Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt. Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power. Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

Shortly after cracking open Darklight it became apparent that a quick flip through of Wondrous Strange might have been in order. Recalling Livingston’s main players wasn’t a problem, but details and plot elements from her debut were only vaguely recalled. That said, Livingston did a pretty good job of recapping without dumping backstory on the reader.

One thing I did remember about Wondrous Strange, one that dimmed my enjoyment of it, was that I felt little connection with or to the characters. Appreciating them wasn’t a problem, it was more that there wasn’t one that got under my skin. But in Darklight there was.

Once a Viking warrior, the Fennrys Wolf was, perhaps, the most feared of Auberon’s Janus Guards. Having cultivated a reputation worthy of his berserker, battle-ready ancestral brethren, Fenn is by nature a loner. He’d rather throw himself into a brutal fight than babysit a faerie princess, but in Sonny’s absence he finds himself filling the role of Kelley’s fierce protector. He may have grumbled about that, but I couldn’t have been happier about it. Throughout the novel Fenn is something of an enigma; he’s got an agenda, one he hides well, and as events unfold whatever it is he’s hiding becomes attractively intriguing.

Because of Fenn I actually felt a connection to Kelley. She proved herself to be a strong-minded, strong-willed heroine in Wondrous Strange, but filtered through the affectionate (on her part) barbs she traded with Fenn she became even more likable. There was real chemistry between Kelley and Fenn, I thought, and it eclipsed what I saw between Kelley and Sonny. Unfortunately, Sonny’s appeal remained lost on me. He’s cool and all, but he just doesn’t do anything for me, not even after a few surprising revelations about his character come to light.

But moving away from character for a minute, I can say that the continuation of events from Wondrous Strange was nicely handled. The pacing of Darklight was as quick as its predecessor’s was and there was plenty of action to keep the pages turning. The writing didn’t feel as tight, though, and it seemed that we were told more than we were shown. For instance: “Maddox blushed almost purple as Tyff’s gaze raked over him. Kelley stifled a laugh-out-loud reaction.” (ARC, page 54) That second sentence threw me out of the story, and it wasn’t an isolated occurrence.

While I might have enjoyed Wondrous Strange’s storyline more, Darklight certainly had a lot offer. Fenn, for one, but also there were a few twists towards the end that have nicely paved the way for the next book. As for the next book, I’ll definitely be reading it.

____________________________________________________
Full Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of buying books sometimes because I’m drawn in by their pretty, shiny covers. hush, hush is one of those books – if the cover was any shinier, it’d be a dead ringer for a newly waxed BMW.

After digging into the first few chapters of hush, hush, I felt the stress start to set in. Granted, it’s not bad for a first foray into young adult fiction on Becca Fitzpatrick’s part , but I couldn’t help drawing parallels between hush, hush and… well, almost EVERY other book with a high school setting (a certain Twilight series springs to mind). Picture this: seemingly average, out of the popular loop girl with her quirky best friend and the sudden appearance of a dark, mysterious guy with an unfathomable past. Sound familiar? If so, you’re in for a lot of déjà vu. This book throws together a lot of well-worn clichés that run endlessly from one to the next.

The story revolves around Nora Grey, the typical “normal” girl in high school with problems of her own – the foremost being Patch Cipriano, the typical bad boy rebel that she has to sit next to in class. Drama, drama. Nora finds herself inexplicably drawn to Patch and his emo-loner fueled, passive aggressive flirty ways as she tries to figure him out. As it turns out, Patch is a fallen angel who initially intended to use Nora as a means to become human, but changed his mind when he gradually began to fall in love with her. Wow, true love? In less than a week? Omigod!!1one

Not to say that the plot is entirely unoriginal. Fitzpatrick’s concept of angels and their different ranks (guardian angels, archangels) had its interesting parts. The actual story itself, however, was quite possibly the most boring thing I had to sit/lie through. Fitpatrick throws in a slew of romance clichés, which include the main character being forced to share a dingy motel room with her hot crush due to a thunderstorm, or the main character’s best friend getting into trouble with the already suspicious antagonist guy with Mary Sue Nora Grey coming to her rescue – the tiresome list goes on. Oh, and there’s a rather pathetic sort of love triangle involving Nora, Patch, and Elliot, the nice, amiable transfer kid who later turns out to be the evil dude’s lackey.

While Fitzpatrick attempts to inject life and likability into her characters, most of them fall flat. Vee Sky (Nora’s plus-sized best friend) is as annoying as she is predictable, and Patch, despite being the male lead, exudes a revolting brand of sexuality, with his tight jeans and self-inflicted angst and whatnot. Elliot, the one person who seemed remotely worth rooting for, turned out to be a raging, abusive alcoholic.

… Don’t get me started on Nora.

A visit to Fitzpatrick’s site has revealed a SEQUEL to be released in 2010. That’s right, more terribly written scenes of sexual tension between Nora and the ever-lovable (sic) Patch. I’m just… overwhelmed with anticipation.

If you’re trying to get your high school/paranormal fiction fix, I highly suggest you get it somewhere else. hush, hush somehow sucks and blows simultaneously, a feat I had otherwise thought impossible before. I was initially half-inclined to add the ‘parody’ tag to this review and laugh it off as an excellent spoof of young adult paranormal fiction, before further poking around Fitzpatrick’s site suggested that she was actually being serious.

For now, ‘crap’ will have to do.

See also: Crescendo

Plot/originality: 2/5

Characters: 1.5/5

Writing style: 2/5

Total score: 5.5/15

From the author of Saving Juliet comes a romantic comedy that is good to the last drop. When Katrina spots a homeless guy sleeping in the alley behind her grandmother’s coffee shop, she decides to leave him a cup of coffee, a bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans, and some pastries to tide him over. Little does she know that this random act of kindness is about to turn her life upside down.  Because this adorable vagrant, Malcolm, is really a guardian angel on a break between missions. And he won’t leave until he can reward Katrina’s selflessness by fulfilling her deepest desire. Now if only she could decide what that might be . . .

HERE IS MY REVIEW

((Still wishing you all a happy holiday-season!))

Title: Tamsin (LT)
Author: Peter S. Beagle
Series?: Nope.
Basic Reason for Beginning: Poor, silly me had it got into her head that this was a retelling of Tam Lin. Instead it’s a ghost story.
Basic Reason for Finishing: Once the prose settled down, I quite enjoyed it. (Also, fey!)
Texture: We have these cotton towels in the house. They’re not rough, but they’re not particularly soft either. This is a little like that.
Blurb: Jenny loves her New York life, but when her mother remarries they have to move to rural Dorset. Jenny loathes it, but then she meets Tamsin, a three-hundred year old ghost stuck on this earth. Jenny is the first Tamsin has ever spoken to and it turns Jenny’s world upside down. Can she help Tamsin remember why she has not moved on as most ghosts do?
Book Rereadability: I’m a little baffled to be saying this, but yes. I think I’d reread this.
Author Rereadability: This is my third/fourth Beagle story.
Recommendation: Ghost story! Anyone not interested in ghosts will want to stay away. Beyond that, it’s got cats galore and ghosts and the Wild Hunt and teen issues…

Pages: 275
ISBN: 0451458206
Challenges: None.

Thoughts, Burbles, Etc

If you look over my reviews for the past month or so, you’ll notice something: I’ve been having a really bad time with my new-to-me reads. Tamsin started out like that.

Tamsin is written in the first person and, right off the bat and continuing down to the end, I’ve had a problem with that first person. See, Jenny is 18 (soon to be 19) when she starts writing down her story of what happened when she was 13. My problem is she doesn’t sound 19 to me. Now, Beagle captures the voice of 13/14-year-old Jenny wonderfully. It’s the “I am now 19 and looking back on this” that I’m not feeling. It’s not majorly important, though, and I stopped noticing it after a while. Jenny’s voice had my going “Once I hit my required 100ish pages, I’ll stop.” I kept on reading, and am I glad I did!

I do still have a problem with the ending, because it feels like it ends too abruptly for someone who’s been making comments on what she’s writing from page 1, but it’s a minor thing and I’m probably the only person in the world who’ll have a quibble with it.

I suppose, in a way, I could leave it at this as I’m feeling oddly unsure what else to say, but to leave it at this would be to leave you unaware of some of the things I loved. Like Mister Cat. He has and doesn’t have a big role both at once. You know one of those minor characters that gives the protagonist the answer and never comes back again? Mister Cat feels like that, but at the same time he’s also always there. Also, he’s a cat being a cat. I couldn’t not like him.

I liked the description of all the ghostiness – even the landscapes, and you’ll just have to read the book to know what I’m talking about. I liked the way we got to know just enough about Judge Jeffreys to understand him. I liked the way it wove together ghosts and fey. The Pooka was just a touch to human-worldly to feel for me to fully appreciate him, but he was a lot of fun when he was around. (Or maybe I just have an odd sense of humour. ^-~) The story, I will tell you, felt a little oddly paced as I was reading it, but ignore the feeling – the book also works. The pacing is great. It’s just that there are a few spots where I lost sight of the pacing/the page count threw me for a loop. Or something. If you feel it too on reading this, just go on and ignore it.

Also, I adored Julian. If I feel that Beagle didn’t get Jenny’s voice quite down, he absolutely nailed Julian. He’s a minor player, but he’s such an adorable little thing. The familial relationships are actually, in my opinion, some of the strongest aspects of the book. It may be a ghost story, but it’s as much about Jenny finding her place in this new world and finding herself.

But, most of all, this book is one that fills me with a dual-feeling not many books give me: that sense of wanting an adventure of my own and at the same time knowing that, if I were in Jenny’s shoes, there’d be plenty of times where I’d wish I was out of that adventure back home on my bed, safely reading about it. It’s a precious feeling, though, to me and so I’m glad I found a book that did it.

It’s a really fun book, first person and not being about Tam Lin and all, and I’m glad I read it. It’s incredibly early to mention this, but if there’s another R.I.P. challenge in 2010 (which I’m hoping there will) this would be a terrific addition. I’ll admit it’s not scary, or spooky, but it’s a lot of fun and feels like a great autumn read, definitely in some places. It’s got that feeling that you want to read this on a stormy, November evening with a cup of hot cocoa and a blanket and a great big chair to curl up in, or whatever else strikes your fancy, and the reading’ll warm you up right as much as the hot cocoa does.

Other Reviews

Never Jam Today
A Striped Armchair
Stuff as Dreams Are Made on
things mean a lot

Graceling

Kristin Cashore

Originally posted on janicu.vox.com

Thanks to everyone who reads and follows Karin’s Book Nook.  You’ve made this a wonderful year and I hope to only getting better in the years to come.  Thanks for sticking with me.  Happy Holidays to everyone.

Thank you to all the contributors for this inaugural Advent Book Blog project. What a tremendous and pleasant surprise this has turned out to be. We hope you’ve enjoyed sharing your favourite reads from the past year, and that you’ve gathered a few titles to put on your wish list this holiday season.

We’d be remiss not to give a final shout out to the authors who sent in their picks. From us to you, enjoy this wallpaper of good readin’.

Happy Holidays! See you again in 2010 with fresh new ideas.

Sean “ABE” Cranbury and Julie “Madam” Wilson

(These are my favorites,

and I really wish I had time

this year

to read more!

I’m trying to catch up…)

1. Keesha’s House by Helen Frost

This was the first Required Reading book of the semester that made me want to curl up inside the book and live there forever.

Keesha’s House is a novel in verse… a novel in sonnets and sestinas to be specific. Novels written in strict verse of turn me on a little, in that English major kind of way. And the form had a lot to do with why I liked the book so much. The form is comforting, even though the characters are struggling with some heavy stuff. The ensemble class of high school students are dealing with teen pregnancy, being kicked out of their homes, substance problems, getting locked up in juvenile detention, etc but they all come together to find common ground in Keesha’s house. Not that Keesha’s House is even a legitimate place for Keesha to live – she rents a room, having left her own home for her own reasons, but she kind of stands as a symbol for all the other kids, a sign that even though their lives might suck right now, there are ways to come out ahead, like Keesha. And when Keesha has problems of her own, they will be there to support her, too.

Oh gosh, I liked this book a lot.

2. Liar by Justine Larbalestier

I don’t want to say too much about this book, because I don’t want to accidentally ruin it. So instead, a list.

1. This book falls under the category of a genre I don’t typically enjoy, BUT THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME, so that’s saying something.

2. This book falls under the category of a genre everyone else on the planet seems to love, so don’t let that scare you away.

3. Twists. Turns. What the heck is going on? GAH! Can I read one more chapter?

4. First person narrator is a compulsive liar.

5. Urban setting was so seamless and real, I kept forgetting it wasn’t written by Jacqueline Woodson. More than once, I got them confused. Probably in class.

6. Fast paced, action-filled with a female protagonist who DOES things and is COMPLEX.

I think most readers will find something to like in this book. Even readers who, like myself, are biased against certain genres.

3. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

There are very few authors as consistent as Sarah Dessen. Yes, consistent can mean plots that feel familiar, characters that seem like they’ve met in other books. But when those plots are so engaging and characters so real on the page, then its hard to think of the word “consistent” as a bad thing. Actually, it’s impossible.  I mark the release dates for the new Dessen book on my calendar, and go out that day to buy it. The hardback.

Along for the Ride has Auden, an intellectual high school grad who lives with her mother, the dramatic English professor. But when her mom gets a little too much to handle, Auden takes her father up on his offer – a summer at his house, on the beach, catching up and getting to know his new wife and their baby, Auden’s new half-sister, Thisbe. But her dad is busy, trying to write a novel, and doesn’t even notice that his wife is melting down under the pressure of a newborn. Auden steps in as babysitter, and working at her stepmom’s clothing store. Through this job, she meets a gaggle of friends and Eli, the only person around who, like Auden, can’t sleep. They forge an after-midnight friendship, and Auden realizes that growing up surrounded by academia, she missed out on some things. Like that gaggle of friends, those crazy midnight adventures, and learning how to ride a bike.

For those of you have read Dessen, you know where this is going. For those of you who can’t, you can expect what Dessen is so known for – a tasty summer romance with characters you will root for.

4. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Like Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson can really only hit it out of the park. One mode: excellence.

However, I didn’t really want to read this book. I put it off. I finally did, and I didn’t want to talk about it, much less recommend it.

I am including it on this list because the writing is gorgeous, the story legitimately haunting. Lia is a character caught in the crux of things she can’t control, and things she can.

But this is an eating disorder story. And since Laurie Halse Anderson can’t do anything but write so painfully close to her characters, this is a hard book to read, especially if you are a person who has ever shared her life with an eating disorder, even for the slightest span of time, or have ever watched a loved one suffer. Lia’s story is not one you would want to read, want to acknowledge exists, for so many people.

So LHA has again, elevated the “problem novel” to an artform. Lia’s voice is so well done, so provocative, the way a broken, starved mind might see the world.

Just read at your own risk.

5. Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Speaking of somewhat transcendent “problem novels”…

I bumped this book up to the top of the queue because even though I just turned in my final paper at 3:30, yesterday afternoon, I whipped through this book from start to finish before I went to bed.

That’s a fairly high compliment. I think Ms. Knowles would take it that way, since she is a graduate from my program, and probably can recall what a life-draining experience CHL 401 was.

So there are four characters, who all get their say in this book. Ellie is misguided, looking for love but finding sex. One night, that sex is with Josh, who was a virgin and was expecting fireworks and manliness and validation but finds he can’t get rid his mind of Ellie’s face when he left her in the back of his dad’s van, alone. But he brags to his friends anyway, including Caleb, who finds his friend’s masculine posturing appalling, especially since he’s had a crush on Ellie since grade school. But Ellie is in no state to deserve Caleb, really – she’s wounded, she’s stuck in this pattern that’s killing her spirit, and then she’s pregnant. Her best friend, Corinne, is her only confidante.

And I give this book high marks primarily because it is a book about Teen Pregnancy that is more about HOW teen girls get pregnant than “What Happens Next?” The choice Ellie makes isn’t the focus of the book, nor are the after effects of that choice. Knowles is writing about the community of friends, their perspectives, how they handle the news, support or reject their friends, survive their parents, et cetera. Ellie’s pregnancy is simply the story element that ties these four characters together. And double props for Josh – I haven’t read a book that gave a teen father such delicate treatment.

Runners Up

• Perfect Fifths: A Novel by Megan McCafferty
• Impossiblel by Nancy Werlin
• The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
• The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart
• The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

P.S. Tomorrow is my FAVORITE ALL TIME BEST OF THE BEST OF 2009 LIST!

Get excited

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Best Reads of 2008 – Part Two
• Best Reads of 2009 – Part I
• After by Amy Efaw
• What to read? That is the question… (the picky reader)

We were in the square, in the square where I’d run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her – But there weren’t no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men…Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor’s new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode…”The Ask and the Answer” is a tense, shocking and deeply moving novel of resistance under the most extreme pressure. This is the second title in the “Chaos Walking” trilogy.

HERE IS MY REVIEW

I’ve stumbled upon another challenge that I’m going to join.  It is called the Flashback Challenge.  There are three different levels you can choose.  Click HERE to read all the details.

You can sign up for the following levels:
Bookworm – Up to three books
Scholar – Four to six books
Literati – Over six books

I’m going to be a Bookworm and reread:

1. FREAK SHOW by James St. James

2. UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld

3. JESSICA’S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE by Beth Fantaskey

Audiobooks

I heard that song before / Mary Higgins Clark
Kay Lansing grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, daughter of the landscaper to the wealthy and powerful Carrington family. One day, accompanying her father to work, six-year-old Kay overhears a quarrel between a man and a woman that ends with the man’s caustic response: “I heard that song before.” That same evening, young Peter Carrington drives the nineteen-year-old daughter of neighbors home from a formal dinner dance at the Carrington estate, but she is not in her room the next morning and is never seen or heard from again.
Decades later, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Peter, not only for his neighbor’s disappearance but also for the subsequent drowning death of his own pregnant wife in their swimming pool. But when Kay Lansing, now a librarian in Englewood, asks Peter’s permission to hold a literary benefit… (read a sample chapter

Fury / Robert Tanenbaum
In Brooklyn, a female jogger is brutally raped; the assailants are convicted and later exonerated by the Kings County DA. Now the guilty are filing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the city of New York, the police, and the two Brooklyn Assistant DAs who tried the case. Caught in the glare of the media-frenzy, Butch Karp may be blinded to the lethal maneuverings of a terrorist cell plotting to bring the city to its knees by striking Times Square on New Year’s Eve. But the destruction begins far below ground, in the subway system — where Karp’s family may become their first victims…. (read an exerpt; abridged, cd)

Movies:

Santa buddies : The legend of Santa paws
The proposal
(all movies are on dvd unless otherwise noted)

Books:

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas / Jane O’Connor
What could be fancier than Christmas?
Presents with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles—and who could forget the tree? After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Ooh la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited about decorating the Christmas tree. She bought a brand-new sparkly tree topper with her own money and has been waiting for Christmas to come. But when things don’t turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous? (Age Range: 3 to 6)

Norman Rockwell’s Christmas book / Norman Rockwell
Originally published by Abrams in 1977, Norman Rockwell’s Christmas Book is a holiday classic that has remained a bestselling family treasure for over 30 years. With over 85 images from Norman Rockwell’s archive of art, this fully redesigned edition brings a fresh, contemporary appeal to the original vintage volume.
This holiday favorite features timeless art, including images of children sleigh-riding, families caroling, and Santa preparing for his big night, in addition to 15 new images culled from Rockwell’s extensive archive and eight ready-to-frame limited-edition prints. Alongside these lush illustrations are Christmas poems and stories from beloved writers such as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Hans Christian Andersen, and Lewis Carroll; as well as Christmas carol music and lyrics and Christmas dinner recipes from Fannie Merritt Farmer’s 1896 cooking tome.

The Christmas bus / Melody Carlson
Christmas Valley is turned upside down when an unconventional couple arrive in town ready to deliver a baby in this charming Christmas novella.

A season of gifts / Richard Peck
It is now 1958, and a new family has moved in next door to Mrs. Dowdel: a Methodist minister and his wife and kids. Soon Mrs. Dowdel will work her particular brand of charm—or medicine, depending on who you’re asking—on all of them: ten-yearold Bob, who is shy on courage in a town full of bullies; his two fascinating sisters; and even Bob’s two parents, who are amazed to discover that the last house in town might also be the most vital.
As Christmas rolls around, the Barnhart family realizes that they’ve found a true home—and a neighbor who gives gifts that will last a lifetime. (Age Range: 12 and up)

The end of the road / Sue Henry
Maxie McNabb and her miniature dachshund, Stretch, are just back from their latest adventure when a murder shatters the quiet in their hometown of Homer, Alaska. Now it’s up to Maxie to find the killer-a search that leads her to a place called “the end of the road.” (Maxie and Stretch Series #4)

Hamlet and the tales of Sniggery Woods / Maggie Kneen
Young Hamlet loves to cook, but so far he’s only dabbled with dishes like Invisible Worm Tart with dandelion cream. As luck would have it, Hamlet inherits a café from his uncle Alf. Heralding the advice of King Heron—To Bake the Best Biscuit, A Young Pig Should Risk It—Hamlet takes the plunge and becomes the new owner of Hamlet’s Pantry. Together, his friends help him prepare the menu and get ready for opening day. Set in the enchanting world of Sniggery Woods, these three winning tales bring to life the adventures of an imaginative pig destined to follow his dream. (Age Range: 8 to 11)

Once upon a blue moose : Blue moose, Return of the moose, The moosepire / Daniel Manus Pinkwater
Once upon a blue moose, there was a little restaurant at the edge of the big woods. Mr. Breton was happy running the restaurant. He liked to cook, but he didn’t like it much when winter came and the north wind blew and froze everything solid.
Then one day a blue moose, who also didn’t like the cold, came to his door and asked to come in. Mr. Breton said sure, and served the moose some clam chowder. The moose liked the soup, and decided to stay. From that time on, things at the restaurant began to hum.
Join the Blue Moose in this hilarious collection of three short novels as he learns to wait tables, writes a novel, goes to Hollywood, solves a mystery, and makes you laugh even in the dark of the cold woods. (read an exerpt; Age Range: 7 to 10)

A really short history of nearly everything / Bill Bryson
Tackling everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bill Bryson’s inimitable storytelling skill makes the why, how, and, just as importantly, the who of scientific discovery entertaining and accessible for young readers. (Age Range: 9 to 12)

The warrior heir / Cinda Williams Chima
Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts. Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: He is Weirlind; part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir. As if his bizarre magical heritage isn’t enough, Jack finds out that he’s not just another member of Weirlind he’s one of the last of the warriors at a time when both houses are scouting for a player. Jack’s performance on the soccer field has alerted the entire magical community to the fact that he’s in Trinity. And until one of the houses is declared Jack’s official sponsor, they’ll stop at nothing to get Jack to fight for them. (Heir Series #1; Age Range: 12 and up)

The wizard heir / Cinda Williams Chima
Sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley has spent the past three years getting kicked out of one exclusive private school after another. And it’s not his attitude that’s the problem. It’s the trail of magical accidents-lately, disasters-that follow in his wake. Seph is a wizard, orphaned and untrained—and his powers are escalating out of control.
After causing a tragic fire at an after-hours party, Seph is sent to the Havens, a secluded boys’ school on the coast of Maine. At first, it seems like the answer to his prayers. Gregory Leicester, the headmaster, promises to train Seph in magic and initiate him into his mysterious order of wizards. But Seph’s enthusiasm dampens when he learns that training comes at a steep cost, and that Leicester plans to use his students’ powers to serve his own dangerous agenda. (Heir Series #2; Age Range: 12 and up)

The dragon heir / Cinda Williams Chima
The covenant that was meant to keep the wizard wars at bay has been stolen, and Trinity must prepare for attack. Everyone is doing their part — Seph is monitoring the Weirwalls; Jack and Ellen are training their ghostly army; even Anaweir Will and Fitch are setting booby traps around the town’s perimeter. But to Jason Haley, it seems like everyone wants to keep him out of the action. He may not be the most powerful wizard in Trinity, but he’s prepared to fight for his friends. When Jason finds a powerful talisman —a huge opal called the Dragonheart—buried in a cave, his role takes on new importance. The stone seems to sing to Jason’s very soul — showing him that he is meant for more than anyone guessed. Trinity’s guardians take the stone away after they realize that it may be a weapon powerful enough to save them all. Without any significant power of his own, and now without the stone, what can Jason possibly do to help the people he cares about — and to prove his mettle?
Madison Moss can feel the beating heart of the opal, too. The desire for it surges through her, drawing her to it. But Maddie has other things besides the Dragonheart on her mind. She has a secret. Ever since absorbing the magical blow that was meant to kill Seph, she’s been leaking dark powers. Although Maddie herself is immune to magic, what would her friends think if they knew what kind of evil lay within her? Trinity’s enemies are as enthusiastic about her powers as she is frightened. They think they can use her to get to the Dragonheart — and they’ll use anyone Maddie cares about to makeher steal the stone for them.
Moral compasses spin out of control as a final battle storms through what was once a sanctuary for the gifted. With so much to lose, what will Jason and Maddie be willing to fight for — and what will they sacrifice? Every man is for himself in this thrilling conclusion to the Heir trilogy. (Heir Series #3; Age Range: 12 and up)

Chronicles of Chrestomanci: vol. 1 & vol. 2 / Diana Wynne Jones
In this multiple parallel universes of the Twelve Related Worlds, only an enchanter with nine lives is powerful enough to control the rampant misuse of magic—and to hold the title Chrestomanci…
The Chants are a family strong in magic, but neither Christopher Chant nor Cat Chant can work even the simplest of spells. Who could have dreamed that both Christopher and Cat were born with nine lives—or that they could lose them so quickly? (Age Range: 12 and up)

The Pinhoe egg / Diana Wynne Jones
Cat Chant and Marianne Pinhoe have discovered something exciting—something truly precious, very strange, and valuable. An egg.
An egg that has been hidden away in an attic for who-knows-how-many years. An egg protected by some strong “Don’t Notice” spells. An egg that Marianne gives to Cat, even though he lives at nearby Chrestomanci Castle. Chrestomanci himself, the strongest enchanter in the world, is sure to be interested in the egg—and interference from the Big Man is the last thing Marianne’s family of secret rogue witches wants.
But how much longer can the Pinhoes keep their secrets? Gammer, the leader of the clan, has gone mad, a powerful bad luck spell is wreaking havoc, and there’s an unexplained plague of frogs. Not to mention the mysterious barrier Cat finds in the forest.
Marianne and Cat may be the only two who can set things right. But first Marianne must accept her own powerful magic, and Cat must uncover the secrets behind the mystical Pinhoe Egg. (read an exerpt; Chrestomanci Series #6; Age Range: 12 and up)

Giants of the Frost / Kim Wilkins
A dark tale of immortal love and loss that brings together Norse gods and mortals.

One good knight / Mercedes Lackey
When a dragon storms the castle, what should a (virgin) princess do?
Why, turn to her studies, of course! But nothing practical-minded Princess Andromeda of Acadia finds gives a definitive solution. The only Traditional answer, though, is soothing the marauding dragon by a virgin sacrifice. Things are going fairly smoothly with the lottery–except for the women chosen, of course–until Princess Andromeda herself is picked!
But facing down the dragon doesn’t go quite as planned, and now, with the help of her Champion, Sir George, Andromeda searches for the dragon’s lair. But even–especially–in the Five Hundred Kingdoms, bucking Tradition isn’t easy. It takes the strongest of wills, knowledge, quick wits and a refusal to give up, no matter what happens along the way…. (read an exerpt; Five Hundred Kingdoms Series #2)

The whipped parent: hope for parents raising an out-of-control teen / Kimberly Abraham
Both parents and professionals will discover that The Whipped Parent is a practical, realistic and easy-to-understand resource for dealing with an adolescent’s frustrating behaviors — behaviors that can leave even the most experienced parents “whipped.” It is written in everyday language, with humor and hope, by experts who work exclusively with adolescents who are “oppositional-defiant” and have conduct disorders. Even the most overwhelmed parent will finish it and feel better! Includes appendixes, worksheets, suggested reading and an index. (table of contents)

Double cross / James Patterson
Alex Cross rejoins the police force to face the most diabolical villain he’s ever encountered-a serial killer with a hunger for mega-celebrity.
Just when detective Alex Cross thought his life was calming down, he finds himself back in the game-this time to catch a criminal mastermind like no other.
A spate of elaborate murders in Washington D.C. has the whole East Coast on edge. It is like nothing Alex Cross and his new girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, have ever seen. With each murder, the case becomes increasingly complex. There’s only one thing Alex knows: this killer adores an audience.
As victims are made into gruesome spectacles citywide, inducing media hysteria, it becomes clear to Alex that the man he’s after is a genius of terror-and he’s after fame. The killer has the whole city on a string, and he’ll stop at nothing to become the most terrifying star that Washington D.C. has ever seen. (large print edition)

Death in the grizzly maze: the Timothy Treadwell story / Michael Lapinski
On the afternoon of October 5, 2003, in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, one or more brown bears killed and ate Timothy Treadwell, a well-known wildlife celebrity, and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard. This frightening and chilling story immediately captured worldwide media attention and ignited a firestorm of controversy. Death in the Grizzly Maze is the compelling account of Treadwell’s intense life and dramatic death. Author Mike Lapinski chronicles Treadwell’s rise from self-described alcoholic loser to popular grizzly-bear advocate, and he delves into the troubling issues raised by a new breed of wildlife celebrities. (read an exerpt)

Bear attacks: their causes and avoidance / Stephen Herrero
Of the animals in North America, none commands such dread, awe, and interest as the bear. Creatures that fear little, bears compete for survival with the only other animals that can threaten their existence: Humans.
Bear Attacks is a thorough and unflinching study of attacks made on humans. This is the sometimes horrific, yet always instructive, story of Bear and Human, written by the leading scientific authority in the field. This book is for everyone who camps, hikes, or visits bear country -and for anyone who wants to learn more about these fearsome but always fascinating wild creatures.

Danger stalks the land: Alaskan tales of death and survival / Larry Kaniut
Alaska is like no other state and few countries; men experience greater risk in her arms. This one-of-a-kind anthology captures the spine tingling adventures of daring men and women who venture into Alaska’s vast wilderness and look death in the eye. Danger Stalks the Land relates gripping episodes of animal attacks, avalanches, aircraft disasters, fishing, hunting, and skiing accidents, and chronicles risky climbs and reckless mountaineering amid Alaska’s fantastic peaks. Through exhaustive research and interviews, author Larry Kaniut has captured in one volume, the terror and beauty of man’s attempt to explore a vast and unforgiving land.

[Note: All synopses are provided by the publisher unless otherwise noted and do not constitute reviews by the Seldovia Public Library.]

Given the choice, which do you prefer? Real history? Or historical fiction? (Assume, for the purposes of this discussion that they are equally well-written and engaging.)

Grade A- to B+

Pub. Date: June 2007

publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 768pp
Sales Rank: 3,414
Age Range: Young Adult
Series: Inheritance Cycle Series, #1
ISBN-13: 9780440240730
ISBN: 0440240735
Edition Description: Reprint

Synopsis

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands….

Cover 10/10

The cover for this book is beautifully done. It is striking, colorful, eye-catching and all around beautiful cover. I have seen the cover for the movie and images of the dragon that was in it , and to be honest I quite like the drawing version better. The movie version seems too, well, male. The dragon in the book is female and I believe this cover shows her as that but still looking every bit as strong as she should be. I also quite like the font color and font style they used for this. It has a handwritten oldworldy feel to it that matches the world of in which the story is set.

Story 9/10

Let’s get one thing out of the way, the story while entertaining is at times unoriginal. The author sadly borrowed from other known works. The world it itself is very inventive and creative, but has a very Lord of the Rings feel to it. It is inhabited by creatures that are featured there but at least shows some new ones that I haven’t seen in other works of fiction. His main character can be thought of as the Frodo of the story. Both were from the country and go on a grand adventure with some object that someone that belongs to someone else. In Eragon’s case this is the the ring , but a dragon.

Along the way Eragon, meets Brom. Brom teaches him about the magic he can use to fight and aids him in things such as talking in his dragons mind and closing his own mind from being read. This is where the story has a very Star Wars feel. Brom is like a jedi master teaching Luke the force. Eragon’s magic comes a bit to easily for my taste. He does struggle along the way but all in all it seems natural to him even though at the start he showed no sign of inner magical ability.

From here

Characters 8/10

Eragon at the start was a whiny little bitch. Even though he is a teenager and this is not that shocking, it was still annoying. At one scene he whines about his cousin leaving to get married. While it is clear he will miss him is reasoning for not wanting him to go is just gives him reason to say his life is unfair. He does this a lot in the start. There were many times in the story he was whining about how such and such was beyond him and how he wasn’t good enough for the task at hand. This to me doesn’t sound like the image of a true hero. He does take action in many battles after this but it seems that if not for his dragon he would be dead. It’s not a bad thing to be a team, but all in all when I see a hero I imagine someone who is made stronger by their team not saved every time by them. I started to like him more as the story went on but at the start he was rather annoying.

The dragon is one of the stronger characters of the story. She is clever, strong and very motherly to Eragon with her warnings and how she makes sure he stays safe. It’s nice to see a strong female in books even if she is not a human. The issues is that her being female reminds me of the demean thing that was shown in The Golden Compass. In that book, the lead was a female and her animal friend or soul was male because the sex the character is the other in the animal that their soul is shown as.Overall though I liked what she brought to the story and she was one of the more interesting characters

Brom was, more or less, the jedi master there to teach Eragon riding history and magic. It all seemed a bit too good to be true and later on he admits to being there just when Eragon needed him. Hate when that occurs in books. I would much rather him have guidance but all in all mostly discover his magic by himself. If he makes mistakes , this will only make him stronger. There is nothing wrong with having a teacher but how Brom is inserted and just is of course the one to teach him is just too likely.

The real issue with the characters for me is I didn’t get attached to them. I enjoyed Eragon later on and the dragon, but the side characters just sort of laid there for me. The issue with this is when there is a character death, which there is, I was unable to feel anything for them. They more or less felt like what they are, words in a book. Real good characters should feel real. When I am reading a story with great characters I start to forget that they aren’t real. Here it wasn’t the case and it was a shame because I did enjoy the story quite a bit.

Writing 8/10

Some of the issues with the authors style is the face that he was sixteen or so when he wrote it but it is still no excuse. I am sure he had an editor and clearly they didn’t do what they were meant to do. Eragon is dragged down by too many details, too much going on at once and some useless facts. I love detail, but sometimes less is more. Its good to give detail to things that need it but just having it there on useless things isn’t worth it and just adds words that aren’t needed. Also he goes over and over about useless things such as everytime they ate . I get that  and I don’t need that detail. It is better to stick to the story .

The issue of too much going on makes the story rather confusing at times. It’s not that the reader has to reread it over and over to understand it , the author just inserts a lot of detail all at once . Again, less is more. Overall though I enjoyed the writing and with a bit of editing it could of been a lot better

Overall 9/10

Overall I did enjoy the book but it had some flaws. The characters fell a little flat, there was a bit too much detail at times and felt that the author borrowed from other works. It’s a good story that will entertain any fantasy reader.I will be reading the other two.

Alex Rider returns for his eighth adventure in Crocodile Tears, and I had a blast with it. This book, more than any of the others, really takes a spin off the James Bond 007 franchise when it opens up on Alex playing Texas Hold ‘em with the big baddie of the book. I had to force my willing suspension of disbelief for this sequence, but Horowitz is one of those storytellers that I’m happy to do that for.

After all, Alex is my favorite teen spy, and the one that truly kicked off a lot of the action-packed series that have since jumped on board. For the uninitiated, and with the books selling in the millions of copies so I can’t believe there can be many of those left, Alex is a fourteen year old boy who lives in London and sometimes works with MI-6, Great Britain’s version of the CIA. They love using him because he’s young and generally slides beneath the radar of the bad guys. But Alex is a totally hardcore when it comes to martial arts and feats of derring-do.

Usually Alex gets recruited into a mission for MI-6 through some bit of backhanded blackmail, but in this one he inadvertently steps afoul of Desmond McCain (our villain) and ends up first in the sights of a sharpshooter, then at the eye of the storm McCain unleashes on him. The fact that Alex involved himself in so much of the bad guy’s overall plot was different, and it makes sense given that Alex is the kind of kid that he is. Most boys his age wouldn’t walk away from a mystery or a grievance either, and would look for ways to strike back.

The action in this one is over-the-top stuff that would make great cinematography. Hopefully someone will again pick up the Alex Rider film franchise and give it another go. The series really deserves that, and this would be an excellent story to film from.

Another facet of the stories that I enjoy is the science that goes into the bad guys’ plots. In Crocodile Tears, it’s genetically modified foods and the threat they pose to Third World countries, as well as to the rest of the planet. The plot doesn’t bog down with heavy explanations, but there’s enough there to send curious young readers (and possibly older ones) scurrying to Wikipedia or the Internet for answers.

Strangely, the spy gizmos in this novel seem to be toned down. There really isn’t much here from Smithers, and quite frankly I was a bit disappointed. I love when Smithers takes the stage, because it’s quite a lot like dealing with Q in the lab in one of the James Bond films. Usually Smithers does a lot with designing hardware for Alex that looks like teen-centric stuff.

Overall, I was really happy with the book. The action flowed quite nicely, and the dangerous parts were exciting. I loved the rooftop race with the ductwork and the time when Alex hung suspended over the hungry crocodiles.

Horowitz has maintained that Alex would never be older than fourteen and be a spy. At the end of this book, Alex’s fifteenth birthday is only a few days away. I really don’t want the series to end and I hope that Alex gets suited back up once more really soon.

Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale reunite for another run at the Batman in Dark Victory. This is a sequel to Long Halloween and packs a lot of the old noir feeling of the early Batman comics into the story and pacing. The time frame is just after Harvey Dent has been scarred forever and turned psychotic, emerging as the villainous Two-Face. Batman and Jim Gordon are struggling to accept their friend’s loss, as well as figure out whether Dent can be saved from his madness.

I really liked the overall thread of Two-Face’s possible salvation in this one. Dent has so long been one of those characters that was possible to root for or at least understand to a degree. However, on the flip side – and yes that was a joke dependent on his infamous two-headed coin – Two-Face has always been one of the most deadly villains Batman has ever encountered.

Tim Sale’s art is fabulous. The darkness on the pages seems contagious and feels like it might leak off and infect everything that touches it. He does a lot with angles and points of view that are clever and cinematic, and the pacing of the story benefits by the way the action is often broken down. Although there are a tremendous amount of characters in this graphic novel, Sale does a good job at individual rendering. He also does a good job depicting all of Batman’s rogue’s gallery that’s on scene in the story.

The see-saw ripple of personal lives is one of the best aspects of Dark Victory. Jim Gordon’s estranged wife returns to him at a time when he’s desolate and alone, especially while trapped in the corrupt Gotham City Police Department.

At the same time, Bruce Wayne is trying to figure out how to have a relationship with Selina Kyle (Catwoman) and dealing with the fact that he’s in love with her.

The thing I loved most about the graphic novel is how the overall mystery of the Hangman is played out. The deaths of police officers on holidays of every month are grisly and filled with action, but it’s the word games that really hooked me in. I figured the sayings out before they were revealed, but that was only part of the fun. Trying to figure out what the context was turned out to be something else.

The fact that Batman and Jim Gordon were trying to find out who the real killer was instead of allowing everyone to blame the murders on Two-Face was awesome. It was made even more dangerous by the fact that Two-Face was playing his own game and wouldn’t hesitate to kill either of them.

I really liked the way Loeb spun the story into Dick Grayson’s origin story as well. And true Bat-fans have known there was always something that bound Robin and Two-Face, and this is the story that gives us that spin.

Dark Victory is one of those well-done graphic novels that fans will read again and again. It also has to be read slowly to grasp all the nuances of the twisting plot and follow the devious turns. This is one of the stories that shows Batman at his detective best.

Photo by Ian Stewart for the Yukon News

My most excellent class of writers is the subject of a Yukon News article below.  These writers are an awesome group of imaginateurs.  I’m impressed, especially, with how they conducted themselves in an interview–thoughtful, insightful, well-read, interesting and interested in each other.  Love to start a book club with them!  

Article is by James Munson for the Yukon News.

_________________________________________

Zeb Berryman has some demons he’d like to share.

The 18-year-old scribe is an aficionado of the “dark side” in his literary circle, a dozen Whitehorse high school students known as Rocket Fuel.

“The darkness and violence is what makes it beautiful,” says Zeb, referring to one of his current anime reads.

Zeb’s comment elicits a few nods from his fellow science fiction enthusiasts sitting around the table in the FH Collins library.

These young adults have an encyclopedic knowledge of the fantasy genre, and can discuss the intricacies of alchemists, monsters, gods and goblins at length.

“It’s like literature discussion about a whole bunch of books you never get to hear literature discussions about,” says Jerome Stueart, a science fiction writer who started Rocket Fuel two years ago.

But more impressively, it’s their own literary creations they’re the most familiar with.

Ask any one of these students about their works, and it won’t be long before another interjects.

Franz Krabel, 12, tends to kill off his characters a lot, says Santana Berryman, Zeb’s 14-year-old sister.

Santana, for her part, has an obsession with the afterlife, says Stueart.

These writers know each other inside out.

Read the rest of the article

Author:

Neufeld, Josh

Title:

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge

Publisher & Date:

Pantheon, 2009

Recommended Age Range:

14 and up

Plot Summary:

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge introduces readers to seven real-life survivors of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Reader Appeal:

This graphic novel would appeal to fans of nonfiction, memoir, biography, history and graphic novels such as Persepolis, Maus, The Photographer and Waltz with Bashir.

Literary Merit:

This compelling graphic novel is historically accurate and introduces readers to history, biography, first person narrative and memoir in an innovative way.  The graphic novel is only one piece of this story, as in the afterword, one learns that it was originally published online with links to “podcasts, YouTube videos, archived hurricane tracking reports,” “video and audio interviews with the characters, a Hurricane Katrina resource list, and an active blog,” available at www.smithmag.net/afterthedeluge

Personal Note:

The personal nature of this story really moved me, especially since my first trip to New Orleans was in June 2006, for the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference.  The trip remains one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of my life.  I was only able to attend the conference and trip through an amazing program – the ALA Spectrum Scholarship.  In an effort to give back, I asked all of my friends from library school who were attending the conference if they wanted to join me in volunteering for a library clean-up project while we were out there.  About ten of us ended up helping to gut the Nora Navra Branch Library so that it could be ready for rehabbing.  The place had not been opened since the flood, so we all had to wear Tyvek suits to help with the gutting. After the gutting, we were given a secret tour of the 9th Ward, much of which was similar to scenes that Neufeld captured in “A.D.”

What do you do if you can deadlift a car, and you spend your nights flying to get away from it all? If you’re fifteen-year-old Avery Pirzwick, you keep that information to yourself. When you’re a former jock turned freak, you can’t afford to let the secret slip.But then Avery makes some friends who are as extraordinary as he is. He realizes they’re more than just freaks—together, maybe they have a chance to be heroes. First, though, they have to decide whether to trust the mysterious Cherchette, a powerful wouldbe mentor whose remarkable generosity may come at a terrible price.

HERE IS MY REVIEW

Title: Daniel X-Watch the Skies
Author: James Patterson
Finished: December 21, 2009
Pages: 251
Published: 2009
Format: 1st Edition Hardback

The second book in James Patterson’s new young adult series, featuring Daniel X “Alien Hunter”. It was a fun little book, quick read, about Daniel hunting his next alien – #6 – who plans on taking over the world by creating clones of himself.

Daniel also meets a new girl who likes he just the way he is, is not a monster, or a figment of his imagination. It was interesting reading this adventure with Daniel X, his new troubles.

I don’t know what Patterson has up his sleeves for the next edition but it sounds pretty interesting. At this rate there sounds like there will only be about 6 books if Daniel continues to go after the top aliens before taking out the smaller ones first.

*challenges: 100+ challenge, ya challenge, 999×2 challenge, james patterson challenge, countdown challenge

R.I.P., a young adult zombie novel by Harrison Howe, is now available at the following on-line retailers:

Paperback:

Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.co.uk
Barnesandnoble.com
Other On-line Retailers

eBook:

Amazon Kindle
Drivethruhorror.com
Mobipocket.com

Synopsis:

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Lonely, overweight Billy Barton’s birthday has come except he has no friends to share it with. So he wishes upon a shooting star for a friend and is almost immediately granted his wish. His friend: a zombie named RIP.

Chaos and blood-soaked mayhem ensues as Billy, with RIP’s help, seeks to level the playing field between him and the school bullies who make fun of his weight. But all is not what it seems, and when a new girl arrives at the school who piques Billy’s interest, it soon becomes apparent that RIP has an agenda of his own.

What Folks Are Saying:

“R.I.P.’s mad cocktail of Night of the Living Dead, After School Specials, and coming-of-age drama is sure to plaster lunatic grins on the faces of horror fans of all ages.”

- Lorne Dixon, author of The Lifeless and Snarl

“Harrison Howe has crafted a hilarious, action-packed, and occasionally moving ‘be careful what you wish for’ tale.”

- Tom Piccirilli, author of A Choir of Ill Children

“Harrison Howe takes readers on a fast, funny, and gruesome ride. R.I.P. is a treat for twisted kids of all ages.”

- Lee Thomas, Lambda Literary Award- and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of In the Closet, Under the Bed and The Dust of Wonderland

“Harrison Howe writes as if he’s channeling nightmares, which, for ordinary writers wouldn’t be possible, but because Harrison is no ordinary writer, it works achingly well.”

- T.M. Wright, author of Blue Canoe

The last Coscom Entertainment release: Alice in Zombieland

For our full list of books, please see: www.coscomentertainment.com

What I really like about these two are how dark and twisted they seems. Sounds like right for the sort of mood I am in. Can’t wait for them to be released. Might try to check out the other authors work till then.

Synopsis

Joe Hill has been hailed as “a major player in 21st-century fantastic fiction” (Washington Post); “a new master in the field of suspense” (James Rollins); “one of the most confident and assured new voices in horror and dark fantasy to emerge in recent years (Publishers Weekly); a writer who “builds character invitingly and plants an otherworldly surprise around every corner” (New York Times).

This gifted and brilliantly imaginative author catapulted to bestsellerdom with the chilling Heart-Shaped Box and cemented his reputation with the prizewinning volume of short fiction 20th Century Ghosts. At last, the New York Times bestselling author returns with a relentless supernatural thriller that runs like Hell on wheels. . . .

Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with a thunderous hangover, a raging headache . . . and a pair of horns growing from his temples. At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real. Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more—he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin’s death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside. . . .

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It’s time for a little revenge. . . . It’s time the devil had his due. . . .

Product Details

Synopsis

The incomparable master of horror and suspense returns with a powerful, brilliantly terrifying novel that redefines the genre in original and unexpected ways.

The charismatic and cunning Spenser Mallon is a campus guru in the 1960s, attracting the devotion and demanding sexual favors of his young acolytes. After he invites his most fervent followers to attend a secret ritual in a local meadow, the only thing that remains is a gruesomely dismembered body—and the shattered souls of all who were present.

Years later, one man attempts to understand what happened to his wife and to his friends by writing a book about this horrible night, and it’s through this process that they begin to examine the unspeakable events that have bound them in ways they cannot fathom, but that have haunted every one of them through their lives. As each of the old friends tries to come to grips with the darkness of the past, they find themselves face-to-face with the evil triggered so many years earlier. Unfolding through the individual stories of the fated group’s members, A Dark Matter is an electric, chilling, and unpredictable novel that will satisfy Peter Straub’s many ardent fans, and win him legions more.

Boy Meets Boy

Grade  90 A-

Summary

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it.
The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

Cover 9/10

Fun, colorful, attractive and simple. It isn’t distracting or overly showy.

Characters 8/10

The characters make this book. Some of them are quite funny and very easy to remember. The main character is a great narrator and seems like a friendly, out teen male who is a normal teen that recounts his life and deals with the highschool drama and trying to find romance. His friends, such as the drag queen/football character is the flamboyant gay male whereas the main lead is more toned down. The books characters does have a some what readers seem to think of when they image these characters. They are good and quite funny and I enjoyed them even with this flaw.

paul, had to be my favorite character. He was sweet and innocent, a contrast to what I usually like. All he wanted was to have fun with his friends and find the Noah, or what he thinks is his shot at romance. Along the way he recounts breaks with boyfriends, and misunderstands as he deals with one friend having to deal with family that wants him to be straight. He feels like a real life character and I enjoyed that the story was from his view.

Writing 9/10

The writing also makes this a good book and story. David has a way with words that makes the reader want to finish and enjoy the characters and the story. At times it is a bit too cutsey and a bit unbelievable but overall he has a great writing style. It isn’t drowned in detail. It’s easy to understand but also contains some memorable quotes.

Story 8/10

While the story is cute and meant to be taken as a light funny romantic comedy, there are some minor issues with it . The writer images a world where gay, lesbian, genderqueer, bi and every other sexual orientation can coexist, be out, and live with fairly few issues. The books sort of glosses over the issues. It does deal with some such as family trying to force one child straight, and there is some gay bashing, but overall, things are a lot easy then it is in real life. It is basically what the author wishes the world could be like. The story feels like is set in real time but these minor flaws make it clear it is a dream like world. Know that is the idea, but it makes it feel unreal and brings the reader’s focus back to that he or she is reading a book.

Overall the characters are engaged, in funny, cutesy and normal teenage drama and love. Well normal for this world. For the most bit everyone is out about who they love and most don’t bat an eye. The school the main character goes to is very understanding and the strangest highschool I have ever seen. The cheerleaders have motorcycles, the football team is lead by a drag queen who is also running for prom  queen. It is an enjoyable story if the reader can get over the unbelievable details of the book.

The book is told very well from the first view of one of the main characters but have to remember that there will be some bias of that character. Also most of the book is about the romance of the main character and his friends lives in highschool. It’s doesn’t trying to be great literature and comes off as a cutsey romance story.

Overall 9/10

The book is a good and easy read. It is a good romance story for anyone looking for a quick and light read that go beyond reality at times. The characters are real but a bit unbelievable at times, much like the story. Again, it is meant to be a light romance comedy but a very enjoyable one.

Title: Specials
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Published: April 2006 by Simon Pulse
Pages: 372
ISBN: 9780689865404 

Description:  “Special Circumstances”:
The words have sent chills down Tally’s spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor — frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally’s never been ordinary.
And now she’s been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.
The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.
Still, it’s easy to tune that out — until Tally’s offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she’s programmed to complete. Either way, Tally’s world will never be the same. 

I Give This Book 3.5 Stars! 

I’ve really enjoyed this series so far.  But, something happened with Specials.  The story felt very thrown together at times.  The time line was strange.  Sometimes a chapter would cover hours and other times it would cover weeks.  It lacked the intensity the first two books had.  The characters didn’t feel the same, and at times it felt like the didn’t behave the same as they would have previously.  I didn’t really get the ending either.  Very disappointing to a series I was really enjoying.  I will read Extras, but only because it’s the last one and I don’t want to be left hanging.

I am making a decent dent in the books and articles I need to read for Belize. Spending eight hours in airports and on planes does wonders for catching on reading. The book that I nearly finished on the flight to Ohio Rising Up: Life Stories of Belizean Women focuses on a series of stories from women who either work in the house, community, or are professionals.  It is a striking book that makes you analyze your own life and the lives of others. It’s an enlightening read in many ways. I was especially interested to learn about Belizean healing and…..child-birth (who knew?!). Without labeling a specific group, I did find the stories about most of the house-working women especially harrowing. All of the their stories were about them living in poverty, having ten or more children, and barely any food. They were stories of women getting beat by their husbands, then their husbands cheating on them, leaving them or impregnating their daughters. I started to cry on the plane when one story finally focused a nice husband and then he DIED from cancer. He was the one husband who hugged the woman after she gave birth to a still-born baby and thought about buying Christmas gifts for his children. Sniff, sniff. I had to stop reading before I got too depressed and made weeping noises on the plane. It was a book that I had to put down.

Which got me thinking about the pleasure reading I have been able to indulge in this year and the many discoveries of Books-I-Can’t-Put-Down. I have rediscovered my library card and have been reading whatever strikes my fancy – like science fiction or fantasy or young adult books. It has been a joy to read purely to escape into magical, fantastical literary worlds. A few made me want to live in them by the way. And, I could judge books solely on how late I stayed up to read them. Good books made me not want to go to bed before 2 a.m. I finished the Harry Potter series. I have been shouting praises for literary goddess Suzanne Collins and her books The Hunger Games & Catching Fire. However, I also read a gem of a book a few months ago, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and haven’t been able to properly sing its praise .

First, let me explain how I discovered Graceling. [I appreciate learning how people discover a good book to read because, well, that is half of the battle. A lot of times, one has to sort though a lot of what my sister calls "lemons" (duds), before finding a Book-I-Can't-Put-Down. It's a process.] I had finished The Hunger Games and in the woe-be-gone process of finding the next Book-I-Can’t-Put-Down. People on Library Thing recommended Graceling as the number one choice for those who enjoyed The Hunger Games. It also had a waiting list to read at my local library, which is always a good sign. When I finally got my turn to read Graceling, I soon discovered it was not a lemon but a Book-I-Can’t-Put-Down, and finished it in less than two days.

The book is set in the land of seven kingdoms and centers around Katsa. She is the niece of the King of the Middluns, has lost both of her parents, and is one of the few to call themselves a Graceling - a rare individual who has two different colored eyes and is ‘graced’ with an extreme talent in a specific area. While there are many different graces (cooking, juggling, singing, etc), most all of them live an isolated life and are exploited for their gifts. To make her situation even more dire, Katsa is a graced killer. She is indestructible in battle. She has very few friends and no one looks her in the eye because of her grace. At a very young age, she becomes her uncle’s personal assassin and brute messenger. While Katsa is on a rescue mission for the top-secret council in the land that is helping to bring justice to the kingdoms, she meets Po. With unusual gold and silver eyes, Po is graced with combat skills and is Lienid prince. He also is the only one who can actually fight with Katsa and look her in the eyes. A first for her. Without divulging too many details, Katsa struggles as she tries to stand up to her evil uncle, manage her deadly grace, and figure out a puzzling mystery happening in the seven kingdoms.

It’s a serious page-turner and I’m not the only one singing its praise. Kristin, the author, is a clear, evocative writer with a true knack for character development. I mean, is it possible to get literary crushes on characters? Read it and you will know who I mean. Currently, she just finished her second book, Fire (also a page-turner), and is working on a sequel to Graceling that will take place in the future and focus on another character you meet later in the book. I can’t wait to read it. Hurry up Kristin! You can see what Kristin is up to at her witty and adorable blog. I dig that she incorporates book recommendations, great videos, baby pictures, Buffy polls, and Beethoven on her site. She also writes candidly about her writing process and her words are what inspired me to start playing with my blog again. [Despite the fact that my mom and sister just told me last night that they rarely read my blog....wha-what?....thanks a lot you two.] She essentially says that writing is hard, write as much as you can, and get good at ignoring the voices that say your writing sucks. My favorite line comes at the very end when she says,

“Writing is a strange activity, but humans are weird, right? A writer is an extremely human thing to be.”

Can I be her friend?

Would love any good book recommendations for me to read after Belize. Moi – thanks for the earlier comment.…Ender’s Game is definitely next on my to-read list.

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they’re transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar’s carefully-controlled world crumbles.

HERE IS MY REVIEW

]]> http://karinlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/e-book-reading-challenge/ Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:50:48 +0000 karinlibrarian http://karinlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/e-book-reading-challenge/

For Christmas, thanks to my parents, I’m going to get a Nook.  I’m really excited – especially since I have a $50 gift card from Barnes and Noble I haven’t spent yet.

Here are the specifics:

1. Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate.
–Non-Bloggers: Include your information in the comment section.

2. There are four levels:

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Only books started on January 1st count towards this challenge.

I’ll try for the Addicted category on this one.

I won’t be listing my books in advance because I have no idea what I’ll read. I’m excited!