Fablehaven:Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: March 2010
ISBN: 9781606412381
Source: Library
This is the final installment of the exciting Fablehaven series. Seth and Kendra and the Knights of the Dawn must beat the Sphinx to the last keys to the demon prison. They travel to distant and hidden preserves, hoping to get there before the Sphinx and to prevent him from recovering what they already have. As new twists and surprises arise, it is a time for alliances between all those who want the world as they know it to survive. Will that be enough?
Things I Liked:
Non-stop action. I love how many twists and turns the story took. It was a hard path and not everything went right, which I think is a great thing for a kid's book. I also love how the ending was not what was expected. Bad guys are not all bad. What a crazy imagination Mull has with so many different creatures and magical beings and unique settings. I definitely think it rivals Harry Potter in imagination. I used to not like Seth much. He makes mistakes and acts like a moron. But, he grew on me and I really enjoyed his humor in this one. Um, I had a lot of quotes I liked:
"Seth continued to mourn for the lost hand. He could have hidden it beneath Kendra's covers. He could have tied a string around it and left it dangling from a shower head. He could have displayed it proudly on a shelf in his room. He quietly vowed to keep all of these possibilities in mind if a severed zombie hand ever fell into his lap again." p 27
"All right. Since the world is about to end, why not give an impossible jailbreak one last try?" p 152
"Hello, cell. How are you? Still dank and horrible? Sorry to hear it. Me? I've decided to take up a new hobby. Talking to my room. It's a lot like talking to myself, but slightly more pathetic." p 181
"Making mistakes is part of learning to choose well. No way around it. Choices are thrust upon us, and we don't always get things right. Even postponing or avoiding a decision can become a choice that carries heavy consequences. Mistakes can be painful - sometimes they cause irrevocable harm - but welcome to Earth. Poor choices are part of growing up, and part of life. You will make bad choices, and you will be affected by the poor choices of others. We must rise above such things." p 279
"I have to believe our wills are stronger than the allure of some fruit," Bracken said. "To be slain by a troll or a chimera would be sad. But to destroy ourselves to scratch an itch would be so pathetic I refuse to accept the possibility." p 293-294
"I believe this name makes reference to this moment. No star can abide the light of the dawn, nor has evil ever loved light." p 527
"Some imagine the difference between heaven and hell to be a matter of geography. Not so. The difference is much more evident in the individuals who dwell there." p 562
Things I Didn't Like:
It seemed a little bit long. But enjoyable anyway, because I couldn't put it down. Definitely a good one for both boys and girls and big fantasy fans.
Read-alikes:
Read the first four books in the Fablehaven series
It isn't exactly similar to Harry Potter, but I think some fans will like it as much
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->->
fighting is common, but not gory
Overall rating: ****
Have you read this series? What did you think?
And on to day 3. Wherein I will try to squeeze a bit of time in here and there. We'll see. I've gotten about 1 hr 30 min this morning. I probably won't get back to computer stuff until this evening, since I've got things to do during the day. I've been working on some Listless Monday posts. I also realized I'm going to have to go check on some of my old links from tags - but that might have to wait for another day!
Total time: 15 hrs 30 min
Update 1: Yeah, I've only had about an hour since I last posted. Not the most amazing weekend dedicated to the blog. I may have a bit more time tonight, but I doubt it. I've done a few final things on my list noted below. But, for now, I'm posting my final time as:
Total time: 16 hrs 30 min
It's been a blast when I had the time and thanks for all your kind comments about my progress! Hopefully I won't put off all the housekeeping until the next Bloggiesta! Thanks Natasha for being such a fabulous host!
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
It's a fresh new day for working on the blog and I've finally gotten started again. I'm bringing the list from yesterday's post to this one to mark my progress. I'm hoping to work on some aesthetic elements of the blog today. Be sure to check out my brave new double feature, where I compare/contrast two similar books. I posted the first review today - I'd love to know what you think. (You can find it just below this post.)
Update pictures/links
Save a copy of the blog
Add widgets
Organize sidebars
Update blog list
Update archives
Update goodreads
Update challenge posts
Work on tags
Write reviews
Think of post ideas
Think of Listless Monday ideas
Create Listless Monday page
Possibly change header (again :)
Update 1: I've been at it for about 3 hours now and haven't come up with any major changes I'd like for my blog header and style. I do like blogger's new feature that lets you play with the template. Perhaps I'll have to put those changes on hold for now. I have to step away from the computer for a while now, but hopefully I'll have more time this evening. I also did Puss Reboots mini-challenge and got an email subscription service up for those who don't do RSS feed subscriptions. You can see that on the left sidebar.
Total time: 11 hrs 50 min
Update 2: Total fail. Seriously, I've been so busy from this morning until now (11 pm) that I've only gotten about 2 hr 10 min in the whole time. What can you do? And I didn't accomplish something new on the list, but I've been adding tags for the star-ratings from my reviews. Hopefully those might be useful (though with 100+ items with 4-star reviews, maybe not). And now I've got to hit the sack because I'm beat. Hopefully I'll be able to do some more tomorrow, but it's looking pretty full too. Thanks for all your awesome comments and encouragement!
Total time: 14 hrs
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
I'm doing a joint review - a kind of compare and contrast between these two books (now called a Double Feature). I read them almost one after the other, quite by coincidence, and it became immediately apparent that they are based on the same myth or story. It was already fairly familiar to me, from the story in Fallen by Lauren Kate. But these two are more similar to each other than Kate's version. I thought it would be interesting to look at them together.
My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares (Adult)
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publication date: June 2010
ISBN: 9781594487583
Source: ARC provided by publicist
The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller (YA)
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: August 2010
ISBN: 9781595143082
Source: ARC from Traveling ARC Tours
The Plot:
MNIM: Daniel has been following Sophia for many lives - more than a thousand years he's been searching, finding, and losing her. He is not like most people - he can remember his past lives. And each memory of her is burned into his mind, haunting him in every new life. When he finally works up the courage to talk to her, Lucy in this newest life, he ends up scaring her off. Lucy does not remember Daniel. Not when she was Sophia or Constance or any of the others. But, something is beginning to awaken those memories and she is haunted by what might be memories of her past life and love. Will they have a chance to love each other and live a life together or will another force intervene?
TEO: Haven has spent all her life in Snope City, Tennessee - a tiny town with an even tinier tolerance for different people. When she starts having visions of a boy she is certain she knows and loves, her strict grandmother and the local pastor are convinced she's possessed by a demon. But Haven isn't so certain. She sees Ethan in visions and herself with him. She knows the city of New York very well for someone who's never been there. She's also seen her own fiery death in vision. Convinced she's having visions of a former life, she manages to escape her overprotective grandmother and get to New York to find Ethan. But even as she finds him and visits the Ouroborus Society for those who've been reincarnated, she must continue to unravel the murky details of her last life, before her current one ends in a similar tragedy.
Similarities: Obviously, both about reincarnation and the love story that draws Daniel/Ethan and Lucy/Haven together in multiple lives. Also, in both there's a third party that attempts to come between them - one of the reasons for their long thwarted love lives.
Differences: While MNIM talks a lot about both of their former existences, TEO really only talks about the current life and the one just before it. MNIM focuses on trying to convince Lucy that she and Daniel really did know and love one another before, whereas in TEO Haven doesn't take much convincing - it's the what happens after that matters.
The Characters:
Daniel, to me, was mostly just creepy. He basically stalked Lucy in most of her previous lives and in her current one - that is, until it became important for him to watch out for her. Just the way he tried to convince her she was in love with him was blech to me. I really preferred Ethan. Even though in his current life he was not admirable or even terribly nice, he didn't force himself on her (as much). He basically was the one waiting around for her to find him. Plus, I liked how his role in the book was less "perfect guy who's loved me for centuries" and more mysterious and uncertain in his motives. Though he was kind of a controlling jerk too. Neither one was terribly desirable, if you ask me. Lucy, on the other hand, I did like. I like how she wasn't all swoony for him (right away) and didn't exactly trust him. Haven kind of fell hard for Ethan and then had to backtrack later on. She made an idiot of herself over and over again.
The Eternal Love Thing:
It's kind of a nice idea in theory, but neither book really had me convinced. To have a guy who stalks you for centuries and persuades you in each life that you are already in love with him? Not so much desirable. For real life? I'll stick with my fell-in-love-in-this-life husband.
Things I Liked from MNIM:
I thought the best part of this one was the way it looked at memory and relationships. Daniel was so focused entirely on his past and his lost chances that he didn't want to face the actual opportunity to be with Lucy, despite the fact that it is exactly what he wanted. Lucy was caught up in fear and not knowing who Daniel was or what part he might actually play in her life. It was interesting to me to watch each of them change and realize what holds them back from love and happiness. It was also really well written, bringing to life different centuries and times with vivid detail. An excellent journey. Some favorite quotes:
Doubts, compromises, and disappointments little and big - those usually reside around the eyes, but there are no rules. The hopes usually lurk around the mouth, but so does bitterness and tenacity. A sense of humor is easy to spot around the eyebrows, and so is self-deception. p 56 of ARC
Smell was like the wormhole connecting you to the other parts of your life. Memories of smell didn't fade, and they short-circuited your entire psychology - they didn't tunnel through endless experience or get loaded down by any part of your conscious mind. They stitched you instantly and fully to your other times, without regard to sequence. It was the closest thing to time travel on this earth. p 114 of ARC
Things I Liked from TEO:
The story was a lot more interesting. I liked how the ending wasn't exactly what you'd expect. With MNIM you kind of know exactly what will happen, even if you don't know how they will get there. But this one was so full of twists and turns, it was like riding a roller coaster without being able to see more than a foot in front of you! It was a ride, that's for sure. (After a while, this back and forth started to drive me a bit crazy though.) It was a lot more light-hearted than MNIM, with fun and quirky minor characters. They provided entertainment and relief from the heavy eternal love thing. Here's an interesting quote:
You see, faith means listening to your heart, not just your head. It's not about ignoring facts, it's about being willing to see around them sometimes. p 403 of ARC
Things I Didn't Like from MNIM:
Mostly stuff I already mentioned, like Daniel. Also, it had a touch too much mature romantic garbage for me. While I liked the philosophical feel, it needed a little more plot and action early on. It kind of dragged until we got near the end.
Things I Didn't Like from TEO:
Haven waffled like a breakfast food. While the ending was fast-paced and exciting with some twists and turns I didn't see (and some I did), I got really tired of her changing her mind over and over. Get a spine, girl! Also, more mature romantic garbage - seriously, what do you know about this guy? And you're just going to sleep with him?
Read-alikes (for both):
Reminded me of The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Fallen by Lauren Kate
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for MNIM:
s-factor: !@#$
plenty, much of it strong
mrg-factor: XXX
plenty of this too, though most wasn't graphic
v-factor: ->->
some fairly violent things, nothing described in great detail
Overall rating: ****
_________________________________________
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS for TEO:
s-factor: !@#
not overwhelming, but some strong language
mrg-factor: XX
some of this too, though mostly implied and not described
v-factor: ->
a little bit
also drug use and alcohol consumption were common
Overall rating: ****
What books would you like to see compared side-by-side?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
It's that time again! Time to do some blog housekeeping. Check out what Bloggiesta is all about at Maw Books. Here's my delightfully unrealistic list of stuff I desire to work on:
Update pictures/links
Save a copy of the blog
Add widgets
Organize sidebars
Update blog list
Update archives
Update goodreads
Update challenge posts
Work on tags
Write reviews
Think of post ideas
Think of Listless Monday ideas
Create Listless Monday page
Possibly change header (again :)
It is another dreadfully busy weekend for me, so I'm not going to be spending nearly enough time on this list. However, I'm shooting for 12 hours (out of 72, I know). I also hope to cross off at least 5-7 items on the above list. And maybe one or two mini-challenges. We'll see.
Update 1:
Well, I've had a good four hours this morning, just updating links and pictures. There were a lot of images missing! I think I'll be taking a break to clean and do some other stuff now, but hopefully I'll be back at it soon!
Update 2:
After some dreadfully boring cleaning, I got back to fixing things up! Note some of the things I've crossed off above, including a page for my Listless Monday themed booklists. I've spent about 2 hrs and 50 min since the above, so I'm about 6 hrs and 50 min, which is ok for me. I may have to take another break soon, though. Lots of things to do. I've done a few mini-challenges, including:
Update 3:
I've now added about another 2 hours to my total and finished writing the basics of my pending reviews. Watch for a hopefully interesting double feature review tomorrow! I'll probably be stopping for the night to finish up some stuff around the house. Back for more fun tomorrow!
Total time: 8 hrs 50 min
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
For the good of all book bloggers everywhere, I've compiled this list of the seven deadliest sins we tend to commit. I hope you can mend your ways if you happen to find yourself falling into one of these vices.
The Seven Deadly (Book Blogger) Sins*
Wrath
- When you may misinterpret another's comment/tweet/post as an insult to you, your ancestors, and several generations of your descendants. (Or maybe it wasn't misinterpreted and it actually was an insult intended for you, your ancestors, and several generations of your descendants.)
- When you learn ARCs are being sold for profit (pretty justified I think)
Greed
- When you say that you really must have more books. (Let's be honest, there is always going to be one more book you NEED. I know all about NEEDing books.)
Sloth
- When you realize that ARC you received has been sitting on your shelf for two months now and you really need to get it read, right after you finish this other book from the library that is due back tomorrow.
Pride
- When you are always posting about the next great book that arrived in the mail, just to say "ha, ha - I got one." (You know, kind of like this and this.)
Lust
- When you read one of those posts about the next great book that arrived in someone else's mailbox and not yours.
Envy
- When you read everyone's BEA and BBC posts. Or read about someone's awesome connections with authors, publishers, and other bloggers you really wish you knew. (I've talked at length about this before.)
Gluttony
- When you go to the library (or the book store) and come home with a towering stack of books so enormous that you can't possibly finish them in your lifetime (or before they are due anyway).
Watch out for these deadly sins - they might drag you down to the pit of endless burning books. And we definitely don't like burning books.
*[note: please read these not as an insult to your honor, but mostly as a good laugh at myself and our sometimes quirky book blogging culture]
What's your deadly bookish sin?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: December 2009
ISBN: 9781599904306
Source: Library
Nimira is a music-hall performer who left her home country behind for a new life. When Hollin Parry, a sorcerer invites her to perform with a unique piano-playing automaton, she thinks it can only be an improvement to her current life. But, Nim is surprised to discover the automaton is housing a cursed fairy prince and she is determined to save him. Will she be able to save him in time to prevent an imminent war from erupting?
Things I Liked:
It really was a unique story. I've never read a love story where the heroine falls in love with a fairy prince trapped in an automaton's body. It was pretty refreshing to not have a typical paranormal love story. I liked Nimira and Erris, though I think I liked Anni the most. There were a lot of details about the world Dolamore created that I wanted to know more about. I was intrigued by the different races, the different countries, and the magical elements. Here are some interesting tidbits:
"Every person has a reason to walk the earth, Mother always said. Sometimes the path leads in strange directions." p 93
"Some old women you can never imagine young, but you could picture Miss Rashten in an awkward sort of youth. I guessed she had not been happy, probably the type who couldn't flirt and never seemed to dress right, who came into her power when she got past the time when such things mattered." p 167
Things I Didn't Like:
I think it could have used more details. I thought there were unique things that she could have developed more, particularly the romance which was sweet, but not much else. The writing was just ok for me, but I definitely will be reading more from Dolamore in the future. I liked it and it showed lots of potential.
Read-alikes:
It had a bit of a Beauty and the Beast feel to it, so maybe Beauty by Robin McKinley
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few (I think)
mrg-factor: X
some minor implied things
v-factor: none
Overall rating: ***
Do you sometimes like to wait until all the hype about a book has died down before reading it?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
We the Children by Andrew Clements
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: April 2010
ISBN: 9781416938866
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Ben is just your average sixth grade boy, until the custodian surprises him by handing over a coin from the founder of the school and entrusting the protection of the school to him. Little does Ben realize that his school is in danger and he and an unlikely friend are the only ones who can save it. All of this amidst the regular difficulties of his life - a sailing race against an enemy and dealing with the separation of his parents.
Things I Liked:
It was a fast-paced and very quick read. The mystery that's introduced is intriguing and definitely makes you want to know what will happen next - especially since not much is told about it. Also the action race at the end was entertaining and fun. Most of the illustrations were just rough sketches, but the finished ones were fantastic! I can see they will add a lot to the story and keep it moving along. A great pick for reluctant readers, particularly boys.
Things I Didn't Like:
It was obviously an introduction to the series, where not a lot of information is given about the mystery and a whole lot of stuff was set up. I thought maybe a little more info in this short book would have helped, but it will definitely grab kids' attention and make them want the next book!
Read-alikes:
A bit like the 39 Clues series by multiple authors
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
Whew! I made it to the end of my first 48 Hour Book Challenge. I read last night for a while and managed to finish My Name is Memory - watch for my review coming soon. I started reading from The Eternal Ones. I knew both these books were about reincarnation, but I didn't know they were the same basic story! In fact, I didn't know that Fallen by Lauren Kate is also from this story (minus reincarnation). I'm going to have to look it up and see where it originates, because it's pretty interesting. However, since I'd just finished My Name is Memory, I needed a bit of a break from more reincarnation love story. I read a bit from Secret Speakers before I fell asleep. Then this morning I started on The Demon's Covenant. I tend to bounce around until I get sucked in. Anyway, here are my final numbers:
Time read: 3 hrs 20 min
Total time read: 21 hours (which is 5 hours more than my goal)
Time blogged/read blogs: 30 min
Total time blogged/read blogs: 3 hrs 10 min
(and I completely forgot to Twitter, pretty much the entire time)
Which brings my total participation time to: 24 hrs 10 min
Total number of books read: 2 (The Lost Conspiracy, We the Children), finished 2 I'd started earlier (My Name is Memory, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban [on audio]), started 3 (The Eternal Ones, Secret Speakers, and The Demon's Covenant)
Total pages read: 1055 (shockingly low, though I didn't include pages from the audio book)
Things I wish I'd done: chosen lots of short, younger aged books - I definitely should plan in advance, but the books I was reading were either due at the library or for review soon :)
It was so much fun reading with you all! Thanks for your words of encouragement! Thanks also to MotherReader for hosting this super fun and insane challenge.
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Since I managed to get about 10 hours yesterday, I'm rather ahead for reaching my goal of 16 hours! Yeah! I even managed to get up a bit earlier (a bit, not much). I'm a very sleep-oriented person, so I don't know that I'll ever be able to stay up all night reading. :) This morning (and today) I'm definitely going to finish The Lost Conspiracy and also My Name is Memory. Hopefully I'll get started on something else too - maybe Secret Speakers or The Eternal Ones.
Watch for my updates below throughout the day. And if you're reading too - Good Luck!
Update 1:
I'm still slugging along through The Lost Conspiracy and My Name is Memory - I can't seem to put them away for something short, but I'm nearly finished with both. Hopefully soon! It's a gorgeous day here too, so I think I'm going to spend some hours outside. I've still got laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping to do, but at least I'm nearing my 16 hour goal!
Time read: 2 hrs 30 min
Total time read: 13 hrs
Time blogged/read blogs: 1 hr
Total time blogged/read blogs: 2 hrs 25 min
Update 2:
So, stuff happened. I've been not able to read much in the last hours. I helped my dad with his fruit trees and then went to an outdoor activity with some friends...needless to say, I've got to buckle down for the last leg of the challenge. And finish those two books. Oy.
Time read: 2 hrs 15 min
Total time read: 15 hrs 15 min
Time blogged/read blogs: 10 min
Total time blogged/read blogs: 2 hrs 35 min
Update 3:
I've managed to (finally!) finish The Lost Conspiracy (all 566 pages of it). I've only got a few more for My Name is Memory as well, so I think I'll finish that one tonight. (BTW, enjoyed them both in very different ways!) I'm headed off to read in bed and will get a bit more reading in tomorrow morning (hopefully). Wrap up post probably will come tomorrow or Monday! Thanks for all the encouragement!
Time read: 2 hrs 25 min
Total time read: 17 hrs 40 min
Time blogged/read blogs: 5 min
Total time blogged/read blogs: 2 hrs 40 min
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
This is the first time I've done the 48 Hour Book Challenge (I've done the 24-hour read-a-thon a few times). And of course it's not the best weekend for me to spend reading non-stop, so I have low goals ~16 hours is what I'm shooting for. I'm starting it off by bringing my book to a doctor's appointment - that should give me plenty of time to read, right?
I have lots of books I need to read soon, so that kind of decided my choices. Right now, I'm starting with The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge - it is huge. I've also got The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller for an ARC tour. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares, Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier (also enormous), and Secret Speakers by K.S.R. Kingworth are all in the queue as well.
Update 1:
Thus far I haven't done too well, but considering the many distractions, not too poorly.
Time read: 5 hrs 50 min
Time blogged/read blogs: 1 hr
Update 2:
I've done a bit better, finishing my first book, We the Children by Andrew Clements (I figured I needed a short book for a break)
Time read: 2 hrs 30 min
Total time read: 8 hrs 20 min
Time blogged/read blogs: 20 min
Total time blogged/read blogs: 1 hr 20 min
Update 3:
I'm not very good at staying up late and reading. However, I am up past my regular bed time, so that's pretty good for me. I'm still in the middle of The Lost Conspiracy and My Name is Memory. Hopefully I'll finish them tomorrow.
Time read: 2 hrs 10 min
Total time read: 10 hrs 30 min
Time blogged/read blogs: 5 min
Total time blogged/read blogs: 1 hr 25 min
So, enough talk, let's read!
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
So, it's been a few weeks since I updated my library loot! How could I neglect it so long?
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (reloot)
Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling (audio book for road trip)
Mistwood by Leah Cypess (finally!)
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (yeah!)
For review:
Bogus by Karla Oceanak
Whistle Bright Magic: A Nutfolk Tale by Barb Bentler Ullman
And as a side note, reading everyone's advice about posting on Armchair BEA's BBC posts, I thought I'd throw in a little personal bit about me now and then. Here's the first bit, added here awkwardly at the end of my library loot post.
Gardening is one of my favorite things about summer (which I LOVE by the way). I love to work in the garden (which is ironic, because I hated it when I was a kid and had to pull weeds). However, it was pretty hard to downsize from a garden like this:
To one more like this:
Oh well, at least maybe I'll get a few fresh veggies. And there's certainly less weeding to be done! :) [edit: I just discovered that There's a Book hosts an A Bit of Me(Me) - and the question is about your favorite season! I think I'll start doing this meme to help me be more personal!]
Do you like a little personal info with your book blogs?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Everlasting by Angie Frazier
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: June 1, 2010
ISBN: 9780545114738
Source: ARC from Traveling ARC Tours
Camille is not your typical 1850s girl. She's grown up sailing the world with her father. But, when she embarks with him on her last voyage before getting married, she doesn't expect that this trip will change everything in her life. Her father is lost on the voyage, but she learns a secret about her mother, who she thought was dead, and a treasure that yields both great power and danger. Will she be able to keep her father's business from debt, find this dangerous treasure, and be able to master her growing feelings for the handsome sailor Oscar, who is definitely not her fiance?
Things I Liked:
The adventurous parts were very fun - nothing like a sailing and treasure-hunting story to make a book thrilling. When there were good sailing adventures or exciting parts, they were very good. I was caught up in those particular parts. The plot was quite twisty and kept me interested throughout, despite some of the slower parts (see below). It definitely was what kept the book moving and held it together. Camille was an interesting character, both wanting to please her father and live according to the expectations of the time, but also and wanting to be free of societal constraints.
Things I Didn't Like:
I thought the fantastical elements surrounding the treasure were very underdeveloped. The ending felt very rushed, not completely thought out and explained, and a bit too easy. While Camille did have to make a difficult choice, I thought that it still kept her from dealing with death in a healthy way. Also, while the overall plot was exciting, I did get bored at times. There were some lulls in places that drew me back from the story. But, a very good first novel and with some possibility for a sequel left in the ending.
Read-alikes:
A bit like The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few
mrg-factor: X
innuendo for the most part
v-factor: ->
some fighting
Overall rating: ***
Do you have a favorite action-adventure story?
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
I almost forgot to pick a winner for my Life As We Knew It contest! Fortunately, I remembered. So, the lucky winner is:
I've sent an email to you and hopefully I'll be getting this book to you as soon as possible! Thanks everyone for entering and for reading dystopian lit! I loved reading everyone's favorite things about dystopian books. The most common thing I noticed was how it has some element of believability. I wholeheartedly agree! I think if it is too far removed from our current sphere, it loses some of its potency. Also, many expressed gratitude for not living during those rough times. It sure does make me grateful too!
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: February 2008
ISBN: 9780060890902
Source: Library
Waiting for normal is taking a lot longer than Addie wants. She and her mother just moved into a tiny trailer in a new part of town. While her mother spends her time online and in chat rooms, Addie looks on the bright side of things: she's made friends with the people across the street, her stepfather and stepsisters love to spend time with her, she gets to play flute at her new school, and she loves her pet hamster. But, things start to get harder for her to smile about as her mom become increasingly absent in her life and she watches her stepfather start a new life without her. Will she ever arrive at normal or will she always be waiting?
Things I Liked:
The best word to describe this book is bittersweet. Addie stole my heart and the way she faced the difficulties in her life often broke it to pieces. The way she sticks by her mother, also while realizing she is not doing much to help their lives, just makes you want to cheer and cry. I think Addie is so real because, of course she'll defend her mother, of course she won't want people to know she's in trouble or alone. You keep wanting her to tell someone so she won't have to deal with it anymore, but you know why she doesn't. The book had me in tears in places, particularly when she decides she can't spend time with her stepfather and stepsisters anymore. Addie, who is very young, acts so much older than her age, though you can see sometimes how young she is. It was so sad to me that she had to grow up and basically care for her mom, when she should have been a little more carefree. Sobering, inspiring, heart-breaking.
Things I Didn't Like:
I don't know if I disliked it about the book, but her mother really drove me mad! Sometimes I wanted to slap her, but sometimes she really helped me understand how people like her become the way they are. We all know people like her in our lives and they usually make us angry, especially if they have children they can't take care of. But, I think this book helped me understand them better.
Read-alikes:
Invisible Lines by Mary Amato
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: none
Overall rating: *****
This book made me cry, unabashedly. What's a recent or favorite crying book for you?
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