This is the final segment in Lowry's The Giver series, though one does not need to read the books in between The Giver and this one (I did, and they w...moreThis is the final segment in Lowry's The Giver series, though one does not need to read the books in between The Giver and this one (I did, and they weren't that great). This final installment is much more on par with the beloved original, though even if one has not read that, it would be okay too.
Claire has been assigned the job of Birthmother - not the most prestigious assignment, but a necessary one and she shouldn't be ashamed. Because of some sort of mix-up, she never takes the pills that keeps love out of the society and misses her baby terribly - especially after she learns it was a boy and not an "it". She is determined to find him, but at what cost?
Well written, though I thought maybe it dragged just a teensy bit somewhere along the way ... until I finished the story and felt that all the parts were necessary to the whole!(less)
An excellent YA novel! Donna is a senior in high school, not really an outcast but quiet and keeps mostly to herself and her few acquaintances (they c...moreAn excellent YA novel! Donna is a senior in high school, not really an outcast but quiet and keeps mostly to herself and her few acquaintances (they can't really be classified as close friends). She eats lunch with the same people every day, but never goes out or participates in much since her father died 4 years earlier. She meets Liz, a new girl at school, and starts to question what it is she really wants to do and why she is here. During a funeral for a fellow classmate, she meets JB, the makeup artist at the funeral home and starts to become inquisitive about the "business". Who wouldn't want to go to Mortuary School?
This novel really hit home for me - I too, at one point (and kind of still) would love a career in Mortuary Science. No one really thought I was weird, but I remember going through many of the same thoughts and emotions Donna does (note: I have not lost either parent).
Classy and well written, the story sort of grabs you and you want to see how Donna makes out - with her career, her friends, her family, etc. This is a great story for so many different people. (less)
This is the second book in Lu's Legend series (Legend being the first), and it's a solid follow-up. June and Day are once again thrown into the fray,...moreThis is the second book in Lu's Legend series (Legend being the first), and it's a solid follow-up. June and Day are once again thrown into the fray, caught between the Republic and the Colonies - which side is the right side to support, and how do they know who to trust? Non-stop action will keep readers interested, though the love interest aspect throws me off a little.
As with Legend, I'm still not crazy about the different colors in print when reading June vs. Day's chapters ... the blue does not agree easily with the eye, and the switch is distracting. Also unnecessary is the constant reminders in parentheses on just how detailed oriented June is ... it makes the writing a little disjointed and is sort of obvious in its purpose. It stops the story from flowing, when the author could easily just have inserted some of the details into the rhetoric.
Overall, an easy and entertaining read - it will answer some questions from Legend, and bring up some new ones that are bound to be addressed in the upcoming third installment. (less)
A great ending to the Chemical Garden Trilogy. These aren't usually my style (the covers COMPLETELY turn me off), but what is written inside the pages...moreA great ending to the Chemical Garden Trilogy. These aren't usually my style (the covers COMPLETELY turn me off), but what is written inside the pages grabs your attention, and the series ends on a somewhat of an uplifting note, even if it was rather abrupt.
Rhine has decided to find her brother after learning he is still alive. She needs to escape Vaughn's mansion once and for all, but how will she accomplish that? Cecily and Linden return in this finale, and we meet Vaughn's estranged brother, Reed, who adds a nice dose of reality to the dystopian series.
Recommended! (If you have read the first two, Wither and Fever!)(less)
"Scarlet" is the sequel to "Cinder", last year's dystopian hit that retold the story of Cinderella, hundreds of years in the future. ("Cinder" was...moreWow!
"Scarlet" is the sequel to "Cinder", last year's dystopian hit that retold the story of Cinderella, hundreds of years in the future. ("Cinder" was FANTASTIC, and if you did not read it, definitely read that before "Scarlet").
"Scarlet" starts anew with the story of Little Red Riding Hood, where we meet Scarlet, a farm girl that is looking for her missing Grandmother. She meets Wolf, a man that has left his gang due to their cruelty, and he claims he can help her to find Grandmother. Running parallel, the story of Cinder continues as she escapes prison to try to save Prince Kai from destroying his life, and those of everyone on Earth.
Full of action, adventure and a future of cyborgs (mostly humans with robotic pieces), Cinder and Scarlet must band together to save the Earth from the evil Lunar Queen Levana. Well written, and am anxiously awaiting the third installment ... probably one of the best sequels I have read!(less)
A great epic fantasy adventure. I originally started the book for the RITBA committee (check out our display in the YA department!), but I didn't fini...moreA great epic fantasy adventure. I originally started the book for the RITBA committee (check out our display in the YA department!), but I didn't finish it in time (it is rather thick), but I was glad I finished it late!
Will is on the ride of his life when he aces a test he didn't even try on and is whisked away to an elite private prep school. His parents are abducted and while he is trying to figure out exactly what is going on, he gets caught up in a secret society at the school - that apparently wants him dead. Fast paced and full of action, teens (and some adults) will enjoy this thrilling adventure. Obviously book one of the series, I am anxious to read book 2!(less)
Fantastic! Looking for a realistic novel that can accurately portray high school life?
This novel follows Lexi; the girl who has always been drop-dead...moreFantastic! Looking for a realistic novel that can accurately portray high school life?
This novel follows Lexi; the girl who has always been drop-dead stunning gorgeous. She's smart, she's the most popular girl in school, and her biggest worry to date has been if someone thought she was a snob. After catching her best friend with her boyfriend at the end of 8th grade graduation, she leaves a party with an older boy to get a ride home. The car crashes, and Lexi's face basically goes through the windshield. She needs major surgeries and skin grafts to get her face back, and her struggles are aptly portrayed through her long journey of recovery. Inspirational, but though the kids are in 8th and then 9th grade, the book deals with a lot of sexual activity and binge drinking. Highly recommended read, especially for those trying to overcome sort of struggle. (less)
New family, new state, new home, new ghosts... and an ally? Oh Susanna what a great story. Susanna's mother has remarried and is really and truly happ...moreNew family, new state, new home, new ghosts... and an ally? Oh Susanna what a great story. Susanna's mother has remarried and is really and truly happy so Susanna vows to try to be happy too. She's moved from NYC to California where she'll be going to a mission school built in the 18th century and living in a house that is hundreds of year old. She'll have plenty of time to make a new life right. I mean there shouldn't been any old ghosts lurking around, right. Yeah okay. But the only ghost in her bedroom is friendly, young and handsome and the only ghost in her school is royally pissed off. So she tells off the most popular girl in school during first period, rescues the most handsome boy in school from certain death before the end of her first day and becomes class VP before the end of the first week all the while battling the angriest, strongest ghost she's ever encountered. Not bad for a girl label freak for the first 16 years of her life. Maybe California won't be so bad :-)(less)
Recently turned fashion diva, Gina, now has to go Goth and return to high school to find out why the students are missing, skipping and generally beco...moreRecently turned fashion diva, Gina, now has to go Goth and return to high school to find out why the students are missing, skipping and generally becoming weirder than your average teenager. She, Bobby and Rick infiltrate the school and discover a plot deeper than anyone ever dreamed... oh, and Mr. sparkly rainbows, the unicorn. Say what?!
This book is a nice easy read. For me it was a little refreshment after some heavier novels and a nice way to pass my break time at work. The writing is average and the story has enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, but no true OMG! moments. Are you a vampire lover looking for something fun and light to take to the beach or on vacation? Then this is your read.(less)
Ricki's mom has been gone too long this time and grandma can no longer keep her around. Enter dad who has always been on the road as a bounty hunter....moreRicki's mom has been gone too long this time and grandma can no longer keep her around. Enter dad who has always been on the road as a bounty hunter. Now Ricki is "home schooled" on the road with her dad chasing skips. What could possible go wrong? Easy read about some heavy topics. A hard edged, niave girl learns some hard life lessons. People aren't always what they seem to be and they definitely aren't what you want them to be, but not all surprises are bad.(less)
A very strange and shallow look at the future. Sometime within the next 50 years or so, a virus hits all the young people and those born that prevents...moreA very strange and shallow look at the future. Sometime within the next 50 years or so, a virus hits all the young people and those born that prevents them from having children after the age of 18 - so getting pregnant (being "bumped") between 13 and 18 is the only way to keep the human race surviving. It has become popular to find agents and create contracts with married couples that want children - they pay for college, offer cars, money, etc., in exchange for these teenage girls to get pregnant as surrogates and give up their children.
The idea is interesting, though the book is done poorly. It is very light and bubble-gummy, only showing the emergent issues and producing good writing in the last quarter of the book ... which did make me want to get the sequel, just to see what happens.
The basic premise is that the main character is the perfect girl to be a surrogate - smart, beautiful, athletic; perfect in every way. Except one - she has a twin no one knew about that shows up at her door to try to convert her to their version of Christianity (no bumping before marriage!). No longer "original" due to exact strands of DNA, the twin could be a major issue. Mix ups obviously occur, though the ending was a little surprising and helped to save the book from complete obscurity.
Mike is driving home late one night, and stops to give a girl a lift to her house. She is drenched, and forgets her shoes in his car ... when he drive...moreMike is driving home late one night, and stops to give a girl a lift to her house. She is drenched, and forgets her shoes in his car ... when he drives back to her house to return them, her mother informs him that she has been dead for 50 years and he can visit the cemetery up the street to drop off the shoes. So he does ... and meets a cast of teens that he thinks he might be better off not knowing ...
A very unique and interesting book ... many short ghost stories told by teens - the twist is it is how THEY died! Some are silly and a little out there, and some are downright creepy. Well written, and at the end the author gives detailed information on the true facts that inspired each story (or setting). (less)
Does history repeat itself? As much as we try to learn from past mistakes, do we really?
It's 1969, and Ben Ross teaches high school history in Califor...moreDoes history repeat itself? As much as we try to learn from past mistakes, do we really?
It's 1969, and Ben Ross teaches high school history in California. While teaching his class about the atrocities of WWII, they watch a film that shows the torment and death the Jews faced during the war. The class is astonished - and a little taken aback. Some cannot believe the devastation and others think that it is in the past, and couldn't possibly happen again. One student asks "Why?". Why did this happen? HOW did it happen? How could thousands of soldiers follow the orders of one little man? How can so many Germans claim not to know what was going on?
In order to help the students understand the answers to these questions, Mr. Ross sets up an experiment for the class. He starts a new movement called "The Wave" ... essentially highlighting Community, Discipline, and Action. The football team joins to try to get more wins and be a more cohesive unit. Kids that are usually social outcasts and unpopular join because they are now equal to all the others and not ostracized. Even Mr. Ross is enjoying the obedience and increased hard work he is getting as a result of his strong leadership.
But two students are a little wary of the whole movement. Is this really as good as everyone is making it seem? Is the greater good of the whole always better than the individual?
This is a pretty interesting read about a father that holds his son's 1st grade class hostage, along with the teacher and two 17 year old volunteers t...moreThis is a pretty interesting read about a father that holds his son's 1st grade class hostage, along with the teacher and two 17 year old volunteers that teach French to the kids. Told in alternating viewpoints between the teens (Emery & Jake), the story unfolds dramatically over the course of a few hours.
Enlightening after the Newtown tragedy, it depicts a father that fought for his country in Iraq and has returned to his family with PTSD. The reader gets background information on the soldier's family & war situations, as well as the lives of Jake & Emery.
Touching and a little tense, it definitely brings to question "What would you do?" Jake & Emery find themselves responsible for eighteen 6 year olds and must do whatever they can to make sure they all survive.(less)
It's 1942 and Iris is a high-school girl smack dab in the middle of New York City - and a German Jew. At school, threatening notes are being left in J...moreIt's 1942 and Iris is a high-school girl smack dab in the middle of New York City - and a German Jew. At school, threatening notes are being left in Jewish students' lockers, and at home she is adjusting to life without her mother (an apparent suicide) and with a father that has lost a leg during Pearl Harbor. Iris is trying to help her father with some light detective work but gets caught up in a heavy case that hits dangerously close to home.
Well written and refreshingly light (even with some heavy topics), this novel is sure to grab your attention from the beginning. A great clean mystery; those of historical fiction will particularly fall in love with the era and the subject matter. (less)
This is Cronin's sequel to The Passage, a huge, apocalyptic and literature-y twist on the vampire novel. Twilight this ain't, but teens would love Cro...moreThis is Cronin's sequel to The Passage, a huge, apocalyptic and literature-y twist on the vampire novel. Twilight this ain't, but teens would love Cronin's youngish characters, dark subject matter, and deft sci-fi plotting.
I absolutely love these books: here's an "it's the end of the world as we know it and it's totally the government's fault" story that shines with hope without being corny. Despite frequent emphasis on Cronin's knack for inventing "realistic" vampires, there's quite a bit of fantasy hocus pocus in this one (spirits, hanging out in other people's consciousness, you know, the usual). But there's also Cronin at his best: gorgeous passages and meticulous characterization as well as absolutely terrifyingly awesome action sequences, all of it affirming love and the human spirit over human tyranny and wickedness.
Where The Passage felt broad and rambling at parts, The Twelve makes every sentence count. Characters you thought were a waste of 60 pages back in The Passage are suddenly on center stage again, so there's a wonderful payoff for not just totally skimming for the bloody parts in the first book. There are a few new characters, too, and the book is insanely well balanced and paced. A bunch of plot lines wrap up (or transform) by the end, but the path for part three is pretty clear.(less)
Young Sherlock Holmes is sent to the country for school vacation because his father has gone to war and his mother's health is fragile. Staying in a c...moreYoung Sherlock Holmes is sent to the country for school vacation because his father has gone to war and his mother's health is fragile. Staying in a castle with a disconnected uncle, a crazy aunt and a frightening housekeeper, he befriends the "hooligan" Mattie and his tutor, Amyus Crowe. When Sherlock and Mattie stumble upon a mysterious "cloud" leaving the scene of multiple crimes, they invoke the ire of the mysterious Baron Maupertuis. What is the cloud, what is the baron hiding and what can young Sherlock do about the weird feeling invoked by Ms. Virgina Crowe?
After a somewhat slow start this mystery takes many interesting twists and turns. I enjoyed meeting each of the characters. The Baron's plot is so masterful and simple it is both wonderful and effective. The only negative is the final fight scene which I found unrealistic and ridiculous.(less)
So - you're 17 and the sister you haven't seen since you were little decides to return home from her years at a convent. You are a normal teen; you wo...moreSo - you're 17 and the sister you haven't seen since you were little decides to return home from her years at a convent. You are a normal teen; you worry about school and grades, friends and boyfriends, and mom and dad are a pain in the butt. Do you welcome her with open arms, or do you deny her existence?
Caro lies. She tells friends first when she's 11 that her sister has died, then tells them now (at 17) that she was in the Peace Corps in Africa for awhile. She doesn't understand her sister's faith in God - they've never been an overly religious family. She doesn't understand why she came home, or why anything had to change. She doesn't even understand why she lies about it. Caro must figure out where she fits into this new family dynamic and if she wants to be a part of her sister's life.
Anna Jarzab has given us a beautifully written and realistic portrait of the upheaval family situations can cause. The reader is sympathetic at times with Caro - and at other times may want to slap some sense into her. While not many may relate to the actual event of having your sister leave the family to become a nun, many teens (and adults) will understand the frustration and ups and downs of dealing with a tight nuclear family, friends, high school and illness. Wonderfully written and well-fleshed out characters make this one a winner!(less)
A friend of mine taught a contemporary American fiction class last year, and he told me he spent months reading pretty much all the literary fiction p...moreA friend of mine taught a contemporary American fiction class last year, and he told me he spent months reading pretty much all the literary fiction published in the 21st century. I asked him what stood out at the top of the heap, and he named The History of Love, which I hadn't even heard of.
So I picked up the book, excited but not quite sure I'd like the novel as much as my friend. But after 40 pages or so, I found The History of Love extraordinary. It's charming, incredibly moving, hilarious, and brilliantly told. It's also impossible to adequately explain in a Goodreads review.
Basically this novel is about a book called The History of Love and its tangled history. If you love books, if you love reading and the mystical way that writing can connect souls across generations and continents, then this book is for you. Oh, and of course it's also a love story. There are several narrators whose points of view alternate. One is a teenage girl whose father died when she was young and whose mother is too obsessed with literature to be happy or notice her daughter. Another narrator is an extremely old New Yorker who escaped the Nazis in Poland. He lost everything in the old country: his family, his true love, his culture, and the only manuscript of his novel. When the novel begins, he is losing his mind, too, but his chapters are full of sardonic wit and the happiest kind of sadness. Slowly, the novel intertwines the histories of these two main characters, along with their families and histories.
I finished this in the staff lounge yesterday, tears running down my cheeks. I think I've done a terrible job of explaining it, so you should just go read it, and then you'll see.(less)
Okay, so some many may consider this a spoiler, I consider it a teaser. You've been warned...
Again, with the non-stop action. I was good through the f...moreOkay, so some many may consider this a spoiler, I consider it a teaser. You've been warned...
Again, with the non-stop action. I was good through the first half of the book, limiting myself to chapter or two a day. With work and the kids, that was all I had time for. Then, I read the second half of the book yesterday - yes, I'm still yawning even after coffee. LOVED THIS ONE TOO. The twists and turns, the new characters, the old and the NON...STOP...ACTION.
We love Four and Tris, Tobias and Beatrice: they have strengths and weaknesses, they love, they anger; they live like us all and they are willing to give everything for something they believe in. We hate Johanna: she is selfish and cruel and willing to sacrifice others for something she believes in. Pretty straight forward, except... Johanna is trying to save their world, life as they know it. Tobias and Tris will destroy it. What is the critical piece of information? Divergence is the key, but to what?
So yes, I'm waiting with baited breath for "Emergent". Hey everyone is taking shots at the title of book 3, this one is mine!(less)
If you like dystopic fiction - in print or on TV - you MUST READ this book!
I am a luke warm fan of dystopian novels and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I hav...moreIf you like dystopic fiction - in print or on TV - you MUST READ this book!
I am a luke warm fan of dystopian novels and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I have a job and 2 pre-schoolers who rise early, a.k.a. no chance of making up lost sleep, yet I found myself reading into the wee hours of the morning., two nights in a row! I have Insurgent but don't dare start it until I am no longer walking dead tired.
Tris and four are amazingly strong individuals mentally, emotionally, and, by the end of training, physically. Yet, supporting characters are fleshed out enough to keep everyone interesting and the action is literally non-stop. This story could end here, but there are enough questions lingering to make a second book intriguing. Looking forward to Insurgent with baited breath.
This story chronicles first the lives of the six men raising their flag on Iwo Jima, the American climate durin...moreWOW! And I don't even like non-fiction!
This story chronicles first the lives of the six men raising their flag on Iwo Jima, the American climate during war time and why they enlisted. Readers are then taken inch by pain staking inch up the beach of "fire island" through gun fire, death, fear, hunger, sleep deprivation and more. Slowly trodding up the hill where we experience a seemingly unremarkable flag replacement that became a photograph which to this day "iconicizes" the valor, determination, courage and strength that is a US Marine. Finally we follow the only two (of six) surviving men through the aftermath. This story is told by the son of one of the "heroes". He never knew his father was in that picture; he never spoke of it with him. After his death his sons found his Navy Cross and a box full of letters that led one son on a remarkable journey; chronicled here for us to experience alongside of him.
Carter provides a unique, and probably more honest than I'd like to believe, viewpoint of the high school male mentality. I like seeing that he has gr...moreCarter provides a unique, and probably more honest than I'd like to believe, viewpoint of the high school male mentality. I like seeing that he has grown some: a mature relationship with Abbey and Amber Lee, applying himself some in school and the like. I also like that Crawford hasn't "grown him up" entirely over the course of one year. He still says bonehead things to the girls and is a total jeuvinile delinquent with his friends. Go Carter! Go Crawford!(less)
This is my first read by Bray, and I cannot wait to pick up something else of hers. I listened to most of the book on audio, which was PRICELESS. Bray...more This is my first read by Bray, and I cannot wait to pick up something else of hers. I listened to most of the book on audio, which was PRICELESS. Bray narrates the story herself, and she is hilarious. There are a lot of characters, so it's great to hear because she really differentiates between them with accents and voices.
Basically, the contestants for the Miss Teen Dream pageant get stuck on a deserted island after their plane crashes and they must find a way to survive without their makeup and nail polish. Bray has done a good job of really capturing the "pageant" stereotype - and then smashing it in the face with a hammer while never losing the essence of the story. A bit fantastical at times, it just adds to the overall appeal and hilarity of the story. (less)
What a fantastic adventure story that sucks you in right from the beginning! I've been having a tough go of finding something lately that really grabs...moreWhat a fantastic adventure story that sucks you in right from the beginning! I've been having a tough go of finding something lately that really grabs my attention - and I read this in about 6 hours.
Sage is one of three orphans that gets bought by a royal regent determined to present a long lost prince to the castle. The boys endure two long weeks of training and some brutality to help prepare them of taking on the duties of Prince Jaron, but only one can be named Prince ... the others will die.
You will be grabbed from the first page and not want to put this book down. It is a fantastic mix of humor, adventure and intrigue sure to capture the mind of the reader! (less)
What was Prince Charming really like? And how many "Prince Charmings" can there possibly be?! A good premise, it's the "true" stories of all our Princ...moreWhat was Prince Charming really like? And how many "Prince Charmings" can there possibly be?! A good premise, it's the "true" stories of all our Prince Charming heroes, from Rapunzel to Cinderella and more. This is a quick and easy read, with some illustrations of the characters in the margins on many of the pages. It gives the reader quite a more skeptical version of our beloved fairy tale characters, though it definitely reverses many of the roles!(less)
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