Micro Reviews: Finishing Up 2013, Part 1

This is annoyingly painful and rather insane, but I'm just posting the rest of my 2013 books so I can forget worrying about reviewing them (um, 20+ of them, so this is only part 1). Feel free to skip it or laugh at my attempts to recall what it is I read about...


The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Intense, fast-paced, alien invasion story.  Couldn't put it down, but maybe a bit too gory for me to adore it.


Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Seriously geeked-out virtual reality world, complete with quest (of course).  Could have done without all the cussing, but enjoyed lots of the 80s references.


A Soldier's Secret: The Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss
A real-life woman-disguised-as-a-man during the Civil War.  Seemed rather like a bunch of episodes cobbled together like vignettes, but was still intriguing enough to keep me reading.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
So much creepier than the retelling I read, The Turning.  And the ending totally leaves it up in the air as to what really happened.


The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
Love the humor in this book, but found the story a bit dull in places.  Also, Egyptian mythology, like most ancient mythologies, is suuuuuuper weird.


Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin
Crazy convoluted and strange plot.  I had a hard time following (and thus buying) what happened.  Also, I seem to recall spotting some big plot holes, but since it's been so long, I don't remember a single one :)


Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill
Interesting futuristic tale, but lacking in details to really flesh out that world.  I had a hard time jumping into the story because of all the crazy lingo too.


Ironskin by Tina Connolly
Definitely one of the oddest Jane Eyre retellings I've read, but with an interesting fairy aspect that made it unique.  Nowhere near as moving as the original, though.


Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
It's absolutely painful, the every-day brutal reality so many people experienced in concentration camps.  Moving and heart-rending.


The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy
A lot of light-hearted Prince Charming humor, as entertaining and funny as the first one.


Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
A fun and thoughtful retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel.  Not as wonderful as For Darkness Shows the Stars, but still entertaining.


Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier
Complete with Marillier's gorgeous writing and complex world-building, this fairy story kept me entertained, despite a rather too-good-to-be-true heroine. Second in the Shadowfell series.


Fox Forever by Mary Pearson
More of Pearson's thoughtful medical ethics complete with full-scale rebellion.  I love how believable this future seems!  Last of the Jenna Fox Chronicles (I think).

Bravo to you if you read this!  Anything on here you loved/hated?

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Book Review: The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson

The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Publication date: August 2011
Pages: 304
Source: ARC provided by publisher
For: Review
Series: Jenna Fox Chronicles, Book 2

*Spoilers for The Adoration of Jenna Fox*
Two hundred and sixty years after Jenna woke up, her two best friends Kara and Locke have finally been released.  After spending centuries locked inside their own memories in the dark, the two are trying to adjust to a new life, in a completely new world.  As they learn more about their new place in this world, they become more and more anxious to find the one person they remember from before: Jenna.

Things I Liked:
I'm always excited to read books about future ethical issues, particularly medical ethics.  And this book also has a fabulous story to go with it.  It has complex and interesting characters, internal and external conflict, and all the makings of a spanking good story.  I love how Pearson's future world felt realistic and totally believable - I can see how these types of medical advances just might be possible.  I liked being in Locke's head, feeling all that he experienced being in a new world and trying to figure things out, all while still dealing with the horrible past he couldn't forget.  A book that will make you think deeply about what being human means.  Here's  some of my favorite parts:

I have a fabricated body. I am in a world that is completely different from the one I was born into. What I think is all I have left. My mind is the only thing that makes me different from a fancy toaster. What we think does matter - it's all we truly have. p 105

My surprise at the mission suddenly clicks. I didn't picture a future that would have room for faith. I thought everything would be explainable by now, right down to the atom of every mystery, but the world has more mysteries for me now than it ever did. In fact, I am one of those mysteries. How does someone like me fit into this world now? p 180-181

I told you Bots dream. At least some of us do, whether we are supposed to or not, we dream. Some of us think beyond our cabs, we imagine where our customers go and what things they see. When they jump into our cabs, we imagine where they have been, and how it has changed them.their worlds become our secret worlds, and sometimes we share those places with others like us and sometimes ed even dare to dream that those worlds could be lures knew day. We don't know if that could ever be true for us, but we hear stories. And now...I am one of those stories. Escape is not about moving from one place to another. It's about becoming more. p 249-250

Things I Didn't Like:
Despite the great story surrounding Locke and Kara, I was not as interested as when we were in Jenna's head in the first book.  Also, some parts of it were slow and made me want to put it down. Still, I wholeheartedly enjoyed this sequel/companion novel to one of my favorite futuristic books, The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

Read-alikes:
Start with The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few

mrg-factor: X
a little bit implied

v-factor: ->
a bit here and there, nothing too gory

Overall rating: ****

What's your favorite thing about futuristic books?

Looking for more dystopian goodness?  Be sure to stop at Presenting Lenore's Dystopian February celebration.

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

Mini Reviews 2

It's time for another episode of...mini reviews (which, I've been calling "minis" in my head).  Here are several short reviews with even shorter summaries.  Enjoy!
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Big Nate Strikes Again by Lincoln Peirce
Source: ARC sent by publisher

Nate's chance to be Fleeceball captain is tainted only by having A-plus Gina on his team - and as his history partner.

My thoughts: This series is a fun glimpse at sixth grade life according to one underacheiver boy.  I liked the rivalry between Gina and Nate and how that played out.  I thought it was really a fun story and both Elementary School and MG kids will love the format - cartoons mixed with text and illustrations.  Nate's approach to research was also a fun part, adding a little substance to the silliness of the book.  A perfect series for reluctant readers and Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans.  This one can stand alone quite well (I haven't read the first), but I'm sure kids will want to read them all - boys and girls alike.
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Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong
Source: Won ARC from Ally Condie

A collection of short paranormal stories, all dealing with a journey of some kind, featuring fairies, vampires, ghosts, psychics and everything in between.

My thoughts: It's hard to review a book with such a diverse collection of stories!  There were some I loved and a few I thought were forgettable.  I'm sure there will be something here for everyone.  A few favorites: Carrie Ryan's "Scenic Route" (vivid), "Niederwald" by Rachel Vincent (makes me want to read her series), "Let's Get This Undead Show on the Road" by Sarah Rees Brennan (almost solely for the title), "Leaving" by Ally Condie (oh, I hope she writes a series in this world) "At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show" by Jessica Verday (so wild) and "Gargouille" by Mary E. Pearson (what an interesting idea).  There were quite a few short stories from series I hadn't finished or read, so those might be factors in why I didn't like them.  Definitely worth the read!
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The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood and the Duchess of Northumberland
Source: Review copy sent by publisher

Jessamine, the daughter of a well-known apothecary, is forbidden from entering the poison garden, but when a stranger comes to stay, she might just end up there anyway.

My thoughts: I liked learning a bit more about poisonous flowers and plants, not to mention the healing powers of them.  The story kept me reading, to see where she was going with it (I really had no idea, since I hadn't heard much about the book and couldn't quite decide where she'd take it).  But I was a bit bored by the characters.  Jessamine was not interesting to me, simply a naive girl who did what her father told her to and fell in love with the first person to come along.  I knew what was happening before the big reveal at the end, though there were still a few surprises.  What bothered me the most was how disjointed and strange the story became near the end.  The apothecary garden and its inhabitants played such a weird part, I honestly had no idea why they were in the book.  The ending felt abrupt, though there are sequels, but I was pretty disappointed, so I doubt I'll read them.  I think someone really into gardens and plants might like this, but the ending might be too much to swallow.
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The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Source: Audiobook from the library

Jenna wakes up from a coma to find everything is different, including herself.

My thoughts: Since I've reviewed this once before, I thought I'd just do a quick recap after my recent listen. I was annoyed occasionally with the young-sounding narrator for Jenna.  She sounded a bit too young for 17 (like 14 maybe).  But, most of the time, she did a really good job. I love the sticky medical ethics issues; I loven how nothing is black and white (in the interview Pearson gave at the end, she said she loves to write about gray areas) and you can't decide what you should think, let alone what Jenna should.  It has such a great teen feel woven into the futuristic science fiction feel.  It's definitely one of my favorite "dystopian" books ever.  I need to read this one for a book club so I can discuss it in depth!
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The Flint Heart by katherine and john paterson
Source: Audiobook from the library

A mysterious rock from the past affects people and creatures alike - making them angry and violent.  It's up to Unity and Charles to find out how to free them all from its evil influence.

My thoughts: Short, sweet, and filled with interesting creatures, this fairy tale would make an awesome read-aloud for younger kids.  I really need to get my hands on a hard copy to see the illustrations, since I'm sure they add so much to the story.  Admittedly, I found some of the story boring, but that might be just my adult sensibilities getting in the way.  
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Read any of these?  
 

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

Book Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Foxis the story of Jenna Fox (duh) who wakes up suddenly from a year-and-a-half long coma. She can tell some things are different. She has no memories of who she was and no understanding of who she is. Her story unfolds as she discovers it herself when memories and other pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place.

This was a really well-written, interesting, and powerful book. I loved the ethics ideas explored. I loved the indentity-crisis theme. I loved that I was able to relate to the feelings and emotions Jenna felt, even though I am not in anything like her situation (or her age for that matter). A really great book that even adults can relate to (says this adult). [I don't know if it would technically be sci-fi, maybe more futuristic?]

RATINGS:
s-factor: !
A smattering of words throughout.

mrg-factor: none.
Just kissing (I don't think that counts as mrg...)

v-factor: ->
An intense situation that is rather quickly resolved and in a pretty non-violent way.

Overall rating: ****