So I didn't really want to read this book. It didn't really interest me. But I read it as a favor to my sister-in-law. She thought it was soooooooooo So I didn't really want to read this book. It didn't really interest me. But I read it as a favor to my sister-in-law. She thought it was soooooooooo fantastic. So I read it. And I am so glad I did. It's hard to explain why it's so great . . . but the friendship between Catherine and Jason is just so nice, funny, real, etc. that I couldn't help but fall in love. The moral of the story is a little cliche, but that doesn't matter with Lord's brilliant characters and relationships....more
This book was fine, for what it is. I like that Walter Dean Myers is a fairly straight writer here. He doesn't fill the text with all sorts of floweryThis book was fine, for what it is. I like that Walter Dean Myers is a fairly straight writer here. He doesn't fill the text with all sorts of flowery prose about the horrid nature of war. In fact, the book doesn't come off as for or against the war. It just uses the war as a setting and let's the drama, etc. happen from that. However, I was never just plain wrapped up in this book. I enjoyed it, sure. I appreciated it, sure. But I wouldn't say I liked it. On the same note, I didn't hate it. I just, you know, read it....more
It's kind of like Batman Begins for Peter Pan. Cool and really funny. Too bad they feel the need to tie up every loose end from the Peter Pan story anIt's kind of like Batman Begins for Peter Pan. Cool and really funny. Too bad they feel the need to tie up every loose end from the Peter Pan story and it feels forced. The first 3/4 of the book are great fun, and then it has to explain everything in detail. I am sure kids who read it will find that fascinating. I found it annoying....more
What is there to say about Elsewhere? Give me a second and I'll come up with it. Oh, it has a promising premise. It is at times heartbreaking and funnWhat is there to say about Elsewhere? Give me a second and I'll come up with it. Oh, it has a promising premise. It is at times heartbreaking and funny. Mostly it is disappointing. I'd heard good things about this book from another blog I read constantly, it was a YA book, and I couldn't wait to read it. The prologue is amazing, a funny, little dog running around trying to deal with her owners death. Hilarious and strangely touching. And then it switches to Lizzy, the main character of the book, a 15-year-old girl who has recently died after a bicycle accident. In Elsewhere, a form of Heaven, where the dead age backwards and everything is perfect. Of course, dying at 15 Lizzy missed everything, like turning 16. She doesn't want to age backwards. This is an interesting concept and at times very insightful. Unfortunately, Lizzy whines a lot about never getting to grow up and the novel is more annoying than introspective. It also delves into a snorefest of a love story. *YAWN* Seriously, if I heard another character complaining about not finding their true love, I may have just fallen asleep mid-word. There is a lot to like about this book though. Mainly the supporting characters, especially the animals and Lizzy's grandmother, Betty....more
For 500 pages this book was close to fantastic. The author and her verse format painted searing imagery and allowed a heartfelt look into the minds anFor 500 pages this book was close to fantastic. The author and her verse format painted searing imagery and allowed a heartfelt look into the minds and hearts of three very troubled teens. All had tried to commit suicide and all were trying to pull themselves away from their own personal muck and mire. And then the book turned awful. Almost beyond awful, sickeningly hackneyed and laughably bad, like a morose teenager had taken over the writing. The places Ellen Hopkins decides to take this book for 130 pages is just plain stupid. I couldn't believe my eyes and wanted to just put the book back on the shelf, how did this get past a publisher, especially with how insightful she'd been for 500 pages? How? But I stuck it out, and while she does a lot of damage betraying her own writing and her characters, she leads the story to a surprising and devastating ending that salvages it just a little. It doesn't salvage it enough, however. The damage had been done.
There are also a few flaws in the good parts of this book. Mainly, while the verse form works most of the time, there are times when just simple sentences in prose form would be acceptable and warranted, instead of the verse form making them look sloppy and taking away from the overall crisp pace of the book. There are also a few times when she seems completely out of touch with her audience and characters. Teenagers these days don't talk in the strange 1950ish tone she relegates them to on occasion.
So while I'm still excited to read Hopkins other books, I hope she, or her editor, don't pull a fast one on me again. That is pulling me in to an interesting story with depth and then pummeling me with a horrid excuse for a teenage soap opera. ...more
Reading How They Met could often times be frustrating. I want to like David Levithan, he deals with tough issues facing teens that few other authors eReading How They Met could often times be frustrating. I want to like David Levithan, he deals with tough issues facing teens that few other authors even attempt to deal with. However, he just isn’t that talented. He’s shallow and annoying more often than insightful. He’s kind of like Nicolas Sparks for edgier teens. Some may need that, but most will turn to someone who is actually willing to delve deeper into his subjects. To be fair, this is a collection of short stories, and short stories about love. And teenagers may not understand love any deeper than Levithan gives them credit for, but he doesn’t give them any credit. Still, there are some great stories in this collection, enough to make up for its massive shortcomings. The title story “How They Met” is a tender, nostalgic retelling of how Levithan’s grandparents met. “The Good Witch” deals fairly well with a guy dealing with an overzealous prom date, equal parts funny and heartbreaking. “The Escalator-A Love Story” is the kind of experimentation and insightfulness that I was expecting from the whole book. Finally, “A Romantic Inclination” nails how teenagers really are when it comes to love, nerdy and awkward, trying to make it all make sense. That story, which he wrote in high school, may be his crowning achievement when it comes to dealing with teenage love. I just wish the other stories had as much depth as those few, because this collection mostly left me wanting more....more
Older readers, especially those who like a little romance with their punk rock, will really dig this book. Set in the punk scene of New York City and Older readers, especially those who like a little romance with their punk rock, will really dig this book. Set in the punk scene of New York City and switching perspectives between clean-cut, punk bassist Nick (written by David Levithan) and smart, straight-edge Norah (written by Rachel Cohn), Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist gives readers both sides of the stories. Both writers are funny and develop their characters that are heartbroken and vulnerable. Cohn’s sections often deliver more insight and wit than Levithan’s, who seems obsessed with being clever. Thankfully, as the book progresses the characters become fuller, both writers seem to become more comfortable and let their characters speak for themselves. The story of Nick & Norah’s night, however, is a compelling one, rife with toughness and romanticism. And Cohn’s final few sentences are fabulously open-ended and magical....more
I like this book, I really do. In fact, I was surprised by how good it actually was. But its flaws often overshadow how good it is. For instance, it sI like this book, I really do. In fact, I was surprised by how good it actually was. But its flaws often overshadow how good it is. For instance, it spans a lifetime, trying to feel epic and deal with different tumultuous times in Afghanistan. Instead of feeling epic it feels incomplete, being both too broad and not broad enough. It should have stuck to one story, Amir dealing with his mistreatment of his servant Hassan, and guilt following. It does this quite well, and when it does it becomes a compelling masterpiece. But it becomes a little too loose and ragged surrounding that story. The portion of the story where Amir is looking for/trying to adopt Hassan's son feels forced and ends up making a compelling read slog to the finish line. It also seems to be interested in introducing the world to the political turmoil which has taken place in Afghanistan over the past 30 years, but fails there also. It never fully explains what is happening there, because it is more interested in the human story it is telling. Still, it takes away from that human story from time to time as it tries to help us realize what is or was going on there. I believe there is a lot of power in this story, but it could have been more powerful with just a little more focus. I would recommend Persepolis, which balances its human story and political history lesson a lot better in fewer pages. ...more
Slightly better than the first. Collins uses her characters better, maybe because she had a first novel to develop them. In this novel their strengthsSlightly better than the first. Collins uses her characters better, maybe because she had a first novel to develop them. In this novel their strengths and weaknesses actually make the book more complex than the first. I like how dark these books are, but they are also sensitive enough to be accessible for younger readers....more
Another fun adventure from Blue Balliet. Still too much coincidence and reliance on everything being intertwined in a puzzle. But Balliet plays well tAnother fun adventure from Blue Balliet. Still too much coincidence and reliance on everything being intertwined in a puzzle. But Balliet plays well to her audience and keeps things light and fun....more
Ugg! I absolutely hated everything about this book. I think it deals with an important issue, one that should be dealt with, especially for this age gUgg! I absolutely hated everything about this book. I think it deals with an important issue, one that should be dealt with, especially for this age group. However, this book is silly, whiny, cliched, pretentious and just plain bad. I don't recommend it at all....more
Called "The Da Vinci Code" for kids, it relies more on coincidence, but is also 50x the book "The Da Vinci Code" is. First, "Chasing Vermeer" sets up aCalled "The Da Vinci Code" for kids, it relies more on coincidence, but is also 50x the book "The Da Vinci Code" is. First, "Chasing Vermeer" sets up a frame work for the coincidence to make sense. It's still a cop-out, but it has fun with both the mystery and the coincidence. Second, it's just a really well-written story....more
I like how maturely this book deals with high school. But I still think the character is a bit of a whiny teenager. And while I wanted her to succeed I like how maturely this book deals with high school. But I still think the character is a bit of a whiny teenager. And while I wanted her to succeed the more I think about her the more I hate her....more
Wow! I didn't expect this book to be nearly as good as it was. Surprisingly interesting, well-researced and compelling look at depression era circus lWow! I didn't expect this book to be nearly as good as it was. Surprisingly interesting, well-researced and compelling look at depression era circus life....more
Pretty cool. It's like a grown-up version of Harriet the Spy. It doesn't get to bogged down in the mystery or the dysfunctional family, but it does haPretty cool. It's like a grown-up version of Harriet the Spy. It doesn't get to bogged down in the mystery or the dysfunctional family, but it does have a lot of fun in both genres....more
The Host should have been called Love and the Bodysnatchers. That's a catchy title that'll grab anyone. Instead it's called The Host. But it's about lThe Host should have been called Love and the Bodysnatchers. That's a catchy title that'll grab anyone. Instead it's called The Host. But it's about love and the bodysnatchers. And if that doesn't make you want to read it, you’re dead inside.
It begins with the body of Melanie Stryder being taken over by an alien named Wanderer. What's most interesting about this book is the fact that Melanie doesn't go away. This creates an interesting dynamic we don't usually see in bodysnatcher type stuff. What does happen to the human when their body is taken? Are they still there? If they are still there what are they thinking? And The Host does a fantastic job with those questions. The complexity of the relationship between Wanda and Melanie is one of the most interesting relationships developed in current science fiction.
Author Stephenie Meyer also mixes enough romance, action, SF-stuff to keep readers entertained along the way. That's not to say this book is flawless though.
For one it could have used a paper cutter. Not an editor, so much as someone with one of those big, dangerous looking paper cutters, to chop this thing in half. For everything great about The Host it still felt like a chore to finish it.
Still with relatable characters and an interesting plot, The Host manages to keep the reader reeled in from start to finish. ...more
Not quite as energetic as the first book. A little more romance than the first book. But it also has cool ideas and even cooler visuals, like the tattNot quite as energetic as the first book. A little more romance than the first book. But it also has cool ideas and even cooler visuals, like the tattoos that pulse with a persons heartbeat. All in all, more rebellion awaits....more
This was by far my favorite book in The Dark Tower, so far. It gets weirder and fantastic. Computers, gunslingers, cyborg bears, evil pirates, futurisThis was by far my favorite book in The Dark Tower, so far. It gets weirder and fantastic. Computers, gunslingers, cyborg bears, evil pirates, futuristic AI trains, doors between worlds, plaster monsters. OMG. This book was totally kick-ass!...more