Double Feature Review: The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech AND The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbit

Anyone out there still read my poor, sad, neglected blog? :)
These books don't really have much to do with each other, both just middle grade and I didn't have tons to say about them.

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 2012
Source: Review copy from publisher
For: Review

Summary (from goodreads):

Young Naomi Deane is brimming with curiosity and her best friend, Lizzie Scatterding, could talk the ears off a cornfield. Naomi has a knack for being around when trouble happens. She knows all the peculiar people in town—like Crazy Cora and Witch Wiggins. But then, one day, a boy drops out of a tree. Just like that. A strangely charming Finn boy. And then the Dingle Dangle man appears, asking all kinds of questions. Curious surprises are revealed—three locked trunks, a pair of rooks, a crooked bridge, and that boy—and soon Naomi and Lizzie find their lives changed forever.

My Thoughts:I was enjoying this as I read along, liking the characters and a little bit the story, but by the time I got to the end, I was wondering what this book was really about. I am still not sure. It seemed a little bit meandering and pointless. I guess I just didn't get it. Kind of a fun story with quirky characters, but didn't see much point to the plot.

Read-alikes:
Can't think of any

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **
________________________________
The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbit
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: January 2012

Source: Review copy from publisher
For: Review
Series: Maya and Valko, Book 1

Summary (from goodreads):

Twelve-year-old Maya is miserable when she has to move from California to Paris. Not speaking French at a school full of snobby French girls is bad enough, but Maya believes there is something sinister going on in her new city. A purple-eyed man follows Maya and her younger brother, James. Statues seem to have Maya’s face. And an eerie cabinet filled with mysterious colored bottles calls to her.
When James becomes the target of dark forces, Maya decides she must answer the call of the Cabinet of Earths, despite the danger.

My Thoughts: I thought this one had a fun and kind of unique, quirky plot. It was a bit aggravating to begin with - I kind of despise the whole discover strange things a tiny, confusing piece at a time plot. Anyway, it felt different than many of the middle grade fantasies I've read. That being said, I was not very intrigued and found it hard to keep reading. No particular reason I can pinpoint, just wasn't that thrilled. Guess there's no reason for me to pick up the sequels.

Read-alikes:
Maybe a bit like the Secret series by Pseudonymous Bosch

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ***

Book Review: Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty

Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication date: 2003
Pages: 356
Source: e-book from library
For: Book Group

Summary (from goodreads):

Lyn, Cat, and Gemma Kettle, beautiful thirty-three-year-old triplets, seem to attract attention everywhere they go. Together, laughter, drama, and mayhem seem to follow them. But apart, each is dealing with her own share of ups and downs. Lyn has organized her life into one big checklist, Cat has just learned a startling secret about her marriage, and Gemma, who bolts every time a relationship hits the six-month mark, holds out hope for lasting love. In this wise, witty, and hilarious novel, we follow the Kettle sisters through their tumultuous thirty-third year as they deal with sibling rivalry and secrets, revelations and relationships, unfaithful husbands and unthinkable decisions, and the fabulous, frustrating life of forever being part of a trio.

Things I Liked:
And, more of the same rather depressing lives of Moriarty characters (shouldn't have read it back-to-back with Big Little Lies).  I really didn't much care for any of the sisters, though I could relate a few times to what they experienced.  I'm not quite sure what to make of the ending, as it isn't really happy, just kind of accepting.  Plenty of twists and drama and of course the terrible husbands that make appearances in all of her books (I am avoiding The Husbands Secret, as I already know that's a terrible husband book).

Things I Didn't Like:
Just not really that enjoyable to read.  Kind of like watching a soap opera, though, if you like those.

Read-alikes:
Her other books seem rather similar

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@$#@
tons

mrg-factor: XX
yep

v-factor: ->->
unfortunately

Overall rating: **

Book Review: The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien
Publisher: Roaring Press Books
Publication date: September 2014
Pages: 432
Source: e-book from Netgalley
For: Fun
Series: Vault of Dreamers, Book 1

Summary from goodreads:

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

Things I Liked:
Intersting premise - I thought the idea of a reality TV show about students was quite believable - (so many reality TV shows on now).  I also liked the sinister feeling of how it progressed and how Rosie wondered about things and then found out about them.  It made a slow steady change from reality TV drama to disturbing psychological drama.  Also, weirdest. Ending. Ever.

Things I Didn't Like:
Seriously, the ending. I was wondering how on earth O'Brien was going to wrap the story up, because it was really interesting.  But the ending was just so out there.  It seemed really strange and almost disconnected to the whole previous story.  I'm baffled.  I guess there will probably be sequels? I thought it would be better as a stand alone, if a weirdly ending one. Not sure how interested in sequels I am right now.

Read-alikes:
Uh...maybe a touch like Variant by Robison Wells

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
to be honest, I don't remember there being a lot, but probably some :)

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
more creepy than gory

Overall rating: ** or ***

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

Book Review: The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden by Philippa Dowding

A Karissa Review

The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden by Philippa Dowding
Publisher: Dundurn
Publication date: January 2014
Pages: 200

Summary (from goodreads):

This morning, I woke up on the ceiling ... So begins the strange story of Gwendolyn Golden. One perfectly ordinary day for no apparent reason, she wakes up floating around her room like one of her little brother’s Batman balloons. Puberty is weird enough. Everyone already thinks she’s an oddball with anger issues because her father vanished in a mysterious storm one night when she was six. Then there are the mean, false rumours people are spreading about her at school. On top of all that, now she’s a flying freak.
How can she tell her best friend or her mother? How can she live her life? After Gwendolyn almost meets disaster flying too high and too fast one night, help arrives from the most unexpected place. And stranger still? She’s not alone.

Things I Liked:
The idea of this book is a cool one. I like that it keeps to reality – what it’s like to fly in a world of non-flyers. I liked the main character, Gwennie – she’s a solid character. I loved her best friend Jez, and her flying mentor, Mrs. Forest.

Things I Didn't Like:
I didn’t like the overall incomplete feel of the book. Towards the end, you realize the author is setting up a second book for the character, but I was very frustrated, because she didn’t do it well. It’s funny, in the book, Gwennie mentions reading the Harry Potter books, and I have to make an unfortunate comparison to them. One of the reasons Harry Potter was so successful was because of the completeness of each book. You are fully immersed in that world, and each book can stand alone. It has a solid beginning, middle, and end. You want more books because of the fullness of the world Rowling created, not because she leaves you hanging at the end of each one.  This book is not like that. It almost feels like the author should have spent more time on it. The first 2/3 of the book is very reality based, and then kind of suddenly in the last 1/3 it veers off into more fantasy-ish.

Read-alikes:
Abby Carnelia’s One and Only Power by David Pogue (a much more satisfying and fun read)
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (A really solid, powerful book)
(Both of these would get an Overall Rating of: ****)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **

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

Series Review: The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

The Selection, The Elite, and The One by Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication dates: 2012-2014
Source: Library
For: Book Group
Series: The Selection, Books 1-3

Summary (from yours truly, for a change):
In a world where castes rule the choices of career and love for many people, America Singer gets the chance of a lifetime - to vie against 34 other girls for the hand of Prince Maxon.  If only she had wanted that chance.  Already in love, she isn't interested in winning his hand.  Or is she?

Things I Liked:
The whole series is nice, easy to read, fluffy and entertaining.  It's not the kind of story that grips you, exactly, but I felt like I needed to read the series to the bitter end. (But not really the next books...).  I have to admit, it is somewhat fascinating reading about bachelor-style romances.  The very idea of them is so stupid, but it's dreadfully entertaining to watch them cat fight. 

Things I Didn't Like:
The last two books (in the original trilogy, don't get me started on more sequels) really annoyed me. I wanted to smack America over and over.  She just kept saying she needed to decide and then saying she would worry about it later.  No wonder you ended up with problems, girl.  You can't put that kind of stuff off forever.  Seriously, she was super naive and the books were all super predictable.  I almost had the entire ending figured out by the end of the first book.  And I really, really hated the love triangle disaster.  That was prolonged until I wanted to beat my head against a wall.  So why did I keep reading?  Entertainment. 

Read-alikes:
Eh, I don't know.

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
there might have been a few

mrg-factor: X
mostly snuggling and making out and such

v-factor: ->
some scary stuff and people die but very mildly described

Overall rating: ** or ***

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

Book Review: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: November 2011
Pages: 860
Source: Purchased (and signed!)
For: Fun
Series: Inheritance, Book 4

Summary (from goodreads): *Spoilers are inevitable for the first three books*

Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chance.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

Things I Liked:
You've got to give Paolini credit for coming up with a rich and detailed world and a problem that seemed unsolvable.  The bare bones of this story are really good, exciting and fast-paced.  The characters are interesting and flawed and at times simply annoying.  There is so much detail and so many different people and things to keep track of.  I was really happy there was a summary at the beginning to remind us what happened in the previous books (yeah, so I reread them right before I thought I was going to read this...and then more than a year passed before I finally got to it).  I'm pretty satisfied with how it ended as well, though there are some issues I had, of course.

Things I Didn't Like:
Ok, the main thing about these books that bothers me is their length and how they're packed with details that just need to be cut.  It's been said by many many people in much more convincing ways, but he could really have benefited from an editor chopping out much of the fluff.  Yes, there is a lot that he's created in his imagination.  I think it would have been better if he'd put some of those stories and details into some kind of appendices or additional book about the world if he really wanted people to know about it.  Those who are dying for more would have devoured it, but the books would have been tighter and flowed a lot faster.  Also, shorter.  Yeah, the ending left me unsatisfied in a few ways (hello, Aria) and the way the king was defeated (spoiler?  probably not) was a bit out of the blue, but still I could handle it.  And yes, he drew on a lot of source material and I don't really even have much of a problem with that, but it's just the ridiculous length and side stories and jumping from character to character and every single thing must be written out in detail.  Glad I read the end and glad that it's the end.

Read-alikes:
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 
The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@ 
some here and there

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->->->
Ok, it's a really long book about a really long war and there are a LOT of battles

Overall rating: story: ****, experience **

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

Book Review: War Brides by Helen Bryan

War Brides by Helen Bryan
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: 2007
Pages: 496
Source: Purchased e-book
For: Book Group

Summary from goodreads:

With war threatening to spread from Europe to England, the sleepy village of Crowmarsh Priors settles into a new sort of normal: Evacuees from London are billeted in local homes. Nightly air raids become grimly mundane. The tightening vice of rationing curtails every comfort. Men leave to fight and die. And five women forge an unlikely bond of friendship that will change their lives forever. 

Alice Osbourne, the stolid daughter of the late vicar, is reeling from the news that Richard Fairfax broke their engagement to marry Evangeline Fontaine, an American girl from the Deep South. Evangeline's arrival causes a stir in the village but not the chaos that would ensue if they knew her motives for being there. Scrappy Elsie Pigeon is among the poor of London who see the evacuations as a chance to escape a life of destitution. Another new arrival is Tanni Zayman, a young Jewish girl who fled the horrors of Europe and now waits with her newborn son, certain that the rest of her family is safe and bound to show up any day. And then there's Frances Falconleigh, a madcap, fearless debutante whose father is determined to keep her in the countryside and out of the papers. 

As the war and its relentless hardships intensify around them, the same struggles that threaten to rip apart their lives also bring the five closer together. They draw strength from one another to defeat formidable enemies: hunger, falling bombs, the looming threat of a Nazi invasion, and a traitor in their midst, and find remarkable strength within themselves to help their friends. Theirs is a war-forged loyalty that will outlast the fiercest battle and endure years and distance. When four of the women return to Crowmarsh Priors for a VE Day celebration fifty years later, television cameras focus on the heartwarming story of these old women as war brides of a bygone age, but miss the more newsworthy angle. The women's mission is not to commemorate or remember; they've returned to settle a score and avenge one of their own.

Things I Liked:
There really is no concise way to summarize the book.  I was really immersed in the historical story, the war story of all the very different women's lives.  I found the details and the interactions of each of the women fascinating.  I wanted to laugh and cry with them and all they struggled with.  During that portion of the book, I really enjoyed the story.  It was fantastic historical fiction and obviously well-researched and well-written.  I had some real issues with the end, though, that kind of tainted my enjoyment.

Things I Didn't Like:
As I mentioned, there were a number of things I didn't like.  First, the prologue was very confusing.  I found that starting in the "present day" (1995, I think) left me just not sure what or who or anything.  But most of what I didn't like was the ending.  The very last parts of the historical story were rushed and then abruptly cut off.  It seemed only half-finished, and obviously Bryan wanted to complete the story from the present looking back, but I think it could have been more gently done.  I was a bit angry that we didn't get more of Alice at that point, as things were going in an interesting direction (finally).  And at the end when they are having their reunion I was just plain appalled at what happened.  It seemed really out of character for some of them and completely out of the blue.  I can understand some of what they are feeling, but honestly, it did not seem to fit the rest of the story.  Despite my disappointments with the way things ended for the characters back in the 40s, the ending of the book really made me end up disliking the whole thing. 

Read-alikes:
Well, the historical part reminded me a bit of Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
yep

mrg-factor: XX
a bit too descriptive at times

v-factor: ->
some, since there was a war, but not too graphic

Overall rating: **

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

Book Review: Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien

Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan)
Publication date: October 2012
Pages: 295
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Birthmarked, Book 3

*Spoilers are inevitable for the first two Birthmarked books*
Gaia is determined to lead the people from Sylum back to the Enclave, in hopes of saving them from extinction. But the Enclave isn't ready to take Gaia or her new people back. They've started new experiments and the stakes are higher than ever.

Things I Liked:
While I still enjoyed the genetics discussions and the ethical implications of decisions people make, I was overall not enthralled with the book.  I did like the way Gaia had to struggle with what she wanted and what she thought was not right.  She was a realistic character, making some good and some bad choices and then dealing with the consequences.  I thought she was an interesting leader and her struggles with what a leader must do versus what she wanted to do kept me invested to the end.  The ending is also rather unflinching and not everything turns out well for the characters.  An interesting look at an unusual society.

Things I Didn't Like:
As I said, I was disappointed overall.  I found it really rambling and the back and forth of Gaia began to grate on my nerves.  She made many stupid mistakes, often by not thinking something through or by just making stupid choices (in my opinion).  The ending, while not attempting to avoid the unfortunate, did not please me.  I found that there were too many last minute things that fell into place or that conveniently just happened, despite opposition to them previously.  And on a more personal note, sometimes Gaia seemed so superior in her ideas about motherhood and women's choices that I wanted to smack her.  This is probably because I have experienced infertility for over five years and it is something that if you haven't experienced it, you really won't understand all of it.  But, that's me projecting my experiences on the book, so take that with a big handful of salt.

Read-alikes:
A bit like Wither by Lauren DeStefano
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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

mrg-factor: X
mostly implied, nothing on page

v-factor: ->->
a bit of violence, not too graphic

Overall rating: **.5

Do you tend to rate some books based on your personal experiences or are you much more objective than I am? :)

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

Book review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication date: August 2012
Pages: 416
Source: e-book from Netgalley
For: Review
Series: Throne of Glass, Book 1

Celaena Sardothien, a master assassin, has been stuck in prison for the last year, wasting away.  But when she receives an unexpected reprieve, a chance to earn her freedom while competing to be the royal assassin, she doesn't hesitate.  The competition proves only a little challenging and she's glad to be out, but when other contestants start turning up dead, things begin to get a little bit interesting.

Things I Liked:
There are many good things about this book.  I liked seeing a Cinderella retelling that was unique but still retained some of the iconic elements of the fairy tale.  I especially liked the strong girl assassin who could take care of herself.  Celeana was an interesting character, but not one I'd say I actually like.  The story kept me interested through most of the book, though at the end I was more disappointed than anything.  I think I liked the idea of the book more than its execution, unfortunately.

Things I Didn't Like:
I really had a hard time finishing this one.  I struggled with it for months, persisting only to see why so many people loved it.  I got pretty sick of Celeana.  She seemed rather smart and strong at times, vulnerable and afraid occasionally, but most annoying when she'd get so angry about stupid things like not playing billiards well.  Her desire to kill or injure people who bothered her was somewhat inconsistent with her conscience about killing and her desire to save people.  She has a temper, which is refreshing to see, but it came and went sometimes at random.  The ending was a bit out there for me, but fairly satisfying.  I was unimpressed with the writing, which was awkward at times and included random details that seemed to be there for no reason.  I'm the first to admit some of these problems might be with the ARC I was reading, but I don't care enough to check out the finished copy and find out.  I'm not entirely sure if I want to read a sequel or not, we'll see.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, for the female assassin angle
Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott for the unique Cinderella retelling
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
A few

mrg-factor: X
Mostly implied, nothing on page

v-factor: ->->
Some fairly gory, but not overwhelming

Overall rating: **

What did you think of this one?

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

Book Review: Beta by Rachel Cohn

Beta by Rachel Cohn
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Publication date: October 2012
Pages: 336
Source: ARC from ALA
For: Review
Series: Beta, Book 1

Elysia is a beta, one of the first clones created to be a teenager. Despite having a few glitches, she is immediately purchased to be a companion for the mayor's son. Discovering that she seems not to be completely perfect as she is supposed to be, Elysia struggles with the feelings she's experiencing and with discovering that not all is ideal on her isolated perfect island.

Things I Liked:
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book.  I love the idea of clones created to look like real people, but without souls (ok, that sounds creepy - I like it as a book, not an actual idea).  I loved seeing this disturbing future world Cohn created, complete with an idyllic island society that is isolated from everything else going on in the world.  It was interesting to watch Elysia figure out what she was feeling and what her place in the world was, and just what was really going on.  I thought the book had so much potential, but it didn't work for me.

Things I Didn't Like:
I never felt like anything was explained or like Elysia really figured out who she was or what she wanted to do.  She kind of still seemed to be drifting, (*possible spoiler ahead*) even after she fell in love (*end spoiler*).  I was disappointed at how quickly she shifted her feelings and changed her opinions based on who she was with.  Especially the ending seemed just really strange, really too far out there to believe, and didn't seem to fit with what had gone on before.  Most of my problems were with just how bored I was for most of the book.  It really felt like nothing happened for the first 2/3 of the book and then everything does.  It is slow-building, yes, but I wanted to see something more than just Elysia trying to figure out what people meant when they spoke (though, a few times it seemed inconsistently done throughout), Elysia trying to please the humans, but wondering about her First.  And I was annoyed that the choices she makes were stupid, even for her.  I can't really explain it well, but I just didn't like it.  

Read-alikes:
Reminded me a bit of Virals by Kathy Reichs
Maybe somewhat like The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

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

mrg-factor: XX
most of it clinical, but some of it was uncomfortably descriptive

v-factor: ->
a little bit

Overall rating: **

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

Book Review: What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt

What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt
Publisher: Clarion Books
Publication date: September 2012
Pages: 304
Source: ARC from ALA
For: Review

On a far distant planet, the Valorim make a last-ditch attempt to save their culture from ruin and send a necklace to the planet Earth. Tommy Pepper discovers it in his lunch box one day and he begins to change in unusual ways, drawing beautiful drawings of things no one else can see and speaking a language no one else knows. But, when the Valorim's enemies discover where the necklace went, they come to take it from Tommy.

Things I Liked:
I am so glad the book had some of the signature Schmidt wry humor.  I love the middle grade boys he manages to create.  Pretty much, the interactions on our planet were interesting and I liked seeing how Tommy dealt with his unique and new powers.  I thought his artistic abilities were the most interesting part of the whole book and I loved how he transformed the walls of his home and brought art to life.  It was imaginative and unique, but ultimately I was disappointed in the read.

Things I Didn't Like:
First, I thought the parts on the other planet were painfully obscure, mostly because of the language.  I found it hard to want to slog through the Old English feel of it (despite the fact that I adore Tolkien's similar books).  I was very much reminded of Tolkien's work - but more of his other tales from older times like The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales than Lord of the Rings.  I had a really hard time appreciating any of the magical details and an even harder time figuring out what was going on on that distant planet.  It was vague and just plain boring at times.  I was pretty sad to find there is a Schmidt book I don't adore.  

Read-alikes:
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth by J.R.R. and Christopher Tolkien

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor:none

mrg-factor:none

v-factor:->
a bit, but not too much

Overall rating: **

Anybody loved this one?  Am I missing something?

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

Book Review: The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing
Publication date: May 2012
Pages: 256
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Review
Series: The Weepers, Book 1

Sherry has spent the last three years holed up in an underground bunker with her family. No privacy, no sunshine, nothing but each other. But, when their food begins to run out, Sherry and her dad make the decision to leave and find some. They find an abandoned world, overrun with Weepers, humans infected by the rabies virus and barely human anymore. When they are attacked, Sherry is saved by a hunter, but her father is taken. In order to save him, she must team up with this hunter and the few humans left with him. Will it be enough?

Things I Liked:
I was really intrigued by this story at first.  I love the confined and claustrophobic feeling at the start of the story - her family has been stuck in their underground bunker for 1,139 days and counting.  Then when they decide to leave the bunker, lots of exciting things happen one after another and the action is heart-pounding.  I wished we'd gotten to see more of the side characters and their back stories, as they seemed the most interesting.  Alas, overall this story did not work well for me.

Things I Didn't Like:
I really struggled to want to keep reading.  I thought that despite the action and interesting beginning, the story became very predictable, very much typical of zombie apocalypse stories.  I was sorely disappointed in the instant attraction between girl and boy and how suddenly they were in love and depended on each other.  Perhaps extreme conditions encourage that, but I was unconvinced.  Also, most of the conspiracy details and information about the weepers and what actually happened was lightly passed over or not explained at all.  I was confused and quite simply bored.  I wanted to like it, but dull characters and poorly explained plot left me wanting.

Read-alikes:
Reminded me of Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some here and there

mrg-factor:X
mostly implied stuff, nothing on page

v-factor:->->->
rather gory at times, though not unexpected considering it's a zombie book

Overall rating: **

What's your favorite zombie apocalypse book?

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

Book Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication date: December 2012
Pages: 496
Source: ARC from ALA
For: Review
Series: Darkest Minds, Book 1

Ruby has spent the last six years of her life in a rehabilitation camp, a brutal place she's only survived by hiding her dangerous powers. But when the cruel camp leaders begin to suspect her, she must escape. Now on the run, she is desperately seeking people like her and winds up with some unexpected allies. Will they find the safe haven or will she be forced to make a desperate choice?

Things I Liked:
I am quite conflicted on this book.  I really wanted to like it and I certainly enjoyed parts of it (the ending definitely kept me engaged, couldn't put it down), but I felt unsatisfied while reading it.  First, I loved the premise, even though it seems to be a common one - natural disaster/disease/event happens to change kids of a certain age.  (I'm thinking Gone, Ashes, etc).  Still, I was caught up in it right from the start - I mean, they send the kids to concentration camps, essentially, and try to rehabilitate them of their abilities.  Ruby was a very confused (and confusing) protagonist, but I was invested in her story.  The many different factions and groups with various agendas and ulterior motives was intense and exciting and kept me wondering just what would happen next.  There is a lot of action, not surprising because Ruby is on the run from about 5 different groups and they all converge and escape a lot.  It was exciting and the abilities of the kids were interesting and I wanted to know more about how they worked and why it happened.  Unfortunately, I never felt like I did.

Things I Didn't Like:
First, I just want to say that I think a big part of the problem with my reading was that this was an ARC and it was still very much a work in progress, with loads of editing still necessary.  There were confusing little things here and there, lots of missing or incorrect words, etc.  All things one would expect of an ARC.  My bigger problem was that I never felt like I got a handle on the world - I never felt like I understood what was going on, especially when it came to Ruby.  Her power, which I can't even describe accurately, was a huge mystery to me, from beginning to end.  I kept waiting for her to figure it out and tell us, but it never happened.  One minute, she'd be jerking back from Liam, to prevent his touching her and the next, she'd be holding Zu's hand and not worrying at all.  I was completely confused.  I think I'll give the book a try when it's published, because it really felt like the story was not entirely finished, like there were important little things still needing to be figured out and passages still to be written or deleted (definitely think it could have been shorter).  It felt like not a fully-formed book, but an interesting premise waiting for the rest to be filled out.  I hope it is.

Read-alikes:
Dull Boy by Sarah Cross
Gone series by Michael Grant
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
not a lot, but at least two f-bombs

mrg-factor: X
a few (confusing) parts, but nothing explicit

v-factor: ->->->
actually, it was really gory

Overall rating: ** with potential for more!

Have you ever felt like this about an ARC?  Did you read the published version?

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

Book Review: Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Vanish: A Firelight Novel by Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 304
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Review
Series: Firelight series, Book 2

*spoilers for the first book quite likely*
When Jacinda and her sister and mom return to the pride, she knows things won't be the same.  But it is worse than she imagined.  Her sister is no longer at home with her and her mother is unable to bear the pride's contempt.  Cassian and his cousin Corbin are both paying too much attention to her.  And most of all, Jacinda misses Will.   Will they ever see one another again?  Has she lost her chance at love forever?

Things I Liked:
I still enjoyed the family dynamics, though they kind of took a back seat in this book.  The plot was pretty interesting too, with enough action to keep me reading and wondering just where she was taking her characters and how they would get there.  I still like the idea of Draki and what they are, what they do, their mythos, etc.  It's an intriguing concept.

Things I Didn't Like:
Really, it just doesn't stand out in a crowd of paranormals, despite its unique type of creature.  I didn't really care what happened to Jacinda and I really wasn't fond of either of her love interests.  The plot was fairly exciting, but I just struggled to get through the book.  It will be enjoyed by those who can't get enough paranormal romance, but it just wasn't the book for me.

Read-alikes:
Read the first book, Firelight
Lots of other paranormal romances: Hush, Hush, Twilight, Mortal Instruments, etc

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
maybe one or two

mrg-factor: none 
mostly it's kissing

v-factor: -> 
a little bit of action, but nothing graphic

Overall rating: ** 

How far into a series you don't enjoy do you go before giving up?

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

Book Review: Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: October 2011
ISBN: 9781442426641
Source: Audiobook provided by publisher

 

When Nora wakes up in a cemetary with no memory of the last five months of her life, not only does she feel disoriented, but like she's missing something.  No one wants to give her details on just what happened, though they might not know themselves.  The only things she does know are that her mom is dating Hank Miller - the creepy father of her arch-enemy Marcie Miller - and that she's falling for the hot, mysterious Jev, someone she just might have known before.  Will she remember in time to save herself and her mother from certain disaster?

Things I Liked:
The story is pretty interesting, though a bit complicated (or maybe my brain cells are not functioning at full capacity, who knows?).  The ending was full of surprises and intriguing twists and turns.  I got sheer fluffy entertainment out of this one, that's for sure.  I really liked the narrator, Caitlin Greer; she certainly had the teenage girl voice down.  It was almost obnoxiously real at times, like listening to a teen chat with her buddies (no offense, I'm sure I talk(ed) like that too).  But very accurate and well-done.

Things I Didn't Like:
Oh, where to begin.  Honestly, I did not enjoy the book much at all.  If I hadn't been listening to a review book, I would not have finished it.  I got some enjoyment out of the previous book in the series, Crescendo, but this book just bored me and made me angry.  We spend the whole book listening/watching to Nora try to remember everything she learned in the first two books (like a repeat of it all).  And whining, so much whining.  And falling in love with the jerk Patch all over again (yeah, still don't like him).  She epitomizes to me, the character who is TSTL - too stupid to live.  She was such a fool, continually not caring about her own safety in order to do what she thought was right: I must save this person who is being mugged, even though I'm a small helpless girl, instead of running away and calling for helpt (which would probably have been more helpful than saying "No!  You're hurting him!").  Drove me nuts.  If there is another book in this series (which this ending sort of indicates) I will definitely not be reading it.  I have no interest in knowing where Nora and Patch are headed next.  But, from what I've heard, fans of the series really liked it, so read it if you enjoyed those first two books.

Read-alikes:
The first two in the series: Hush, Hush and Crescendo
Fallen by Lauren Kate or Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
probably a few
 
mrg-factor: XX 
sensuality mainly, some implied stuff

v-factor: ->->
someone's always fighting someone else

Overall rating: ** 

I'm thinking nearly every fallen angel book I've read has been a fail for me - any really good one's I should consider before giving them up entirely?

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

Book Review: The Implosion of Aggie Winchester by Lara Zielin

The Implosion of Aggie Winchester by Lara Zielin
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication date: August 2011
ISBN: 9780399254116
Source: ARC sent by publicist

Aggie Winchester's life was going along just fine, until everything changes.  Her goth-wearing best friend gets pregnant, and nominated for prom court.  Her principal mother gets cancer.  And her ex-boyfriend keeps trying to get her back.  With all this going on, a prom ballot scandal brings further chaos to Aggie's life.  Can she figure out what went on with the prom voting and still save her relationships?

Things I Liked:
This book kind of sucked me in like a soap opera.  The story was so twisted and drama-laden that I was unable to put it down.  But I guess what I really liked were Aggie's relationships and her self-discovery.  At the beginning, Aggie is dressing and acting like her best friend, even as she's unconsciously aware that isn't who she really is.  She grows in realistic ways and figures out who she wants to be.  I love how the story didn't end up exactly where you expect (in relation to her friends, anyway).  The book had some interesting and unique things going for it that kept me reading.

Things I Didn't Like:
Mostly, I just didn't like it for no reason I can articulate. I never really cared about Aggie or anyone else in the story. I recognized its accurate portrayal of teen prom drama, but also thought the ending was rather unbelievably perfect. Things just resolved themselves and Aggie and her mom's problems were fixed with one long and cheesy chat. I guess this is another reminder that fantasy is my genre of preference.  Obviously this rating and review are quite subjective.  I just didn't care much for the book, though I might have liked it more if I'd read it as a teen.

Read-alikes:
Populazzi by Elise Allen (kinda)
Maybe before i fall by Lauren Oliver (a little)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$%
That would be an f-word or three on every page

mrg-factor: XXX
a few rather explicit situations (sort of everything-but)

v-factor: ->
one fight scene

Overall rating: **

Do you find yourself not liking certain books for no explicable reasons?

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

Book Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: April 2011
ISBN: 9780312650087
Source: Library

Deuce has spent her life hoping she'll be chosen as a hunter.  When she receives her name and the huntress' marks at fifteen, she is content with her life in an underground home.  But when she's paired with a hunter named Fade and they are sent on an impossible mission, her perspective of the world begins to change.  The freaks that occupy the tunnels between enclaves are changing and her world is about to turn upside down.

Things I Liked:
I enjoyed the glimpse of another possible future.  I thought it was interesting to have a whole society that lives underground in abandoned subway tunnels, though I really didn't understand why they were there.  Deuce's enclave was somewhat predictably not-what-they-say-they-are, which is kind of what you expect in a dystopian book.  I was a bit more intrigued by the second half, which showed the world topside and what was going on there.  An interesting concept and world view.

Things I Didn't Like:
I really didn't find much else to enjoy, though.  I thought it felt a little disjointed, more like the story was all about just describing this crazy future world than about the characters or the story.  There weren't logical connections to me between what happened underground and then where Deuce ended up.  Or how the Freaks came about.  Or what they were.  I couldn't figure out why they were so keen on getting to the library and figuring out what happened to make the world that way, except so that we as the reader would know what happened.  It made the story feel awkward.  I also didn't care much for the characters or the romance.  I felt no connection to anyone and just wasn't that interested in what happened to them.  I think it's a case of an interesting concept, but a story that just didn't work for me.  *Mild spoiler* Oh, and I thought it was a bit odd that the book Deuce finds about half way through the story has an inscription "with love to Gracie from Mary" in the front, but at the end, it turns out to be a library book.  Who gives a book to someone "with love" that they either took from the library or bought after the library discarded it?  A small thing that really bugged this librarian. :) *End mild spoiler*

Read-alikes:
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

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

mrg-factor: X
a little bit implied

v-factor: ->->->
definitely some gory fighting action

Overall rating: **

Did this one work for you or not? I think I'm in the minority for this book.

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

Book Review: The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen

The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication date: May 2010
ISBN: 9780312659424
Source: ARC sent by publisher

 

Mason is used to the strange looks and staring that come from his seriously scarred face.  But when he learns that there is more to his past than his mother is telling him, he wonders if he's even odder than he thought.  By chance, he meets a girl who is most definitely different and embarks on a quest to save her from the horrors of her past.  But, will those horrors lead him right back where they started and can he face the secrets he'll learn about the girl and himself?

Things I Liked:
The story kept me reading.  It was entertaining and fast-paced and there was plenty of action that happened.  The book holds some interesting ideas about the future of our society as well, thoughts about how we would face hunger and other destructive influences.  While I think it was a bit (ok, a lot) over the top, still it provided some food for thought.

Things I Didn't Like:
Really, the only thing that kept me reading was the action.  The characters seemed really underdeveloped, especially minor characters - his mother, his friend, even the girl he meets.  It seemed like just the bare bones of a story idea with not much else developed around it.  I probably wouldn't have finished it if it wasn't so short and easy to read.  The writing felt stilted in places, particularly the dialog.  There are other things about it that bother me, but I don't think I'm articulate enough to explain them.  I can see how it will work for other people, but it really didn't work for me.  

Read-alikes:
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
one or two

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **

This is one of those books that really reminded me how different people's opinions of books can be. I saw several very positive reviews and I didn't like it. Is there a book that did this for you?

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

Book Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Bumped by Megan McCafferty
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: April 2011
ISBN: 9780061962745
Source: e-book provided by NetGalley

 

Melody is set for life - she got a huge pregging contract that provides her with enough money to go to college.  Now, she's just waiting for her sponsor couple to decide who her partner will be.  In a future where teen girls are the only ones who can have children, there are many choices available for them - to go pro, to try for an amateur contract, even to join a religious group and marry to have your own children.  When Melody's twin sister Harmony, raised in one such religious group, shows up on Melody's doorstep, she little expects the dreadful consequences of her presence.

Things I Liked:
This really was a clever and fairly unique premise.  It wasn't unique in that teens are the only ones who can have kids (see Wither), but unique in the implications of that in the future world.  The writing is witty, with lots of clever jokes on pregnancy and childbirth, as well as some thoughtful ideas about what that future might end up like.  McCafferty has created a terrifying future world complete with slang, factions, and profitable companies that still manages to capture a lot of what teens and young adults feel today.  

Things I Didn't Like:
Despite knowing that this is a satire, and a good one at that, it was just not for me.  I didn't like any of the characters, with the slight possible exception of Zen.  The whole thing seemed a little too icky for me, call me a prude, whatever.  I also was annoyed at the religious characters, since I'm a religious person myself and I don't think I'm that weird.  I think I need to find some books that portray religious people in a better light than closed-minded crazy people.  Eh, I'm not very good at explaining what I didn't like, just that it was not a good fit for me.  I will, however, send you to Becky of Becky's Book Reviews thoughts on the book.  A lot of it is how I feel (though somewhat less vehemently).  

Read-alikes:
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
XVI by Julia Karr
Maybe a little like Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines (for its cultural system) 

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
not a lot in number, but quite a few f-bombs

mrg-factor: XXX
lots of talk, though not a lot of actual action

v-factor: none

Overall rating: **

Your thoughts on this book?

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Book Review: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

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

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

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

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

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

mrg-factor: XX
one or two incidents

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

Overall rating: **

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

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