Bookworm1858

The Vow

2012-02-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

So surprise, surprise! I saw another movie this week: the highly anticipated romantic drama The Vow, starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum! In this film, they play a married couple who are in a car accident. He is mostly fine but she loses her memory of her life with Tatum, prompting him to try to make his wife fall in love with him again.

Based on the trailer, I thought I would get a sentimental weepy picture that would shamelessly tug at my emotions. However I didn't cry once and the story took some turns I did not anticipate nor did it give me the ending I wanted, something big and emotional with both hopefully crying. Instead it was pretty calm with some optimism.

What surprised me the most was the role that McAdams' family plays. They are not very present in the trailers I've seen but they play a huge role in aiding McAdams after her car accident and in pulling her away from Tatum, of whom they do not approve. See McAdams remembers her life up to about 5 years before the accident. In those five years, she became disillusioned with her family, dropped out of law school, became a sculptor, and married Tatum. That is all forgotten due to the car accident.

I really loved seeing Tatum be romantic even though I've never thought he was very hot. And it was so sad to see his heartache as his wife pulled away. McAdams is lovely as usual-I'm a huge fan of her and have missed seeing her on screen. Ultimately though I didn't get the cry that the trailers led me to expect so I ended up disappointed.

Queen of Hearts

2012-02-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2010
211 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Library

While browsing through my library's shelves, I came across this book. I love the title but wasn't completely sold on the idea of WWII happening while the main character lingers in a tuberculosis sanitarium-could that be interesting? It sounded very static. But it is also short, which is sometimes a deciding factor for me.

Actually the sanitarium was rather interesting and where the book picked up for me. Before that it was meandering with Marie-Claire's difficult life. Her family isn't well-off and she works very hard to contribute to their farm along with her brother and sister. Her itinerant uncle comes back to town and soon all three children are infected with tuberculosis; they join their uncle at the local sanitarium, separated by age and gender.

Although Marie-Claire is separated from her family, the sanitarium begins her journey in making a new one of TB survivors including her roommate Signy. Signy has been in the sanitarium for a while without making much progress and is not Marie-Claire's ideal roommate, being rather perky and coming from a wealthy background. However they do have their disease in common and as they spend most of their time in the same room, they are able to bond. Although this part is better, it still didn't have much depth. I wanted more insight in to the characters, richer world-building, and more action.

Although the story is set during WWII, that doesn't play much of a role. The sanitarium is so remote and difficult to access that the news does not impact their lives nor do they hear much about the outside world. The biggest connection is the letters that both girls exchange with soldier boyfriends and even that tapers off as the boys find girls who don't have TB.

Inspired by the author's real-life experience with sanitariums, this is an interesting concept. However I didn't feel much forward progress and I didn't fall in love with any of the characters. This keeps me from wholeheartedly recommending the book unless you are a sucker for medical stories and think the tuberculosis angle sounds intriguing.

The Sword in the Stone

2012-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1963
288 pages
Fantasy
3/5 stars

Source: Own, purchased ages ago

I actually really love the Disney film of this story although it is vastly different. There are the same character names such as Arthur, known as the Wart, although not necessarily characterization as well as the famous wizard duel between Merlin and Madame Mim, which is pretty accurately represented in the film. The ending is also faithful as well as some scenes here and there. Both do deal with the childhood of the boy who would grow up to be the mythical King Arthur and end with the sword being pulled from the stone.

But the book is entirely different. The tone is free-wheeling with a narrator who sometimes directs asides to us the reader and is freely peppered with anachronisms. Arthur is called Wart throughout; although it is mentioned that he doesn't know his parents and this prevents him from becoming a knight, this inner turmoil is not dealt with. I feel like a modern YA interpretation of the Arthurian legend would treat that more.

Instead we get the Wart (and occasionally his foster brother Kay) having a series of adventures. He is transformed in to several animals (this is also portrayed in the Disney film but that interpretation has songs and is generally more humorous) and learns valuable leadership lessons from them. He also meets Robin Hood and his band of adventurers and battle a host of magical creatures.

I guess I wasn't expecting quite this lighthearted tone while following a very episodic format. It was actually very dull. I don't know if I would have enjoyed this more when I was younger but it did not appeal to me at all. The best part was thinking about the movie and how I have a soft spot for it!

Overall: The film adaptation already has my heart and the book did not offer enough to challenge its place.

Then

2012-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Then by Morris Gleitzman
Henry Holt and Company, 2010
Originally published in Australia, 2008
198 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Library

Due to some poor noticing on my part, I did not realize that this is technically the second book in a series, the sequel to Once. I was worried about how that might affect my enjoyment of this book but I need not have. While reading Once would certainly have added to my experience, I don't feel like it was necessary.

This book opens with a jolt as Felix and Zelda escape from a Nazi train on its way to a concentration camp in the unfamiliar Polish countryside and must figure out a way to survive. Although Zelda's parents were Nazis, Felix is Jewish and circumcised, a very obvious indication of religious background. But they are determined to be family now and are fortunate enough to be taken in by Genia who disguises them as her relations. They struggle to provide enough food for themselves in the face of encroaching Nazi troops. There are potential enemies all around from the Hitler Youth to anti-Semites among the villagers and the dangers are very very real.

This is a very short book with sweet characters and fine writing. When it ends, it leaves you reaching for another installment (Now) as the ending is inconclusive. However it did suffer as I read it on the heels of the The Berlin Boxing Club, a longer book, which allowed for more time with the characters. And I again, I would have been enriched by knowing the full story and having a greater understanding of Felix and Zelda.

Overall: A short book with a different premise for the time period; if you've read Once, you will surely went to turn your attention to Then next.

Notes From the Blender

2012-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

Notes From the Blender by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin
Egmont, 2011
229 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Library

I love the idea of a book cowritten (I'm thinking back to P.S. Longer Letter Later from my elementary school days) so I picked this up, hoping for a funny contemporary. It actually ended up being more than I thought with its insight into familial relationships, friendships, and religion, the last a most welcome surprise. I love when secular fiction includes depictions of religion. This one features a youth group at a very liberal church (led by a lesbian pastor) as well as a commitment ceremony for a gay couple.

Dec and Neilly are at completely opposite ends of the popularity scale at school. She seemingly has everything while he listens to dark heavy metal and is generally ignored. He also happens to have a crush on Neilly while she doesn't even know he's alive. Each learns that they are going to become part of a blended family in singularly awful ways that is further compounded by the discovery that they will also be receiving a new half-sibling.

At the start, each character seems to fit a mold but as the story progresses, secret depths are revealed. While Dec listens to heavy metal, worrying his widowed father, Dec doesn't draw on that anger. Instead he finds it inspirational and works to make things better such as his introduction to veganism. Neilly is a popular girl whose gay father earned her a lot of scorn and who learns about really matters. They're both good kids and fun characters in this moving contemporary.

Warning: Language-lots of cursing and sexual references. Admittedly this did put me off. There is a lot of it, starting right at the beginning. If you read the first chapter and are displeased, I do not recommend you finishing this book. If these had not been included, I think I would have liked this more-just my preference for cleanness in books!

Sorcery and Cecelia

2012-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Harcourt, Inc., 1988
320 pages
YA; Historical; Fantastical
4/5 stars

Source: Library

I guess I was on a bit of a historical fantasy kick as I've been meaning to read this for ages but only finally managed to pick it up from the library. Told through letters exchanged by cousins Cecelia and Kate who are separated for the Season, we enter an enchanting Regency world of magic.

Cecy and Kate are trouble-makers, no doubt, as well as curious, intelligent young ladies. Thus even though they are separated, they are still able to become embroiled in related adventures as well as discovering more about their own family and finding romance.

Kate is the one who gets to go to London along with her beautiful sister Georgina. While attending a new wizard's entrance into the Royal Magic College, Kate is almost killed by a witch who thinks she is actually a guy masquerading as a woman. When Kate meets that man, she ends up agreeing to be his fiancee for a season in order for him to confound a magical plot. Meanwhile Cecy in the country is discovering her own magical abilities and endeavoring to teach newcomer James Tarleton how to spy on people, as he is most wretched at the work.

The beginning was difficult for me as I struggled to figure out all of the relationships. Although Kate and Cecy are well-established as cousins, their other relations are less clear. Once the book began to assume those relationships were settled and moved onto the magic and romance, I was far more charmed. I did prefer Kate and James' romance but this is apparently a debated point among readers of the book.

At the end, the authors share how they were inspired to write this book. Apparently it is based on an old game and the authors barely consulted each other as they wrote, each allowing the next letter to be a surprise. I love getting a tiny glimpse into the creative process. Some parts did seem a bit rough, evidence of the way it was written but still perfectly readable.

Overall: A delightful read with a premise and setting I just adored. The main characters are also wonderful.

Soulless

2012-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Soulless by Gail Carriger
Orbit, 2009
357 pages
Romance; Paranormal; Historical; Steampunk
4/5 stars

Source: Present from my parents.

I've been wanting to read this for a while after seeing many enthusiastic review but I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I picked it up. Was it steampunk? Paranormal? A romance? Kind of all of those but most especially the last two with the steampunk elements appearing but not being very developed in my opinion. Of course, this is a series so there's lots of potential for more to come.

The main character is Alexia, an Italian looking spinster who just happens to be soulless. This means that whenever she touches one of the paranormal creatures such as a vampire or werewolf, they are transformed into a harmless human. Such creatures are acknowledged by the rest of human society and are governed by their own strict rules. Until they are not, as new creations appear without being brought up in their society rules and others mysteriously disappear. Most baffling! Of course Alexia is drawn in to this through her unique power but also due to her forthrightness and curiosity; no one can keep her away.

Not even the alpha wolf of her parts, Lord Maccon. Their relationship is full of back and forth, reminiscent as pointed out by the Book Smugglers of Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson to their disappointment but my delight. It seemed familiar and utterly charmed me but I couldn't figure out why. This is the reason why I ultimately felt that the romance part of the book was the main plot despite the many subgenres poking their way in. I am hopeful that when I read the second book, I will be just as enthralled with their dynamic.

As for the rest of the story, I actually found it a bit confusing, attempting to decipher how Carriger governs her supernatural creatures as well as trying to uncover the mystery. I did figure out a few tiny things but not nearly enough. Oh well, at least I greatly enjoyed the journey!

For additional fun, check out this dress up doll and a video of how the cover for the third book Blameless came to be created-I interacted with these even before reading and it was so much fun! These are some great marketing tools. I highly recommend you check these out even if you have no interest in the book itself.

Week of 05JAN12: The Super Bowl

2012-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Probably the biggest American entertainment news for today is the Super Bowl. Personally I am not at all excited. We saw these teams play in 2008 (I was most happy to see the Giants defense dominate then) and I don't need to see them again. Most of my acquaintance are also less than enthused although please keep in mind that I am on the West Coast with many a 49er fan. I'm an Eagles fan and thus hate both teams. I'm not even very excited about the commercials as we've already seen many of them.

Something I am excited about is The Woman in Black, the new film starring Daniel Radcliffe. I am not a fan of scary pictures but I want to support an actor I really admire. I can't imagine him ever having a hit like Harry Potter again (nor does he anticipate such an occurrence) but I definitely want him to continue making movies and I will express that with my pocketbook. This film is also based on a book, which I don't plan to read, but I would love to hear if you've read it.

So that's my Sunday: church, The Woman In Black, the Super Bowl-should be good. What's going on in your life?

The Butterfly Clues

2012-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison
Egmont USA, 2012
325 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea what to expect from this book other than it was from Egmont, which I generally associate with more literary YA. Thus I opened the book with no expectations and proceeded to meet Penelope or Lo, a character with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. I am fascinated with OCD, as a long-time fan of Monk who has been gently teased about having some tendencies of her own. In this case Lo's disorder centers around numbers like 3 or 9; I much prefer even numbers so her distaste for 2 and 4 were inexplicable to me. While sometimes her neuroses were annoying to read (as anything that is repetitive is), they were necessary to create this character. If she's not following her rituals, she cannot function.

Besides Lo's problem with numbers, she is also a kleptomaniac and hoarder whose parents have checked out after the death of her older brother. This death has also hit Lo hard and her life is spiraling out of control. Girl has problems!

That is not the main plot line as the impetus of the book is a mystery. Lo hears a gunshot and later finds out that it killed a stripper known as Sapphire. Lo becomes obsessed with the case, piecing together many clues to discover the killer (this was not too difficult for the reader as there were not many eligible candidates). However the threads end up tying together as the story wound on.

Regardless of the excellent writing and the strong characterization (while I didn't love Lo, she stood out from other YA main characters), this book didn't quite click for me. There's a blah love interest who took up a tremendous amount of page time. And Lo makes a lot of stupid decisions (and not ones driven by her compulsiveness, just genuinely stupid stuff). The setting also didn't really work for me; apparently there is one big seedy area in Cleveland that is easily accessible by middle-class teens? While a place is mentioned, it did not feel deeply rooted in a time or place and that left me feeling off-balance. Additionally something about the plot seemed very familiar to me although I can't put my finger on it yet.

Overall: A pretty interesting and well-written main character plodding through a fairly formulaic plot.

First Date

2012-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

First Date by Krista McGee
Thomas Nelson, 2011
320 pages
YA; Inspirational; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book just sounded right up my alley: light and fluffy and then I discovered that it was a retelling of Esther, which added another dimension. In this version main character Addy is a Christian who is chosen to compete on a reality TV show to win a prom date with the president's cute son. Doesn't this book sound exactly like something I'd like?

And I did like it. Addy is a shy girl most concerned with academics, not fashion and boys, setting her apart from most of the girls on the show. Further differentiating her is her religion, modesty, and dislike for the spotlight. However that is exactly what the audience loves about her, infuriating the controlling unethical producer of the show as well as many of the greedy, grasping girls.

I was able to read this pretty fast because, for the most part, it just flowed. I think you will be able to predict what's going to happen based on your knowledge of the book of Esther and YA books in general-nothing really took me by surprise. But I especially loved Addy's relationship with her parents. Now they're dead and have been for most of her life after a disastrous ending to their missionary life, but Addy receives her mother's journals and learns more about their faith, which encourages her in her path.

The characters aren't very developed: Addy is practically perfect if a bit annoying at times while the other characters are pretty one-dimensional. They are either good or bad, supporting Addy or trying to tear her down with little depth beyond their relationship to Addy. They don't stand alone to

I mentioned the Christian aspect above, which I did not think was overwhelmingly strong but if you don't like stories with that element, then you'd be better off skipping.

Overall: A cute, fun story.

The Berlin Boxing Club

2012-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
HarperTeen, 2011404
404 pages
YA; Historical
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I originally saw this book mentioned on The Book Smugglers, which introduced it into my mind but I resisted checking it out at my library due to my lack of interest in boxing. However earlier I resolved to read more historical fiction because I adore the genre and would like to promote it more so I grabbed this off the shelf of my library.

Immediately I started reading and got through about a quarter incredibly fast before going back to my review books. I was so caught up in the story of a young Jewish boy named Karl Stern in the mid to late 1930s. Hitler is in power and the situation is just starting to get ugly as demonstrated by bullies who seek out Karl in the opening chapters. However his parents think it may be just temporary and no one seems too concerned yet. However as the book travels through time (and it covers a few years, culminating in Kristallnacht, November 1938), tensions rise and Karl's danger is readily felt.

One aspect I worried about was the boxing element. I don't really like boxing and I thought it would be really boring. But it was actually pretty exciting. First because it doesn't dominate the book; there are lots of other story lines. Second because it was well-written and broad. Karl doesn't just box; he also undergoes intense physical training that is necessary to build his stamina for the ring. Additionally because of his background, he is filled with a strong urge to prove himself. His initially scrawny physique covers the heart of a champion.

Another fun aspect was the inclusion of cartoons as Karl is an artist. He would like to draw cartoons for a newspaper but his father doesn't approve of that; still he doesn't stop him. These sketches include stories Karl draws for his sister and portraits of boxers, those famous and those Karl faces himself. I love books with pictures and this was no exception.

Really there is SO much in this book: family, romance, sport, politics, art. It is a bit on the long side for YA but it utilizes its pages so well. There isn't filler though; there's just a lot that Sharenow wants to cover and he does it so well. One of my favorite (although heartbreaking) aspects is that Karl doesn't look Jewish while his younger sister Hildy does, causing her immense self-hatred that Karl is sometimes too self-absorbed to notice. This relationship between the siblings is normally pretty strong but due to Nazi rhetoric, it is splintered. Not everything gets wrapped up but the story has a somewhat optimistic ending that shouldn't leave you bawling.

While an amazing book that I highly recommend, I did have two little problems. First I thought there was a little too much about Max Schmeling and his neutrality and inscrutability about the politics of Germany. I did really enjoy the Author's Note at the end about him though-very interesting. The other was that I had a little trouble following the timeline and figuring out how much time had passed. The book is divided into parts, each part stating what year(s) it covers but I still had trouble with how much time had passed between chapters.

Overall: Highly recommended historical fiction about Nazi Germany

January Stats

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Looking Back at January: I read all of the books I had planned to read for Netgalley month but am quite behind on reviews for those books; in fact, I'm very behind on reviews in general. That is my weekend goal as well as, of course, reading more. It was a pretty good month overall with many books earning a solid 4. I also got off to a good start with YA debuts, reading 8. That number will continue to increase over the year as I try to make a point to check out the debuts.

Looking Forward to February: Don't have many special plans. I am about 1/4 of the way through Little Dorrit which I'm trying to read in honor of Dickens' upcoming bicentennial but progress is slow; not because I don't like the book but just because it's awkward to carry and it takes me a bit longer to read. Lots of Netgalley book reviews to come: mostly YA and romance.

Monthly Stats:

Books Read This Month: 26
Pages Read This Month: 7885 pages
Average Length of Book: 303 pages
Average Rating of Book: 4.08
Favorite Book: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Year Stats:
Total Books Read: 26
Total Pages Read: 7885 pages
Average Length of Book: 303 pages
Average Rating of Book: 4.08

By Genre:
Mystery/Thriller-0
YA/MG-19
Romance-3
Classics-0
Science Fiction/Fantasy-0
Non-Fiction-4
Historical Fiction-0
Short Stories-0
Other-0

Source:
Home Library-10
Own/Borrowed/Won-2
Booksneeze-0
Netgalley-9
Other ebook source-1
Audiobook-0
Amazon Vine-4

Stats for Previous Months:

Books Read:
1. Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss
2. Prince Philip by Philip Eade
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
5. Look, I Made a Hat by Stephen Sondheim
6. The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
7. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
8. Ditched by Robin Mellom
9. The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani
10. Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher
11. Life: An Unexploded Diagram by Mal Peet
12. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
13. My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Seth Rudetsky
14. Tempest by Julie Cross
15. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
16. The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
17. The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow
18. Then by Morris Gleitzman
19. Notes From the Blender by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin
20. The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison
21. Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison
22. Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks
23. First Date by Krista McGee
24. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
25. 100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein
26. Soulless by Gail Carriger

The Name of the Star

2012-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2011
372 pages
YA; Paranormal; Thriller
5/5 stars

Source: Library

I was so nervous picking this book up. Yes, I've seen lots of mixed to positive reviews but I was hyping it so much in my head that I figured it could never live up to my expectations. However I thought this was fantastic!

The main character is Rory, don't call her Aurora, an American student spending her senior year at a London boarding school while her parents are on sabbatical in Bristol. She has to adjust to a new school, tough academics, and different way of life in England. She also has to deal with a string of Jack the Ripper murders and a mysterious new ability she seems to have developed.

The big deal is the Jack the Ripper murders, which made me think of the television program Whitechapel, which is from 2009 but just aired in the US and also focuses on copycat murders. They are completely different stories, don't worry, but it's interesting to me how Jack the Ripper is popping up in my life because I really have no interest in serial killers unlike the Ripperologists who appear in both stories. This ties in with Rory, whose boarding school is located basically right in the middle of where Jack the Ripper struck and is thus caught up in the panic that engulfs London.

But that is not the end of the story. One night Rory and her roommate sneak out and when they return to their dorm, Rory sees a man...but the roommate does not despite his proximity. Is Rory going crazy? Don't worry, it's just a paranormal ability. This introduces her to a bunch of other people and leads to the stopping of the murders.

As we journey through the story, we also have some romance, suspense, terror, and even comedy cropping up at odd times. I thought the writing was very assured and each character was well-developed and contributed toward his/her part of the story, whether that was being menacing or adding color to life at a boarding school.

Overall: Highly recommended-great mix of different elements without being too scary. Concludes the story while still setting up a series; definitely will be reading the second book, The Madness Underneath, due out later this year.

Chinese Handcuffs

2012-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher
Greenwillow Books, 1989
202 pages
YA; Contemporary
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I think I've made no secrets about my love for Crutcher-his books just hit me right in the gut and I love them. I've been trying to read through his oeuvre slowly in order to be able to savor them for a while. This one hit me hard.

Crutcher does have a lot of the same themes and plots in his books, which I've seen as I read through them. This one also featured some of the darker ones including descriptions of two animals being murdered, two child molestations, suicide, and other assorted acts of cruelty. Brutal-why do you do this to me Chris Crutcher?! In fact, although Crutcher has had similar occurrences in his other books, these seemed more graphic and I was almost ready to put the book down but it's so short so I figured I could power through it. I just don't have a very strong stomach.

Another problem was that I didn't find Dillon Hemingway as compelling as other Crutcher MCs. He's in the same mold: talented athlete, school troublemaker, dedicated to figuring out what's right. But for me he didn't have the charisma of TJ. Another thing I didn't like and actually found jarring was that part of the book is told as letters from Dillon to his dead brother (first person), which would then shift to third person narrative.

As you may have guessed from what I've mentioned, this is a pretty intense book. And disappointingly it didn't turn out the way I wanted...well, until the absolutely kick-ass last page. I was caught completely off-guard but just fist pumped at the end because I was so happy.

Overall: Not one of my favorite Crutcher's; I would suggest the other ones I've read.

Cover: So tremendously ugly; I mean this makes sense in the context of the book but they're weirdly arranged and if it didn't have Crutcher's name on it, I never would have picked this book up.

Discussion: Commenting

2012-01-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

So I think we all love getting comments (at least, I do ;) But sometimes it's hard to comment-making the time, figuring out what to say, etc. I wanted to share my commenting process and explain why you may have gotten a comment from me on a post that's a week old.

I subscribe to my blogs through either Google Friend Connect or their RSS Feed (I'm just going to ignore the upcoming deletion of GFC-I've been trying to switch blogs over but it's kind of annoying). Every morning and evening (and in the afternoon on weekends) I go through my google reader and see what posts I want to comment on. I used to open those posts in multiple tabs but now I like to use Read It Later. You mark a page and then later can come back to it when you have the time to devote yourself to it. This way I still get to mark all of my reader posts as read but I still get to spend time commenting at my leisure. Of course, sometimes I realize that it's been a week since the post appeared and then I sit down and go through my collected posts. Plus you don't have to use it just for blogging; you can use it for any web page.

So I would like to ask, how do you comment?

One other question for you: How do you decide what posts to comment on? For the most part, I comment on books I've already read and occasionally a Waiting on Wednesday post. I feel most comfortable when I can mention my own opinion on a book. Thus I definitely prefer when bloggers don't focus exclusively on ARCs or else I will never find a review to comment on!

I'm also excited because the SAG awards are on tonight; although I haven't seen many of the movies showcased, I adore awards shows and am looking forward to this one!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Crown Archetype, 2011
219 pages
Humor
5/5 stars

Source: Library

After eagerly anticipating Tina Fey's Bossypants and being disappointed, I was a little leery of picking this up. I know it's not fair to link these two funny ladies, just because they write and act on NBC sitcoms but they are somewhat linked in my mind because of those facts. Happily I was wrong to doubt because Mindy Kaling's collection was delightful!

First I love Kaling's sense of humor as evidenced by my adoration for many of her episodes on "The Office" as well as my love of Kelly. Kaling helpfully provides a list of where their personalities diverge although even after reading this book, I may conflate them a bit. She follows a rough chronological timeline of her life from awkward childhood to awkward adolescence through college and post-grad life going to work on "The Office" with some diversions about friendship and comedy and lots of comedic gems.

The chapters are amusingly titled and short, always a plus in my book. Besides sharing about personal experiences, there are also musings on what makes a great best friend and some concepts for movies she'd like to make (all-girl Ghostbusters remake). I wouldn't say this is a deep book with Kaling revealing her innermost self but I don't think it was meant to be so that is not a failing in my opinion. Instead it is a light and frothy afternoon read-I could not put this book down!

Overall: Certainly worth a read if you think you share a similar sense of humor to Kaling; I know I do.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky
Illustrations by Sandra Suy
Poppy, 2011
263 pages
MG; Time-Travel
3.5/5 stars

Source: Library

After reading April at Good Books and Good Wine's review, I knew it was time to pick up this book. Short chapters, fast read, fun times, gorgeous illustrations-just the kind of book for me!

Main character Louise Lambert has a deep love for vintage fashion and is excited to receive an invitation to look over some vintage clothes. Mysterious proprietors Marla and Glenda allow Louise to try on a beautiful pink dress (the one represented on the cover) when she collapses. When she awakens, she is addressed as Miss Alice Baxter, famous actress traveling across the Atlantic on a luxurious liner in 1912; when Louise realizes it is the Titanic, she desperately tries to change history.

The pictures were so colorful and beautiful. I am not particularly fashion-savvy but I can appreciate the designs for these elaborate dresses. I do also have a layman's appreciation for vintage clothing, stemming from my love of the Golden Age of movies. The illustrations were definitely my favorite part.

The rest of the book was a little shallow; Louise takes FOREVER to realize she is on the Titanic, which is foreshadowed by her history teacher's discussion of the event and immediately obvious to me when I the date is revealed. Of course the book also made me feel old-Louise was born in 1999, several years after the movie was released (note: it is also being re-released this year and I can't wait to see it on a big screen since I wasn't able to see it originally). Perhaps if Louise was older, she would have taken more of an interest in history and thus would have discovered her location faster. Louise also might want to read more about time-travel and try not to change history-it's just not a good idea.

The other characters didn't have much depth: Louise's persona has a maid who is very sweet; her persona's guardian is a decent chap; there's a doctor who is basically just evil. The characters from Louise's real life didn't have much of a presence either but it sounds like this will be a series so there's plenty of time for them to be sketched out more.

Overall: A cute, middle-grade story, perfect for tweens and those interested in fashion.

Look, I Made a Hat

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Look, I Made a Hat by Stephen Sondheim
Alfred A. Knopf, 2011
430 pages
Non-fiction
4/5 stars

Source: Library

After finishing the first book Finishing the Hat, I was beyond excited to get my hands on this second book, which features a string of awesomeness, if not popular successes: Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Wood, and Assassins (my personal favorite Sondheim). And those sections were great. I loved finding out their origins and following their development. I was already pretty familiar with most of the lyrics but reading them over brought new pleasures. It was great to linger over and savor my imagination of how they might be staged (I have seen the filmed stage versions of the first two)

There are also more essays from Sondheim such as his opinion on awards (he appreciates those that come with cash) and one on critics. These were fascinating and I would have enjoyed more of them. I kept paging through some of the later sections, hoping for more essays.

Unfortunately the rest of the book wasn't too my taste, featuring Passion, Wise Guys/Bounce/Road Show: A Saga in Four Acts, and other musical, movie, and television songs from Sondheim. I just didn't really care. I wanted to read about complete shows that I loved. While I do think I'll find at least something to enjoy in Passion whenever I sit down to listen to it, I haven't done so yet and it fell flat for me. I feel so bad saying that but this review is my opinion and that's how I felt. Certainly theater geeks will want to read these but I found the content of the first book far superior.

Overall: Obviously something you'll want to complete the set but I preferred the first book.

The Thorn and the Blossom

2012-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss
Illustrated by Scott McKowen
Quirk Books, 2012
77 pages
Contemporary; Romance
4/5 stars

Source: Received a review copy from Amazon Vine.

I first heard about this book due to its unique appearance. It has accordion-fold binding with a story on each side. One side is Evelyn's story; the other is Brendan's. They cover the same period but only reveal what each person is thinking at that point in time. There are also some (black and white) illustrations that made me think of engravings and a very beautiful box to hold the book.

Honestly the book was a little awkward to hold and I ended up bending a few pages but it's so short that it shouldn't be too much of a problem when you go to read it for yourself. Part of the gimmick is that you can read either story first so I chose to start with Evelyn and I'm really glad I did. Both of them have their surprises but I think finding out Brendan's through Evelyn's eyes was more satisfying than the other way around would have been. Of course, you are free to do as you want!

Again it's not a long book but the gist is that Evelyn and Brendan meet in his small hometown in England where he recounts the legend of Gawan and Elowen. After a serious misunderstanding, they are separated until a reunion years later at a small Virginia university where they have both created literature around that legend of love. More misunderstandings with an ambiguous but hopeful ending come.

The problem is that it's so short; 38 and 39 pages respectively so there isn't much room for the character development I like to see. Things just happen and I was left wanting more to flesh out the story.

Overall: Cool concept and lovely packaging.

The Way We Fall

2012-01-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
Hyperion, 2012
309 pages
YA; Disease
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I mostly picked this book because it came from Hyperion, an imprint that usually steers me toward very enjoyable books (mostly contemporary with fantastical elements in my experience) so this one looked like a change.

I was excited once I opened this book and saw that it was told in letters from main character Kaelyn to her estranged best friend Leo; I've seen around the blogosphere that it is not always a popular format but I'm a complete sucker for books told in the epistolary way.

And this book differs from the current glut of apocalyptic and dystopia YA by starting at the beginning. At the start life on an island in Canada is not great for Kaelyn, of mixed race who has spent time off the island. Worse Kaelyn's best friend Leo is in New York City and they haven't spoken in years, her big regret.

But life continues on until slowly a mysterious illness strikes. Kaelyn first notices it in a friend's father and then in that friend. Soon the hospital is overflowing and death is everywhere. The island is cut off from the rest of Canada, with the military not allowing anyone to leave and with the internet connection down. Violent gangs fight over the remaining supplies and wantonly destroy property. People are frightened and confused, with no idea what will come next as they try to protect their loved ones from something they don't even understand.

The growing fear of the people was well conveyed and really got under my skin. Additionally I find epistolary novels highly addictive so I kept coming back for more. Even as I gasped at the depths people sunk to, I was consoled by the good that many aspired to do. However I didn't think much of the characters. None of the main ones were awful but none really stood out. I didn't feel like I got to know them and consequently am less interested in continuing to follow their adventures in what seems like a series.

Applause to Crewe for her different take on the genre (starting at the beginning adds some really dramatic tension) but I wish I had felt more for the characters.

My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Seth Rudetsky
Random House, 2012
211 pages
YA; Contemporary
4.5/5 stars

I have a total talent crush on Seth Rudetsky. I've seen him be hilarious on that Legally Blonde talent search show, I've read his columns for Playbill.com, and I've heard him on Sirius XM on Broadway. He's so funny and so knowledgeable about music and Broadway. However I wasn't sure if he could write a novel with characters I would care about-he's so good at that other stuff; could he be good at this too?

Well, I am happy to say that I found this book immensely satisfying with a likable MC and lots of funny bits, even if it is very predictable. The plot revolves around unpopular Justin, a sophomore with an intense crush on jock Chuck and a burning desire to be popular. However he's awkward with weird friends until he comes up with a brilliant plan: pretend to date Chuck's secret girlfriend Becky since her dad hates Chuck; get closer to Chuck; become insanely popular. Of course, as the reader, you can spot all sorts of flaws with this plan but that doesn't mean that I stopped reading even as I predicted every element of the plot.

First Justin is a sweet kid even if his priorities are a little messed up. He loves piano and he knows every bit of Broadway minutia; I would totally want to be friends with him and like Becky, may even have developed a misguided crush, were I around him. His best friend Spencer is also a great kid even if he's a little frustrating. I also liked that both boys knew they were gay and were pretty comfortable with that despite some of the awful kids around them. The story isn't so much about being gay as about navigating high school pitfalls, which everyone can relate to.

Second this book is SO funny. I'm already familiar with Rudetsky's writing style from his columns but I found his fiction writing just as enjoyable. The pacing was pretty good although some parts dragged too much for my taste.

And my last main point is that I loved the representation of the parents. They're pretty aware of Justin's life and a little interfering but with good intentions. They seemed pretty realistic and are responsible for some of the funniest moments. Love good YA parents!

Now I'm not saying that this book is in any way groundbreaking. As mentioned it's very predictable but I think the humor adds a welcome aspect to it and really made me enjoy it. I closed the book with a big smile on my face because I was just so happy!

The Artist (2011)

2012-01-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

After seeing the great success of The Artist at the Golden Globes as well as the adorable Uggie, my mom became interested in seeing it. Since it expanded to a theater near us, I readily agreed and we set off. There were lots of reasons to be excited. I love classic films and what I knew about this evoked "Singin' in the Rain" and "A Star Is Born" as well as the only silent film to win Best Picture "Wings." I am also trying to watch every Best Picture winner and I'm more than halfway through that goal; I will be ahead if The Artist triumphs on February 26.

We set off and settled in to our seats and were promptly surrounded by people. My sister mentioned that The Artist hadn't done that well since expanding to more theaters but it sure seemed crowded there! The audience definitely skewed older and we saw some pretty lame trailers.

The movie itself was pretty good. My absolute favorite part was the dance sequence that closed the film; this picture is from that scene. I was pretty astonished at how much I enjoyed the no talking part. I'm very comfortable with black and white films but have had a harder time with silence. I also really loved the actress Bérénice Bejos-she is so beautiful. Her and the lead actor both have very expressive faces, necessary for a film like this.

All in all, I am happy that I saw this movie but I'm not insistent in recommending it. I probably would have enjoyed seeing Mission:Impossible Ghost Protocol again more (in fact, I almost bought tickets for that instead, just because I was thinking of it!)

Strings Attached

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell
Scholastic Press, 2011
310 pages
YA; Historical
3.5/5 stars

Source: Library

After reading The Girl Is Murder, I was left craving other YA historical fiction from the same time period. Due to my ignorance of hair styles, I thought this book was probably from the 1940s. Instead it's a bit later in the 1950s which is still pretty good as that means red scares, bomb scares, an entirely different war, and all sorts of other problems.

And it did have those things but what it really has was a confusing narrative structure with frequent jumps to the past. Sometimes as little as a month, sometimes going back to main character Kit Corrigan's childhood. Each chapter does start with the month and year in which it is set but such jumps are not my favorite way to convey a story. I understand why the story was told this way as the revelations fly off the page but I don't have to like it (and I didn't.)

Also while fears about Communists, bombs, and death in Korea were present, they were not the focus. Instead we have Kit's dreams of being a dancer on Broadway and her family's history with the charismatic but destructive Nate Benedict, lawyer for the Mob. While Kit's father was somewhat entangled with gangsters during Prohibition, he got out; Benedict only got in further, leading to some benefits (money) and many drawbacks (the cost to his family).

While Benedict seems largely benign at the start, his choices mean that he reaps what he sows and becomes quite scary toward the end. His son Billy is a particularly unfortunate case. He and Kit had been involved but his temper and, as we learn, guilt over his father's misdeeds lead to the end of them. Of course, Kit plays her own role by accepting Benedict's generous offers in exchange for increasingly morally difficult favors. And I didn't find Kit to be a particularly compelling character

Overall: I guess I wanted more of the glamour of 1950s Broadway and Communist searches and less of the mobsters. Also again I found the narrative style off-putting.

The Girl Is Murder

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
Roaring Brook Press, 2011
342 pages
YA; Mystery; Historical Fiction
3.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I love the cover for this, as it immediately conjures up a historical mystery for me. This one is set in 1942 New York City, with a young girl and her injured private detective father (lost his leg at Pearl Harbor). Beyond references to the war and topical events like the zoot suits beatings, the most obvious reference to the time period was the slang. There was a lot of slang, which was a little jarring with how much is peppered through the novel but still easy enough to understand.

Obviously the war plays a huge role. Most of the characters have at least one relative serving or who has served and the uncertainty about their fates hangs over them; food and cloth is rationed and the draft is about to be implemented which will call up most of the young men at the main character's school. I really enjoyed all of these elements as they painted a vivid picture and created a great world. I felt immersed.

What I didn't like was the main character Iris, who starts the book out okay. She's worried about her father and his ability to pay the rapidly piling up bills; she's missing her dead mother; she's scared about starting at a public school after years at a tony private girls school; she seems pretty normal. As the book progressed though, she grated on me. She lied and lied and lied and continually acted in ways that she knew were wrong! She was also a bit of a snob in her transition from private to public school, although the quality of her education definitely decreased.

The other characters were a mix of fun and annoying. They definitely had suspicious qualities and they also had their own changes in personality, with lying, wrong-doing, and double-crossing. They were not nice people. The only characters I liked were the adults, Iris's father and Mrs. Mrozenski, who owns the place where Iris and her father are lodging. She is an immigrant who gives Iris space but does care for her.

I did not solve the mystery and actually ended up a little confused with all of the players involved and their twisted motivations and actions. But I think there is the possibility for more stories in this mystery setting and hopefully Iris will have learned her lesson and behave more correctly.

Cover: Beautiful-love her hair! However it does remind me of some other YA covers so perhaps it isn't exactly distinct enough.

Alphabet of Dreams

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006
291 pages
YA; Historical
3/5 stars

Source: Library

While browsing at my library, I came across this older YA book and thought it looked intriguing. I knew nothing about the plot or the author's writing when I checked it out, which made for an unusual read. As a YA blogger, I'm usually very aware of the latest books and have an idea of what to expect but this is an older one so I had zero expectations.

As I read this back in December though, I realized how appropriate it was for the season as it is a twist on the story of the Three Wise Men arriving at the birth of Jesus. However the Magi are secondary characters, to Mitra and her younger brother Babak. They are currently surviving as thieves until Mitra discovers that Babak can seemingly dream prophecies, which can be and is monetized. Then their fortunes become entangled with the Magi as they journey to seek a king.

I thought the beginning was solid. Mitra and Babak are of royal blood but are in fear for their lives as their father's failed rebellion against the king leads the way to retribution. Babak is a sweet little boy and Mitra is a protective older sister, disguised as a boy for her own safety, who longs for her old life and what she sees as her birthright. She doesn't always make the best decisions, being young and somewhat selfish but she's understandable.

However as the book progressed, I found the story becoming muddied. Mitra is in an imperfect disguise as a boy, which is discovered by several of the guys she meets and she soon starts wondering about two of them and contemplating a future with either. One guy just "knows" her but she wishes for the other guy to discover her secret as well. It was annoying and pointless to me. The journey meanders too with many characters introduced but with few of them impacting the story much.

I did like the twist on the famous story of the Wise Men but thought the interweaving of Mitra/Babak with the Magi was a little awkward. I definitely still love the idea of having classic stories expanded with more color and personality for the characters but I didn't think this one was handled well.

Cover: A non-white MC who is represented on the cover! It was more the title that grabbed me but that definitely caught my attention.

Finishing the Hat

2012-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Finishing the Hat by Stephen Sondheim
Alfred A. Knopf, 2010
421 pages
Non-fiction; Musical
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

While Stephen Sondheim is one of my favorite composers and lyricists (Gypsy, Assassins, and A Little Night Music being among my favorite musicals), I wasn't originally interested in this book as I thought it was just a collection of Sondheim's lyrics. Interesting as I find the writing, I can read all of the lyrics online or just listen to the songs as I have recordings for all.

Then I found out that Sondheim also included notes about the writing of the shows and about specific lyrics, which sounded very interesting. Another bonus was the pictures of the cast and of Sondheim's handwritten lyrics although they're in black and white so you don't get to see the colorful clothes and hair styles of the cast.

The book covers roughly the first half of Sondheim's career, from 1954-1981. The shows included are Saturday Night, West Side Story*, Gypsy*, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Do I Hear a Waltz?*, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Merrily We Roll Along (asterisks denote shows where Sondheim wrote the lyrics only). This includes some great shows but I remain more interested in the shows that will appear in the second collection (specifically Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins).

This is a great collection for ANYONE interested in musical theater or songwriting as Sondheim does not just discuss his career but also lyric-writing (and creating a show in general) and evaluates other lyricists, such as Lorenz Hart and E.Y. Harburg. I hope that will be continued in the second collection as well.

Tempest

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

Tempest by Julie Cross
Thomas Dunne Books, 2012
334 pages
YA; Time Travel
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

This book has had a generous publicity campaign; I remember seeing it mentioned in Entertainment Weekly along with the news that the film rights had been bought and I've seen many reviews of it around the blogosphere. Meanwhile I was excited about a male MC (since I tend to prefer female) of college age, lots of exciting action, and a perennial beloved topic of mine, time travel.

However this is not time travel as I like to picture time travel. My time travel is free-wheeling and crosses time and space at the mere whim of the imaginer (my time travel is more fun!) This one seems more grounded in what time travel might be like as main character Jackson is limited to his own life, and very short jumps at that. Throughout the book he is experimenting with the parameters of his ability along with the help of his genius friend Adam.

But besides time travel, Jackson is very focused on his girlfriend Holly; when two men break into her dorm room and shoot her, it kicks off a very strange succession of events, starting with Jackson jumping around his past. Most of the book actually takes place in 2007, two years before the story is set, when Jackson is supposed to be a high school senior and before he has met Holly.

Once he realizes he is stuck there, he sets out to track down Adam for help and Holly because he can't imagine being without her. Now I have nothing against Holly but she didn't have much substance so I'm not really sure why Jackson cares so much. Of course, Jackson is kind of a tool; there were a lot of times I didn't like him. I thought Adam had a much stronger characterization and was more sympathetic. Holly didn't do much other than being the girlfriend to Jackson. Beyond these important peers, Jackson also has to confront memories of his dead in 2009 twin sister and his relationship with his father, which is not the strongest. Additionally there are other time travelers and most of them seem to have malevolent intentions. As you might guess, there is a lot going on!

A tricky element for time travel books is keeping track of when exactly it is. For the most part the book is successful, but sometimes my attention wandered and I was confused about who knew what. One thing I appreciated, although it didn't always work out like I wanted, was that Jackson cannot change the past when he jumps. I'm not entirely sure how that works because there are times he definitely interferes but it does not materially change the present.

Overall: Some fun action, exploring time travel and tough decisions but the characters didn't grab me. Jackson was a very matter of fact narrator who kept the narrative moving fast but didn't let me inside.

Never Eighteen

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
Graphia, 2012
202 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest reivew.

I believe this first came to my attention last year for part of the Contemps Challenge, but I think its release date ended up being pushed back and it was not a part of that. Luckily I still got a copy from Netgalley and dived in eagerly looking for a great contemporary read.

The story revolves around Austin and his last days as he reaches out to people to encourage them to really live their lives. He visits his grandmother, old school friends (and enemies), his estranged father. He also wants to experience some things like super spicy food and a beautiful vista. All of this is courtesy of the car owned and driven by his best friend and long-time crush Kaylee. Can he tell her how he feels? Does he dare to express his love for her even as he knows that he will never reach the age of eighteen?

At first I thought it was a little weird that Austin didn't specifically reference his disease especially since the title so obviously forecast that. It almost seemed like Austin just randomly decided to embark on this journey because of an epiphany rather than being motivated by his pending demise. Still the writing was lovely and I enjoyed reading most of his meetings.

However I didn't really feel like I got to know Austin or Kaylee. I mean, I still cried at the end because I cry easily and it did ruffle my emotions somewhat. But it didn't hit as hard as it could have. Austin just went from place to place, checking off meetings instead of putting me through the wringer. Still a decent contemporary and fine for an afternoon read.

Week of 15JAN12 Updates

2012-01-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

Last week, I asked about commenting systems and got some very helpful information about Intense Debate. In light of that, I will be staying with Blogger-this is ideal for me because I don't have to do anything :) I believe I do have embedded comments now available due to blogger updates so that's cool.

This week I wanted to ask about custom blog designs. It's something I've been thinking about but inertia is strong with me (I like my polka dots-they're bright and cheery). I was wondering how close you look at designs or do you mostly just hope everything is readable and not too garish? Do you have a custom design? Who would you recommend?

Beauty and the Beast 3D/Tangled Ever After

This weekend I took my sister to see B&B in 3D, a format we both hate because of the awkwardness of the 3D glasses over our actual glasses. That is the second worst thing about 3D (the worst is that it is usually just a money grab and not at all necessary, as it was in this case). Still we do love B&B and we also love Tangled especially Maximus and Pascal so I was so excited to see this. It was very cute and ridiculous! However it is not necessary to see it in theaters; I believe it is supposed to hear on the Disney channel this spring and you could wait until then.

It is also the Golden Globes tonight-the best award show! The award itself is basically meaningless but it has television AND movie people, lovely dresses, and an abundance of alcohol. Plus Ricky Gervais is back (I thought he was hilarious last year-perfect for a gossip junkie like me) so it will also be funny and hopefully move at a good pace. I'll probably post pictures of my favorite dresses later as awards season is one of my favorite times of the year!

How was your weekend?

Chime

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Chime by Franny Billingsley
Dial Books, 2011
361 pages
YA; Fantasy
3/5 stars

Source: Library

Although I had seen this book around, I didn't really pay attention to it until the Chime/Shine kerfuffle. Having already read Shine (and loved it), I wanted to compare this one. So I guess there is some positive here in that it made at least this reader want to be fully aware of what happens in each book.

I had seen a lot of positive reviews of this but I also saw reviews, saying it didn't get really good until 100 pages in; um, I don't want to read 1/3 of a book before it gets good! Although I do kind of agree with that assessment. The narration and writing is quite different from other YA with our main character Briony being unreliable and poisoned by lies that have imprinted themselves on the way she views herself and her world. I think it took at least 100 pages for me to adjust to the world and the writing.

For example, and I fully admit that maybe I was a little dumb, but Eldric is introduced as having a lion eyes and tawny mane, which made me think that he was part lion and perhaps the world included many people who were part animal. I'm fairly sure that Eldric is not part lion but that is how I continued to picture him. The world also seems to be set in an entirely alternate fantasy world but there are also mentions of modern objects such as cars. Additionally Briony would occasionally veer off course in her narrative, leaving me gaping and wondering how she had made that connection. See, it's confusing!

Still I pushed on, hoping to see what others had seen. Unfortunately I did not end up seeing it. I think this book would be well worth reading for those who enjoy the prose but I prefer something a little less complicated as well as more contemporary.

A Little Friendly Advice

2012-01-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian
Push, 2008
248 pages
YA; Contemporary
3/5 stars

Source: Library

While browsing my library, I came across this book. Having mostly enjoyed Vivian's book Not That Kind of Girl, I eagerly picked this one up, expecting a fun contemporary story about friendship.

The four girls, as represented on the cover, are main character Ruby, her best friend Beth, their friend Maria, and the girl who has recently started hanging out with them, Katharine. Ruby thought she was used to her father's abandonment of her and her mom. But she's not, as she realizes when he suddenly returns on her sixteenth birthday throwing her emotions into a tizzy.

I read mostly YA and I can handle different levels of maturity in that category but wow I thought Ruby was really at the lower level of that scale. I think I tend to prefer precocious or overachieving characters to ones like Ruby. By that I mean, teenage characters who use alcohol as a coping mechanism, who rage at parents when said parents really don't suck, characters who don't seem to possess much common sense. I don't require characters that I can admire but I think it is a preference of mine.

And I did not admire Ruby who does not handle the events in this book well at all. My favorite part about her was the boy she meets named Charlie, who's practically perfect. He's able to deal with his egotistical, bullying father AND Ruby's neuroticism. He's also really charming and, in my imagination, super cute. I found him far more compelling unlike Ruby.

Yes, Ruby does demonstrate some growth. But as a whole, I found the plot and characters all over the place with many receiving only superficial treatment. I wanted more character development and a more cohesive narrative. Still I do enjoy Vivian's writing and will be on the lookout for more of her books.

Cover: Really good-the pictures relate to an actual plotline in the story and I can imagine each as one of the friends.

Life: An Exploded Diagram

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet
Candlewick Press, 2011
385 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine.

When I received the Vine Newsletter, I browsed and didn't see anything that immediately caught my eye; so I started searching on goodreads and saw that this was historical fiction during the Cuban Missile Crisis, something about which I know little. I love historical fiction but don't always read very much of it and don't see it hyped around the blogosphere. Thus I requested this. Then I saw an enthusiastic review on Forever Young Adult, which solidified my decision to read this; I really enjoy their review style.

However I was surprised when I first started reading as the book does not begin with working-class Clem and his romance with the local landowner's daughter Frankie during the days of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Instead there is quite a bit about Clem's grandmother Win and her romance during World War I and then Clem's parents marriage during World War II leading to his birth during that period. This part was a little slow for me, mostly because I was thrown by it. I kept thinking, "Isn't this supposed to be about the 60s?"

Then we do reach that time period, having followed Clem growing up and experiencing some upward mobility. He isn't very interested in the political part as he is first focusing on school and then absolutely infatuated with Frankie, rebellious and daring. I personally didn't feel much for their relationship, as it seemed more based on the physical and I prefer love stories that are peppered with witticisms no matter the implausibility.

However my favorite parts were the weaving of historical fact in to the story. There are some tidbits during the early sections but it really picks up, focusing on John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev. The book cites several primary sources for its information and it read well to me. I found it more absorbing than Clem's romance as the suspense was much more powerful. Two teenagers with disapproving parents or battling groups of politicians with the potential to blow up the world? I mean, come on, one is clearly more interesting.

I do have to mention that it did make one error that bugged me. On page 233 of my ARC, it states that Kennedy was the youngest-ever president. He was actually the youngest-ever ELECTED president. Theodore Roosevelt was almost a whole year younger when he was sworn in after the assassination of William McKinley. This is very important to me since the 1858 in my ID comes from Roosevelt's birth year and quite frankly I don't like Kennedy so I don't want to laud him for an untruth. This is a very minor detail that only appears on the one page but it is a pet peeve of mine. I hope this is corrected in the final copy and will update if I can confirm that.

Overall: Excellent writing although the characters didn't entirely work for me. The historical aspect was very strong and would probably be an excellent resource to students studying the time period; give them something very interesting to supplement what might be a dry text.

The Whole Story of Half a Girl

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani
Delacorte, 2012
209 pages
Middle-Grade; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really applaud this book for tackling a lot of big issues and balancing them well while keeping the book at a middle-grade level. To start with, this book looks at a young girl in a typical nuclear family, parents and sister, who live a comfortable existence. After her father loses his job, it causes a big shift in the family dynamics and precipitates a lot of change.

This could totally have been an issue book. Sonia's dad loses his job, causing a big change in the family finances and pushing her dad into depression. Sonia has to leave her beloved private school to start sixth grade at public school where she has to navigate mean girls and an entirely different school culture. She also starts to wonder: is she Indian? Is she Jewish? Can she be both? Plus she's growing up and is soon going to be a teenager with all those emotional issues. Basically there's a lot of stuff here! Any one of those could have been the focus of a book. But this one never felt weighted down despite the seriousness, which I would have to say speaks well of the writer. At times some issues were dealt with superficially in my opinion but remember that this is a middle-grade novel and for that age group, I would say it does a good job.

Particularly interesting to me was the family situation. I don't think I've read many books with a depressed character and seeing its impact on this family really struck me. I also really loved Sonia, which is a big plus. She's confused about some of the changes in her life and is just trying to do the best she can. Of course, she makes mistakes (one colossally huge one later in the book) but she always retained my interest and sympathy.

Overall: A very pleasant experience with excellent balance between light and serious for a fast and absorbing read.

Ditched

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom
Hyperion, 2012
273 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After a string of meh books (perfectly fine books that didn't really excite me), I was looking forward to a funny, charming YA contemp. And I got that-main character Justina is a bit of a worrywart and chatterbox, in the vein of a Meg Cabot heroine; a high compliment in my opinion.

The story begins at the end with Justina ending up on the side of the road, alone with a stained and tattered dress. She totters to a 7-11 where a sympathetic cashier and customer listen to her meandering story. She does this by pointing to various stains on her dress (the e-ARC I had was in greyscale, which made the stains difficult to discern; I am not sure how this will be represented in the actual book) and explaining how they came about on what was supposed to be the best night.

You see, prom is the night where Justina is going to break her eight month no-kiss sabbatical as she has realized her feelings for her best friend Ian and wants to seal the moment with a kiss. But nothing seems to go right. First she looks like a blueberry after following the advice of her mother; then she gets curry on her dress before even leaving the house. And the incidents just pile up from there.

Justina gained a reputation due to he variety and multitude of boys she kissed. In response, she made a vow not to kiss again...until she became such good friends with Ian and saw him in a certain green shirt. Now that's all she wants from the night and it seems like the one thing she won't get due to various misunderstandings and stiff competition from another girl.

While Justina and Ian were perfectly fine characters (not that we get that much of Ian since he spends most of the night off on some mysterious errand), I totally fell for the Stoner Mikes and their girlfriends. They were nice people (I guess you could say mellow) who were so warm and protective to Justina when she needed it most.

Overall: I got what I expected: a cute, funny, sweet story; worth curling up with one afternoon.

Cover: What an atrocious dress-those sleeves look so eighties although I do like the color as I'm a sucker for blue. However it is very true to the book so yay!

The Gathering Storm

2012-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Delacorte Press, 2012
387 pages
YA; Historical; Fantasy
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC from Amazon Vine.

I was so excited about this one-historical fiction in tsarist Russia that's not about Anastasia? Sign me up! Except that there are also fantasy elements (unexpected but something I can handle) and well, then there's the characters.

The fantasy elements actually play a huge role to my dismay. The time period is already so rich that the book felt overstuffed with so much being introduced even if not integral to the plot. The main conflict stems from the blood drinking royal family of Montenegro who have very sinister intentions toward the tsar's family and toward our heroine. But there is also conflict between two Faerie courts and all of this is tied up with another plot against the royal family. I think we have only scratched the surface of what Bridges has planned in the paranormal realm.

Then we have the characters. Main character Katerina wants to be a doctor rather than the proper expected wife; fine. But I found many of her decisions questionable, not a trait I seek in a doctor. While she can study serious scientific texts, she apparently can't handle wearing an amulet to protect against being charmed despite having seen its efficacy in a previous outing. This gets her engaged to someone who wants to drink her blood and absorb her power of necromancy. She is also threatened with pain to her family if she tells what she knows about him; BUT her father and brother already seem to know some of that stuff as well as have some success at protecting the family so far. She is clearly in over her head and she really could have used their help instead of relying on her young cousin and herself. My main problem with this book really does stem from her and her inexplicable changes in behavior (sometimes sensible, sometimes dumb).

However there are some great action sequences and some sawoony romance with Grand Duke George Alexandorvich, second in line to the throne behind his brother Nicholas, although I just looked up his end and it is...not so happy; however this character seems more healthy and vigorous than the real-life man. He is suspicious of As a history nerd, I really liked seeing Nicholas court German Princess Alix, a woman he adored but didn't marry for quite a while, even knowing their eventual fate (they were the end of the Romanovs). I knew that their marriage was a love match and I look forward to reading more about these romances in future books.

Overall: I originally rated this a 3 but I kept thinking about this and what might come in a second book so I upped it to 3.5.

Week of 08JAN12 and Commenting Systems

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

I want to start by talking about Commenting Systems. I just have the standard blogger commenting. But I've been commenting on several blogs that use Intense Debate and I really like it, especially the ability to leave a link to a person's most recent post. I think that's great, unobtrusive advertising. So my question is twofold:
1. Have you changed your commenting system on blogger to Intense Debate or something else? How was the process? Do you have a preference for when you comment?
2. Is there a way to add the link back to the current blogger commenting system?

Moving on...this was a pretty good reading week for me; I'm almost through my ninth book and I've already had a 5-star book (Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?-review coming at the end of the month). This week is all YA-with three 2012 releases, two 2011, and one older book. I'm not sure how many books I'll be reading this week as my evening commitments resume but I will enjoy what I can.

I also saw Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, a movie I had been highly anticipating through the month of December. I heard amazing things about Gary Oldman's performance and have great admiration for the rest of the cast too (Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Tom Hardy, William Hurt, and Toby Jones). What could go wrong?

Well, after the action-packed M:I4 the quietness of this movie didn't work for me. There was walking and silence and I honestly almost fell asleep (In hindsight, we probably should have left and gotten a refund to see M:I4 again). Plus since I'm so familiar with the actors, I had trouble keeping track of their character names; I just called them by their real name. So overall I cannot recommend this movie although lots of other people have enjoyed so don't go by just my thoughts.

Under the Night Sky

2012-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Harper, 2012
374 pages
YA; Dystopian; Science-Fiction
4/5 stars

Source: Won a copy through goodreads.

I was so excited to win this book because I love winning and I'm always eager to give YA debut authors a chance. I wasn't entirely sure I'd love this due to my general dissatisfaction with the genre and the sameness. Happily I was somewhat caught off guard and found the book pretty unique.

There are two main characters who tell the story in alternating third-person perspective, a nice change from first-person. The best part of that choice, to my mind, is that it ups the chances that one of them might die; not that I'm bloodthirsty and desiring death but I never think the main character of a first-person narrative will really die. I'm not going to spoil you by telling you if one of them dies but I can promise some at least some violence in this futuristic world.

Anyway back to the characters. On the one side we have Aria who lives in a Pod, where most people live after the collapse of their society, fearing the outside known as the Death Shop (cheery). But the book opens with her breaking out with companions in order to try to find her mother, who has strangely been incommunicado. After this jaunt turns violent, Aria is expelled and left to die. She is saved through an encounter with Perry, an Outsider, who has little sympathy for Aria. Still they must work together to accomplish their goals: Perry wants to recover his kidnapped nephew and Aria wants to find her mother.

My favorite parts were Perry and Aria learning to trust each other and work together. This created a more plausible romance (definitely no instalove) and there was no love triangle! Instead just a solid foundation of pretty responsible people (for their age and situation)

I was a bit put off by some of the descriptions of Perry scenting Aria. His sense of smell is incredibly powerful and heightened and for whatever reason, I was creeped out. I understand the context of using smell, which is only one of the incredible powers possessed by certain Outsiders but it grossed me out instead of pulling me in.

However while I mostly enjoyed this book, I didn't love it. I felt a bit of dread every time I had to pick it up although I could usually immerse myself back into the story fairly quickly; I was forcing myself to read rather than eager to read. I also would like to know more of the history of the Realms, how exactly we reached this point and how the technology was developed to sustain it.

Overall: An action-packed novel with good characters that just didn't click with me.

The Lady Most Likely

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Connie Brockway
Avon Books, 2011
372 pages
Romance; Historical
3/5 stars

Source: Won

I just adore Julia Quinn; I think I've read all of her published novels and at some point I will read all of the Bridgerton epilogues. I've had mixed experiences with Eloisa James (problems with story choices) but the writing was enjoyable; and I'm not familiar with Connie Brockway but since I'm usually in the mood for a fluffy Regency romance, I figured why not?

The framework for these stories was delightful. Carolyn is requested to help her brother, Hugh, the Earl of Briarly to find a wife after an experience that might have left him dead. Hugh needs a wife and an heir, so that he can get back to his first love of horses. Consequently Carolyn arranges a house party with eligible young parties and starts matchmaking. Before and after the stories, we got to see Carolyn with her husband and what a great match they were! I liked them way more than I did the others.

The first story is between Hugh's best friend, another earl and the belle of the season, who Carolyn had hoped would marry Hugh. The belle is the beautiful but shy Gwendolyn whose demeanor comes off as snobby to jealous girls such as the earl's sister. When she begs him to distract Gwen so that she can have some suitors, he happily obliges. Thus do Alec and Gwen meet and fall in love. This was Quinn's story and I felt that it unmistakably had her signature on it. This was also my favorite of the collection.

The second story is from Connie Brockway and unfortunately features a trope I loathe. This is a trope of two young people who like each other and could move toward marriage. When he attempts this, her father deems him unworthy and said man leaves, never telling the woman why but leaving her to forever pine for him. In general the man also never apologizes for sucking. So while the writing was just fine and the shortness made this more bearable than other stories using this plot, I could not get over my loathing of it.

The last story was okay; it is about Hugh finally realizing that the woman of his dreams is his sister's widowed friend Lady Georgina, who seemed to be on the point of swearing never to remarry. What bothered me about this story was Hugh's sudden realization that Georgina was, in his words, "Mine." This was repeated and I just wanted to slap him and say that no, she was her own person.

Overall: In some ways this is the light fluffy Romance novel I wanted; there are lots of cute exchanges between all of the couples. But due to some personal pet peeves, I did not enjoy this.

Between Shades of Gray

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Philomel Books, 2011
341 pages
YA; Historical
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

After reading Shades of Milk and Honey, I really wanted to read this book. Not because there's much similar about them (a light Austen-esque fantasy and a serious look at Lithuanian refugees during WWII) but because the titles were so similar to me and I kept confusing them. Well, never again will I confuse them as they were vastly different experiences.

This one features main character Lina, a normal teenager in Lithuania with loving parents and a brother. But almost immediately that world is shattered when Lina, her mother, and brother are rounded up by Soviet soldiers and deported as thieves and prostitutes. They are starved, beaten, and humiliated because they have been deemed subversive elements, antithetical to the Soviet communist ideal. They were stripped of their possessions, forced to work, and in many cases separated from their family forever.

There were two main things I appreciated about this book. First was how it educated me about something I didn't know. While I knew about Joseph Stalin's and the USSR's "cleansing" of the lands under their control, I had not pieced that together with how Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were part of the USSR. It's so abhorrent and hard for me to fathom, especially with America and other countries basically turning a blind eye. The Author's Note was wonderful, celebrating the human spirit of those countries as they regained their independence in the wake of the dissolution of the USSR.

The other was the sparseness in the writing. It wasn't overwrought, forcing me to picture the horror yet successfully conveyed it nonetheless. Lina's fight for survival was heartbreaking; she was so determined to not give in against such overwhelming odds. One of the most difficult parts for me was the realization, along with Lina, that her family helped her cousin's family escape Lithuania and thereby most probably sealed their own fate of being taken. The book also examines the moral conflicts of how some collaborated, such as in the example of a woman prostituting herself to Soviet soldiers to protect her son and how others turned a blind eye, choosing to protect themselves.

Overall: An intense historical fiction covering a part of history that doesn't receive much attention although it should; especially recommended for how the story is about fighting human evil with love and courage.

Cinder

2012-01-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Feiwel and Friends, 2012
387 pages
YA; Fairy Tale; Science-Fiction
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a prolific reader of Cinderella retellings in particular as well as fairy tale retellings in general, I knew this was a book I had to give a try. In my opinion, the Cinderella elements seemed a bit shoehorned in, perhaps as a gimmick for readers. The strengths were definitely in different areas in my opinion.

One of those areas would be love interest Prince Kai, soon to be emperor of the Commonwealth where the story takes place. Lately I've found myself super frustrated with YA love interests and that didn't really happen here. Instead I saw a young man bravely facing his responsibilities and the pressures of external threats and a devastating plague.

Another strength was the villainess, the terrifying Queen Levana of the Lunar, a people who live on the moon who is intent on marrying Prince Kai in order to take over his kingdom and subdue the entire planet under her rule. She has already murdered her family including the real heir to the throne, her niece, and controls everything with her bioelectrical powers (basically magic to you and me). She has a willing army, probably unleashed the plague on the population, seems to hold all of the cards and to be at least a step ahead of everyone else-that's scary!

Now I didn't not like Cinder but I didn't love her as much as I loved the other two characters I mentioned. In fact I ended up liking her nice stepsister Peony and her android assistant Iko more-both seem very young and sprightly. Meanwhile Cinder is a cyborg orphan who was briefly the ward of a man and is now the loathed ward of his wife. She is also a mechanical genius and like many Cinderella retellings, she meets the prince before the ball allowing them some time to get to know each other instead of falling in love at first sight. I wasn't very convinced by the attraction he does claim to feel but I still like them as individual entities.

But I didn't think much of its fidelity to the original story (Grimm, Perrault, or Disney) for two big reasons. The first is the threat of the Lunar Queen, an understandable change as she is very compelling and threatening as well as a good addition to create enough conflict to sustain a multi-part story. But I don't remember any external threats in the Cinderella stories; the evil person should be the stepmother. The other reason was that Cinder has no memories of a life before being with the stepmother; in the Grimm version, she remembers and honors her mother which leads to her attendance at the ball. Here at least it seems like she may eventually be able to access memories.

A few last notes: there is a bit of mystery around Cinder's origins but I found it fairly obvious (as have other reviewers). I found the world building to be average; it's supposed to be set in New Beijing, which I assumed would mean a very Chinese environment but it seemed pretty American to me.

Overall: Fairy tale retelling seems to have been a hook to garner an audience when it's action and futuristic setting should have been plenty.

Tina's Mouth

2012-01-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Tina's Mouth by Keshni Kashyap
Illustrated by Mari Araki
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012
254 pages
Comic; YA
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been really into books with illustrations so that was my point of interest about this book. I wanted to see a story where language and drawings complemented each other and told me a story I enjoyed.

In that regard the story succeeded. Tina is a sophomore at a fancy private school in California who loses her sole best friend to a popular fashionable girl and feels out to sea. But a school assignment in her favorite class leads to a journal addressed to Jean-Paul Sartre and featuring existential musings and jokes. Admittedly the story told was pretty stereotypical but there were a few outstanding moments.

One of those would be the instance for the title which comes from Tina's aunt relating a Krishna story
about a person opening a mouth to show the universe inside. The artwork on that was quite lovely and elaborate although not in color, something I'm not sure is true of the final copy. I think I would have preferred color drawings because in general they were a bit bland.

I also really enjoyed the family dynamics of a big Indian family (older siblings living at home and extended family in the area) and seeing Tina learn to negotiate the confused social interactions of high schoolers. She was long on the outskirts but actually gets to navigate a bit within the popular crowd including encounters with her popular crush. Still in the end, Tina remains true to herself and changes only for the better.

Overall: A sweet YA graphic novel with a good main character.

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse

2012-01-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss
Simon Pulse 2012
401 pages
YA; Contemporary; Faith
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC through Simon & Schuster's GalleyGrab program.

When I originally read the official summary for this book, it looked like a cute contemporary romance from the point of view of the boy rather than the girl, the perspective I usually read. But after skimming more reviews, I saw that it was more about boy meets religion; while some reviewers felt misled (understandable), it only made me more excited about reading it. Most of the novels I read that involve faith are from a Christian writer and publisher so I thought this would be an interesting change.

And in that regard I was right. The parts with main character Phillip investigating religion (as prompted by the "unconventionally hot" Rebekah) had some parts that resonated so strongly with my experiences from when I first began my exploration of Christianity and eventual acceptance of Jesus. His feeling of bewilderment at church services, general unease and confusion, and awkwardness with people in his life who are not Christians-these were all experiences that rang true with me and helped me immerse myself in the story.

Of course he also had a lively sense of humor and that combined with Klauss' engaging writing style kept the book moving. I flew through this over the course of a lovely evening, enjoying being kept a little off-kilter and not entirely able to predict what would happen next.

Saying that I had some problems with the book as Phillip is a bit of a sad sack with little motivation; I was able to feel a little bit for him but I didn't fully identify (also possibly because he is male). There were also some extremely painful parts as Phillip has awkward social skills and has basically no idea how to handle a romantic relationship; there were also parts with his friends, with his family, with other adults that made me cringe. He pushed and pushed at Rebekah and it was so wrong of him and yet so understandable.

Warning: Language and underage drinking (something I did not like)

Overall: Mostly enjoyable mix of pleasure and awkwardness over the course of a teenage boy's encounter with Christianity and his first relationship.

Week of 01JAN12

2012-01-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

For the new year, I'm trying to not post a review every day as that made me rather stressed in certain parts of 2011. Thus I am instead planning to do a wrap-up post or personal info or whatever I feel like on Sundays.

First we have the end of regular season football, something I am not sorry to see go after the pathetic performance by my Eagles for much of the season. I have no interest in any of the teams advancing to the playoffs so I will now turn my attention to hockey where the Flyers seem to be doing okay but it's still early.

Next let's talk movies! I saw Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol and, despite a long standing indifference/antipathy to Tom Cruise, thought it was amazing! Of course it was directed by Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille), produced by JJ Abrams, starring Simon Pegg, and with music composed by Michael Giacchino (the last three all involved in my beloved reboot of Star Trek). Basically it was just a great action movie with thrilling stunts; I wish I could have seen it in IMAX as I bet that would have been awesome!

I also saw Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which was not as good as M:I4 or the first film in my opinion although still enjoyable. I'm a big fan of the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law and I also really loved the music (some parts made me think of POTC, which unsurprisingly has the same composer).

I still haven't seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo despite my enjoyment of the books because I'm really freaked out by the level of violence that will be portrayed. It was awful in the books but at least I could skim that. I will consider watching it on DVD but I'm not sure I will be able to stomach it.

For the rest of the week, I have a few YA debuts (yes, already!) as well as a romance review scheduled. I am also lucky enough to have tomorrow off from work and am hoping to hit Barnes & Noble to spend some gift cards. I have a few ideas but any recs you want to throw out there would be appreciated. How is your week looking?

Favorites of 2011

2012-01-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

I wanted to highlight my favorite 12 books from 2011 (as chosen in each monthly stats post); there are actually 15 because I chose three in April (my best reading month with 53 books read)

January

The Ramayana trans. RK Narayan

My review : Goodreads

February

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund

My review : Goodreads

March

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde

My review : Goodreads

April (Three picks)

Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt

My review : Goodreads

The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan

My review : Goodreads

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher

My review : Goodreads

May

Mercy by Rebecca Lim

My review : Goodreads

June

The Wedding of the Century and other stories by Mary Jo Putney, Kristin James, and Charlotte Featherstone

My review : Goodreads

July

Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick

My review : Goodreads

August

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

My review : Goodreads

September

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

My review : Goodreads

October

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

My review : Goodreads

November

Rilla of Ingleside by LM Mongtomery

My review : Goodreads

December

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

My review : Goodreads

2011 Stats

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is my wrap-up post for the year 2011. I originally aspired to 250 then 300 and then 400 books read and I actually managed to surpass that! See below for full details.

I posted 442 posts, the vast majority being reviews of course.

I hosted my first contest and hope to have at least one more in 2012.

I was a First Round Judge at The Shady Glade's best Overlooked YA Book Battle and ended up stepping in as a Round Two Judge too.

How did I do on my 2011 Resolutions (totally forgot I had even written any!)?
-I did end up feeling pressured by myself to read a lot, which was successful but also sometimes stressful so that is one of my goal's for this year. I also felt pressured to post every day which is something I'm dealing with by trying to build up a backlog of posts.
-Reach 100 followers-done! Currently at 267 (thank you so much!) and trying to figure out what will happen when GFC inevitably goes away...
-Finish all my challenges-done! Not that I was very ambitious and this year I only signed up for 2 but I also want to do some readalongs and readathons as I hope to read more classics this year and really buckle down on my FITG challenge.

Year Stats:
Total Books Read: 413
Total Pages Read: 123,040 pages
Average Length of Book: 298 pages
Average Rating of Book: 3.73

By Genre:
Mystery/Thriller-29
YA/MG-258
Romance-31

Classics-13

Science Fiction/Fantasy-7

Non-Fiction-42
Historical Fiction-13
Short Stories-2
Other-18

(Please keep in mind that I did read more science fiction/fantasy and historical fiction but since it was YA they were classified as that).

Source:

Library-182

Own/Borrowed/Won-53

Booksneeze-6

Netgalley-109

Other ebook source-34

Audiobook-2
Amazon Vine-27

I am very surprised that I read 53 books that I owned; that's about 1/8 of my total and beyond what I was expecting. I am also a little surprised by my library numbers as I would have thought it would be more; but now that I have celebrated one year with my nook color, I guess it's no surprise that I've been reading a good amount on it.

December Stats

2011-12-31T17:00:00.000-08:00

Looking Back at December: I read a good deal of books but the quality was not very high. Many books left me with a "so what?" feeling, that there was potential in the plot/characters/writing but that it wasn't executed to appeal enough to me. It's not the best way to end the year, but what can you do?

Looking Forward to 2012: Another Netgalley month with Wilow Red House...Lots of reviews (got some great YA ARCs through Amazon Vine) and fun. Check back tomorrow for a wrap-up and plans for 2012!

Monthly Stats:

Books Read This Month: 27
Pages Read This Month: 8528 pages
Average Length of Book: 315 pages
Average Rating of Book: 3.72

Favorite Book: There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones (so amazing; need to read more by her!)

Longest Book: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce at a massive 581 pages

Shortest Book: The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss, an accordion style book with only 77 pages

By Genre:
Mystery/Thriller-1
YA/MG-19
Romance-3

Classics-1

Science Fiction/Fantasy-1

Non-Fiction-1
Historical Fiction-1
Short Stories-0
Other-0

Challenge Updates:

Cozy: 0 read, 5 total

British Books: 0 read, 41 total

YA Debut: 6 read, 63 total

Ebook: 12 read, 145 total (a resounding success!)

Source:

Home Library-9

Own/Borrowed/Won-2

Booksneeze-0

Netgalley-11

Other ebook source-1

Audiobook-0
Amazon Vine-4

Stats for Previous Months: January; February; March; April; May; June; July; August; September; October; November

Read:
387. The Orphan of Awkward Falls by Keith Graves
388. Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
389. The Merchant's Daughter
390. A Little Friendly Advice by Siobhan Vivian
391. Tankborn by Karen Sandler
392. A Mortal Terror
393. Legacy by Molly Cochran
394. It's a Wonderful Life by Jesse Goossens
395. The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
396. Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher
397. Flyaway by Helen Landalf
398. Finishing the Hat by Stephen Sondheim
399. Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
400. The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky
401. Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith
402. There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
403. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
404. Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban
405. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
406. Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle
407. Saving June by Hannah Harrington
408. The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss
409. Tina's Mouth by Keshni Kashyap
410. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
411. Chime by Franny Billingsley
412. The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn, Connie Brockway, and Eloisa James
413. Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Check back tomorrow for an End of the Year Wrap-Up!

Cranford

2011-12-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Barnes & Noble, Inc, 2005
Originally published 1853
176 pages
Classic; FITG
4/5 stars

Source: Mom's copy

I honestly don't have much to say about this book as I mostly read it for my Fill-in-the-Gaps challenge and to further my acquaintance with Elizabeth Gaskell (I've read and seen North and South and seen Wives and Daughters as well as the miniseries from this book). Usually I read YA books in part to be aware of the hyped books as well as lesser-known gems. Not much really happens in this book, which is set in approximately 1830s small-town England. While the world around seems to be modernizing and industrializing, Cranford seems to remain steadfastly the same: ruled over by ladies and filled with compassion and kindness.

Of course that is somewhat revolutionary in a book as most seem to focus on the masculine sphere or else have a love story. While there are elements of "manly" commerce as well as marriages, they are not the focus. There isn't much driving the story either; it kind of just meanders mostly centered on Miss Matty, an elderly spinster, and her closest circle. Miss Matty is just the sweetest person and all of the characters are pretty nice people. But there wasn't much excitement for me.

In fact, this book took me a rather long time to read considering the length. Just one chapter seemed to take me forever to read. And I guess that contributes to my lack of enthusiasm in reviewing. I would like to say that this is NOT a bad book by any means but it is not the book for me.

Recommended: For fans of Gaskell and if you've seen (or plan to see) the miniseries.

Kiss Crush Collide

2011-12-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith
Greenwillow Books, 2011
313 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine.

I wanted to read this book due to its comparisons to Sarah Dessen's writing and I can definitely see echoes of that in this book. There needs to be some work to create more depth in the characters and plot but the possibility is there. I also see some Jennifer Echols in regards to the love scenes; I feel that Echols writes some of the best for older readers and that skill is a large part of my four star rating here.

Leah spends a considerable amount of the book either making out with or thinking about it doing it with Porter, a boy who is not her boyfriend and who does not fit her mother's idea of the picture-perfect life. Despite the fact that she has a boyfriend and feels basically no guilt over cheating on him (and little intention of dumping said boyfriend), I still got very involved in the steaminess of those scenes. Leah and Porter also don't have much character development (what do they see in each other?); they mostly just make-out but I could deal with that in this case.

I also felt there was promise in the familial dynamics situation. Leah is the youngest sister, part of a color scheme and one of three in her mother's eyes rather than an individual person in her own right. I love sister stories and there were places to explore those dynamics in the story (eldest sister is getting married, middle sister is studying abroad in France) but it felt very shallow overall.

Actually most of the book felt that way. I think this book might be an example of why some people don't like contemporary YA; compared to a dystopia, for example, which has the MC awakening to her situation and fighting back, Leah doesn't do much and the book largely meanders. I kind of like that so this book worked better for me than others although I still don't really like Leah and her entitled, privileged, cheating self.

Overall: Love scenes as their own contained situation are great but the rest is a bit of a mess.

Why We Broke Up

2011-12-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Art by Maira Kalman
Little, Brown and Company, 2011
338 pages
YA; Contemporary
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

While the cool concept of this book may have caught the eye of some, I was drawn by Daniel Handler. As you may or may not know, his pseudonym is Lemony Snicket and he is thus author of the beguiling Series of Unfortunate Events. I loved the first couple of books but still haven't got around to books 12 or 13 as the fun ran out. A similar event happened here.

The concept is that Min is writing to her ex-boyfriend Ed, telling him why they broke up while detailing the objects and events of their relationship. My first flag was that their relationship lasted from October 5-November 12, just over a month. Is a relationship of that length really worth a book-long screed? Especially a relationship of high-schoolers who are ostensibly restricted by school, extracurriculars, and parental guidance.

But I was swept away by Min's charming narration. Ed and his gang of athletes think of Min as different and compared to them, she is. She's whimsical, passionate about movies, and she seems like her own person. While the basketball players (and their girlfriends) are just like the all-too-typical depictions of popular kids, Min stands apart with her witty quips and her unusual object associations. She viewed the world differently.

I assume that is also part of the reason why she meticulously detailed the history of their relationship through the rather large collection of items she amassed during their short relationship. Alas as the possessor of an ARC, the artwork was not fully complete. That will be a reason to pick up the finished copy as I look forward to seeing what is only hinted at by the words. The words that do go on and on and on; frequent run-on sentences and a chatty tone originally charmed me but by the end, I was ready to break up with the book itself.

Overall: Ended up being too much: in style and length.

Saving June

2011-12-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
HarlequinTeen, 2011
322 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll admit that I wasn't totally enthused to pick this book up, having seen that it revolved around a girl dealing with the death of her sister. I've read several of those books in the past year and while I'm a sucker for the sister-sister dynamic which can be explored through them, they're not my favorite. Especially because the surviving sister is often really mean and resentful of her "perfect" sister (the dead sister always seems to be eulogized as just perfect and living up to expectations).

And at the start that is sort of how Harper seemed; she rebelled against the perfection of her sister June and slacked off at school, cultivating an appearance diametrically opposed. She also cursed and smoked a lot, two disgusting habits in my opinion. But in this case, a lot of the book focuses on a road trip from Michigan to California which leads to other insights and was very captivating to me.

Accompanying Harper on this trip are best friend Laney, definitely one of the best friends I've read in a YA book, and bad boy Jake Tolan who has his own mysterious relationship with June. Along the way, they meet some awesome college students (who have some great discussions that were among my favorite parts of the book) as well as several side trips. Admittedly I'm a bit more organized so while I could appreciate what happened at these stops, it also grated against the control freak in me who would have just wanted to reach California.

Once I got past those feelings though, I was really absorbed in the road tripping. It seemed to take a bit too long to reach that point but the pages flew by once I was immersed. I do think that Harper made some dumb decisions but she's only a teenager and she has a lot of problems; she's not perfect. Laney also has her problems, BIG ones but she still supports Harper and can almost anticipate what Harper needs-applause for her! Jake was a bit cliched with his rebel ways but I did like his near-encyclopedic knowledge of music (I'm a sucker for trivia).

Besides the great depiction of a best friend, an awesome part of this book is that it introduced me to another song with my name in the title, Velvet Underground's "Stephanie Says," as well as featuring some great classic rock and other genres of music. Track lists are included at the back for you to explore for yourself-I thought they were great lists!

Overall: An unexpected delight with moments of levity interspersed with the seriousness.

Forever and a Day

2011-12-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle
Harlequin, 2011
352 pages
Romance; Historical
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read two of Marvelle's previous romances and enjoyed them even though they're a bit darker with heavier subject matter and language than the fluffy Regency romances I usually peruse. This one looked to be in a similar vein to Marvelle's other works so I boldly took the plunge.

It ended up being sort of a mishmash with lots of great individual parts that didn't completely cohere for me. First there's Mrs. Georgia Milton, an Irish-American widow, meeting a posh aristo on the streets of New York City; minutes later, he's unconscious and in hospital. This was a very short part and it didn't really endear the male to me as he seemed extremely forward but I suppose it speaks of their instantaneous connection, which will be referenced later.

Then the male wakes up with near-complete memory loss; he calls himself Robinson Crusoe and can remember parts of that book as well as others but not his own name or life story. Georgia agrees to room him while a search is conducted for his identity. Here we learn Georgia's story, how she's fought for everything she has. We see how she was married and widowed and she and Robinson forge a passionate relationship. This only lasts about a day before "Robinson"'s father shows up and announces him as an heir to a dukedom who needs to return to England. This part had its moments but was fairly boring as they're just living an ordinary life in a rough part of New York City. I confess a weakness for society balls in Regency romances rather than "ordinary" historical life.

Robinson or Roderick as he is actually named is willing to return but, after confirming his bachelor status, wants to bring Georgia as his bride, an idea his father rejects. What would the ton think of this rough American woman? They would rip her to shreds. Roderick hesitatingly gives Georgia up. But she's not through with him yet as the final part demonstrates. We also learn Roderick's backstory-in fact there's a lot of flashbacks throughout to sketch out the main characters. I didn't hate that but it's not my preferred idea of how a romance story should be told. I also didn't really click with either main character, which is bad for a romance.

Hands down, my favorite part was the ending when Georgia shows up after about nine months, thoroughly transformed into an American heiress and boy does she make Roderick crawl and pay for the pain he had put her through! It was a very short section but also the most enjoyable in my opinion. While I wasn't super invested in their love story, I still like to cheer when two people fall and fight for each other.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm taking the day off to hang with my family and read! I'll be back tomorrow and through the rest of the week with more reviews and a sum-up of my reading year including favorite book of the year (tough decision!) Merry Christmas!

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

2011-12-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins
Hyperion, 2011
396 pages
Non-fiction; High School
5/5 stars

Source: Library

After reading some of Robbins' previous work, I knew that I would want to give this a read especially with the intriguing title. Although non-fiction works can be difficult (ie boring) for me, I didn't fear that in this case due to my previous experience and interest in the subject matter. As you might deduce from the rating, I was right and I adored this book! It's everything I could want in non-fiction: well-written, gripping, practically like a novel.

We are introduced to seven people, representing different cliques and outlooks on life from across the USA. None of them know each other and outwardly they seem super different: the popular girl, the new girl, the loner, the nerd, etc. But each is dissatisfied with the role of cliques in their lives and at their school. Robbins follows them over the course of a year but she also hands each of them a challenge to see if they can change outsiders' perception of them to more truly reflect how they view themselves.

Besides following those seven personal stories, Robbins also shares psychological studies about how brains work, how to improve school life for the millions of schoolchildren, and examines "popularity" and "outcasthood." Of particular interest was how our brains use classifications to simplify the time spent thinking about other people. It's much easier to see a person once as a freak and to continue to think of them that way instead of spending time to get to know them. It can also take very little to get humans to conform, especially in the developing brains of adolescents. The science behind this was simply presented and easy to understand.

The main thing I take away from this is actually something I feel I can apply to my present day life (although there are things I'll want to keep in mind when I (hopefully) have children). I've often felt myself to be somewhat of a loner on the outskirts, looking at other people's fun including other bloggers as they tweet and share. But I want to be bolder and get more involved as we already share one common interest and probably many more! This is part of my New Year's Resolutions; if you're on Twitter, hopefully we'll be able to interact and have fun together. Otherwise I plan to comment more on blogs and explore more to find new ones (something that I've mostly stopped doing as I've been busy).

Two Moon Princess

2011-12-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban
Tanglewood Press, 2007
319 pages
YA; Fantasy
3/5 stars

Source: Received an e-copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Based on the cover and title, I thought this was going to be a fantasy along the lines of maybe a Tamora Pierce story. I should have examined the cover more closely to notice the girl's contemporary wardrobe, foreshadowing how main character Princess Andrea travels between her world of historical fantasy and our world of the 2000s. While this is an interesting concept, it wasn't what I expected and that contributed to my disappointment.

The other disappointment was the characters, especially Andrea who is 14 in her world, which translates to 17 in ours due to different measurements of time and who seemed to waffle between those ages, making many incomprehensible decisions. She didn't seem like a coherent character. First she wants to be a squire, then she is adjusting to California life, then she's back in her world, trying to avert war. I can connect her actions in my mind but the dialogue and description painted her in vastly different ways over the course of the novel. And not because she was growing but because of author convenience, it seemed.

The other characters were also a tangle of personalities, with either abrupt personality changes or not enough background. For example, Andrea has three sisters, all of whom could have been potentially interesting but who were really sidelined. The sisters do have an impact on the plot but at the expense of their character development, at least in the eyes of this reader. Andrea's mother was also a confusing figure; she was actually from our world but she gave that up for love with a man who seemed more cruel and unworthy of her love, at least in his behavior to their daughters.

There were some nice points against war and about male pride, that I tend to agree with. And the story itself had some cool threads. Two worlds colliding and a girl struggling to find her place could be a great story. But because of the characters, this one just didn't hang together and left me frustrated with them.

Overall: Interesting story but weak characters.

There You'll Find Me

2011-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
Thomas Nelson, 2011
303 pages
YA; Christian; Contemporary
5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Finley is going to Ireland as an exchange student, hoping to feel closer to her brother who was killed in Afghanistan and who had also spent time there; she is lost, adrift from friends on earth and angry at a God who doesn't seem to hear her. But her plans are radically altered when she ends up sitting next to movie star Beckett Rush on the plane. As the pressure in Finley's life mounts,

So I was sitting, getting ready to write this review and trying to come up with something I didn't like about this book. Not because I want to be negative but because I find myself being very particular now about books and I want to provide good guidance to potential readers of this book.

Yet, I find myself incapable of thinking of something. There were some characters I didn't like...but I wasn't supposed to like them as their superficiality and meanness toward the main character (Finley) would have them classified as antagonists. I didn't like the main character's refusal to realize her eating disorder...but again I think the reader is supposed to be worried about her health even as she stubbornly claims to be "fine, just fine" and that her eating habits will go back to normal once one moment of stress passes.

I guess I could complain about the bickering relationship between the romantic leads but I totally fell for it. The running joke of Beckett calling Finley various names that start with "F" always made me giggle. I actually didn't even think they would end up together (a la my beloved Teen Idol); they could have just been friends but they ended up really challenging each other. Beckett called Finley on her need to control and how she pushes away; Finley helped Beckett with his career choices and therefore impacted his whole life.

Maybe I could complain about the pacing? But no, I thought that was pretty great too. The reader's slow realization of Finley's eating problems and the pain at seeing her war against God got me good. I wanted to force her to put her trust in Him but of course I could only wait. I guess some parts were a little predictable but it still packed a satisfying emotional punch.

Overall: Just an amazing book, with a very flawed main character whose journey has only just begun and who I would love to get to spend more time with.

Legacy

2011-12-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Legacy by Molly Cochran
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2011
418 pages
YA; Paranormal
3/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC through Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab program in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I thought this book was messy. Half-formed characters and concepts thrown together with abrupt changes and insufficient background beyond knowledge of YA cliches. Main character arrives at a boarding school that seems to encourage special talents, which she may or may not possess. She is not at all taken aback to discover that she does in fact possess them and is soon wielding power as if she's always known she's a witch. Katy is remarkably blase about the whole witchcraft angle, spending most of her angst on her father, his new girlfriend, and her mother's death years prior. While I understand those feelings, I do think more time could have been spent acclimating her to being a witch instead of it appearing so suddenly.

Then there's the male love interest who is super popular and immediately reviles her upon first sight, leading to her ostracization by her schoolmates. Then he quickly reverses his position and fights their being together despite their mutual attraction. It was A. so cliche and I didn't feel like he was interesting enough to overcome that and B. only understandable due to the many other YA books with this trope. Most of the books I've read don't have that many random personality changes.

There are a lot of other aspects packed in to this book too: the history of their version of magic and treatment of witches, within their community and from outsiders; single father-only daughter dynamics; the intrusion of a new girlfriend for the daughter; the pain of losing one's mother so young; what a person will do for family; fighting against chaos. But the book jumped around and pulled me this way and that without capturing my attention or giving me any reason to suspend disbelief.

Her father especially frustrated me as he is painted as just awful, under the sway of his new girlfriend and ignorant of anything about Katy. And it's not just Katy rebelling against parental interference; I really thought he was a bad dad. Then he seems to have a personality transplant and becomes more of a decent person. Again these huge shifts in personality and motivation are standard for the text and created a disorienting effect.

Overall: Poor writing and an abundance of YA cliches led to confusion about characterization and a general indifference to the story. It's not a bad book but it could have used some editing to tighten up the story and a bit more insight into the characters.

#NetGalleyMonth Sign Up @WilowRedHouse

2011-12-20T21:50:00.000-08:00

For my official sign-up, I wanted to list the books I'm planning to read (hopefully will get to a few more but we'll see!)

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer, which I've been saving for 2012 so it can count toward the Debut Author Challenge. I love Cinderella retellings so I have high hopes for this one!

2. Ditched by Robin Mellom, this one looks like a cute contemporary and I've enjoyed a lot of Disney-Hyperion books so I think this one will be right up my alley.

3. The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani, deals with the very timely topic of what happens with a parent is out of work and how that affects the whole family as well as featuring a bi-cultural MC.

4. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic, a contemporary I've been saving to count toward the Debut Author Challenge.

5. My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan by Seth Rudetsky, the ah-mazing host of a show on Sirius XM Broadway Channel. I've read his columns and seen him on that Legally Blonde reality show. I think he's hilarious and I can't wait to read his YA debut for more laughs!

6. The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe, another Disney-Hyperion book I'm excited about.

7. First Date by Krista McGee, about a reality show to become the President's son's prom-date. A. this makes me think of this hilarious Disney Channel movie called "My Date with the President's Daughter" and B. Meg Cabot's All-American Girl, while C. still being its own concept. I'm really looking forward to this one.

8. The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison, one I don't know much about but the cover captured my attention so that's enough for me to give it a try.

What books are you planning to read for Netgalley January? Are you planning to read/have you already read any of these? Remember, head over to Red House Books to sign up for all the fun!

Touch of Power

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
Mira, 2011
392 pages
Fantasy
4.5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big Snyder fan (Poison Study is one of my top 5 books of all time) so it was a no-brainer that I would be picking up this book. And I ended up being so satisfied, getting a heroine with plenty of similarities to my beloved Yelena from Poison Study while being a completely different character.

In this world, Avry has tremendous power being a Healer; however she also has a bounty on her head, due to the anger felt by the populace against healers after a devastating plague wiped out most of the population while healers did nothing. Avry has been on the run for three years but is caught after healing a little girl; she calmly faces her execution only to be taken by a group who desperately need a Healer. The leader, Kerrick, demands Avry's assistance in healing Prince Ryne, someone she loathes. Despite her refusal, she is brought along, fending off mercenaries, rival leaders, and her own attraction to the dashing Kerrick.

I'm not really sure how to start this review because there was so much I loved. Maybe I could start with the writing, which flows so well and absolutely swept me away. I meant to read only a few chapters to get a taste but I ended up reading nearly half the book, sleeping while my Nook charged, and then diving back in to finish. I did not want to put it down; I just wanted to know what Avry would do next.

Of course the characters were a big reason for my loving the book. Avry was always proud to be a healer and it pains her so much to be unable to heal people; it's what she is meant for. Happily we get to see several instances when she does get to exercise her powers and it's so exciting to see her live the life she was meant to. Besides that, she is fiercely intelligent and eager to learn more, something I always support in a MC.

I also loved Kerrick, the brusque and competent leader of the pack. He takes good care of his men and is fiercely loyal to Ryne. Although he starts out exceedingly cruel to Avry, he begins to reform. I loved every instance when she challenged him, forcing him to consider other ideas (usually ones that were better!) The other men in the gang (Belen, Flea, Quain, and Vinn) were also great personalities. Belen is probably my favorite as the "poppa bear" of the group while Flea's irrepressible spirit brightens up the group; Vinn and Quain are also reliable supporters.

There are also a whole host of other characters as Avry remembers her family and mentor and we get a picture at the stakes. There are three major rivals for control over the fantasy land created here: King Tohon, a power-hungry mage with evil intentions; Estrid, the religious dictator; and Ryne, who could be a real player if he weren't in stasis to ward off death. Ryne is presented as the best choice while Tohon comes off as the worst. Estrid is somewhere in the middle and hopefully the second book will touch on her more.

As for the setting, we have a crazed world with so many dead and power vacuums. Much of the book is spent journeying around as they try to reach Ryne with lots of different locales and adventures. This contributed to my flipping the pages as I just had to find out what came next.

It sounds like I love this book, right? So why not a perfect 5? Well, I was very uncomfortable by one of Tohon's powers, which was the ability to force Avry's desire for him. He repeatedly kisses her and has the ability to make her want him such as she almost sleeps with him, if not for other interfering circumstances. If she had a genuine interest in him, I'd be okay but the element of coercion makes me so sick.

Overall: Highly recommended for fans of Poison Study!

Flyaway

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Flyaway by Helen Landalf
Harcourt Children's Books, 2011
168 pages
YA; Contemporary
3/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think this ended up being a book where my age and personality severely clashed with the book. I tired of the immaturity, the extremely poor decisions, and the blinders the main character wore, which hindered my ability to enjoy it.

Main character Stevie lives with her flighty mother, who is also under the sway of an abusive boyfriend and drugs, and is practically failing out of school. She is totally out to sea without adult supervision or any purpose in life. However her Aunt Mindy intervenes, taking guardianship of Stevie and getting her mother sent to rehab despite the protestations of both. And Stevie starts to learn what life is like when she has an appropriate parental unit and what it is like to have someone support her.

There were some good things: the main character's name is Stephanie even if she prefers to go by Stevie as in Stevie Nicks. This is obviously not a decision I support but it really is the least of her problems. The positive adult main characters (Aunt Mindy and tutor Rick) were wonderful; I certainly wouldn't mind a story featuring them more. The writing is fine and the story flies by (it is very short).

I really struggled to connect with Stevie when she rebelled against her Aunt Mindy. I understand that her mother didn't like Mindy and that would color Stevie's perception. But Aunt Mindy is stable and possesses the ability to follow-through. No matter how much Stevie pushes her away, she keeps trying to get through to her. I just thought Stevie was so immature even though she tries to act so mature and she seriously makes a lot of bad decisions (some examples: stealing her aunt's car despite possessing no driver's license or formal training; making out with a jerk; encouraging her mom to leave rehab early).

There's also a lot of talk about drugs, seriously in the case of Stevie's mom but rather casually in the case of Stevie and her contemporaries. While drugs are not presented in a positive light, I didn't think they were denounced enough. I guess the author didn't want to be preachy but I feel like some stronger anti-drug sentiments could have been written. There are also some odd plot twists around a love interest for Stevie. There are two possibilities and the situations change rapidly with little sense.

In the end, this was a fast to read story but there was so much stuffed in that nothing received the treatment it deserved and I was left unfulfilled.

It's a Wonderful Life

2011-12-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's a Wonderful Life by Jesse Goossens
Originally published 2008
Translated by Erik J. Macki, 2010
Lemniscatt LLC, 2011
241 pages
YA; Contemporary
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book grabbed my attention due to sharing a title with the beloved Christmas movie as well as a blurb touting a main character with a love for movies, a love that I share. I'm partial to the classic old ones but I can enjoy a modern blockbuster too.

It's different from most of the YA I read as it is actually a translation from a Dutch novel, featuring a Dutch teenager who instead of partying in Spain with her friends is sent to Pennsylvania for what might be the dullest vacation ever. Except that the people she meets are genuine and kind and might be exactly what Anna needs at this crossroad in her life.

There are a lot of bizarre occurrences in this book: an eighteen year old funeral director, another young funeral director who is in competition with the first, both for business and for Anna, the vintage store which has a steady supply of famous movie props if you believe Anna's stories, a yearly toast to the "hoax" of the moon landing, and more. Looking back, the events seem odd but in the context of the story, they create a quirky small town where Anna finds a place to belong.

Another part of the charm of the story is Anna herself. Although disappointed about not going to Spain, she accepts her parents' directive and throws herself into small-town life, learning how to drive, taking up responsibilities, and building connections. The other characters are also sweet although as the book is quite short, there isn't much time spent on them.

Overall: An offbeat story that will take you someplace different from the typical, mainstream YA novel.

Cover: I liked the girl looking at the lovely dress but it's a little plain for my taste.

A Mortal Terror

2011-12-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

A Mortal Terror by James R. Benn
Soho, 2011
345 pages
Mystery; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little nervous about picking this up as I could see that it was part of a series; however I could also see that it was set during WWII and I thought that premise had so much promise so I bit the bullet and requested it. I am so happy that I did as I received a solid mystery, even if it was a bit outside of my ken. I also think there are tremendous possibilities for this series. Yes, it is already on its sixth but there is still so much that can be included and explored in future outings.

The book opens in Switzerland with Billy Boyle covertly meeting his love Diana, who is an undercover agent stationed as a nun in the Vatican, with news about atrocities being committed by the Nazis in Poland. Much as he would like to just be with her, he is soon commanded to follow a different path to Anzio, Italy, investigating the murders of a lieutenant and a captain. Each was found with a playing card (10 and Jack of Hearts), leaving those in the next rank, that of major, on edge. To compound his anxieties, Billy's younger brother is being shipped overseas to serve as a replacement in a dangerous post.

While I am very interested in World War II, the military life itself is not something I read much about. Mostly that is because I prefer books with female leads and most military stories feature males exclusively. Thus military hierarchy and procedure is always a bit confusing to me. No exception here as I kept forgetting if a lieutenant or captain was higher; I did know that major was above captain. Happily while that is a plot point, human nature is far more the focus here.

Combat fatigue has hit many of the men hard; understandable as they've been fighting almost nonstop with heavy casualties and insufficient replacements. Psychoanalysis also plays a big role as some doctors are evaluating those experiencing combat fatigue while some leaders refuse to admit the possibility of such a thing, dubbing the men cowards. There is also the idea of the psychopath, the kind of man who will be able to resist combat fatigue as he glories in the duties of war.

This background helps to identify the murderer; or it could help if you were a better detective than me. I only caught on when it became blindingly obvious. There are many possibilities, which left me feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. And while I was happy to identify the murderer and read how Billy caught him, I was much more interested in the other subplot, revolving around Diana. I hope the previous stories feature her as I would like to read more about her-hey, I like female MCs!

Overall: A solid historical mystery, delving into the complexities of the historical period and warfare itself.

Mastiff

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
Random House, 2011
581 pages
YA; Fantasy
4/5 stars

Source: Library

In the conclusion to the Beka Cooper trilogy, we come to this massive doorstop book. I was so intimidated picking it up from the library and realizing its size. Additionally it opens with Beka at the funeral of her fiance, Holborn, who I didn't remember! Luckily after some searching, I realized that he had not been introduced before, which creates a jarring effect. Why start honoring the death of a character we don't know?

But then it does move into the story, which puts Beka, her partner Tunstall, her scent hound Achoo, and constellation-in-cat-form Pounce on the hunt for the kidnapped prince, a tangled web of disgruntled mage and nobility deception. Along the way we also meet a new character, a mage Farmer Cape, who is brought onto the Hunt to counter the many magical challenges they face. In short, he is delightful. He is full of curiosity and is very inventive. He's funny and sweet and I obviously fell for him...as does Beka. We also see some of the other characters from the previous books such as Tunstall's lover Lady Sabine and Beka's patron Lord Gershom but the focus is on the core group hunting the prince.

And despite its bulk, this book does move fairly fast. Part of that is due to Pierce's confident writing style and the engaging characters. Then there is the nature of the story, which is tracking clues and attempting to piece disparate elements together. That kind of story usually compels me to read as fast as I can to discover what happened.

One of my favorite parts was the end, which returns to time of Alanna and shows George Cooper, descendant of Beka, as he begins his reign as the King of Rogues and just after he's met "Alan." Great shout-out for fans of the Song of the Lioness Quartet and hopefully intriguing enough to get any one who hasn't read those books to pick them up.

However this book is far from perfect as you might surmise from my rating. First as already mentioned is the opening, which made it hard for me to get in to. Holborn meant nothing to me and while Beka had disengaged from her fiance, meaning that she wasn't in mourning, it made the whole start awkward. Additionally Pierce seems to have wanted to focus on the devastating effects of slavery but it is a little heavy-handed rather than naturally included. One last point is the reveal of a traitor to Beka; other readers have been very upset with the twist. I could see why that person was chosen but I really wish it hadn't happened.

Cover: Beka's head seems at a really awkward angle; I can't imagine that it is comfortable. I do like seeing Pounce and Achoo though.

With a Name Like Love

2011-12-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo
Margaret Ferguson Books, 2011
249 pages
MG/YA; Historical
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

This is another book by a blogger I follow and a book that was receiving rave reviews so I felt fairly confident diving into this that I would love it. I've also had really good luck with middle-grade novels this year so that made me extra excited.

I'll start with only two minor complaints about this book as the rest was very pleasing to me. First is the setting is indistinct. I don't think it's important to know that the location is a small Southern town but it bothered me that we didn't learn until halfway through that the year was 1957; it seemed like a historical but I didn't have enough information to declare it so until then.*** The other was a rather graphic depiction of an event involving animal blood. It made me a little queasy and seemed a bit adult for a middle-grade even if it wasn't gratuitous.

But otherwise, I was very enchanted. Main character Ollie is the eldest of five daughters whose father is a traveling preacher named Everlasting Love (that's seriously what his parents named him). Ollie has been longing to quit the road and settle down for a while and she finally gets her wish when she meets Jimmy Koppel whose mother has been arrested for the murder of her husband. The Love family hunkers down as Ollie frantically tries to prevent the separation of Jimmy and his mother and battles against the deeply engrained prejudices of a small-town.

Ollie was such a lovely heroine; I really sympathized with her desire to plant roots in to one place as well as to her tight-knit family. Although there are five girls, each received a vivid sketch and came to life interacting just like bickering sisters who deep down do love each other. Their parents are also great-they are parents who are involved in their children's lives even if some things are past them, such as one daughter's desire to be a preacher; a girl, as preacher? That's crazy talk ;) Jimmy is also a pretty sweet kid. There is also a mix of good and bad people in the town who create a real cast of characters.

Overall: Filled with love, family, and friendship overcoming overwhelming odds, a sweet read for most ages!

***As pointed out in the comments, the first sentence does mention the year. So I supposed I should revise this to state that the first sentence did not stand out to me.

Happy birthday to me!

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday, which is always one of my favorite days! I originally had some ideas about something to post today but time ended up getting away from me so just rest assured that I will return tomorrow and through the rest of the month with reviews. Have a great Hump Day!

The Merchant's Daughter #Review @Netgalley

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson
Zondervan, 2011
270 pages
YA; Fairy-Tale; Historical; Christian
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read Dickerson's previous novel, The Healer's Apprentice, and came out of it with mixed feelings. Still I'm a sucker for retold fairy tales so I requested this one from Netgalley.

At some point, I decided it was a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin (no idea) but it is actually Beauty and the Beast in medieval England. The choice of England for the setting is an interesting one to me as B&B is traditionally French; however I didn't feel very immersed in England. For the little I know about that time period, it might as well have been set in France.

While I deem the setting less important, the characters were very well done. The "beauty" is Annabel, whose merchant father was lost at sea and whose proud mother has led the family to crumble under their debts. As punishment, Annabel will become a servant to the new lord, the beastly (in appearance and temperament) Lord Ranulf. Although a fall in social status, it is certainly preferable to marriage to the loathsome bailiff who does not understand the word "no."

Through their time together, Ranulf and Annabel begin to learn each other's character and fall in love. Annabel has a heart for God and dreams of entering a nunnery. Her pure heart helps to heal Ranulf's pain from the rejection by his beautiful wife, who found his appearance horrifying. Meanwhile Ranulf provides Annabel with a Bible (that she can read...because she can read Latin!) and encourages her spirituality as well as her independence.

Like the other Dickerson novel I've read, the Christianity aspect is very strong; I thought it was handled much better here although non-Christians might find it overwhelming. As a Christian, I appreciated Annabel having the chance to read the Bible herself (although I do think she was far too educated for her position) and the weaving of Christianity into the story.

Overall: A sweet romance, not based on just knowing, but based on getting to know each other and a shared love of Christ.

The Orphan of Awkward Falls

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Orphan of Awkward Falls by Keith Graves
Chronicle Books, 2011
338 pages
Middle-Grade; Fantastical
4/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book, other than hopefully a charming MG story. I was also pleased to discover that there were illustrations included as I read through this weird tale.

Josephine has just moved to Awkward Falls, location of an insane asylum housing cannibal Fetid Stenchley, who manages to escape through a very poorly planned event. That is unknown to her when she stumbles upon the titular orphan, Thaddeus, a mad scientist who lives with his grandfather's robot servant (awesome!) and a talking reanimated cat, among other oddities. These people and more collide in a crazy adventure.

I have to say that I was somewhat reminded of the Series of Unfortunate Events while reading this. I'm not sure if it's because of the presence of an orphan, the presence of a sauerkraut factory in the town, or if it's the odd happenings or something else. But, whatever it was, I liked it.

Josephine and Thaddeus are sweet kids with understandable motivations and desires. The aforementioned robot servant is wonderful: loyal and brave. And Josephine's parents even get to play an important role in the book-yay for parents who care about their children, who believe and trust even when the truth sounds crazy!

Boo on mad scientists as Thaddeus' grandfather is revealed to be. Boo on cannibals, even though Fetid is revealed to be a bit more complicated than that. He does have his own loyalty system but he spares no hurt for innocent people and too singlemindedly pursues his own desires instead of considering others.

Don't worry though! In the end, our heroes will end well while the cannibals receive a just punishment. A quirky story with good characters and some imaginative escapades.

Tankborn #Review @Netgalley

2011-12-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Tankborn by Karen Sandler
Tu Books, 2011
372 pages
YA; Science Fiction
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know much about this book but the summary looked interesting so I requested it through Netgalley. What I did know was that it was YA science-fiction, which I don't read a lot so I was excited to be immersed in a brand-new world.

Unfortunately as is sometimes the case when a new world is built, it can be hard for the reader to enter it. The new words and slang for most everyday objects had me struggling to envision what was happening. The world here is tightly structured with highborns, lowborns, and GENs aka tankborns, who are essentially slaves for the highborns. They are genetically created with specific attributes such as nurturing and strength to make them ideal helpers for the rich leaders of the society. Additionally there was an abrupt change of perspective that was not well delineated so I spent a couple of pages very confused and wondering who certain characters were. Those shifts continue throughout the book but they make more sense as the book progresses and various plot threads come together.

The first main character is Kayla, who is about to start her service to an elderly highborn. Once there she discovers that his great-grandson is the highborn she had met earlier in the book and shared an awkward encounter. At this place, she begins to feel valued and unravels dark secrets about her world. The other perspective is Kayla's friend Mishalla, a nurturer who is unwittingly caught up in some seriously evil doings. I really liked trying to piece everything together and the characters were well drawn-sympathetic with believable emotions and actions despite the unfamiliarity of the world.

I also appreciated the themes about constructions of society and about what it means to be human, although sometimes they seemed overdone. One other great aspect is that the book is a wholly contained book; there is still a lot of potential for future stories, such as Kayla (or others) leading a revolution to overthrow the present government but the the main threads are completed and there is no cliff-hanger.

Overall: A good story, one that just took too long to pull me in.

Irena's Jars of Secrets

2011-12-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan
Illustrated by Ron Mazellan
Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2011
35 pages
Children's Historical Picture Book

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was actually first interested in this book because of another blogger, Irena at This Miss Loves to Read, because she shares a name with the focus of this book. Thus even though this book is aimed at a younger audience, I requested it from Netgalley.

It tells the story of Irena Sendler who, during World War II, headed a group that saved the lives of about 2500 Jewish children. She had a special dispensation to enter the ghettos where Jews were forced to live and helped smuggle out children where they were then placed with other families under false identities. The families were promised that information would be preserved so that everyone could be reunited. Irena did this by storing the papers in various jars buried under a tree. She ended up arrested and almost executed but other members bribed her release and she spent the rest of the war in hiding...but still helping as she could!

At the end of the war, Irena dug up the jars to help reunite families. While most of the children survived, the majority of their families had been sent to camps and died. Irena received the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I was not familiar with this story but it ended up bringing tears to my eyes through the bravery and selflessness of Irena and the other members of the groups as well as the bravery of the adults who sent their children away, never knowing if they would see each other again. It was so inspiring to read about ordinary people doing their part against human evil. And although the topic is a difficult one, the book is still appropriate for younger readers due to the care taken with language.

Tall, Dark, and Determined

2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Tall, Dark, and Determined by Kelly Eileen Hake
Barbour, 2011
319 pages
Christian Historical Romance
3/5 stars
Second in Husbands for Hire series

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has its first chapter introducing a new character, the male lead, and then it switches back to refresh the reader about what happened at the end of the first book, Rugged and Relentless. This was a little confusing for me but it soon moved in a new direction, starting the new story. Unfortunately I did not really like that story for most of the book although the ending helped a little.

The focus in this book is on Lacey Lyman, whose idea it had been to travel West with her three closest friends to nurse her brother back to help, to find good husbands, and to build a successful saw mill town. Lacey loves to wear beautiful clothes and bristles at being treated as if she is a delicate female incapable of doing anything, as many men are wont to treat her. As this is a romance, she does have a male opposite, hunter Chase Dunstan who suspects Lacey's brother of mischief and arrives with false intentions. They two instantly clash and continue clashing.

I was almost completely in Lacey's camp on this one. Chase is arrogant, rude, and overbearing; additionally I, as the reader, knew what secrets he was hiding, and did not appreciate his false cover. I hated knowing that Lacey was falling for him as he did not seem deserving. I also thought he was rather cruel. To compound my dislike of his character, nothing much seemed to be happening. They were just walking around Hope Falls, bickering all the time. I could have stomached, that had there been more scenes with the ladies together, which is what had enchanted me about the first book.

This was going to get a much lower rating despite the smooth writing and easy reading until the ending when there's a bit of suspense and I almost became reconciled to Dunstan. I must say it is bothersome that two of the women fall for men who arrived under false pretenses. Can't one of them just be honest? Presumably there will be a third book with Naomi, a character I would love to get to know more and hopefully her love interest will be more honest.

Also despite its publication from Barbour, I didn't feel much Christian content. Now I don't want to be preached at of course, but God was not much of a presence, receiving only a few token mentions.

Overall: Mostly boring with an unpleasant male lead until the last dozens of pages when something finally happens and moves the character development along.

How to Save a Life

2011-12-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Little, Brown and Company, 2011
341 pages
YA; Contemporary
3/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.

I've only read one of Zarr's books but was impressed by its depiction of religion and having seen buzz in the blogosphere for her in general I knew I wanted to read another book by her. Thus I requested this book. However this one didn't work for me.

The main reason would be that it is a character-driven novel, told in alternating points of views between Jill and Mandy. Jill's father died months ago, hitting especially hard due to their similar personalities. Her way of coping has been to shut people out and be even more mean than she already was. One of her targets is her mother who has decided to move forward by adopting a baby. Specifically Mandy's baby. Mandy has had a tough life with her mother, moving between the mother's various boyfriends and being raised with very sexist attitudes about relationships and how to comport one's self. My main impression of the girls was that Jill was mean and Mandy was embarrassingly young and naive; however the girls also had other unpleasant traits. I just couldn't stand them, which is unfortunate as I found most of the supporting characters quite likable.

Jill's friends and coworkers as well as her mother were extraordinarily patient with her even as she tried her hardest to push them away. The few people shown in Mandy's life were awful but they show how she was shaped even I would have expected her to be a bit smarter due to their treatment of her.

Still the writing is quite good even if the themes about family were a little overdone and the events of the book were predictable. Perhaps if the narrators appealed to me more, I would have been more swept away with the journey and less concerned about when the end would come.

Overall: A character-driven novel with awful characters, who annoyed me. Not the book for me.

Washington Square

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Washington Square by Henry James
Signet Classic, 1979
Originally published 1880
232 pages
Classic
4/5 stars

Source: Library

Although I've heard of Henry James as an intimidating literary figure, I actually had a very pleasant experience with The Portrait of a Lady and was thus eager to pick up another book by him. When at the library, I narrowed my choices down to two (short) books and selected this one due to my love of the awesome film adaptation, The Heiress, starring Olivia de Havilland and Montgomery Clift (I cannot recommend this production to you enough-amazing acting!) Although I had no reason to do so, I assumed that the film was fairly accurate and approached the book with expectations about what it contained. While the film is pretty faithful, I found its ending much more satisfying although I won't spoil exactly why.

This novel is pretty simple and straightforward. A young woman named Catherine Sloper is plain but rich. Her father, Doctor Sloper, laments the loss of his beautiful wife giving birth to Catherine but does bring up Catherine. Their household is completed by his sister, the widow Penniman. The fourth main player in this drama is Morris Townsend, who pays many fine compliments to Catherine with the ultimate end of acquiring a fortune. Doctor Sloper sees this and promises the couple that if they wed, they will not receive a penny of his not insignificant fortune. This leads to Townsend breaking their engagement and Catherine remaining a spinster for the rest of her days. Several other characters play pivotal roles in this novel but overall it is a small, focused story, heavily reminiscent of a play.

Although I was familiar with the film, I still was not expecting the overwhelming sadness I felt. The comparisons to Jane Austen made me think there could somehow be a happy ending; but how do a simple young woman and a fortune hunter get a happy ending? But Doctor Sloper's obvious dislike for his daughter and her continued admiration for him and his knowledge left a sickening feeling in my stomach. The movie made Catherine even more sympathetic since she is played by the lovely Olivia de Havilland, who did her best to look plain.

And honestly my impressions of the film also overshadowed the book as a whole. I feel so bad saying that and I'm not going to say that the movie was better. But I do prefer the movie. I struggled with some of the writing as James employed some extremely long, convoluted sentences. And the characters are just so awful. When I watch the film, I at least have the ending to look forward, an original ending that James did not script.

Overall: My impressions of the film overpowered my desire to slog through James' prose and bleak outlook.

Hark! A Vagrant

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
Drawn and Quarterly, 2011
166 pages
Humor; Comics
5/5 stars

Source: Library

Having come across the strip online, I was excited to pick up the book and receive more of Beaton's literature and history based humor. It's kind of nerdy, just like me!

I was so happy to open this book and see that the very first comic was one of my favorites: the Brontë sisters rating men (you can check it out here). Charlotte and Emily swoon over the douches while Anne scorns their poor taste in men (I happen to think that Rochester and Heathcliff are total douches and thus wholeheartedly concur). This is the comic that got me interested in reading Anne's books even though I have yet to do so. But I have good intentions! (2012 reading goal?)

The second comic is completely different with figures from Canadian history (which I can confirm because I googled all of their names). Although I didn't immediately understand it, there were still funny lines. There are other comics that also seem to focus on Canadian history that still worked for me; bonus: I got to look them up and learn more about our northern neighbor (hello Canadians!)

Don't worry, I'm not going to summarize every strip; I just wanted to a. show two I really liked and b. show the wide variety of topics that Beaton covers. It's mostly history and literature but sometimes just random silly stuff.

One thing I would have liked was Beaton's comments on every strip. She comments on some but not all. I collect the Pearls Before Swines treasuries specifically because Stephan Pastis provides (usually hilarious) commentary on almost every strip and I think that insight into the creator's mind is incredibly valuable and enjoyable for a reader. Perhaps Beaton will put out another collection with this additional information.

Overall: Definitely worth a read if you're part of the nerdy crowd...which includes you as you are reading this book blog :)

Promise the Night

2011-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
Chronicle Books, 2011
262 pages
YA; Historical
4/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC for review from Amazon Vine.

I really enjoyed MacColl's first novel about young future queen Victoria so I was interested in her second outing, another historical fiction novel about a British heroine in vastly different circumstances. This time the heroine is famed aviatrix Beryl Markham, who grew up in British East Africa. I had never heard of her and entered the book with no idea what to expect.

I really liked the writing and the adventures. Beryl is not a shy, retiring young lady; she is bold and daring, not content to sit inside but wanting to be a warrior and trainer of horses. She gets in to so many scrapes but is dedicated to doing the right thing and confessing her wrongs to her father. She has a strong sense of justice even if as a child, she still has much to learn. However I didn't really identify with her, being a more introverted and indoorsy girl, and disapproved of her hijinks; honestly I thought she was a little bratty in some instances such as her obstinacy against learning basic mathematics. I wonder if a younger reader might be more enchanted.

The book is roughly divided into three sections: Beryl's life on her father's ranch and Beryl's life at school interspersed with journal entries chronicling her record-setting journey to be the first woman to fly London to New York over the Atlantic (the winds make it tougher than New York to London). I loved the journal entries and Beryl's time at school. However MacColl doesn't shy away from some of the nastier elements of colonialism nor does she downplay the dangers of Africa (leopards to say the least), both of which made me squirm.

Overall: I did prefer MacColl's first novel but I definitely want to applaud this exciting and well-written historical YA novel.

Cover: The cover I received featured a blonde girl in aviator hat and glasses, which doesn't really capture the book as flying is not the biggest element. However this cover is pretty bland.

Liar's Moon

2011-12-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Liar's Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011
349 pages
YA; Fantasy; Mystery
4.5/5 stars

Source: Own

Looking at my order slip, it appears that I placed my order on May 22 and received it the day it came out. But silly me, I forgot to include it on my calendar so I had a bunch of review books to get through first before I could dive into this personally highly anticipated sequel to StarCrossed.

I began in a bit of a panic because while I remembered main character Digger alias Celyn, I didn't automatically remember any other character. Now some of the characters were new so that explains why but the other characters were cleverly reintroduced and integrated into the story such that my memory was jogged. And the part I remember best from StarCrossed was Digger's slow attachment to the people she met; although she had tried to keep herself separate, she couldn't stop becoming involved. Similarly, she is attached to people in this book including a romantic interest and a wide network of people who aid her in traitorous activities. How lucky is she?! I kept fearing a sudden but inevitable betrayal but no one stabbed her in the back like that. They were good people.

As for the plot, this focused on the mystery of the death of influential businesswoman Talth Ceid, the wife of Digger's acquaintance Durrel Decath who happens to be the obvious suspect. Someone believes in his innocence and Digger is dragged into a complicated web of business contracts, trade, greed, force, and magic. Although everything seems tangled, she knows that she can dig up an answer (okay-sorry for the bad joke!)

While I liked this book a lot and had trouble putting it down, I still didn't find it to be a perfect book. I did think it dragged a little in some places and would have liked some things to happen more quickly.

Then there is the ending. While the central mystery is tied up (we know who killed Durrel's wife) and progress seems to have been made on the political front (in favor of the side Digger supports), something totally out of the blue comes our way. I can see some people guessing but I was surprised...and now I'm even more anxious for the third book to hopefully tie everything up.

Shades of Milk and Honey

2011-12-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
Tor, 2010
302 pages
Fantasy; Jane
4/5 stars

Source: Library

For some reason I kept getting this mixed up with Between Shades of Gray (link), which I've heard great things about but is really quite different. This is the one I really wanted to read as it was supposed to be like Jane Austen...with Magic! Doesn't that sound right up my alley?

And boy, did I feel that Austen influence. Especially strong examples include the couple with prejudices against each other that ends up becoming love; an emotional, indiscreet younger sister and her more prim older sister; a somewhat priggish heroine a la Fanny from Mansfield Park; a young girl overstimulated by romantic literature; and a secret engagement stemming from Emma. This all had the effect of making everything very predictable for me (especially in that last case) but that didn't diminish my joy in that regard.

What did diminish my pleasure was a feeling that something was missing in regards to the magic. Young ladies of a certain social status are expected to have some skill in glamour. Our main character Jane does have it and expands her ability through some inspiration. Other characters have varying skill levels. And yet, this book did not satisfy me in this regard. I think I just expected something more, to grab me and not let go and I didn't get that.

Still this is a charming debut that leaves me excited for the sequel which will follow the same characters during the end of the Napoleonic Wars; Austen never wrote explicitly about war so this will allow for more departures and hopefully more depth in the magic.

Shatter Me

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
HarperTeen, 2011
342 pages
YA; Paranormal; Dystopia
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an ARC through Amazon Vine.

I was so nervous starting this book because while I am thrilled for a blogger achieving her dream of publishing a book, I was also nervous of what I would do if I hated the book (I don't want to be mean!) Plus since it drew comparisons to The Hunger Games and X-Men, it had a lot of hype surrounding it. For me that meant anticipating a story containing a mix of dystopia and paranormal, which has not worked well for me in the past (see Possession). Similarly my opinion of this book is mixed. I didn't like most of the characters, didn't quite understand the setting, and struggled with some of the language but the end really picked up.

Our main character is Juliette, who has been imprisoned for years in various jails after accidentally killing a little boy with just her touch. Understandably this has led her to conclude that she is a monster, especially as her parents had only reinforced that idea during the time she was with them before captivity. She's hurt, lonely, and confused.

One day a new prisoner is introduced into her cell; he is named Adam and they actually used to know each other in earlier years. While he ends up being a soldier for the ruling government, it turns out that he's been in love with her for years and is the first person to be able to handle her touch. Honestly, he seemed a little too perfect but their passion does light up the page.

The last main character I'll mention (since the other two I'd like to note are spoilers) is Warner, a power-mad commander with daddy issues who wants to channel Juliette's powerful touch for his own ends. Although Warner is definitively not a good guy, I found him electrifying and even when he scared me (I felt the only thing stopping him from raping Juliette was his fear of dying from touching her), I wanted him to stick around because at least he's an exciting character, especially in comparison to Juliette and Adam.

Then we have the setting, which seems to be a dystopic one, headed by the controlling Reestablishment. I didn't get a good sense of the world, which on the one hand is appropriate as Juliette has been isolated for so long and doesn't know that much but on the other hand is disappointing to me as a reader of dystopians. I like hearing how the former government failed and how the latter government stepped in; I want to know specifics of how they control and punish the people.

Another point of difficulty for me was the writing style. It is heavy on metaphors, mentions shades of red a lot, and contains many phrases that are struck through as can be seen on the ARC cover. I guess some people will love this but others, like me, will not.

SPOILERS:
Lastly a spoiler section, which relates to events of approximately the last third or less of the book, which was definitely my favorite section. Juliette and Adam escape from the compound where she is kept and connect with Adam's sweet younger brother as well as with rebels. Those rebels are what have probably drawn the X-Men comparision as some of them have powers just like Juliette. I can't wait to learn more about them. I also loved the younger brother James, who was so adorable but who I am terrified will end up dying, and Kenji, another "mutant" like Juliette-playful but serious when necessary. I also like him more than Adam.
END SPOILERS

Overall: An intriguing debut with a writing style that is likely to split audiences, with a love story that will capture people, and with enough good books to have me interested in the sequel.

Cover: Is this a HarperTeen book? Then it must have a pretty girl in a dress...although actually I don't really like this dress as white gowns always make me think bridal.

November Stats

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Looking Back at November: I ended with reviews of the last 7 books in the Anne of Green Gables, which was a lot of fun. Also due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I was able to add quite a few more books to my total, which makes me happy. The other great thing was that I read a lot of really enjoyable books and handed out more than a few 5s just because the books were so good. Most of those reviews have already been posted if you want to explore my November posts.

Looking Forward to December: My main goal for December is to really plow through my Netgalley review books (I'm currently under 50!) so there will be plenty of reviews from there but also some other YA releases and even a few other categories (like a classic and a non-fiction book). I'm hoping to end the year strong (I will definitely read over 400 books this year) as I have several holidays, which always gives me more time to read.

Monthly Stats:

Books Read This Month: 27
Pages Read This Month: 7080 pages
Average Length of Book: 262 pages
Average Rating of Book: 4.06

Favorite Book: I read so many great books this month but I think I will go with Rilla of Ingleside by LM Montgomery.

Longest Book: The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins at 396 pages

Shortest Book: Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan, a children's book at 35 pages

Year Stats:

Total Books Read: 386

Total Pages Read: 114,512 pages

Average Length of Book: 297 pages

Average Rating of Book: 4.05

By Genre:
Mystery/Thriller-0
YA/MG-12
Romance-2

Classics-1

Science Fiction/Fantasy-1

Non-Fiction-3
Historical Fiction-0
Short Stories-0
Other-8

Challenge Updates:

Cozy: 0 read, 5 total

British Books: 0 read, 41 total

YA Debut: 3 read, 57 total

Ebook: 8 read, 133 total

Source:

Home Library-8

Own/Borrowed/Won-8

Booksneeze-0

Netgalley-7

Other ebook source-1

Audiobook-0
Amazon Vine-3

Stats for Previous Months: January; February; March; April; May; June; July; August; September; October

Books Read:
360. Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
361. Bunheads by Sophie Flack
362. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
363. The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie Lin
364. Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
365. Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery
366. Anne of the the Island by LM Montgomery
367. How to Be Perfect by Daniel M. Harrell
368. Eddie's War by Carol Fisher Saller
369. Soldier's Game by James Killgore
370. Anne of Windy Poplars by LM Montgomery
371. The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees
372. Anne's House of Dreams by LM Montgomery
373. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
374. Anne of Ingleside by LM Montgomery
375. Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
376. Rainbow Valley by LM Montgomery
377. With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo
378. Rilla of Ingleside by LM Montgomery
379. Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
380. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
381. The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins
382. Liar's Moon by Elizabeth C. Bunce
383. Washington Square by Henry James
384. Irena's Jar of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan
385. How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
386. Tall, Dark, and Determined by Kelly Eileen Hake

How was your month?

Rilla of Ingleside

2011-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Rilla of Ingleside by LM Montgomery
Bantam, 1998
Originally published J.B. Lippincott, 1921
277 pages
Children's Classic
5/5 stars

Source: Own

This is the last book in the Anne of Green Gables series and one with a more serious tone as World War I breaks out and several of our beloved male characters enlist. However this book, as you might guess from the title, focuses on Rilla, youngest child of Anne, and life on the homefront in Canada during the Great War.

There was a lot to love about this book. First unlike the previous two books, this one focuses one just one character: the lovely spoiled 15-year old Rilla. Because it follows just her, I had a greater understanding of her, of her hopes and dreams AND was still able to learn the fates of my favorite characters. Over the course of the book, Rilla matures so much and endures a lot. She was a great character and even had some of the irrepressible joy of her mother.

Second, this book is mostly set during WWI. The beginning of the book overlaps with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, an event the papers mention but few take notice of. How could the death of an Austro-Hungarian archduke affect the denizens of Canada? But too soon, everyone is swept up into war. Rilla has three older brothers and various other young men around the island enlist, including Rilla's sweetheart. No one is spared the pain of missing loved ones and some do die. Thus the emotional stakes are very high.

Third, this was a different book for me. I've read several books set during WWI and other wars. I've read books about serving at the front and about staying at home. But I'm an American and most of the books I've read have been about the American experience. This is a Canadian book and thus follows the fortunes of the United Kingdom and Canada. Thus I got to learn a bit more about the Great War!

Overall, an excellent mix of the serious with the humorous to leaven the tense parts as well as featuring a great character arc and some history lessons.

Rainbow Valley

2011-11-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Rainbow Valley by LM Montgomery
Bantam, 1998
Originally Published Frederick H. Stokes Co., 1919
225 pages
Children's Classic
3.5/5 stars

Source: Own

This book is still technically part of the Anne of Green Gables series (packaged all together, this is labelled as the seventh) but it focuses much more on children, who are very like her in sensibility, and their adventures rather than Anne. Thus I feel that this is slightly misrepresented as Anne barely appears and in fact it is the new Presbyterian minister's children who have most of the page time with Anne's kids occasionally showing up as well. They are neighbors and spend a lot of time together in an area named Rainbow Valley by the Blythes.

Like the previous books, these are mostly vignettes alternating focus on the kids and allowing all of them to have a bit of spotlight. While I did like those kids for the most part, as they have good hearts and intentions even if they run wild, I feel a little upset with the publisher for marketing them all together. Surely there were stories about Anne's bunch that could have been told instead! This is compounded by the arrival of a character called Mary Vance, who seems okay at first but then becomes very annoying as she is a bossy know-it-all. It also seemed like she received more page-time than the Blythes and was supposed to be funny.

I also find myself growing a little tired of the necessity of everyone being matched up, of the incessant gossip within their small town, and the little things like that. I do enjoy the children's misadventures still as they always seem able to come up with new stuff. I was also struck by the foreshadowing to a coming war. It is my understanding that this was published in 1919 but is set probably in about 1912-4 or thereabouts and certain passages helped me ponder what would happen in the next (and last) book, which does cover the years of the Great War.

Overall: Definitely my least favorite of the Anne books as it doesn't have much Anne nor does it have a fully cohesive plot.

Anne of Ingleside

2011-11-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Anne of Ingleside by LM Montgomery
Bantam, 1998
Originally Published Frederick A Stokes Company, Inc., 1939
274 pages
Children's Classic
4/5 stars

Source: Own

By this book, Anne has five children (with one more on the way) and is consequently very busy. Thus this book tends to focus more on the adventures of her children rather than her own, giving me somewhat of a Cheaper by the Dozen vibe. Of course, I am sad to not have as much Anne but her children are a lot like her and there are still some good bits. This is especially disappointing as the book jumps around and alternates focus; I would have preferred a narrative that only followed Anne as the previous books did.

My favorite part was in the beginning when Gilbert's aunt comes to stay for two weeks, which is soon extended indefinitely. This woman is not pleasant and she grates on the nerves of everyone: Gilbert, Anne, the children, and their live-in maid Susan. Still she provided much entertainment to this reader, especially whenever she took offense at something.

The other part I anticipated was Anne's doubting of Gilbert's affections for her. She works it up into a big thing, terrified that Gilbert may now care more for the girl he hung around with in college (while Anne was seriously dating another man, I might add!) This is teased on the back cover and I assumed it would cover many pages and chapters. However it was vastly overstated and of course Gilbert cares for no one but Anne. It's patently ludicrous to suggest otherwise; he's been hers pretty much since they met.

Overall, I would have to say that this is one of the lesser efforts. I kind of feel like even Montgomery was over Anne by this point and just wanted to get one more book out there for her publishers even though she wanted to explore other worlds and characters.

Anne's House of Dreams

2011-11-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Anne's House of Dreams by LM Montgomery
Bantam, 1998
Originally Published Lippincott, 1922
227 pages
Children's Classic
4/5 stars

Source: Own

In this fifth Anne book, Anne and Gilbert are married (!) and are living in their "house of dreams" in Four Winds as he sets up his practice and she takes up housekeeping. She also makes new friends: Captain Jim in the lighthouse, Miss Cornelia, a staunch spinster and Presbyterian, and beautiful morose Leslie Moore and her tragic life.

All together in some ways this book is a sadder one than the previous stories. Leslie lives a miserable existence and Anne suffers some serious heartbreak, although I won't tell you why since it caught me surprise. Still there are the happy times to balance out the sad, just as in real life. And the end of the book exemplifies that. As Anne and Gilbert expand their family, they must leave their beloved house of dreams for a bigger house in town. Good-children, bigger house, more respect for Gilbert's skill as a doctor; Bad-leaving a place where they were happy: good and bad just like real life!

And while Anne and Gilbert are married, I didn't feel they had enough scenes together. I feel bad comparing it to Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace (and the whole Betsy series in fact) but since the main characters in both are women who like to write who've grown up over a series of books before marrying her childhood sweetheart, I inevitably find myself doing so. And I feel like Betsy and Joe spend way more time together; the romantic in me finds this more pleasing.

Another thing I noticed about this book were the descriptions. Having read all eight books by now, I felt like this one especially depended on descriptions and Anne's sometimes fanciful imaginings of her scenery. While I found this charming in the first book and tolerable in the others, I was a bit tired of it by now and skimmed certain passages when I found myself growing bored. I like to read about the local gossip and about their lives, not what things look like. Of course, that's a personal preference; I'm sure others will find it enchanting as they read through the series.

Overall, this is probably among my least favorites due to the excessive descriptions and lack of Anne/Gilbert love.

Anne of Windy Poplars

2011-11-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Anne of Windy Poplars by LM Montgomery
Bantam Books, 1998
Originally Published McClelland and Stewart, 1936
258 pages
Classic;
4/5 stars

Source: Own

Okay, so this was a good book but Anne is without Gilbert and I happen to really like them together so it loses in that regard. The narration is also a little odd as it switches from Anne's letters to Gilbert to third-person narration without any warning. I was fine with the letter technique and am not sure it needed to be changed up like that.

In this book, Anne is the principal of Summerside High School. I'm not entirely sure what principal meant at that time but I do not understand how a twenty-something would be in that position. Of course, I didn't understand a sixteen-year teaching in previous Anne books so I guess it fits. Meanwhile Gilbert is in medical school so they have a three year separation to endure-sadface for this reader.

But Anne has plenty to do in the meantime. She has to find a place to live during her tenure and she has to charm the Pringles, the clannish, well-to-do family who object to her placement when one of their own could have had the position. The first problem is easily remedied when she finds Windy Poplars with two widows, Rebecca Dew, and an adorable like-minded next door neighbor whose spirit is being crushed by her strict grandmother. The second problem soon ends as Anne displays her backbone, charm, and a little bit of luck.

We follow Anne over the course of her three years there, each with new scrapes and new adventures as well as new couplings and the signature Anne charm. Pretty much everyone falls for her eventually.

Overall: Really quite good.

A-Z About Me

2011-11-25T16:14:00.000-08:00

Saw this at Squeaky Books and enjoyed it so much that I decided to do it too.

Age: Twenties with my birthday coming up on December 14

Bed Size: Twin

Chore that you hate: Washing dishes...thus I stick to just drying them.

Dogs: Well I'm a cat girl (orange tabbies forever!) but after seeing some that had been abused :( on the news this week, I also kind of want a beagle.

Essential start to your day: Breakfast and brushing my teeth

Favorite colors: Sky blue, cotton candy pink, and Eagles green.

Gold or silver: Silver for jewelry-I think it looks better on me.

Height: 5'4"-average.

Instruments you play: Viola and piano

Job title: Sales Support/Customer Service Representative

Kids: Probably not for a while yet.

Live: USA

Overnight hospital stays: I think I stayed over night the day I was born...otherwise none. I'm very healthy (thank God.)

Pet peeves: Lateness for starters.

Quote from a movie: "Do you know what's wrong with you?...Nothing!" [Great movie-highly recommend!]

Right or left-handed: Right.

Siblings: Younger sister.

Time you wake up: 6:30-6:45

Underwear: I am in favor of it.

Vegetable you hate: I actually do prefer vegetables to fruit in general but I loathe rutabaga now.

What makes you run late: If the clock stops? I'm VERY punctual.

X-Rays you've had: I think just teeth.

Yummy food that you make: Popcorn? Does microwaving count? I'm not really a cook.

Zoo animal: Bears!

Anne of the Island

2011-11-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Anne of the Island by LM Montgomery
Bantam Books, 1998
Originally Published LC Page & Company, Inc., 1915
243 pages
Classic
4.5/5 stars

Source: Owned

This is the book I was waiting for after Anne of Avonlea, the one where Anne and Gilbert get together (and I may have peeked at the last page just to make sure!) While there could have been more of them (as if I wanted to read about Anne and some other guy or Gilbert and some other girl), I was happy with the scant passages we did receive (am now imagining fan fiction that rectifies this lack).

Happily beside the romance, Anne is having plenty of adventures at Redmond College with her roommates and classes. There were a lot of humorous situations and one dreadful one involving a cat, but I don't want to spoil any of those surprises for you! Marilla, although not having a huge role in this book, is still there and I'm grateful for her steady presence and Mrs. Rachael very much endears herself to me by deciding that Anne and Gilbert should marry.

As I write this, I am almost finished with the Anne series, and I'm struck by how much of the books revolve around romances. I know that shouldn't seem very special to me but I guess I'm used to a lot of contemporary YA novels which have one primary love relationship (either a duo or a triangle) whereas these books bring in a lot of characters and match them up and sometimes send them out of the story when no longer necessary. It's not a bad thing; it's just a recurring plot element.

Overall: Yay-Anne and Gilbert, FTW!

Anne of Avonlea

2011-11-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery
Dell Laurel-Leaf, 2003
Originally Published L.C. Page & Company, Inc., 1909.
276 pages
Classic
4/5 stars

This is the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series as well as the start of my tribute to Anne and LM Montgomery week. Could I have picked a better time than Thanksgiving? Probably but this is when I wanted to do it so whatever.

This book starts with Anne, aged 16 (!) and beginning a two-year stint at the local school as a teacher. I cannot imagine being a teacher at this age (that's how old my sister is and I certainly wouldn't trust her with a schoolroom of impressionable children). She also faces new challenges with a crabby male bachelor neighbor and taking in a set of twins, sweet Dora and exuberant Davy. Meanwhile Anne still has time to get up to some of her usual crazy adventures and misfires in addition to pondering the bizarre behavior of the handsome Gilbert Blythe and her feelings toward him.

I just want to say that I was very disappointed with the lack of Gilbert in this book. At this point in time, he is teaching in a different place so it makes sense that they wouldn't be able to interact much. However the later books better make that deficiency up to me as I adore Anne and Gilbert and can't wait for them to get together! Gilbert seems aware that they are a great couple but Anne isn't yet decided.

While I loved just about everything about the first book, sometimes Anne's imaginings and descriptions grated on me a bit. I love reading about pretty much every character, the crabby, the gossipy, the sweet, the dull, no matter what they're doing. But sometimes Anne has to describe just exactly how something looks and I don't fully appreciate it. I like action more than description and I was sometimes a bit bored in this book.

Happily there are still some great episodes such as Anne's determination to never beat a student, being sorely tried and Anne's little foray into matchmaking. There are many funny stories and many sweet moments. However I would describe the mood as very upbeat and cheerful rather than sad, which is good because it leaves me smiling and eager for the next book.

Overall: A fine outing with Anne even if it didn't quite serve up what I wanted!

The Juliet Spell

2011-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees
HarlequinTeen, 2011
265 pages
YA; Time-Travel
4/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was not sure what to expect from this book other than some significant Shakespeare references but what I received was a fun book with a plot that cannot be taken too seriously.

All Miranda wants is to be Juliet in her school's production of Romeo and Juliet, to serve as a tribute to her actress mother who never got to be Juliet and to fill her love of theater. To ensure this outcome, Miri casts a spell and is startled to discover Edmund Shakeshaft aka William Shakespeare's brother in her house.

The reason I say this plot cannot be taken too seriously is partly due to the time travel and Edmund's very easy acclimation to modern day standards as well as how easily everyone accepts his presence and how conveniently other events play out. I bought into the story and was willing to allow Rees to guide me along; others may not be able to accept that.

Of course there's a lot of Shakespeare, from Romeo and Juliet and from the plays written after-I bet it would be fun for a Shakespeare nerd to read through this and pick out all the references! The idea is that Shakespeare stole from everyone, especially from the words of his brother and we are getting a preview of how Shakespeare was inspired. However there is also a lot of science (or pseudo-science, I can't tell) revolving around how the Shakespeares are arriving and how that is affecting the past as well. I really appreciated that the time travel had serious consequences even in a book as light-hearted as this one.

There is a lot of drama though; first in the casting of the play and then its actual production as well as in the relationships of the cast. Miranda falls in love at almost first sight with Edmund even though a practically perfect guy from her own time is RIGHT in front of her. He was probably my favorite character although I liked most of them.

The one character I really didn't like was Miranda's dad, who left the family to "find himself." They struggle along with his paycheck contributing to the family's finances but welcome him back with open arms when he finally wakes up and returns. That was probably my biggest issue and I doubted the likelihood of that particular scenario ever happening in real life way more than I doubted the time travel or other issues.

Overall: A fast read that requires some serious suspension of belief but rewards you with a lot of fun!

Soldier's Game

2011-11-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Soldier's Game by James Killgore
Kelpies, 2011
160 pages
YA; Historical
5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I probably would have skipped over this book when browsing the catalog on Netgalley as it appears to be about war and soccer (neither of particular interest to me as it seemed unlikely to also include romance) until I saw that it included a plot about World War I. This made me think of the wonderful movie Joyeux Noël, which looks at a truce between sides at Christmas 1914; I also believe a there was a soccer game shown but it's been a while since I've seen this film. That little tidbit was enough to convince me to request the book and its short length convinced me to pick it up recently.

Happily I was blown away and moved to tears (I was actually reading this on Veterans Day) by this simple story about the Hearts of Midlothian football club and the battalion they formed with others to fight in the Great War. This is told to aspiring soccer player Ross by his grandmother whose father, Jack, had been one of the players and soldiers. It is his "football kit" that is discovered and inspires Ross to learn the full story.

Through the narration of the grandmother, the reader learns about Jack's immense luck in being called up to play, his joy in the game, and his desire to prove himself. This is all derailed by a great war, where men are jeered at if they are healthy and fit but not soldiers. Together the football club and others form a battalion and march off to war. Some lose their lives, some lose limbs, but those who return have lost their opportunity to play soccer and instead become quiet and somewhat forgotten heroes. There is also included another story about a contemporary player whose quiet battle with cancer inspires Jack as he heads onto the battlefield.

Through hearing this story, Ross is encouraged to act and earns his great-grandfather recognition for his sacrifice as well as improving in his own soccer skills, such that he can take advantage of the opportunities provided to him by his great-grandfather and other soldiers. I'm actually getting a little teary-eyed writing this review because it just hit me on all emotional fronts.

Overall: A great blending of contemporary and little-known historical that educates and engages your emotions. Highly recommended!

Eddie's War

2011-11-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Eddie's War by Carol Fisher Saller
Namelos, 2011
194 pages
YA; Historical
5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit that I entered this book skeptically seeing that it was laid out in what looked like verse and my skepticism increased as I realized how short each chapter was and how short the book overall was. How could it possibly develop any characters or themes with such little time? Well, if you saw my star review up there, you'd see that Saller succeeded admirably and left me blinking back some tears because the characters did get under my skin and make me care.

This book is a historical novel set in small-town Illinois before and during WWII. Eddie is just a young boy living on a farm with his family but over the years he sees some things. Such as the Polish gypsy Jozef who is viewed with suspicion by the neighbors; such as his abusive grandfather; such as his older brother and friends going off to war; such as the mysteries of girls; such as standing up for what is right.

This book touches on everything; some books would cover the same events in 500 pages and not pack such an emotional punch. The humor, the sadness, the randomness of life all conveyed in this small package with lovely writing. And it left me with tears in my eyes from the feelings it evoked. Somewhat sadness over some of the events, somewhat sadness that the book was over, but mostly happy tears over a sweet story.

Overall: Highly recommended historical fiction novel for all.

Tip: A great, quick read that will touch your heart AND add another book to you read list for the year!

What I'm Into Right Now 20NOV11

2011-11-20T20:43:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share a couple of fun things I'm liking right now:

Historically Accurate Disney Dresses-This is a series drawn by Claire Hummel; you can check them all out and purchase them here. Currently features 10 Disney characters with the potential for more to come! I will be receiving the series for Christmas.

Cinder and Ella-I posted my review earlier this year as part of a blog tour but now the book is actually out and you can pick up a copy to see if I got it right.

Katy Perry concert-I don't know if you heard but Katy Perry bought out the Staples Center in LA and gave out the tickets for FREE (link) and my family got tickets! So we're making the drive (in Thanksgiving traffic-eek!) to Los Angeles to see her again. We already saw her but we're so thrilled to have won.

Wherever You Go

2011-11-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis
Harcourt Children's Books, 2011
309 pages
YA; Contemporary; Ghosts
3/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is narrated in a most unusual way: it alternates between first-person for main character Holly, third-person for friend Jason, and second-person for Holly's ghost boyfriend Rob. I was a little thrown to pick the book up and be addressed by the character but I quickly grew used to it and the device really helped me distinguish whose perspective we were following.

Holly lives with her single mother and her younger sister, taking on most of the responsibility of caring for the latter, and additionally shouldering the burden of caring for her Alzheimer's-stricken grandfather. Plus she's a social pariah, as most of her school blames her for the death of her popular, rich boyfriend Rob.

Jason is Rob's best friend who has had an interest in Holly and begins to reach out to her over the course of the novel and falling in love. Meanwhile Rob is a ghost and confused as to why. When he discovers that Holly's grandfather can see him, he tries to reach out to Holly through him. But since no one else can see Rob, they assume that the grandfather's mind is just deteriorating.

There were some absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking sections of this book. I so admired Holly for her strength in dealing with her boyfriend's death as well as the burdens of taking care of family and home. I've had a pretty privileged life and I was so humbled by Holly's selflessness and commitment to her family even at the expense of having a "normal" teenage life.

However I was put off by the ending where Holly's selfishness comes out as does the mother's. I guess it added some conflict in a book that is not heavy on conflict (I feel like it is more character-driven) but I ended up really disliking both characters because of that. Jason is a nice guy but I didn't feel like there was that much to him. He's pretty swoon-worthy as he devotes himself to winning over Holly by helping her care for her family and he puts her interests first; otherwise I didn't detect much of a personality. I would say that the grandfather was probably my favorite character; in dealing with the difficult situation of seeing a ghost and having everyone believe he was crazy, he won over my heart.

Overall: A beautifully written character-driven novel that just didn't quite work for me.

In My Mailbox 19NOV11

2011-11-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

In My Mailbox, Hosted by The Story Siren

From the Library:

I went a little bit overboard, checking out a lot of great looking books! First up is Alexandra Robbins' The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth, a Goodreads Choice Nominee for Best Non-Fiction. While I probably won't review it on my blog (as I try to focus mostly on YA), I have high hopes as I loved her previous books Pledged and The Overachievers

Next up is a collection of Kate Beaton's hilarious cartoons, titled Hark! A Vagrant. I've read some of her cartoons but am excited to read all that is contained in this book.

Fangirl squee! Finally the third book in the Beka Cooper trilogy is out (it was actually released about a month ago but I wasn't aware). One of the hardest parts of being a Pierce fan is the LONG waits in between books. Luckily if you've never read a Pierce book, you have a great backlist waiting on you-start with the Alanna books.

As I was browsing for another book, I happened to see this one on the shelves and couldn't believe my luck. Shades of Milk and Honey, an Austen-esque fantasy novel, sounds right up my alley. Can't wait to dive into this one!

I've been following Tess Hilmo's blog for a while and have seen the high praise With a Name Like Love has received so of course I wanted to give it a read. My hold finally arrived this week.

I needed another book to round out the second of my trips to the library (yes there were two this week) so I was browsing the shelves and, while looking for a Julie James book, came across the Henry James section (vastly different!) I debated between this and The Turn of the Screw, as both are short but this got the nod as I adore the excellent adaptation, titled The Heiress and starring Olivia de Havilland and Montgomery Clift (highly recommended film).

From Amazon Vine:

I requested two amazing looking 2012 YA debuts this week (they should arrive on Monday but I want to post about them this week as I don't know if I'll do IMM next week).
First up is Article 5; I have no idea what to expect from this but I figured it was worth a shot.

Then we have The Gathering Storm, paranormal historical fiction set in Russia is a very unique premise so it will be interesting to see how Bridges pulls it off.

Won:

Last, but certainly not least is another 2012 debut that I was lucky enough to win through Firstreads. Another book about which I have no expectations but hopefully will end up enjoying.

So that's my haul. How did everyone else do this week?

The Dragon and the Pearl

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie Lin
Harlequin, 2011
280 pages
Romance; Historical
3.5/5 stars

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had read Jeannie Lin's first book Butterfly Swords so I was excited to get a chance to read her second. Although it contains characters from that book, I didn't really remember them so it was like starting afresh.

The main characters this time are Ling Suyin, former consort of the now dead Emperor, whose beauty and wiles are (in)famous across the country. Her love interest is the brutal Li Tao, whose honor and loyalty drive him and have made him a feared leader of soldiers and a potent threat to a weak emperor.

At the beginning, I was somewhat confused as I felt there was a backstory I was missing. I can't remember if more was conveyed in the first book about these two but since it is not explicitly a sequel, I also feel like it shouldn't matter. The potential passion between the two characters is always simmering and explodes when they finally succumb to each other but there also seemed to be something unspoken between them that completely passed me by but that I desperately wanted to know so that I could more fully sympathize with them. There were flashbacks, which helped to explain the characters' reticence and fears about the other, and they were awesome. But still something eluded about them eluded me and kept me from being fully engaged.

I did enjoy the setting, which sees the Chinese Empire crumbling around them, adding instant drama. I remember enjoying the politics and history of Butterfly Swords as well so I'm not surprised that I liked those aspects again in this book. There are very high stakes surrounding the characters' lives, which forced them to make bolder decisions regarding their relationship and I was very tense in some parts.

Overall: An interesting read but I felt that something was missing to bring the main characters to life.