Will and Whit

Will & Whit
by LauraLee Gulledge
192 pages, 2013
Middle School+

Three things you should know about 17 year old Willhemena, or Will for short: she lives with her aunt (who's decently hip), loves to make lamps out of whatever is lying around in the antique shop they run, and she's afraid of the dark.  Ever since her parents died almost a year ago, she has struggled to keep her cool in the dark.  Shadows make her uneasy and darkness freaks her out.

When Hurricane Whitney comes along, and threatens to leave the lights out for several days, Will starts to get really nervous.  All her usual distractions- making lamps, music, reading- won't be available at night to keep the darkness at bay.  How can she survive for several days without anything to light her way?

So, I really enjoyed this!  Cover is kind of deceiving- while there is plenty of romance and crushes in the book, Whit is a storm, not a person.  But I really like that twist, and how much she interacts with the storm and how much it makes Will grow.  While you see Will interact with several of her friends, strangers, and her aunt, the interaction between her and the storm is what causes her to push boundaries within her other relationships.  While the cover might be misleading, the title is very appropriate.

Several issues are addressed in this book including dealing with the death of a loved one, friendships, betrayals, disappointment, heartbreak, daring to do something new, and facing your fears.  I really like how much it addresses!  Teens rarely have to face one thing at a time; usually they face several issues which all influence each other and keep building and building until something breaks or explodes!  Will is like this- she is trying to deal with all these issues that build on each other until something has to change.

Overall, I just really enjoyed this book.  Lots of things happening so the reader never gets bored, great illustrations that show depth and movement (I loved the shadows and watching how they reflected emotions), and a great story line.  I especially loved a Doctor Who tribute on the last page!  Definitely something to recommend.  Great book with loads of emotion, could help teens face their fears or grief.  This is how I like my realistic fiction!

In the Shadow of Blackbirds

In the Shadow of Blackbirds
by Cat Winters
400 pages
High School

In the fall of 1918, Mary Shelly Black's life is coming apart.  Her father has been arrested for sympathizing with the Germans, she must move from Portland to San Diego to live with her aunt, the flu is everywhere, and her childhood friend Stephen has gone off to war.  Even worse, she hasn't heard from him in weeks.  At least his family is in San Diego and she can get some answers about what's going on with his life.  Only issue with that: she has to talk Stephen's half-brother Julius, a 'spirit photographer', who she wants nothing to do with.

Once in San Diego, life isn't improving much.  Julius wants her to pose for him again since the first photo, taken years ago, turned out so well.  He has grown famous from photographing people's passed on loved ones, giving comfort to those grieving.  But Mary Shelly hardly wants to talk to him, let alone pose for him again.  She only wants to know what is happened to Stephen, where the package is that he left for her, and if he is alright.  When word comes of his death in the war, she is devastated, running outside into a lightning storm to be struck.

As she is struck, strange things start happening.  She ends up in a tree, looking down at her body, ends up returning to it, but the weird things are just beginning.  Her dead uncle's compass now points at her, she can taste emotions, and more.  Most of all, she can communicate with Stephen, but his madness is threatening to overcome her. What happened to him?  Why are the blackbirds attacking him?  And are there really spirits in all of Julius's photographs?

First of all, wow, what a book!  Along the same line as "The Diviners" by Libba Bray, but much faster moving than that book.  Excellent ghost story with history and romance thrown all together.  Had a lot of fun reading it, even if I couldn't read it late at night in the dark...

Some major themes in the book: importance of families, loyalty (to family, to country, to justice), and action verses inaction.  I'm sure there are others, but that's what hit me in this reading.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.  I enjoyed it a lot, it had a fast pace, lots of mystery, and a good portion of the paranormal without it being cheesy.  High school age for the gruesomeness of some of the war imagery, plus scene between Mary Shelly and a ghost (alrighty then...).   Good book, will look forward to other books by this author!

Belle Epoque

Belle Epoque
by Elizabeth Ross
336 pages
High School+

When Maude Pichon leaves her small town to come to Paris, she expects a more glamorous life, one full of love, freedom, and new possibilities.  What she finds is reality: life is hard and rent is expensive.  Sick of doing laundry, Maude responds to an add in the paper.  Instead of the menial work that she was expecting, she instead becomes a repoussior, an ugly girl set next to a normal girl to make her look more beautiful.

Slightly repulsed by herself, the job and the other girls that work there, but out of other options, she throws herself into the work.  She becomes the companion of a nobleman daughter, going to everything to tea to fancy balls as a good friend's distant relative.  The unsuspecting girl is at first mean to her, but gradually thaws and they start actually talking.  After seeing her camera and study room, Maude is impressed by this girl, her dreams and capabilities.  Not wanting to deceive her new friend, Maude is being trapped in a lie of her own making...

So, this is one of the nominees for the YALSA Morris award.  For more info on that please go here:  http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2013/12/04/yalsa-announces-2014-morris-award-finalists/

First issue I have with this book: THE COVER!  This book is about ugly girls.  Not pretty girls: UGLY girls.  WHY did they choose this cover?  Get a new cover!

Next issue: why is this a romance?  While Maude is escaping her awful life in her small town, and comes to Paris because it is supposed to be full of possibilities.  I get that she is looking for a better life, she does run into boys, she does long for something more than what she has.  But to me, I think a lot more could have been done with the idea of the repoussior.  Intriguing idea, but this story just felt so flat and blah.  Even the elements that I (and most teens) would consider the "romantic" parts, were very minimal and under emphasized.  You don't need to hit me over the head with it, but a little more would have been nice.

One thing I did like was the use of the setting to make intriguing parallels.  This book takes place during the building of the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, and Maude often sees it or makes reference to it.  That was one thing that was nicely woven into the story.

So, if you couldn't tell, I was not impressed with this book. While I read this book fairly quickly (took me less than 4 hours), I really wasn't that into it.  I kept feeling like more should happen, like there had to be more to the story, but that was it.  I will not really recommend this to anyone, unless they just want a bland, historical novel.  Maybe I've read too much adventure and fantasy books, but this did not leave a favorable impression at all.

Quick note: some french is helpful, but not necessary, while reading this.  Most of it is explained, or could be understood contextually, so not essential to understanding the book.

The Dream Thieves

The Dream Thieves (Book #2 of the Raven Cycle)
by Maggie Stiefvater
416 pages
High School+

Now that Cabeswater is awake, some things have been different while others have stayed the same.  Noah is only there sometimes, Ronan is moody and distant, Adam has moved out of home, and Gansey is still searching for the Raven King.   Cabeswater has changed, and the energies are surging.  Gansey feels closer than ever, but then Cabeswater disappears.

Ronan is dreaming more and more now.  As he discovers more about these dreams, he begins wondering more about his father.  What did he do for a living, where did his money come from, and did he dream as well?  Can he bring other things out of his dreams besides his raven Chainsaw?

With Cabeswater missing, Ronan involved in his dreams, and Adam caught up in adapting to his new role as Cabeswater's eyes and hands, Gansey and Blue are left to try to figure out things.  Spending more and more time together, Blue is reminded about her destiny: when she kisses her true love, he will die.  But who is her true love?  And is it her kiss that kills him?

With everything going on, time is running out.  Cabeswater has disappeared, and they need to find out why.  Ronan's dreams are getting more involving and out of control.  Adam is seeing things, and not quite sure what he needs to do for Cabeswater.  What is the next step to find the Raven King?  And what is the Greywarden and why are dangerous men looking for it?

So, I was slightly conflicted about this book.  For me, at least, it took longer to get into this book, than The Raven Boys, but once I got into it, I loved it.  The ending moved swiftly, like the first book.  Even though I was super excited about this book, I don't feel like it quite lived up to my expectation.  It was still a great book, and I did find prose that was beautiful and I had to read twice to enjoy it fully.  Great book, just not quite sure it was what I expected.

This book focuses more on Ronan, unlike the first book which was much more focused on Blue.  While the reader still gets scenes from her, it's much more about Ronan, his struggles and his history.  This book was about Ronan's part in the story.  The others are still there, and still important, but Ronan is central.  Because of this focus on him, this book is a little darker than The Raven Boys.

This series is great about the characters having real-life struggles intertwined with their fantastical journey.  Ronan has issues with his brothers, they all deal with keeping up with homework and school, the difference lives between the rich and the poor, and even teens trying to figure out who they really like or don't like.  If that is not enough, then add all the struggles with Cabeswater and dreaming and everything else.  This makes the story believable, despite all the fantastic elements.

Overall, really good book.  Beautiful writing, inventive and original.  While not quite what I expected, still interesting and great book.  Highly recommend the series!  Now I have to wait another year or more for the next book...  No fair!

Wrapped

Wrapped
by Jennifer Bradbury
320 pages
Middle-High School

Agnes Wilkins, from London, is really not looking forward toward her Presentation. Instead of being interested in dresses and curls, she wants to discover Egyptian artifacts and travel the world.  While looking forward to being a little more independent, she's not sure if she is ready to marry, especially to the very promising bachelor.  After receiving not just an invitation to his mummy unwrapping, but place of honor as on of the first to slice at the bandages, she is feeling the pressure of his attention.

Then things start happening at the mummy party.  As Agnes is unwrapping the mummy, she finds something interesting: an artifact with a hidden note.  But when the host admits to a mistake and asks for all artifacts to be returned, she tucks it into her bodice, hiding it and taking it home.

This simple act envelops Agnes in intrigue, history and politics.  From secret messages sent from Napoleon's army to spies hiding in London to mythical artifacts with rumored powers, Agnes is drawn into the middle of it.  Can she decode the message in time to save the world from being conquered?

First of all, I like that the author put a note in the back about the "historical accuracy" of the book.  While most of the book had roots in history, Bradbury took liberties with certain things.  She mixed trends or events several time periods together, because it works for the story.  With a book like this, that historical accuracy doesn't matter, I'm fine with it.  In fact, as long as the book doesn't claim to be fact, I'm fine with authors changing or rearranging history to suit their needs.  Makes life fun!

Anyways, I enjoyed this book, and had fun with it.  I liked the Victorian London setting, the supernatural bend, plus the strong willed woman element.  Made for a fun story, interesting scenarios, and fun times.  This would be a great step before Jane Austen, or other romances or Victorian based novels. Another good stepping stone book would be A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee.

Although I enjoyed this book, there were a few things that could have been improved.  Agnes, while different than the "normal" girl of the age, was still a little flat and didn't really change very much.  A fun little story, but not necessarily tons of depth.

Overall, fun book if you just want something light and not completely historically accurate.  I enjoyed it a lot, and would be a good stepping stone between levels.  Another book with a tie to mythology, this time Egyptian.  Good book, I liked it a lot!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone
by Laini Taylor
432 pages
High School

Nothing about Kazou is typical.  From her long blue hair (which grows that way) to her lack of knowledge about her past, her life is one great mystery not only to herself, but to others.  It doesn't help that she is constantly disappearing to run errands for the only family she does know, a misfit group of monsters.

Raise by the beasts that look like a mix of human and animals, she is used to the extraordinary: monsters, wishes, and portals that open into different places in the world all through the same doorway.  Trying to balance her normal life as an art student and her life with them, friends have been few and far between. 

On her current errand, Kazou is sent again to pick up teeth from one of her regular traders.  While there, she feels a little unsettled, like someone is watching her.  Across a crowded market, she sees him: perfectly beautiful, fierce and vibrant, a man that is unknown but hauntingly familiar.  Deciding to flee from him, she rushes back toward a portal, only to be blocked by him, an angel with fiery wings and swift flight.  After they fight, Kazou barely makes it back to the portal, only to fall in, half dead.

Thus begins the newest, and strangest so far, chapter in Kazou's life.  Just who is the angel?  Why didn't he kill her, even though he could have, and who are these monsters that have raised her? Where did the scorch marks on all the portals come from?  And just who is she?

Wow.  Interesting book.  I have tried to read it before, and got sidetracked or distracted by other things, and now wish I had read this sooner!  Great mix of semi-ordinary girl in strange circumstances discovers things are even stranger than she thinks.  I love that even though she didn't grow up in normal circumstances, she is still normal in other ways: she spends wishes on trivial things, has an annoying ex-boyfriend, and a favorite place to hang out and eat.  Stuff like that makes her feel normal, even if she really isn't.

One thing that I'm not sure if I liked or not was the story telling time line.  While trying not to give too much away, the reader kind of enters into the middle of the story, and much of who Kazou is, and why she is in that situation is told through flash backs.  While not necessarily hard to understand, it chops up the story a little, and jumps back and forth, and here and there, giving you glimpses, and then later filling out those glimpses into full scenes.  Kind of weird.  Knowing what I do at the end of the book, it seems kind of necessary, but still not really smooth.

I did really like the world created in this novel: the angels vs. the chimaeras.  Great setting for this story: the impossible lovers.  But the richness of the chimaera world is great.  I really loved the world, and can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Overall: pretty good book!  I had a hard time not reading this time through.  I did rate as high school mostly for what was implied sexually (nothing overt, just the occasional kiss), and for the implied violence as well.  Angels and chimaera do NOT get along well.  Great book.  I would recommend for people that like The Mortal Instruments series! 

Pandemonium

Pandemonium
by Chris Wooding and Cassandra Diaz
176 pages
Elementary+

Seifer Tombchewer is a darkling: a flying being that loves skullball (think flying soccer but more violent), likes his family alright, but sometimes wonders if there is more beyond his little village.  Reading books is frowned upon by his father who loves sports, but it's how Seifer satisfies his curiosity.  Dreaming of more, he practices his skullball skills, and visits his grandpa to read some more books.

Then one day he wakes up in a palace with a splitting headache.  Abducted by spies, he is the spitting image of Prince Talon of the Pandemonium tribe, who is missing.  There to replace Talon, Seifer must learn how to act princely enough to fool not just the prince's family and allies, but also his enemies.  The hardest one to fool: Talon's huge cat who tries to swallow Seifer every time they meet.

Thrust into the middle of intrigue, Seifer must figure out who to trust, make new friends, and also discover his hidden enemies.  Responsible for the safety of the kingdom, he needs to figure out how to win the wars they are already fighting without plunging them into more.  And above all, no one can know who he really is.  Driven by his own moral compass, which Talon apparently never had, Seifer must become a prince to save the realm.

I really enjoyed this book!  It reminds me of some of the anime series, without being horribly dark or sickeningly cute.  It has some great humor, but balances it with serious thought.  Think Avatar: The Last Airbender, but abducted devil prince.  Kind of similar types of humor.  While Seifer always means well, sometimes his methods infuriate those around him and even seem unconventional, but are strangely effective.

Again, the writer and artist have worked together really well to obtain a great balance of story telling through art versus text.  The art often makes me laugh, but also reveals a lot of how the characters are feeling.  Some of the symbolism in the art is perfectly done, and I just loved it.

Overall, I enjoyed the artwork/text balance, the humor was great, the story line was really good, and the characters are believable.  Seifer is often doing things that I can see someone doing in a similar situation.  There are strange moments of humor throughout the book (like the prince's parents dying while working on a goat cannon).  Boys would get a kick out of it, but girls will love it too.  Read it!

Divergent

Divergent
by Veronica Roth
496 pages
High School+

Long ago, the vices of men destroyed the world.  To prevent that from ever happening again, the factions were formed to bring out the best in people. At the age of sixteen you decide which faction you want to live in: Amity, Candor, Erudite, Abnegation or Dauntless become your family.  While some stay within the one they are raised in, others choose to change factions, leave their family, and start a new life.

Beatrice Prior grew up in Abnegation, always striving to be selfless and serve others.  While her parents and brother are great examples of this, she struggles to have the right frame of mind.  When her birthday comes, and she finally get to attend the choosing ceremony, instead of staying with her family, she leaves and joins Dauntless, the brave faction. On top of this, her brother, less than a year older than her and choosing his own faction, leaves to become an Erudite.

Life in the Dauntless compound is so wildly different than Beatrice could ever have imagined.  Guns and fighting classes are just the beginning.  Now known as Tris, she struggles to adapt but also hides a secret: when tested to see which faction she should belong to, her results were very abnormal.  She is Divergent, not really conforming to any one faction and able to think outside the traditions of any of the factions.  She thinks for herself, and that is dangerous.  If people learned about her secret, it could be very dangerous for her, and them.

So, I actually read this months ago, and decided to reread it since the third book is coming soon (October!) plus they are making a movie from it.  Looking back at my blog, I couldn't believe I hadn't blogged it back when I first read it.  I enjoyed it then, and I enjoyed it again, so great book!  Even knowing what happened the second time through, I had a good time reading.

Once again, truth and secrecy is a big theme in the distopian world.  Apparently the world goes to pieces because of secret plans the government doesn't want you to know about.  Even revamped governments get it wrong.  But even between individuals, truth can effect relationships.

Another big theme is bravery.  Dauntless is based on bravery but over the course of Dauntless history, the meaning of bravery has changed.  Tris sees what it has become, but isn't quite sure if she likes what she sees.  She has to discover what it means for her to be brave, personally.

Overall, great book.  I would definitely say high school or mature middle school aged, mostly because of lots of violence in the book.  While there is a little romance, it never really gets beyond kissing.  Great book, eager to see how everything gets tied up at the end!

Tiger's Voyage (Tiger's Curse Series #3)

Tiger's Voyage (Tiger's Curse Series #3)
by Colleen Houck
560 pages
High School+

Kelsey, Kishan, and Mr. Kadam have finally rescued Ren from the villainous Lokesh, but there is one big problem: Ren doesn't remember Kelsey.  While everything should be right with the world, Kelsey's world is continuing to crumble.  Not only does Ren not remember her, her very presence cause him physical illness.

While Kelsey tries to cope with this new development, the search for the treasures of the goddess Durga continues.  To break the next part of the curse, not only will they have to dive in the ocean, a new skill for all of them, they will also have to face five dragons, each with their own trial to overcome.  While this might be the best treasure yet, this might also be the hardest trial they have faced so far.

So, my feelings about this book are mixed, just like Tiger's Quest.  I still like the adventure part, but the love triangle is still driving me crazy!  Was I just a super level headed teenager/young adult?  Her reactions to things just seem over the top.  Yes, she is getting confused by everything going on, but oh my goodness, she is super dramatic.

I did LOVE the dragons!  One of the things I love about dragons in general is how different each culture sees them, and even within each culture, dragons can have varied personalities and traits.  This book lives up to that.  While each of the five dragons has some traits typical to dragons (loves treasure, magical abilities), Houck did a great job of having each be different from the last.

Overall, good book, I'm sure teen girls understand and sympathize Kelsey more than I do.  I will read the next, to see what happens, but that doesn't mean I will enjoy all the drama that the love triangle creates.  Fun dragons, fun adventure, but a little too heavy for me with the love triangle business.

Tiger's Quest (Tiger's Curse #2)

Tiger's Quest (Tiger's Curse #2)
by Colleen Houck
496 pages
High School

After her latest adventure in India, Kelsey decides she needs some time away from not just from the danger, but from Ren and his attention.  Still unsure of her feelings for Ren and Kishan, Kelsey goes to college, takes martial arts classes, and even starts trying to date other guys.  But just as she is starting to feel like she is getting a handle on her life, Ren follows her back to Oregon, moves in next door, and even enrolls in some college classes.  Ren insists on a second chance with Kelsey, and is willing to take things as slow as she wants to go.

While she spends time working things out with Ren, Kishan decides to show up too.  Kelsey finally make peace with her feelings with Ren, enjoys  spending time with Kishan, and feels in control of her life again.  Just in time for kidnappers to come after them.  Although Kishan and Kelsey escape, Ren is captured and taken to the mysterious man Kelsey saw in her vision.  Torn up about being separated from Ren, Kelsey travels back to India to try to figure out how to rescue Ren.

Back in India, Kelsey, Kishan and Mr. Kadam must figure out the second prophecy.  They figure the best chance of rescuing Ren comes from getting the next gift and treasure from the goddess Durga.  If they can find these treasures, then they might have a chance at getting Ren back.

So, while I am slightly addicted to the series, it also bothers me.  To me, there are two main parts to the series is the adventure story (with the mythology, treasure, and rescuing Ren) and the love story.  I really like the adventure part of the story.  It's fun, interesting to see part of a culture and mythology that I'm not as familiar with, and intriguing.  I even like the new twist on the supernatural theme: were-tigers!  Pretty cool.

But, even though I really like that part, the romance part of the story drives me batty.  Kelsey is still taking forever to figure out what she wants, is continually doubting herself and putting herself down.  Kelsey drives me crazy.

If you like romance and romantic tension, read this.  The adventure is great, but I'm really not sure if it is worth it.  I think I will finish the series, partly to figure out what happens, but also for the adventure.  Next book (I've already started it) has dragons, and sounds really interesting.  Maybe I'll just skim over the parts that Kelsey is doing her thing...

Overall, good book, just a little heavy on the romance.  I wish Kelsey was a little more sure of herself, but her feelings fit with how a lot of girls tend to feel. This book does have a really interesting twist at the end (spoilers!), so it will be interesting to see how that all works out.  Good book, I'll keep reading the series, but there are a couple things that annoy me.  Again, I'll recommend mostly to girls- I see boys having a really hard time getting into this story because of Kelsey's point of view on things.

Tiger's Curse

Tiger's Curse (Tiger's Curse Series #1)
by Colleen Houck
448 pages
High School+

When Kelsey Hayes starts her temp job with a circus, she doesn't expect it to change her life.  She likes the people, works hard for them, and helps take care of some of the animals, including Dhiren the tiger, or Ren, as she calls him.  Drawn to his majesty, she often sits and talks to him.  As her temporary position with the circus nears it's end, an outsider decides to buy the tiger, and offers Kelsey a job taking care of Ren on the trip back to India.  Amazed at this opportunity, Kelsey accepts the job, travels to India with the tiger, and promptly gets lost in the jungle on the way to the wild animal reserve. With only a tiger (and no cage!) and a backpack, she is on her own.

Not having much choice in the matter, she decides to follow Ren as he walks through the jungle.  Since he has never threatened her, she feels safer with him than being alone in a mysterious place.  After traveling a few days, they find a little hut in the jungle.  Grateful for any sign of other people Kelsey ties Ren to a tree, and then moves toward the hut.  When she looks back at the tree, to make sure Ren is alright, there isn't a tiger there, but a man.  Handsome and smiling, he tries to convince Kelsey that he is Ren.  For centuries, he has been under a curse to be a tiger and she is helping to lift the spell by her presence.  This starts off a journey of lifting ancient curses, betrayal, brothers and love.

This was a great book for a look at a different mythology or religion than normal.  I loved the trip to India, and all the culture and mythologies that are examined.  We have Percy Jackson to do the Greek, Roman and Egyptian, and this is almost like the Indian version of that.  Not quite the same, but still a great twist on Indian culture.

So, I really liked Kelsey for most the book.  Strong, adventurous woman.  Good head on her shoulders, practical, and kind.  But toward the end of the book, she starts doubting herself and her feelings, and is constantly putting herself down.  I hated that part!  Yes, she is trying to protect herself, but she is also being stubborn, blind, and not letting herself enjoy the moment.  She still accomplishes her mission, but her attitude the entire time is so hard to read about.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book.  Good characters, great plot, great setting. I just wish it had ended a little differently: not that the ending was bad, but it seemed drawn out.  Kelsey and Ren travel, they accomplish step one of four, and then it drags out, and nothing else happens even though there's more chapters.  Yes, I can see it setting up more stuff, and I realize that it sequels, but I just did not like the end.  Hopefully, reading the next book will help both Kelsey's attitude and continue the story.

Overall, pretty good book.  I will recommend mostly for girls, because it is told from a girl's perspective, plus all the romance involved.  I think boys would have a hard time being interested in everything that goes on in her head.  Since the sequel is out, that is good!  No waiting for the next book!  And the story was engaging and I really wanted to find out what happened next.  Good for fans of the Percy Jackson series! 

Towering

Towering
by Alex Flinn
296 pages
Middle School+

Rachel lives in a tower, seeing no one but Mama, an older woman who comes in to take care of her.  Everyday Mama comes, bringing her food, supplies, and conversation.  Mama is so nice to her, she can't help but think what the outside world is like.  Never seeing anything but the occasional deer and squirrel (which she knows from studying books), she sings to pass the time.

Wyatt needs to escape.  His feels like his life is in shambles, and he needs a change of scenery.  At his mom's request, he goes to live with the mother of an old friend of hers, Mrs. Greenwood.  She lives alone in this big, empty house in the middle of nowhere.  While grateful for a place to stay, Wyatt is kind of creeped out by Mrs. Greenwood the first night when he accidentally tries to sleep in her missing daughter's bedroom.  Not quite sure what to think of her, he moves to another room, but takes a diary with him.

Since Wyatt has made friends with some of the local kids, he gets invited to a New Year's party out at a remote cabin.  While they are walking from the car to the cabin, Wyatt hears something strange: a voice singing on the wind.  Though the other dismiss the sound, he can't stop thinking about it.  Drawn by it, he comes back during the daytime to try and figure out where it is coming from.  He struggles through the woods, searching for the source of the music.
Rachel has been watching out her window.  The snow is beautiful, but she feels like something is going to happen, like someone is coming.  Using some special lenses, she spies something different: a boy in a blue coat walking through the woods.  He's coming closer and closer, until he starts crossing the frozen lake.  Unfortunately, it's not completely frozen.  As he disappears, Rachel is faced with a choice: does she leave her tower, the home she has always known to rescue someone she has never met before?

Really interesting book.  Obviously a retelling of Rapunzel, but definitely mixed up from the traditional tale.  Rachel acts outside of the typical Rapunzel character, plus there are some added elements in the story.  Some of those elements felt forced at times, but it was a way to modernize the story and give an explanation to why Rapunzel is in the tower, so they are kind of needed, but still felt a little out of place.

I did like Rachel's character and how she isn't just waiting to be rescued.  She is timid and scared, but she still gets out and does things.  Much better than the traditional Rapunzel character.  Overall, the characters are fairly well written: they grow, change, make realizations, and progress.  Good characters to flesh out the traditional tale.

Overall, pretty good story, but not fantastic.  I liked it, glad I read it, but not sure if I would read it again.  I will recommend, especially to girls that want another fairy tell retelling.  Boys might like it too, since part of it is told through Wyatt's perspective. I did like all the connections and twists in the plot line! Good book!

The Elite (Selection Series #2)

The Elite, A Selection Novel
by Kiera Cass
323 pages
Middle School+

America Singer has survived the cut, and is now in the top 6 left competing for the hand of Prince Maxon and to become the next queen of Illéa.  Still confused about her feelings for Maxon, she's not quite sure how much she really wants to stay or why she wants to stay.  Her feelings for Maxon have grown over the past weeks, to the point where she would miss him if she left.

Added to the mix is America's old boyfriend, Aspen.  He is in the palace serving as a guard.  While he had broken up with her right before she started the Selection, he claims she still has his heart.  Every time he is near, she is flustered and giggly.  Torn between Aspen and Maxon, America isn't sure what to feel about either one.

And on top of all of this, she must compete with the other girls.  While naturally friends with some, others will never be remotely close to her.  Pressure from them, plus the royal family, starts getting to her.  With rebels attacking, secrets being revealed, and visiting officials from other nations, America has never been so stressed.  How can she decide what she feels when she never gets a moment to think about it?

Can I just say, grrrrrr!  The first book was a complete cliff hanger, and this one wasn't much better.  A few things are resolved, but not enough.  Still so many unanswered questions, and things up in the air.  So aggravating!  And now I have to wait again for the next book.  Grrrrr!

Okay, getting over that, let's move on.  I was continually bothered by America's fickleness on who she likes.  When she kisses Maxon, she likes him, but when she's with Aspen, she likes him.  While I can understand her uncertainty when it comes to wanting to be a princess (and queen), I have the hardest time accepting that she is always flipping between the two.  Just choose and get it over with!

Other than that, I really enjoyed the book.  Very gripping, kept me wanting to read, and I like some of the developments and background that we are getting.  I get the sense that the rebels will be very important, but nothing significant has really happened with them yet.  America is starting to develop a greater purpose that just being there for the competition, and I hope to get more in the next book.  While the Selection is the reason America is there, I really want to see more in the other areas, not just this silly love triangle.

Overall, pretty good book, but aggravating at times.  Will definitely appeal to girls more than boys, and those looking for romance more than action.  I will recommend sparingly, but definitely need to read the first one before this one.  Good, but be prepared to be left hanging!

Ruby Red

Ruby Red
Kerstin Gier
336 pages
Middle School+

Gwyneth lives in her cousin's shadow.  Her cousin Charlotte is the one destined for greatness, for time travel and the family legacy. When Charlotte starts having pre-time travel symptoms, the entire family is excited.

But then Gwyneth gets a headache and is dizzy.  And then it happens- she travels back in time.  Confused and unprepared, she eventually makes it back to her time.  When she tells her mother about it, the entire extended family is in an uproar.  This wasn't supposed to happen

Thrown into intrigue, family politics and secrets, Gwyneth feels lost.  Not only does she have this strange talent, but Charlotte now hates her, Gwyneth's time travelling companion is a snob, and there is far more to traveling back in time than just dressing right.  And when her carriage is waylaid, everything starts going topsy turvy.

This book and story line has tons of potential!  I like the idea, I like the little pieces of back story that we get, and love all the potential that it has for more books.  Great way to start a series!

I did feel that this lacked a little.  I don't know if this is from the translation from German, or something else, but I didn't feel like it quite filled all the potential that it has.  This book is obviously setting up more books, and I feel like there was almost too much "set-up" and not enough action in this one.   Even the action was limited, short and not all that interesting.  To me, not enough happened in this book.

Overall, interesting book.  I'm kind of torn on if I will recommend it or not. While it does have lots of potential, and I probably will read the next one, I think I will wait until after reading it to see if I like the series and will recommend it or not.  Fun book, lots of possibility, but needs more to be a fulfilling read to me.

Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas
416 pages
Middle School+

Celaena Sardothien is one of the best assassins in the world, and she knows it.  But after getting sent to a slave camp for the past year, she hardly looks like it anymore.  Worn and scarred, she is shocked when the crown prince comes and takes her away.   The only thing she has to do to earn her freedom is beat out the other contestants to become the king's champion.  She can't decide if it is another turn of bad luck, or the chance to escape that she has been hoping for.

Thus begins the contest for her freedom.  She must regain her strength to outwit and outfit the other contestants.  Most she has no worries about, but a couple give her pause for contemplation, especially the big brute Cain.  As Celaena slowly recovers, scary still start happening: random killings of the contestants in gruesome ways.  Not only does she have to worry about the other players killing her, she must watch out for these as well.

Throughout all of this, Celaena find those that might be allies in unexpected places.  The crown prince is showing strange interest in her, and the captain of the guard watches her every movement.  She also finds a possible friend in a visiting princess of a neighboring nation.  Celaena must figure out who the real threats to her are, and who are her allies.


So, I'm conflicted about this book.  This looks like something I would normally love, but I found myself noticing all the flaws or other things I don't like.  For example, there was a theme that just appeared out of nowhere near the middle of the book:  no hints, not foreshadowing or anything like that.  Almost as if the author was like "oh, let me add this element!" all of a sudden.  And other things that had seemed so important to Celaena, and occupying her thoughts suddenly disappearing and not being mentioned.  Kind of weird.

I do like the potential that the book has.  It does set up some interesting possibilities for future books, and I do like kind of Celaena's character.  I had a hard time getting into the first half of the book, but I ending it fairly quickly, once I got past that.  Hopefully now that the world is set up, the action and everything can continue in the sequel.

I find myself wanting to write more things that bugged me about this book than positives.  It was an alright book, but I hope I don't have to read it again to understand the sequel.  I will probably still recommend it a little, but it won't be the first on my list to recommend.

Chiggers

Chiggers
by Hope Larson
176 pages
Middle School+


Abby is super excited to go to summer camp.  She can't wait to see Rose, her friend from last year, again.  But when she gets there, Rose is so busy being a staff helper, Abby feels like she is being neglected.  Instead of being able to spend time with her, Abby has to make new friends with Beth and Shasta.

 As Abby and Shasta grow closer, Abby gets kickback from her other friends.  They don't think that Shasta is the right person for Abby to be hanging out with.  On top of all the girl drama, Abby finds a boy that she like, Teal.  He's a Dungeons and Dragons dungeon master, and loves to play.  First time he meets Abby, he compares her to a wood-elf.  That night, she dreams of herself as an elf, journeying through the forest with him. 

As the summer progresses, she learns more about Shasta, and comes to be the only one that will hang out with her.  Abby's other friends also want to hang out with her, but can't stand Shasta.  How can she balance both groups of friends, and also keep an eye open for Teal?

This book is all about friendships and relationships.  Abby has certain expectations for friends that she has to adapt as real life kicks in.  She also has to realize that not everyone is perfect, but to accept them as friend anyways.  Backbiting, jealousy, and gossip make Abby deal with being told one thing, but feeling another.  She has to decide who she wants as a friend, especially her close friends.

Overall, good book, especially for those girls going through this type of stuff.  While I wasn't overwhelmed with the greatness of this book, it was fun.  The artwork was detailed and clear, without overwhelming the story.  Great balance of storytelling and art.  I would keep it to middle school and older, mostly because it makes some references that I'm not sure younger kids would get.  Good book, I'll recommend it!

Scarlet (Book 2 of The Lunar Chronicles)

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles)
by Marissa Meyer
464 pages
Middle School+

Cinder is a cyborg.  She is also a Lunar, despised by the people of earth that she grew up with.  And on top of all that, she is now a fugitive from the law.  Breaking out of prison with Captain Thorne, they fly off in his spaceship in order to avoid capture or worse.  Cinder must find time to process the fact that not only is she Lunar, but she is the lost Lunar princess, and rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, in small town France, Scarlet Benoit is trying to live her normal life.  It's hard though when her grandmother has been missing for the last two weeks.  When the police cease their investigation, due to lack of evidence, Scarlet is furious and determined to find out the truth. As she delivers fruit to a local restaurant, she meets Wolf, a fighter that defends her in a brawl.  Not quite trusting him, she declines his company home.

After finishing all her deliveries, Scarlet heads home, only to find her long lost father there, tearing the house apart. He is frantically searching for something, not knowing exactly what.  Looking closer at him, Scarlet notices wounds and burns on him.  After he admits to being tortured by the same people that have her grandmother, Scarlet is more determined than ever to find out who took her grandmother and what these strangers want.  Her only clue is a tattoo that her father saw, the same type of tattoo that she saw on Wolf's arm.

So, I heard some people say they weren't as satisfied with this book as they were with Cinder, but I liked it just fine!  The adventure is continuous, the plot twists and turns plenty, plus there is tons of foreshadowing and hints at what may come.  I'm very excited to see Cinder grow and change in the next book.  This book occurred over such a short time frame (about a week) that characters faced struggles, overcame them, but the longer growth wasn't as visible.  I want to see how Cinder is going to balance her new powers with staying true to herself and her own values.  I also want to see Cinder and Prince Kai connecting again...

I really like both Cinder and Scarlet for the way they retell the fairy tales.  Who would have thought of a cyborg and Lunar Cinderella!  I love that while she has used the tales for inspiration, Meyer is not afraid to go outside the traditional story and really makes the story her own.  I can't wait for Cress  in 2014, and see what she does with that story!

Overall, great story, great series!  I can see mostly girls liking this, but boys I think would get a kick out of the cyborg part of the story.  Recommended for middle school kids and up, mostly for the length.  Later elementary readers could probably take it on if they are interested and love to read.  Go out, read this series!  Definitely read Cinder first, otherwise you would be very lost in reading Scarlet.  

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Out Stars
by John Green
336 pages
High School+

Hazel has cancer.  Even though it is in remission, she knows that one day, sooner than she would like, it will kill her.  It's hard to try and live a busy and satisfying life when you can't breath well and you know you're going to die anyways.  While Hazel tries to live life, and be happy, she feels cynical and weighed down a lot of the time.  She even doesn't like going to her cancer support group- too dreary and disheartening to hear the list of dead people 3 times longer than the list of those still alive.

One night, her mom all but forces her to go to support group, to get out of the house and go do something.  She gets there, sees a couple old friends, and also meets a new guy, Augustus Waters. Gus is different, even though he too is a survivor.  He smiles, he grins, and draws Hazel to him, not just for his looks, but for his charisma.  Soon, they are hanging out together, going on picnics together, and even sharing their favorite books.  When Hazel makes Gus read "An Imperial Affliction" about a girl with cancer, he is hooked.  He reads it in a night, and, just like Hazel, can't stand not knowing what happens.  The book ended mid-sentence!  Both of them write the author to see if he is writing a sequel, or would even just tell them what happens to the characters.

Together, they start an adventure.  Hazel lives life, finally, while helping Gus live his as well.  They support friends through breakups, pester an author, and manage their cancer symptoms.  What good is living with cancer if you can't live? 

Oh my goodness, I cried!  I loved this book, not just for its witty banter, not only for the great characters and realistic setting, but because it made me cry.  I got so emotionally tied to Hazel and Gus that when they hurt, I hurt too.  My heart ached for their trials. Hint- have lots of tissues on hand toward the end.  This was a fantastic book!

I'm usually not into realistic fiction (check out how many fantasy books I have on here), usually because it doesn't seem to do much.  There's not adventure or the characters just sit around and talk about each other behind their backs.  But in the book, Hazel and Gus were doing things.  They went places around town, obsessed about their favorite book, comforted another friend in need, and more.  They don't just sit around, the do things!  And not normal everyday things.  I do enough "normal" things, I don't particularly want to read about them.  But this book had a great blend of normal, so I would identify with the characters, and the unusual, to keep my interest. 

Several themes in this book that could be discussed, almost too many to list.  Life and death is huge.  Both Hazel and Gus know that at some point soon, they will die.  This changes their outlook on life, and causes them to evaluate what "living" means to them.  What would you change in your life if you knew you might not be around the next month? 

Another theme is love, what it means to a person, how it affects their actions, and how it changes lives.  Knowing what the future holds, or knowing how things will end is another emphasized theme.  Hazel and Gus do some fairly extreme things to try to figure out what happens to characters in a book.  This reflects their desire to know how their own stories end: what happens to their families and friends after they die, will people remember them or be hurt by their death.  Knowledge is powerful in this book.

Overall, AMAZING book.  I will recommend to any teen, regardless of gender or what type of book they usually read.  I would keep it to high school teens for a couple reasons.  One, subject matter- so heavy and thought provoking.  I don't know that middle school kids would have the maturity to be interested in this book.  Second, a small sexual scene.  Nothing big, nothing explicit, but it's there.  Younger kids probably know more than what this book holds, but just for safety's sake, keep it more to high school or older.

Read this book!  It is amazing and I loved it!

Unspoken

Unspoken
by Sarah Rees Brennan
384 pages
Middle School+

Kami Glass has the ultimate imaginary friend; he even talks back to her.  She has talked to Jared in her head since she was a child. While it may seem weird to everyone else, she enjoys having a best friend that is honest with her, and is hers alone.  Being half an outsider in her little town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, it's comforting to always know that she can at least talk to Jared.

Then one day, the entire town is in an uproar.  The Lynburns, the local "aristocracy", have moved back into their mansion on the edge of town. No one has seen them for years, and their reappearance has been waited for.  Kami, not truly a native of the town, shrugs off this momentous event, only noticing it to try to write a column about it in her newspaper.

Then, Kami meets Ash Lynburn.  Sunshine incarnate, he wows her, and starts to sweep her off her feet.  Not sure if she wants to be swept, Kami hesitates before getting too serious.  All the rumors she has heard about the family, she is not sure she wants to be involved with it.

And then, she meets his cousin, Jared Lynburn.  First, she is startled by the similar name to her imaginary friend.  After talking to each other, she realizes he is her imaginary friend, only not so imaginary.  Able to speak mind to mind, they have few secrets from each other, can tell what the other if feeling, and are connected deeper than they imagined.  Jared and Ash are both jealous of the other, each wanting Kami for their own.

On top of all this, strange things start happening in Sorry-in-the-Vale.  Screams are heard in the forest directly behind Kami's house.  People are getting hurt, and the village seems to connect the Lynburns to the incidents.  Caught in the middle of everything, Kami learns more about Jared and his family than she ever wanted to know.

So, this was a book I randomly picked up while looking for something else, but I'm glad I did!  A good alternative to other paranormal romances, I found it much more intriguing and interesting. What would it be like to have the voice in your head, that you shared everything with, suddenly turn real?

The one thing I did NOT like about this book- the ending!  Oh my goodness!  While it does have a climatic scene, and action, it didn't seem like enough.  There is way too much left undone or unresolved to make me feel completed as I finished the book.  I don't expect every little thread of the story to be wrapped up, but to me, the ending left a lot more questions and created more unresolved problems than it needed to.

I did really like the character interactions.  Kami has some very interesting friends, from a long-time loyal friend to a newer, not so sure about this, friend.  Plus, there are great scenes between her and Ash and Jared.  Ash likes her, and tries to kiss her, but she has the hardest time because Jared is always in the back of her head.  Also, Kami and Jared are trying to get over this "my imaginary friend that everyone told me doesn't really exist is really real" feeling and the awkwardness of having someone know everything that goes through your mind.

Overall, pretty good book, just not thrilled with the ending.  There is obviously more coming, but that ending kind of distracted me from the rest of the book.  I am eager to read the sequel, just to see what happens next!  Good book, nothing inappropriate happens (I think a kiss is the worst), but lots of tension and mystery involved too!

Stardust

Stardust
by Neil Gaiman
288 pages
High School+

Tristran Thorn lives in a small English village that is only notable because it is next to the Wall, the barrier between our world and Faerie.  Only once every nine years is the Wall crossed for a mystical market.  Tristran is only notable because of his sighing over a beautiful, but distant, Victoria.  As he woos her, he promises to bring her a fallen star to prove his devotion to her.  Determined to gain that star and sin Victoria's hand, Tristran crosses the Wall.

Entering into a world that is completely new to him, Tristran is overwhelmed by everything strange and different from his sheltered life.  Once he finds the star, instead of a hunk of rock, he finds a beautiful girl.  But he isn't the only hunter of this star.  Witches, princes and more hunt the star, and now Tristran, as he journeys to find love.

So, like most people, I like the movie better than the book, but I still like the book.  The tongue-in-cheek humor reminded me of The Princess Bride, but not as philosophical or bitingly satirical.  But definitely lots of adventure, lots of fantasy, lots of twists, lots of fun!

I would definitely keep this to high school, and probably even later high school, due to an early scene in the book (Tristran's conception) that is a little too graphic for even my taste.  While not horrible, not necessarily something I want to read or that I want kids to read.

Overall, fun book.  Not quite as good as the movie, but still good.  Characters are likable, and the plot is entertaining.  The story telling voice is different than a normal fantasy, but to me, that is part of the uniqueness of the book.