Patty's comments
(member since Jul 17, 2008)
Patty's comments from the YA Book Club group.
(showing 1-20 of 21)
I read Graceling when it was first published. I really liked the fact that Katsa was a strong determined protagonist assigned an seemingly hideous grace (initially) but grew as a character. I also liked the love story and the fact that she wanted to remain her own woman no matter how much she loved someone else. Po was given the choice to accept her decision or choose a more conventional life. I hope there will be another book with these characters, meanwhile, I look forward to reading Fire as soon as it arrives in my library.
I just finished a fantastic book and its sequel; both had me on the edge of my seat: The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness. Men can settle on different planets and plan to lead new, peaceful lives, but mankind is mankind. Throw in the twist of being able to hear all thoughts as constant noise! The only problem with the books is they are part of a trilogy, the third of which will not be released until spring 2010.
I also read The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, which was very dark and quite scary. I love the titles as well as the stories.
I lead a book club for teenage boys at my high school. We read <Falling Angels> by Walter Dean Myers, <The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian> by Sherman Alexie, <The Book Thief> and <I Am the Messenger> by Marcus Zusak, <An Abundance of Katherines> by John Green, <Maus I and II> by Art Speigleman and <Sabriel> by Nix. We had great discussions about all of the books. Their favorite might have been <I Am the Messenger.> I was a bit surprised they liked <Sabriel> so much as the protagonist was a strong young woman, but it is very much a dark fantasy. The boys loved Sabriel's spunk, and most went on to read the rest of the Aborsen trilogy on their own. They also loved <The Hunger Games> which they really got excited about reading and discussing.
Try <They Cage the Animals at Night> although it is a real tear-jerker!
I loved the book. I sponsor a boys' book club in my high school, and we read <I am the Messenger> last year. The boys loved it. They felt Zusak was spot on describing Ed's feelings about himself and his reactions to his friends, family and others. They especially loved the passage where Ed drove the prostitute. (They are teenage boys, after all.)
Cards are a game of luck, chance, experience and skill. I think the cards symbolized life in this novel, which has all of those elements. Ed and his friends have power over their destiny; that is the final message.
I thought the footnotes were a clever addition; plus I learned a few facts from them. I thought the math was was fitting for Colin's personality although I, myself, am not a math person.
I really liked the book. Infact, I loved that it was a humorous book, especially after reading <Looking for Alaska>. I loved the footnotes and all of the characters. It was nice that the adults were not flawed, just caring, normal parents. It was also nice to have a character that represented another culture who had a few moral questions about his own behavior.
I must admit I was surprised at the sex scene and f word so early in the book. I have Stardust in my high school library; in fact, it is checked out now. We certainly have plenty of books with profanity and sex, but I always hope that one has to read a few chapters first before they appear. That way the entire book is more likely to be read.
I don't think anyone would read Stardust for the sex or language, though. There is not enough of either nor is it graphic enough for that.
I read Stardust last year and did like it. Tristran was such a naive hero and typical young man, smitten with the prettiest girl in town. I think even he was surprised by his determination. I also liked the snarky personality of the star and how her and Tristran's love grew as their journey progressed and became more perilous.
I'm with you, Angie. I loved Twilight, liked New Moon, really liked Eclipse, but was very disappointed by Breaking Dawn. The series is horror/romance; not everything has to be fully resolved. Some sacrifices and hurts are necessary to stay true the series in my opinion.
Hush: an Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli
Thirsty by M. T. Anderson
The Dark Angel by Meredith Ann Price
Lord Loss by Darren Shan
Hush
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
I loved the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. It is a dark fantasy with a strong female protagonist.
I also loved the Twilight series, except the final novel, the Uglies trilogy, and the Libby Bray series.
I personally did not love this book. It was simply okay. First of all I did not find the characters likeable at all. There also was a lack of real menace despite the Shadowhunters' purpose. I never once felt there was any real danger for any of the main characters. I also found the relationship between Jace and Clary lacking in passion. Perhaps we found out why in the end, but I work with teenagers and remember my teenage years. Where was the teen angst? As far as the surprise ending is concerned, don't the siblings have the same snarky personality?
I will donate my copy to my hs library and have purchased the sequel which I may or may not read. There are plenty of students at my school that enjoy this genre and want the whole series.
I liked Wicked Lovely a lot more as well as the follow up book for this particular genre.
I am currently reading <Life as I knew It> and of course I will reading <Breaking Dawn> as soon as it arrives from Amazon. I also have to reread <The Book Thief> for a faculty book club at my high school.
Persepolis, Maus, and American Born Chinese are three excellent graphic novels that come to mind depending on the age and interests of your daughter. They show that graphic novels can be a literary genre and support the cliche pictures speak more loudly than words.
I agree with Maggie, Coraline is a creepy, dark fairy tale; that is what I liked about it. I do have a copy in my high school library, and it does circulate a little, probably check out by Gaiman fans. I think it is more for middle school readers than high school.
I loved I AM The MESSENGER, and so did the boys in my book club. In fact it was their favorite book read and discussed. They felt Zusak really nailed the feelings of teenage boys and greatly identified with the protagonist.
I sponser a boys' book club at my high school, and one of our reading selections last year was SABRIEL by Garth Nix. The boys liked it very much but felt compelled to comment on the fact that the protagonist was a girl. They did admire her bravery and spunk but felt the romance was cliched. This is a dark fanatasy, a book that would appeal to all fantasy-lovers, regardless of sex.
A few boys have read TWILIGHT, usually at the prompting of one of their girl friends. I imagine more will read it as the movie is publicized.
I make an effort to purchase books that appeal to braod audiences, but alas, it is true; there are some books no boy would be caught dead checking out!
