Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero AND Biggie by Derek E. Sullivan

A Karissa Review

Double Feature – A Lamentation upon Swearing

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Publisher: Cinco Punto Press
Publication date: October 2014
Pages: 208

Biggie by Derek E. Sullivan
Publisher: AW Teen
Publication date: March 2015
Pages: 272

Summary for Gabi (from goodreads):

Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy's pregnancy, Sebastian's coming out, the cute boys, her father's meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity. 

Summary for Biggie (from goodreads):

Henry "Biggie" Abbott is the son of one of Finch, Iowa 's most famous athletes. His father was a baseball legend and his step-dad is a close second. At an obese 300+ pounds though, Biggie himself prefers classroom success to sports. As a perfectionist, he doesn't understand why someone would be happy getting two hits in five trips to the plate. "Forty percent, that's an F in any class," he would say. But what happens when a boy who has spent his life since fourth grade trying to remain invisible is suddenly thrust into the harsh glare of the high school spotlight? 

My Thoughts:

First off, I wish, I wish, I would’ve read Gabi before I read Biggie. See, the sad fact is, I got Gabi the week after I read Biggie, and after reading Biggie, I started Gabi, loved the character, loved the writing, but couldn’t stomach the cussing any more. So I only got part way through Gabi, before I had to put it down. See, in Biggie, there’s a lot of cussing, and in Gabi there’s not quite as much, but still some. And after slogging my way through Biggie, my eyeballs were just in pain.

The thing is, the one star I gave Biggie is just for the last 5 pages. Because I really, really didn’t like the book until the last 5 pages. And then I only sorta liked it. It was funny, my daughter saw me reading it at the beginning, and asked if I liked it. I told her I wasn’t sure. Throughout the next few days of me reading it, she’d ask again if I liked it yet, and I still would say, “Not yet.”

Really, I just didn’t like Biggie or any of his friends. They all are really kinda jerks – and not the type that learn from their jerkiness – they still are going to be jerks in their 20s. So, not only was it hard to read a book where you don’t like any of the characters, but the cussing just got in the way.

So I put these together because if you are considering one of them, go for Gabi. If you’re okay with cussing, pick hers because she’s a way more likable character, and I think you’ll have a better experience overall.

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for Gabi:
s-factor: #@!%

mrg-factor: XX

v-factor: none

Overall rating:  ***

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for Biggie:
s-factor: #@!%@!#

mrg-factor: XXX

v-factor: ->->

Overall rating: *
 

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

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel AND Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie

Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie
Publisher: Gutenberg Project
Publication date: originally published in 1911
Pages: 162
Source: Free e-book
For: Classic Double Challenge

Second Star by Alyssa B. Scheinmel
Publisher: Macmillan
Publication date: May 2014
Pages: 256
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Classic Double Challenge

Summary of Peter and Wendy (PW) from amazon:

Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang, the Lost Boys, interacting with mermaids, Native Americans, fairies, pirates, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside of Neverland.

Summary of Second Star (SS) from goodreads:

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them.

Things I Liked about PW:
The story is so much more quirky than the movies have made it out to be.  More humor for the adults who read it than fun for the kids who enjoy it, I think.  Still, it's whimsical and fun and has some interesting thoughts about kids and their nature. The basic story is still there, though, with some added other adventures most movies have left out.
 
Things I Liked about SS:
I was really enjoying this book, like loving the twist on Peter Pan that it played - a surfing story complete with a Neverland beach of perfect waves.  I even enjoyed the James Hook character and his evil, but not too evil feel.  I was sucked into the story.  But I kind of found the ending disappointing.

Things I Didn't Like about PW:
Sometimes it was just trying too hard to be a book about adults talking about kids who never grow up.  I think this was more of my own expectations of what Peter Pan's story is really about.  Peter isn't really all that likeable, is he?
 
Things I Didn't Like about SS:
As I mentioned, the ending kind of threw me off.  I liked the concept, got sucked into the drama and the update and really liked seeing the elements of Peter Pan that made it in.  But, found the ending wasn't as satisfying. Not that I didn't think it could end any other way, necessarily, but I just thought it was weird (trying not to be spoilery here).  Also, Wendy kind of bugged me throughout.

Read-alikes:
Lots of Peter Pan spin offs out there, tho this one seems a bit different than others
  
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for PW:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for SS:
s-factor: !@
some

mrg-factor: X
mostly just kind of implied stuff

v-factor: ->
it does get a bit intense in sections

Overall rating: ****

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

Classic Double Challenge: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain AND The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson

 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Publisher:
Publication date: 1876
Pages: 209 (my kindle edition)
Source: Free e-book
For: Classic Double Challenge

The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 2014
Pages: 224
Source: ARC from the author
For: Classic Double Challenge (and review)

Summary of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (TS) from goodreads:

From the famous episodes of the whitewashed fence and the ordeal in the cave to the trial of Injun Joe, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is redolent of life in the Mississippi River towns in which Twain spent his own youth. A somber undercurrent flows through the high humor and unabashed nostalgia of the novel, however, for beneath the innocence of childhood lie the inequities of adult reality—base emotions and superstitions, murder and revenge, starvation and slavery.

Summary of The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher (BT) from goodreads:

In 1860, eleven-year-old Becky Thatcher is the new girl in town, determined to have adventures like she promised her brother Jon before he died. With her Mama frozen in grief and her Daddy busy as town judge, Becky spends much of her time on her own, getting into mischief. Before long, she joins the boys at school in a bet to steal from the Widow Douglas, and Becky convinces her new best friend, Amy Lawrence, to join her.

Becky decides that she and Amy need a bag of dirt from a bad man’s grave as protection for entering the Widow's house, so they sneak out to the cemetery at midnight, where they witness the thieving Pritchard brothers digging up a coffin. Determined to keep her family safe (and to avoid getting in trouble), Becky makes Amy promise not to tell anyone what they saw.

When their silence inadvertently results in the Widow Douglas being accused of the graverobbery, Becky concocts a plan to clear the Widow’s name. If she pulls it off, she might just get her Mama to notice her again and fulfill her promise to Jon in a most unexpected way . . . if that tattle-tale Tom Sawyer will quit following her around.

Things I Liked About TS:
It is nice to read classics now and again, because books are (mostly) not written like this anymore (ok, maybe just the books I usually read).  I love the language and the way stories are told, things are more implied it seems and there is more flowery description.  Tom was a fun character, I love his self-pitying feelings and his mischievous side and the way his mind worked.  There are a number of iconic scenes like the white washing of the fence and going to their own funerals that are just such great stories it's impossible not to smile about them. 

Things I Liked About BT:
I thought this was a really fun way to retell Tom Sawyer.  Lawson has kind of flipped the story on its head and imagined what it might be like to have Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) seeing real people and writing them into a story, but getting things all muddled up.  I love how Tom and Sid are pretty well switched up.  Even though this kind of bothered me at first, it was fairly humorous.  Also, I loved Becky.  She was a handful and her adventures, as a girl in that time, were so great.  She let us see just what girls could do and what they did even if they weren't supposed to.  And it was nice to see a friendship with Amy in the story too.  It was a clever plot and I liked it.

Things I Didn't Like About TS:
It did feel kind of disjointed, like the story was just a bunch of funny vignettes cobbled together with very little transition.  Don't get me wrong, I love the stories, but there wasn't much connecting them together except the same old Tom.  He doesn't change much over the course of the book either, just does a lot of funny kid things and stays pretty much the same.

Things I Didn't Like About BT:
At times it really stretched belief.  I mean, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is kind of a story that stretches believability, but Becky Thatcher made it even more of a stretch.  Her time in the cave with the bandits was just too much for me.  Also, I was a bit bothered at first, as I mentioned, with the mixing up of characters and story and details.  But, I ended up liking how Mark Twain would have seen and heard all of this and mixed it up for his own writing fun.  Great retelling!

Read-alikes:
Sometimes it reminded me (maybe because of the title) of The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for both):
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

Book Review: Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson AND Bluebeard

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson
Publisher: Listening Library
Publication date: March 2013
Length: 12 hrs, 28 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: YA Audiobook Challenge

Summary of Strands from goodreads:

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .
When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi. 

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world. 

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

Things I Liked (about both):
I really enjoyed falling into the sort of creepy fairy tale feel of Strands.  Watching Sophia try to figure things out was both frustrating and fascinating.  I was especially creeped out by her tendency to forget what bad things her guardian had done just a little bit before.  It wasn't unbelievable, but rather terrifying.  I was intrigued throughout, especially as I hadn't read Bluebeard before.  I got a hold of two different Bluebeard fairy tales after that.  What a creepy fairy tale!  Definitely one of the more depressing and horrifying fairy tales I've read.  One of the versions sort of glossed over the gory details, but there isn't much you can do to cover up a husband who kills off multiple wives.  The other original telling was quite creepy and Strands could have really drawn on that, but I think fell short.  Strange, fascinating, and disturbing are very good descriptors for this tale.

Things I Didn't Like (about both):
I had some issues with Strands.  I wasn't really fond of the narrator, Caitlin Prennace, though she kind of grew on me (her drawn out s's were annoying).  The book didn't really start to be creepy until the very end, which I thought was a waste of all that building up.  Could have been more suspenseful and scary.  One thing I never would have noticed if I hadn't read Bookshelves of Doom's review is the fact that Sophia didn't talk like someone in that time period would, while the slaves and some others did.  It was jarring, but I probably wouldn't have noticed otherwise.  Overall, I thought it was good, but not outstanding.  Also, Bluebeard is not exactly an endearing fairy tale, what with the murdering of wives and all that.  Glad I got a chance to read an unfamiliar fairy tale, but sometimes I just need one that is a bit happier (ok, I know most of the originals were quite depressing and disturbing, but still).

Read-alikes:
Here's a list of some other really good fairy tale retellings

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS (for Strands):
s-factor: !
a few mild ones

mrg-factor: X
mostly innuendo, though some rather sensual moments

v-factor: ->->
mostly just disturbing, but there is some gore near the end

Overall rating: ***

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

Persuasion by Jane Austen AND For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

*Prepare yourself for a very long and possibly slightly spoilery double feature review!*

Persuasion by Jane Austen
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1817
Pages: 158 (in one edition)
Source: Free e-book from Austen.com
For: Classic Double Challenge

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: June 2012
Pages: 416
Source: Library
For: Classic Double Challenge

Summaries:
Persuasion (P):
Anne Elliot has had eight years to regret and wonder about the man she was persuaded not to marry, Frederick Wentworth, because he did not have good enough prospects. Now, returned with a fortune and a long memory, the two are thrown together again. Anne must watch painfully as he courts another woman. Will she once again allow herself to be persuaded against her feelings?

For Darkness Shows the Stars (FDSS):
Elliot North gave up her best friend four years ago when he left and she stayed behind with her insufferable family to help save the estate. The world may have suffered terrible population decimation and still feels the effects of those scientists who thought to improve humanity, but instead ended up destroying it, but Elliot still feels her own personal suffering. When Kai returns with a new name and a new life, she isn't sure what to feel or do. Even when it is clear he hasn't forgiven her, she can't seem to get him out of her heart.

The Characters:
Anne and Elliot obviously have some things in common - the two ladies gave up someone they loved because of what they felt was duty.  They have the same sensible notions about class and aren't bothered (as much) by the family pride. I think they are also very different, though, with Anne being a lot more mild and quiet and accepting of her fate than Elliot.  Elliot is not wasting away, though that might be because in her situation she has opportunities to be active whereas Anne is very limited by time and circumstance to sitting at home with not much to do.  Elliot is tough and daring, though in quieter ways than those around her.  She does stand up to her father in small ways, while Anne will usually try to placate her father and soothe him to achieve her ends.  Elliot is obviously younger and more impulsive than the more mature, calm Anne.  I think Kai and Wentworth are more similar than Anne and Elliot.  Both come back angry and hurt and trying, at least unconsciously, to forget the girl they left behind.  Both are cold and unfeeling, though also kind in quiet ways. 

The Story:
What I love most about P is the hope of second chances.  This idea is not lost in FDSS, but it is not the main part of the story.  I think Peterfreund did a fabulous job of taking that original story and expanding it in new ways.  FDSS is a story of second chances for Elliot and Kai, but it is also a story of class distinctions and ethics in scientific experimentation.  I just loved seeing little things that inspired Peterfreund to add to her story - those iconic moments in P brought to life again: the accident, the letter, etc.  The bare bones of that beloved story transfer to this new one with its own twists and changes very well.

The Romance:
One of the things Jane Austen does so well is to show those brief moments that show a character's feelings.  Words, expressions, little movements even, all contribute to building a foundation for the love story.  She had a true gift for making us care about her couples and what happens to them.  I found the romance between Elliot and Kai was less well drawn, lacked that foundation.  I think perhaps because so many other things were going on in that story, I didn't quite believe in them.  There was not enough, not even with all their letters, to convince me they cared about each other then or really now. 

The Setting:
In both stories, location and time are integral parts of the story.  And despite being so obviously different (1800s in England vs. far future on an island likely in the South Pacific), there were some things that looked similar.  Obviously, the social structure - the nobility of England and the Luddites of Elliot's time - they both had upper and lower classes.  Elliot has some unusual restrictions in the things she can do, like experiment with genetics.  Both settings play a huge part of some of the minor actions and in how things progress.  Obviously much of Anne's behavior is because of the customs and manners of England at the time.  The same is true of Elliot's behavior in her time and place, but even more so.  Jane Austen was writing about how things were in her own time time, so it didn't seem so different or restrictive to her, but Peterfreund is writing of a future time and place with very specific limitations and other cultural practices in place.  The setting is much more deliberate and therefore more important to the story, I think.
_____________________________

Things I Liked about P:
Persuasion did not disappoint on this reread.  Despite being reminded of all the many side characters and side stories that Austen was prone to, the story at the heart of the book remains a favorite of mine.  Anne Elliot, despite being a somewhat meek and colorless lady, is more than her original appearance belays.  She is truly a good person, reminding us that while many in the nobility of England were vain and slaves to rank, she was a person who found delight in knowing people of all stations.  I suppose I love the story because I always thought of myself as relating most to Anne than any other Austen heroine (no matter how much I'd like to be a Lizzy).  A beautiful story that reminds us of all that is constant and good in human nature and that second chances should happen more often.  I can even be reconciled the Captain Wentworth, who was not very nice to her initially and to Lady Russell who was kind of an idiot.  There certainly are a lot of foolish people in Anne's life - something Austen had a real talent for portraying.

Things I Didn't Like about P:
Ok, sometimes I got frustrated with how mild Anne was.  I often wondered at her being so tolerant of the obnoxious and often unfeeling things people said to her; she always remained calm.  Perhaps it isn't that I'm frustrated at her, but that I wish I could be like her in this.  Yes, she isn't the most exciting or tough or independent person, but she is so darn good that you can't help but wish you were a little better.  I can't find much to complain about in this story - I just love it.
_____________________________

Things I Liked about FDSS:
Sigh.  I love Persuasion and I love dystopian literature, so a mix of these delights was simply perfect.  I think Peterfruend has done a really excellent job of keeping the original beautiful story of second chances and making it something completely different - a look at class and ethics and a broken future world.  Seriously, this book was good, even for those who don't like (or haven't touched) Jane Austen.  I loved the little Persuasion details that I caught glimpses of here and there (the letter!  oh, the letter.)  I think I loved even more the complicated feelings and difficulties involved in scientific experimentation and both the risks and rewards.  Yeah for science!  It was a pretty balanced view of both types of consequences too and gave this reader a lot of food for thought.

Things I Didn't Like about FDSS:
As mentioned above, I was not entirely sold on the relationship between Kai and Elliot.  That development kind of took a back seat to the larger picture and story.  While Elliot was a clear and conflicted person, I never felt like I got a grasp on Kai.  Despite this drawback, I did truly enjoy the story and loved seeing bits of my favorite Austen classic putting on new clothes.
_____________________________

Ok, I can't help posting a few of my favorite quotes from P. I thought I'd marked some from FDSS too, but I guess I lost them when I returned the book to the library. Darn, guess I'll have to buy it :)

"She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older: the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning." Ch.4

"Alas! with all her reasoning, she found, that to retentive feelings eight years may be little more than nothing." Ch.7

"There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved. Now they were as strangers; nay, worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted. It was a perpetual estrangement." Ch.8

"When pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure. One does not love a place the less for having suffered in it, unless it has been all suffering, nothing but suffering." Ch. 20

Read-alikes:
Other Jane Austen books
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for P:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor:none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****
_____________________________ 

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for FDSS:
s-factor: !
maybe a few

mrg-factor:none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Any thoughts on these two? (And bravo if you read that whole review!)

(For more dystopian awesome, check out Presenting Lenore's Dystopian August celebration!) 

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

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier AND New Girl by Paige Harbison

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks (abridged)
Publication date: 1995 (originally published in 1938)
Length: 3 hrs, 18 min
Source: Audiobook from Library
For: Classic Double Challenge

New Girl by Paige Harbison
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: January 2012
Pages: 320
Source: e-book from NetGalley
For: Classic Double Challenge

Summaries:
Rebecca (R):
When Mrs. de Winter arrives at her new home after a whirlwind romance with Maxim de Winter, she is immediately haunted by the presence of Maxim's first wife, Rebecca.  She seems to be everywhere, from the mysterious beach house to the menacing presence of her personal maid Mrs. Danvers.  Will Rebecca rule Manderley forever, even from the after life or will she ever leave Maxim to his new wife?

New Girl (NG):
When her parents send her to an elite private school in New England for her senior year, the "new girl" as everyone calls her is definitely not happy.  Not only did she have to leave all her friends behind, but she is taking the place of the larger than life Becca, a student who mysteriously disappeared.  Despite her best efforts to make it through the year and enjoy her time, Becca overshadows her every interaction, from her former boyfriend Max to her creepy best friend, Dana.  Will she ever feel like she can live her life free from Becca or will a return from wherever she went oust her from this new life forever?

The characters:
I like how in NG, Harbison incorporated nearly all the important characters from the original.  Especially the creepy obsessed roommate, Dana as Mrs. Danvers.  The two boys that Becca toyed with were also really well drawn - Max and Johnny (aka Jack Favel from the original).  Becca herself, I think, is the most different between the two books.  She is a lot more sympathetic in NG, though we see a lot more of the vile things she does (in vivid detail, unfortunately).  There are quite a few chapters from her viewpoint throughout the book, which I think is both good and bad.  I think this eliminates the mysterious aspect of the original, but also allows us greater understanding of the enigmatic Becca.  I suppose when you're doing a retelling, you can't truly recreate that suspense, so you go other directions.  But I think it is what keeps this one from being really good.  It doesn't have the same feel, because we know quite early on just what Becca is like and who she really is. 

The story:
NG keeps a lot of those stay with you images: the beach house, the costume party, the creepy display of Rebecca's things *shudders*, but it definitely changed the ending.  There is no trial and there is no reversal of our opinions of Rebecca.  We see exactly what she does from the beginning and where she ends up and how, because we are told from her viewpoint.  I like a good retelling that can change the story, but also keep those most important scenes from the original.  This one nails many of those scenes, but I loved the ending from Rebecca because it is so surprising and suspenseful.  Not to mention those last lines - just not an image you forget easily!
_____________________________

Things I Liked about R:
The book has just the right amount of mystery and hints of creepiness that you are sucked in from the first, trying to figure out what it was about Rebecca that made everyone love her.  And Mrs. Danvers has to be the most disturbing person in all of fiction.  I love the changes that our main character experiences over the course of the book, mainly because she tends to grow up and get a spine already.  She's so annoyingly timid at first that you want to smack her, but she does change.  It's almost like a coming of age story for her.    This is just truly one of the best Gothic books set in such a vivid place you almost feel like you are at Manderley.  And like Rebecca is looking over your shoulder.  And oh, the ending!  I listened to this one on audio and was unhappy to discover that it was an abridged version, which is too bad because the narrator, Harriet Walter, did a really great job with the voice of Mrs. de Winter.  I still need to do a full reread, though, because this is just such a great book!

Things I Didn't Like about R:
The main character is just so timid and ridiculous, she lets everyone walk all over her!  She did it to such extremes, sometimes, that I wanted to reach in and give her a good shake.  Also, Maxim is not at all attractive.  I can see how he'd be charming to her, but he just seemed aloof and kind of like a jerk.  Interesting how I don't particularly like any characters, but this is such an unforgettable book!  The image of that costume party has always stuck with me, even years after my first read.  Good mystery, good creepy tale. 
_____________________________

Things I Liked about NG:
Rebecca is a glorious story that made me so excited for a revamp.  It was a clever idea to set it in a New England boarding school with a disappeared girl who left a huge legacy behind.  The main character is confused and shunned and has no idea why all of this happens to her.  As I mentioned, I thought a lot of iconic scenes from the original were really well done.  They translated well and kept enough of the orignal but with a delightful new flavor to make them interesting.  She definitely made the story her own, since there were numerous changes and differences.  I liked our main character slightly more than in the original, because she isn't quite such a sucker.  We get to know Becca very well and not just through what other people thought of her, which was an interesting change for sure. 

Things I Didn't Like about NG:
It definitely didn't hold the creepiness or fabulous setting details of the original.  With the way the story is told from Becca and the new girl's perspectives, there was little to no mystery about Becca's relationship with Max and Johnny.  As I mentioned above, one of the things I liked most about the original was the ending, which was changed.  This new version spells everything out and makes it rather convenient for all involved, especially Max.  I didn't like Dana's character either; it didn't make sense the way she was portrayed, her motivations, and the things she said/did.  I think it was a good idea, a good try, but lacked most of what made the original tale so interesting.  Not to mention it was so full of swearing, mature romantic garbage, and rampant drug use I almost had to stop reading.  (Speaking of which, where on earth were the adults at this boarding school?  Yes, I'm sure stuff like this happens, but to this level and no one figures it out?  Unbelievable.)  Too much described instead of implied.  Definitely for older teens.

Read-alikes:
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (for R)
Prep: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld (for NG)
Private series by Kate Brian (for NG)

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for R:
s-factor: ! 
a few mild invectives

mrg-factor: none 

v-factor: ->
not described, but it is rather disturbing at times

Overall rating: *****
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BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for NG:
s-factor: !@#$ 
numerous f-bombs frequently scattered

mrg-factor: XXXX 
quite a lot of stuff goes on, some very descriptive

v-factor: ->
just a little bit, also has a LOT of underage drinking and drug use

Overall rating: **

Whew!  If you made it through that, congrats.  What do you look for in a retelling?

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

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter AND Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Double Feature is an occasional feature where I discuss/review two books, often comparing and contrasting characters or elements that were similar or different.  I try my best to not include spoilers, or to give a spoiler warning before them, but because these reviews are more in-depth than regular reviews, it is possible there might be some plot points given away.  Read at your own risk.

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: April 2011
ISBN: 9780373210268
Source: Library

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: May 2011
ISBN: 9780062011992
Source: Review copy provided by publisher (and NetGalley)

 

Summary of The Goddess Test (GT)
For all her life, Kate has been with just her mom, and now her mom is dying of cancer.  Her last request is to die in the small town she grew up in.  Her new life is only complicated more when she meets Henry, who claims to be Hades.  But, when he brings a girl back from the dead, she begins to wonder if he's telling the truth.  And if he is, could he save her mother too?  Kate will find out when she faces trials and tests that every other girl who's tried before has failed.  Will she succeed and save her mother's life?

Summary of Starcrossed (SC)
Helen has spent all her life trying to hide from notice.  That becomes increasingly difficult as she gets taller and more gorgeous.  Oh, and when she realizes she has unusual powers as well.  All that changes when the Delos family moves to Nantucket and she feels overwhelming feelings toward them, especially Lucas.  Feelings she might not be able to control.  As she learns more about them and the mysterious dreams she's been having, she gets caught in a centuries old battle that could take her life and the lives of everyone she cares about.

The Mythology:
GT: This one was actually pretty light on mythology, despite having more of a presence from gods.  It didn't seem to include too many details and too much history at once.  Yes, Kate had to spend lots of time learning the myths, but fortunately we didn't.  I both liked and disliked that, because I wasn't overwhelmed with info, but still would have enjoyed a little more.

SC: A lot more mythology made it into this book.  It was very clear that Angelini has a thorough knowledge of Greek mythology.  I really liked the way she described the Houses and the Furies and all the history that goes along with it.  At times, however, it was a little too much and got a bit dull.  Still, the mythology had more involvement in the story and the characters than GT did.  I liked how it took a different path than most mythology books now - less about the gods involvement and more about the heroes.

The Romance:

GT: It was really sweet, actually.  I was glad that it avoided the deadly trap of insta-love and instead developed over the time Henry and Kate spent together.  It felt a little like Beauty and the Beast in that things went much more slowly.  While I often didn't like Henry for some of the things he did, I thought he was a pretty nice guy and not the typical "bad boy" that you'd expect from a Hades character.  Surprisingly refreshing.

SC: I was not terribly impressed with the romance in this one.  While I saw some of the appeal of Lucas, I was annoyed with him for the most part.  He really did jerk Helen around a lot and he had a little too much of a stalker-y feel sometimes for my preferences.  I liked the way Helen and Lucas interacted and the fun they did have, when they weren't fighting or trying to kill one another though.  
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Things I Liked about GT:
I thought the story was really interesting.  I liked the different take on the Persephone myth, which wasn't precisely a repeat of history, but more of a continuation.  It was unique in that respect.  Also, while I was confused and wish I knew more for a lot of the book, I did find the ending to be surprising and yet satisfying.  It was a solid book that offered more than I expected and had a sweet romance to top it off.

Things I Liked about SC:
I quite enjoyed the way this one developed.  It was very complicated and interesting and took several turns I didn't expect.  I liked the minor supporting characters, particularly Claire and some of the Delos family.  They felt like people I would want to be friends with.  It was fun to have Helen learn about her powers and how she tried to get control of them.  Plenty of double crossing and mysterious motives made the ending very good too.  An all around solid debut. 
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Things I Didn't Like about GT:
I was a bit annoyed sometimes when they talked about people who were already dead being killed again.  I thought that was a little too unbelievable and made it hard to accept some of the story.  Yes, eventually it made sense, but I still thought it was weird and it drew me out of the story.  The writing is also not the best I've read, but has a lot of potential.  I'm impressed enough to read the next book and was really glad this one didn't end on a cliffhanger that made me need it NOW.

Things I Didn't Like about SC:
I think perhaps it felt a little too much like a first book, with some overdone phrases and too many pages of description.  I think it might have been a bit more solid if some of the info had been cut.  The story felt very similar to Twilight too - girl meets mysterious boy who wants to kill her, has a big "special" family that wants to stalk/protect her, etc, etc.  Some of this was good (I liked the Delos family) and some of it annoyed me (the waffling, sometimes creepy love interest).  But, I'm interested enough to want to read the next book to see what happens. 

Read-alikes:
Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan
Also a little like Goddess of Yesterday by Carolyn Cooney

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

mrg-factor: X
some implied stuff left to the imagination mostly

v-factor: ->
a couple of incidents, not too graphic

Overall rating: **** 
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BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for SC:
s-factor: !@
regularly throughout, but nothing too strong

mrg-factor: X
some talk, but nothing on page

v-factor: ->->
quite a bit of action fighting


Overall rating: ****

I'm really have a hard time picking one I liked more than the other. Anyone else read both?

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

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix AND Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Double Feature is an occasional feature where I discuss/review two books, often comparing and contrasting characters or elements that were similar or different.  I try my best to not include spoilers, or to give a spoiler warning before them, but because these reviews are more in-depth than regular reviews, it is possible there might be some plot points given away.  Read at your own risk.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: June 2003
ISBN: 9780439358071
Source: Library (audiobook)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: July 2005
ISBN: 9780439785969
Source: Library (audiobook)

 

I'm pretty sure these don't need summaries, so I'm not giving them ones :)

Things I Liked about HP5:
This is one where things begin to be very dark.  The Order plays a huge part in the book and the kids are so frustrated at not being invited into it, despite all they have accomplished.  It is also a pretty complex book with a lot of different things going on at once (Rowling is a master of the multiple plot lines).  I also remember when I first read it and I just hated what happened at the end - it was so sad.  There didn't seem to be much closure for Sirius' death (I really hope that didn't spoil someone).  I honestly thought he wasn't really dead.  What is that veil thing anyway?

Things I Didn't Like about HP5:
I really didn't like Harry.  Oh, the whining and the getting angry and the yelling were so annoying.  Listening to it on audio brought forward just how often he was mad and using that grumpy voice.  He has a real anger management issue in this one.  I think he does better at managing it in the next book, but he was annoying.  Also, the whole problem between Harry and Dumbledore seemed like a contrivance to help out the plot.  And it was really stupid on Dumbledore's part.

Things I Liked about HP6:
Being the penultimate book in the series, I think this must have been one of the hardest to write.  I remember learning tons of stuff about Horcruxes but still not really getting it.  I loved Harry's relationship with Dumbledore and how they seemed to finally work out their issues.  There is so much backstory that we finally learn too, but not enough.  Rowling saves most of the meat of it for the last book, of course.  Definitely the one that was the hardest after I read it to wait for the next book.  I love the character Slughorn, who is at once slimy and kind of a jerk and also not a bad guy, per se.  And, of course, I totally never saw the Half-Blood Prince coming.  A great surprise.  (Which, again, Rowling is a master of surprises.)

Things I Didn't Like about HP6: 
Don't remember much I didn't like about it, except for the big death scene.  It was pretty horrifying.  And I don't know how she managed to set it up so it was still possible to wonder about Snape being good or bad.  Really, her storytelling abilities are fantastic.

Read-alikes:
Not like it, but some similar stuff:
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for Both:
s-factor: !@
some, not tons

mrg-factor: X
enough snogging already :)

v-factor: ->->->
lots of action and fighting and scary stuff

Overall rating: *****

Sometimes I wish I could read these books again for the first time and experience all the surprises and excitement of learning what will happen next.

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

Dragonbreath and Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs by Ursula Vernon

Double Feature is an occasional feature where I discuss/review two books, often comparing and contrasting characters or elements that were similar or different.  I try my best to not include spoilers, or to give a spoiler warning before them, but because these reviews are more in-depth than regular reviews, it is possible there might be some plot points given away.  Read at your own risk.

Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon
Publisher: Dial
Publication date: June 2009
ISBN: 9780803733633
Source: Library 

Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs by Ursula Vernon
Publisher: Dial
Publication date: February 2010
ISBN: 9780803733657
Source: Library

 

Summary book 1:
Danny Dragonbreath definitely is not your typical student at the amphibian/reptile school he attends.  Being the only mythical creature there, it is especially hard to not be able to breathe fire and prove he is a dragon.  But, when he doesn't do so well on his report of the ocean, he can call on his cousin the sea serpent to help him out.  Actually seeing and touching underwater creatures, especially the giant squid, is much more thrilling than simply reading about them.

Summary book 2:
In Danny and Wendell's next adventure, the foreign exchange student Suki is being stalked by ninja frogs.  The boys must visit Japan in order to find out just why those ninja frogs are after her.  Can Danny find his fire breathing abilities in time to save them from the deadly frogs?

Things I Liked about both:
The books are short and so, so funny. They have this quirky cast of reptiles, amphibians and, of course, Danny the dragon.  He and his best pal Wendell the iguana sound very much like typical tween boys, avoiding homework and bullies left and right, having first time crushes on cute girls.  It is full of tween humor and absolute silliness, plus the mix of comic strips, illustrations, and text make these books an easy choice for reluctant readers. Here are some of my favorite funny parts from both:

Danny hated standing still for anything.  It was just dragonish nature.  Dragons slept on their hoards, they fought knights, they occasionally flew around terrorizing peasants, but they didn't usually stand still.  (It's worth noting that Danny's parents had never terrorized a peasant in their lives, and Danny's mother always volunteered to bring goodies to the school bake sale, but really, it was the principle of the thing.) p 16-17, book 1

A ferocious predator, what the common potato salad lacks in bone structure, it more than makes up for in viciousness.  A school of potato salad can skeletonize a cow in under two weeks, assuming that the cow doesn't get bored and move. p 30, book 1

He was feeling rather disillusioned by the whole adventure.  Ninjas were apparently jerks, and Suki didn't want to be a ninja queen.  Plus, there was no super-secret kung fu technique for breathing fire, and the grand quest to find the enemies of the Spurtongue Clan involved a fifteen-minute walk and a mailbox.  If they made a king fu movie out of this adventure, it would probably be called Savage Fist of Boredom. p 106-107, book 2

Things I Didn't Like about both: 
They are very light on plot.  There isn't much purpose to the books, except to tell a funny story with maybe a little learning about the ocean or about Japanese culture on the side.  Simple, quick, and entertaining, but not much else.
 
Read-alikes:
Adventures of Ook and Gluk and other Dav Pilkey books

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for both:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

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

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Double Feature is an occasional feature where I discuss/review two books, often comparing and contrasting characters or elements that were similar or different.  I try my best to not include spoilers, or to give a spoiler warning before them, but because these reviews are more in-depth than regular reviews, it is possible there might be some plot points given away.  Read at your own risk.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication date: 2005
ISBN: 9780689865381
Source: Library (book group)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: February 2011
ISBN: 9780061726828
Source: ARC provided by Traveling ARC Tours and e-copy through NetGalley

 

Summaries:
Uglies: Tally is just counting the days until she turns sixteen and can turn pretty.  In a world where everyone is gorgeous and happy, she is ready for her turn.  When she meets a new friend Shay, who talks about being pretty as if it isn't the most important thing, she thinks it's a joke.  Until Shay runs away and leaves the world of pretties behind.  Tally is then faced with a desperate choice between friendship and being pretty.

Delirium: Lena can't wait until she's gotten the cure.  In a world where amor deliria nervosa (ie love) is a disease, Lena wants the security and stability that will come from having calm if cold relationships.  After all, love is dangerous and will eventually kill you.  But, life has other plans for her.  Into her rigid and structured life comes a boy and Lena does the unthinkable.  She falls in love.

Similarities: 
Apart from the obvious, that they are dystopian books, these books had some other things in common.  The thing I first noticed was that there is a "cure" of sorts.  In Delirium (hereafter D), it is a cure for delirium nervosa, while in Uglies (hereafter U) it is a cure or procedure to get rid of ugliness.  The cure is what the entire novel revolves around in both.  

Also, in both books, the main character begins by believing wholeheartedly in the cure.  They are looking forward to the day when they will receive it and they are even both counting down the days until it happens.  It is also a close girl friend who first puts into our characters' minds the idea that it may not be what they think it is.  Hana in D is Lena's best friend and she appears not to be like most people - not afraid to speak out against the cure and the government that institutes it.  In U, Shay is the one who first gets Tally thinking about what being pretty might mean.  Shay and Hana also both encourage Tally and Lena to do things that are illegal like sneaking out and visiting forbidden places.  

A third similarity is in the male love interest.  For Lena in D, she meets Alex, who she at first believes is cured and therefore safe.  As time goes on (*spoiler*) she learns he is an uncured like her and also from outside of her town, the place where traitors and invalids live. (*end spoiler*)  Similarly, Tally in U meets David, who is unmistakably still an ugly, but who lives outside of the government's sway in a place where traitors and those who aren't cured live.  These boys open the eyes of both Lena and Tally to seeing that there is so much more to life that what they think and what the government tells them it should be.  Also, the main character visits these outside places at least once during the story.

Differences:
There are, of course, things that are very different about these two books.  One big difference is the presence of the government.  While it is obvious that both control everyday life, in U it was much more proactive in destroying those who don't obey the rules.  They actively seek out the Smoke and try to eradicate them.  In D, they keep outsiders away from those in the cities largely by fear and lining the borders with fences and electricity.  They were not interested in going outside of their cities and finding people after they initially thought they got rid of them all.  

The cures are also different, of course.  In U, it is obvious at first glance when someone hasn't had the cure - they are still ugly.  Also, (*spoiler*) there is more to the cure than just getting rid of ugliness, a part of the brain that is changed so people don't think much. (*end spoiler*)   In D, you can only tell if a person is cured by a small scar on their heads - a scar which could be faked.  Everyone knows that the cure for delirium nervosa affects how people feel and seems to dull all of their sensibilities.  There was no government effort to hide side effects or things of that sort.  Also, it was not really optional to receive the treatment in D, whereas there are a few people mentioned in U that choose to remain ugly.  There are no severe consequences mentioned in relation to those who choose that, except they aren't welcome in the pretty societies.  

Things also are different in relation to Hana and Shay later on.  While Shay is still very much opposed to the cure and escapes from that life into the Smoke, Hana's rebellion will not lead her to give up her current life.  She plans to stay in the city and receive her cure.

Things I Liked in Uglies:
This was my second time reading Uglies, for our book group.  We had a lot of lively discussion of this title, and everyone seemed to enjoy the book.  We all loved the society and the impact it made on our own views of what's beautiful.  I loved having a chance to reread it and get a more in-depth look at what Westerfeld might have been saying.  Most of us, on first reading, just get sucked into the fast-paced story and what will happen next.  This time around, I was struck by the comparisons Westerfeld and even the main characters made between the operation and growing up.  They often talk about "growing up" and thinking about what they want to look like, but the main part of the story is when Tally grows up in completely different ways.  She finds a little bit of herself at a time to love, even while she's ugly.  A lot to discuss and also a lot of fun.  Still one of my favorite dystopian books.

Things I Liked in Delirium:
This is a book that will make you think long and hard about almost everything in your life.  But, especially your relationships.  It will force you to look at them and remember why you love those people and what you would do for them.  It questions why we love and how we love and what we want from life.  At the risk of repeating that word too many times, I loved it.  Not only does Lena deal with falling in love with someone, but her relationships with her best friend, a young cousin, and her mother, are all woven into the plot.  Oliver's writing is beautiful; I don't know how many passages I marked in the book, but it felt like every page had something I wanted to share.  She has a talent for evoking feeling in every sentence and metaphors that feel so real and vivid, it's impossible to see things in any other way.  I was particularly intrigued by the dystopian world that was created.  It was very well developed and I especially enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter from a book that managed to change a lot of familiar stories.  It was awesome.  I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time to come.  I think that is a sign of a great book.  I think these quotes also catch the essence of this book really well, both the writing and the content.  If you aren't at least intrigued, I'll be surprised.

It's only slightly better than the other word that followed me for years after my mom's death, a snakelike hiss, undulating, leaving its trail of poison: Suicide.  A sideways word, a word that people whisper and mutter and cough: a word that must be squeezed out behind cupped palms or murmured behind closed doors.  p 10-11 of ARC

Most of us won't see each other after graduation, and even if we do it will be different.  We'll be different.  We'll be adults, cured, tagged and labeled and paired and identified and placed neatly on our life path, perfectly round marbles set to roll down even, well-defined slopes. p 90 of ARC

I said that without love, there could also be no hate: without hate, no violence.  Hate isn't the most dangerous thing, he'd said.  Indifference is. p 362 of ARC

It occurs to me that this numbness, this feeling of separation, must be what she and every cured experiences all the time: as though there is a thick, muffling pane of glass between you and everybody else.  Hardly anything penetrates.  Hardly anything matters.  They say the cure is about happiness, but I understand now that it isn't, and it never was.  It's about fear: fear of pain, fear of hurt, fear, fear, fear - a blind animal existence, bumping between walls, shuffling between ever-narrowing hallways, terrified and dull and stupid. p 383 of ARC

Things I Didn't Like in Uglies:
The beginning does move a bit slow, before Shay takes off.  Otherwise, I really just loved reading it again.  

Things I Didn't Like in Delirium:
I was kind of a little surprised that she went with the ending she did.  While I expected something of the sort, I was rather hoping for something a little different.  Mind you, it was a seriously twisty ending and I nearly dropped the book when I read it, but it just wasn't what I thought it would be.  Which, actually now that I think about it, is more of a strength of the book and something I like than something I don't like. :)  Maybe it's because I want more books about this world and I can't tell if there will be from the ending.  I hope so.  The only other problem I had was the beginning being a little slow in places.  Oh, and the slightly unbelievable premise that people wanted to eradicate love.  But, these are minor squibbles.  Read it!

Read-alikes:
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Matched by Ally Condie
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Giver by Lois Lowry

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for Uglies:
s-factor: !
maybe a few

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some action sequences and scary parts

Overall rating: *****
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BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for Delirium:
s-factor: !@#
very few in number, but some f-words

mrg-factor: X
some moments, but it was really quite tame

v-factor: ->->->
there are some rather violent scenes

Overall rating: *****

What do you think? Have you read them both?

Posted as part of Presenting Lenore's Dystopian February celebration. Check it out!

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