everywhere. She dresses "weird". Ethan Wate is captivated by her. It doesn't hurt that she's the girl of his dreams...literally.
The more Lena and Ethan come together, the more people try to keep them apart. When they figure out that two of their ancestors fell in love and one died tragically (Ethan's named after him), the mystery deepens. Add to that Lena's strange powers over the weather and there's quite a lot going on here.
The story is excellent, some authors have trouble keeping several storylines going, but these two authors are amazing. I was on the edge of my seat and half in love with Ethan and Lena myself. I really felt that Lena and Ethan could be real teenagers; they seemed to be caught up in the paranormal, yet all they want to do is have the fun that they should have as teens.
It's a love story that spans 100 years and two couples from very different families. A modern type of Romeo and Juliet.
It's hard to be the new girl in any town, harder in a small town and ridiculous in a small Southern town.
Lena Duchannes (rhymes with rain) is the new girl. She's also the niece of the town hermit. She drives a hearse. She has a large wolf dog that follows her everywhere. She dresses "weird". Ethan Wate is captivated by her. It doesn't hurt that she's the girl of his dreams...literally.
The more Lena and Ethan come together, the more people try to keep them apart. When they figure out that two of their ancestors fell in love and one died tragically (Ethan's named after him), the mystery deepens. Add to that Lena's strange powers over the weather and there's quite a lot going on here.
The story is excellent, some authors have trouble keeping several storylines going, but these two authors are amazing. I was on the edge of my seat and half in love with Ethan and Lena myself. I really felt that Lena and Ethan could be real teenagers; they seemed to be caught up in the paranormal, yet all they want to do is have the fun that they should have as teens.
This is a delightful retelling of the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
To start out with, we need to know what the title ENTWINED refers to. The Entwine is supposed to be a dance. It is described this way: (in brief) Similar to a troit-temps waltz, it is danced in open position with a long sash. The lady and gentleman each take ends of the sash, which their hands must not leave. In a series of quick steps, the gentleman either twists the sash around the lady's wrists, pinning them (aka the Catch) or the lady eludes capture within three minutes time.
The story, and the Princesses, captivated me. I adore fairytales and this is a fantastic one! Heather Dixon did an amazing job in bringing the Princesses to life - their personalities are outstanding. While ofcourse I loved Azalea, my favorite has to be Bramble - she's loud and obnoxious and defends her sisters to the end. The Princesses are named after flowers, alphabetically. That's where the fun begins in the story. ENTWINED is full of mischief and giggles, as well as magic and scariness. The girls and their suitors are a riot!
The royal family live in a falling apart castle with some remnants of magic leftover - such as the tea set with the biting sugar tongs. When the family goes into mourning (do any fairytales have both parents in the story??) and the King departs for a war...the Princesses are left on their own. Pretty dresses, laughter, the gardens and dancing are forbidden. There is nothing the girls love better show more than dancing and they are heartbroken.
Until...Azalea discovers a way for them to dance secretly - it involves a magical staircase and the mysterious (and handsome) Keeper.
The characterization of the King was amazing. I began by seeing him as a cold, aloof man with no concern for his daughters, but quickly came to realize that he just didn't know how to connect with them. It was wonderful to watch him figure out the situations and grow as a parent.
As I read the story, I saw a beautiful movie - the Entwine dance was performed by Azalea and Keeper, but almost as a shadow - while the rest of the story went on over it. Will Azalea be caught? I can't wait to see what Heather Dixon does next! show less
To start out with, we need to know what the title ENTWINED refers to. The Entwine is supposed to be a dance. It is described this way: (in brief) Similar to a troit-temps waltz, it is danced in open position with a long sash. The lady and gentleman each take ends of the sash, which their hands must not leave. In a series of quick steps, the gentleman either twists the sash around the lady's wrists, pinning them (aka the Catch) or the lady eludes capture within three minutes time.
The story, and the Princesses, captivated me. I adore fairytales and this is a fantastic one! Heather Dixon did an amazing job in bringing the Princesses to life - their personalities are outstanding. While ofcourse I loved Azalea, my favorite has to be Bramble - she's loud and obnoxious and defends her sisters to the end. The Princesses are named after flowers, alphabetically. That's where the fun begins in the story. ENTWINED is full of mischief and giggles, as well as magic and scariness. The girls and their suitors are a riot!
The royal family live in a falling apart castle with some remnants of magic leftover - such as the tea set with the biting sugar tongs. When the family goes into mourning (do any fairytales have both parents in the story??) and the King departs for a war...the Princesses are left on their own. Pretty dresses, laughter, the gardens and dancing are forbidden. There is nothing the girls love better show more than dancing and they are heartbroken.
Until...Azalea discovers a way for them to dance secretly - it involves a magical staircase and the mysterious (and handsome) Keeper.
The characterization of the King was amazing. I began by seeing him as a cold, aloof man with no concern for his daughters, but quickly came to realize that he just didn't know how to connect with them. It was wonderful to watch him figure out the situations and grow as a parent.
As I read the story, I saw a beautiful movie - the Entwine dance was performed by Azalea and Keeper, but almost as a shadow - while the rest of the story went on over it. Will Azalea be caught? I can't wait to see what Heather Dixon does next! show less
Greek mythology seems to be hot in YA right now. While I can't reveal too much here, trust me, it's great!
Ari is an orphan who's been passed from foster home to foster home. She finally landed with a couple that run a bail bonds business, they've taught her all the tricks of the trade and truly love her. Ofcourse, Ari wants to find out about her birth parents and her foster parents understand. She tracks her birth mother to a city near New2 and then realizes that she has to enter New2. New2 is an alternate New Orleans. See, New Orleans was destroyed by hurricanes and flooding. So much so that the US has fenced it off and it's no longer actually part of the US. It's now home to the 'freak' population - rumored vampires, witches and shapeshifters.
All the characters were pretty well fleshed-out. Ari is a kick-ass girl, she has doubts, but is determined to finish what she started. There is a romance, but it's never blatant, it smolders just beneath the surface, so it doesn't detract from the story. There is some swearing, including a few F-bombs, but it's not too bad.
For me, reading the descriptions of new2 brought back memories of reading Anne Rice. I could easily imagine Louis living amongst the destruction. Since I've always been a huge fan of mythology, it was wonderful to read something updated and I'm glad to see mythology being embraced by YA.
Ari is an orphan who's been passed from foster home to foster home. She finally landed with a couple that run a bail bonds business, they've taught her all the tricks of the trade and truly love her. Ofcourse, Ari wants to find out about her birth parents and her foster parents understand. She tracks her birth mother to a city near New2 and then realizes that she has to enter New2. New2 is an alternate New Orleans. See, New Orleans was destroyed by hurricanes and flooding. So much so that the US has fenced it off and it's no longer actually part of the US. It's now home to the 'freak' population - rumored vampires, witches and shapeshifters.
All the characters were pretty well fleshed-out. Ari is a kick-ass girl, she has doubts, but is determined to finish what she started. There is a romance, but it's never blatant, it smolders just beneath the surface, so it doesn't detract from the story. There is some swearing, including a few F-bombs, but it's not too bad.
For me, reading the descriptions of new2 brought back memories of reading Anne Rice. I could easily imagine Louis living amongst the destruction. Since I've always been a huge fan of mythology, it was wonderful to read something updated and I'm glad to see mythology being embraced by YA.
While IF I STAY was Mia's story, WHERE SHE WENT is Adam's story.
It's been three years since Mia recovered from the accident and left for Julliard...and Adam hasn't seen or heard from her since.
Adam's band, Shooting Star, has taken off and is touring internationally. Not bad for a small-town rocker, eh? But Adam is having a rough time - he takes anxiety medication, barely talks to the band and doesn't even stay in the same hotel or travel with them anymore. He thinks about Mia all the time - how she left, what went wrong - even though he's dating/living with a high-profile actress.
A chance sighting of a poster on the streets of NY will change everything for Adam. He doesn't know it yet, but he's getting ready to make one of the biggest decisions of his life.
While this book didn't make me cry like IF I STAY did, it made me look at the relationship from Adam's point of view. I found myself thinking "Dammit, Mia, what was wrong with you?!" There's always two sides, y'know? This was an amazing sequel and I can't imagine it any other way. Gayle Forman definitely captured my heart with Mia and Adam!
It's been three years since Mia recovered from the accident and left for Julliard...and Adam hasn't seen or heard from her since.
Adam's band, Shooting Star, has taken off and is touring internationally. Not bad for a small-town rocker, eh? But Adam is having a rough time - he takes anxiety medication, barely talks to the band and doesn't even stay in the same hotel or travel with them anymore. He thinks about Mia all the time - how she left, what went wrong - even though he's dating/living with a high-profile actress.
A chance sighting of a poster on the streets of NY will change everything for Adam. He doesn't know it yet, but he's getting ready to make one of the biggest decisions of his life.
While this book didn't make me cry like IF I STAY did, it made me look at the relationship from Adam's point of view. I found myself thinking "Dammit, Mia, what was wrong with you?!" There's always two sides, y'know? This was an amazing sequel and I can't imagine it any other way. Gayle Forman definitely captured my heart with Mia and Adam!
Mia lives with her parents and younger brother,Teddy. Her parents were total punk rockers when they were younger, but that's not Mia's scene. She's a classical girl and plays the cello. So it's even more surprising when she falls for a rocker. Everything is great until...
Mia's family is in a terrible accident - her parents are killed immediately, she and Teddy go to different hospitals. Mia's left between life and death, with a decision to make, stay or go. The story goes back and forth between the hospiatl - what Mia sees and hears - and her life before.
I love Mia. She's dedicated to her music, yet has a well-rounded life. She's fun, spontaneous, selfish, worried...all the things that real girls are. This isn't just a story about Mia and her choosing to stay or go. It's a love story. See, her boyfriend, Adam is at the hospital and he's begging her to stay. Can she leave Adam behind? Adam, who understands her and her music? Adam, who truly gets her? It's a difficult choice and she doesn't have long to decide. This book made me cray. Not just cry, but actually sob. Just writing the review made me cry. An absolutely stunning book, NPR's The Roundtable said it best, "This is an achingly beautiful story."
Mia's family is in a terrible accident - her parents are killed immediately, she and Teddy go to different hospitals. Mia's left between life and death, with a decision to make, stay or go. The story goes back and forth between the hospiatl - what Mia sees and hears - and her life before.
I love Mia. She's dedicated to her music, yet has a well-rounded life. She's fun, spontaneous, selfish, worried...all the things that real girls are. This isn't just a story about Mia and her choosing to stay or go. It's a love story. See, her boyfriend, Adam is at the hospital and he's begging her to stay. Can she leave Adam behind? Adam, who understands her and her music? Adam, who truly gets her? It's a difficult choice and she doesn't have long to decide. This book made me cray. Not just cry, but actually sob. Just writing the review made me cry. An absolutely stunning book, NPR's The Roundtable said it best, "This is an achingly beautiful story."
S.E. Hinton wrote this book when she was just 16 years old. In 1967 that was just crazy. I read the book in junior high, like it okay; then saw the movie in high school and loved it. Ok, maybe that had something to do with the guys in the movie...C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe...go look 'em up - I swear they were hot at the time!
Back to the book now: The story is about two rival gangs in a small midwest town. The Greasers are the poor kids and the Socs (I always think SOCiety) are the rich kids. Each gang has their own turf and the other is to stay out, but that doesn't happen. Much like Romeo and Juliet or West Side Story - one of the Greasers (Ponyboy) falls in love with a Soc (Cherry). Eventually a major fight breaks out and one of Ponyboy's friends, Johnny, kills a Soc. Johnny and Ponyboy run away. While they're in hiding, they witness a school on fire. They run in and try to save the children. Johnny ends up burned and with a broken back. This is where Ponyboy realizes that things could have been different and even though they're (the two gangs) all different, in many ways they're all the same.
Back to the book now: The story is about two rival gangs in a small midwest town. The Greasers are the poor kids and the Socs (I always think SOCiety) are the rich kids. Each gang has their own turf and the other is to stay out, but that doesn't happen. Much like Romeo and Juliet or West Side Story - one of the Greasers (Ponyboy) falls in love with a Soc (Cherry). Eventually a major fight breaks out and one of Ponyboy's friends, Johnny, kills a Soc. Johnny and Ponyboy run away. While they're in hiding, they witness a school on fire. They run in and try to save the children. Johnny ends up burned and with a broken back. This is where Ponyboy realizes that things could have been different and even though they're (the two gangs) all different, in many ways they're all the same.
We all know there are secret government agencies, right? I mean, someone has to deal with aliens, monsters and vampires. That's where Department Nineteen comes in. Will Hill's debut novel is amazing. He writes a beautiful historical back story, great characters, kick-ass modern weapons and mean-as-snake vampires. No sparkling allowed here, these creatures are bloodthirsty and set on revenge..or something.
Jamie's dad is killed one night, in front of the family, and then the family is told a story. It's one they can hardly believe. Two years later, Jamie discovers the truth accidentally and is pulled into Department Nineteen. Remember good 'ol Van Helsing, Harker and the rest of the gang from Dracula? It would seem that they knew it wasn't going to end there and made a deal with the government to set up a secret agency. Cool, huh? Yep, that's Department Nineteen. The tagline is "Department Nineteen: The Reason You're Alive".
Now, the only thing Jamie cares about is in danger and it seems the only way out...is to sacrifice himself. The chapters go back and forth between the present with Jamie's story and the past with Van Helsing's group. A lot of questions are answered by looking into the past. With chapter names like Teenage Wasteland and It's Hard to Breathe with a Hand Around Your Throat, things move along quickly and kept my interest. The characters are well written from the military men to teenage Jamie. Luckily this is the first in a series - I'm looking forward to the show more next one already. My favorite thing - the T-Bone. It's a vampire killing weapon and I can't believe no one thought of it before - GENIUS! show less
Jamie's dad is killed one night, in front of the family, and then the family is told a story. It's one they can hardly believe. Two years later, Jamie discovers the truth accidentally and is pulled into Department Nineteen. Remember good 'ol Van Helsing, Harker and the rest of the gang from Dracula? It would seem that they knew it wasn't going to end there and made a deal with the government to set up a secret agency. Cool, huh? Yep, that's Department Nineteen. The tagline is "Department Nineteen: The Reason You're Alive".
Now, the only thing Jamie cares about is in danger and it seems the only way out...is to sacrifice himself. The chapters go back and forth between the present with Jamie's story and the past with Van Helsing's group. A lot of questions are answered by looking into the past. With chapter names like Teenage Wasteland and It's Hard to Breathe with a Hand Around Your Throat, things move along quickly and kept my interest. The characters are well written from the military men to teenage Jamie. Luckily this is the first in a series - I'm looking forward to the show more next one already. My favorite thing - the T-Bone. It's a vampire killing weapon and I can't believe no one thought of it before - GENIUS! show less
Have you ever felt like you just didn't belong? That's how Caitlin feels in WAKE UNTO ME. Her parents have three rowdy boys involved in sports and they think Caitlin might be a little...unbalanced. It's not that her parents don't love her, they just don't know what to do with her. See, she has these dreams - sometimes terrifying nightmares and sometimes wonderful escapes into the history of Oregon (where she lives). When Caitlin gets a full-ride scholarship to a fancy boarding school in France, she jumps at the chance to leave.
But now she's in France and the nightmares haven't stopped. In facet, now she's dreaming FRENCH history! Ofcourse, the bonus is the boy in (and of) her dreams - Raphael. She knows in her heart that they are bound together..but he's only a dream...right?
This is a great historical fiction, I'm really glad to see historical fiction making a showing in YA. WAKE UNTO ME is well-written with lots of lovely description - it was like watching a movie - Lisa Cach did a beautiful job!
But now she's in France and the nightmares haven't stopped. In facet, now she's dreaming FRENCH history! Ofcourse, the bonus is the boy in (and of) her dreams - Raphael. She knows in her heart that they are bound together..but he's only a dream...right?
This is a great historical fiction, I'm really glad to see historical fiction making a showing in YA. WAKE UNTO ME is well-written with lots of lovely description - it was like watching a movie - Lisa Cach did a beautiful job!
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure about reading a story about werewolves and romance. Too many were-mances were passed on to me that were just ridiculous. But I gave it a chance, mostly because the cover is gorgeous!
Calla Tor and Ren Laroche are Seniors at Mountain School. They've been chosen to head up the new pack being formed - a combination of the Nightshade and Bane families. Calla is a Nightshade and Ren is a Bane.
There are several groups involved in the story and it took me a few minutes to sort them out:
Guardians - the werewolves. They're soldiers and sworn to protect whatever the Keepers tell them to, they can switch into wolves whenever they want to.
Keepers - in charge of the packs, provide everything for the Guardians - homes, food, education, vehicles. They are considered witches or Old Ones, they protect humanity and demand complete obedience and loyalty from the Guardians.
Searchers - they want to take over the sacred sites and use the power (or so we're told) for their own gain.
Humans - They have no idea of what's going on really
Calla knows she has to mate with Ren, but the new boy at school, Shay, is causing her doubts. The worst part is that while Ren has been able to play the field, she has had to be chaste. No boyfriends, no kissing, nothing. Now that the ceremony is close, everyone is on edge. Add to that the fact that the Keepers have assigned Calla to watch over and protect Shay and it's no wonder she's confused. As she hangs out with Shay more and more, show more things begin to come to light that just don't make sense with what she's always believed.
On the night of her 'wedding' to Ren, pieces begin to fall into place and nothing will ever be the same again.
For a book I was really skeptical of, this one turned out to be pretty good. show less
Calla Tor and Ren Laroche are Seniors at Mountain School. They've been chosen to head up the new pack being formed - a combination of the Nightshade and Bane families. Calla is a Nightshade and Ren is a Bane.
There are several groups involved in the story and it took me a few minutes to sort them out:
Guardians - the werewolves. They're soldiers and sworn to protect whatever the Keepers tell them to, they can switch into wolves whenever they want to.
Keepers - in charge of the packs, provide everything for the Guardians - homes, food, education, vehicles. They are considered witches or Old Ones, they protect humanity and demand complete obedience and loyalty from the Guardians.
Searchers - they want to take over the sacred sites and use the power (or so we're told) for their own gain.
Humans - They have no idea of what's going on really
Calla knows she has to mate with Ren, but the new boy at school, Shay, is causing her doubts. The worst part is that while Ren has been able to play the field, she has had to be chaste. No boyfriends, no kissing, nothing. Now that the ceremony is close, everyone is on edge. Add to that the fact that the Keepers have assigned Calla to watch over and protect Shay and it's no wonder she's confused. As she hangs out with Shay more and more, show more things begin to come to light that just don't make sense with what she's always believed.
On the night of her 'wedding' to Ren, pieces begin to fall into place and nothing will ever be the same again.
For a book I was really skeptical of, this one turned out to be pretty good. show less
Ok, I realize that this book says grade 8 and up, but it's in the YA section. I would say it's definitely Middle Grade. Now, keeping that in mind -
I liked it. I think that for the younger end of YA, it's great! The characters are strong, the conversation flows nicely, there are some wonderful elements and some "WOW!" moments.
Two families have a collision and one child from each vehicle dies. Somehow, on their way to wherever they're going, they get lost and end up in Everlost. Nick and Allie learn that Everlost is where all the lost Afterlights (lost children) end up and live. They meet a boy living in the forest near where their accident happened and he's been there so long, he doesn't remember his name anymore, so they name him Lief.
Nick and Allie know there has to be a way to get to the end of their journey, although they are assured by Mary that Everlost is their final destination. Mary lives in the Twin Towers in New York with all the Afterlights that she can gather. She also writes books on how things work and what to avoid in Everlost. Are her books skewed a bit to her own thinking and not the truth? Maybe. At first 'living' at the Twin Towers seems great, but then Allie realizes that as lost souls, they are very likely to fall into ruts of repetitive behavior. Allie also believes that Mary WANTS that to happen. She decides to leave and take Nick and Lief with her. She is off to find the Haunter - she wants to learn how to affect the real world.
They have several show more adventures, including figuring out how to send Afterlighters on to their final destination. They also realize that you can like someone and yet be at opposite ends or be at opposite ends and like someone - either way, it's true. show less
I liked it. I think that for the younger end of YA, it's great! The characters are strong, the conversation flows nicely, there are some wonderful elements and some "WOW!" moments.
Two families have a collision and one child from each vehicle dies. Somehow, on their way to wherever they're going, they get lost and end up in Everlost. Nick and Allie learn that Everlost is where all the lost Afterlights (lost children) end up and live. They meet a boy living in the forest near where their accident happened and he's been there so long, he doesn't remember his name anymore, so they name him Lief.
Nick and Allie know there has to be a way to get to the end of their journey, although they are assured by Mary that Everlost is their final destination. Mary lives in the Twin Towers in New York with all the Afterlights that she can gather. She also writes books on how things work and what to avoid in Everlost. Are her books skewed a bit to her own thinking and not the truth? Maybe. At first 'living' at the Twin Towers seems great, but then Allie realizes that as lost souls, they are very likely to fall into ruts of repetitive behavior. Allie also believes that Mary WANTS that to happen. She decides to leave and take Nick and Lief with her. She is off to find the Haunter - she wants to learn how to affect the real world.
They have several show more adventures, including figuring out how to send Afterlighters on to their final destination. They also realize that you can like someone and yet be at opposite ends or be at opposite ends and like someone - either way, it's true. show less
Lia and Cassie are high school Seniors and up until recently they were bff's. When they were little they made a pact to be the skinniest girls in school...and they've kept it.
Now Cassie is dead and Lia is seeing her ghost everywhere. Lia is a Wintergirl. She's not fully alive and not yet dead. She's slowly starving herself to death and Cassie is waiting for her. Lia has all the tricks down pat: sewing quarters into her weigh-in clothes, eating with the family and then sneaking in a few hours on the stairmaster - there's plenty of ways to stay a Wintergirl.
This is a disturbing and touching story of illness and recovery. Everyone should read this - male/female, young/old, everyone. Laurie Halse Anderson tackles issues that no one else wants to and she does it in a sensitive manner with great characters.
I think the two things that really got to me were that Lia constantly calculated calories as she looked at or thought about eating food and the messages that she would read on the websites. The messages made me want to help these girls, no one should live that way. After reading this book, I said a thank you to whomever is in charge of teenage girls that my daughter eats in a healthy manner and has good self-esteem.
Now Cassie is dead and Lia is seeing her ghost everywhere. Lia is a Wintergirl. She's not fully alive and not yet dead. She's slowly starving herself to death and Cassie is waiting for her. Lia has all the tricks down pat: sewing quarters into her weigh-in clothes, eating with the family and then sneaking in a few hours on the stairmaster - there's plenty of ways to stay a Wintergirl.
This is a disturbing and touching story of illness and recovery. Everyone should read this - male/female, young/old, everyone. Laurie Halse Anderson tackles issues that no one else wants to and she does it in a sensitive manner with great characters.
I think the two things that really got to me were that Lia constantly calculated calories as she looked at or thought about eating food and the messages that she would read on the websites. The messages made me want to help these girls, no one should live that way. After reading this book, I said a thank you to whomever is in charge of teenage girls that my daughter eats in a healthy manner and has good self-esteem.
I know what you're thinking - 'Geez, are you serious, ANOTHER zombie book? Didn't you say two months ago that you're not big into zombies? We think you're lying!' No, No, Seriously! I didn't like zombie stuff! HOWEVER - there are so many good takes on zombies and how we relate to them right now, that I can't help myself.
In ROT AND RUIN, the zombie takeover started 14 years ago. We don't know how, but now everyone that dies will return as a zombie (or zom as they're known), unless they're 'quieted'. To 'quiet' someone, you simply cut the spinal cord so they can't reanimate. I know, gross. Benny is turning 15 and lives with his brother Tom in Mountainside. It's one of the fenced in communities that humans have taken to live in. Zoms have the rest of the planet, or at least we think they do. Tom is a Bounty Hunter, he goes out into the Rot and Ruin - the world outside their community - to quiet zoms. That's his job, he quiets them and receives money for doing so. Not all the Bounty Hunters work the way he does, some of them are terrible people.
When you turn 15, you must find a job or have your food rations cut in half. Benny hates his brother and refuses to work with him. He tries every job in the community before giving in and asking Tom to take him on as an apprentice. Benny believes that Tom is a coward. This is mostly because Tom doesn't brag about his kills and never fights. Benny has a lot to learn and Tom is willing to teach him. What Benny believes is constantly show more challenged by what Tom shows him until he finally comes to the realization that it may not be the zoms that are the bad guys.
The endpapers in this book are amazing! There are replicas of the Zombie Cards that the kids in the community collect and they are awesome! Even the author is on a Zombie Card - fantastic! This is a great book, I'm really enjoying zoms, even though I never thought I would. show less
In ROT AND RUIN, the zombie takeover started 14 years ago. We don't know how, but now everyone that dies will return as a zombie (or zom as they're known), unless they're 'quieted'. To 'quiet' someone, you simply cut the spinal cord so they can't reanimate. I know, gross. Benny is turning 15 and lives with his brother Tom in Mountainside. It's one of the fenced in communities that humans have taken to live in. Zoms have the rest of the planet, or at least we think they do. Tom is a Bounty Hunter, he goes out into the Rot and Ruin - the world outside their community - to quiet zoms. That's his job, he quiets them and receives money for doing so. Not all the Bounty Hunters work the way he does, some of them are terrible people.
When you turn 15, you must find a job or have your food rations cut in half. Benny hates his brother and refuses to work with him. He tries every job in the community before giving in and asking Tom to take him on as an apprentice. Benny believes that Tom is a coward. This is mostly because Tom doesn't brag about his kills and never fights. Benny has a lot to learn and Tom is willing to teach him. What Benny believes is constantly show more challenged by what Tom shows him until he finally comes to the realization that it may not be the zoms that are the bad guys.
The endpapers in this book are amazing! There are replicas of the Zombie Cards that the kids in the community collect and they are awesome! Even the author is on a Zombie Card - fantastic! This is a great book, I'm really enjoying zoms, even though I never thought I would. show less
UP IN SETH'S ROOM was really an outspoken book at the time. There weren't that many good YA books dealing with the issues of teens and the pressures of dating and sex. In this book: Finn is a 15 year old girl in high school (important to note that she is a virgin) and she meets Seth, a 19 year old high school dropout. She starts hanging out with him and then starts to like him. Her parents forbid her to see him and her friends are against the relationship. As we all know, that usually doesn't make you break up any faster! It's interesting here to note that her parents weren't speaking to her older sister as she was living "in sin" with her boyfriend.
As the story goes on, Seth starts to pressure Finn to have sex and she's not sure she's ready to do that. The story is mostly about her struggle to stay true to her belief that she should stay a virgin and her desire to do more and 'prove' her love to Seth.
The character of Seth starts out as very sweet, smart and nice and morphs into...a jerk. There is a point where it is said that "that's how boys are". I think that was a sign of the times and really, boys weren't held as responsible as girls were for their sexual conduct. It makes for an interesting read compared to the things we're all reading now. Give it a shot and tell me what you thought. As a teenager I really liked it, as an adult I'm appalled by it.
As the story goes on, Seth starts to pressure Finn to have sex and she's not sure she's ready to do that. The story is mostly about her struggle to stay true to her belief that she should stay a virgin and her desire to do more and 'prove' her love to Seth.
The character of Seth starts out as very sweet, smart and nice and morphs into...a jerk. There is a point where it is said that "that's how boys are". I think that was a sign of the times and really, boys weren't held as responsible as girls were for their sexual conduct. It makes for an interesting read compared to the things we're all reading now. Give it a shot and tell me what you thought. As a teenager I really liked it, as an adult I'm appalled by it.
Kerry's a sophomore at Pondfield High School. She sits at lunch pretending to talk on her cell, because her best friend transferred schools and she has no one to hang out with. One day she's swept in THE circle of girls: Tanya-a Senior, beautiful, in charge, organised and so knowledgeable about everyone and everything. Natalie -a Senior, the prettiest one. Makenzie - a Junior, 'ginger' hair, tiny and full of life.
Right from the beginning Tanya repeatedly says to Kerry "Try to keep up". At first Kerry wonders if maybe they are the 'mean girls', then decides that they aren't, I mean Tanya keeps in communication with EVERYONE. Besides, they took her in, right? They can't be mean girls. I found myself saying 'they're using you!' to Kerry as I read, but Kerry is telling the story of what DID happen, so she already knows the ending and can't change it.
From the first day she hangs with the girls, Kerry notices that time...stretches...when you're with Tanya. Lunch goes on forever, or at least until Tanya's ready to move on. Natalie and Makenzie come across as the beloved pets next to Tanya's Queen. What does that make Kerry? The chambermaid, perhaps?
One day at school Kerry gets a call from Tanya, but she doesn't answer in time. She tries to call back, but there's no answer. It turns out that the girls have been in a car accident and all three were killed. Tanya was calling Kerry when she went off the road into the ditch. Kerry slumps into grief, but I couldn't decide if it was show more really for the three girls or if it's for herself and her social standing.
A month later, Tanya texts Kerry telling her to meet them at Aunt Lily's in New York. What?! She's DEAD! I know, right?! But does Kerry question it? Nope, she picks up and takes the train to New York. Here's where it gets weird. The girls greet Kerry at Aunt Lily's apartment (Aunt Lily is in Paris, apparently). They order food, dress in Aunt Lily's amazing old fashioned dressing room and go out to party. By this time I was annoyed by Kerry. But then I remembered what it's like to be the shy girl, the new girl, the girl without friends and for the first time in the story, understood what Kerry was thinking. How could she let these girls go? They were her only friends! Who cares if they're bossy and kinda snooty and always saying "Try to keep up". Not Kerry. At first.
I was a little surprised at the ending and I think you will be too. By the end, Kerry has learned something valuable and looks at people in her life with a new perspective. I finished the book in one sitting, which I haven't done in awhile, but I just couldn't put it down. I was too busy Trying to Keep Up. show less
Right from the beginning Tanya repeatedly says to Kerry "Try to keep up". At first Kerry wonders if maybe they are the 'mean girls', then decides that they aren't, I mean Tanya keeps in communication with EVERYONE. Besides, they took her in, right? They can't be mean girls. I found myself saying 'they're using you!' to Kerry as I read, but Kerry is telling the story of what DID happen, so she already knows the ending and can't change it.
From the first day she hangs with the girls, Kerry notices that time...stretches...when you're with Tanya. Lunch goes on forever, or at least until Tanya's ready to move on. Natalie and Makenzie come across as the beloved pets next to Tanya's Queen. What does that make Kerry? The chambermaid, perhaps?
One day at school Kerry gets a call from Tanya, but she doesn't answer in time. She tries to call back, but there's no answer. It turns out that the girls have been in a car accident and all three were killed. Tanya was calling Kerry when she went off the road into the ditch. Kerry slumps into grief, but I couldn't decide if it was show more really for the three girls or if it's for herself and her social standing.
A month later, Tanya texts Kerry telling her to meet them at Aunt Lily's in New York. What?! She's DEAD! I know, right?! But does Kerry question it? Nope, she picks up and takes the train to New York. Here's where it gets weird. The girls greet Kerry at Aunt Lily's apartment (Aunt Lily is in Paris, apparently). They order food, dress in Aunt Lily's amazing old fashioned dressing room and go out to party. By this time I was annoyed by Kerry. But then I remembered what it's like to be the shy girl, the new girl, the girl without friends and for the first time in the story, understood what Kerry was thinking. How could she let these girls go? They were her only friends! Who cares if they're bossy and kinda snooty and always saying "Try to keep up". Not Kerry. At first.
I was a little surprised at the ending and I think you will be too. By the end, Kerry has learned something valuable and looks at people in her life with a new perspective. I finished the book in one sitting, which I haven't done in awhile, but I just couldn't put it down. I was too busy Trying to Keep Up. show less
I haven't read sci/fi this good since ENDER'S GAME. Beth Revis is a genius - her world sucked me in and I finished the book in less than 24 hours!
In the first chapter, 16 year old Amy and her parents are being cryogenically frozen for a 300 year long space trip. The process completely freaked me out and I couldn't stop thinking about it. As Amy goes under, the last thing she hears is the techs discussing how there's a one year delay for the mission. All Amy can think is 'I want my year back.'
Elder is a 16 year old leader-in-training on the spaceship 'Godspeed', 250 years AFTER it's launch. He talks about a Plague that ran through the ship years ago and how everything changed, including how the ship is set up and used. We learn that everyone on the ship is now monoethnic, because one of the biggest causes of discord are differences. Everyone has olive skin, brown eyes and brown hair.
The chapters alternate between Amy and Elder, it was interesting to see what was going on from both viewpoints when they are apart.
The real trouble begins when Elder finds out that the ship holds the cryogenically frozen people. What ensues isn't just a story of how things go wrong, or have gone wrong, on the ship. It's a love story and a story of how rulers go bad (like and how being different is wonderful.
This is an excellent read and one of the best books I've ever read. Beth Revis is planning on a trilogy for these characters and I can't wait for more!
In the first chapter, 16 year old Amy and her parents are being cryogenically frozen for a 300 year long space trip. The process completely freaked me out and I couldn't stop thinking about it. As Amy goes under, the last thing she hears is the techs discussing how there's a one year delay for the mission. All Amy can think is 'I want my year back.'
Elder is a 16 year old leader-in-training on the spaceship 'Godspeed', 250 years AFTER it's launch. He talks about a Plague that ran through the ship years ago and how everything changed, including how the ship is set up and used. We learn that everyone on the ship is now monoethnic, because one of the biggest causes of discord are differences. Everyone has olive skin, brown eyes and brown hair.
The chapters alternate between Amy and Elder, it was interesting to see what was going on from both viewpoints when they are apart.
The real trouble begins when Elder finds out that the ship holds the cryogenically frozen people. What ensues isn't just a story of how things go wrong, or have gone wrong, on the ship. It's a love story and a story of how rulers go bad (like and how being different is wonderful.
This is an excellent read and one of the best books I've ever read. Beth Revis is planning on a trilogy for these characters and I can't wait for more!
I want to say right up front that I did enjoy this book. However. My thought is that this book is going to appeal to a couple of select groups – not that there is anything wrong with that – most books appeal to select groups, right? I think that if you like historical fiction, you’ll love it. The younger end of the YA group will also enjoy it and it is ‘safe’ for them to read. There’s a minor bit of violence here and there, but most things are alluded to instead of right in your face. It reminds me a bit of the old books like Little Women or Betsy and Tacey or even Eight Cousins, but with a little more oomph. That being said, let’s carry on.
On the Volcano is set in the 1870’s. What a great period in history! There were still unsettled areas in the United States and people brave enough to go off on their own got to live in beautiful, peaceful areas. Katie MacDonald is fifteen years old and has never strayed from home. She lives on the edge of a volcano in the forest with her father. Her mother died when she was young and she’s only ever seen two people. Can you imagine being fifteen and only having ever seen two people besides your dad?! One is a family friend, Dan and the other is a visiting nurse, Lorraine.
Katie has lots of adventures in just 288 pages and ofcourse she eventually meets some people, including a young man named Adam Summerfield. The story is sweet and nice and does indeed show what life must have been like in the 1870’s. I will say that show more at times it struck me as a YA harlequin romance, but maybe that’s just me.
There are a couple of things that bothered me about this one:
1) Lorraine stays for months at a time. We are told there are two bedrooms – Father’s and Katie’s. Where the heck does Lorraine sleep? At one point her father refers to ‘our bed’. Wouldn’t a young girl question that? Won’t readers question that? I was a bit confused and went back to see if I had missed something. Then I decided that Father and Lorraine were sharing the room and no one was going to mention it.
2) In over fifteen years no one at all but Lorraine and Dan ever found the cabin, even accidentally? But suddenly several people find them and/or the cabin? If people were hunting and gathering, it seems that eventually someone would have run into them.
3) At times Katie seemed very young in the way she talked and thought. I’m putting this down to the fact that she must have been very sheltered, not seeing anyone or going anywhere. However, there are times that she seems very mature and knowledgeable, so I was confused. Sometimes she seemed to act like an adult and sometimes like a little girl. I decided to chalk it up to the fact that she is so sheltered yet knows how to survive in the wilderness.
I do think that this is a worthwhile read, the historical information is good and it does take you back to a simpler, quieter time. show less
On the Volcano is set in the 1870’s. What a great period in history! There were still unsettled areas in the United States and people brave enough to go off on their own got to live in beautiful, peaceful areas. Katie MacDonald is fifteen years old and has never strayed from home. She lives on the edge of a volcano in the forest with her father. Her mother died when she was young and she’s only ever seen two people. Can you imagine being fifteen and only having ever seen two people besides your dad?! One is a family friend, Dan and the other is a visiting nurse, Lorraine.
Katie has lots of adventures in just 288 pages and ofcourse she eventually meets some people, including a young man named Adam Summerfield. The story is sweet and nice and does indeed show what life must have been like in the 1870’s. I will say that show more at times it struck me as a YA harlequin romance, but maybe that’s just me.
There are a couple of things that bothered me about this one:
1) Lorraine stays for months at a time. We are told there are two bedrooms – Father’s and Katie’s. Where the heck does Lorraine sleep? At one point her father refers to ‘our bed’. Wouldn’t a young girl question that? Won’t readers question that? I was a bit confused and went back to see if I had missed something. Then I decided that Father and Lorraine were sharing the room and no one was going to mention it.
2) In over fifteen years no one at all but Lorraine and Dan ever found the cabin, even accidentally? But suddenly several people find them and/or the cabin? If people were hunting and gathering, it seems that eventually someone would have run into them.
3) At times Katie seemed very young in the way she talked and thought. I’m putting this down to the fact that she must have been very sheltered, not seeing anyone or going anywhere. However, there are times that she seems very mature and knowledgeable, so I was confused. Sometimes she seemed to act like an adult and sometimes like a little girl. I decided to chalk it up to the fact that she is so sheltered yet knows how to survive in the wilderness.
I do think that this is a worthwhile read, the historical information is good and it does take you back to a simpler, quieter time. show less
An honest-to-goodness mystery! I hate to even say much, I hate to spoil the surprise. Let's just say that I changed my mind about who-dun-it several times. Here's my take on it:
Jane thought she had:
2 bff's
1 fantastic, although controlling, boyfriend
1 mother who doesn't care
1 soon-to-be slimy stepdad
1 great friend who might be in love with her
NOW, Jane things she has:
1 bff with a secret...good or bad?
1 bff who's loyal and true
1 boyfriend who might be a cheater
1 mother who doesn't care
1 soon-to-be stepdad who might not be so slimy
1 new great friend
1 killer coming to get her
Does she have it right yet? Maybe...maybe not...
Jane thought she had:
2 bff's
1 fantastic, although controlling, boyfriend
1 mother who doesn't care
1 soon-to-be slimy stepdad
1 great friend who might be in love with her
NOW, Jane things she has:
1 bff with a secret...good or bad?
1 bff who's loyal and true
1 boyfriend who might be a cheater
1 mother who doesn't care
1 soon-to-be stepdad who might not be so slimy
1 new great friend
1 killer coming to get her
Does she have it right yet? Maybe...maybe not...
So I thought I would add a new feature to the blog. I'm going to call it Wayback Wednesday (for now at least!). It will feature books that are from at least 10 years ago that I think you should all read. :)
For our first selection, here's a book that I was thrilled to find is being re-released!
I'm going to take a moment here to talk about the authors and cover artist.
Melanie Rawn has written numerous books since 1988 and been nominated for the Locus Award on three occasions. The rumor is that a prequel to The Golden Key is coming up later this year, the title? The Diviner. Jennifer Roberson has been publishing since 1984. She has multiple stand alone books as well as series and is still releasing books. Kate Elliott has been publishing since 1988 under her Kate Elliott name and also under Alis A. Rasmussen. She is still publishing and has more books in the works right now. Cover Artist Michael Whelan has done illustrations for authors such as Stephen Kin, Isaac Asimov and Anne McCaffrey. Pretty impressive, eh? He's also done CD covers for Sepultura and Meatloaf. If you look at the picture on The Golden Key you'll see many elements of the story and it's an amazing picture. The most amazing part - go look at a picture of Michael Whelan from the 1990's and then look at the painter on the cover. Look familiar? :)
This book was a World Fantasy Award finalist for Best Novel of 1996 and Voya's 1996 SF, Fantasy, and Horror Books of the Year.
So finally. The story is show more multi-generational and covers approximately 400 years. It concerns two families; the Grijalvas - an artistic family and the do'Verradas - the royalty. The Grijalvas give up one female member of every generation to be the official mistress to the reigning Duke, while one male member is the official artist to the Court (Lord Limner). The d'Verradas don't always realize that they are given these Grijalvas, they believe that they are choosing them. Some of the male artists in the Grijalvas family have an ability to manipulate time and reality in their paintings. All records - birth, death, marriage, treaties, etc., are documented by paintings rather than written documents in thisstory. The language used in the book seems to be a blend of several languages with made up words added in. There is a dictionary of sorts in the back of the book, but I caught on quickly and thought that this is such an easy language, we should adopt it!
The two main characters are Sario and his cousin Saavedra Grijalvas. Both have been born with the genius for painting, although girls aren't supposed to have it so no one believes it. Sario loves Saavedra and cannot stand for her to give her heart to another. He uses his talents in a new and dangerous way to prevent it.
The story moves along quickly and the political elements keep the story fresh and exciting. This is a must read! show less
For our first selection, here's a book that I was thrilled to find is being re-released!
I'm going to take a moment here to talk about the authors and cover artist.
Melanie Rawn has written numerous books since 1988 and been nominated for the Locus Award on three occasions. The rumor is that a prequel to The Golden Key is coming up later this year, the title? The Diviner. Jennifer Roberson has been publishing since 1984. She has multiple stand alone books as well as series and is still releasing books. Kate Elliott has been publishing since 1988 under her Kate Elliott name and also under Alis A. Rasmussen. She is still publishing and has more books in the works right now. Cover Artist Michael Whelan has done illustrations for authors such as Stephen Kin, Isaac Asimov and Anne McCaffrey. Pretty impressive, eh? He's also done CD covers for Sepultura and Meatloaf. If you look at the picture on The Golden Key you'll see many elements of the story and it's an amazing picture. The most amazing part - go look at a picture of Michael Whelan from the 1990's and then look at the painter on the cover. Look familiar? :)
This book was a World Fantasy Award finalist for Best Novel of 1996 and Voya's 1996 SF, Fantasy, and Horror Books of the Year.
So finally. The story is show more multi-generational and covers approximately 400 years. It concerns two families; the Grijalvas - an artistic family and the do'Verradas - the royalty. The Grijalvas give up one female member of every generation to be the official mistress to the reigning Duke, while one male member is the official artist to the Court (Lord Limner). The d'Verradas don't always realize that they are given these Grijalvas, they believe that they are choosing them. Some of the male artists in the Grijalvas family have an ability to manipulate time and reality in their paintings. All records - birth, death, marriage, treaties, etc., are documented by paintings rather than written documents in thisstory. The language used in the book seems to be a blend of several languages with made up words added in. There is a dictionary of sorts in the back of the book, but I caught on quickly and thought that this is such an easy language, we should adopt it!
The two main characters are Sario and his cousin Saavedra Grijalvas. Both have been born with the genius for painting, although girls aren't supposed to have it so no one believes it. Sario loves Saavedra and cannot stand for her to give her heart to another. He uses his talents in a new and dangerous way to prevent it.
The story moves along quickly and the political elements keep the story fresh and exciting. This is a must read! show less
I'll admit that I had a really hard time with this book. At first I couldn't decide if it's because it's considered Middle Grade reading and maybe I was expecting too much or if it just isn't my style. What I decided is that there was so much detail - every tiny conversation - but I didn't get any emotion, just words. This could have been a very powerful story, but it was just words on paper.
Dellie's brother died the summer before the book begins, but no one says what happened to him, but it seems that Dellie thinks it's her fault. Her mom stays in her room and cries a lot and her dad seems to try to make things 'normal' again. She has the usual teen troubles - she likes a boy but isn't sure he likes her; her best friend gets made at her and she doesn't know why. In the midst of all this, a new family moves into the building. A little boy like her brother was. Dellie takes a special interest in the boy and feels like it's her responsibility to take care of him.
Dellie's brother died the summer before the book begins, but no one says what happened to him, but it seems that Dellie thinks it's her fault. Her mom stays in her room and cries a lot and her dad seems to try to make things 'normal' again. She has the usual teen troubles - she likes a boy but isn't sure he likes her; her best friend gets made at her and she doesn't know why. In the midst of all this, a new family moves into the building. A little boy like her brother was. Dellie takes a special interest in the boy and feels like it's her responsibility to take care of him.
'Everyone had technology, too much of it, and the consequences were disastrous.' This is used as the reason why society is the way it is in Cassia's time. Citizens are only allowed to keep the technology they need for their jobs and daily lives. Cellphones? Nope. Laptops? Nope. Although they do have a device used for work and communication - but only approved activities. The Top 100 have been chosen for things such as art/music/movies/books/etc and everything else has been destroyed. Can you image no new books?!?!
Everything is predicted and expected. There's a cutoff age for childbearing, marrying, and dying. Even your spouse is chosen for you! The society matches everyone based on personality aspects. Sound familiar? Yeah, immediately I thought of eharmony (dot) com too. It totally creeps me out!
However, once Cassia gets her match, things start to get weird. Well, weirder. Her match is her best friend and she's thrilled. But when she views her disc of information, another face shows after Xanders, just for a second, but she knows him. Why does she have two matches, did someone make a mistake? (in a society where mistakes aren't made?) Can she ignore the second boy? (can she?!) Should she tell anyone? (wouldn't you?!)
The last piece of advice that her Grandpa gives her is 'It's okay to wonder.' And wonder she does - about everything and everybody.
Cassia is a great character, she comes across as very human. She gets emotional, hides things, tries her best and refused to show more unquestioningly follow society rules. She tries hard not to hurt anyone, but is determined to follow her heart. show less
Everything is predicted and expected. There's a cutoff age for childbearing, marrying, and dying. Even your spouse is chosen for you! The society matches everyone based on personality aspects. Sound familiar? Yeah, immediately I thought of eharmony (dot) com too. It totally creeps me out!
However, once Cassia gets her match, things start to get weird. Well, weirder. Her match is her best friend and she's thrilled. But when she views her disc of information, another face shows after Xanders, just for a second, but she knows him. Why does she have two matches, did someone make a mistake? (in a society where mistakes aren't made?) Can she ignore the second boy? (can she?!) Should she tell anyone? (wouldn't you?!)
The last piece of advice that her Grandpa gives her is 'It's okay to wonder.' And wonder she does - about everything and everybody.
Cassia is a great character, she comes across as very human. She gets emotional, hides things, tries her best and refused to show more unquestioningly follow society rules. She tries hard not to hurt anyone, but is determined to follow her heart. show less