Review: Kings of Colorado

Details:

Title: Kings of Colorado
Author: David E. Hinton
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pub Date: January 2011
Genre: Realistic Fiction

A man reflects on his troubled childhood at a boys reformatory, where troubled youths care for wild horses as untamed as the boys themselves. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I've been trying to broaden my reading horizons and read things outside my usual favorite genres (i.e. dystopian), and a "boy" book set in the 60s on a horse ranch is pretty far from my usual.

I haven't read too many "boy" books that I actually liked and thought a teenage boy would actually like -- Kings of Colorado is one of the few that I think teenage boys would actually like and relate to. The book is pretty violent, so it's definitely not something I'd recommend for a young teen, but there's a lot for an older teen to like. The characters are realistic and the violent life of kids at a boys' reformatory is realistic. Hinton doesn't shy away from darker themes (abuse and rape) which really gives the novel more depth than I was expecting.

Every character draws you in, especially the ones you're supposed to hate. No one is quite what they seem, but  Hinton manages to create terrible villains that completely terrible, but still seem real. I don't think this happens often in many books. The villains are either pure evil and don't feel like they could actually exist or they're only terrible on the surface and there's some underlying reason that they are the way they are. But the villains in Kings of Colorado are completely horrible evil people without redeeming qualities that still feel real.

The book is beautifully written and would definitely hold a teenage boy's attention (quite a huge feat if you ask me). The only thing I didn't like was the ending -- it was ok and fit the story alright, just was a little more tied-up-in-a-pretty-bow than I was expecting. But then again the main character William needed and deserved to have a nice ending.

Rating:

Note: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: The Future of Us

Details:
Title: The Future of Us
Author: Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub Date: November 2011
Genre: Realistic Fiction

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved 13 Reasons Why, so I was incredibly excited to hear that Jay Asher wrote a new book. I haven’t read anything by Carolyn Mackler, but I’d heard good things. Beyond the authors, the premise of the book sounded amazing (especially since I grew up in the 90s), so needless to said I expected to totally love The Future of Us.

Sadly, I didn’t love The Future of Us; I wanted to really badly, but there was something about the characters and the plot that prevented me from really getting into the story and loving it. The biggest reason I didn’t really like the book was Emma. She drove me crazy right from the beginning and continue to irritate me through the whole book. My main issue with Emma was her focus on her future relationships and husbands; she doesn’t seem to care about anything else. I found it really odd that a teen would be so obsessed with who she marries in ten years. Maybe teen girls care about that, but when I was sixteen marriage was the last thing on my mind. It’s very hard for me to really like a book if I don’t like the main character.

Ok, that’s enough about Emma now on to the good stuff. I did actually like Josh quite a bit and thought that his character was totally believable. His reactions to what they learn on Facebook and how he changed over the course of the book seemed completely plausible to me.

The whole premise of the book was really interesting and I really liked that not everything Josh and Emma did had a completely logical simple effect on their future. That seemed so real; we don’t really know how our tiny actions change things and Asher and Mackler focused on that, as well as how big decisions change things.

I didn’t hate the book, but I was disappointed. This was a tough one for me; I had issues with the characters and a few key plot elements, but overall the story was interesting and the writing was great. I just didn’t end up loving it. A lot of other people did love it, so maybe this one just wasn’t for me.

Rating:

Review: Blood Red Road

Details:
Title: Blood Red Road
Author: Moira Young
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pub Date: June 2011
Genre: Dystopia

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
A friend of mine went on and on about how amazing Blood Red Road is several months ago. Usually we have similar tastes, so I figured I better add it to my to-read list. And I was itching to read a dystopia (I’ve been reading a lot of books outside my comfort zone lately instead of just reading every dystopia I can find).
Blood Red Road was amazing -- probably one of the top five of this year for me, maybe even top two. The characterization is wonderful, the writing was really good, and the whole world was crafted beautifully. I almost have nothing bad to say about the novel. My only critique is that sometimes Saba felt young to me, several years younger than her eighteen years. But these moments were very brief and also could be easily explained by her sheltered life before her brother Lugh is taken.

Back to the good stuff. Saba is one of my favorite female characters. I loved that she was sort of a mean girl. Yes, she is doing everything thing she can to get her twin brother back, but she can’t stand her little sister and is at times horrible to her. This strained relationship made her feel more real to me and less like an untouchable hero character. Beyond her strong and flawed personality, I loved her relationship with Jack. I don’t to say too much or give anything away, but I loved her reactions to the possibility of a boy liking her. I’m pretty sure I laughed out loud during several of their scenes together.

Saba’s world was so wonderfully crafted. I could totally picture the dustlands, the gladiator arena, everything. The setting, as well as all the crazy characters were so well written that I was quickly and totally pulled into the book. I read the whole book in a few sittings and took an extra long lunch at work so I could finish the book. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

On a side note I got to meet the lovely Moria Young at Wordstock this year. She is one of the nicest, friendliest authors I met so far. So if she’s doing an reading in your area go see her. And congratulations to Moria for winning the Costa Children's award!

Review: Far From the War

Details:
Title: Far From the War
Author: Jeffery David Payne
Publisher: Roche Harbor Books
Pub Date: September 2011
Genre: Dystopia

Economic ruin and partisan rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I've been reading a lot of books lately that have been out of my comfort zone; mostly romance and paranormal. So when I heard about Far From the War I decided it was time to get to what I love reading the most: dystopias, especially realistic dystopias.

I really loved the idea of a dystopia that takes place in the very near future because for me the possibility of these dystopic worlds becoming a reality is what really draws me. Far From the War takes place in a completely recognizable United States, which is what really kept me reading. The civil war that begins early on in the book seemed completely realistic and eerily possible in my lifetime. And from this base the way civil war was depicted and the characters' (both civilian and military) reactions to the war all felt real and worked to draw me into the story.

But I kept getting thrown out of the story by all the political and cultural references. The number of very time-specific references made me worried that in even five years teens would feel the novel is outdated even though it's supposed to be in the near future. But beyond the longevity of the novel, these references confused me a bit because I wasn't familiar with them so I couldn't figure out if they were supposed to reference a time period I should know (like the '80s) or if they were made up as future times (like the 2020's). I have this pet-peeve about cultural references, so maybe these parts wouldn't bother most other readers. Along the same lines as the references, there was a lot going on all the time. At some points this worked really well, especially in the opening section of the book and when the war first breaks out, but as the book progresses I felt like there was too much happening and I couldn't keep track of everything. Too many terrible things were happening to Ester and these tragedies started to lose their impact for me by the last few chapters.

Although there were a few things that bothered me about the novel, I really liked the concept of the novel and how it broke away from the usual set far in the future dystopias that are flooding YA right now. Plus I think this novel could be an excellent teaching tool for teens. The more current time period and actually watching a government and society fall apart could really make this novel resonate more with teens.

Rating:  

Review: Tris and Izzie

Details:
Title: Tris and Izzie
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Publisher: Egmont USA
Pub Date: October, 2011
Genre: Paranormal Romance

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I didn't really know anything about the Tristan and Isolde fairytale before reading Tris and Izzie; the story just sounded fun and possibly Shakespearean. I wanted something fun and light to end the summer with and this was a good choice for that.

Like I've said before I'm not a huge fan of romance and this is definitely a romance. I liked it, but I did get a bit annoyed by Izzie's relationships and her need to not be in love with Tris. That said I didn't really connect with Izzie at all, but I did like Brangane and Tris quite a bit and for some reason it really didn't matter all that much that I didn't like the main character, the other characters held up the story enough for me to enjoy it.

The mythology Harrison created was excellent and a different take on the paranormal genre: very different witches story that any I've read. Although, I must say the mythical creatures and special powers did get a little silly to me at a few points in the story -- it just seemed too little-kid-fairytale, but these moments were pretty rare.


If you're a romance and fariytale fan then you'll probably love this one, I liked but just got a bit bored with the romance.

Rating:

Review: Spellbound

Details:
Title: Spellbound
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pub Date: July, 2011
Genre: Paranormal Romance

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I'm not really sure what drew me to this book; the summary confused me and cover is beautiful, but odd. Nonetheless, something drew me and I ended up liking the book more than I expected to.

I have nothing bad to say about Spellbound, it was well written, the characters were likable and interesting, and the plot and background story were great. The only reason I didn't love the book was that I'm not a huge fan of romance; I like most of the paranormal YA romance I read, but I just don't love it. But I think I liked this one more than most. Shultz writing style and voice were wonderful. Every element of the story came together in the end to create a beautiful and tragic love story.

I wasn't too sure how the whole "when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death" thing would pan out or what that even meant for the story, but I loved it. I don't want to say too much since it totally gives away the story, but this theme is crafted beautifully.

Emma was an excellent narrator; I liked her right away. Even though she's the main character in a crazy romance, she didn't seem over-the-top or fake like other female romance characters. Emma was a "real girl;" she struggles with her past, figuring out what's going on with Brendan, has trouble fitting in, and in the end becomes an even stronger character and girl than she already was.

Rating:

Review: Misfit

Details:
Title: Misfit
Author: Jon Skovron
Publisher: Amulet
Pub Date: August 2011
Genre: Paranormal

Jael Thompson has never really fit in. She’s changed schools too many times to count. The only family she’s ever known is her father, a bitter ex-priest who never lets her date and insists she attend the strictest Catholic school in Seattle. And her mother—well, she was a five thousand year old demon. That doesn’t exactly help.
But on her sixteenth birthday, her father gives her a present that brings about some unexpected changes. Some of the changes, like strange and wonderful powers and the cute skater boy with a knack for science, are awesome. But others, like the homicidal demon seeking revenge on her family? Not so much.
Steeped in mythology, this is an epic tale of a heroine who balances old world with new, science with magic, and the terrifying depths of the underworld with the ordinary halls of high school. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I'd heard a bit about Misfit from a few other bloggers before I can across the galley on NetGalley (if you don't know about NetGalley, check it out), but I haven't read much paranormal in the past few weeks and the whole demons and mythology aspect sounded really interesting.

Misfit wasn't what I was expecting and I'm having a difficult time deciding if I liked it or not. The story and the characters were interesting and exciting, but the writing style was really difficult for me. The point of view and tense changed throughout the novel, which confused me and drove me crazy. I probably would have stopped reading after about three chapters if I weren't so interested in the mythology setup in the novel.

So the story and mythology of the book, pretty awesome. The whole world of demons and myth came together really nicely and was clearly well researched. I was impressed by how well the religious stories and the myths came together and created a very complete history and background for the demon world. It wasn't like anything else I've read (although I haven't read very demon/religious/mythology centered books). There's a lot going on; many cultural and religious stories are mixed.

I liked the characters, but some of them were a bit over-the-top for me. I liked Jael for the most part; her character growth was excellent and I liked her relationship with boy. Jael's father and some of the other religious figure characters just didn't seem believable to me. They were too much; I don't know very many priests, but I can't picture these guys in a church in the real world.

If you can get passed the strange writing style, the story's pretty good.

Rating: 
I'm giving two ratings because the story was:

but the writing style was:

Review: Girl Wonder

Details:
Title: Girl Wonder
Author: Alexa Martin
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Pub Date: May 2011
Genre: Realistic Fiction

As if transferring senior year weren't hard enough, Charlotte Locke has been bumped to lower level classes at her new school. With no friends, a terrible math SAT score, and looming college application deadlines, the future is starting to seem like an oncoming train for which she has no ticket.

Then Amanda enters her orbit like a hot-pink meteor, offering Charlotte a ticket to something else: popularity. Amanda is fearless, beautiful, brilliant, and rich. As her new side kick, Charlotte is brought into the elite clique of the debate team—and closer to Neal, Amanda's equally brilliant friend and the most perfect boy Charlotte has ever seen.

But just when senior year is looking up, Charlotte’s life starts to crumble. The more things heat up between Charlotte and Neal, the more Neal wants to hide their relationship. Is he ashamed? Meanwhile, Amanda is starting to act strangely competitive, and she's keeping a secret Charlotte doesn't want to know.

Talented newcomer Alexa Martin delivers a poignant story of first love, jealousy and friendship, where the ups and downs of senior year have never been so complicated. What else can Charlotte do but throw her hands up and ride?
-- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I've been trying to read more realistic contemporary fiction. I think I need a break from paranormal and dystopian novels. Girl Wonder was an excellent change from apocalyptic things I've been reading lately. 

I really liked Charlotte; she seemed totally real to me. Her struggle to fit in with her supper smart family is what really made her likable and really realistic. Charlotte's father's responses and reactions to Charlotte's academic choices and issues totally reminded me of some of friend's parents. Charlotte's need to fit in with Amanda and Neal and the downward spiral her life goes into because of this need may seem a bit over the top to some readers, but I thought it was pretty realistic. A lot of teens really struggle to fit in and go to extremes to do so. I had several friends in high school who went through very similar situations. Charlotte's not obsessed with popularity; she just wants to fit in somewhere and the super smart kids' clique is the sort of place her highly academic parents would (in her mind) like her to fit in. I also loved her little brother and his friend Milton. They're both super smart, but not in the same show-off-y way that Amanda and Neal are.

My only issue with the novel is the romance aspect. Charlotte's relationship with Neal wasn't all that interesting and (I thought) pretty predictable. He wants to hide her and doesn't really act all that interested in her, and she's just dying to fit in and have someone actually like her. It's so clear right from the beginning that this isn't going to work out. But even with my dislike of the romance between Charlotte and Neal, I still felt that Charlotte's struggle to fit in and her downward spiral were true-to-life and interesting.

Rating:

Review: Bumped

Details:
Title: Bumped (Bumped #1)
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)
Date: April 2011
Genre: Dystopia

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I'm a huge, huge fan of Megan McCafferty's Jessica Darling series, so I was trilled to hear she was working on a new series. Bumped is so different from McCafferty's first series, but still has her wonderful writing style and awesome characters.

I'll start with my few issues with the book. I found the beginning to be very confusing; the story just suddenly starts and there's a lot going on and the language is a bit strange. But after a couple chapters I'd figured out what was going on. I did go back a re-read the first few pages because the opening scene totally confused me. It didn't take long for me to get into the story, so a confusing beginning wasn't really that big of an issue. Beyond that my only other issue was with the language. It reminded me of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series; there's a lot of strange slang and technology that isn't explained. It didn't really bother me, but it was a little confusing. Spending time explaining what everything meant would have slowed things down and really taken you out of the story. So I guess the language wasn't really an issue, but it might be for some readers.

Ok, onto the good stuff. The story: how on earth did Megan come up with this?! The whole situation of the world and technology is just amazing and although not completely original, a nice unique spin on a dystopian topic that's been around for a while (infertility). Megan was able to take a topic that usually would equal a depressing tale of teen girls/women forced into marriages or pregnancies and turn it into a sometimes funny and light, meaningful story about teens and sex.

I liked both Melody and Harmony, but I didn't connect with them in the way I was hoping to. I felt so connected to Jessica in Megan's other series, and I guess I expected the same sort of connection with Bumped. I didn't dislike the characters, I just didn't fall in love with them. The story felt more story and plot driven, than character driven. Maybe in the next books I'll connect more to the twins as their characters' grow now that the world is created and established.

Although the book was not at all what I was expecting, I loved it and am excited to see where the series goes.

Rating: 

Review: Putting Makeup on Dead People

Details:
Title: Putting Makeup on Dead People
Author: Jen Violi
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Pub Date: May 2011
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

In the spring of her senior year, Donna Parisi finds new life in an unexpected place: a coffin.
Since her father’s death four years ago, Donna has gone through the motions of living: her friendships are empty, she’s clueless about what to do after high school graduation, and her grief keeps her isolated, cut off even from the one parent she has left. That is until she’s standing in front of the dead body of a classmate at Brighton Brothers’ Funeral Home. At that moment, Donna realizes what might just give her life purpose is comforting others in death. That maybe who she really wants to be is a mortician.
This discovery sets in motion a life Donna never imagined was possible. She befriends a charismatic new student, Liz, notices a boy, Charlie, and realizes that maybe he's been noticing her, too, and finds herself trying things she hadn’t dreamed of trying before. By taking risks, Donna comes into her own, diving into her mortuary studies with a passion and skill she didn’t know she had in her. And she finally understands that moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting someone you love.
Jen Violi’s heartfelt and funny debut novel is a story of transformation—how one girl learns to grieve and say goodbye, turn loss into a gift, and let herself be exceptional...at loving, applying lipstick to corpses, and finding life in the wake of death. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
The cover and title of this book really drew me in; I needed to know what it was all about. I was really hoping that the book would be awesome, but I hadn't heard much about it so I didn't have super high expectations. Putting Makeup on Dead People was amazing; I devoured it in two days.

I really connected with Donna. She's having a really hard time getting over her father's death and has basically stopped living her own life. Although I haven't experienced the death of parent, I still felt connected to her because her struggle is more with moving on after tragedy and being who you really want to be. She deals directly with her father's death, but that's not the only thing going on. She has to figure out what she wants to do after high school, how to deal with mother, and navigate through the world of dating. Donna is really lost at the beginning of the novel and slowly figures out how to move on and be who she was meant to be. This isn't an easy task and I felt the Violi created a very realistic coming-of-age story. Not everything works out perfectly for Donna and she has to make some difficult decisions, just like we all have to in our lives.

Beyond really connecting with Donna, I really liked her relationship with the Brighton Brothers who run the funeral home. They were wise, helpful mentors who steered Donna in the correct direction, but gave her freedom to figure things out in her own way. They were exactly what I'd want in a mentor.

The whole Parisi family dynamic also felt realistic to me. Donna struggles to create a meaningful relationship with her mother, feels alienated from her siblings, and fights against old family dynamics and discord. her family wasn't all good or all bad (or just missing like in many YA novels); they're a bit of both and just trying to live their lives and help Donna return to living her's.

The whole story is really wonderful, but the characters are what really made the story so good. 

Rating:

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Details:
Title: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ranson Riggs
Publisher: Quirk Books
Date: June 2011
Genre: Mystery, Horror, Paranormal

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.-- Goodreads

My Thoughts:

What really drew me to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was the inclusion of historical images. I don't really read a lot of horror (not really sure if this is horror, more like really good creepy paranormal), so I was a little nervous about reading this. But the story and world-building were wonderful and it wasn't difficult for me to jump right into the story.

The story was interesting, strange, and creepy right away, but I really got into the story once Jacob got to the island. The world of the small island, the home his grandfather grew up in, and the peculiar children is different from anything else I've read -- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is unlike any other paranormal YA novel. The whole plot was unexpected and interesting, which I think is really saying something for paranormal right not.

I don't want to give too much of the story away (because the surprise, mystery, and build-up are just so good), but I will say that the children of Miss Peregrine's Home and their stories and peculiars are fascinating and make the story not so much a horror story, but a strange exciting mystery story.

The book is beautifully designed. The images are integrated nicely into the text and the whole thing just looks and feels like an old photo album. It's probably one of the best interior designs I've seen in a while.

I want there to be more; I don't think the book is part of a series and it stands alone just fine, but I really didn't want it to be over. I wasn't ready to Riggs' world behind yet.

Rating: 

Super awesome book trailer:

Review: Uncommon Criminals

Details:
Title: Uncommon Criminals  (Heist Society #2)
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Pub Date: June 2011
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Crime

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.
There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I assumed (wrongfully) that this sequel to Heist Society would be similar to the first, in that Kat and her teenage gang of thieves would be stealing the emerald and having a few issues along the way -- basically the same general plot line of the first book just with a different item. But Uncommon Criminals was completely different, and I think I liked it better than Heist Society.

Just as with the first book, I loved Kat and her friends, especially Hale and Nick. Their characters all continued to grow and be interesting. I especially enjoyed the Kat and Hale love interest angle (which is introduced in the first book, but is nicely expanded upon in the second book). Their possibly budding relationship felt very true to life to me; Kat is struggling to figure out who she is and what she wants and Hale is simply complicating that. She really struggles to figure out what she wants and if what she wants is Hale.

Beyond characters, I loved the plot twists. The whole book is full of little twists and changes, which really kept it exciting and different from the first installment. I loved that it wasn't just a heist story -- Kat does steal things and her gang comes up with crazy plots and schemes to get the emerald, but the core of the story is about Kat struggling with being a thief and what that means to her.

Don't know when the next installment will be released, but I'm looking forward to more adventures with Kat and her gang.

Rating:

Review: Heist Society

Details:
Title: Heist Society (Heist Society #1)
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Disney/Hyperion
Pub Date: February 2010
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Crime

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected. Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.
For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Ally Carter's books have been on my to-read list for a while, but I just hadn't gotten around to reading them for whatever reason, but I should've read them sooner. Heist Society was a fun, exciting light crime novel.

I really like Kat and her whole family of criminals; everyone's a thief, but you can still relate to them and picture them as regular people who just happen to steal precious art. The whole crime family dynamic was great -- it was fun high risk, not Godfather killing people scary high risk. Although Kat's father is in danger and she's dealing with an evil criminal, the book stay's light and fun (which was perfect for me). I generally don't read crime novels or watch thrillers because they're too much for me. I like my crime light and fun like Heist Society. Not to say that Heist Society didn't have edge-of-your-seat-page-turner moments, because it did and you worry about Kat being able to really pull off the heist.

The plot itself was a bit different from what I was expecting. I assumed the book would be about a girl who's part of an art-stealing-family who has to steal a few paintings to help her father, but there's a whole lot more than that going on. Kat and her teenage friends and family members are the ones trying to figure out how to get her father out of trouble. And Kat herself is struggling with her criminal past and trying to figure out if she even wants to be a part of the family.

Although the book has nothing to do with summer, it was the perfect summer reading opener for me. Exciting, light, and full of art (I studied art in undergrad). And lucky for me I had Uncommon Criminals sitting on my bookshelf, so I could jump right into Kat's next adventure.

Rating:

Review: Walk the Wild Road

Details:
Title: Walk the Wild Road
Author: Nigel Hinton
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pub Date: January 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction

Leo took one step forward and then stopped. This was it-the road away from everything he knew. He could turn back. But then who would save his family from starvation? No, Leo was their last hope. He must go on...

The journey is not easy-he'll have to sleep on the streets, steal food, and even fight off greedy soldiers. Along the way, Leo discovers the kindness of strangers and the loyalty of friends. But he also learns there are some people you just can't trust, especially when you're on the wild road to America. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Like I've said in several of my other recent historical fiction reviews, I don't know why I never just go out and pick up historical fiction. Someone always has to recommend the book to me or I have to read a bunch of good reviews before I read historical fiction. That really needs to change; Walk the Wild Road was a wonderful historical adventure story and I'd highly recommend it to middle reader/teen boys.

A historical adventure story sounds like it would be geared towards a younger boy audience, but Hinton doesn't shy away from the difficulties of life in the 1870s. The realities of war, political unrest, poverty, illness, and violence are presented in such a way that they feel true to the time period, but not inappropriate for younger readers. This isn't a fluffy boy adventure story -- it's a more adult adventure story. I feel that sometimes historical fiction writers gloss over some the realities of earlier time periods because they don't think teens will "get it" or that it's too violent or difficult for teens to handle. Teens need to really understand what people really went through and how difficult it was for many immigrants to make their way to America. Hinton had done a really wonderful job of showing life in the 1870s in Europe.

Beyond historical significance, I really liked Leo and almost all the major players in the novel. He was strong and determined to get to America and to help his family, but he isn't an unrealistic super-hero type character. Things doesn't always go well for Leo and he doesn't save the day. He gets through hardships because he has to. It was really refreshing to read a realism "boy" adventure book.

I think this book would be a great one for teachers to use when teaching European history. It really paints a picture of everyday life during the turmoil of the 1870s, while being entertaining and action filled.

Rating:

Review: Divergent

Details:
Title: Divergent (Divergent #1)
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: May 2011
Genre: Dystopia

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
-- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I said a million times that I love dystopias, so of course I put Divergent on my to-read list, but I wasn't super excited about it. I don't know why; maybe I've been reading too many dystopias. Whatever the case, I wasn't dying to read it until I started hearing all sorts of really good things about it. And I'm so glad I listened to what some my fellow awesome bloggers were saying about Divergent.

Right from the very first page I was totally into the story (I read all 480 something pages in two sittings). Tris and her world are fascinating and you can't help but be sucked in. I loved the way Roth described the faction choosing ceremony and the initiation process. You can really picture the dystopian society and see Tris change and figure out who she really is.

Tris is an awesome female character; I really loved her and felt instantly connected to her. Her struggle and reactions to everyone around her seemed very realistic to me. Tris doesn't just fit in to her faction immediately and do well; she has to struggle and fight constantly to earn her place in her faction.

I don't think I can wait until next year for the next book. I need to know what happens next!

Rating: 

Review: Between Shades of Gray

Details:
Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel Books
Pub Date: March 2011
Genre: Historical Fiction

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.
-- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I was incredibly excited to read Between Shades of Gray, and it was so much better than I hoped it would be. The subject matter is so difficult and depressing, but the book was so much more. I'm not even sure how to describe how much I liked the book and what a wonderful writer Ruta Sepetys is.

The main character Lina really made the story for me. Seeing everything through her eyes; through her struggles made the horrible things that happened to her and family more real and heartbreaking. She continues to find strength in her fellow Lithuanians and in her artwork. Although she is forced into a horrible life and struggles to remain hopeful, she doesn't lose what makes her her. Lina is strong, but she does lose hope briefly and struggles to remain who she is, which makes her so real. You can't help but relate to her and feel her anger, fear, sadness, and her strength.

The writing is wonderful and mixes Lina's current struggles with flashbacks to her previous life before the Soviet occupation. This mixture helps create a richer story of what was happening in Lithuanian in the 40s, but also keeps the story from being too much.

Everyone needs to read this story, not only because knowing this terrible history will help us insure that it doesn't happen again, but because it is a beautifully written story about hope.

Rating:

Review: Darling Rebels

Details:
Title: Darling Rebels
Author: Siobhan Nichols
Publisher: Diversion Press
Pub Date: May, 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating:

When Charlotte returns to her hometown of Asebrook from boarding school, she knows what she can expect from her days--lessons from tutors, criticism from her mother, and listening to the same gossip from the same people. But there seems to be something different in store for Charlotte when she meets Adam and Jack, the two boys who will change her forever. However, when Jack and Charlotte fall in love, they realize the fight that they are going to have to put up if they want to be together. During a time when money, society, and how one is viewed as everything, Charlotte stops at nothing to be with the boy that she knows she loves. Even so, Jack seems unwilling to sacrifice her future and happiness since he knows he has nothing to offer. The Darling Rebels tells the story of bravery and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds and how far one girl will go for love, even if it means leaving her seemingly perfect life behind. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I must say I had a really hard time getting into this one. I think I would have liked it a lot more if it was set in the present day. Too much what was going on and the characters' dialog and actions just didn't feel "nineteen hundreds" to me. I liked the characters and the basic plot, just didn't feel like the time period choice fit. I like historical fiction, but it really has to feel historical to me, right down to the slang. I know not everyone feels that way, but it's one of my reading pet peeves.

That said, once I got into the novel I did like the characters and found it to be a fun read. I haven't read many romances recently (been on a dystopia kick lately), so it was really refreshing to read something with a love triangle that didn't also involve the world ending or society collapsing. And the love triangle in Darling Rebels was interesting not too over-the-top. It actually felt realistic, like three teenagers could find themselves in this sort of situation. 

Check back later today for an interview with Siobhan

Review: Urban Falcon

Details:
Title: Urban Falcon
Author: Jennifer Caloyeras
Publisher: Diversion Press
Pub Date: September, 2009
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Rating:

Evan Falcon was all set to finish high school in Elbow Creek when his dad's job forced the family to move to Lincoln Heights, a booming metropolis. Now, his best friend won't even talk to him and he suspects that his mom is having an affair. Caught between who he used to be and the possibility of who he could become, Evan is thrown into a world of dating, out of control parents, and family drama. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I've been trying to read more contemporary fiction. I loved contemporary, realistic fiction when I was a teen, but now as an adult I haven't been reading it as much. Urban Falcon was a good realistic fiction novel that wasn't too heavy on the "my life is depressing" feeling that a few too many realistic novels have.

I had a little trouble getting into the novel and relating to Evan, but after a few chapters the pace picked up and I began to connect with Evan. He struggles with things most teenagers do; there was nothing over-the-top, just a boy trying to deal with being a teenager and figure out who he is and what he wants. It was refreshing to read a realistic boy coming-of-age story. I've found several excellent girl coming-of-age stories, but not a lot for boys. There's always something missing, but not here.

Beyond Evan and the basic plot, I really liked each of the characters' development through the story. Even the more minor characters grow and change throughout the story. A few of the changes seemed a little unrealistic, but for the most part they felt true to the characters and to the way actual people grow and change.

I especially enjoyed the ending. Everything was tied up well enough for me to feel satisfied at the end, but Evan's life isn't all tied up and perfect. He's still trying to figure everything out and I really like books that end in a way that is true to life. Things don't suddenly all work perfectly in most people's lives.

Check back later today for a guest post/interview with Jennifer.

Review: Wanderland

Details:
Title: Wanderland
Author: Robert Bresloff
Publisher: Diversion Press
Pub Date: July, 2009
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating:

When the army of the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di had invaded neighboring Annam, Chen, a thirteen year old boy was saved by a mysterious old man as the invading Chinese destroyed his village and killed his family. The old man turned out to be, Master Waan, a Ship's Wizard in the service of the great Chinese admiral Zheng He. Master Waan was on his way to meet the admiral's fleet that was to set sail upon his arrival. Though Chen thought the old man odd, he knew that his only chance for survival-to accompany Master Waan to China. As the wizard's apprentice, Chen sailed with the fleet, a gigantic armada made up of great Chinese Treasure Ships in search of what Chen believed to be magical place referred to only as Wanderland. He soon learned that it was no coincidence Master Waan had appeared at the village just in time to save his life. It was Chen's destiny to find Wanderland. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I don't know why I don't read more historical fiction; I always end up loving every historical YA I read. And Wanderland was no exception.

This is the perfect young boy adventure story. There are pirates, wizards, battles on the high seas, and treasure hunts. The novel was fast-paced, action-packed, and fun. Chen's adventures are exciting, but not so far-fetched that they are unbelievable. My pirate-loving nephew would totally be in to this story. Robert created the right mix of self-discovery and adventure for young boys. Chen is an excellent role model as well. He isn't perfect and struggles to find his place, but in the end he figures out who he is and is able to save the day.

Robert did an excellent job of making you feel like you were sailing the seas with a crew from the Ming Dynasty. Not only did it feel historically accurate, but also cultural accurate -- which is so very important in historical fiction. Nothing felt out of place; the dialog even felt historically correct (although I have no idea how a boy from the Ming Dynasty would speak).

Overall it was a fun read that I think would be a perfect book for young reluctant reader boys.

Check back later today for an interview with Robert Bresloff.

Rampant

Details:
Title: Rampant (Unicorn Killers #1)
Author: Diana Peterfreund
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub Date: August, 2009
Genre: Fantasy with realistic fiction elements
Rating: Add to the top of your to-read pile

Forget everything you ever knew about unicorns...
Real unicorns are venomous, man-eating monsters with huge fangs and razor-sharp horns. Fortunately, they've been extinct for a hundred and fifty years.
Or not.
Astrid had always scoffed at her eccentric mother's stories about killer unicorns. But when one of the monsters attacks her boyfriend—thereby ruining any chance of him taking her to the prom—Astrid finds herself headed to Rome to train as a unicorn hunter at the ancient cloisters the hunters have used for centuries.
However, at the cloisters all is not what it seems. Outside, the unicorns wait to attack. And within, Astrid faces other, unexpected threats: from the crumbling, bone-covered walls that vibrate with a terrible power to the hidden agendas of her fellow hunters to—perhaps most dangerously of all—her growing attraction to a handsome art student ... an attraction that could jeopardize everything. -- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I don't think I've ever read a Unicorn book, probably not even when I was little. I just couldn't see the appeal of unicorns, so when I first heard about Rampant, I didn't really think it would be something I'd be into. But after reading some really good reviews and learning that the book was actually about killer unicorns, I decided I had  to read it.

The book was amazing and Diana is an amazing writer. The storyline alone made the book amazing and original. I don't think I'd heard of any killer unicorn books before this two-book series. The whole backstory is rich and fascinating, and so well thought out and written. Rampant was definitely a fresh take on the YA paranormal craze.

I think what really made the story for me was the unicorn fighters (especially Astrid and Cory). They are each strong, smart young women, but they still struggle to figure out their place and if they truly want to live the life of a unicorn fighter. Plus Astrid shows that you can be this strong warrior woman and still have a boyfriend. I think she's an awesome role model for young girls.

I don't want to say too much about the plot because I'm worried that I'd give something important away. But I do want to say that I loved that everything all came together and played out in the end. I'm looking forward to Book 2: Ascendant.