Monday, December 31, 2012

Talisman of El (Talisman of El #1), by Alecia Stone




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WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?

One Planet.

Two Worlds.

Population: Human ... 7 billion.

Others ... unknown.

When 14-year-old Charlie Blake wakes up sweating and gasping for air in the middle of the night, he knows it is happening again. This time he witnesses a brutal murder. He's afraid to tell any one. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago - the day before his dad died.

Charlie doesn't know why this is happening. He would give any thing to have an ordinary life. The problem: he doesn't belong in the world he knows as home. He belongs with the others.



I really, really, really wanted to like this book. The premise is awesome, and I was so excited when NetGalley approved my request!

Unfortunately, the story falls flat. I was completely engaged for the first quarter of the book, and my attention waned from there. I struggled through the rest of it and would not have finished were it not an ARC for review.

What I liked:
  • The description of Charlie's gym teacher had me laughing. When I was in sixth grade, my big, burly male P.E. teacher also wore short red shorts and tight shirts.
  • The premise. I love the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and this had a similar feel.

What I didn't like:
  • One of the biggest problems throughout the book was a lack of transition from one scene to another. Charlie goes from having a sleepless night to pacing back and forth in front of his house. It's a minor transgression, but it's quite confusing for the reader. A page break -- or some sort of symbol denoting a transition -- would have helped immensely.
  • Metric versus English. Since this book is set in the UK and the author is British, I expected all units to be measured in the metric system. So it was terribly confusing when I read about both yards & meters and miles & kilometers.
  • Adding to any confusion, there were a number of Britishisms that I had to figure out. I even had to google "naughts and crosses" (tic tac toe).
  • Characters portrayed one way, then the complete opposite for no discernible reason other than "revealing their true selves." * (Spoilers after the jump)

The book is stylistically and grammatically correct. If it were fleshed out more -- especially in terms of showing, rather than telling the story -- I think this would be a four-star read.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

The Flesh Cartel #1: Capture (The Flesh Cartel #1), by Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau


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In this first installment of the exciting new psychosexual thriller, The Flesh Cartel, orphaned brothers Mat and Dougie Carmichael are stolen in the night from their own home. Taken to a horrifying processing facility, they are assessed, microchipped, and subjected to unspeakable brutality—all in preparation for sale to the highest bidder.

In a world where every person has a price, the beautiful and subduable PhD student Dougie is highly prized. His brother, a rough-edged MMA fighter, is less desirable—and potentially too dangerous—but he still has his own appeal.

Abused and locked up under round the clock surveillance, with no idea where they are or even why they’ve been taken, escape seems impossible, which leaves staying together their only hope. And after being separated once by the foster system, they'll do anything to keep it from happening again. Anything at all.

(Publisher's note: This title contains material some may find objectionable or trigger-inducing, including explicit violence, non-consent, and forced incest.)




I shouldn't like this book. AT ALL. It's horrifying and the two protagonists -- brothers Matt and Dougie -- are degraded and humiliated over and over. The subject matter is so hard to read, but I just couldn't put it down.

The writing is excellent: I really connected to the characters and felt their pain.

This serial novel is NOT for the faint of heart. It includes themes of kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, forced incest, and brutal BDSM.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

And All the Stars, by Andrea K. Höst






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Come for the apocalypse.
Stay for cupcakes.
Die for love.

Madeleine Cost is working to become the youngest person ever to win the Archibald Prize for portraiture. Her elusive cousin Tyler is the perfect subject: androgynous, beautiful, and famous. All she needs to do is pin him down for the sittings.

None of her plans factored in the Spires: featureless, impossible, spearing into the hearts of cities across the world – and spraying clouds of sparkling dust into the wind.

Is it an alien invasion? Germ warfare? They are questions everyone on Earth would like answered, but Madeleine has a more immediate problem. At Ground Zero of the Sydney Spire, beneath the collapsed ruin of St James Station, she must make it to the surface before she can hope to find out if the world is ending.



A solid 3.5 stars.   

The first thing I liked about the book was the addition of the description prior to the start of the story.  I am someone who reads the jacket cover at several points while I'm reading a book.  With a Kindle, it's impossible to view metadata, so this was a really nice touch.  

Some of the language ventured into the purple prose and I had to re-read a few passages in order to understand what was going on:
The TV showed a van crammed full of people and personal belongings driving toward a roadblock.  The thin hum of the engine dropped, then picked up again.  Then a tinkle, breaking glass, and the van screeched to a stop.  Little chopped-off noises followed as it hastily reversed, turned, and accelerated away, one headlight punched out.
I appreciate that the author is showing rather than telling what happened, but it's not always necessary.

Madeleine is a very real teenage girl: she skips school; lies to her mother about where she is; crushes over a cute boy; and is outwardly shy, though thankfully not in a Bella Swan there-is-nothing-special-about-me way.  I really related to her and I loved her friendship with Noi, a girl who considers all strangers as friends she just hasn't met yet.  She has her own insecurities, but covers them with a great snarky streak:
[Madeleine to Noi]
"Half the world is dead, we just robbed four stores, and you're worried about liking a guy two years younger than you?

"Priorities, I have them."

Oh, yeah.  I would totally be friends with Noi.  And while temporarily staying in a random apartment -- unoccupied since the arrival of the Spires -- she chooses to sleep in the Wonder Woman room.  Dude!  I want a Wonder Woman room!

The cast of characters is rounded out nicely: differing nationalities and social classes; a mix of GLBT and straight teens; and personalities that work well together.  Personality traits aren't restricted to a single character, so there's enough snark for everyone!  When Madeleine comments that it's not a good idea to drink, Min -- a secondary character and part of the group that sticks together -- takes the opposing view:
"Alien invasions aren't exactly the time to get drunk."
"If there was ever a time to get drunk, alien invasions are it."
A statement I can guarantee I will use sometime in the future:
"I give you fair warning that I am going to fangasm over you at some point when we're not saving the planet."
Totally a group I'd want to hang out with.

The love story part of the book was a great twist on the traditional YA triangle.  I didn't see that one coming AT ALL.

I will definitely be reading more of Andrea Höst's work, which isn't something I say about a lot of Indie authors.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Little Brother (Little Brother #1), by Cory Doctorow



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Marcus--aka “w1n5t0n”--is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems.

But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days.

When the DHS finally releases them, his injured best friend Darryl does not come out. The city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: "M1k3y" will take down the DHS himself.



Present day or near-future. Another terrorist attack, this time in San Francisco. Four friends are skipping school to take part in an on- and off-line game when they are rounded up by DHS officials and detained. After several days of questioning, they are (mostly) released. Being branded a terrorist--even though it was just a case of wrong place, wrong time--has changed something in Marcus. No longer content to ignore how easy it is for the government to track it's citizens' activities via modern technology, he embarks on a mission to take back his--and others'--privacy. And to take down the Department of Homeland Security while he does it.

I really liked this novel. I'm a techie by trade, so I enjoyed the snippets of IT jargon (don't worry; Doctorow makes it part of the story and gives clear descriptions). There were a handful of times that the book felt a bit pretentious, if only because I have encountered *a lot* of big egos in my job. And it's impossible not to think of Anonymous and 4chan when it comes to underground movements.

Teenage boys will love this: not only is the hero a 17-year-old, he's not the typical "hot guy" and uses his smarts to fight back. And he gets the girl!

If you liked Ready Player One, I recommend giving this book a try.
 

Friday, December 21, 2012

Entangled (Spellbound #1), by Nikki Jefford



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Two months after dying, seventeen-year-old witch Graylee Perez wakes up in her twin sister Charlene’s body.

Until Gray finds a way back inside her own body, she’s stuck being Charlene every twenty-hour hours. Her sister has left precise instructions on how Gray should dress and behave. Looking like a prep isn’t half as bad as hanging out with Charlene’s snotty friends and gropey boyfriend.

The “normals” of McKinley High might be quick to write her behavior off as post-traumatic stress, but warlock Raj McKenna is the only person who suspects Gray has returned from the dead.

Now Gray has to solve the mystery of her death and resurrection and disentangle herself from Charlene’s body before she disappears for good.



I stumbled across this book on NetGalley and was thrilled when I saw that it was available to read & review. Talk about an awesome premise! Unfortunately, the book was lacking in many ways and I had trouble finishing it. Had I purchased it or borrowed it from the library, I would have stopped reading after the first chapter. It took me three days to get through the whole book; I dreaded turning my Kindle back on.

But first, the good:
  • I swooned when I first saw the cover. Yeah, yeah: don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover and all that, but I admit to being a cover snob. The cover art is gorgeous!
  • The concept is original. In a market that is flooded with paranormally-inclined teenagers, it's refreshing to find a new twist.

And now, the rest:
  • As much as I love the cover, it has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Except that the book starts in February. So...maybe?
  • Within the first few pages, the reader is introduced to several characters at the same time. It was very confusing. Not a good sign of things to come.
  • Graylee, the heroine of the novel, complains about the clothes she's wearing almost immediately. Assuming that a 17-year-old girl is able to dress herself, this is just silly. And I don't understand why her standard "uniform" consists of tights under shorts in the middle of winter.
  • One of the characters has a "pear-shaped head". I have two problems with this: 1) I had to Google it to know what that means and how to picture it in my head; and 2) this poor guy is described as such no less than a half-dozen times.
  • The timeline is hard to follow. Graylee will be at school doing whatever and the next paragraph describes a completely different scene. No transitions. This happens throughout the book and is incredibly frustrating.
  • Flat, stereotypical characters: good/bad twins; simpering, neglectful, or too-strict parents; the studious girl with glasses who dresses like a staid matron; the bad boy who's just misunderstood; etc. I didn't connect with any of the characters. In fact, I disliked ALL of them.
  • Slut shaming. Newsflash! A girl who has sex with a boy, or who makes out with a string of boys over a period of time, OR who *gasp* has sex with more than one guy IS. NOT. A. SLUT! NOR is she a slut for wearing skimpy clothes. I absolutely hate it when female authors slut shame their characters.
  • Unbelievable love interest. Graylee and Raj go from trying to kill each other (really! attempted murder!) to lusting after each other for no discernible reason.
  • Unbelievable love triangle.
  • Forced drama where none existed.
  • Unclear motivation for any of the characters.
  • Magic spells for everything! 
  • Raj's mother: 1) after Raj burned down the house, why didn't she ask her son what happened that night?; 2) is "...tall, slim, dark skinned with with straight silky hair that flowed past her shoulders...She was no blond next door and certainly hadn't adopted the friendly American smile. Because all Americans are blond and smile all the time? Awful--and incorrect--stereotype.
  • When a boy breaks up with a girl and starts dating someone new, IT IS NOT THE NEW GIRLFRIEND'S FAULT. 
  • Attempted murder (and not just between Raj and Graylee) is no big deal.
  • Graylee is found to have died of...death. Yep, Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome.
  • After finding out that she's been dead for two months, Graylee barely reacts. I'd like to think that I'd freak out about it.
  • Graylee's mom: 1) said to Graylee "My life could never go on without you." Um, except that it did, as she was still alive; 2) is not on a first-name basis with the parents of Charlene's long-time boyfriend; 3) blowing off threats of suicide. Suicide is not a joke. If you have a character who is actually trying to harm herself, don't have her mother say "she just needs some time alone." I about threw my Kindle across the room; 4) a girl is allowed to date/get to know more than one boy at a time. She does not, in fact, have to make a decision and choose between them when she barely knows either one.
  • A teacher who seduces a 15-year-old and has "a thing for adolescent[s]" is a pedophile. The student is a victim. It is inappropriate to joke about a female teacher sleeping with her "I.e.:[sic] horny" young male students. (And that should be e.g., no uppercase letter, and no colon.)
  • Speaking of grammar, I cringed over and over and over.
  • Boys have feelings and need support. To state otherwise does a disservice to the male sex. We are long past the Me-Tarzan-You-Jane era.
  • Does anyone actually think that laryngitis is contagious?

So, yeah. I really do think that the premise is great. But the story needs A LOT of work: peer reviews; writing groups; editors; etc.

I will definitely not be continuing with the series.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

What a Boy Wants, by Nyrae Dawn



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Courtesy of watching his mom’s relationships, Sebastian Hawkins knows what girls need to do to get a guy. He has what he considers a PHD in hooking up. When he needs extra cash for a car, Sebastian starts up an online venture as The Hook-up Doctor, to anonymously help girls land the guy of their dreams. Of course, his services don’t offer a happily-ever-after guarantee. He’s seen firsthand getting together never means staying together.

And then he falls in love…

With the last girl he would expect…

Totally not in his game plan.

Suddenly, Sebastian finds himself muddled in the game he’s always prided himself on. He can’t even pick up girls at parties anymore! Why would anyone want to be in love when it turns you into a stuttering, screwed-up, mess with really lame stalker tendencies? Stalking? Totally not his gig.

But the Hook-up Doctor won’t let himself go down easily. He’s always known how to give a girl what she wants and now it’s time to figure out what a boy wants… and he definitely plans on getting it.



Ohmygosh, I'm in love!  This was such a sweet book and I gobbled it up. 

While it's a predictable storyline -- boy and girl are friends; boy and girl hook up; boy and girl break up; boy and girl get back together -- the characters are so compelling that you don't care that you already know how it's going to play out.  They are real and vivid and I can totally picture them as kids who live in my neighborhood.

Sebastian.  Oh, dear lord.  A cocky 17-year-old kid who thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread.  He. Is. Hilarious.  I loved it when he came to realizations and had "aha!" moments.  Serious people-looking-at-me-like-I'm-crazy snorts of laughter.

If you're looking for a quick, fun read, I *highly* recommend this book. 

I can't wait to read the next book in the series; I'm going to buy it now!

The Hook-Up Doctor's Guide (What a Boy Wants 0.5), by Nyrae Dawn



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Sebastian Hawkins, known online as “The Hook up Doctor” is taking his advice column one step further with “The Hook-up Doctor Guide”. In this manual he’s revisiting some of his hardest cases along with dishing out brand new advice, too. Sebastian isn’t stopping with just these six specific cases either. He’s throw in some of Sebastian’s Rules to give girls extra advice on grabbing the guy of their dreams.

So if you've ever been a little lost on how to move out of the "friend territory" or make your BFF's brother see you as more than his little sister's friend, than this guide is for you.

Sometimes advice is much easier to give, than to put into action...

Disclaimer: The Hook up Doctor Guide is a work of FICTION and not meant to apply in real life. Sebastian and all of the situations in this book are fictional and for entertainment purposes only. This should not be used as a real “self-help” book. This advice is not meant for readers use, but for a fun, fictional read.



Cute little companion novella to What a Boy Wants, filled with the Hook-Up Doctor's advice to teens in love and lust. 

Sunday, December 16, 2012

It's Time to Sleep, My Love, by Nancy Tillman



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It's time to sleep, it's time to sleep,

the fishes croon in waters deep.

The songbirds sing in trees above,

"It's time to sleep, my love, my love."

As children prepare for bed, the world around them is also settling down for the night. Animals who live in the jungle, the forest, the sea—all whisper to their babies a soft refrain: It’s time to sleep, my love.

As comforting as a soft blanket and warm as a goodnight hug, Eric Metaxas's lullaby is lovingly brought to life by bestselling artist Nancy Tillman  (On the Night You Were Born) , whose illustrations celebrate the wonders of the natural world, and the bonds of family.


I love love love this book. It's the perfect cadence for just-before-bed story time. It's soft and sweet and perfect for winding down from a busy day.

I will often sneak this book into the evening's reading pile, even when the kids don't want it. I tell them it's a freebie because they made good choices that day, but it's really for me. :)

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Columbine, by Dave Cullen


 


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Ten years in the making and a masterpiece of reportage, "Columbine" is an award-winning journalist's definitive account of one of the most shocking massacres in American history.

It is driven by two questions: what drove these killers, and what did they do to this town?

*****

"On April 20, 1999, two boys left an indelible stamp on the American psyche. Their goal was simple: to blow up their school, Oklahoma City-style, and to leave a lasting impression on the world. Their bombs failed, but the ensuing shooting defined a new era of school violence--irrevocably branding every subsequent shooting 'another Columbine.

"When we think of Columbine, we think of the Trench Coat Mafia; we think of Cassie Bernall, the girl we thought professed her faith before she was shot; and we think of the boy pulling himself out of a school window--the whole world was watching him. Now, in a riveting piece of journalism nearly ten years in the making, comes the story none of us knew. In this revelatory book, Dave Cullen has delivered a profile of teenage killers that goes to the heart of psychopathology. He lays bare the callous brutality of mastermind Eric Harris and the quavering, suicidal Dylan Klebold, who went to the prom three days earlier and obsessed about love in his journal.

"The result is an astonishing account of two good students with lots of friends, who were secretly stockpiling a basement cache of weapons, recording their raging hatred, and manipulating every adult who got in their way. They left signs everywhere, described by Cullen with a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen. Drawing on hundreds of interviews, thousands of pages of police files, FBI psychologists, and the boys' tapes and diaries, he gives the best complete account of the Columbine tragedy.

"In the tradition of
Helter Skelter and In Cold Blood, COLUMBINE is destined to be a classic. A close-up portrait of violence, a community rendered helpless, and police blunders and cover-ups, it is a compelling and utterly human portrait of two killers--an unforgettable cautionary tale for our time." (From inside cover)

Excellent information about the Columbine shooting, but the writing leaves a lot to be desired. 

Friday, November 30, 2012

Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry



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Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think about life before the war. But it's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching in their town.

The Nazis won't stop. The Jews of Denmark are being "relocated," so Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be part of the family.
  Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. Somehow she must find the strength and courage to save her best friend's life. There is no turning back now.



I love this book. It's a very quick read for adults and perfect for middle grade students. Parents and kids should read this together; it can spark a lot of great conversations.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Under the Dome, by Stephen King



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On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away. 

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.



SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO good! I want more! 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The True Story of Hansel and Gretel, a novel of war and survival, by Louise Murphy



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In the last months of the Nazi occupation of Poland, two children are left by their father and stepmother to find safety in a dense forest. Because their real names will reveal their Jewishness, they are renamed "Hansel" and "Gretel." They wander in the woods until they are taken in by Magda, an eccentric and stubborn old woman called "witch" by the nearby villagers. Magda is determined to save them, even as a German officer arrives in the village with his own plans for the children.

Combining classic themes of fairy tales and war literature, Louise Murphy’s haunting novel of journey and survival, of redemption and memory, powerfully depicts how war is experienced by families and especially by children. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel tells a resonant, riveting story.


This was a hauntingly beautiful book and a fantastic re-writing of a classic fairy tale.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Collateral, by Ellen Hopkins



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The gripping story of a woman torn between love for her boyfriend, a dedicated Marine deployed to Afghanistan, and the resentment she has for the war that is tearing their lives apart.

Written in Hopkins’s stunning poetic verse style, Collateral centers on Ashley, an MFA student at San Diego State University. She grew up reading books and never dreamed she would become a military wife. One night she meets a handsome soldier named Cole. He doesn’t match the stereotype of the aggressive military man. He’s passionate and romantic. He even writes poetry. Their relationship evolves into a sexually charged love affair that goes on for five years and survives four deployments. Cole wants Ashley to marry him, but when she meets another man, a professor with similar pursuits and values, she begins to see what life might be like outside the shadow of war.

Collateral captures the hearts of the soldiers on the battlefield and the minds of the friends, family, and lovers they leave behind. Those who remain at home may be far away from the relentless, sand-choked skies of the Middle East and the crosshairs of a sniper rifle, but just the same, all of them will sacrifice a part of themselves for their country and all will eventually ask themselves if the collateral damage caused by war is worth the fight.



Ellen Hopkins takes a very real--and very raw--look at military families and how they cope being left behind.

Unlike when I read her YA fiction, I found that I couldn't complete this novel in one sitting: I had to break it down into chunks so I could process the events.

Hopkins is as brilliant as ever.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, by Michelle Moran



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The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire.
From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. 


Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.



I was a French major in college, studied in Paris for a year, and consider France to be my home away from home. I have studied the French Revolution and knew all of the major dates and the most important players.

But those years of study don't come anywhere close to affecting me the way that this novel does.

Michelle Moran has done an amazing job bringing Madame Tussaud -- someone I never gave much thought to -- and the French Revolution to life. It has given me a better understanding of an era I thought I knew about.

I can't wait to read more of Moran's works!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Don't Let Me Go, by J.H. Trumble



Some people spend their whole lives looking for the right partner. Nate Schaper found his in high school. In the eight months since their cautious flirting became a real, heart-pounding, tell-the-parents relationship, Nate and Adam have been inseparable. Even when local kids take their homophobia to brutal levels, Nate is undaunted. He and Adam are rock solid. Two parts of a whole. Yin and yang.

But when Adam graduates and takes an off-Broadway job in New York--at Nate's insistence--that certainty begins to flicker. Nate's friends can't keep his insecurities at bay, especially when he catches Skyped glimpses of Adam's shirtless roommate. Nate starts a blog to vent his frustrations and becomes the center of a school controversy, drawing ire and support in equal amounts. But it's the attention of a new boy who is looking for more than guidance that forces him to confront who and what he really wants.



This book had SO much potential and fell terribly flat.  I absolutely love the premise and I totally swooned over the cover.  Other reviewers compared this to works by David Levithan and John Green, so I was expecting to be wowed.

And I was.  Just not in a good way.
To be fair, I am not gay.  I am also not a guy.  So I have no idea what it's like to be a recently-out 17-year-old high school boy.  But I DO read a fair bit of GLBT YA fiction, so I'm not completely unfamiliar with the genre.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Lady Oracle, by Margaret Atwood



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Joan Foster is the bored wife of a myopic ban-the-bomber.  She takes off overnight as Canada's new superpoet, pens lurid gothics on the sly, attracts a blackmailing reporter, skids cheerfully in and out of menacing plots, hair-raising traps, and passionate trysts, and lands dead and well in Terremoto, Italy.  

In this remarkable, poetic, and magical novel, Margaret Atwood proves yet again why she is considered to be one of the most important and accomplished writers of our time.


2.5 stars. Decent, but not something I'd recommend to others.   

Friday, November 2, 2012

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, by John Boyne



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Berlin 1942

When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance.

But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.



OMG. I just... And then... I can't... This was such an original concept in a saturated genre.

4.5 stars.

I am still trying to wrap my head around this book. It was amazing and disturbing and brilliant and scary and I still feel like I'm going to be sick.

The Prince, by Niccolò Machiavelli



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Need to seize a country? Have enemies you must destroy? In this handbook for despots and tyrants, the Renaissance statesman Machiavelli sets forth how to accomplish this and more, while avoiding the awkwardness of becoming generally hated and despised.

For nearly 500 years, Machiavelli's observations on Realpolitik have shocked and appalled the timid and romantic, and for many his name was equivalent to the devil's own. Yet, The Prince was the first attempt to write of the world of politics as it is, rather than sanctimoniously of how it should be, and thus The Prince remains as honest and relevant today as when Machiavelli first put quill to parchment, and warned the junior statesman to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity.

I don't like giving a classic such a low rating, but this book just didn't do anything for me. Maybe it's because I don't know much about late 15th century & early 16th century European politics.

I do feel bad for Machiavelli, though: he doesn't seem terribly evil; he's just accumulated a wealth of knowledge from seeing what others have accomplished. He's more of a strategist and historian.

Monday, October 29, 2012

A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess



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A vicious fifteen-year-old "droog" is the central character of this 1963 classic, whose stark terror was captured in Stanley Kubrick's magnificent film of the same title. In Anthony Burgess's nightmare vision of the future, where criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends' social pathology. 

A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. When the state undertakes to reform Alex—to "redeem" him—the novel asks, "At what cost?" 

This edition includes the controversial last chapter not published in the first edition and Burgess's introduction "A Clockwork Orange Resucked."


What an intense novel. I really wish I had read this in high school, because I know I would have been able to write a kick-ass book report. I need to convince my book club to read this so I can talk about it more.

I have so many conflicting feelings about Our Humble Narrator and I need more time to sort them all out. I was horrified at all of the violence; I certainly don't need "vitamins" in order to make good decisions. 

Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman



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After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . 


3.5 stars.

So many people rave about Neil Gaiman--and this book in particular--that I chose to read this for a book club challenge, wherein I had to choose a book that was not on my TBR.

It was okay. I really enjoyed the last third of the book.

I still don't think that Gaiman's style is my cup of tea, but I'm glad I tried another one of his books.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

The Sky Is Everywhere, by Jandy Nelson



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Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. 

Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. 

Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. 

For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.



Love adore cherish worship revere idolize admire glorify treasure value relish esteem.

There aren't enough ways to say how much I love this book. It's hilarious and heart-breaking and sincere and gut-churning. And I can't get enough of it. I immediately started to re-listen to the audiobook version as soon as it ended. 


Thank goodness I own the ebook and paperback versions; I have a feeling I'll be re-reading this one for years to come.

Friday, October 19, 2012

The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals, by Missy Chase Lapine



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Parents will do almost anything to get their kids to eat healthier, but unfortunately, they’ve found that begging, pleading, threatening, and bribing don’t work. With their patience wearing thin, parents will "give in” for the sake of family peace, and reach for "kiddie” favorites--often nutritionally inferior choices such as fried fish sticks, mac n’ cheese, Popsicles, and cookies.

Missy Chase Lapine, former publisher of Eating Well magazine, faced the same challenges with her two young daughters, and she sought a solution. 

Now in The Sneaky Chef, Lapine presents over 75 recipes that ingeniously disguise the most important superfoods inside kids’ favorite meals. With the addition of a few simple make-ahead purees or clever replacements, (some may surprise you!) parents can pack more fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants in their kids’ foods.


My son is actually eating vegetables! Miniscule amounts per serving (1 tsp here and there), but it's better than nothing.

It does take a while to cook and puree all of the to-be-hidden foods, so I doubled- and tripled-up on the recipes and froze portions for later use.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Goth Girl Rising (The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl #2), by Barry Lyga



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"Time is a funny thing in the hospital. In the mental ward. You lose track of it easily." 

After six months in the Maryland Mental Health Unit, Kyra Sellers, a.k.a. Goth Girl, is going home. Unfortunately, she's about to find out that while she was away, she lost track of more than time.

Kyra is back in black, feeling good, and ready to make up with the only person who's ever appreciated her for who she really is.

But then she sees him. Fanboy. Transcended from everything he was into someone she barely recognizes.  And the anger and memories come rushing back.

There's so much to do to people when you're angry.
 

Kyra's about to get very busy.


Awesome sequel to The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth GirlI loved reading about Kyra's back story in her POV. 

Don't Forget Me! (The Nightmare Room #1), by R.L. Stine



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Danielle Warner was only pretending to hypnotize her brother Peter. So why is Peter acting so strange... so terrifying? Doesn't Peter realize it was all a joke? Danielle and her brother are about to learn a frightening lesson: It's not a good idea to kid around—in The Nightmare Room.

 




I'm trying to remember at what age I used to read R.L. Stine's older books. 10? 12? I read his books religiously when I was a preteen. But I don't remember them being so poorly written.

This book is classified as Young Adult, but I don't know any YA fans who would think this was any good: characters are undeveloped; the story goes way too quickly; the plot is constructed in such an amateur fashion that I'm not sure how this was approved to publish; etc. etc. and so forth.

Give this book to third graders: they would probably enjoy it.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater



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It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.




WOW. I LOVE this book! I listened to the audiobook and the characters drew me in right from the beginning. The actors were spot on.

I wasn't a fan of the Shiver trilogy, so I put off reading this book. Mistake! I should have read it earlier. Puck is a kick-ass female lead and Sean is my new book boyfriend.


:: swoon ::