--------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Book Review: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: December 2009
ISBN: 9780061575426

Source: Library

Darklight (Wondrous Strange (Quality)) 

Kelley's life has not been the same since she faced the Wild Hunt after Samhain Gate opened.  And ever since she learned she was a faerie princess, daughter of the Winter King and the Autumn Queen.  Now Sonny, her changeling Janus boyfriend, has been sent to faerie to defeat the rest of the Wild Hunt and she is left in the mortal world.  Despite missing him all the time, she manages to get into all kinds of tricky situations involving fae and other frightening creatures who are out to get her.  But, when she ends up back in Faerie, she and Sonny must face a deadly foe who is seeking to destroy them both.

Things I Liked:
I do like the beautiful setting Livingston has created for her Faerie and human worlds.  I love the descriptions and the way she sets up scenes and places so realistically.  Often, I felt and saw and smelled exactly what the characters experienced.  I am a big fan of some of the minor characters like Bob and Jack and Tyff.  I find them interesting and entertaining - admittedly more so than Kelley and Sonny.  They are kind of what kept me reading (well, and there was some pretty good action).  Here's a taste of the setting:

The late April breeze sifting through the cracked-open window bared sharp, chilly teeth, but in spite of that, Kelley's sheets were soaked with sweat, and she felt almost feverish. p 38
Things I Didn't Like:
I wasn't really interested in the story.  Mostly, this was because I felt like it wasn't going anywhere in particular - there seemed to be an awful lot of scenes of Kelley being stupid and chased by bad guys.  Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but I just couldn't follow the plot of this one.  It did pick up at the end, but by then I didn't care as much, so I skimmed through it.  Definitely not as satisfying as the first installment.  I know there are lots of fans who enjoyed it, so be sure to check what others said about it.  It was just cliff-hanger-y enough for me to probably pick up (or read a spoilery review of) the last one. 


Read-alikes:
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
quite a few uses, but mostly milder words


mrg-factor: X
really only kissing and longing to kiss


v-factor: ->->->
there was a lot of fighting and action, not too gory


Overall rating: **


Do plots and characters from multiple books sometimes start to run together in your head?

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

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Book Review: Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.
Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: April 2010
ISBN: 9780545207195

Source: Library

Fever Crumb 

Fever Crumb has grown up knowing she's an orphan.  Being raised by Dr. Crumb to be the only female engineer has also set her apart.  But her first assignment to aid an archaeologist with a project leads her into trouble.  Not only is she accused of being a Scrivener (a nonhuman race who once ruled the city of London), but she's also having memories and thoughts that aren't her own.  The worst part is, how can she know if she's a Scrivener or not?  And will it matter to the hunter who's sworn to rid the town of all Scriven?

Things I Liked:
What a fun and original story!  I loved the setting and feeling.  It was futuristic, but it also felt very much like steampunk, with some historical elements mixed with old fashioned technology.  The unique place and time, as well as the unique characters and dynamics of society was what made this book so delightful.  The story itself was very good too - kept you guessing, wondering who Fever was and why she was experiencing strange memories.  I will definitely be getting my hands on the Hungry City Chronicles soon! Here are some favorite parts:

"During the Scriven era there was a fashion for women to name their children after whatever ailments they suffered from while they were pregnant.  I have heard of people named 'backache,' 'Diarrhea'..."
"I knew a man once called Craving-For-Pickled-Onions McNee." p44
There were big lumbering cargo hoys like herds of sauropods, but Ruan's favorites were the gaudy, speedy tinker barges and traveling fairs.  Half the size of the sluggish hoys and twice as fast, they were painted in a million lurid shades, decked out with flags and chrome, and mirrors, and hung each night with strings of saffron lanterns.  Dizzy op-art spirals whirled on their wheel hubs, and their exhaust stacks were striped like gypsies' stockings.  And along their sides, in cutout letters as high as house fronts, they wore their names... p 79
Perhaps he realized, there at the end, that immortality wasn't won by designing engines, or building sky-high statues, or stuffing your thoughts into other heads, but just by keeping your children and their children safe, so that they could carry something of you on into the future.  Not your opinions, or your silly memories of pools and parties and kissing people in parks, but the deeper memories, written in your genes; the shape of a nose, the curve of an eyebrow, the little habits and mannerisms which endure through families, through history. p 294
Things I Didn't Like:
There were sometimes so many new things going on and strange words to describe them that I became lost.  It is something most science fiction or high fantasy worlds deal with, I think.  But, I caught on soon enough and enjoyed the rest quite a lot.


Read-alikes:
Hungry City Chronicles by Philip Reeve (Fever Crumb is a prequel to this series)

Leviathan and Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
while almost all is in futuristic language, some is still recognizable


mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some action violence and intense scenes


Overall rating: ****

What kinds of crazy things would you envision for humanity thousands of years from now?

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

Scholastic Prize Pack Winner!

It's time to choose the winner of the Scholastic prize pack giveaway - a stack of fun books for the tween reader in your life:

And that winner is:
Janilee

Congrats, Janilee!  I've sent you an email and sent your mailing info on to the publisher to get this package on its way!  

Thanks everyone for entering and a big thanks to Big Honcho Media and Scholastic for letting me host the giveaway!

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

Monday, December 6, 2010

Listless Monday, Christmas Edition

Listless Monday was inspired by both Amanda at A Bookshelf Monstrosity's feature Books by Theme and Court at Once Upon a Bookshelf's Listed feature.  Be sure to check out their lists!


I've noticed in my own Christmas reading (which seems to rarely happen around Christmas) that kids books are always way better than adult books.  You'll notice that reflected in this list, which is by no means anywhere near complete.  

Christmas Books

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck (suggested by Des)
Christmas in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
A Christmas Story: The Book That Inspired the Hilarious Classic Film by Jean Shepherd
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss 
It's Christmas, David! by David Shannon 
Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle (suggested by Court)
Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies (suggested by Tina)
The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore
Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Shulz
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
The Quiet Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott (suggested by Court)
The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale by Angela Elwell Hunt

Please share your favorite Christmas/holiday books!

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

Saturday, December 4, 2010

A Challenging New Year

I've been feeling a bit sad since I haven't seen anyone pick up the 100+ reading challenge that J.Kaye used to host.  However, I think I'll still challenge myself to read 150 books next year.  And, since I've got some ambition right now, I'm signing up for a few other challenges as well:

Photobucket

First up, I'm joining Kristi of The Story Siren's 2011 Debut Author Challenge, wherein I will try to read 15 debut titles next year:
[Read in 2010, but released in 2011: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand]
1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
2. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
3. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
4. Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
5. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth
7. Possession by Elana Johnson
8. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
9. Entwined by Heather Dixon
10. Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
11. The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
12. The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante
13. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
14. Abby Carnelia's One and Only Magical Power by David Pogue
15. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 
16. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
17. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
18. Populazzi by Elise Allen 
19. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
20. Clarity by Kim Harrington
21. Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
22. Wildwood by Colin Meloy


Photobucket
Next, I'm signing up for the Middle Grade Book Challenge hosted at Cindy's Love of Books, cause I love me some MG.  Technically it started in September, but I'll start counting in January (yeah for Cybils).  I'm going for 15 on this one too: 
1. The Shadows by Jacqueline West
2. The Magnificent 12: The Call by Michael Grant
3. Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon
4. Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs by Ursula Vernon
5. Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
6. Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
7. Reckless by Cornelia Funke
8. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
9. The Dead Boys by Royce Buckingham
10. Keeper by Kathi Appelt
11. Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
12. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
13. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
14. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
15. The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan
16. A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck (audio)
17. No Passengers Beyond This Point by Gennifer Choldenko
18. Under the Green Hill by Laura L. Sullivan
19. Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull
20. The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson
21. Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry 
22. Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson   
23. What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb 
24. Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis 
25. Abby Carnelia's One and Only Magical Power by David Pogue
26. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
27. Radiance by Alyson Noel
28. Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti
29. Cahoots by Karla Oceanak
30. The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
31. The Lost Heiress by Catherine Fisher
32. The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud 
33. The Giver by Lois Lowry 
34. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
35. Big Nate Strikes Again by Lincoln Peirce
36. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
37. The Flintheart by Katherine and John Paterson
38. Can You Survive: Jack London's Call of the Wild adapted by Ryan Jacobson
39. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
40. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
41. With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo
42. Wildwood by Colin Meloy
43. Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
44. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
45. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
46. The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman by Ben H. Winters
47. Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby


Photobucket
I'm also doing the YA Historical Fiction Challenge, hosted by YA Bliss, because I definitely need to read more historical fiction.  I'm shooting for level 2, which is 10 books: 
1. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
2. The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
3. The River Between Us by Richard Peck
4. Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
6. A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
7. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
8. With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo
9. Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
10. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

11. Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
12. This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel
13. Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby
Photobucket
And then I'm doing the e-book Reading Challenge, hosted by The Ladybug Reads and aiming for the addicted level, 12 e-books:
1. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
2. Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell
3. Outside In by Maria V. Snyder
4. Red Glove by Holly Black
5. Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry
6. The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
7. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
8. The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chima
9. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
10. Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef
11. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
12. Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
13. Moon Shot by Alan Shepard, Deke Slayton, and Jay Barbree
14. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
15. Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry
16. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
17. Vanish by Sophie Jordan
18. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
19. Slayers by C.J. Hill
20. He's So Not Worth It by Kieran Scott

And of course I'll still be working away at the Local Author Challenge, which is a perpetual challenge.   So I guess I'll be pretty busy all year round.  Here's to a year of reading!

Any challenges you HAD to sign up for?


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

Friday, December 3, 2010

Book Review: The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer


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

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer 
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: September 2002
ISBN: 9780689852237

Source: Library book club set and I own a copy, cause I love it so much!

The House of the Scorpion

Matteo is not your typical child.  He's a clone.  He spends the first years of his life alone with Celia, a servant, oblivious to what he is.  But, when he meets the family in the big house, he begins to learn just what being a clone means.  He's not human and no one treats him like that, except a very few people, including El Patron.  But, does El Patron treat him like a human because he is one or because of a more sinister interest in Matt?

Things I Liked:
I've loved this book since I first read it several years ago and this reread for my book group solidified my love.  There so much to discuss and think about!  I loved all of the ethical thoughts and questions that arise, simply because of the subject matter - human cloning.  Not only does it have these issues that make it interesting, but the story is fast-paced and you can't put the book down because you have to know what happens to Matt.  He is such an interesting character because you feel for him and all that he suffers, yet you also see he is flawed and makes stupid choices just like everyone else.  The world that slowly unfolds in the pages of the book is so interesting, because it feels real, like this is where our world is heading, which I think is a mark of a very good futuristic/dystopian book.  Great story, great characters, and our book group had a LOT to talk about.  It was a hit.  I think I like this one even more than The Hunger Games, which is really saying something!  All those shiny award stickers on the cover?  Totally deserves them.  One of my favorite parts:

What Matt hated about the creature was everyone's assumption that he and Furball were the same.  It didn't matter that Matt had excellent grades and good manners.  They were both animals and thus unimportant.  During Easter vacation Tom said good manners were no harder to learn than rolling over or playing dead.  Matt threw himself at him, and Maria ran shrieking for Tam Lin.  Tom was sent to his room without dinner.  Matt wasn't punished at all.  Which was okay with Matt, except that Furball wasn't punished for his crimes either.  He couldn't understand the difference between right and wrong.  He was a dumb beast and so, apparently, was Matt. p 85
Things I Didn't Like:
The beginning is a little slow, but picks right up after a few chapters.  I really wish we could have gotten a wider view of the world Farmer envisioned.  It seemed like there was so much more going on than just what happens in Opium and Aztlan (Mexico).  I'd really like for her to write another book set in this time and place (which I've heard is in the works).


Read-alikes:
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
very few


mrg-factor: X
they talk about affairs, but nothing happens on page


v-factor: ->->
there is some rather frightening stuff, not much physical violence


Overall rating: *****

What's your most highly recommended futuristic/sci-fi/dystopian book?

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

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Giving the Library a Break

(hosted by Marg of Adventures of an Intrepid Reader and Claire of The Captive Reader)

So, it's that time of the year again.  The time when I have to put all of my holds on hold.  I was starting to feel pressured to read both my review copies and my library books before they were due.  And with Christmas coming up and a vacation out of town, I figured it was best to just do it now.  It may be some time before I get to do another Library Loot post, since I've put them on hold until the end of January, in anticipation of my Cybils reading.  So, here's (probably) the last for a while:

Bright Blue Miracle by Becca Wilhite
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

I also got some great treasures in the mail:
The Lost Saint by Bree Despain (yeah!)
The End of the World Club by J&P Voelkel
Invisible Things by Jenny Davidson
The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression by Ida Lichter

I won a signed copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness from Jill at The O.W.L

What did you get?

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

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Book Review: Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: August 2010
ISBN: 9780312656263

Source: review copy provided by publisher

Halo 

Bethany, Ivy, and Gabriel are not your typical family.  They have been sent on a special mission - an angelic mission - to save the citizens of Venus Cove.  While Gabriel and Ivy have been able to adjust to life on earth and still maintain their angelic aloofness, Bethany finds herself feeling more like a human sometimes than an angel.  Especially when she meets Xavier, a handsome and kind human boy at her school.  But things are about to get a lot more complicated with the arrival of a new student with a dangerous history.

Things I Liked:
The book has a lot of good things going for it.  I enjoyed the religious aspect of these angels, which I've found is missing in a lot of recent teen angel books.  (It seems odd to me to have a book about angels, fallen or not, that never mentions God.)  It was interesting to see the difference between humans and angels in their reactions and feelings.  It's a fast and easy read and I felt a compulsion to finish it and find out what happens to the characters, though I often didn't feel a connection to them.  I thought the interesting parts were the conflict of feelings between angel and human sides, particularly for Bethany since she was the only one susceptible to human feelings.  The thing that I enjoyed the most was how much it reminded me of my own teenage romances (more discussed below).

 
Things I Didn't Like:
I must admit, however, that for the most part I was unimpressed.  The book is too long and I thought that there was a lot extraneous detail that could have been left out.  I think the biggest problem for me, however, was the romance.  Xavier and Bethany essentially fall into eternal and complete love with one another right away.  Their inability to be apart from one another (even for an hour) without physical pain seemed ridiculous.  When I was reading about their relationship, I was reminded of my teenage romantic experiences (and how you think the world will end if you break up).  But it was very over-the-top; so melodramatic that I felt distracted from anything else in the story.  I'm quite positive many teen girls will enjoy it, but I guess I'm too far removed from that experience to enjoy reading about that kind of romance.  I gotta give Adornetto props for writing so well at such a young age - I'm sure she's closer to the teen romance experience and therefore captures it fairly accurately.


Read-alikes:
Fallen by Lauren Kate

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few (if any)


mrg-factor: X
very light, nothing descriptive


v-factor: ->
a little fighting, again very mild


Overall rating: **

Is it ridiculous to read teenage romance with your adult sensibilities?

It does have a pretty cool trailer going for it though:
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Book Review: The Adventures of Ook and Gluk by Dav Pilkey

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future by Dav Pilkey
Publisher: Blue Sky Press (Scholastic)
Publication date: August 2010
ISBN: 9780545175302

Source: Review copy provided by publisher

The Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future

Things I Liked:
This book is pure silliness.  The kung-fu cavemen are solely designed to bring out the laughs.  The illustrations match perfectly the style of the writing and story.  I loved the almost childlike drawings that tended to go along with the "caveman" talk.  I got the most entertainment out of the flip-o-rama action pages though.  It was loads of ridiculousness that will entertain all, reluctant readers especially.  I passed it right off to my 10-year old nephew who devoured it in a very short period of time.  Definitely a winner.  Here's a peak inside:


Things I Didn't Like:
While I tried to ignore the adult reader in me, I did find the spelling and grammar mistakes to be super annoying.  Yes, these are my own sensibilities projected onto the book.  Still, I must mention that I was bothered.  I don't think it will bother many kids, though.  It's sheer entertainment and silly humor and that's the way it should be.


Read-alikes:
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

It will probably also appeal to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid crowd

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
potty humor doesn't count, right?


mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
nothing but a bit of kung fu action 


Overall rating: ****

Don't forget to enter the Huge Scholastic Prize Pack giveaway to win a copy of Ook and Gluk, along with several other awesome books!
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Monday, November 29, 2010

Huge Scholastic Prize Pack Giveaway!

I'm so lucky to be hosting another giveaway this week! To bring laughs to a child you know this Christmas, any of these books will be a big hit. Thanks to Big Honcho Media and Scholastic, you could win these books.

Give the gift of reading to your child this holiday season! Scholastic books make the perfect stocking stuffer for any child on your list.

We have a HUGE prize pack filled with the most popular children’s books in the marketplace to offer one lucky reader! Titles include CAPTAIN SKY BLUE, IT’S CHRISTMAS DAVID, OOK and GLUK as well as TONY BALONEY, ODIOUS OGRE and I SPY CHRISTMAS A CHRISTMAS TREE!

 
One (1) Winner will receive a HUGE gift pack, including:
CAPTAIN SKY BLUE
IT’S CHRISTMAS DAVID
OOK and GLUK
TONY BALONEY
ODIOUS OGRE
I SPY A CHRISTMAS TREE!


I've had a chance to read Ook and Gluk and I assure you that the tweens in your life (especially the boys) will get a big kick out of it.  I'll be reviewing it tomorrow as part of Tween Tuesday, so be sure to check back.

You have until next Monday, December 6th, to enter the giveaway.  You must be 13 or older and have a US shipping address to enter. Just fill out the form below.  

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

Gratitude Giveaway Winner!

Matched
It's time to choose the winner of my Gratitude Giveaway: the signed ARC of Matched by Ally Condie!  It was a great contest and thanks again to all my readers and followers.  Before I mention the winner, I just wanted to (finally) share some of my favorite quotes from this awesome book.  Even if you didn't win, you should definitely still read Matched - it comes out on Tuesday!
The meal seems like a dance; as though this is a ball as well as a banquet.  The waiters slid the plates in front of us with graceful hands; the food, wearing herbs and garnishes, is as dressed up as we are.  We lift the white napkins, the silver forks, the shining crystal goblets as if in time to music. p 10 of ARC
They created commissions to choose the hundred best of everything: Hundred Songs, Hundred Paintings, Hundred Stories, Hundred Poems.  The rest were eliminated.  Gone forever.  For the best, the Society said, and everyone believed because it made sense.  How can we appreciate anything fully when overwhelmed with too much? p 29 of ARC 
Nothing I have written or done has made any difference in this world, and suddenly I know what it means to rage, and to crave. p 96-97 of ARC
I'll tell her and everyone else that I know: they are giving us pieces of a real life instead of the whole thing.  And I'll tell her that I don't want my life to be samples and scraps.  A taste of everything but a meal of nothing. p 249 of ARC
Reading these quotes makes me want to go read it again - there is so much in the book to make you think!  And now we come to the winner:

Asenath

Congrats! I'll send you an email and I'll be sending the book out later today. And as one last plug for Matched, check out the very awesome website created for the trilogy. I had a lot of fun playing around on it. You can even get matched! 


Thanks again, readers, and Kathy of I Am a Reader, Not A Writer for hosting the event.

If you're sad you didn't win, be sure to check back later today, since I'm hosting a fabulous Scholastic prize giveaway!  

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

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Book Review: Nightshade City by Hilary Wagner

Nightshade City by Hilary Wagner
Publisher: Holiday House
Publication date: October 2010
ISBN: 9780823422852

Source: review copy provided by publicist

Nightshade City

Deep beneath Trillium city there lies a hidden city of rats. Run by an evil dictator and his vicious army for the last decade, the rats of the Catacombs are oppressed and run down.  But, a secret rebellion is stirring among the inhabitants, led by a mysterious figure from the past and three young rats who all lost their parents in the overthrow of the last ruler.  Will they be able to defeat these wicked rulers before it is too late?

Things I Liked:
The book has an exciting non-stop action story that carries the reader along.  I got sucked into the adventure and suspense of not knowing if our favorite characters would survive.  It's a well-written and thrilling fantasy story with plenty of familiar themes, but fleshed out with the unusual rat characters.  It also had just a touch of a creepy element, with the cruel and wicked leaders who have no pity.  Kids will fall in love with the rat heroes and be taken in by the story.


Things I Didn't Like:
I had a hard time getting into the book at first.  I thought it might be because I'm not usually a fan of animal stories (never read many when I was a kid), but I also think it might have been just a bit slow at the start.  I did get pulled into the story, even if it seemed pretty predictable.  While the ending wrapped up almost neatly, the last chapter (and prologue) seemed a bit odd to me.  I'm not sure if its setting up for another book or just an open and rather creepy ending.  Didn't really detract from my enjoyment of the story though.


Read-alikes:
Redwall books by Brian Jacques and Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins


BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: X
some things are implied, but nothing explicitly stated


v-factor: ->->->
quite a bit, some of it a little gory, but nothing overwhelming


Overall rating: ****

Are you a talking animal book fan?

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

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

Monday, November 22, 2010

Name That Book, Episode 5

Name that Book is a biweekly game where you get to guess a book title from the photo clues. 

Hope this will give you a bit of bookish fun on this dreary (at least here) Monday.

Book 1:

Book 2:
If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

Saturday, November 20, 2010

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

A Bit of Me(Me) is hosted by Danielle of There's a Book.

For this week's question, we are supposed to list at least one thing we're grateful for.  Let's be honest, I've never been good at only picking one thing :)  Here's the short list:


Family
I assume this is number one on pretty much everyone's list.  Where would we be without family or the people in our lives we consider family?  They offer us support and love and everything we humans need.  My husband who is, you know, always there for me (and on and on and on about him).  I love living near most of my family - the get togethers are wildly entertaining (so looking forward to Thanksgiving).  I know I'll miss them when we finally move :)

A Job
This was a hard one for me to say, because I've been struggling so much with my job recently.  But, because of my job, we've been able to pay for my husband's schooling without going into debt.  We have enough to eat and a place to stay warm.  I'm glad to have one, especially in this economic situation.


Books
Yeah, it's cliche I know (considering I blog about books), but it's true.  Books are what keep me sane (some of the time) and help me relax and unwind at the end of the day (or the beginning or the middle).  I love to have something on hand to keep my mind from worrying about stuff I can't control (and some that I can).  This even makes me grateful for parents who taught me to read, for teachers who encouraged it, and for libraries who provide what no one individual could.  I love my books :)

What about you?

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

Book Review: No Going Back by Jonathan Langford

No Going Back by Jonathan Langford
Publisher: Zarahemla Books
Publication date: October 2009
ISBN: 9780978797195

Source: e-copy provided by author

No Going Back 

Paul is an unusual young man.  He's gay, but he's also a Mormon and he'd like to stay one.  When he finally tells his best friend, Chad he freaks out.  But, Chad doesn't want to end their friendship over that.  As they continue to hang out, despite some awkwardness, Paul struggles to find a place he fits in and feels comfortable.  Paul faces all kinds of challenges from seemingly every direction, but also finds help from several unexpected places.  

Things I Liked:
This is definitely an author with guts.  With a main character professing to be both gay and Mormon, there are lots who could take offense.  I found myself entirely impressed with the skill and ability that Langford was able to capture the essence of what it must feel like to be torn in such a way.  Paul felt very realistic to me - a teenager with the regular problems and a whole lot more stacked on his plate.  I found myself getting a bit teary in places over his conflicting feelings and decisions. 
I particularly loved the bishop in the book, who showed compassion and help instead of judgment and condemnation.  I also think the book shows the many varied attitudes and reactions of people both Mormon and non-Mormon to a gay Mormon teenager.  Being LDS myself, I liked the perspective it gave me, because it had correct church doctrine, but also how individuals in the church interpret the doctrine (correctly or incorrectly).  It's a unique book in its subject and its treatment of that subject.  I especially liked how the ending was not so much happy as hopeful.  I thought this quote from the book described essentially what it was about:
"I guess I was just hoping...I don't know, maybe I culd find some kind of balance.  Some way I could stay in the church and do what I'm supposed to do, but still spend time with people who understand what it feels like to be gay, who won't get all freak out about me liking guys." p 211
Things I Didn't Like:
I did find the other story lines to be distracting, even if I understand why they are included.  It felt like it was getting off track sometimes when it followed them.  Also, I'm with Britt of Confessions of a Book Habitue in stating that I don't know who to recommend the book to.  I think it would offend some Mormons and I think non-Mormons might misunderstand it or just get bored with some of the doctrine and preaching that goes on.  Definitely for Mormon teens struggling with this issue and their parents.
 
Read-alikes:
I honestly can't think of any, perhaps a bit like The Way He Lived by Emily Wing Smith, though I haven't read it yet


BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
lots, but no f-words


mrg-factor: XX
teenage boy talk and one incident, not described in detail


v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****


Any thoughts on this?
Please keep your comments polite or I shall be forced to delete them :)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Copyright © melissa of One Librarian's Book Reviews 2008-2015