THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - September 18th, 2012
Synopsis: Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."

When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

This is going to be an ultra-short review. 

I can figure out if I don't like a book within the first 30 pages most of the time, and this, sadly, didn't float my boat.

I was excited about giving the story a go because of the positive reviews covering her previous books like GOING BOVINE or BEAUTY QUEENS. This, tacked onto the fact that I absolutely adore the 1920's. Also, throw some magic, and you've got me hooked. 

I did like the classic story of a main character having to go and stay with their eccentric uncle, and believed that, having heard of the fun and strange ways Ms. Bray writes, she would be able to spin the story into literary gold. And maybe she did, but I didn't stay in long enough to find out. The reason I set the book down was the dialogue and characters. I was so annoyed by how purely cliche they all acted and spoke. I could hear their annoying and oh-so-typical Roaring Twenties accents in my head. I couldn't stand it, in fact. So that's why I sat it down. 

I'm an insanely harsh reviewer, I know, and so for that I can still recommend this, because I know a lot of people really liked it, and, even from what little I read, I could tell the story would be a lot of fun. It's just that this is another one of those books where, if turned into a movie, I'd see it in a heartbeat, but the way it's presented on the page now isn't for me.

Another instance where this "I'd-see-it-if-it-was-a-movie" thing happened is with BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (you can read my review here), two trailers of which have just come out, and both look fantastic, yet still filled with enough cheesiness to win the swoony romance fans over!

And the other one, which shows more footage:

GAHHHHHH! They look fantastic and so much fun! And may I just gush for a moment about their using Florence + the Machine's "Seven Devils"! :DDDD

See ya!

-Aaron

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

January 10th, 2012 - Dutton Juvenile
Synopsis: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

OMG, I finally read it. This book has been sitting on my shelf for months, and everyone's been like...

'AMAZON.COM GIVES IT 5 FULL STARS!' Yeah, all that jazz. I mean, to not like this book would be a readerly sin, so, you know, going in I kind of knew I was going to adore it with all my heart and soul, and I was going to fawn over Augustus Waters like an obese man over funnel cake..... Right?

...No.

I didn't like this, and that is a very large surprise, if you can't guess. You're probably thinking I didn't like it because I used all the hype and praise as framework for my mindset going in, and, only because it didn't meet the standards punched in by every other blogger's gloriously gushful post. But I actually don't care much about praise when reading a book, though hearing a recommendation may get me to read it. 

But I just didn't like this book, alone, by itself, all praise pushed to the side. 

Things I didn't like:

One of the biggest things for me was that the main characters, Hazel and Augustus, both just kind of wander through most of the book, without a goal. This is a HUGE thing, that characters always have a goal, and the fact that they mostly kind of went along through life annoyed me. 

I didn't like how overly-philosophical they got at times. I mean, there were times I could suspend my disbelief and go with the flow if the scene was cute, or the dialogue witty, but many times I found myself thinking, God, he didn't just push the envelope here-he kicked the freaking thing. This is over the top, sky-high, through the heavens ridiculous.

Some scenes between their romance was also just...completely over the top. I don't want to spoil anything, but the dinner scene (though I enjoyed the "stars in the bottle") was purely too self-indulgent.

I felt that all of the "revealing secrets" scenes kind of fell flat. I mean, while reading them, I got the sense that Mr. Green wanted the reader to be like, "Oh! So that's why that was that, and that was this, and it all makes sense because the character has said this now!" but most of the time, I just kind of stared at the page thinking either, Well that was kind of stupid, or, How in the world did you not see that coming? That was, like, super obvious.

I didn't like the ending lines, because people only repeat their words when your companions first reply is, "Wait, sorry, the music's too loud-can you say that again?"

This is a really very tiny small thing, but it really annoyed me, because I was so weirded out by it: How much did Hazel's father cry? I mean, she even made a point of mentioning it once or twice, but even then, it was very strange. I honestly don't know any teenage girls that cry that much, and especially not any grown men. 

Things I liked:

The gas-station scene was a very sweet and short moment, and it was probably the only part I can't criticize in some manner, but I love it to pieces. If I could poke a hole in that scene and blow it up like a balloon so it filled up an empty book jacket, it'd be a wonderful book, and I'd read it.

I don't know what to think. I talked to my best friend, who loved it, about my thoughts, and he even told me it was weird I didn't like it, and I kind of agree. Maybe I was in a funk while reading, although I didn't feel like it. Like I said, I don't know. I'll probably re-read it in a few weeks, and I'll post if my thoughts are changed. But for now, buh-bye, fine human specimens.

-Aaron

I'm back!: LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green

December 26th, 2006 - Speak
Synopsis: Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.

I'm back, my children! Hehe. 

Sorry for the hiatus, but for a while I wasn't reading anything, and I kind of lost my drive for blogging, but I'm starting up again! Oh, happy day!

So I'm reviewing John Green's LOOKING FOR ALASKA today.

This was my first John Green novel, and so I knew I was in for a ride, having heard all of the wonderful praise of fans and critics, etc. It began smoothly, although I didn't actually like the opening scene-I found how Pudge spoke so openly to his parents kind of strange. But I brushed it aside, thinking that he's probably closer to them because he's an only child. 

I continued. 

He arrives at Culver Creek, and as Mr. Green introduces more characters, and eventually the *swoon* wonderful Alaska, I knew I was in the hands of a writing angel. How did this man, I wondered, who's an adult, write this book about teenagers so well!?

My mind was full of questions like that-ecstatic ones which ended in three interrobangs. I sent all of these questions about how he captured teenage anxiety so well, and the feeling of a crush so well out into the cosmic void without a reply, sadly. GOD. HE'S SO FREAKING GOOD WITH THOSE CHARACTERS AND THEIR EMOTIONS!!! GAHHH!

But not only that, but these characters weren't just stressed out all the time and moping. No, that wouldn't be realistic. These characters were funny.

O. M. G.

I laughed so freaking hard while reading this.

Like seriously.

Then, on top of that, John Green has an amazing plot. The way these characters react, and do things, and the ways in which other characters react to these reactions builds a totally believable plot together of love, loss, and terrible happiness.

I felt as if I were watching Before Sunrise (which if you haven't seen, it is a freaking amazing movie, and you should go buy it and watch it before even finishing this post!), which is about two people falling in love in one day as they walk around and talk, despite knowing that they could maybe let it work out for a few months, but would eventually smother each other. That's how Alaska and Pudge's relationship was: they'd flirt, and you cheered them on, because you wanted her to liberate him from his small spirit, and him to calm down her insanely wild one, but you just knew they wouldn't work out if they got together, and so the story goes on, with all of this emotional conflict.

And, although he grew as he went along, Pudge was so mean to himself, telling himself he could never be worth a great girl like her, that he wasn't hot enough or anything, and I wanted to be like...

*Sigh*. So freaking good.

My favorite part of it all was just how accurately teens were portrayed in this. They were good people, who occasionally did naughty things, and who, when speaking amongst each other, cussed freely. It was filthy, but it was redemptive at the same time, which I really liked, because I hate when people in books do something crazy and ridiculous and reckless, but they're just like, "Whatever. Haha. Lolzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz." And I'm all, "No. That's stupid, you stupid person."

It's actually funny, because I read all of the "naughty" scenes while in the worst situations. For instance, they would say the most 'F' words while I sat reading two feet from my mom, or I'd be reading a scene where they drink and smoke, and my brother would be playing Christian music in the other room, or (and this is my favorite one) I read "The Scene"-yes, that one-while sitting in church. It was before church had started, mind you.

But seriously, I had all of these moments where I was like...

And...

MY GOD. IT WAS JUST SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

SO GOOD. 

To sum it all up, I only have one last thing to say: Mr. John Green...

See ya,

-Aaron

MARKED (HOUSE OF NIGHT SERIES #1) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

September 9th, 2009 - St. Martin's Press

Synopsis: Enter the dark, magical world of the House of Night, a world very much like our own, except here vampyres have always existed.

One minute, sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is a normal teenager dealing with everyday high school stress: her cute boyfriend Heath, the school’s star quarterback who suddenly seems more interested in partying than playing ball; her nosy frenemy Kayla, who’s way too concerned with how things are going with Heath; her uber-tough geometry test tomorrow. The next, she’s Marked as a fledgling vampyre, forcing her to leave her ordinary life behind and join the House of Night, a boarding school where she will train to become an adult vampyre. That is, if she makes it through the Change—and not all of those who are Marked do. It sucks to begin a new life, especially away from her friends, and on top of that, Zoey is no average fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. Zoey discovers she has amazing powers, but along with her powers come bloodlust and an unfortunate ability to Imprint with Heath, who just doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer. To add to her stress, she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers: when she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny—with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

One thing I liked about this book was that vampires have always existed in Zoey's world. This was really cool, because it's exactly like ours', except for the whole vampire thing (or "vampyre thing". Whatever.)

Anyway, that sad, that was really the only thing I liked about this book. I mean, it was interesting at times, but I just couldn't get over how annoying Zoey is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHE'S SO STUPID.

First of all, she's so mean to so many people in the book. She throws slanderous remarks towards religious people, celebrities, goths, emos, and many others. I was also annoyed by how ultra-teenager-y she was. She would go off on tirades about peoples' looks, as well as react numbly to things that most people would go, "HOLYCRAPWHATJUSTHAPPENED!?!?!?!" She was just... ugh.

She would also be faced with an action that was very easy to figure out what it meant, and she would just say, "Huh. Whatever. I'm going to go fix my hair, and ignore this amazingly simple occurrence that means huge things to the plot of my life." Things would happen at the vampire school, the House of Night-things that were magical and unique and that never happened to anyone else-and she blew them off as ordinary everyday things.

After closing the book and stopping to think about her actions, I realized that many people would react the way she did if in her shoes. But at the same time, isn't that just bad writing? I mean, isn't the author (or in this case, author*s) supposed to combine realistic reactions, with reactions that advance the story? The characters in stories should make only make realistic choices when they advance the story, and make unrealistic ones when they advance the story. I believe this is how it should go because the reader won't care whether the moves are realistic or unrealistic because the story is moving along at such a good pace.

While there were many cool and interesting scenes, side-characters, and sub-stories, none of them were integral into the main plot arc, which made a story that could have been summed up in 100 pages, stretch past the end of this 300 page book. This book does not get my stamp of approval.

See ya on Friday,
Aaron :)

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkis

August 4th, 2011 - Speak

Synopsis: Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris-until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all . . . including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

First, I'd like to apologize that there were no posts last week. That was because i didn't want to NOW MOVING ON.

So, like all of my book reviews, this is going to pretty short and sweet.

First off, I love romance. I love love. I love sweet things.

But I seriously thought I wasn't going to be able to get into this book. I thought it was going to be so sappy. And for the first few pages-just judging by the writing-I was convinced that I was right. I kept reading though, because the characters and PARIS!!!!!!!!!! were made so interesting.

Then I couldn't stop reading.

The up's! The down's! The wonderful ending that made me smile so hard that I couldn't stop!

This book was as delicious as a Parisian crescent filled with cream and as entertaining as watching a boy with an English accent trying to say "Fo shiz" in an American way. It was hilarious and it was beautifully written. My favorite character was Etienne. Everything he did was just so inviting. But best of all: BRITISH ACCENT!

It definitely wouldn't be as wonderful if it weren't set in such a wonderful city as Paris though. The backdrop for the romance was just wonderful. It made me want to tour the streets. The food was described in such great detail that I had to keep from drooling on the pages, and the cinemas that Anna liked to visit for her movie reviews were very enchanting, and the School of America was just so fantastic in itself.

But above all, it was the love story that won me over. It was like riding a roller coaster getting there, but it just made it more realistic, and the ending more sweet.

I definitely recommend this book, especially to anyone who likes British boys, Paris, or any type of romance.

See ya on Friday!

-Aaron :)

TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY by Jay Asher

October 18th, 2007 - Razorbill

Synopsis: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why. Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself-a truth he never wanted to face.

Thirteen Reasons Why is the gripping, addictive international bestseller that has changed lives the world over. It's an unrelenting modern classic.

Instead of going on some mondo-tirade about why you should read it, with paragraphs and gushing, I'll list thirteen reasons why.

1. You will laugh.

2. You might cry. (I almost did.)

3. The writing is so beautiful, and so real.

4. The turns.

5. You're overcome with billions of different emotions as you read.

6. Even though you already know she's already gone through with suicide, you have hope in the end.

7. The characters: Love them. Hate them. Adore them. Want to bludgeon them.

8. That ENDING!

9. How it doesn't jump between scenes, but is one continual story being told, save for the first and last chapter.

10. You love Clay. He's such a sweetheart, and you feel his pain.

11. Although it's heartbreaking, it's such an amazing look into the mind of a spiraling teen.

12. You had to guess how the next story was going to get possibly worse.

13. Hannah.

See ya on Friday,

-Aaron

p.s. Tickets can now be pre-ordered for THE HUNGER GAMES movie. I love going to midnight showings, so I think I'm going to buy mine soon. Also, to piggyback onto the ticket sales opening, the music video for the Taylor Swift (feat. The Civil Wars) song, "Safe & Sound", which I adore and have listened to a ton of times. I think it's probably going to play in one of the cave scenes... The album has been released, and it's entitled "The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond".

Here's the line-up for the soundtrack, which has been taken from ReadingTeen.net (which is a fantastic review site!):

1. Arcade Fire “Abraham’s Daughter”

2. The Secret Sisters “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder”

3. Neko Case “Nothing To Remember”

4. Taylor Swift “Safe & Sound ft. The Civil Wars”

5. Kid Cudi “The Ruler and The Killer”

6. Punch Brothers “Dark Days”

7. The Decemberists “One Engine”

8. The Carolina Chocolate Drops “Daughter’s Lament”

9. The Civil Wars “Kingdom Come”

10. Glen Hansard “Take The Heartland”

11. Maroon 5 ft. Rozzi Crane “Come Away To The Water”

12. Miranda Lambert “Run Daddy Run ft. Pistol Annies”

13. Jayme Dee “Rules”

14. Taylor Swift “Eyes Open”

15. The Low Anthem “Lover Is Childlike”

16. Birdy “Just A Game”

LEGEND by Marie Lu

November 29th, 2011 - Putnam

Synopsis:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths--until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

I had a B&N gift card from Christmas, and with much decision, I finally purchased this a little while back. It got pushed beneath other books in my TBR pile, and didn't come up until recently, but it finally did.

I've heard so much hype about this, and I was really excited, especially since the author is rep'd by the literary agent Kristin Nelson, whose blog I stalk obsessively, and you should too. So basically, I was happy. I sat down, took the jacket off (I do that because I'm OCD when it comes to books, and so I don't let "le precious" covers get dirty/scratched/pooped on by birds/burned by dragons/etc.), and prepared to read. At first I was like:

It was an off world, where America was a republic, and was severed between east and west. In the east, the good ol' Republic, and in the west, a rebel movement called "the Colonies". Immediately, I was caught by the author's political side to the story (a war torn America where rations of food, water, and electricity are at the bare minimum). But I also thought it was a little ridiculous that this was (yet again) another dystopian where there's a virus ravaging the nation. Now, I'm all for zombie-viruses. I mean, look at Carrie Ryan's THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH series. That's cool and all. But this isn't a zombie novel. It's supposed to be a realistic dystopian. So I was a little ticked with that. But I moved on, because I thought it was going to get better. Just one cliche, right?

Then the perspective moved from Day, the criminal, to this girl, June. I really liked her voice, but I felt that her situation was so cliche, as well. Her parents happened to be killed in a car crash years earlier, and she was getting in trouble at her school, and her uptight, who's super protective, comes to get her. What ensues is his taking her back home, during what seemed like a very forced conversation. It was also, again, cliche. It went something like this:

Older brother: "I was worried sick about you."

June: "It's fine. Come on."

Older brother: "I was at my job that I'm now going to give too much of a detailed name to, so the reader knows where I work and what I do, when I suddenly got a phone call from the school. Why do you keep on getting in trouble."

June: "I'm sorry. I love you. Don't be mad."

It was really annoying.

To give some backstory on how I read, I'll explain.... I swear I was born to be a tough literary agent or editor or something like that, because I'm a tough reader that don't take no crap. If a story/story's writing grabs me in 10 pages, I keep reading. If it doesn't, I put it down. I go until page 30, and if it lets go then, I put it down. I go until page 100, and if it lets go then, I put it down. After that, I don't stop until it's finished, unless it becomes like a STAB-MYSELF-THIS-BOOK-IS-SO-HORRENDOUS book. This book was an exception to my rule because I'd just heard so many good things. I was excited.

But I had to keep forcing myself to read. I read many books at a time, and the story just wasn't grabbing me, nor the writing, and so I went on to other books. I kept reading in short stunts, until I just stopped at around page 100, and realized.....

I really don't like saying bad things about books, especially when the book is a debut, but I really am kind of angry that this book has gotten so much praise. I don't understand it. Liked I said, it was full of cliches, the dialogue felt forced, but there were other things too. There was barely any description of the Republic. There was light grazing of the cityscape, and then there was some description of a school, but there was never any real gripping information about the world they lived in. One tiny tiny tiny thing that also annoyed me, was how June's brother Metias is killed. I think in the book, it says that a knife was thrown at his shoulder... Wait a second. He's supposed to be a BA lieutenant kind of guy for this war-monger society, and he dies from a shoulder wound?

Alright, well, my negative rant is over. Again, I don't like saying mean things about debut books, but I seriously do wonder how in the world it got so much acclaim.

Alright,
See ya on Friday!

-Aaron

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

August 24th, 2010 - Scholastic

I would include the synop, but it has such big spoilers!

Wow.... The series is over for me. There are no more books to read in the world of Panem.... This is an extremely odd feeling.

Because I can't say much about the book without dropping spoilers, I'm going to state some very vague opinions, and then I'm going to write my real, spoiler-filled opinions at the bottom, so if you want to read them, scroll, scroll, scroll!

Well. This book. Was. Different from the rest of the series. Of course, the book was amazing, and, of course, I loved the characters, but I kind of felt that Katniss was a little whiny throughout it all. Towards the end, her whininess felt justified and I actually liked it, because instead of just whining, she was actually in a situation where her cynicism counted, and she had to doubt all possibilities in order to fight.

It was sad. Duh.

Now, anyway, here are my spoiler-filled comments:

WARNING!!****** SPOILERS AHEAD. CAUTION! AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.

OMG. First of all, the book wouldn't have been as good if Prim hadn't died. Or if Finnick lived, or if anybody that died lived. I never actually cried, but got very close when the kids right before her died. I already knew that she was going to die, because friend's had been little bratty spoilers. I also love how fast the ending is. I loved the way that when the second bomb, which kills Prim, goes off in the Capital Circle around President Snow's mansion, it knocks out Katniss, and she basically misses the crescendo of the war. I don't know why, I just really thought that was a great and interesting take on it.

But here are my problems with this book- IT'S SLOW!!!! Sure, stuff happened before they got to the Capitol, but it all happened under the same circumstances and either in District 13, or in some gray ashy battlefield. Nothing interesting really happened until they got to the Capitol, and only then, when they finally set off the first few pods. That's when it got exciting! Travelling between colorful apartment buildings as crazy pods are set off. Running through sewers with a man who can't speak as your only guide. Genetically mutated lizard-things that smell of roses trying to decapitate you! And then the second bomb went off. It was going, going, going. The story was going a 1,000 MPH, and I loved it! And although President Coin needed to die, I thought that the way they just threw Katniss into her old room at the Training Center was boring. And then it gets even more boring as she goes off again as she's sent to live in District 12. Sadness, grief, annoying gray stuff. It's not until the epilogue that it's even interesting again.

I will give this to Suzanne Collins though: That epilogue was so amazing. The last line was the absolutely perfect finale for THE HUNGER GAMES Trilogy. I love the last line:

"But there are much worse games to play."

Well,

See ya tomorrow,

-Aaron

INKHEART + RECKLESS by Cornelia Funke

September 23rd, 2003 - Scholastic

Synopsis: One cruel night, Meggie's father reads aloud from a book called INKHEART-- and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. For only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever.

This is INKHEART--a timeless tale about books, about imagination, about life. Dare to read it aloud.

I'd be pretty surprised if you liked middle grade or YA books, and you didn't know who Cornelia Funke (pronounced "foon-ka"). She's a German children's books writer who always writes this big fantasy stories filled with magic.

In INKHEART, you immediately feel for the characters. You feel for Meggie and her love for books and her father. You completely understand the mom-shaped hole in her heart, despite how wonderful Mo is at being a father. He shares the love of reading-even more intensely. In fact, it's his profession: Travelling places and taking the old books that were once leatherbound beauties and giving them new spines and covers and hinges and heads and tails, and makes them new again.

The story is wonderful, as well. It's filled with so much magic, and every page seems to have some underlying theme enchantments and spells. The guns, the fairies, the writers, the German hideout, the castle, the words, etc. All of it is just fantastic. But I can't help but focusing on Cornelia Funke's writing. In fact, all of her books have this really descriptive (but not overly descriptive) flowy writing that could be read at a poetry club meeting, but this series specifically is re-enforced with extra prose-beauty. I think it's because these books are about the power of words and stories, and so she decided to hone in on that. Also, if you're not one for flowy writing, at least take a look at the beginning of each chapter, where she starts it off with a great quote from classics like THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

Really, this is a classic. You should definitely read it if you haven't already.

_________________________________

September 14th, 2010 - Little Brown

Synopsis: Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father's abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He's also made many enemies and allies--most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on.

But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob's younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl--a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone.

Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell--before it's too late.

This book is very different from every book I've ever ever ever ever read. It's just so different. It's really amazing though. I felt like I was reading an insanely beautifully written screenplay for a Tim Burton film. It was exactly like a Tim Burton film: An enchanting fairy tale with mind-bendingly dark twists. One thing I typically don't like in books is when it says, "This person has this happen to them" in the jacket flap, and then you already know what's going to happen, so you have to wait for, like, 50 pages for it to happen, and when it finally does happen, it's really drawn out.

Well, Mrs. Funke doesn't do that.

She literally goes like this:

Prologue-Young, sad Jacob discovering mirror-world for first time. He decides to keep it a secret and start exploring.

Chapter One-For about a paragraph it's explained that Jacob's a treasure hunter (btw, he ain't no average Indian Jones-he goes for enchanted roses, magic handkerchiefs, and witchs' secrets), and then it goes into what's happening now, which is that Jacob's younger brother Will has already been attacked and is agonizing pain. Four sentences later, Jacob's like, "Let's go on a crazy adventure to find a cure for this dark fairy curse!"

The novel breaks all bounds that you could've thought a story like this has. There are a bagillion villians, thousands of deaths, crazy dark fairy tales, and alluring magic. Also, one of the things that I adored is that in most high fantasy novels, the magic world is all medieval-y, well, in this world, it's like America in the middle-to-late 1800's. Like muskets, and steam engine trains, and political shifting. This brings up another thing: I ADORED HOW MUCH IT HAD TO WITH GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS. Oh, it was so cool. It gave so much depth to a world that could've been like all other fantasy novels. 'Eh, we don't have to have a realistic ruling system. Let's just call ourselves queens and kings, and then we'll rule without any rebellions except for that ultra evil person living right around the corner who's probably going to declare a big battle on us. Magic can solve anything.'

.....And this is coming from a guy who loves THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. This world is realistically like a Civil War-American Era, but with magic. We've got an empress, a dying human population, a growing Goyl population, a crumbling economy, treaties, battles lost, political marriages, assassination plots. Like seriously. This junk be cray-cray.

The ONLY thing I had a problem with.... Is the ending. This would be in one of my top five favorite books ever if it weren't for that ending. Sure, it made me wonder about a few things, and I loved the characters and the world, so I'll buy the sequel whenever it comes out. But it was just kind of annoying. It was so awesome. And then the ending hit. Ugh. But you should still read it, because, ending aside, it was such an amazing book!!!!!!!!

Thanks,

See ya on Friday,

-Aaron

BEHEMOTH by Scott Westerfeld

August 9th, 2011 - Simon Pulse
Synopsis: The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker Powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what’s ahead.

Well........ the SEQUEL!!!! BEHEMOTH has actually been out longer than the above publishing date, because the date I found was for the reprint edition.

Anyway, on to the review!

BEHEMOTH is everything I could have wished for, and more! LEVIATHAN was awesome, and this was only better!

I really don't want to pull a fanboy with these books, but they're just so good!!!!!

What I loved about BEHEMOTH is it's setting: Constantinople. It was such a festive and interesting place to put a story. The way eastern culture was combined with steampunk was fantastic! It was so cool to read (and see thanks to the gorgeous illustrations) about these amazing mechanical walkers that regulated the ghettos and about more Clanker machinery, secret uprisings, and more Darwinist fabricated beasts.

Well, sorry this review was so short! I need to get back to my NaNo novel! Also, I just changed the layout of the blog and I'm excited with it, so I might procrastinate by looking at the new pretty design.

Also, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Eat turkey! Shop on Black Friday!

Peace, love, and unicorns,

-Aaron

p.s.~While writing this, I remembered this song from Mona Lisa Smile-which I recently watched. Anyway, this song is lots of fun, but it wasn't until I was almost done writing this and listening to this fifty times that I realized it was about Constantinople, which is where BEHEMOTH takes place. Weird.

THE WARRIOR HEIR by Cinda Williams Chima

February 27th, 2007 - Hyperion

Synopsis: Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great—until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: He is Weirlind; part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game—a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir.

As if his bizarre magical heritage isn’t enough, Jack finds out that he’s not just another member of Weirlind—he’s one of the last of the warriors—at a time when both houses are scouting for a player.

Hiya! Sorry I didn't blog last week, but I should have warned that I would probably miss chances to blog several times this month because of the dreaded NaNo! Well, actually wonderful/dreaded NaNo.

Anyway, I was thinking about what to review this week when I thought about THE WARRIOR HEIR. I've seen a million reviews for Mrs. Chima's Seven Realms Series, but a very small amount of reviews for her first series, The Heir Trilogy (though it's not going to be a trilogy for much longer! Once she finishes the last book for the Seven Realms Series, which she's writing now, she's writing two more books, so now's the time to get into them if you haven't already!). Well, I've read a little of THE DEMON KING, but haven't bought it because I really want hardcovers when book-buying, unless the book is sold exclusively in paperback, but when I finally have the money, I keep on overlooking it when I go book-buying. Sounds fantastic and I've asked for it for Christmas, but still, The Heir Trilogy is just.... *sigh*....

I should actually tell you that I had all of these books read by 2010. I had and loved these books in 2010. I still love them, but I don't have them anymore. For no apparent reason, my mom came into my room one day, looked at my bookshelf, said that magic was demonic (which she'd said many times before that. No Harry Potter *hiss*, we's don't likes the Potters. *hiss*-well, I do, she doesn't). So she made me throw away several books-and guess what three of those books were? Yep, The Heir Trilogy.

Rabbit-trail: Although BEAUTIFUL CREATURES wasn't really for me, I liked the characters-Link's mom specifically. If you've read it, then you know how Link's mom is. If you haven't, just click on the highlighted link above and scroll down to the bottom of the review where I put a quote from the book describing Link's mom.

Well, if you know Link's mom, you know what my mom was like from me being 5 year old, to my being 12.

ANYWAY, THE WARRIOR HEIR follows Jackson Downey (which is weird because a doctor friend from my church is named Jackson Downey.... Does he have magic battle powers?) as he learns about the world of the Weir, those with opal-like stones behind their hearts which are the source of their magic.

This series is literally in my top ten favorite series EVER. LITERALLY. So, instead of letting myself gush about the awesome prose, the amazing plot, the so-so-so-so-so-so cool Guilds and go on for ever, I'll just tell you five of my favorite things from this book:

1. The Weir's society. You can use the Weir to mirror so many things about government and politics. First of all, their are two political parties, the White Rose, and the Red Rose (aren't those just friggin' COOL NAMES!?!??!?!), which are always run by Wizards, because most are pompous jerks who think because they're the most powerful that they are better than all the others and so they boss the lower Guilds around and use them as play things and servants, very much like white supremacy and slavery. Also, because of Mrs. Chima's writing style, you can just get drowned in her descriptions of grin-and-bear-it galas where the different party members-always covered in roses the same color as their party's-smile coyly and act nice when they're actually planning each other's demise.

2. The characters. Jack is so awesome. He's just awesome. He doesn't know everything that you know, since it's third person, but somehow you're not annoyed by it. Because somehow, he needs this info, but he doesn't at the same time. Also, I find that in a lot of paranormals, I'm annoyed sometimes when they can't use their powers in certain situations, or they can't tell anyone. But he never gets into situations like that.

3. The conflict. Every single situation Jack was in, there was some sort of conflict. Like I seriously can't think of any scene at all when there wasn't conflict. Even in Chapter One, when he's getting ready for his day, he's late and he's got to get his gear ready for soccer tryouts later that day.

4. Aunt Linda. Seriously, this woman is like the most awesome aunt in the history of like forever. She can kick butt, know's how to protect herself, has some BA magic, and just sounds really, really cool.

5. EVERYTHINGOHMYGOSHTHISBOOKISSOGOODREADITNOW!

-Aaron

UGLIES by Scott Westerfield

February 8th, 2005 - Simon Pulse

Synopsis: Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Well, it's taken me long enough to review this.

This is probably going to turn out to be a short review. I'm excited about writing today because NaNoWriMo has started and so I'm trying to pump out my daily 1.67k words!

Anyway, I liked this book. Simple as that.

The plot was pretty interesting, with just enough characters so I didn't feel overwhelmed, but to where I felt like there still needed to be a lot of stuff explored. The prose is super fantabulistically fantastic! Or, should I say "pretty"? (+1 point goes to Aaron for a lame joke)

The writing is colorful and twisty and turny, and the way that everything blooms as you get deeper and deeper into the novel is awesome! The society was alright, not insanely inventive in my thoughts, but when thinking about what I liked best about it all, I keep going back to the writing itself. Scott Westerfeld really knows how to balance flowy descriptions with getting straight to the point.

But I wish he could have done the same with the plot. I kept wanting something "more" to happen-something excited and new. Also, he didn't make me feel sympathetic to the characters. I don't know why, but Tally, the protagonist, made me feel unsympathetic through the way she thought. She was just kind of annoying. 

So, all of this is to say that the book was not awesometabulous as LEVIATHAN, but at the same time is a great thing to look at when wondering how to balance poetic writing with straightforwardness in prose. I've now used "tabulous" at the end of two words in this post-my day is fulfilled.

See ya on Friday!

-Aaron

LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfield

October 6th, 2009 - Simon Pulse

Synopsis: It is the cusp of World War I. The Austro-Hungarian and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British air fleet.

Aleksander Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure.... One that will change both their lives forever.

I was looking for something to review, and so was looking through my posts to see which ones I had read and reviewed and which ones I hadn't. I was really surprised to find that I'd never reviewed this, when I swear I did.

Anyway, I'm reviewing it now, and that's all that really matters.... ONTO TO THE REVIEW!

When this first came out, I was perusing through B&N, and saw this in a cardboard display with the words "Some war machines are run. Some are fed..." Or something along the lines of that. Either way, I was enthralled by the thought. So I ran to the display grabbed a book and read the back cover.

It sounded really boring.

So I didn't read it. Several months later, my best friend had read it, and he kept me pushing me to as well. Eventually I did, just because he said it was amazing. My reaction:

THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The twist on how World War I started is so cool and the way Mr. Westerfeld takes Darwinism and makes it a giant scientific belief full of cool twisted creatures is so cool! Omg! Omg! Omg! I'm so gushing! This book is just really fantastic!

The characters are really interesting (although at times I wished the story were being told from Deryn's point of view more, though I know the parts where Alek picked up the story needed to be there in order to understand things better), the situations are fantastic (especially the battle scenes because there are either friggin amazing steam contraptions, or insanely cool hydrogen breathing Darwinist creatures), a fun story, and amazing illustrations to top it off.

I really should just stop talking because I'm gushing so much. This book is fantastic! Read this series, and you won't feel disappointed! The third and final book of the trilogy, GOLIATH, just recently came out, so now you can get all three and read without stopping.

I only wish the first edition synop hinted more at the cool creatures and cool machines in it, because it didn't do the book justice at all. It was like "This guy's a prince in hiding. This other person has a secret. There's a ship called the Leviathan. Read."

GO DARWINISTS!

Peace,

-Aaron

THE ESPRESSOLOGIST by Kristina Springer

October 27th, 2009 - Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Synopsis: What's your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you're lots of funand a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it's a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person just by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it's not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Janes Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect match for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She's the who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

Alllllllllllrighty then.

I'd been meaning to read this one for a while. It looked thin (ergo, this will be a short review), it looked cute, and I loved that cover!

So, I finally got it from the library.... And I read it. In one sitting. Like, I picked it up, and I didn't put it down. I just read it.

It wasn't even some profound, amazing novel that gripped me. It was very simple, a little predictable, but it was just a short, quick, fun read. It really made me want to tell Jane my favorite drink and see who she'd match me with.

The espressology itself, I think was my favorite part. It was what drove the entire novel, and it made it more fun and flirty, and teenager-y.

This is no deep Laurie Halse Anderson or Ellen Hopkins book, but it's a good cute read. I think I've said cute twice.... That's really the best way I can describe it. Just very cute. I could totally see this becoming a CUTE movie. It really was just so CUTE.

Alright, well y'all have a CUTE one, ya hear!

See ya tomorrow,

-Aaron

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

December 1st, 2009 - Little, Brown
Synopsis: There were no surprises in Gatlin County. 
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. WhenLena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
First of all, sorry I missed last week's posts, but I'll make up for it with something that's awesome (if you haven't already seen it) on Friday.

Anyway, I liked this book. Main word here: "LIKED". I didn't love it.

I did like the love story in it, though I kind of felt that Ethan was a little unbelievable as a male in a relationship. He seemed to be kind of a conundrum. He liked hard rock, and watches a horror film marathon on Halloween, and he's on the basketball team, and yet, he's this really, really sensitive guy. I felt kind of like, "What?" when it came to him.

As a matter of fact, I kind of felt like that with the whole book. The ending left me with this "Whaaaaat?" feeling.

The characters were fun, the use of magic was cool, but some things went unexplained, were confusing, or just plain "Whaat?"

So, this book was "Whaaat?" in my opinion.

The one thing I did like about it was how multi-faceted it was. It never was boring and it kept on getting more in-depth. So, yep.

Also, I like this quote:

'Mrs. Lincoln was a rage-aholic, on a mission, with a network-a dangerous combination. When we were in the eighth grade, Mrs. Lincoln ripped the cable box out of the wall because she found Link watching a Harry Potter movie, a series she campaigned to ban from the Gatlin County Library because she thought it provoked witchcraft.' (I like this because it reminds me of my mom :D)

:)

See ya on Friday!