Heart's Blood

It has been way too long since I've had time to post on my blog! I've had a crazy semester at college, 17 credits (which is a lot at my college)! Unfortunately this means that not only do I not have a lot of time to write, I don't have a lot of time to read. I did get a chance to read Juliet Marillier's book Heart's Blood (and you would to if you won it in a writing contest and it was signed by the lady herself!). The story follows a scribe, Caitrin as she flees her abusive family to a town with a hidden past.

The bad: This Marillier is more occultish than her others, which deal more with fairies and old beings. I guess I prefer the latter. On the back of the book it says that she was going for a more Gothic theme, which I can understand, and she certainly accomplished (with those drafty old halls and the compulsive looks of the shoulder *shudder*).

The good: This is an adaption of the classic Beauty and the Beast story line (it says so on the book itself), so we've got all those great themes of sacrifice and true love.

My view: I fell in love with Daughter of the Forest and I've devoured her books since. Lately I haven't really been getting into them. Wildwood Dancing, Cybele's Secret and Heir to Sevenwaters just didn't capture my attention. Heart's Blood is definitely a return to Marillier's earlier and better style. Though not up there with Daughter of the Forest and her other early ones, I certainly enjoyed this story. Heart's Blood is an elegant and atmospheric love story.

North of Beautiful

Terra has lived her whole live with a large birthmark on her face. She's tried all the surgeries, which it defied, and now settles to cover it with tons of makeup. To her dad, the birthmark is just one of the many things wrong with Terra, and she's just another disappointment in a long list of them including her mother and brothers. But Terra's on a journey, accompanied by her new sometimes goth friend, Jacob, she might just realize that north of beauty is a good place to live, and make a stand.

The bad stuff: Terra and her boyfriend Eric sleep together, and what is with that? Has sex become simply a more friendly way to make out? It seems to be cropping up in more and more books I read, like Along for the Ride and Ordinary Ghosts, and I just can't agree. Not to mention STIs, this casual sex seems to have destroyed the intimacy and commitment that make sex so amazing (I've heard : ). Also, there's some swearing, what else is new in the world?

The good stuff: I can't be reminded enough that beauty is truly a thing from within. As hackneyed as this sounds, the focus on appearance is only staved off by surrounding oneself in messages like it.

My view: Especially since I started going to college as a high school student, I've felt a little north of beautiful myself. When I surrounded by all the well dressed, mature, manicured people that attend college I feel like I simply am too fat, under dressed, dull and pimply to exist in their world. But here is a book that condemns those who judge on appearances, including me. This is a message I can't hear enough, like most people (and the ones that don't want to hear it, their opinion doesn't matter then, does it?)
My one word:

Forward

13 Little Blue Envelopes

Ginny is a good daughter, she's quiet and follows the rules. But when her aunt dies and leaves her step by step instructions in 13 blue envelopes, Ginny takes a leap of faith and follows her aunt's wishes.

The bad: Nada.

The good: I love books where the characters step outside their comfort zones and experience a new way to live life. 'M not saying that we should all travel around Europe with little to no money, but...

My view: I picked this book up at my library, thinking it looked interesting. And it was. Though it is different than Sarah Dessen's style, I feel like they are comparable. Fun, light and interesting, I loved it. My one word:

Freeing

4 The Singing

The final book of the Pellinor series in which, we hope, Maerad and her brother Hem can stop the Dark by singing the Treesong. But of course the book is quite a bit longer then them just finding each other and singing that darn Treesong, so they fight battles, get stage fright, heal illnesses and have other uninteresting adventures until the meet.

The bad: Other than just general lameness, not much is bad about this book.

The good: Well, yay, saving the world from evil. And there are some interesting parts of self-reflection from Maerad. I like genuine self-reflection.

My view: This series started promising, and then got bogged down in itself. I got confused with the second one, the third one was beyond me. I did like, in this last one, I could follow the story. But I wouldn't recommend wasting time reading these large volumes. But some people really love them, so since there isn't anything particularly wrong with them, I guess most of my dislike is just personal opinion. My one word:

Cumbersome

The Lab

How can you go wrong with an spy/action book with genetic engineering and a hero who has tons of money? I didn't think so. Six is part of a secret organization with agents and departments named after the cards in a deck. If the top secret deck is discovered, no one will be left to fight for the good in their decaying world.

The bad: Ya know what: there isn't any!

The good: Finally a good secret agent who tries not to kill people! And all that fighting for goodness stuff is pretty good.

My view: Being the aesthetic person that I am, I picked this book out at B&N because of its cover, and when I saw it again my library, I was pretty excited. With good cause. I'm not afraid to call myself a teen action book connoisseur, I a liked this one. Lots of action (much of it impossible), a troubled hero and an interesting story made this book a really fun read. I hope he writes an other one. But his name can't really be Jack Heath. Too cool.

My one word:

Successful

Perfect Chemistry

Here's the classic story: Perfect girl isn't really so perfect. Bad boy isn't really so bad. But when they meet, neither one can tell. Through a deepening relationship, they discover that they are more similar that they thought, and they're falling in love. (Okay, writing that made me realize that the story is really similar to Just Listen, but it's not that good. At all.)

The bad: Swearing, sexual monologues, sex itself (which is bad, as we all know :-) without any commitment. And the cover, seriously, I was embarrassed when my dad looked at it...

The good: I appreciated that this book dug into the whole gang thing, which is something I am completely out of touch with and can't judge it's accuracy, but I felt like this book treated it realistically (kinda). As opposed to the silly movies where the hero only has to say "no" and the bad guys go away... And of course, the whole "look beneath the surface" thing, which is valuable.

My view: I enjoyed the beginning, even considering the sexual atmosphere, but the end lost my interest. I really thought Brittany would be more savvy (which is not my new word). I really thought the author could have gone farther with the book. My one word:

Underdeveloped

My Most Excellent Year

TC is a warm hearted funny guy who has set his sights on Ale (it's suppose to have an accent on the e, but I just spent five minutes typing every combo of Alt 22-- and couldn't find an e with a accent on it so just imagine). Ale is the daughter of political people who dislikes TC on principle and would prefer to be a dance rather than a diplomat. TC's brother Augie is gay, and everybody know accept him. And for an eleventh grade writing assignment they must recount their most excellent year, and they all pick their ninth grade year.

The bad: Mild occasional swearing.

The good: I loved TC and Augie, they were really kind and were completely amazing brothers (friends, read the book and you'll understand). They completely trusted each other, which I thought was amazing. TC describes himself really well, he says that whoever he takes into his heart is there to stay, and he is willing to do anything for them. And in the end TC says that a kiss after 5 months is better than a kiss after 5 minutes. Love him.

My view: This week has been a big school week, and next week is promising the same amount, if not more work. Waiting for one of my classes to start, I began this book. Immediately I completely forgot about all the pending assignments (a good thing???) and was completely in love with TC, Augie and Ale. My one word is:

Charming

Maximum Ride, Vol. 1 Manga

The first Maximum Ride book put in manga form. The story is that Max and her flock are genetically engineered bird-humans. The main perk of this is that they can fly. The main drawback is that The School that they escaped from really wants them back. So when they get a hold of the youngest of the flock, Angel, the rest of them go after her.

The bad: Okay, really, since when to skinny bird-humans age eleven have breasts? It is within the realm of possibility that Max is that filled out, but really, not Nudge. She looks like she's seventeen!

The good: Yay sticking together!

My view: I don't really go for manga made out of books, because they all claim to be drawn by the best artists in Japan, but they're all by different authors. And I'm thinking, if I were the best manga artist ever, I would not be transposing some one's good book into crappy manga. But I actually thought this one was okay. The artwork was pretty good (except for Fang, who got ruined), and the story transfers easily. But I would recommend skipping the half-an-hour manga book for the real and wittier Maximum Ride, The Angel Experiment.

One Word:

Fine

What I Saw and How I Lied

After Evie's father (step-father) returns home from WWII, everything is suppose to be idyllic. But the war has changed everyone. Tired of his hum-drum life, Evie's dad decides to take the family (minus the harping grandma) on a vacation to Florida. There Evie will see and lie, just as the title promises.

The bad: Evie seduces a guy. And then she, you know, lies (duh). About what she saw (duh x2). But even I was surprised about how exactly the title described the book.

The good: Evie does her best to get what she needs out of a bad situation. In my opinion (which this is) this is a good thing, but no one else is looking out for her best interests, that's for sure.

My view: This was a gripping and unusual book, writtin with a no-nonsense yet poetic style. The whole thing just fills you with dread. I appreciated the interest this book sparked in me, but I don't think there was really anthing worth reading in this book.

So I thought of this new thing that seemed kinda fun, and that is using one word at the end of my review to sum up the book, so let's give it a try:

Dread

The Book Thief

In WWII Germany, books are becoming rarer and rarer. Originally troubled by letters, words, sentences, paragraphs and books, Liesel discovers a passion for them that causes her to steal books. Observed and narrated by Death, The Book Thief is the story of Liesel's experiences during WWII punctuated by stolen books.

The bad: Everyone is always swearing at each other, mostly in German, but often not. Also, Liesel is, you know, a thief. I thought this was going to be some heroic, "save the knowledge" type of thing, but she just steals them because she can. And she steals other things too, like food, because she is hungry. A bad thing? Some might consider a book narrated by Death to be, I don't know, just generally a evil book, but it's not. Death is just a different point of view.

The good: I liked Liesel's dad. He was kind and understanding.

My view: I got this book out of the library like three years ago, because even then I had heard of it, but I just really couldn't persuaded myself to read it. But it was recommended to me, so I got it again. Really, I can't see it. This is one of those books that thinks if it is stark and strident about something bad, it is good. The really sad thing is that everyone else seems to believe it! I found this book dull. Very dull.

Hero

In a world filled with superheroes, Thom longs to be one. In a world filled with heterosexuals, Thom doesn't fit. Only... But... So many things stand in the way of his dreams, but Thom's going after them, and if he has to lie a couple of times, that's the price of getting what you want.

The bad: Yup, Thom lies to a lot of people, including his dad. Also, we are privy to Thom's masturbation life (once), something I certainly didn't want to read about. And his first kiss, which he quite freely gives to an unknown guy. And did we really need 3 pages devoted to every detail? Hmmm, no. And then there's swearing.

The good: Yeah, Thom lies, which I'm not excusing, but I think the point is that he shouldn't have to. He shouldn't have to fear people's unfounded judgement, and yet he quite reasonably does.

My view: I enjoyed the writing, and the story was a cool idea. No, it wasn't a super original idea and it had it's fallacies, but it was cleverly written. But the detailed descriptions of Thom sexual life was just too much for me.

The Hunger Games

In one of the lesser districts of what use to be the United States, Katniss survives by poaching game from beyond the fence. She is the main provider for the mother and dearly beloved sister. So when the system tries to tear them apart, Katniss finds herself a contestant of the ultimate survivor game. On the way she is partnered with a kind boy from her district also taking part in the games. But is he kind? Is he her partner?

The bad: All the contestants are manipulated into attacking and killing each other. It's hard to believe that winning is so important to these teens that they are willing to kill. Even our main characters.

The good: I'm not sure that there is really all that much "good" in this book!

My view: I really liked the Gregor books by Suzanne Collins, until I stopped reading them. It was a case of me growing up waaaay faster than him, I just got disconnected. But I really did like them, so I was excited when Ms. Collins came out with a teen book. I did enjoy reading it, it was fun and crisp, but it didn't have the qualities of a really great book.

Getting the Girl

Sherman Mack is interested in girls. He's not creepy, he just likes girls. So when a girl he wants to impress suggests that he investigate the perpetrators of the dreaded D-listing that's going on at their school. D-listing is a process that involves an unknown person pasting pictures of girls in the bathrooms. These people are then treated as if they don't even exist. In his own unique way, Sherman becomes determined to stop this labeling that is ruining people's lives.

The good: Basically, the moral of the story is that high-schoolers (and other teens) give people labels that don't easily come off, and that inaction is just as harmful as a direct attack. It's a good thing to keep in mind.

The bad: Sherman's mom is an exotic dancer wanna be. And normal high school swearing.

My view: Lacking in laughs, intelligence and surprise, this book's jacket promises more that it delivers. The main character is pathetic, and I couldn't really find any redeeming qualities in him. The story was kinda flat and textbook teen book. Bland is the perfect word to desicribe this book.

The Princess and the Hound, A Favorite!

Love is not something that George thinks about. So when a neighboring kingdom offers their princess as a bride to ensure peace, he accepts. He understands that he will most likely never be able to love Princess Beatrice, because he can be honest with her. He can't tell her that he has the dreaded animal magic. Or can he confess his secret to the girl who never leaves her hound's side?

The good stuff: There are some good themes in this book, like toloerance, hope and persistance. But you can find that in many (okay, some) other books. What is really good about this book is how different it is.

The not so hot stuff: Nothing really.

Why I like it: This book has a strange writing stlye. And when you've read (or maybe you already have) as many books as I, you know that different is always going on a favorites list. Okay, I take that back. Book awards people seem to make this their policy, and poor decived people like me end up reading a buch of "different" crappy books. A certain element of moral depth and hope must also be encorporated. I wouldn't say that this book has moral depth, but it's an interesting read.

A Curse as Dark as Gold

The Miller's mill (funny how that works out) is having some troubles. In fact, a lot of troubles. First the old master dies, then a peculiar uncle shows up... And things just get worse from there. In fact, it almost seems like a curse, because just about everything that can go wrong does, that's just the way things work at the mill, always have, but not always will, if Charlotte has anything to say about it.

The bad: What I have termed as the highly technical "icky magic": the kind of magic that makes me grossed out and disturbed by its darkness, as opposed to the magic that is simply power that can be used for good or bad. This book has icky magic. Also, I found the main character deplorable.

The good: Hmmm, nope. Nothing.

What I think (the beautiful?) : Why do I even bother reading books that get awards? More often than not, they are completely awful. And this is just a case in point. At first I was "gelling" (as my mom says) with the whole "save the mill" thing, but Charolotte takes way too far. Not only did this book suffer from moral problems, it was just plain uninteresting. How long did the writer expect us to care about the boring (!) main character's problems anyway? Also, gold is shiny and bright, but the curse is evil (dark). So how is that suppose to make sense?

Fallacies in the title are just the start in this book...

Daughter of the Forest, A Favorite!

In the forests of Ireland, a young girl lives a happy childhood with her six brothers. It would be hard to pinpoint the moment when her happy childhood stops and her life slowly becomes something she never expected. Was it when she nursed the young Briton? Was it when her closest brother began hiding things from her? Was it when she gained a stepmother? When ever it was, Sorcha finds herself confronted with a task of impossible proportions and heartbreaking consequences. Is the price worth the reward?

The good stuff: Family is the main focus of this story, the good and the bad. Sorcha's brothers do all they can to protect her, and she would do anything to get them back. They are like the seven streams that surround their home, eternally one and also incomprehensible to one another.

The not so hot stuff: The kinda point of this story is that you do what you must for love, but the effects of sacrifice will change you forever. And they do. Sorcha and her brothers encounter depths of human evil that change them forever, and we experience every moment of degradation and pain along with Sorcha. The evils she encounters are not for young readers. I read this book first when I was 13, and I would say (much as I hate to) that I was too young.

Why I like it: There is a depth of emotion and human nature in this book that is staggering. Sorcha's dedication to her task is mind blowing, and an causes me to question what I would do for the ones I love. This book is like poetry to read, with the depths of human evil and the heights of human love considered thoroughly.

Secret Sacrament, A Favorite!

This story starts with Gabriel receiving a bone pendent from a dying Shinali woman he could have defended from the attack she is dying from. This moment draws him onto his path of healing, that leads him into the highest court in the land, and the darkest intrigues. Finally, he once again encounters the Shinali people, and forever changes the shape of their world.

The good stuff: Gabriel is so real, he walks right off the page, full of honesty, a firm sense of justice, humility and strength. His way of living life is admirable and worth imitating.

The not so hot: The Shinali women is un-graphically (that's not a word, is it?) raped in the beginning of the book. All other darkness that follows is heartbreaking, but not explicit.

What I like about it: Gabriel's live is inspiring and convicting to all. This book is so real (I know I already said that, but it's still true!) and beautiful. Glorious and haunting at the same time. The writing is realistic, and yet mystical. Reading this book makes you feel like there is something worth living about in this world.

Just Listen, A Favorite!

This is a story about Anabel and her relationships (and I mean it in the broad term, not like she had bunches of boyfriends or anything). This is a story of Anabel discovering the truth about the people she knows, and herself. This also a story about Anabel and Owen, who meet over many lunches spent alone. This is a story about music.

The good stuff: Owen reaches out to Anabel when she needs it most, and he doesn't let her get away with anything less that the truth. He is committed to always telling the truth, an interesting idea! There is so much beauty in this book, it's all about building relationships that are supportive, and healing in families.

The not so hot stuff: This book addresses some issues that are serious, and aren't for the faint hearted. Eating disorders, rape, underage drinking and depression are all part of this book.

What I like about it: I can relate to Anabel, in fact, she is almost completely like me, it's scary. Her family is super similar to mine to. So every time I read this book (and it's been quite a few) I feel challenged to be the best I can be, especially in the honesty area. I know I'm always not telling the whole truth to keep the status-quo. Also, this book always has me dreaming of my own Owen (yet un-found) who is human, but is still trying to live up to his own standards. This is the perfect rainy afternoon read.

Wake

Janie (I just realised that I pretty much always start my reviews this way... oh well) is not a normal teenager. Actually, the story starts when she is eight, and is told in present tense, so she doesn't start a teenager. But back to my original point, Janie is not normal. When anyone around her sleeps, she jumps into their dreams. As you can imagine, this really sucks (haha, pun).

Even though her mother is a boozer, Janie does quite a bit of partaking herself (doesn't that sound old!) She also feels comfortable sleeping with other people, just sleeping though, thus far, there is a second book. And the requisite f-word makes it's appearance a few times. Also, Janie get sucked into peoples sex/naked at school/work dreams. Not so cool.

Janie's a pretty decent girl trying to live her life better than her mom. 'M not sure she's doing 100% on this, but it's not easy since she is completely responsible for her own life. Cable seems like a pretty nice guy, but you can never tell. I liked the direction the end was going... It was refreshing to have doing good for other people the moral of a teen story.

If you cut out all the bad stuff, I like this story. It was a fun read, and the writing style kept your mind on the story. But I can't cut out all the bad stuff, so I guess it was okay, with a good "moral" or whatever the modern equivalent of that is. Good point maybe? I should get out more often...

Beastly

Kyle is the guy who's got it all. And that sentence alone should make you realize what is going to happen in this book, yup, he's going to lose it. This modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast (my sister's favorite fairy tale) follows Kyle on his journey from the biggest jerk you can imagine (okay, not that big, but close) to discovering that he cares more about other people than himself.

Kyle starts out as a huge jerk, so you can imagine. He says horrible things to people, takes advantage of people and he's just nasty. There is also talk of someone groping someone else.

You all know the story of Beauty and the Beast, but it is even more touching to hear it from the Beast's side.

I thought this book was amazing! Not only do I love fairy tale retellings, but this book was funny and sweetly romantic. A definite must!