Mini Reviews 8

Well, friends, it's about time for another set of minis - for some reason my audio reviews tend to be a little shorter (but not much). Enjoy!

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication date: September 2011
Length: 10 hrs, 11 min
Source: Audiobook sent by publisher
For: Review
Series: Birthright trilogy, Book 1

Anya Balanchine, despite her father the crime boss being deceased, is thrust into the world of illegal chocolate after her older brother becomes entangled in the family business.  Things are further complicated by the cute son of New York's top cop.

My thoughts:
I don't know why, but this is such a fascinating story for me (even on a reread or relisten or whatever).  Despite it's post-apocalyptic flavor, it feels like a contemporary story, as she deals with regular teen problems.  But I love the added details of her life as a crime boss' daughter and handler of illegal chocolate.  It didn't pale on a reread, and in fact improved thanks to the audio version I listened to this time.  Ilyana Kadushin did a fabulous job and I loved the emotion she infused to Anya.  Perfect for catching me up to speed for the sequel!  (See my first review here.)
(For more dystopian awesome, check out Presenting Lenore's Dystopian August celebration!)
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Dune by Frank Herbert
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1965
Pages: 544 (in this edition)
Source: Library
For: Read-Along
Series: Dune Chronicles, Book 1

Honestly, I don't have the skill to summarize this book.  Just know there is space travel, a desert planet, crazy brain powers, giant worms, and lots of political machinations.  Read more about it at goodreads.

My thoughts:
After all those discussion questions, I figured I'd have not much else to say.  I enjoyed being so completely immersed in such a well-developed and complex world complete with a unique and believable culture.  I liked how the plot was twisted and complicated and just plain crazy at times; it was also convoluted and had numerous weird hallucinations.  The ending really surprised me, despite Paul seeing things so far in advance.  It sports tons of characters and cultures, many of which are very well-developed.  Definitely this was worth reading, even though I had a hard time liking it because it was long and boring and confusing and none of the characters were particularly likable.  Sometimes there were too many things going on and I lost track of what was happening.  When I was able to follow the double and triple meanings of every word spoken, I was impressed, but often I was just lost.  I think it might be better on a reread, since you can get something new out of it just because there's so much in there and it will hopefully be familiar.  Note: there is quite a lot of gory violence.
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Magyk by Angie Sage
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication date: April 2005
Length: 12 hrs, 4 min
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Septimus Heap, Book 1

Septimus Heap was destined to be great, being a seventh son of a seventh son. But when he's pronounced dead and taken by the midwife, the Heap family is inconsolable. That same night, Septimus' father brings home a baby girl he found, one who doesn't quite fit in with the Heap family. But when people come to the Heaps, looking to take away that little girl, they begin to question just what happened back when these children were born.

My thoughts:
I loved the quirky cast of characters, fun plot, and great magic (magyk?) system in this book.  I'm sure this series has huge appeal for younger Harry Potter fans.  In fact, at the beginning I kept imagining it as fan fiction about the Weasleys  (it's not).  It was fun and unexpected and I truly enjoyed it.  I did get a bit bored in the middle, as the story seemed to drag a little, but it picked up near the end again.  I saw the twist at the end coming a mile off, but still enjoyed it.  The narration had some good points and some bad.   Allan Corduner did a lot of great voices, making the characters distinct, but the one major drawback I found was in his kids' voices - I had a hard time distinguishing between them, especially during dialog.  Otherwise, a bang up job.
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In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer
Publisher: Listen and Live Audio
Publication date: 2008
Length: 15 hrs, 24 min
Source: Library
For: Fun
Series: Bloody Jack, Book 4

When Jacky Faber and her classmates at the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls are taken captive on a slave ship, she must gather all her strength and cunning to get them all off the ship and back home safely.

My thoughts:
It's no secret I love the Bloody Jack audio books, but this one took the unbelievable plot line just a little bit too far for me.  I kept being distracted enough to wonder if what was happening could ever realistically happen.  Still, I love Jacky's ingenuity and her interactions with the girls and was caught up when there was any action.  It got a bit too bawdy at times for my taste and some of the minor characters (of which there are a million - all those girls) were lacking in any kind of personality (exception: Clarissa).  Otherwise, with the delightful variations and color of Katherine Kellgren's narration, I would listen forever.

Any of these sound good to you?  Any you adored?

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

Mini Reviews 7

I'm still trying to get back into blogging, but it's hard.  Bear with me as I try to get back into the swing of things.  And thank you again to everyone for your kind comments regarding the death of my nephew.  Know they are very much appreciated.

Two of these are audiobooks, which makes me happy because June is audiobook month and there are a number of celebrations going on (check those out at ReadingTeen and Devourer of Books).  Yeah for hands-free, commute-saving books! :)


Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio, Inc.
Publication date: 2005 (HC)
Length: 14 hrs, 43 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Fun (and to make my commute bearable)
Series: Bloody Jack, Book 3

Jacky is back with more adventures and finally back at sea.  As she leaves the girls' school in Boston to find her way back to Jaimy, she little expects to find things just as messy in England as they were in America.  When things don't go according to plan, she ends up back in the navy's service and in danger once again.  Will she ever get out of trouble or will she have to fight for her life again?

My thoughts:
Ah, Jacky.  You never change.  Except when you do.  I love this series and this book just fed that love.  Jacky kind of comes into her own a bit in this one and truly has chances to shine.  I love how confidently she acts, yet how vulnerable she feels.  Despite defying convention, she does want to fit somewhere in the world.  And I do just love (sometimes) how she can't make herself behave, even when her head is telling her what she's doing isn't smart.  The adventures are fun, if slightly unbelievable, and Jacky always inspires laughter with her antics and trouble-making skills.  Highly enjoyable, particularly in audiobook form, as I've recommended before.  I don't recommend listening to or reading them all at once, because I got a bit burned out on Jacky adventures.  The adventures all start to be the same and they also are getting progressively more bawdy and full of cussing.  It's not exactly a younger teen series, but will be fun for fans of historical fiction that makes you laugh, along the lines of Karen Cushman.  And I would be remiss without mentioning Katherine Kellgren, who seriously makes these audiobooks so much fun to listen to - voice inflections and accents and singing?  She does it all and does it well.   
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The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Publisher: Full Cast Audio
Publication date: 2003 (HC)
Length: 10 hrs, 7 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Book Group
Series: Books of Bayern, Book 1

When Crown Princess Anidori is sent to a distant kingdom to marry an unknown prince, she is surprised, sad, and more than a little lost.  But when her lady in waiting does the unthinkable on their long journey, Ani is left wondering just who she is and if she can be a princess anymore. 

My thoughts:
This was a reread (relisten?) for me and I just love the story every time I pick it up.  I marvel at the beautiful writing Shannon Hale crafted and the way the story seems predictable, but also isn't.  The world is so vivid that you feel you are a part of it, like you can hear the wind whispering and the animals speaking.  Just a beautiful story.  It translated really well to audio, especially with the full cast that was used - each character having their own unique voices.  Erica Lustig (Ani) was excellent, as was Anna McGee (Selia) and a number of other smaller characters like Seth Jackson (Razo) and Emily Holden (Enna).  I think they really brought the story to life.
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Northanger Alibi by Jenni James
Publisher: Brigham Distributing
Publication date: February 2012
Pages: 243
Source: Won from Goodreads First Reads
For: Fun
Series: The Jane Austen Diaries, Book 2

When Claire gets a chance to visit her favorite place on earth - Washington State - she is certain going to Edward Cullen's home will be perfect.  But she's even more surprised when she discovers Tony Russo is undoubtedly a vampire too.  When her sister doesn't believe it, she sets out to prove it's true.  

My thoughts:
This is a fun, fluffy, light book that plays the Twilight-obsessed game quite well.  I loved how ridiculous Claire was and how funny it was to see her turn her Twilight obsession to reality.  I think the idea of a Twilight groupie's fascination with vampires and werewolves lends itself very well to a retelling of Northanger Abbey - the heroine with too much imagination from reading too many Gothic novels.  The story verges on the ridiculous at times, but that is part of its charm.  Despite the rough writing and sometimes odd dialog (this is not what I'd call literary), it was a quick and fun beach read.
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Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: May 2012
Pages: 544
Source: Library
For: Dystopian Challenge (and fun, of course)
Series: Divergent, Book 2

In the aftermath of the unrest from the Erudite attack, Tris is dealing with unimaginable grief and guilt.  She and her friends from Dauntless and her brother are hiding from those who might try to kill them.  But when the fractures in the factions leads to more violence, she must make more choices - ones that could destroy all that she loves or save them.  

My thoughts:
I think everything that could possibly be said about this has been said - both the good and the bad, which is why I chose to do it in mini form.  I'll just indicate that I liked it, it had some very exciting and heart-pounding parts (at least, at the end) and I like the direction the ending is headed.  All that hype and the rave reviewing left me feeling a bit wary of this book, so I was perhaps more prepared to be annoyed by it, but I still found the first half to be a bit dull - especially in comparison to the non-stop action of the first book.  I was also a bit annoyed by the Four and Tris's back and forth and trust and lies thing, but it was a pretty realistic relationship issue.  Despite not guessing exactly where the story was going, and being frustrated that it took so long to get there, the ending didn't surprise me.  I think she introduced it slowly enough that it made sense to me more than surprised me.  My biggest complaint (and it was mostly my fault) was the numerous side characters whose names, relationships, and former and current factions I couldn't keep straight.  There were just too many and they distracted from the main characters importance at times.  Roth does write quite well and her action and exciting story kept me reading through all 500+ pages (a bit over the top, I think, but not unusual).  I eagerly await the last book, along with everyone else.
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The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
Publisher: Flash Point
Publication date: November 2010
Pages: 352
Source: Library
For: Fun

Most people know next to nothing about Benedict Arnold - except he was a traitor to the country during the American Revolution.  This book brings to life the fiery character who played many important roles in the revolution - most of them before he became a traitor.

My thoughts:
Despite everyone knowing the name Benedict Arnold, I think few of us know much about this historical figure.  I certainly didn't.  And boy, does that title truly describe what the story was like!  He really did do a lot of adventuring and the good things he did for the country are very worthy of note.  The book itself is actually very readable for non-fiction and I think would be a good hit especially for boys interested in history and adventure.  Despite it having taken me nearly a month to finish, I think it is a fast read.  There were chapters about side characters that didn't interest me as much, but I don't think it was the fault of the book.  It was interesting to read of his downfall and possible reasons why he would betray the country he fought so hard for.  I didn't know anything about what he actually did to betray the US, but it was a truly interesting story.  I was impressed by just how many events had to fall into place in order for everything to work out as it did for our country.  Another unique piece in the puzzle of our history.

Have you read any of these?  Which sounds the most interesting to you?

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

Retro Friday Review: Curse of the Blue Tattoo by LA Meyer

Retro Friday is a meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady by LA Meyer
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio
Publication date: (book published in 2004)
Length: 14 hrs 13 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Fun
Series: Bloody Jack Adventures, Book 2

*Likely to be spoilers for the first book, Bloody Jack*
After being set off shore in Boston to attend a ladies' school, Jacky misses her life on the open seas - and Jaimy, of course. She's finding that all of her training at sea and on the streets didn't prepare her for the horrors of being a lady. It seems that around every corner is a new disaster, waiting for Jacky to put her foot in it.

Things I Liked:
Are you prepared for more Jacky-raving?  If not, skip right on by this review.  Oh, Jacky.  I love this series with a serious passion and I can't get enough of Jacky's hard-headed, foolish, impulsive charm.  She goes from one disaster to the next, leaving a wake of destruction behind her, but you can't help but love her!  I'm also quite impressed with the natural historical fiction details about Boston that Meyer manages to squeeze in.  I once again must rave over the inimitable Katherine Kellgren, who does a fantastic job narrating the audiobook, keeping me enthralled in the story not only with her many and varied accents, but with the emotions she can portray with that voice.  I am so happy to have more adventures with Jacky, and thrilled there are still more books in the series for me to devour (all with similarly awesome titles).

Things I Didn't Like:
Ok, I have to admit the adventures leave you a bit incredulous.  It's a big stretch to imagine her literally going from stepping in one pile of poop right into the next with no break between.  But honestly, I just can't help but follow her wherever she goes.  Count me a fan of Miss Jacky Faber.

Read-alikes:
Start with Bloody Jack by LA Meyer (and prepare yourself to be entertained)
It kind of reminded me of (an irreverent, more lively version of) A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a fair number of cuss words

mrg-factor: XX
they do tend to get a bit bawdy

v-factor: ->
mostly for some scary situations she finds herself in

Overall rating: *****

Please tell me some of you are Jacky-addicts?  I may have to create a week-long celebration for this character!

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

Retro Friday Review: Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer

Retro Friday is a meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc." 

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio
Publication date: (book published in September 2002)
Length: 7hrs, 22 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Fun
Series: Bloody Jack Adventures, Book 1

Jacky Faber, formerly Mary Faber, finds life as a ship's boy practically a dream.  She no longer has to fight for food and her life on the streets of London and being a boy makes things a LOT easier.  But everything is not as easy as all that, especially if her secret gets out.

Things I Liked:
Oh. My. Word.  Why didn't I get to this series sooner?  (Huge thanks to Susan for always raving about it and to Megan for giving me the heads up on the audio.) I love, love, love it!  Jacky is so hilarious and has become one of my new favorite characters.  She is tough and smart and also really stupid sometimes.  She made me laugh even while she was dealing with horrible things.  I fell in love with her and wanted her to succeed.  I am a big sucker for the girl disguised as boy thing and this one does it very well and very thoroughly.  There are lots of things Jacky does throughout to make the deception believable.  And I love that she is always thinking ahead to when she will be found out.  She doesn't just ignore that it will happen, she expects it.  She deals with a lot of crap and she takes it, well, like a smart girl.  And, oh, the audio of this book is the very best I've ever listened to.  Katherine Kellgren is amazing at the cockney accent, making it so believable and doing so many voices that I honestly didn't care how long my commute was, I was only paying attention to the story and the characters and loving every minute.

Things I Didn't Like:
The romance element was not that amazing, since I didn't know why she liked him and I didn't get a good handle on him as a character, but honestly that isn't the focus of this book.  And I liked it that way just fine.

Read-alikes:
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Maybe a bit like Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
they are sailors, after all :)

mrg-factor: XX
there is attempted rape and plenty of passionate kissing

v-factor: ->
some fighting and killing

Overall rating: *****

What series do you wish you'd discovered sooner?  (And if you haven't tried this one, do yourself a favor and get on it!!)

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