Shatter Me

Hola! Shatter Me is by Tahereh Mafi (I agree, totally awesome name). Juliette Ferrars is not sure if she is sane. Which is perfectly sane considering that she hasn't touched a fellow human being in 264 days. But she doesn't want to touch anyone, because she is a monster. After living alone in a world of screams and blank white walls for so long, the shock of meeting a person, someone kind, is overwhelming to Juliette. So when Adam enters her life everything is different, but is it for the better? With the Reestablishment controlling the whole world, it will be a hard journey for Juliette to regain her lost life. This book was weird but good. It was a bit confusing because there are all these crossed-out bits, which are presumably thoughts of Juliette's that she doesn't like or want. And at the end it went totally Xmen! (I will give you a hint of her power, think Rouge.) Adam was lovable and a good balance to the bizarre story, but Warner is still a mystery. The ending was rather abrupt, I wouldn't have minded a few more chapters to tie up the numerous loose ends. Three stars, good enough that I will follow the series for the rest of the story.

Between

Hola, new book: Between, by Jessica Warman. After her eighteenth birthday party on a boat with her closest friends, something about Elizabeth Valchar happens; she dies. But when she doesn't move on, staying in our world as a ghost (type-thing), she knows something is not right. While she observes her family and argues with her now only friend, she can't help but notice that nobody is what they seem, least of all herself. I accidentally lied in Lola and the Boy Next Door, this is the hands down most teenage-booky piece of literature I will ever read. Liz's boyfriend is a freaking drug-dealer! The characters are all horrible people, (Maybe except for Alex...) and it was really confusing to read a book where the main character barely knows anything about herself. It is also a little late for Liz to have an epiphany about her personality, she is dead, after all, can't change much now! It was a chore to read, but I did finish it. One star.

The Beginning of After

Hola. The Beginning of After, Jennifer Castle. Laurel's world is torn apart when her parents and brother are killed in a car accident. The son of the man thought responsible confuses her even more while she tries to reconstruct her suddenly unsteady life. But with Laurel questioning everything, how can she understand their relationship, let alone her friendships? Seriously depressing. I think David is really strange, too, it made me feel bad for Joe. And Meg is a little bit unfeeling, she is not the best friend I would want to help me through tragedy. I know this is so short but I don't have anything else to say, it was kinda bland. Two stars.

Notes From an Accidental Band Geek

Hola, I am very efficient this month! Notes From an Accidental Band Geek is by Erin Dionne. Elsie Wyatt is a high-schooler with high ambitions, to get into Shining Birches (A very prestigious orchestra thingy,) and nothing can get in her way. Even if that means joining marching band to fit the requirements. But this place-filler turns out to be much harder and--more fun?--than anticipated. Elsie must use her new experiences to learn much more about life than just how to play the mellophone. This book was overall lame. Yes, she does learn a good lesson but it was SO unrealistic! One: Elsie has about as much empathy as a rock. Two: her friends are incredibly sensitive—she snaps at then once and they completely freak out. It wasn't a horrible book but just rather annoying to read. One and a half stars.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Hola! Daughter of Smoke and Bone is by Laini Taylor. Karou's life is split into her real life and her real life. The former is of a rather mysterious but highly gifted art student in Prague, while the latter is the one littered with animal hybrid caretakers, many near-death experiences, and innumerable teeth. But when mysterious hand-prints turn up, scorched on the portals into her secret life, both Karou's worlds fall to pieces. While she tries to regain her lost lives, her past comes back, and along with it, a danger that could just tear her apart. This book was a little bit strange. I have heard of the characters before, chimaera and Seraphim, demons and angels, but the context was weird. And the ending was so bizarre and unfulfilling! The book itself wasn't too bad, but the finish was a complete cliffhanger. (And Akiva reminded me of Edward Cullen which was odd.) Not the best but it could have been worse, two stars.

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Hola, super short one here. Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins (Companion to Anna and the French Kiss...). Lola Nolan lives in San Francisco with her two dads and has a boyfriend who is way too old for her. She wants to be a costume designer and expresses herself by not wearing the same outfit—all bizarre. And the main conflict is that she has issues with her next-door-neighbors. This book was lame and so teenage-booky that it was almost painful. Drugs and serious dating had to crop up somewhere! The characters were all slightly strange and definitely wouldn't exist in real life. The only bright spot is that you get to see Anna and St. Clair in their lives after French Kiss. And Cricket is slightly awesome but I have major problems with Lola. Waste of time, one star. (Sorry if I just ruined Anna and the French Kiss for you but you really had to see it coming!)

Anna and the French Kiss

Ho-- I know! I know! Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is not my usual genre but I did read the Clique books so... Anna Oliphant's father made his fortune writing smut novels, (Smut, a term I picked up from my aunt: those trashy romance novels with a Fabio-type character on the cover.) Now part of a higher social scene, Anna has to fit into his idea of "class," so he sends her to France. However, Anna was perfectly happy in her home of Atlanta, Georgia, with her best friend Bridgette and crushing on her work colleague Toph. But if Anna keeps an open mind, Paris might not be that bad, especially if the dreamy Etienne St. Clair is around. Can Anna balance her chic Parisian life with her home in Atlanta, or even get her tangled love-life smoothed over? I liked this book more than I should have. It was not too teenage-ish, only laced with the occasional swear word or suggestive comment. It was highly entertaining and the characters are actually really interesting. I'm not saying that it was fabulous but it was much better than I thought it would be for a teen romance novel. Three stars.

The Help

Hola, The Help is by Kathryn Stockett. Aibileen Clark is a life-long, "colored" maid in Jackson Mississippi whose specialty is raising her white employers' children. From their numerous employments Aibileen and her friends have many stories to tell about their situations, but they can never tell them. But then again, what if they could? When Skeeter Phelan, a white friend of Aibileen's employer, approaches Aibileen about writing a book from the point of view of "the help", it seems much too dangerous an opportunity to take. However, with racial tensions stirring in Jackson, what is a little more stirring going to do? With a myriad of subplots, The Help follows Aibileen and Skeeter's journey as change-makers in their community. I thought this was a really good read. I will say that the ending was disappointing but the story was solid. The characters were refreshingly human and it was a really easy book to power through. On a side note I thought the movie was good and cried throughout. I would recommend this book, three and a half stars.

Nobody's Princess

Hola! Nobody's Princess, by Esther Friesner. Helen is a girl who wants a lot out of life, including the combat training that her brothers get. This would be a much easier feat if she wasn't Helen of Sparta. Yup, that one. "The most beautiful princess in all the land." She longs for adventure, and with the help of her friends she just might escape her sheltered life. Throughout this book, Helen befriends heroes, dodges marriage, and relies on no one but herself. Nobody's Princess was fine, it might have been a little boring but overall it wasn't bad. I like her brother and Atalanta rocks. It was good but nothing special. Two and a half stars.

The Wide-Awake Princess

Hola, The Wide-Awake Princess is by E. D. Baker. With so many magically enhanced people around, Princess Annabelle's gift seems more like a curse; no magic can ever touch her. And there is more to her "gift"—if she goes near enchanted people, then their gifts start to fade. But when a real curse comes into play, Annie counts herself lucky. She sets off on a journey to save her family from, of course, one hundred years sleep. With the help of her handsome guard Liam, how can Annie not save the day? I really like Baker's books. They are happy princess stories that are always punctuated by just enough magic. Very light and entertaining! Three and a half stars.

A Tale of Two Castles

Hola. The weather has not improved. A Tale of Two Castles is by Gail Carson Levine, a favorite author of mine (and also the author of Ella Enchanted, also reiewed on my blog). Elodie is but a poor farmers daughter with grand ambitions, to be a mansioner (Which I think is an actress). She travels to Two Castles, a town over shadowed by, you guessed it,...two castles. One is run by the greedy king and his strange daughter, the other by a feared and hated ogre. When her dreams are crushed by the mansioning leader, Elodie is taken on as an assistant to the brilliant dragon Meenore. It expects a great deal from Elodie, and she must perform (no pun intended) if she is to discover the secrets of Two Castles, from the cats to the people. This was a good book, nothing exceptional, but good. I think that Meenore added a lot to the story but that Jonty Um could have played a larger role. Renn is just weird and I think that half of the ending was obvious and the other half was highly unlikely. Those didn't detract much from the story, however, and I give it two and a half stars.

Heist Society

Hola, and now I realize that I haven't blogged Heist Society yet, the book that came before Uncommon Criminals (also written by Ally Carter!). There is a family, not brought together by hardship or the holidays like most of us, rather, connected by one occupation: being a thief. But Katarina Bishop was not happy with this risky existence, so she walked away. Escaping her fate isn't so easy though, and soon her old friend Hale turns up to drag her back in. He came with good reason— Kat's father is caught between a very dangerous man and his very valuable paintings. Kat and her crew are her dad's only hope, but will they be enough to help him? YAY! Loved it! This book was really spectacular. The writing is conversational but witty, as if looking into a very smart person's mind. The plot is original with just enough spice to make it interesting without violence or language (I would compare it to a teenage girl's Oceans Eleven). Totally awesome book! Four and a half stars!

Uncommon Criminals

Hola! It's summer and new books are coming out! Uncommon Criminals is the sequel to Ally Carter's Heist Society. Katarina Bishop is back and single-handedly righting the wrongs of the world, one stolen painting at a time. So that when a plea for the Cleopatra Emerald is voiced, how can she resist? With the help of her crew, Kat has to steal the enormous—and reportedly cursed—stone. But with so many cons and some very inconvenient accidents... cough, cough... will Kat be able to hold her family together? (That includes people not strictly related to her.) I thought this was a really good book. It is nice to now that Kat has flaws other than walking away from stealing, if that is a flaw. The characters develop well, although Nick didn't play as much of a role as I had hoped. My only problem was that, looking back on it, it was a really painful book to read, bad stuff happens that isn't in a good, plot-twisting way, it's just uncomfortable. Well, the other thing is that I always have kind of a hard time working out how they pulled the job. Carter doesn't explain enough. Other than that, I did really like it. Three and a half stars!

Wild Magic

Hola, schools out! I am very sorry, I accidentally lied in my second-to-last post, I haven't blogged Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce yet, so here goes! Daine is a thirteen-year-old girl with a plan and a knack for animals: get a job, go to Tortall. This works very well for her, soon she is hired by Onua to take care of her ponies as they go to the capital of Tortall. As she learns about this new land, she also discovers that her "knack" is really magic, wild magic. Daine loves her new home, from the new sights and peculiar nobles to Numair, her magic teacher. However, trouble is brewing for Tortall as blood-thirsty mythical creatures (Immortals,) attack. And Daine has a secret that could jeopardize her whole new world. I really liked this book. Daine's character really develops over the entire series (There are three more books,) and the plot is unexpected. The other characters also add a lot to the story and I like how this ties into Pierce's other books. Overall I think that this book is an exciting read for many ages. Three and a half stars!

Tortall and Other Lands, a Collection of Tales

Hola... I have been reading as much as possible! Tortall and Other Lands, a Collection of Tales is by Tamora Pierce. These eleven short stories concern a myriad of different topics, from continuations of her previous fantasy books to modern, more realistic stories. I will tell you about my two favorites and two least-favorites. Bad first. Nawat is the story of a half-man and half-crow being, who is shunned for his humanity. Huntress is the other one. It is about a girl whose family worships old gods, and tries to fit in at school (I know, it even sounds weird). Both of these stories are strange, with boring characters and lame plots, I can't give you a full report because I didn't finish either. Half stars each. My two favorites were The Dragon's Tale and Plain Magic. The first was about what happens to Daine's dragon "Kitten", after the series, The Immortals (As seen in Wild Magic, a previous blog), ends. The latter is about a peddler who visits a village that is being attacked by a dragon, and saves an unfortunate girl. Although I will admit that all of the stories lack Pierce's usual charm, they were good and entertaining. (It was also nice to know what happened to the characters in Wild Magic. I give each three stars.

Twilight

HOLA!!!! I had to do it eventually! Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. Bella Swan has moved herself from the sunny paradise of her home in Phoenix to Forks, Washington because of her mother's remarriage. She thinks that this will be at best a boring, sleepy little town and at worst torture. Both of her assumptions are proven wrong however, as soon as she meets Edward Cullen. With Bella's world opened up to the vampires, her life has been changed forever. But is it for the better? And does it even matter? Okay, I'll admit, I am a fan. The writing is horrible and the characters are far from realistic but it is highly entertaining. The other thing that I don't like is Jacob in general. He is whiny, violent, and adds absolutely nothing to the story. I also don't like how Edward seems to be bipolar. Despite its numerous faults, Twilight is a rather addictive series. One and a half stars.

First Term at Malory Towers

Hola, First Term at Malory Towers, by Enid Blyton. Malory Towers is a prestigious boarding school sitting on a high cliff overlooking the ocean. (It is in England.) Although the building may look elegant and proper, the inhabitants aren't. In this book you follow Darell Rivers—a likable, happy girl with a fast temper—through her first year full of laughs, pranks, and some unexpected surprises at Mallory Towers. These books are awesome! The school, though very entertaining, is incredibly realistic. The characters are the perfect combination of fun and anger. Each person goes through different changes, and the fact that they are at a boarding school doesn't hinder their adventures. The only real problem is that the books are from Great Britain, so they might be hard to find... but anyway, the Malory Towers books are not a waste of time! Three and a half stars!

The Sisters Grimm, Book 1

Hola, The Sisters Grimm, Book 1 by Michael Buckley. After Sabrina and Daphne Grimm's parents go missing, the girls are shipped off to their Grandmother's house, but before this, they didn't even know she existed! Sabrina, the elder sister, gets more and more suspicious while Granny Relda serves them strangely colored food and tells them about how the Grimm family has been detectives, and the keepers of the Everafters. These are characters straight out of story books, but are sometimes a little bit different than they may seem at first. When Granny Relda goes missing, the Sisters Grimm are on the case! I really like the characters. The plot is fun and original and the setting, though confined to a single town, is quite an adventure. However, a really hate Sabrina! She rather bogs the whole story down, but, if you ignore her, these are awesome books! Three stars.

Eyes Like Stars

Hola? (I am running out of punctuation...) Eyes Like Stars, by Lisa Manchev. Bertie lives in the Theatre Illuminata, a magical place where the character of every major play ever written resides. Bertie, a rather rebellious teenager is one of the only real humans in the Theatre. She is constantly trying to remember life outside of the Theatre, however, she is not the only one to have been outside its walls. When the mysterious air spirit Ariel discovers the secret to freedom, he may do a lot more than escape—he may destroy Bertie's chance to stay in the home she has ever known. Follow the motley crew through a suspenseful story full of humor, wit, and a very original cast of characters. I love the faeries from A Midsummer Night's Dream! (Peaseblossom is by far the awesomest!) I thought that this was a rather strange but incredibly interesting book. The plot kept me engaged and I thought the cover art was really cool. (I know it's not strictly "the book", but it was cool,) In all, I think that is you happen across it, Eyes Like Stars is not a waste of time, three stars.

Ella Enchanted

Hola! Sorry it has been such a long time, I have been getting lazy! Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine, they made a movie out of it, the book is WAY different. Ella of Frell is a kind, strong girl, with a fairy gift, she must always be obedient. Or maybe it's more of a curse! With her malicious step sisters and greedy father ordering her around, it's no wonder that Ella needs to break the curse before she does something truly terrible. With Ella's adventure punctuated by ogres, elves, finishing school, and the occasional letter from Prince Char, her story is an exciting one! I REALLY REALLY liked this book! Ella is smart and funny, while the other characters bring out deeper parts of her personality. The concept is intriguing, with hints of other classic fairy tales thrown in. I think that this is good for a large range of age groups and would keep all of them highly entertained. (It was just kinda short...) Good read, four stars!