Branded - Keary Taylor

Summary:   Jessica's had the nightmares for as long as she can remember. Nightmares of being judged for people who have died, of being branded by the angels. Her friends and family think she's a crazy because of it all. Yet she carries the mark of the condemned, seared into the back of her neck, and hides it and herself away from the world.

But when two men she can't ignore enter her life everything changes, including the nightmares. The two of them couldn't be more different. She will do anything to be with one of them. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. But one of the two has set events into motion what will pull her toward her own judgment and turn her into the object of her greatest fear.   (Summary and image from www.kearytaylor.com - Book given free for an honest review)

My Review:  Branded is a fairly clean YA paranormal romance with interesting premise surrounding a young woman who, for as long as she can remember, is condemned to torturous nightmares every time she falls asleep. I liked that the author deviated from the stereotypical harp-strumming, halo-wearing angels and threw in some seriously evil ones. However, while the plot showed creativity and had good “bones” (my term for liking the core aspects of a story), I had a hard time with the rest of it.

Branded did not feel like a fully fleshed out novel and my impression was that it was written by a relatively inexperienced writer. In addition to the handful of typos missed by an editor, parts of the plot felt melodramatic or contrived while others felt either undeveloped or laden with detail. The characters lacked dimension beyond their assigned roles as sexy bad guy, troubled best friend, and super hot perfect boyfriend. Yes, Alex was perfect, with his delightfully chiseled abs, mad guitar skills, and unshakable love for Jessica, but since I’ve decided to be completely honest I’m going to let you in on a little secret…come close so I can whisper it to you… I am so over perfect. Give me a few flaws, just so I can pretend a guy like that could actually exist.  Alex was very much a case of too good to be true.

While a younger reader might not notice some of this book’s less than subtle foreshadowing, I could not ignore the story’s predictability. It didn’t take more than a chapter to figure out Cole’s big secret, and this transparency extended to the rest of the book. I always knew what was going to happen next…with the exception of the last two chapters. I will say that the conclusion was probably my favorite part of the book. I’m not saying that to be mean, so don’t start sending me hate mail. I’m serious. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I liked how she wrapped things up, leaving certain loose ends untied.

I guess the most that I can say about this book was that the creative storyline shows the author has potential as a writer. While this one didn’t end up being my cup of tea, I think that her upcoming dystopian novel, Eden, looks both gorgeous and promising. Don’t believe me? Click here to visit Keary Taylor’s website.

SIDENOTE:  Since receiving this book for review, Keary has released a new and improved second edition of Branded.  While I didn't want to scrap this review entirely, I did want mention some of the changes that were made in the new edition.  According to the author, all of the typos have been fixed, weaker points in the writing have been shored up, and we learn more about Jessica's past than in the first edition, like why she is the way she is and reacts to things the way she does.  I hope that gives a clearer picture of the Branded that is currently available. 

My Rating: 2.75 Stars

For the sensitive reader: Like I said, this book is mostly clean. While there are a few close calls (those crazy kids) things stay pretty PG on a fairly regular basis.

Sum it up: An interesting story, but not likely to be her best work.

Across the Universe - Beth Revis

Summary:  Amy is a cryogenically  frozen passenger aboard the spaceship Godspeed.  She has left her boyfriend, friends -- and planet -- behind to join her parents as a member of Project Ark Ship.

Amy and her parents believe they will wake on a new planet, Centauri-Earth, three hundred years in the future.  But fifty years before Godspeed's scheduled landing, cryo chamber 42 is mysteriously unplugged, and Amy is violently woken from her frozen slumber.

Someone tried to murder her.

Now, Amy is caught inside a tiny world where nothing makes sense.  Godspeed's 2,312 passengers have forfeited all control to Eldest, a tyrannical and frightening leader.  And Elder, Eldest's rebellion teenage heir, is both fascinated with Amy and eager to discover whether he has what it takes to lead.

Amy desperately wants to trust Elder.  But should she put her faith in a boy who has never seen life outside the ship's cold metal walls?  All Amy knows is that she and Elder must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets before whoever woke her tries to kill her again.  (Summary from book - Image from bethrevis.com)

My Review:  Let's clear something up right away - this book is in no way based on Beatles lyrics or on the 2007 movie of the same title.  If that's why you're reading this review, you can stop right now.

Anyone left?

Okay.  This Almost the Universe is a fresh and fascinating YA sci-fi romance with a little mystery thrown in.  I loved the unique setting and I read the whole book rather quickly, considering the distractions that three kids can offer, but was not left without some concerns.  From an adult perspective, the writing was fairly basic and nearly every twist was easy to see coming.  A younger reader might not care about those things, but certain aspects of this book (namely the Season which causes everyone but the main characters to exhibit the rutting instincts of animals) left me questioning it's suitability for the YA audience. 

That said, the grown-up in me still enjoyed the afternoon.

My Rating:  3.5 Stars

For the sensitive reader: Some sexual language, plenty of "mating" during the Season, and one mildly graphic attempted rape.  Only one use of actual profanity, but several uses of made-up words like frexing, chutz, and shite, that convey a similar message.

Sum it up:  Fun but predictable.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling

Summary:  The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers' attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Now, thanks to Hermione Granger's new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J.K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore.  Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales:  "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," "The Fountain of Fair Fortune,"  "The Warlock's Hairy Heart," "Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump," and of course, "The Tale of the Three Brothers."  But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter. (Summary from book - Image from amazon.com)

My Review:  The Tales of Beedle the Bard is an interesting, but relatively unimportant, addition to the Harry Potter series.  I read the fairy tales to my children and the commentary by Albus Dumbledore to myself (since they haven't read the HP series).  The commentary by Albus Dumbledore was not as insightful as I would have liked, but did give some alternate perspective and have moments of Dumbledore's signature humor.

Most of the fairy tales can be read as stand-alone bedtime stories for children, even those who aren't familiar with J.K. Rowling's previous works.  The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, and Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump were lighter, more traditional fairytales and my girls loved them.  The Tale of the Three Brothers was significantly darker but I loved the eery feel and its connection with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  However, I wouldn't recommend reading The Warlock's Hairy Heart to your young ones.  Preceded by two sweeter tales, a less discerning parent might end up speechless and scrambling at the paragraph "The maiden lay dead upon the floor, her breast cut open, and beside her crouched the mad warlock, holding in one bloody hand a great, smooth, shining scarlet heart, which he licked and stroked, vowing to exchange it for his own."  Not that that ever happened to me. *awkward pause*  Um.  Anyway. 

Perhaps the best reason to purchase The Tales of Beedle the Bard is that all royalties will be donated to the Children's High Level Group, which works to make a real difference in the lives of many institutionalized and marginalized children.  While it doesn't inspire the same devotion as its thicker counterparts, I'm glad I have my copy to sit alongside the series.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Sum it up: A welcome addendum to the Harry Potter series.

Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins

Also reviewed by Heather.

Summary:  When eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their New York apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland beneath the city.  There, humans live uneasily beside giant spiders, bats, cockroaches, and rats--but the fragile peace is about to fall apart.

Gregor wants no part of a conflict between these creepy creatures.  He just wants to find his way home.  But when he discovers that a strange prophecy foretells a role for him in the Underland's uncertain future, he realizes it might be the only way to solve the biggest mystery of his life.  Little does he know his quest will change him--and the Underland--forever.  (Summary from back of the book and image from http://images.betterworldbooks.com/)

My Review:   I feel behind the times that I'm just now reading this series. After reading Collins' trilogy, The Hunger Games, and recommending it to my students, I discovered that they already knew and loved this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book.  Collins has a wonderful way of making her characters real and endearing.  I absolutely loved Gregor's sister Boots.  She practically made this book.  The idea that humans migrated (is that what you'd call it despite the location?) underground and created another world is fascinating.  The way they grew their food and traveled on large bats that stealthily flew in darkness, took away the impending fear of constant darkness one would normally associate with being stuck underground. However, there was still that sense of fear with the larger than life insects and rodents. 

Collins, despite having violence in all the books I've read of hers, manages to write in a way that does not glorify the violence but instills in the reader a real sense of loss.  I think despite this being a book written for a younger audience than my 8th grade students I'll still recommend the series if they enjoyed the Hunger Games.

My Rating: 5 stars--warning for parents: since this is aimed at a 5th or 6th grade reading level, I think parents should know there is death, and particularly death related to war, in this book.

Sum it up: A modern day imaginary adventure, sure to capture children's attention and entertain adults.

The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan

Summary:  Jason has a problem.  He doesn't remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip.  Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and his best friend is a guy named Leo.  They're all students at the Wilderness School, a boarding school for "bad kids," as Leo puts it.  What did Jason do to end up here?  And where is here, exactly?  Jason doesn't know anything--except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret.  Her father, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble.  Piper doesn't understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn't recognize her.  When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she's going to find out, whether she wants to or not.

Leo has a way with tools.  When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home.  But there's weird stuff, too--like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who's gone missing.  Weirdest of all, his bunk mates insist that each of them --including Leo-- is related to a god.  Does this have anything to do with Jason's amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts.    (Summary from book - Image from fanpop.com)

My Review:  I am a die-hard fan of those Lightning Thief books (aka the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series) and jumped at the chance to revisit Riordan’s magical world of mythology, monsters and mayhem by reading the first book in his new series, The Heroes of Olympus. I loved Riordan’s unique blend of modern with mythological and found that The Lost Hero, now with new demigods (and a few old ones), another ominous prophecy, a case of amnesia, and a treacherous quest, had a similar feel to Riordan’s previous works.

In short, I liked this book.  The Lost Hero was fun, easy to read, and I enjoyed learning more about familiar characters and being introduced to some new ones.  It's always interesting to see what powers each demigod has inherited from their parent and the full extent of what they can do.  Riordan also adds some new gods to the mix and even throws in a a few heroes or villains for good measure.  I loved the addition of the lesser known (to me) Roman mythology and all that it means for the series. 

My only real complaint is that, at first, I had some difficulty figuring out who the "bad guy" really was, or which "bad guy" was speaking to which demigod.  It took a little mental exercise and reading a little further into the story before I finally figured everything out, but it eventually all made sense. 

This is a book aimed at older children or younger young adults, and as such, isn’t overly complex or arduous. It doesn’t take long before an obstacle is faced, overcome, and replaced with another. If this book were written for an older audience, I would call this a “flaw”, but in this case, the pace kept things exciting for younger readers. Either way the story was laced with enough trademark creativity and humor that I didn’t really mind. I look forward to the next book in the Heroes of Olympus series, The Son of Neptune (releasing 10/11/11), and hope that the excitement continues.

My Rating: 4 Stars

For the sensitive reader:  Um.  I don't remember anything offensive -- unless you are offended by Cyclops.

Sum it up: A fun spin-off to a much-loved series.

I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

Summary:  Nine of us came here.  We look like you.  We talk like you.  We live among you.  But we are not  you.  We can do things you dream of doing.  We have powers you dream of having.  We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen.  We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books - but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them.  But they found us and started hunting us first.  Now all of us are running.  Spending our lives in the shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in.  We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

(Summary from book - Image from barnesandnoble.com )

My Review:  I am Number Four is a romantic young adult sci-fi novel and an extremely easy read. It had an immediate hook, with a prologue that caught my attention and a premise that held it for most of the book. It took me about 295 pages before I even thought to write down more than a few sentences of notes (and the book is only 440 pages long).

My favorite part of this book was the emergence of John Smith/Number Four’s supernatural powers and his attempts to navigate a new school without revealing his identity. John’s efforts to control his powers, hone them, and hide them, provided quite a few situations that were interesting and, at times, humorous or surprising. I also liked the moments of initial attraction between John and Sarah and the problems that their relationship created both within the school and for John in general. This book will delight the less discerning YA reader and entertain older fans who don’t mind a little predictability, a few knight-in-shining-armor moments, and some occasionally cheesy dialog.

I am Number Four started out strong, but lost momentum towards the end. I could handle the moments of predictability, but once the Mogadorians emerged as an immediate threat my interest began to wane. They felt cartoonish with their pale skin, pointy teeth, trench coats, and low brimmed hats, and I had a hard time taking them seriously. Also, once John and Sarah’s romance progressed past the initial stages of attraction, I lost the connection between them. It just fizzled out. Oh, there was love professed, but it felt wooden and unrealistic. I think the final battle was my least favorite part of the book. While I loved the addition of another character, the rest was sloppy and rushed with some all out absurdity for good measure.  The ending does, however, provide closure with enough room for the sequel, The Power of Six, releasing August 23, 2011.

Despite its flaws, I can see why this book was chosen for the big screen. It was quite cinematic and held numerous possibilities for action, romance, and impressive special effects. If the Mogadorian’s manage to get their scare on and John and Sarah are well-cast, the movie has the potential to be better than the book. 

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

For the sensitive reader: Some scattered profanity and ever so slightly gory violence.

Sum it up: An exciting premise with less than satisfactory execution.

Delirium - Lauren Oliver

Summary:  Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. 

I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.  I want to get it over with.

It's hard to be patient.  It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet.

Still, I worry.  They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.  The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.  (Teaser from book jacket)

------------

They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

(Teaser from harperteen.com - Image from goodreads.com)

My Review:  I haven’t been able to get this book out of my mind for the last couple of days. It’s no secret (or it shouldn’t be by now) that I’m a fan of dystopian fiction and this one snagged my attention from the few teasers that I had read about it.

Lena can’t wait for the surgery will make her immune to the world’s deadliest disease, amor deliria nervosa, more commonly known as love. She wants to be happy again -- free from the constant threat of contamination and able to forget the pain she feels from her mother’s suicide. The cure is her chance to start over and she is counting the days until her procedure. That is, until she meets Alex and learns the truth.  Her world is not as perfect as it seems and the “cure” is not a gift.

Can I just step outside my reviewing persona for a second? You know, the one where I try to sound all uber-smart and professional. I can? Oh, thank heavens. Sometimes that persona is ex-haust-ing.

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun. It was romantic. It was interesting. I recommend it if you are a fan of light YA dystopian fiction, especially if you like some spicy-but-not-too-spicy romance thrown in. While Delirium does fall prey to the occasional cliché description of love (e.g. heat, floating, explosions of color), for the most part, I was too busy reading to roll my eyes. Lauren Oliver has written a book that is both emotionally charged, exhilarating, and captures the overwhelming intensity of first love. Lena’s story held my attention the entire time and occasionally made my heart race.  I finally had to make myself put it down around 3 AM so I wasn’t a complete ogre the next day.

To be clear, this book is not Fahrenheit 451 or The Giver. Few books are. Delirium has been compared to Matched, another recently released (and reviewed) young adult novel with a romantic theme, but is significantly more exciting and sophisticated. Both books focus on the romantic element more than any other part of the plot, but because Delirium treats love as a disease, it skillfully weaves together the lighter subject matter and the more horrific elements of society without taking away from either part of the experience.

One of my favorite features of the book was the the statements from experts on the deliria, and excerpts from The Book of Shhh, The Comprehensive Compilation of Dangerous Words and Ideas, and other sources, that headed each chapter.  These little tidbits, while completely fictional, were very interesting and gave more insight into the mentality of the Lena's world and added depth to the story. I was also glad that it took Lena a while to come to terms with her feelings and make certain decisions – that she didn’t chuck it all for love at the very first opportunity (ahem…Twilight). For some reason, that made her struggle, and the entire story, seem more real. Also, Alex only takes his shirt off in an actual emergency and, thankfully, Lena does not wax poetic about his abs (though it’s totally implied) which for YA novels, these days has got to be some kind of record.

Delirium ends at a frantic pace and with a gutsy finish that I loved, but not everyone will appreciate. Normally I check books out at the library, but I’m glad that I purchased this one and will not be selling it to any used bookstores. I will definitely be reading the sequel, Pandemonium, when it is released.

My Rating: 4.25 Stars

For the sensitive reader: A few widely-spread cases of profanity (including a couple f-words that came out of nowhere and in rapid succession) and a vaguely sexual scene where certain items of clothing come off.

Sum it up: A pure pleasure read.

FlashForward - Robert J. Sawyer

Summary:  The story of a world-shattering discovery at the CERN research facility in Switzerland. The research team of Lloyd Simcoe and Theo Procopides is using the particle accelerator at CERN in pursuit of the elusive Higgs Boson, a theoretical subatomic particle. But their experiment goes incredibly awry, and, for a few moments, the consciousness of the entire human race is thrown ahead by about twenty years. 

While humanity must deal immediately with the destructive aftermath of the experiment — thousands were injured and killed as every single person's body was left unconscious in the here-and-now — the greater implications take longer to surface. People who had no vision of the future seek to learn how they will died, while others seek out future lovers. (summary from jacket cover)
 
My Review:  Do you remember that old TV show called...wait, what was it?  Oh, yes - LOST.  When the show ended Mindy posted some suggestions of books that one might read to help combat the inevitable withdrawal that we "Losties" were facing*.  It was a nice thought, but my plan was instead to find another epic TV show to pine away for week after week - and my show of choice was FlashForward...which of course, was canceled after one season. 

Major frowny-face + whiny voice : I really wanted to know how it ended!

Luckily I remembered that I could perhaps read on occasion and with a few well place hints, Voila! I got this book for Christmas.

Because I had already basically heard this story before I feel a bit biased in my judgment.  I found I wasn't as enthralled with the individual characters in the book as I was with those in the show.  Likely this was because on TV they had more time to develop the characters and to add additional layers (a HUGE conspiracy layer was added in the show).

But hey, visions of the future combined with world-wide catastrophe; as far as fiction goes that is top-notch in my opinion.  Add a bit of intellectual play with quantum theory and I'm your gal.  The book was well-written and kept my interest, even though I already sort of knew what might happen.  And although the details were different between the TV show and the book, the ending of the book gave me just enough ideas of what could have happened that I was able to imagine an appropriate ending to the TV show.

So, as I said - I am probably biased on my opinion, having "seen the movie" before reading the book.  But if you want to "find out what happened" I recommend this one.  And if you have no idea what I'm talking about and continued reading this far despite my incredibly pedestrian obsession with a TV drama I'd guess that you would like the book even better than I did.

One more thing, this book was written in 1999 but set in 2009.  So while the plot and theoretical concepts are ultimately what make this book worth reading it is also amusing to hunt for the author's guesses on what "the future" (ie, our recent past) would look like.  Lets just say, he misjudged on the prevalence of "publish on demand;" didn't guess that Wikipedia or DVDs would be en vogue; and was one more person who didn't for see Great Recession.

My rating:  3 stars (3.5 if you haven't watched the TV show)

Sum it up:  I love reading books really, really quickly - particularly over Christmas, when it is more socially acceptable to abdicate parenting to friends and family.  This was a really good book to do that with.

*The question is - Mindy, have you watched LOST from the beginning yet?  If I had to guess I'd say you were a Sawyer girl...

The Peasant Queen - Cheri Chesley

Summary:  After running away from home, Krystal is transported to a faraway kingdom where an evil tyrant is bent on taking the crown--and Krystal's hand in marriage.  But when she falls in love with the rightful heir to the throne, she must make an impossible choice: sacrifice her one chance at happiness and agree to marry King Gregory, or face the destruction of an entire kingdom.

In her debut novel, Cheri Chesley delights readers of all ages with this epic tale of a simple farm girl who discovers that even the humblest of peasants has the potential to change the world.  (Summary from book - Image from goodreads.com  - Book given free for review)

My Review:  *Sigh*  I wanted so much more from this book.  At just under 250 pages, I hoped to escape into another world for an afternoon or two, but instead spent my time reading what I felt was an interesting, but unfinished manuscript. Oh, the punctuation, spelling, and grammar were perfection (I’m sure the author could teach me a thing or twelve), but the characters, setting, and storyline of the book felt thin and incomplete.

If I could ask Ms. Chesley for one thing, it would be for her to go back and insert some atmosphere and emotion into her story. I wanted to be able to visualize every page of this novel but could not because it rarely waxed descriptive on any level. Most of the book was comprised of he said/she said dialog, and he did/she did action, with little description of settings, characters’ emotions, or their motivations. I’m not asking for flowery mush, mind you, but rather subtle and evocative phrasing that would help me see (and sink into) the story.

If I could ask Ms. Chesley for one more thing. It would be friction. FRICTION. Quite simply, the story went too smoothly -- obstacles were easily overcome, danger skirted, and emotions developed quickly and with insufficient explanation. This perceived lack of genuine sentiment and lasting conflict between characters made the story feel convenient and contrived.

On the upside, this book is full of fighting, courtly intrigue, a dash of magic, a feisty (nigh combative) heroine, and is an always clean medieval romance. I think you will find that books like that aren’t easy to come by.  I feel like it fit well into the younger YA category (just above tween) in terms of plot and emotional complexity and could find a delighted reader in that audience.

Ultimately, this story was not my cup of tea (or cocoa).  However, I feel I should mention that there are quite a few people who would disagree wholeheartedly with my review.  They loved it.  I wanted more.

My Rating: 2.25 Stars

For the sensitive reader:  One of the characters gets a little friendly, but it's fairly mild. 

Sum it up: A story with a good heart that has unreached potential.

The Water Wars - Cameron Stracher

Summary:  Welcome to a future where water is more precious than oil or gold...

Hundreds of millions of people have already died, and millions more will soon fall--victims of disease, hunger, and dehydration.  It is a time of drought and war.  The rivers have dried up, the polar caps have melted, and drinkable water is now in the hands of the powerful few.  There are fines for wasting it and prison sentences for exceeding the quotas.

But Kai didn't seem to care about any of this.  He stood in the open road drinking water from a plastic cup, then spilled the remaining drops into the dirt.  He didn't go to school, and he traveled with armed guards.  Kai claimed he knew a secret--something the government was keeping from us...

And then he was gone.  Vanished in the middle of the night.  Was he kidnapped?  Did he flee?  Is he alive or dead?  There are no clues, only questions.  And no one can guess the lengths to which they will go to keep him silent.  We have to find him--and the truth--before it's too late for all of us.  (Summary from book - Image from barnesandnoble.com  - Book given free for review)

My Review:  Wow. Doesn't that cover just take your breath away? I did a little dance when I received this book in the mail because, like the rest of the world (including you), I tend to judge a book by its cover, at least initially, and couldn't help but set aside the rest of my books and dive right in to this one.

I enjoyed the fundamental structure of this book – its basic plot, setting, and characters. Cameron Stracher creates a combination of urban decay, sun-baked desert, and futuristic technology as he tells the story of Vera and her brother Will, who are struggling to survive in a world that has been drained of its natural resources. Chased by water pirates, environmental terrorists, and greedy corporations, they scour the parched earth for their lost friend, a boy with the mysterious ability to find water.

While this book had an interesting premise, it was not without its flaws. It's fast pace frequently felt so rushed that I wasn’t able to fully absorb any of the secondary characters, emotions, changing settings or events before they had blown past. Consequently, Vera’s relationships with Kai and, especially, Ulysses developed so quickly that they didn’t feel authentic. Overall, the story felt thin, like I was reading along the surface of a great story that could have delved deeper, but did not.

This novel has a strong environmental theme about the importance of conserving our natural resources and caring for our planet in order to avoid long-term and devastating consequences. It also implies that natural resources should belong to the people as a whole and not to individual governments. The idea that the world could be plunged into a war for Earth’s water resources was morbidly fascinating and all too possible, which left me wondering “Could this really happened, and what would I do if it did?” While I tend to dislike YA books that push an obvious agenda, an attempt to cultivate a sense of environmental responsibility in today’s youth is hardly worth complaint.

The Water Wars has been hailed as a “rousing adventure story in the tradition of The Hunger Games.” This is an exciting promise, but ultimately an optimistic one. It was an interesting YA read, but it has neither the heart nor the teeth of The Hunger Games and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment that despite its fascinating premise The Water Wars didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars (A younger reader might not notice or care about some of the things I did and rate this higher).

For the sensitive reader: This book contains slightly graphic descriptions of death.

Sum it up: While this dystopian YA novel wasn’t quite as psychologically compelling or complex as The Hunger Games, it was an admirable and entertaining attempt.

Matched - Ally Condie

Summary: In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices.  It's hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate.  So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one...until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.  Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow--between perfection and passion.  Matched is a story for right now and story-telling with the resonance of a classic.   (Summary from book - Image from www.allysoncondie.com )

My Review:  There used to be more than one hundred songs, one hundred works of art, and one hundred poems. That was before the Society destroyed the rest -- burned them all -- in an attempt to create a simple and egalitarian civilization. Cassia’s life is simple, perfect in fact, until a technological glitch in the Matching program, and the consequences that follow, cause her to doubt the government that keeps her safe. Soon she is forced to choose between the life she has always known and a life without guarantees…with someone she loves.

Matched probably won’t go down in history as an epic work of fiction, but it reminded me of a lighter version of some of my favorite (mostly YA) dystopian novels: The Hunger Games, The House of the Scorpion, The City of Ember, Uglies, and most especially 1984, The Giver, and Fahrenheit 451. While these books vary in their particulars, they all follow the journey of a character, content (or at least resigned) to conform until something happens that causes them to question their designated place and the power of the government that holds the reins. Most include mildly dark subject matter or controversial themes that speak to our fears for the future. In these areas, Matched is no different. The shared structure with all these novels led to a certain amount of predictability, but the details are what set this novel apart. Ally Condie’s spin on a standard plot was different enough to retain my interest and the addition of one of my favorite poems was icing on an already tasty cake.

Matched fit well into the young adult category (12+) and could slip easily into children’s fiction if it weren’t for a romantic element that isn’t usually found in that genre. The writing style was incredibly easy to read, perhaps a little too easy, but I was impressed with Condie’s ability to write a squeaky clean romance that was actually interesting*. If I had a glass box to sit in so that my children wouldn’t climb on me, I could easily have finished this book in an afternoon. Alas, I am fresh out of glass boxes, and it took me a week to read. Once I got some quiet time, I finished in one sitting.

I understand that Matched was created for the younger set of young adults, and is fairly perfect for them, but I wish it had been designed and written for an older audience. As a YYA novel, it lacked the richness of language and description that would have put it over the top (for me). I also had a horrible time with the name Xander and could not stop picturing Xander Harris from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (in his less attractive years). It killed the mood on so many occasions, which now that I think about it might have been the point.

Overall, I had fun with this book. It isn’t anywhere near the level of Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, or 1984, but those who like the Uglies Series or City of Ember, might find something to entertain. Personally, I am not happy that I have to wait until November 2011 to read its sequel, Crossed, and November 2012 for book three.

*Let’s admit it. Pride and Prejudice aside, sometimes they are just boooooring.

My Rating: 4 Stars

For even the most sensitive reader: Have at it.  There is some very mild thematic material that comes across much worse when I type it (e.g. euthenasia, genetic engineering, governmental tyranny) than it actually is in the book. 

Sum it up:  A futuristic tale of love, sacrifice, and a young girl who would not go gently into that good night.

The Last Jewish Virgin : A Novel of Fate - Janice Eidus

Summary: Lilith Zeremba, a young woman rebelling against her intellectually complex, feminist Jewish mother, is The Last Jewish Virgin. In this playful and provocative, sensual and suspenseful novel, Janice Eidus merges the timeless, romantic myth of the vampire with contemporary life in volatile New York City–and beyond. Determined to make her own way–on her own terms–as a successful Jewish woman in the world of fashion, Lilith finds herself in a place where mythology and sexuality collide. She’s drawn to two men in ways that feel dangerous and yet inevitable: the much older wildly mercurial and mesmerizing Baron Rock, and Colin Abel, a young, radiant artist determined to make the world a better place, one socially progressive painting at a time. The Last Jewish Virgin, an innovative and universal tale of longing and redemption, refreshes and reinvents the classic vampire myth for a contemporary world in which love, compassion, faith, and politics are forever evolving and intersecting in surprising and original ways. (Summary from book - Image from goodreads.com - Book given free for review)

My Review: Let me be perfectly clear. My experience with vampire lore is limited to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, and Brahm Stoker’s Dracula. In college, the latter gave me a horrific nightmare wherein my father ate a baby (yes, you read that correctly) and I’ve eschewed the gothic vampire ever since. What attracted me to this story was an NPR reviewer’s description of this novel as “Twilight...with a sense of humor, a brain, and a feminist subtext”. I enjoyed Twilight but recognize that it would have been better with all three of those things and willingly picked up this book.

The Last Jewish Virgin is the story of Lilith, a young Jewish art student who is determined to make it in the world of fashion and maintain her virginity until she has reached her academic and career goals. As this novel explores her relationship with her mother and her attraction to two enigmatic male characters, it comes closer to resembling a gothic Dracula novel than any of the sparkly vampire novels that are crowding bookstore shelves.

Lilith’s desire to keep her distance from an intimate relationship until she had achieved her academic and career goals was admirable, but it seems (and here is a similarity to Twilight) that she was ultimately willing to give it ALL up because of her irresistible attraction to a vampire. I suppose that I should have been moved by Lilith’s eventual sacrifice for her mother, but I felt that her decision was made more out of jealousy and obsession than genuine concern for her mother’s well-being.

While this book was infinitely brainier than most modern vampire novels, it didn’t feel in the least bit romantic. A feminist undercurrent is evident in the Lilith’s mother’s views on deity and feminism as it relates to Judaism, but it didn’t mesh well with the overall story. In fact, this book felt more like a random collection of the author’s interests (vampires, Judaism, fashion, art, feminism, and philosophy) twisted into a story.

The Last Jewish Virgin has an edgy, metropolitan feel that lends well to the darker subject matter, but I was turned off by the overtly sexual nature of the plot and its ultimate resolution. The frequently sexual subject matter was uncomfortable, but I kept reading because I was still interested in how everything would play out. A small portion of the story touched on the previous life of one of the characters. It was very interesting, and I wish that the author had expanded that aspect of the story, creating a past life for more of the characters. Ultimately, while this novel had its moments, it did not endear me to the genre and was a step into a world I don’t intend to visit again.

My Rating: 2.5 Stars.

For the sensitive reader: Although this book describes the act of sex only once, it is wildly sexual throughout with descriptions of erotic art, sexual dialogue, and sexual situations. The story also contains a few brief moments of language and discussions of God as gender-fluid, which might offend a more sensitive reader.

Sum it up: This disturbing and darkly erotic novel is written for a different kind of vampire lover – and may interest fans of modern, yet non-sparkly, vampire literature. I thought it was bizarre.

The Dark Divine - Bree Despain

Summary:  Grace Divine -- daughter of the local pastor -- always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learned the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

My Review:  Bree Despain’s The Dark Divine is a clean and entertaining paranormal romance, with an ending that was better than I expected. Despite this semi-success, the basic plot—a young girl, torn between her love for two very different boys—is exceedingly overdone. I mean, how many teen vamp/wolf/witch/ fairy/dragon/wraith romances does a bookstore really need?  I can usually handle a cliché plot as long as something in the book surprises me enough to read into the wee hours of the morning. There were moments where a character channeled one of the Twilight Trinity, but towards the end, I caught an inkling of something interesting that grabbed my attention.  I did finish the book in record time and, for that reason, I’ll probably read the next one (The Lost Saint, releasing 12/28) if it ever falls into my lap.

Grace Divine is a faithful pastor’s daughter and, consequently, the story touches on topics of charity, forgiveness, selflessness, and grace. Over all, I thought Despain put forth a good effort, but has a long way to go to counter the increasingly affected world of modern YA fiction. Clean YA paranormal romances are no longer a dime a dozen, so if you aren’t terribly picky about plot originality or character depth, The Dark Divine would be a good one time read.  And try to ignore the last line.  It's an eye-roller.  I know.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars   For the sensitive reader: I was surprised by some swearing (mostly biblical, but not entirely) and an attempted, but ultimately unsuccessful, sexual assault.

Sum it up: An entertaining, but mostly ordinary YA paranormal romance. I’m not entirely opposed to reading the sequel, but I won’t be hunting it down.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Summary:  Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await...that no fan will make it to the end unscathed....The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself.  (Image and summary from amazon.com)

My Review:  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows picks up where Half-Blood Prince leaves off – with Harry immersed in the search for Voldemort’s mysterious Horcruxes. As the Chosen One, Harry is determined to go it alone and Hermione and Ron are just as determined to come along. The ministry has been infiltrated. People are being cursed, kidnapped, tortured, and killed, left, right and center, and things are finally heating up between Ron and Hermione. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione set out to find and destroy the Horcruxes, they discover more than they ever thought possible about their mission, Albus Dumbledore's secret past, and the legend of the Deathly Hallows.

This book is the darkest and most suspenseful book in the Harry Potter series. Evil walks the streets and many of the scenes in this book feel as if they come from a horror movie. As her previous book proved, Rowling isn’t afraid to kill off major characters, a quality that I both love and loathe, but one which made this book extremely painful to read. At the same time, Rowling offers more light-hearted, humorous, and romantic moments to help strike a balance within the book. It may be cliché, but the term “roller coaster of emotions” is an apt description of the author's ability to take full control of your feelings and yank them around with ferocity.

My favorite aspect of this book is that, as the story unfolds, heroes emerge that have long stood in the background, to fight alongside Harry as he wages war with the Dark Lord. I love, love, loved the parts that they played, and it was wonderful to see true intentions revealed, and to watch so many people take their place in the spotlight. Ultimately, the final book in one of the world’s most popular fantasy series comes down to a gigantic magical death match, full of astonishing twists and unexpected casualties, as J.K. Rowling skillfully weaves a compelling plot, fascinating characters, and long forgotten detail into a seamless and spectacular conclusion. I am so sad it’s over.

(Disclaimer) At this point, JK Rowling can do no wrong in my eyes -- and, let's be honest, I hit that point about four books ago. Wait! Let me qualify that. If she writes another book and decides to impregnate Hermione with a sparkly baby named Ronnesme, I’m going to have to ditch the whole series and start a hate mail campaign. Other than that lingering fear, I’m too far gone to see any flaws that aren’t glaringly obvious. Deal with it.

My Rating: 5 Stars (more if I could)     For the sensitive reader: This book probably contains more swearing (biblical and otherwise) than the last several books combined. There is liberal application of the word “effing” (no, literally, that’s what they say) which might be offensive to some, given its most likely meaning. I wasn’t bothered by it, but did notice the increase in profanity.

Sum it up: A complex and compelling masterpiece of fantasy fiction and the perfect way to end this stunning series!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

Summary:  The War against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing.  Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names.  Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet...

As in all wars, life goes on.  Sixth-year students learn to Apparate--and lose a few eyebrows in the process.  The Weasley twins expand their business.  Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love.  Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter.  Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort--and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability. (Summary from book - Image from amazon.com)

My Review:  If you’ve read this far in the Harry Potter series, you are either a fan, or a seriously devoted hater. Regardless of which stance you take, I’m not fool enough to think anything I say will change your mind. That’s okay though, because I’m too deeply in love with this series to review this book with any kind of objectivity.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has both a light and dark side. It is in this book that Harry finally discovers what he must do to kill Lord Voldemort and the task is anything but easy. In between private lessons with Dumbledore, classes with a new professor, and a special assignment of the utmost importance, Harry shadows Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape, desperate to prove they are working for Voldemort. One of my favorite parts of this book – surprise, surprise – was all the teenage drama. Harry struggles to hide his increasing attraction to Ginny from his best-friend, Ron. Meanwhile, Ron is busy being thoroughly snogged by Lavendar Brown, to the dismay of a distraught Hermione. The ensuing dialogue is inexpressibly hysterical and, much to my listening husband’s amusement, I dissolved into gasping giggles on more than one occasion and was unable to read out loud.

This book stirred up loads of persnickety parental complaints about a well-known character dying. I do not intend to name the character, but will defend the author by saying that this particular death, while heart wrenching, is unquestionably necessary for the story. It isn’t graphic, but it is intensely emotional, and I couldn’t read it the first or second time without crying at the loss.

Book after book, JK Rowling makes me re-evaluate my expectations of YA novels. Many teen reads overflow with characters that lay listlessly on the page, while her creations are animated without being overly dramatic. They are flawed. They are funny. They can even be annoying. In short, they are real—except, you know, with magical abilities. It’s really not fair to all the other books in the young adult department.

Each chapter added a new dimension to Harry’s story and all I could do was turn the page and enjoy the ride. As in most of her later books, Rowling gathered seemingly insignificant details from previous books and used them to turn out amazing twists. When past plot threads collided with this one, and more fully illuminated the story, I couldn’t help but stop and marvel at the author’s foresight. (To give a vague example without spoiling the book, something that is very important to this book, first came into play in book two, though you would never know it.)

This book is by no means the end of an exceptional series. If it was, I’d be writing JK Rowling some serious hate mail. While some things begin to come together, far more questions are left unanswered than in previous books. Brace yourself for a rip-your-heart-out ending and make sure you have Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows handy.

My Rating: 5 Stars.   For the sensitive reader: This book is significantly darker (in spots) than the first five books, as Harry comes to realize just how far Voldemort has gone to obtain immortality. There are a few instances of cursing, though I think there was less in this book, than in the fifth book.

Sum it up: Another amazing book in the Harry Potter Series. It’s getting to the end and things are starting to come together, for better or for worse. Deathly Hallows, here I come!

Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater

Also reviewed by Mindy

Summary: The cold.  Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house.  One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--watches back.  He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

The heat.  Same has lived two lives.  As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves.  And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

The shiver.  For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance.  But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied.  Sam must fight to stay human--and Grace must fight to keep him--even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.  (Summary from back of the book and image from http://darkfaerietales.com/.)

My Review:  Shiver was not my favorite book by far. According to the author, she'd written her draft of Shiver long before the Twilight Series was published, and I feel for her if that is the case.  It is so similar to Twilight that it was hard to enjoy and I am sure anyone reading it will have to make the comparison between the two series -- high school girl, living with oblivious parents, in love with a paranormal boy/wolf, and the whole story gives off a feeling of cold (whereas Twilight gave off the ever present rain). Twilight has a feeling that grabs you and sucks you in. Shiver has all the same plot elements except that pull. 

The writing was a bit better than Twilight, but it definitely didn't captivate me, therefore I don't think I can say it's a better novel. I forced myself to get through the first half. The second half was better and had more depth of plot, but it still didn't have the draw that Twilight did. Shiver, as I'm sure it's been compared before, is the Jacob-fan version of Twilight. 

There were several aspects I didn't like about Shiver:  I didn't care for how the author painted Grace's parents.   Despite their obvious lacking parenting skills, they loved their daughter and believed their hands-off approach was a positive way to parent.  Not that I agree with it, but you would think that Grace could see their point of view even a little. Too much of the book made adults seem vapid--a word that is specifically used for both Grace's and Sam's parents.  I also didn't like the swearing and constant taking the name of God in vain.  The losing-her-virginity scene was also disturbing to me.  Girls drawn to this book, in my eyes, would be vulnerable to the perspective that hiding something so big from her parents is okay.  I'm also afraid many girls would think losing their virginity when the passion was 'so right' and the circumstance too dire (he might never come back, oh my!), and then fall prey to the insecurities that this book doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.  Sexual decisions are too important to paint with such a broad stroke for a young adult reader--especially a middle school one.  Overall, I think I could have skipped reading this book. I might pass on Linger because if it's anything like Shiver, it was too much of the same thing.

My Rating: 2.5 stars  (For the sensitive reader: occasional swearing, and a scene where she loses her virginity although it's mostly implied.)


Sum it up:  Bubble gum for the Twilight-loving-themed reader.  It could easily envelope a young mind prone to extreme relationships.

The House of the Scorpion - Nancy Farmer

Summary:  Matteo Alacran was not born; he was harvested.  His DNA came from El Patron, lord of a country called Opium--a strip of poppy fields lying between the Unites States and what was once called Mexico.  Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish.  Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby.  He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster--except for El Patron.  El Patron loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patron's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards.  Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive.  But escape from the Alacran Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect.  (Summary from book - Image from www.kdl.org)

___________________________

Mindy's Review:  The House of the Scorpion is a twisted, but brilliantly written, futuristic tale set in Opium, a strip of land between the US and Aztlan, the country formerly known as Mexico. It centers on a young boy named Matteo who discovers he is, in fact, the clone of El Patron, a sadistic drug lord and Opium’s despotic ruler. Treated first as a prisoner, then an animal, and finally an outcast prince, Matteo eventually realizes the horrifying reason for his existence. He was made to be a walking, talking, breathing, feeling, organ donor and there is nothing he can do or say to escape it. If you have ever read The Giver by Lois Lowry or watched The Island with Ewan McGregor, you will understand what I mean when I say that this book is a close cross between the two of them -- with a Hispanic flair.

This novel has won twelve awards*, most notable among them, the National Book Award, the Newberry Honor Award, and the Michael L. Printz Honor Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. If that isn’t enough to persuade you to read it, then maybe the fact that I devoured it will.

Nancy Farmer writes a variety of characters with remarkable ease. Matteo’s controversial creation makes him a target of hatred and suspicion for most of El Patron’s household, but his innocence and determination to survive make it easy to connect with him as a character. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book with a male protagonist that pulled me so strongly into the story. In addition to a wonderful cast of supporting characters (good and evil), Farmer creates an exceptional villain, El Patron, with enough kindness to make you feel his betrayal, and a dark side that is black as pitch.

The House of the Scorpion touches on serious themes – the value of human life, the ethical implications of cloning, illegal immigration, addiction, and familial relationships. Farmer takes many of the concerns that are prevalent in today’s society and pushes them to the next level. Basically, this book is answers the question “what would happen if…?”.

My only real complaint about this book was that one of the character’s feelings seemed to swing rather abruptly with little or no explanation. It happened far too easily considering the circumstances, and I wasn’t satisfied with the author’s attempt to move the story past this obvious flaw.

When I read a book with the intention of reviewing it for this blog, I usually keep a pen and paper handy to jot down a note or two and keep track of my thoughts and impressions while reading. This time I was too engrossed to pick up a pen until the story drew to its’ unpredictable and satisfying conclusion.

Her Rating: 4.5 Stars (for a YA)     For the sensitive reader: While this book does contain darker themes of murder, mind control, drug addiction, and slavery, they are always portrayed in a negative light.  There is very little, if any, profanity (though there is some of the made-up variety).

Sum it up: A riveting, futuristic thriller with interesting characters and a great pace.

*According to Wikipedia.

_______________________________

Kari's Review:  Gripping from start to finish, this book has a similar feel to the Hunger Games series.  There isn't really a romance, but there are a lot of violent acts and ideas--not that the violent acts are written in grotesque detail, as they're not, but that the ideas themselves are gruesome.

It's hard to fathom, but when you think about the drug world and all its atrocities, you can't help but realize this could actually happen at some future date.  It's something that seems quite possible with all the drug trafficking that exists and the demand between countries for illegal substances.

When I finished reading, I found myself thinking of Matt, his chaotic and painful life, and considering all the ways around the obstacles he faced. I enjoyed the futuristic US and Mexico relationship and the new border between the two created by a drug empire. The idea of clones and brain tampering for making drones was also fascinating. The book has so much to discuss I think I might recommend it for my book club. It's an older YA book. I think many of my students would enjoy this by the end of 8th grade.
Her Rating: 4.5 Stars    For the sensitive reader: There is violence, not detailed, but very realistic. There is also some swearing although most of it is made up swear words (e.g. 'crotting').

Sum it up:  A controversial story, sure to make you think about what the future could hold.

__________________________________

Average Rating: 4.5 Stars

__________________________________

Coffee and Fate - R.J. Erbacher

Summary:  Val is just a regular college student, with a unique ability to save people's lives, having a drink in a coffee shop.  Bud is an elderly gentleman who knows certain things that will happen to certain people and he knows something about Val's future.  When he sits down next to her and holds her hands it will start a friendship that both of them are desperate for.  It will also set off a chain of events that will dramatically change both their lives, from the gunshot that's just seconds away to a heroic battle with fate and death.  (Summary from book - Image from buybooksontheweb.com - Book given free for review)

My Review:  Coffee and Fate revolves around two extremely different people, Val and Bud, whose lives intersect at precisely the right moment.  I loved the idea of the two main characters, with unexplainable supernatural powers, working together and using their gifts to change the world.  What can I say?  I'm a Heroes fan.  Well, of the first season anyway.  The types of powers these characters have, however imaginary, and the use of them, brings up all sorts of interesting questions about the ethics of doing so. If you could change the course of someone’s life, and perhaps save them, would you? Should you? Would you choose not to save someone you love, if in doing so you served the greater good? Heavy stuff, and something that the characters wrestle with themselves.

Val and Bud have an unorthodox relationship to begin with – she is 18 years old and he is, well, a great grandpa. It’s not often you see a co-dependent relationship with such a gigantic age difference, and I was apprehensive that their friendship would become more intimate. Something does happen, albeit brief and ever so vague, and, although I understood the author’s rationale behind it, I wasn’t terribly comfortable with the turn of events.

If I could have my way, Coffee and Fate would have been longer, with more characters, more rescues, and possibly a different dynamic in the main characters’ relationship. Regardless of my discomfort at a certain stage, I did enjoy this book’s premise and I felt the ending was beautifully bittersweet.

My Rating: 3 Stars.   For the sensitive reader:  There was a little bit of the vaguish sex at one point, but I can't remember any profanity.

Sum it up: A (kind of) “Heroes” novella where two people change the fate of the world.

Heir Apparent - Vivian Vande Velde

Summary:  In the virtual reality game, Heir Apparent, there are way too many ways to get killed--and Giannine seems to be finding them all.  Unless she can:

get the magic ring,

find the stolen treasure,

answer the dwarf's dumb riddles,

impress the head-chopping statue,
charm the army of ghosts,

fend off the barbarians,

and defeat the man-eating dragon,

she'll never win.  And if she doesn't win, she will die--for real this time.  (Summary from amazon.com - Image from goodreads.com )

My Review:  My aunt recommended this book and I picked it up in the hopes of escaping from all the depressing books I’ve been forcing myself to read lately. I loved the idea of a virtual reality adventure game, primarily because I have a secret passion for PC adventure games like King’s Quest, and a virtual reality one would be amazing. Yes, I am a geek. Are you just figuring that out?

When Giannine gets a gift certificate from her father (well, his secretary anyway) to enjoy Rasmussem enterprises virtual gaming experience, she decides to make the best of a less than thoughtful birthday gift and cash it in. When a serious malfunction occurs mid-level, Giannine finds herself stuck in the game with only her wits to save her. Heir to a coveted throne, unwelcome by her siblings, and trapped in hostile territory, she must figure out whom to trust and whom to use in order to successfully complete the game, before time runs out and her real life ends.

Heir Apparent has a Groundhog Day feel to it, as Giannine must repeat the entire game with each fatal misstep. I enjoyed this particular quirk and the variations it created in the story, but it did start to wear thin towards the end. I was glad when the author began to skip certain parts so that I didn’t have to relive each detail every time Giannine had to start over. Regardless, I think that most kids would be amused by her flippant attitude, some humorous twists, the concept of virtual reality gaming, and the chance to imagine themselves in Giannine’s place.

The ending of this book flopped for me. Apparently, there is a secret way to win the game that I thought was a cop out, and the games mysterious maker was very young-adult-cliché. None of Giannine’s family issues were resolved and the story just stopped. I swear, one minute they were wrapping things up and the next minute.

(Yeah, like that. Kind of annoying, isn’t it?!)

While I enjoyed this book's creativity and think it will fare well as a fun children’s fiction novel (ages 10 and up) I was more than a little disappointed at what I felt was a lackluster finish.

My Rating: 3 Stars (for an adult). For the sensitive reader – One instance of biblical swearing and quite a bit of vague-ish head lopping.

Sum it up: An interesting premise, with humorous delivery, but lacking an adequate conclusion.

The Hourglass Door - Lisa Mangum

Summary:  Abby's senior year of high school is going according to plan:  good friends, cute boyfriend, and college applications in the mail.  But when Dante Alexander, foreign-exchange student from Italy, steps into her life, he turns it upside down.  He's mysterious, and interesting and unlike anyone she's ever met before.  Abby can't deny the growing attraction she feels for him.  Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around.  Soon Abby finds herself drawn into a mystery whose roots reach into sixteenth-century Florence, and she uncovers a dangerous truth that threatens not only her future but the lives of those she loves.  (Summary from book - Image from amazon.com)

My Review:  Lately, I’ve needed to read something brainlessly romantic. It’s a sanity thing. I do hope you understand. I loved Lisa Mangum’s first book, The Secret Journal of Brett Colton, and had heard a lot about her newest novel, The Hourglass Door, in a move-over-Edward, kind of way, and figured it would fit the bill nicely.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of The Hourglass Door. I was so engaged that I wanted to physically yank Abby away from oh-so-boring Jason and throw her bodily at Dante, an exchange student who, among other things, made me add Italian accents to my list of thing I find irresistible (alongside chocolate and Elizabeth Berg novels). Unfortunately, this book follows the same path as Fallen or Evermore; I was interested until I was bored. My transition from one emotion to the other linked directly to finding out Dante’s Big Fat Secret. (SPOILER HERE) He travels through time. Frankly, it was all a bit weird and the whole river/bank setting felt a whole lot like a whitewashed Summerland. (SPOILER ENDS). I don’t know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting that and I didn’t particularly care for it.

While the story starts strong, its conclusion felt entirely set up. The location of a certain key object was obvious from the second it became an issue and a variety of other plot twists were easily predictable. I appreciate that Lisa Mangum was able to create romantic tension between her characters without tossing them headlong into the bedroom, but there were times when I actually rolled my eyes at their syrupy, overly dramatic dialogue. When it comes down to it, I can turn my back on both this book and its characters, and not feel even remotely distressed. I think that it might find more of a following with younger readers who are so blinded by Dante-lust they can’t see straight through the book.

My Rating: 3 Stars. (4 stars for a YA, 2 for an Adult) For the sensitive reader: As far as I can remember, you’re in the clear.

Sum it up: A promising paranormal romance that fails to make its mark.