Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts

Saturday, February 27, 2010

BAD GIRL DON'T DIE by Katie Alender - REVIEW

Alexis lives a dysfunctional high school existence. She keeps to herself taking and developing her own photographs in a darkroom at home. She doesn’t have any friends at school. She watches her parents grow farther and farther apart while they focus on their careers instead of home, but most unsettling of all is her younger sister’s fascination with her doll collection. Kasey won’t allow anyone near them and Alexis knows she has heard Kasey talking to them in the middle of the night.

Strange things have been happening around the old house they live in. Water boils on its own, doors open and close automatically, and Kasey’s eyes begin to change from their normal blue to a fiery green. With the help from an unlikely ally, Alexis begins to put together the pieces of a mystery that will lead to the cause of the disturbance in her house and the cause of her sister’s evil possession.

As far as ghost stories go, this is a good one. There are several layers to the mystery and the author generates a completely creepy feeling throughout the entire book. Be sure to pick up this book as soon as you can. You won’t be disappointed. Plus - what a cool cover! Even it is creepy.




THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET by Erin Dionne - REVIEW

Hamlet Kennedy is starting the 8th grade. Hamlet’s goal for the year is to stay under the radar both at school and at home. Unfortunately that is difficult to do in a family like hers. With parents that are Shakespearean scholars and a genius 7-year-old for a sister Hamlet’s family is anything but ordinary.

Right from the start Hamlet’s school year is destined to ruin her. To start with, her sister Desdemona is starting the school year at Hamlet’s school. She will be taking Art and a few other classes along with being supplemented in her education by various tutors. Hamlet’s job is to help her sister navigate middle school for the first days until Dezzie(Hamlet’s nickname for her sister) knows how to navigate on her own. Also Hamlet is mysteriously receiving origami shaped pigs in her locker. And to top all of that off the big project for the beginning of the school year is Shakespeare. The students will be performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Hamlet attempts to hide that fact from her parents to try and keep herself from being further embarrassed by her family.

Trying to protect her sister from being used(for her brain) by two mean girls along with trying to figure out who is giving her origami pigs in her locker and keeping her parents in the dark about what is going on at school Hamlet has so much stress that something is about to give.

I thought The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet was so cute! I enjoyed it very much. I felt for Hamlet as she struggles to navigate her school life and her home life. A very delightful read!


Thursday, February 18, 2010

BLISS by Lauren Myracle - REVIEW



Bliss in the Morning Dew has hippie parents and when they ditch her at her grandmother’s house on their way to Canada she is forced to survive in a world that is completely alien to her.

After living on a commune for years, Bliss expects high school to be like The Andy Griffith Show and is looking forward to starting frienships with people her age. Her grandmother enrolls her at Crestview Academy, an elite school that used to be a convent, which makes her both nervous and excited.

Much to Bliss’ relief, she doesn’t have any trouble finding girls to hang out with and everyone seems to be extremely patient with her asking questions like: 1) what is a parade float? and 2) what are Flavor Straws? Everything seems to be going great until she begins to hear the voice of a long dead novitiate – Liliana. Liliana is trying to get someone to perform a ceremony that will release her spirit and allow her to have power again and since Bliss has always been able to sense things from the “other” side, she seems like the perfect candidate.

Lauren Myracle, the author of TTYL, has written a disturbing horror novel that takes the reader deep into the hippie culture. She mixes facts from the 1969 Charles Manson Family Murders, a creepy ghost story, and typical high school drama into a wonderfully creative story. The use of quotes from 60’s culture TV Shows, Commercials, and Transcripts from the Charles Manson trial add to the charm of this book. While the middle of the story is a little slow, it doesn’t detract from the quality as a whole.



SKELETON CREEK by Patrick Carman - REVIEW



The town of Skeleton Creek holds a lot of secrets. Especially secrets about an old gold dredge. Ryan and Sarah decided they want to explore the old dredge. They go exploring in the middle of the night. When they see a ghost, Ryan gets so scared that he falls and breaks his leg. His parents forbid him to have any more contact with his best friend, Sarah. They think she is the one that gets him into trouble. Ryan and Sarah decide to keep in touch through e-mail which they then delete from their computers and their computer history so that their parents can't tell they've been keeping in touch.

Sarah has a video camera. She video's herself and then sends the video's to Ryan. The thing that is unique about the book is that the reader can go online and listen and watch Sarah's videos to Ryan.

Through the videos and trips to the old dredge we, as the readers and viewers, get to see what Sarah and Ryan see. There are ghostly images and some scary things that even made me jump as I watched. I think it was a very well put together book and I enjoyed it very much. I recommend it and the sequel, The Ghost in the Machine, to the middle school age student. We actually can't keep a copy of it in our library because it is always checked out.

One of the drawbacks of the book would be if the student does not have access to a computer at home. Skeleton Creek does leave you hanging at the end, but picks right up in the sequel.

With little or no language or sexual content I have no qualms about featuring it as one of my Edifying posts.


Sunday, January 24, 2010

BOY TOY by Barry Lyga - REVIEW

Powerful doesn't begin to describe BOY TOY by Barry Lyga. It is the story of Josh, a young man that was involved in an inappropriate relationship with his teacher five years ago. Barry Lyga does an amazing job showing the impact this event has on Josh's life. Relationships with his parents, kids at school, and teachers are changed forever.

There is one relationship that hasn't changed much since the incident. Zik is Josh's best friend and he has stood by him through everything. He doesn't push Josh for information about what happened with the teacher and stands up for him when others give him a hard time.

The area of his life that was most damaged by the relationship with Eve, the teacher from the relationship, was his ability to deal with girls his own age. It seems that every time he gets in a situation with a girl where closeness is involved, he thinks about Eve's likes and needs and transfers those into the current situation. He can't feel comfortable with girls because Eve is always in the back of his mind.

Things really heat up when Eve is released from prison after serving a 5 year sentence. With the story hitting the news again, the situation is on everyone's mind which causes stress for Josh. He feels the need to talk to Eve to answer some of his own questions while at the same time he is attempting to reconnect with Rachel - a girl he thought he lost when the relationship between Josh and Eve was revealed.

BOY TOY is amazing. It really shines some light on a situation that doesn't get as much thought as it should. After talking to several men I know, their first response is, "Where were teachers like that when I was in school," but ask them about a young girl being in an inappropriate relationship with a male teacher and the situation is totally different. There is a double standard. BOY TOY gives us a good look at the issues young men have to deal with after a relationship of this nature.



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

REVIEWS

A
ABSOLUTELY MAYBE by Lisa Yee-JULIE
ACCESS DENIED by Denise Vega-JULIE 

AFTER by Amy Efaw-KARIN
AFTER EVER AFTER by Jordan Sonnenblick-JULIE
ALL THESE THINGS I'VE DONE by Gabrielle Zevin-JULIE
ANATOMY OF A BOYRFRIEND by Daria Snadowsky-KARIN

A SHADOW IN THE DARK by Ronica Stromberg-JULIE
ASHFALL by Mike Mullin-KARIN
A TALE OF TWO PROMS by Cara Lockwood-JULIE


B
BAD GIRLS DON'T DIE by Katie Alender-KARIN
BAIT by Alex Sanchez-KARIN
BEASTLY by Alex Flinn - JULIE
BITTER END by Jennifer Brown-KARIN
BLACK DAWN by Rachel Caine-JULIE

BLISS by Lauren Myracle-KARIN
BLOOD WOUNDS by Susan Beth Pfeffer-JULIE and KARIN
THE BOOK OF BLOOD AND SHADOWS by Robin Wasserman-JULIE
BOY TOY by Barry Lyga - KARIN
BUMPED by Megan McCafferty-KARIN

C
CASCADE by Lisa T. Bergren-JULIE
CHOPSTICKS by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Carrol-Karin
CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD EIGHTH GRADE BITES by Heather Brewer-JULIE
CINDER by Marissa Meyer-KARIN and JULIE
CLAIM TO FAME by Margaret Peterson Haddix-JULIE
CLARITY by Kim Harrington-JULIE and KARIN
CRYPTIC CRAVINGS by Ellen Schreiber-JULIE
CURVEBALL THE YEAR I LOST MY GRIP by Jordan Sonnenblick-JULIE
D
THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan-KARIN and JULIE

DARK SONG by Gail Giles-KARIN
DEAR PEN PAL by Heather Vogel Frederick - JULIE
DOING IT by Melvin Burgess-KARIN

DON'T KNOW WHERE, DON'T KNOW WHEN by Annette Laing-JULIE
DROWNING INSTINCT by Ilsa J. Bick-KARIN

DUST CITY by Robert Paul Weston-KARIN
DYING TO KNOW YOU by Aidan Chambers-JULIE

E
ECHO by Amanda Clay-JULIE and KARIN

ELPHAME'S CHOICE by P.C. Cast-KARIN
ENVY by Gregg Olsen-KARIN

THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly-JULIE

F
FAMOUS by Todd Strasser-JULIE
THE FEAR by Charlie Higson-KARIN
FEED by M.T. Anderson-KARIN
FORBIDDEN by Tabitha Suzuma-KARIN
FOREVER by Maggie Stiefvater-KARIN and JULIE

FREAK SHOW by James St. James-KARIN

G
GIRL IN THE ARENA by Lise Haines-KARIN
GLIMPSE by Carol Lynch Williams-KARIN
GIRL PARTS by John Cusick-KARIN

H
HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rosoff-KARIN
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Heather Vogel Frederick-JULIE

I
I'LL BE THERE by Holly Goldberg Sloan-JULIE

IN THE SHADOW OF EVIL by Robin Caroll-JULIE
IMMORTAL BELOVED by Cate Tiernan-KARIN
IMMORTAL HEARTS by Ellen Schreiber-JULIE
IRISES by Francisco X. Stork-JULIE

J

K

L
LAST BREATH by Rachel Caine-JULIE
THE LEGACY by Gemma Malley-JULIE
THE LIST by Siobhan Vivian-JULIE
LOOK AHEAD, LOOK BACK by Annette Laing-JULIE

LOVE BITES by Ellen Schreiber-JULIE

M
MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH by Bethany Griffin-JULIE

THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner-JULIE
MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES by Erin Dionne-JULIE
MONSTERS OF MEN by Patrick Ness-JULIE
MY FRIEND DAHMER by Derf Backderf-KARIN
MY LIFE UNDECIDED by Jessica Brody-JULIE

N
NOTHING by Janne Teller-KARIN
NERVE by Jeanne Ryan-KARIN

O
ONLY THE GOOD SPY YOUNG by Ally Carter- JULIE
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF TIME by Ally Carter-JULIE

P
PERFECT by Ellen Hopkins-KARIN

PIES AND PREJUDICE by Heather Vogel Frederick-JULIE
POP by Aury Wallington-KARIN

PREY by Lurlene McDaniel-KARIN 
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE adapted by Nancy Butler and Hugo Petrus-JULIE
PRINCESS BEN by Catherine Gilber Murdock-JULIE
PURE by Terra Elan McVoy-JULIE
THE POSSIBILITIES OF SAINTHOOD by Donna Freitas-JULIE
THE PATRON SAINT OF BUTTERFLIES by Cecilia Galante-JULIE

Q

R
RAGE by Julie Anne Peters-KARIN
ROSEBUSH by Michele Jaffe-KARIN
ROTTERS by Daniel Kraus-KARIN

S
THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass-JULIE

SENT by Margaret Peterson Haddix-JULIE
SEQUINS, SECRETS, AND SILVER LININGS by Sophia Bennett-JULIE
SCARLET By Marissa Meyer-KARIN and JULIE
SCORPIA RISING by Anthony Horowitz-JULIE
SHATTER ME by Taherah Mafi-KARIN
SHUT OUT by Kody Keplinger-KARIN

SKELETON CREEK by Patrick Carman-JULIE
SKELETON CREEK THE CROSSBONES by Patrick Carman-JULIE
SKELETON CREEK THE RAVEN by Patrick Carman-JULIE
SKINNED by Robin Wasserman-KARIN
SLICE OF CHERRY by Dia Reeves-KARIN

SO NOT HAPPENING by Jenny B. Jones-JULIE
SOULLESS by Christopher Golden-KARIN
SUCH A PRETTY GIRL by Laura Wiess-KARIN
THE SWEETEST SPELL by Suzanne Selfors-JULIE

T
TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith-KARIN
THIS DARK ENDEAVOR by Kenneth Oppel-KARIN

THUMPED by Megan McCafferty-KARIN
 TORRENT by Lisa T. Bergren-JULIE
THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAME HAMLET by Erin Dionne-JULIE
TRAVELS WITH GANNON AND WYATT by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet-JULIE
TRICKS by Ellen Hopkins-KARIN

U
UNCHAINED by L.B. Tillit-KARIN
UNCOMMON CRIMINALS by Ally Carter-JULIE
UNDER THE GREEN HILL by Laura L. Sullivan-JULIE
UNWHOLLY by Neal Shusterman-KARIN and JULIE

V
VARIANT by Robison Wells-JULIE

W
WATERFALL by Lisa T. Bergren-JULIE
WHALE TALK by Chris Crutcher-KARIN
WHY WE BROKE UP by Daniel Handler-KARIN

WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson-KARIN
WISH YOU WERE DEAD by Todd Strasser-KARIN
WITHER by Lauren DeStefano-KARIN

X

Y
YOU by Charles Benoit-KARIN

Z
Z by Michael Thomas Ford-KARIN
 
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