Book Review: The Amethyst Road by Louise Spiegler

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Title: The Amethyst Road
Author: Louise Spiegler
Publisher: Clarion Books
Hardcover: 328 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

In a society similar to ours in some ways and very different in others, 16-year-old Serena and her older sister, Willow, struggle to get by in a tough, crime-infested urban neighborhood. By birth they are half Yulang, half Gorgio, but are accepted by neither race. The sisters get no help from the Yulang, because Willow’s child was born out of wedlock and the family has been declared outcast. The Gorgios are even worse, trying to take the child away.  

A run-in with social services, aptly nicknamed the Cruelty, launches Serena on a journey that is at once an escape and a quest to reunite her family. With the help of a boy named Shem, who is on a quest of his own, Serena travels deep into the mountains, where precious gems are mined, and across barren plains, where white-clad Trident Riders are terrorizing anyone who is not Gorgio. Along the way, Serena finds the answers she seeks—and some she didn’t even know she was looking for.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

I can't believe this book isn't more popular than it is -- it's so good! I actually had a hard time deciding which genre it would fit into (in my opinion, always the sign of an interesting, complex story), but I think "alternate history" works best. The book follows the story of Serena, a half-Yulang, half-Gorgio who has been declared outcast because her sister had a child out of wedlock. When that child is taken away by the bureaucratic-loving Gorgios, Serena attacks two people working with social services (an agency nicknamed the Cruelty) and has to escape when she believes she kills one of them.  A boy named Shem offers to help her, and together they set off on a journey to get their lives going on the right path.

I am a huge fan of coming-of-age stories, especially when they involve a headstrong girl who needs to learn when to use her temper and when to curb it in order to survive in the world. Through her journey, Serena learns that there are actually good people in the world who are willing to help those in need, and sometimes, situations aren't as black-and-white as she'd like them to be.

The real strength of this book lies within the characters. They are so relatable, complex, and interesting. I liked that Spiegler didn't reveal everything about Shem in the beginning -- his motives for helping out Serena aren't fully revealed into rather late in the novel, and I appreciated the mystery his character represented. As always with coming-of-age novels (probably the main reason why I like them so much), the characters show a great amount of growth throughout the story.

Also, the storytelling is fantastic. Nothing is cut-and-dry, there are plenty of surprises and twists to keep you flipping the pages and wanting more answers. I don't think The Amethyst Road has enough action to be considered a true adventure book, but I felt like that's exactly what I was reading. I had a hard time putting the book down once I picked it up, because the stakes were high and I needed to know that everything was going to turn out all right.

There are some problems that I would expect from the first book of an author. Sometimes, we are told things instead of shown them, but they were really minor, especially compared to all the good stuff within this story.

If you can find this, pick it up. It's so worth the read. I'm planning on reading Spiegler's other book, The Jewel and the Key, and I hope she writes more.

Book Review: The Girl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed-Up World by Christine Fonseca

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Title: The Girl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed-Up World
Author: Christine Fonseca
Publisher: Prufrock Press
Expected Publication Date: 1 May 2013
Paperback: 175 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Finding your unique voice in a noisy world can be hard—very hard. But not if you have a great guide! The Girl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed-Up World is a must-read for girls in grades 6–8 as they enter the tumultuous world of adolescence. Packed with fun worksheets and quizzes, as well as stories from older girls and women, The Girl Guide covers everything a teenage girl needs to know on the journey toward her own identity. Proven strategies for dealing with stress management, confronting relational aggression, being safe online, navigating the changing mother-daughter relationship, and more make this the ultimate guide for any girl to get through the teen years and discover her unique point of view in the world.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Christine Fonseca wrote a must have book for raising tweens and teens. As a mother of six children, five girls and one boy, I’m always looking for ways to help my girls navigate this internet savvy, computer-dependent world all the while being true to themselves. The Girl Guide is one of those books that every young lady should be required to read.

I absolutely loved this guide. Let me start with the cover: it’s catchy and relevant, most young ladies will be able to identify with the amazing graphic design. Who wouldn’t like a cool picture with the caption, “I Love Me”?

The Girl Guide is an easy-to-read, profound book that allows teenagers to understand it’s the world that is different, not the teenager. I read the book, then put my thoughts to paper, but I also asked my 13-year-old to read it and give me her opinion. I was not surprised when she finished and said, "Wow, that’s good."

Please understand she was not happy having to write her feelings down, she felt writing her feelings was "homework," but once she started, she really loved looking back to see how she felt at the time. The best part for me was when she said, "We should use this book at our youth group." Yes! I felt validated because I felt our youth group could benefit from reading The Girl Guide.

The pages are fashioned in such a stylish way that it’s easy for young ladies to get more of a diary feel, than that of a book. The creative way the book is displayed is a bonus because my kids don’t really like to read the books I recommend, but this book is “hip” and “trendy” -- more my kids style.

The questions the author poses, sometimes in the form of quizzes, are relevant and written is a non-threatening way so that a young lady will feel as though she is not alone in her thoughts. Each chapter complements the previous one, but also touches on topics pertinent to today’s teenagers ending with the final section, “Putting it into Practice.”

I can’t say enough about this book, except that I highly recommend it. I’m picky about the type of books that I introduce to my kids and I must say, this is one of the superior ones.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.*

Book Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

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Title: The Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Series: Bloodlines, Book 3
Hardcover: 401 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.  

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Richelle Mead does it again! The Indigo Spell is a wonderful story in a series of intoxicating books about vampires. I started reading the Vampire Academy series October 2012, and have read through all of that series. Now that I finished the third book in the Bloodlines series, all I can say is that I’m hooked.

As with every book, there are good and bad points. In the past I had a hard time finding a bad point in the books that I reviewed from Richelle Mead, until now. The Indigo Spell has a great storyline with shocking twists, which make for an awesome book. Yet, as I immersed myself in the book, I was totally annoyed with the struggle between my two favorite characters Sydney Sage and Adrian Ivashkov. Now don’t get me wrong: I love this couple! It was Sydney’s constant, “yes please kiss me, no you should never had kissed me” attitude that nearly drove me insane.

Sydney struggles with her role as Alchemist and her forbidden attraction to Adrian, who is a Moroi Vampire, but again the writing didn’t seem consistent with who Sydney is as an Alchemist. She is a fierce protagonist, who had already helped a Dhampir runaway from jail. She watched Stigoi (evil vampires) being killed, joined allegiance with and was in debt to a notorious Moroi. Sydney even stood up to the Warriors of Light and uncovered a devious plan by another Alchemist. This is the person that we are supposed to believe would complain so much about a forbidden kiss.

The Indigo Spell is a great third installment to a really good series. I was really excited when Sydney stopped whining about using magic and began to kick butt. The magic added a whole different vibe to the storyline. As you can probably tell, I like strong women characters who know what it takes to get the job done. Sydney started out strong in the books Bloodlines, and The Golden Lily, but I was nervous for awhile as to what direction the author was taking the character. In the end, The Indigo Spell finished nicely, but not with the powerful kick that Mead is known for in the Vampire Academy series.

Book Review: Streamline by Jennifer Lane

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Title: Streamline
Author: Jennifer Lane
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Paperback: 460 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He's captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother's crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father's abuse, battered and alone.  

Leo's girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida's top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there's an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder.  

Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything's on the line . . . streamline.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

When I finished Streamline, I immediately marked it as five stars. Jennifer Lane masterfully tackles themes such as physical abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction, anger, murder, cover-up, pregnancy, redemption and forgiveness in a very compassionate way. It’s wonderful how Lane is able to wrap all those themes into a solid book and deliver it in such a way that young adults can relate.

The story is mainly told though the eyes of Leo Scott, a 17-year-old high school swim star who hides and compartmentalizes his emotions. He is the son of Navy Commander Scott, who insists that his son strive for perfection in everything. His mother is disabled and silently allows her husband to physically abuse Leo. While growing up, Leo’s older brother, Jason Scott bore the majority of their father’s abuse, but left home unexpectedly and returns the same way. Leo has a wonderful girlfriend named Audrey, who lives with her mother, but stays alone most nights because her mother works out-of-state and her father is in prison for a murder he does not remember committing.

Commander Scott, or CS as his boys call him, wants to instill discipline in his children and feels that beating them is the only way to do it. I enjoyed hating this man: he personifies everything that I dislike. There were moments when I understood why he felt the need to strive for perfection, but his control was demon-like and I felt creepy just being in his presence.

I love that the author intertwined a murder mystery within the depths of the story. It kept me focused on a larger picture when at times I felt the deep despair within the characters. Although I enjoyed this book, I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. Some days, I couldn’t pick up the book, other days, I couldn’t put it down, but in the end…it was worth the ride.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.*

Book Review: The Loved and the Lost by Lory S. Kaufman

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Title: The Loved and the Lost
Author: Lory S. Kaufman
Series: The Verona Trilogy, Book 3
Publisher: Fiction Studio
Paperback: 332 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

They are three time travelers desperate to return to 14th-century Verona to reclaim their medieval family s shattered lives. It is a mission fraught with danger and the risk of unexpected consequences for themselves and for their worlds. For all three, it is a matter of the heart. For one, though, it is truly the only thing that matters, as the fate of his eternal love and the life of their unborn child is the prize to be won or lost forever. In this, the final book of THE VERONA TRILOGY, Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln go on the boldest adventure of their lives. They will face hardship, tragedy, and threats from sources they couldn't have imagined all in an effort to wrestle a future from the steely grip of an unforgiving past.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

In the third and final book of the Verona Trilogy, author Lory Kaufman astounds me again! The Loved and the Lost is fast-paced, exciting and very hard to put down. I read this book twice in less than a week and will definitely recommend that anyone, middle school and above, read this series!

If you read my other reviews on this trilogy, you will know that I am completely smitten with this series. I love Kaufman’s writing style. The storyline is interesting and unique. The details are so true to life that I felt transported back in time. The characters are very well developed but more importantly, the author knows how to captivate an audience.

My favorite types of books are ones that are neatly wrapped up with a happy ending. The thing I enjoyed the most about this trilogy is that although the storyline is wrapped up, the author does it in a unique way so that I was not able to guess the end.

I was so deeply invested with these characters and fell in love with the history, that I didn’t want this series to end. With Kaufman’s writing style, I believe that he could write a series of books covering major historical events that will leave young readers begging for more.

Book Review: The Bronze and the Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman

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Title: The Bronze and the Brimstone
Author: Lory S. Kaufman
Publisher: Fiction Studio
Series: The Verona Trilogy, Book 2
Paperback: 336 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Book #2 of The Verona Trilogy

What could go wrong in the 14th-century for three time-traveling teens How about – EVERYTHING!

Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, three teens from the 24th-century, are trapped in 14th-century Verona, Italy. They’ve survived many deadly experiences by keeping their wits about them and by introducing futuristic technology into the past. Principal among these inventions is the telescope, which brought them to the attention to the rich and powerful.

But standing out can get you into unexpected and dangerous situations. The nobles of Verona now believe Hansum is a savant, a genius inventor, especially after he brings them plans for advanced cannons and black powder. Being the center of attention is great, but the potential for trouble is now exponentially greater because people are watching Hansum’s every move.

Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disasterous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.

Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone.

Do they have a future in this past?

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

*I received this book free from the Fiction Studio as a part of the Pump Up Your Book tour, for my honest review.*

After reading The Lens and the Looker, I couldn't wait to start this book. I must say, I was not disappointed. It was fascinating and true-to-life. I had a hard time putting it down and when I did, I looked forward to the moment I could pick it up again. The author, Lory Kaufman does not let readers down with his brilliant story telling ability and penchant for details. The historical facts are captivating and easy to understand since they are woven into a good story.

The three protagonists, Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, who were known as “hard-cases” because of their behavior were transported back to 14th Century Verona is the first book, The Lens and the Looker.

I felt again as if I were transported back in time. I was inside "Master della Cappa's house" when they ate dinner and toasted to their families’ good fortune. I sympathized, agonized, and schemed with Hansum. I rooted, cheered, and cried for Guillete. I loved and hated Ugliano. I appreciated, supported, and kicked-butt with Shamira but mostly I laughed and felt "zippy" with Lincoln.

When calamity ensued, I wanted to run and hide. The dark days in Verona felt like dark days to me, because of the minute details that kept me transfixed. Kaufman carefully allows the readers to understand the depth and the bond of each character through their suffering and triumphs. It’s wonderful to watch each character mature as they take on their individual responsibilities and learn that family means everything. 

The Bronze and the Brimstone has something to offer everyone from middle school and up. I would definitely put it on the “must-read” list.

Audiobook Review: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar

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Title: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
Author: David Lubar
Narrators: Ryan MacConnell, Daniel Bostick, Bruce Coville, and others
Publisher: Full Cast Audio
Edition: Unabridged
Duration: 6 hours, 57 minutes
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Starting high school is never easy. Seniors take your lunch money. Girls you've known forever are suddenly beautiful and unattainable. And you can never get enough sleep. Could there be a worse time for Scott's mother to announce she's pregnant? Scott decides high school would be a lot less overwhelming if it came with a survival manual, so he begins to write down tips for his new sibling. Meanwhile, he's trying his best to capture the attention of Julia, the freshman goddess. In the process, Scott manages to become involved in nearly everything the school has to offer. So while he tries to find his place in the confusing world of high school, win Julia's heart, and keep his sanity, Scott will be recording all the details for his sibling's- and your- enjoyment.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Scott is a high school freshman who has just learned his mother is pregnant. He's also a high school freshman, and he details his life in a sort of how-to-survive-life narrative aimed at his future sibling. Dealing with moving past old friendships, making new friends, and romantic relationships, Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie covers a lot of ground.
I enjoyed this book and think it has something nice to offer teens. It's not anything particularly original, but it's entertaining and interesting. Scott, the main character, is definitely unique, however, in that he loves books and reading and tries hard to share that passion with his friends and family.

As an English language nerd, I loved the wordplay threaded throughout the narrative. I thought that it was clever and interesting, and definitely added to Scott's character. As someone who loves English, it makes sense that Scott would play with point of view, puns, metaphors, etc. when writing these letters/diary entries, and it's obvious that Lubar had a lot of fun with it. Sometimes, it's the little details that count, and this aspect of the story really helped me connect with Scott and envision him as a real person instead of a character.

There were a few problems I had with this novel. For one, it was way too simplistic. I didn't at all agree with the way that suicide is handled here. As a real issue, I think that when it's brought up in a novel, it should be taken seriously. I don't mean that it should be the sole focus of the novel, but it should be handled with care and with full knowledge of the issue. Instead, it was more of a passing thing that I felt was only done to give Scott yet another conflict to deal with, and something less serious could have worked just as well. I don't think that it was handled realistically at all.

Also, this is nitpicky, but why does Scott just give the seniors his lunch money? Because they're bigger? I didn't get this at all, and maybe my high school experience was vastly different from other people's, but this definitely wasn't a problem at my school.

The narration is fantastic, as is to be expected in a Full Cast Audio production. (Seriously, I've never listened to Full Cast Audio that I haven't liked.) Ryan MacConnell does an excellent job in portraying the somewhat-dorky Scott and I loved the rest of the characters. Some of the music seems out of place -- I'm not sure why they picked jazz soundtracks to pair with this novel -- but the voice actors themselves are excellent.

In the end, I liked the overall message against stereotyping. Scott is a hilarious, down-to-earth character who will charm readers, and the book has a hopeful view of high school life that will both entertain teens and teach them valuable lessons.

Book Review: The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman

Title: The Lens and the Looker
Author: Lory S. Kaufman
Publisher: Fiction Studio
Series: The Verona Trilogy, Book 1
Paperback: 336 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences (A.I.s), have finally created the perfect post-dystopian society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan. 

In this first of a trilogy, we meet three spoiled teens in the year 2347. Hansum almost 17, is good looking and athletic. Shamira, 15, is sassy, independent and an artistic genius. Lincoln, 14, is the smart-aleck. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find his insecurities. 

These three “hard cases” refuse the valuable lessons History Camps teach. But when they are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy, they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die. The dangers are many, their enemies are powerful, and safety is a long way away. It’s hardly the ideal environment to fall in love – but that’s exactly what happens. In an attempt to survive, the trio risks introducing technology from the future. It could save them – or it could change history.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

The Lens and the Looker is a very interesting, creatively written and detail-oriented story. The author delivers a wonderful, well thought-out original storyline about three trouble-making youths in the 24th century who are sent to History Camp for rehabilitation. These youths, who are known as hard cases, are ultimately sent to 14th century Italy, where they learn to live without the luxuries they always took for granted.

In the beginning of the book, I struggled to understand the behavior of the three protagonists since there was very little background to glean from. Yet, as the story evolved, I grew to appreciate and love what each character offered. I have to say, my favorite character is Shamira because she is quiet, observes the world around her, and transforms it onto paper as a portrait.

I was mesmerized with the author’s description of Verona in 1347. I felt as though I were transported back in time. This book was so carefully crafted that it was easy to engulf oneself into the characters. When the family ate rations, I felt their hunger. When the family ate plenty, I felt their joy. I really thought this was a wonderful book. I had a hard time putting the book down once I got invested in the storyline.

*I received this book free from the Fiction Studio as a part of the Pump Up Your Book tour, for my honest review.*

Book Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

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Title: Vampire Academy
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Series: Vampire Academy, Book 1
Paperback: 332 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger... 

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

I must say, “I never in a million years thought I would be writing a review about Vampires.” When a friend suggested that I read Vampire Academy I laughed at her. Having never read anything in this genre, I wasn’t in a hurry to start. She handed me her copy and said just try. I reluctantly agreed knowing that I would never be interested in it. The first chapter seemed a little weird to me, as I tried to understand what was happening between Rose and Lissa. The spirit dream confused the heck out of me and when Lissa fed off Rose I thought I was going to be nauseated. But I really liked Richelle Meade’s writing style, so I continued reading. It wasn’t until Rose and Lissa arrived back at the Academy that I found myself actually enjoying the book.

I was intrigued by the whole concept of there being two types of Vampires; Moroi, who are the good vampires, and Stigoi, who are the bad. There is also a group called Dhampirs, who protect the Moroi and they are half Moroi and half human. St Vladimir Academy is a special school for Dhampirs to learn to protect Moroi. Rose, the protagonist of the book, is a Dhampir who ran away from St Vladmir Academy to protect Lissa, a Moroi, from an unknown enemy. The guardians at St Vladmir Academy found Rose and Lissa, secretly living among humans and returned them to the Academy. While at the Academy, Rose practiced training skills with Dimitri Belikov. It was this intense training along with Rose's quick response that would ultimately make her one of the best guardians. The concept of good versus evil has always been the cornerstone of my favorite types of books, so I was hooked to learn that even vampires have a code of ethics.

All the characters were enjoyable, but I have to say Rose, was my favorite. What I found fascinating about her was although she had a lot of emotional problems that played out in her personal life, starting with her thoughts that every male wanted to be with her, she had a strong sense of duty to protect Lissa, keeping her extremely focused. Lissa, being a spirit using Moroi, had saved Rose from death and in doing so created a supernatural bond between the two of them. Rose could read Lissa's thoughts and sense when she was in danger. Because Rose and Lissa had run away from St Vladmir Academy for over a year, Rose was behind in her training. As punishment she had to train extra hours with Guardian Belikov, who I can only imagine by his description to be likened to that of a Greek god, but only Russian. Personally, one could only hope for some one-on-one training with this Russian god. This was a fantastic storyline with many twists that kept me rooting for Rose and Dimitri even though guardians could not date each other.

Richelle Mead's writing style made reading this book not only enjoyable, but one of my favorite recommendations for young adults. This book has a kick-butt storyline, great characters, great plot, but more importantly Richelle Mead constantly interjects the back story, throughout the book, so I didn't have to put much thought into remembering how each character relates.

Book Review: The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan

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Title: The Twisted Window

Author: Lois Duncan
Publisher: Open Road Young Readers
Ebook: 184 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

High school junior Tracy Lloyd is unsure about the new guy in school. Brad Johnson is attractive, smart, and polite, but Tracy can’t help but feel he watches her too closely. Then one day Brad confides in Tracy a horrible secret: His little sister Mindy has been kidnapped by his stepfather, and he needs Tracy’s help to get her back. But even as Tracy commits to a plan to help her vulnerable new friend, details emerge that suggest nothing is what it seems.  

The Twisted Window is a zigzagging thriller that keeps readers guessing up until the final page. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lois Duncan including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 

The Twisted Window is a story about Brad Johnson and Tracy Lloyd. Brad has traveled to Texas from New Mexico in order to track down his baby sister Mindy, who has been kidnapped by his stepfather. Enrolling Tracy in his plan to get her back and bring her home, the two teenagers come together to help Brad's family become reunited.

The beginning was strange for me, with Brad looking over girls in a high school to find "the right one" for his plan. However, after all that was over, I was automatically interested in his story. The main theme of the book is about relationships between families, and I quickly got sucked into the characters' lives and their family troubles. Tracy, especially, has an interesting background and her relationship with her relatives play quite a big role in framing what happens throughout the story.

The main characters' stories were what got me through this book -- much of the plot was over-the-top. I was more frustrated with the side characters than anything. I can't say much at risk of revealing the big twist, but I'm not sure how Brad actually gets the opportunity to kidnap his sister. A lot of the major plot points had issues in believability for me, which kind of turned me off the whole story. I do recommend The Twisted Window more for middle-grade readers than for older people. It is too undeveloped to be a very satisfying read to most adults and even older teenagers. There are a lot of unresolved issues at the end, especially in regards to Tracy and her relationship with her aunt, uncle, and father.

This particular edition has some edits made to help it fit in with the newer generation (the use of cell phones and other updated technology). Overall, these worked great, but there was one time where the CD player suddenly became a cassette player.

However, the twist at the end is very good. I didn't start suspecting that something like that was coming until quite late in the book, so it was a nice surprise. Overall, it's a fast read and great if you're looking for a quick suspenseful story.

*I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Book Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Title: Wintergirls

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Hardcover: 278 pages

Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame. 

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit. 

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Lia has her share of problems. Her parents are divorced, her mom is a workaholic and her dad has remarried. To top it off, she has issues with her image and her family situation does not make that any better. This book starts off when she learns that Cassie, her estranged best friend who suffered from bulimia, has died. Though she tries not to show it, this is very upsetting to Lia. Lia tries to find out the circumstances of Cassie's death while trying to hide her own relapse of anorexia from her family.

I really liked the way this was written. Though this story is told from Lia's perspective, the writing is structured so that we are able to see both how she wants to feel and how she really feels. This is done through something as simple as having Lia's true feelings crossed out like this, followed with how Lia is trying to force herself to feel. Though a simple technique, I think it works really well and is unique enough to be kind of risky. But the risk paid off because due to this, I was able to get a better sense of who Lia is and what problems she's going through.

I also loved the way Anderson portrays the characters. Wintergirls shows that one person's problem creates problems for the whole family. Lia has a fantastic relationship with her younger sister, Emma. The kind, caring way she takes care of Emma helped me to connect with her and see that she had her good moments while she was suffering from anorexia. Adding in Cassie's ghost and Lia's search for answers was a definite plus; it gave the book a horror/gothic/mystery sort of feel while still dealing with real-world issues.

Anderson also has the amazing ability to write about dark subjects without making them overpoweringly painful to read. Wintergirls is convincing and doesn't gloss over the negative effects of eating disorders, but there are still some happy moments in there -- moments when you almost forget that Lia is anorexic. These usually happen when she's interacting with someone she cares about, such as Emma. This brings an element of levity to the novel that balances nicely with all the issues that are going on. I appreciated that.

Anorexia is not a topic to joke about -- many individuals and families struggle with this every day. I think this is a good read and would recommend it. I can definitely see this being studied in schools and think that this topic should be studied a little bit more.

Audiobook Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

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Title: Anna Dressed in Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Narrator: August Ross
Publisher: AudioGo
Duration: 8 hours, 43 minutes
Edition: Unabridged
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story... 

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead. 

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay. 

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home. 

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Anna Dressed in Blood is a fun ghost story about a guy who kills ghosts and a ghost who kills people. Strangely, they end up sort of liking each other. Cas is a ghost hunter, like his father before him. He is intent on gaining enough skill and expertise so that he can track down the ghost who killed his father and take revenge. He moves to a new town  with his mother, determined to find Anna and send her off to the afterlife. In the process, he makes friends, people get killed, and Cas realizes that Anna's situation isn't as straightforward as it seems -- and neither are the weird events that keep happening around him.

I haven't read a good ghost story in awhile, so I enjoyed this book. I like how Blake brings together ghost hunting and witch elements. She does this so well, that I kind of hope she brings more paranormal stuff into the sequel. There are also incredibly gory kill scenes that every good ghost story should have. The plot didn't drag, which I was really grateful for. Everything felt like it moved along fairly quickly and I wasn't bored for a second.

But there were definitely predictable moments. All of the side characters are worked from stereotypes and they don't have much complexity to them -- add that to the not-so-subtle clues that something weird is going with Cas, and it doesn't have to do with hunting for Anna, and you've got an ending that's pretty easy to figure out. With that said, I still think it's worth a read. I enjoyed the idea of the story and thought that Cas's background was interesting -- not to mention the whole cool ghost-hunting thing.

However, while the story is fun and enjoyable, I don't recommend the audiobook. The narration sounded very stilted to me -- it almost seemed as if words were taken from different clips and pieced together to form the story, because the expression and emphasis rarely matched what was going on in the story. Considering that this is also a first person narration, I expected a lot more energy and personality. I was frustrated by this and found it hard to connect with the characters and the story because of the narration. If you're going to read this at all, definitely go for print.

If you're into ghost stories, definitely pick this one up. It does have its gory moments, but it's an interesting look at ghost hunting and, while predictable, kept me interested the whole time. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Audiobook Review: The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau

Title: The Prophet of Yonwood

Author: Jeanne DuPrau

Narrator: Becky Ann Baker

Publisher: Listening Library

Edition: Unabridged

Series: Ember, Book 3
Duration: 6 hours, 19 minutes
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly. . . .  

 As the people of Yonwood scramble to make sense of the woman’s mysterious utterances, Nickie explores the oddities she finds around town—her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals and papers, a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes—all while keeping an eye out for ways to help the world. Is this vision her chance? Or is it already too late to avoid a devastating war?

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5
I haven't been much of a fan of the other books in the Ember series; as far as children's books go, they're okay. However, even for children's books I find them too simplistic and the characters too stereotypical. The same holds true for The Prophet of Yonwood. I was able to get through this book, because it wasn't Nickie that bothered me; it was all the adults. I know that children's books often put adults in the background, which can seem strange, but I hate it when they make the adults look stupid and clueless. I couldn't believe that the village followed Brenda Beeson, when she was obviously discriminating against people and taking control of the town. To some extent, this would have been believable, but most everyone followed this lady's every word. To put it simply, it drove me crazy.

The Prophet of Yonwood is the prequel to the Ember series, before the City of Ember has been created. A woman named Althea sees the apocalyptic future and pretty much goes crazy. As she rants, the villagers take her words as what they need to do to prevent doomsday. This includes a bunch of restrictions such as no dancing and no music that eventually escalates into there being a restriction against having dogs. Nickie takes things into her own hands at that point and tries to both get her dog back and understand why the prophet Althea would forbid dogs.

Like I said, the characters were all stereotypical and the adults were simply stupid. They were sheep being herded around by Brenda's crazy proclamations. Nickie's aunt is clueless throughout the entire novel, to the point where she doesn't even realize that another person and a dog is living in her house for quite some time. I also thought the ending was a bit too glossed-over happy. It ends with Nickie being an old woman going down into the city of Ember. No mention of her kids, which I was curious about. And there's only one reason (and not a very good one, I think) that is mentioned for why she is allowed to go to the city. As an old woman, and since they have limited supplies and room, I wanted there to be some sort of special reason Nickie is allowed into the city -- some sort of area of expertise or something. But none of that information was given.

The narration was average. While I didn't hate the audiobook, I don't feel like Baker truly brought it to life. She did the normal things like change voices for each character, which I admit was well done, but other than that, there was nothing outstanding about the narration. Like the previous book, The People of Sparks, this one had sound effects, and I disliked them for the most part. At times they enhanced the story, but they were mostly distracting.

If you're reaching for books to get your kid to read, and they seem to like dystopias, I think this series would be appropriate. It's at an easy reading level, and kids might enjoy it a little bit more. However, I don't think that it's a timeless children classic or even a good children's series. It's okay. Adults might not get much enjoyment out of it, although I will admit that the previous two novels are much better than this book.

Book Review: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer

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Title: The Atlantis Complex
Author: Eoin Colfer
Publisher: Hyperion
Series: Artemis Fowl, book 7
Hardcover: 357 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Artemis Fowl has lost his mind...just when the world needs him most.

Artemis has committed his entire fortune to a project he believes will save the planet and its inhabitants, both human and fairy. Can it be true? Has goodness taken hold of the world’s greatest teenage criminal mastermind?

Captain Holly Short is unconvinced, and discovers that Artemis is suffering from Atlantis Complex, a psychosis common among guilt-ridden fairies -- not humans -- and most likely triggered by Artemis’s dabbling with fairy magic. Symptoms include obsessive-compulsive behavior, paranoia, multiple personality disorder and, in extreme cases, embarrassing professions of love to a certain feisty LEPrecon fairy.

Unfortunately, Atlantis Complex has struck at the worst possible time. A deadly foe from Holly’s past is intent on destroying the actual city of Atlantis. Can Artemis escape the confines of his mind -- and the grips of a giant squid -- in time to save the underwater metropolis and its fairy inhabitants?

Overall Rating: 4/5


I have to preface this by saying that I am extremely partial to child/teenage genius stories. Add in some fairies and magic, and this is pretty much the coolest series EVER. The last book, The Time Paradox, was by far my favorite in the series, so as always with a series that goes past 4 books, let alone 6, I was worried by adding yet another one. I know it won't be for everyone -- my sister, who is also a Fowl fan, didn't like this book at all, but I really enjoyed it.

With all the guilt of his past crimes and the exposure to fairy magic, Artemis is finally beginning to lose his mind. He has what is called the Atlantis Complex, which gives him OCD, excessive paranoia, and a multiple personality disorder, among other things. So when he and a committee of important fairy members are attacked during a demonstration of an invention that Artemis believes will save the world, Holly and Foaly must step up and figure out what is going on.

The first few chapters are a bit slow, but I ended up really liking it. Lots of action and drama. Butler and Juliet almost get beaten to death by a crowd of wrestling fans, Artemis goes crazy and reveals another personality -- Orion, and Foaly's space explorer bots start attacking a fairy committee. And that's before the halfway point! We get to see old friends (Mulch!), meet a couple of awesome new villains, and are introduced to some awesome new fairy gadgets. And I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that this follows a new villain, and not Opal. The new villain is Julius's Root's evil brother, so it gives us a bit more background on Holly and Julius, which I enjoyed.

The crafting is also genius. This must have been a hard book to write, due to Artemis's failing mental faculties, but Colfer does a great job. Artemis hates the number four, and tries to group everything in fives. If you do a word count on his dialogue, you'll see he he speaks in multiples of five (kudos to Colfer for keeping such an attention to detail!).

Colfer really upped the stakes in this one. Sure, things have been really bad before, but Artemis has always been able to rely on his  mind. Now, they're facing a master criminal and Artemis doesn't even have that to rely on anymore. It makes the other characters have to become a bit tougher, and Artemis become a bit more humanized. I don't want to hint at what the ending is, but I thought it was perfect. Even half-insane, Artemis is a smarty-pants.

*I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Audiobook Review: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

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Title: The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton
Narrator: Jim Fyfe
Publisher: Listening Library
Edition: Unabridged
Duration: 5 hours, 27 minutes
Summary: (taken from Overdrive)

Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But no on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect - until the night someone takes things too far.

Overall Rating: 4/5

My favorite stories are ones about friendship and family. Those are two things that everyone can relate to, no matter what decade or place they may be in. Ultimately, that's what The Outsiders is about.

Ponyboy is just trying to find his place in the world. While the people who make up his family and friends are outsiders, he feels like an outsider himself. Unlike his "greaser" pals, he gets good grades and likes to read and watch sunsets. But he doesn't fit in with the other group either, since he's poor and lives a rough sort of life. The Outsiders is about Ponyboy realizing what's important to him in life. After going through some tough situations, he eventually comes to understand and appreciate his family and friends in a way he had never been able to before.

While this book has some action, it's mostly character-driven, which is what I like about it. Even though it's short, the characters are perfectly depicted, and you get to know a lot about them. I found myself relating to every single one of them and caring a lot for them by the end.

I can't even begin to tell you how awesome Jim Fyfe's narration is. While it's important that each character has his or her own voice, some of them tend to get weird if there are too many characters. Every different voice completely fits the character being portrayed. I was never confused as to who was speaking. Better yet, Fyfe isn't afraid to take his time with the narration. If the situation calls for the character to speak a slow drawl, or for the action to be taken down, he slows down the pace.

The Outsiders is such a good story, and the audiobook is well made so that I don't think it really matters which format you read it in. Hard copy works just as well as the audiobook. Either way, read it! It's intense, touching, heartfelt, and a truly great story.

 New motto for life: Stay gold.

Book Review: Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

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Title: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Publisher: Hyperion
Series: Blue Bloods, Book 1
Paperback: 336 pages
Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.

The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

Overall Rating: 4/5

I'm always up for a vampire novel, and I think Blue Bloods holds its own in the genre. This was a re-read for me, but it was still great. The idea is extremely creative and original, which is something I always look for. I like the idea of vampire reincarnation, and the connection to Plymouth and the last colony of Roanoke. For American history geeks like me, that's a huge plus. And instead of being filled with romance and angst right away (I know this comes in later books, though), this first book has a well-laid plot with intriguing mysteries.

There are some problems with this book. It does a lot of "telling" instead of showing; I wasn't ever wondering about the characters' thoughts and motivations, because it was all spelled out for me. I was also annoyed by all the designer/brand references. After the first dozen, I understood that they were rich and didn't need anything more. However, these are minor issues, I think. The story is good enough to counteract these problems, and I know the writing definitely improves later in the series.

I love the relationship between Schuyler and Oliver. They're kind of the perfect friends, and I like seeing them in more innocent times before all the big events have changed them. In fact, I enjoyed seeing all of the characters. They are all so different from where we are currently in the series, which just shows how great Melissa de la Cruz is at putting her characters in tough situations and making them grow.

Even though I've read all the books and am just waiting for the last one to be released (*excited squeal*) I still felt that rush of needing to know what happens next. Great characters, beautifully crafted story, and a lot of excitement. You can't go wrong with this book.

Book Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

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Title: Pushing the Limits

Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Hardcover: 384 pages
Expected Publication: July 31, 2012
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked. 

So wrong for each other...and yet so right. 

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again

Overall Rating: 4/5 


A book about two troubled teens trying to work through their issues and figure out their futures? Yes, please. Pushing the Limits is filled with drama, serious issues, and some very touching moments. Dealing with themes such as friendship and family, this is something that I think everyone can relate to.

What Katie McGarry does is perfectly set up a situation with two characters that are impossible not to like. Told from both of their perspectives, I rooted for Echo and Noah from the very beginning (individually and as a couple). What I liked about them is that they are two responsible teenagers in very bad situations. These weren't even situations they brought upon themselves, but things that just happened and made a major impact on their lives, forcing them to deal with horrible things. I hate when authors portray teenagers as shallow and whiny; McGarry gives her characters something real to be troubled about and has them fight for what they want instead of sulking in their misery.

And my goodness, does McGarry know how to craft an un-put-downable story! Don't even try to stop reading at the end of a chapter, because it won't happen. I would promise myself to only read a few chapters, only to find a few hours later that I've read a quarter of the book. It's a fast read that goes by even faster, because you won't want to stop reading. The characters sucked me in, and I found myself always needing to know what happened next.

There were some problems with this novel. For one, the adults didn't seem very realistic to me. They were too over-the-top, not willing to listen to the teenagers or talk the problems out with them. While I'm sure this happens, I would have liked there to be a better balance. For most of the novel, it seems like the only two adults that really care are the therapist, Mrs. Collins, and Echo's former art teacher. Also, the connection between Echo and Noah got too strong too fast. I did like that the relationship took some time to develop, but it only took a couple of short meetings for Noah to start obsess about Echo. And there are some incredibly cheesy moments, but they are interspersed with some really sweet ones, so there is a balance, at least.

Because of those problems, though, I had a hard time deciding what to rate this novel. While I was bothered by some things, I liked the characters, the themes, and how nicely the story unfolded. What it came down to was the fact that I enjoyed every second of reading Pushing the Limits, and I couldn't put it down. In the end, that's all that matters for me.

*I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Other Reviews
Miss Remmers' Reviews - 4.5/5
Reading under the Willow Tree - 2.5/5
Ladybug Storytime - Positive review

Audiobook Review: The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

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Title: The Prince of Mist
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Narrator: Jonathan Davis
Duration: 5 hours 6 minutes
Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret . . .

It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.

With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist— a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends will find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever.

Overall Rating: 3/5

This book isn't bad. It's certainly very creepy and the storyline was enough to keep me wanting to know more. However, readers (or listeners!) should be aware that this is no Shadow of the Wind. You can definitely tell that this is his first book. The setting is somewhat vague and there are far too many coincidences in the book. Max's parents just happen to be gone for most of the novel, and of course that's exactly when trouble arises. I think it would have been much more interesting if they had been there, but that's just me. Also, there are a lot of issues left unresolved and many points in the story when I was confused because things just weren't explained very well.

However, it is undoubtedly a creepy, chilling book. With evil clowns, clocks and watches that freak out and start going backwards, a haunted garden, and a sunken ship, there are plenty of things to give you a chill. The storyline is also interesting and I liked the characters. I didn't relate to them as completely as I could have, but I did relate to them. There is also a lot of mystery involved, and I was certainly surprised when a certain mystery was revealed (I'm not telling!).

I've mentioned before that I don't like music in my audiobooks. This one wasn't too bad. I felt better about the music because it's mentioned that the author himself composed and performed it. However, the sound effects (yes, sound effects!) were a bit too much. Some people may like it, but it's just not for me. When the narrator mentions the door opening, I don't need the sound of an opening door to amplify the words -- it kind of interrupts the story, in my opinion. However, Jonathan Davis is a BRILLIANT narrator and I would gladly listen to another book narrated by him.

Conclusion: It's an okay book. Not a necessary read, but one that's fairly enjoyable.