I got this book from the library, and it just sort of sat around for a bit... then I got some sort of update from GoodReads and I saw that it was on sI got this book from the library, and it just sort of sat around for a bit... then I got some sort of update from GoodReads and I saw that it was on some sort of "hot reads" list, so that sparked my interest again and I picked it up (baa).
The story itself (a bunch of teenagers in a post-apocalyptic world are thrown into a huge arena and they try to hunt each other down and kill each other until only one of them is left) reminded me a bit of Stephen King's The Long Walk, and it carried a similar tension throughout (mostly from knowing that there was only going to be one survivor). At first I wasn't that drawn in, but then it became one of those books that's hard to put down because you just have to find out what happens at the end. And that's kind of unfortunate, because the end of this book doesn't really end because it's the first book in a series.
I think a good description of this book is that it's a "page-turner", but in all fairness I have to admit that I'll probably be turning the pages of the next installment, so: three stars....more
After I read The Graveyard Book (which I really liked) someone recommended Coraline to me (also by Neil Gaiman). There are actually two versions oAfter I read The Graveyard Book (which I really liked) someone recommended Coraline to me (also by Neil Gaiman). There are actually two versions of Coraline - a regular novel and a graphic novel - and I picked up the graphic version.
I liked it, but I felt that it didn't flow as well as some other graphic novels I've read (I kept thinking that all the dialogue was simply cut out of the book and combined with illustrations, although that may be an unfair assessment). The story line was good - a young girl travels through a doorway and discovers an alternate reality inhabited (and created by) her "other mother", who's a scary imitation of her real mother - and when her "other mother" kidnaps her parents, she has to match wits with her to get them back.
I wish I'd read the regular novel first. I would have like more back story and details, and while I feel the dialogue and illustrations in the graphic novel were OK, I wasn't blown away. I'll probably check out the novel now to see if I can get that extra level of depth that I felt was missing....more
This is the third installment in the series by Megan Whalen Turner that began with The Thief. I thought it was a nice return to the things that made mThis is the third installment in the series by Megan Whalen Turner that began with The Thief. I thought it was a nice return to the things that made me like the first book so much - the strong characters, and in particular Gen (the Thief of Eddis) and his cleverness.
While much of the second book in the series (The Queen of Attolia) was lost to war strategy (and because of that was much less interesting to me), The King of Attolia drew me back in. It was like meeting Gen all over again, which is similar to what the people of Attolia are doing (but they're meeting him as the king who they believe stole the throne) and they're not really the accepting type. It was fun to read and see what followed....more
I liked The Queen of Attolia, but not as much as the first installment in the series, The Thief. All of the characters were still really interesting, I liked The Queen of Attolia, but not as much as the first installment in the series, The Thief. All of the characters were still really interesting, especially Gen, who's a little older and wiser in this tale, and the Queen of Attolia is definitely complex and captivating enough to deserve to be the title character of the book. But with the countries of Eddis, Attolia and Sounis constantly on the brink (or at) war, there was a lot of discussion of war - strategies, alliances, projections - and that's when the book dragged for me.
But when the relationships between the characters were explored, the book was great, and there were definitely some twists and surprises that I didn't see coming (and without spoilers, there were some that I had trouble accepting). I'm definitely hooked enough to read (and look forward to) The King of Attolia....more
This graphic novel has won a lot of awards, and I can see why. There are three stories being told concurrently, and each has themes of self-acceptanceThis graphic novel has won a lot of awards, and I can see why. There are three stories being told concurrently, and each has themes of self-acceptance and acceptance (or not) by one's peers.
The first is the folk tale of the Monkey King who wanted to be a god. When told that monkeys can't be gods, he quickly sets out to shed his monkey-ness in order to become something else... something that more closely fits others' expectations of what a god should be.
The second is the story of Jin Wang, a young student of Chinese descent who just wants to fit in at school. Picked on and made fun of, he'd like to be like his toy transformer - able to change his appearance at will.
The third is the story of Danny, the very student Jin would like to be most. But Danny has his own problems - mainly the once-a-year visit of his cousin Chin-kee, who's as much a racial stereotype as his name implies. Pronouncing every "L" in his speech as an "R" and letting Danny know that he thinks his girlfriend would be much prettier with bound feet are only two of the many infractions that cause Danny utter humiliation and wreak havoc in his social circle.
These three arcs are woven together at the end of the novel in a surprising but touching ending. Characters are revealed for who they really are, how they've transformed, and in some ways how they've remained true to themselves - or been reminded to.
Wonderfully drawn and recounted, I'd highly recommend this book....more
I loved this book (Fat Kid Rules the World). Six-foot-one, 296-pound Troy is just looking for something that we're all searching for - acceptance. WheI loved this book (Fat Kid Rules the World). Six-foot-one, 296-pound Troy is just looking for something that we're all searching for - acceptance. When he meets Curt, a mostly homeless punk prodigy who decides that Troy is going to be his drummer (even though Troy hasn't played since the seventh grade), Troy needs to weigh his own feelings of fear and inadequacy against his desire to stop giving a fuck and just go for it.
When he goes to his first punk rock show and completely loses himself in the music, he begins his journey to freeing himself from all the baggage that normally holds him back. And at the same time, he finds out that Curt needs help, too. Just like we all do.
There's a beautiful moment in this story when Troy realizes that he's been waiting for people to give him things - support, love, acceptance - and instead of waiting, he decides to start giving those things away.
I'm making this story sound really sappy, but more than that it's funny, edgy and unflinching. Troy's outlook on his weight and life will have you alternately cringing and cheering for him, especially when he puts himself out there. If you like YA lit, read it read it read it!...more
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town is a book set in a sleepy Texas town in the early 1970s. When 600-pound Zachary Beaver's trailer rolls in it's literaWhen Zachary Beaver Came to Town is a book set in a sleepy Texas town in the early 1970s. When 600-pound Zachary Beaver's trailer rolls in it's literally big news, since he's touted as the "fattest boy alive".
As the townsfolk fork over two bucks and line up to get a glimpse of him (ummm, I guess that was somehow acceptable in the 70s) we meet our young protagonist, 13-year-old Toby Wilson. This is a summer of change for Toby - hIs mother has left him and his father to pursue her dream of becoming a country star in Nashville, he's fallen for a girl who barely knows he exists, and his best friend's brother is fighting in the Vietnam war. Then add Zachary.
Zachary has his own problems, which helps to put things in perspective for Toby. He starts out seeing himself as the center of the universe, but throughout the novel he develops an empathy for those around him. And when things start to fall apart for Toby, looking outside himself and helping Zachary starts to put things right.
It was really well-written and I was swept right up in it. I'm adding My Louisiana Sky (also by Kimberly Willis Holt) to my to-read list....more
This is how it usually goes with me and Neil Gaiman books:
Scene: at the library. Picks up Stardust and reads back flap... thinks, "hey, this looks likeThis is how it usually goes with me and Neil Gaiman books:
Scene: at the library. Picks up Stardust and reads back flap... thinks, "hey, this looks like a great book. What an interesting idea for a story..." When actually reading Stardust: bored.
A couple months later. At the library. Picks up Neverwhere... thinks, "hmmm. This looks really interesting, but that's what I thought about Stardust. Well, maybe I'll give him one last chance." When actually reading Neverwhere: stupid last chances!!!
So I was a little hesitant to pick up The Graveyard Book. Again, the idea is interesting - a toddler's family is killed, and he's raised in a graveyard by ghosts - but Gaiman's books have seemed interesting to me before. So it's with gratitude that I say:
Finally. FINALLY! To me, this book (at long last) connected. I loved the characters and the concept, and the actual text seemed to flow and be more engaging than the previous books I'd read. I'm glad I gave Gaiman's books one more last chance after the last last chance. I may even try one more....more
I checked Nine Princes in Amber out of the library in part because I'd seen a lot of good comments about it here on GoodReads. After reading it I'm woI checked Nine Princes in Amber out of the library in part because I'd seen a lot of good comments about it here on GoodReads. After reading it I'm wondering if this is one of those books that you love if you first read it when you were young, but doesn't quite grab you if you're coming at it as an adult.
Published in 1970, the book definitely felt dated to me. I'm sorry to report that the edition that I have isn't one of the available cover options, so I'll have to describe it: the book is sci-fi/fantasy, so the caped warrior riding a horse makes sense, but he's flanked by a gnarly-looking biker dude who (to my knowledge) has absolutely nothing to do with the story. It's a pen and ink drawing, and I would've been pretty impressed by it when I was ten. The only thing that would've made it better is if it had been Ace Frehley in full make-up on the motorcycle.
The next thing that I found to be a little confusing was that the characters all spoke with a certain formality that seemed reminiscent of a bygone age. This seems like it could make sense because the story focuses on a man named Corwin who wakes up in a New York hospital with amnesia. As his memory returns in bits and jags it turns out that he's a prince in a world called Amber, and for the rest of the book he attempts to return there to make a bid for the throne, currently held by one of his brothers.
Princes = formal language, right? Here's a good example of the narrative in the book:
And his eyes were wide with amaze and his voice heavy with that which men call sarcasm, and I can't think of a better word, as he replied: "Well, when it comes to things, Corwin. Poorly, on other counts, however."...
I love that - his eyes were wide with amaze - and that's all fine and good, but every few pages or so Zelazny would drop in a phrase like "lay off us" or "we were creamed" or "dig" or my favorite, "you bet your sweet ass". I was expecting Corwin to change into his orange corduroy bell-bottoms at any minute.
The combination of the formal language and the slang did actually work on a certain level. It took a little while, but I warmed up to the book. I don't think I'll be moving on to The Guns of Avalon though, unless someone who's read it can give me a reason compelling enough to keep going.
**spoiler alert** I have so much yet so little to say about this book... where to start?
I guess the first thing I'd like to say is that I'm so tired o**spoiler alert** I have so much yet so little to say about this book... where to start?
I guess the first thing I'd like to say is that I'm so tired of adult women trashing this book. This book was written for thirteen-year-old girls. If you're looking for a more intellectual read, this probably (just maybe...) wasn't the book you should've picked up. I'm not going to defend it to the death because I didn't exactly love it either, but I think a lot of people are trying to look smart by saying it was dumb, and to those people I'd like to say: What the f*ck were you expecting? Shakespeare? It's about a bunch of teen-aged vampires and werewolves, you f*ck stick!
That said, I didn't love this installment in the series. I didn't love the three before it, either. But I liked and was entertained by them enough to read all four. I guess my main problem with the last one was that THERE WAS NO HONEYMOON SEX. I mean, seriously Meyer - you made us wait through three books oozing with sexual tension because Bella and Edward could never be "as one" because of the danger, but then when the stage was set and they finally are together, suddenly it's the next day and all we get is a chewed-up feather pillow? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I hate you.
And then they have a baby right away, which kind of robbed us of the "finally they're together forever" rush. I mean, maybe thirteen-year-old girls want to read about a super-freaky baby, but I'm a mom. When Meyer dished out that tidbit, all I could think was the party's over.
Don't even get me started on the name "Renesmee". I mean, what? Seriously? That has got to be (easily) THE WORST baby name I have ever read. "Renesmee Carlie Cullen". Oof. Well, it could have been worse, right? No, actually I don't think so. If Meyer knew that Edward and Bella were going to spawn, couldn't she have named Renée and Esme something like "Jessica" and "Isabel" instead? Check out this combination: Jessibel
So hip! So trendy!
Or barring her ability to foresee that possibility, couldn't she just name the baby something less horrifying? For a while I was actually rooting for the Volturi, hoping they would destroy Renesmee simply to save her from having to endure immortal life saddled with such a name.
Moving on...
I also didn't feel like there was a lot of sensitivity in this book. In the others there were always at least a few sweet or poignant scenes that managed to keep me hooked. This one was more like: Read feverishly! Find out what happens next! No sex? WHAT??? Must move on! What? Baby?... You get the picture.
The part that I liked the most in this book was the section written by Jacob. I felt like we actually got to know and like him a lot more in this book. I felt his role in this book was pretty intense, and I was so sad for him when he drove off and went to the fair to see if he could imprint. And did anyone guess that he was going to imprint on Renesmee? Looking back, I can see Meyer was setting us up a little with Quil and Claire, but I have to admit I was taken by surprise on that one.
My favorite quote from the book is also from Jacob's secton, when he was trying to decide what was the best way to see if he could imprint on a random girl:
So how do you look for a random soul mate in a crowd? Well, first, I needed a crowd. So I tooled around, looking for a likely spot. I passed a couple of malls, which probably would've been pretty good places to find girls my age, but I couldn't make myself stop. Did I want to imprint on some girl who hung out in a mall all day?
Way to bitch-slap your main audience, Meyer! ROTFLMAO!!!
Lastly (again coming from the mom angle), WTF was Bella doing driving everywhere with Renesmee on her lap? Who the heck does she think she is, the vampire version of Britney Spears? At least she didn't drop Renesmee on her head, flash us her un-pantied goods, shave her head and go into rehab.
Enough nit-picking.
I am glad that I stuck with this series. It was entertaining. Bella got vampirized. I liked her, and all the characters. In the end, could they have been better developed? Probably. But I won't deny that it was a fun ride, and I'll never forget Edward's sweet mountain lion breath. If only they could have some kind of scratch-and-sniff cards for the movie....more
I wanted to have more sympathy for this book, but I didn't... I had heard so many wonderful things about it, but when I read it I couldn't really acceI wanted to have more sympathy for this book, but I didn't... I had heard so many wonderful things about it, but when I read it I couldn't really accept 9-year-old Bruno's naiveté, and I think a firm grounding in that aspect of the story is essential to embracing this book.
This is difficult for me to say (because of the sensitive nature of the book's subject matter: the Holocaust) but I found the ending of the book to be melodramatic.
If you're looking for a book that deals with the Holocaust from a young person's perspective, I'd recommend The Book Thief instead....more
I liked Artemis Fowl, but I didn't love it. I ended up reading it after I heard someone say that they wouldn't want their kids to read it because the I liked Artemis Fowl, but I didn't love it. I ended up reading it after I heard someone say that they wouldn't want their kids to read it because the main character was unlikable and a criminal... and since I was under the impression that this was a popular series for kids, that comment piqued my interest and I decided to read it myself.
I'd never limit what my child read because the main character was a jerk or a criminal or whatever - I feel like part of reading is being able to safely step into someone else's shoes. But I could see where this person was coming from. Artemis isn't Harry Potter - you're definitely not rooting for him. Instead, he's a brilliant twelve-year-old boy who leads a life outside the law, trying to restore his family's fortune by hatching and executing a devious plot to steal fairy gold.
We're not really supposed to like Artemis, but I was surprised to see a bit of general human-hating going on as well... the People (the fairy folk) despise the Mud People (humans) for their treatment of the earth and its animal inhabitants. At one point in the story, as Holly (one of the fairy folk) sees dolphins as she's flying over the ocean (and I quote):
She could see the pollution in them, bleaching their skin white and giving them red sores on their backs. And although she smiled, her heart was breaking. Mud People had a lot to answer for.
Alright, I can see giving kids a healthy dose of environmental moralism, but dolphins? Using dolphins as the vehicle for the message... it's almost like slaughtering kittens. And dolphins with bleached skin and red sores on their backs, no less. A little heavy-handed, I thought.
There are other characters in the book who share the spotlight with Artemis and bring a friendlier vibe to the book. Holly, a fairy who works in LEP Re-con (Lower Elements Patrol Re-con - leprechaun, get it?) is an engaging, likable character (although I found it strange that she's the first woman ever in her field... apparently a little bit of sexism is not uncommon among the fairy folk). She's an obvious foil to Artemis, bringing some humanity (fairy-style, of course) to the story.
Without giving any spoilers, Artemis does grow a bit throughout the book. He's not the same evil genius at the end that he was in the beginning, and he does become a slightly more sympathetic character. I'll probably read the next book in the series just to see what he gets up to next....more
This book is the story of Ed Kennedy, a twenty-year-old Australian going-nowhere cabdriver who has a few close friends (including a girl that he's hopThis book is the story of Ed Kennedy, a twenty-year-old Australian going-nowhere cabdriver who has a few close friends (including a girl that he's hopelessly in love with), a smelly dog that he shares his coffee with (the Doorman), and a foul-mouthed mother whose main purpose in life seems to be telling him to "piss off!".
The story begins as he and his friends find themselves in the middle of a bank robbery. Ed ends up inadvertently apprehending the robber, and becomes somewhat of a local hero. He then begins to receive playing cards in the mail with cryptic messages on them, and he needs to figure out what they mean, what he's supposed to do with them, who is sending them to him, and why.
I thought it was a good book, though not nearly as strong as The Book Thief (also by Zusak; the novel that brought me to this one). All the Australian slang was fun, and the main character and his friends were likable enough, but as I was getting closer to the end of the book, I found myself wanting to skip ahead to find out what exactly was going on rather than letting the story unfold.
The ending is satisfying, although a bit heavy on getting THE MESSAGE across. I'd give it three-and-a-half stars if I could, but it definitely doesn't deserve four, so three it is....more
This book didn't really do it for me. The whole time I was reading it, I kept thinking that if I was a teenager I would have had my jaw gaping open atThis book didn't really do it for me. The whole time I was reading it, I kept thinking that if I was a teenager I would have had my jaw gaping open at some of the plot twists, but since I'm now a jaded adult I felt like the events that occurred were a bit more emotionally manipulative.
Main things that bugged me: the "fantasy" of a dorky guy who works all summer and comes back to school buff and suddenly semi-popular. The gun. The inattentive father and the "resolution" that occurs with their relationship at the end of the novel. I just wasn't buying it.
But like I said, I'm not really the intended audience for this book, so I'll shut up now. On the flip side, many YA books can cross the line and engage both teens and adults - I just don't think this is one of them....more
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a book about a 14-year-old Native American cartoonist who leaves the reservation school behind to aThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a book about a 14-year-old Native American cartoonist who leaves the reservation school behind to attend an all-white public school. Hoping to receive a good education, Arnold "Junior" Spirit straddles two very different worlds, struggling to stay true to his heritage while striking out to make a better life for himself. While he deals with common teen issues like masturbation, fitting in, and girls, he also deals unflinchingly with the very real issues of poverty and alcoholism that exist on the rez.
His cartoons, which are scattered throughout the book, give a sweet reality to Junior's quirky personality as he works through his issues by drawing them. They support the story, but it's not really a diary format, as the title might imply.
As a reader, you want Junior to make good, but it seems like he needs to leave the res behind to do so. This book is the story of his journey to have both, and all the crazy and funny and heartbreaking stuff that happens to him along the way....more
I liked this book - seven different "portraits" of Dolores as she grows from a child to a young woman - but found the ending to be slightly melodramatI liked this book - seven different "portraits" of Dolores as she grows from a child to a young woman - but found the ending to be slightly melodramatic. Otherwise I'm intrigued to read more by Bruce Brooks because I found myself really immersed in the little snippets of her life, all told through different people's perspectives of her.
Dolores reminded me a bit of a Stargirl-like character, and I loved Stargirl so that might be a good indicator of whether you'd like this book. I'd give it three-and-a-half stars if Otis'd get on that, but as it stands I've got to go with three rather than four....more
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is Sonya Sones' third book written in verse. I actually read What My Mother Doesn't Know and What My One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is Sonya Sones' third book written in verse. I actually read What My Mother Doesn't Know and What My Boyfriend Doesn't Know before this one, and I loved those two so much that it's hard to judge this one fairly on its own merits.
Although I really liked this book - four stars worth - I found its premise to be a little unbelievable: After Ruby's mom dies she has to go live with her dad, who she's never met, and who (by the way) also happens to be a famous movie star. With that said, I completely went along for the ride as Ruby moved across the country and started her new life in L.A. The book deals with her adjusting to her new dad, school, and potential friends, as well as the best friend and boyfriend she left behind. All without the steadying force of her mom.
In one part of the book, Ruby reminisces about an old tree that she'd sit in (before she moved) and read (the palm trees in L.A. are not too sit-able). She talked about the books she'd read there, which included: The Whipping Boy, Tuck Everlasting, A Wrinkle in Time, To Kill a Mockingbird, "every word Richard Peck ever wrote", Speak, Hard Love, Hope Was Here, and Charlotte's Web.
They sounded to me like book recommendations from Sonya Sones. Thank you! Some will be added to my to-read list. That also inspired me to check out Sonya Sones' web site:
It has some interesting things on it. She likes to take photographs, and you can see pictures she's taken of other authors that she's friends with (yes, Richard Peck is one of them). She also has a great list of YA book recommendations. It's worth a visit if you're a fan of YA lit and are looking for some new titles to add to your to-read list.
I got a little off-track there. OoTHBWtMD is a great book, and worth reading. I think in a few years, this and Sones' other books will be considered YA classics....more
A Mango-Shaped Space is the story of Mia, a thirteen-year-old girl with synesthesia (she sees letters, numbers and sounds as having colors and/or shapA Mango-Shaped Space is the story of Mia, a thirteen-year-old girl with synesthesia (she sees letters, numbers and sounds as having colors and/or shapes). I had never heard of synesthesia before reading this book, and learning about it was interesting enough on its own. Combined with what's going on in Mia's life (dealing with the death of her grandfather, starting to have feelings for boys, and being a teen in general) it makes for a compelling read.
The end of the book hit me pretty hard emotionally, which kind of surprised me. It made me realize how attached I'd become to Mia, and when everything culminated at the end of the book, I really felt for her. She's presented as a normal girl dealing with an extraordinary condition - plus teenager-dom. Ouch....more