The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the signs of a great book, in my humble opinion, is that the book stays with you when you turn to that last page. While I was skeptical of how good the Hunger Games could be, after all, with all that hype it would just disappoint, I found myself riveted from the early pages. And while I finished the book a couple of days ago, I'm still thinking about the characters and the plot and wondering what happens next.
What used to be North America is now the country of Panem. A country that is led by the Capital city, which controls 12 outlying cities. Years before, there had been a rebellion, and the capital had quashed the rebellion, but to punish the people the Hunger Games were instituted.
2 children, a boy and a girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen each year. They are put into an arena and must fight to the death. There can only be one victor. The one who is the last to live.
When Katniss's 12-year-old sister is chosen, she offers to go in her place. It's up to her to survive. But can she keep her humanity while fighting to the death?
The characterization was so rich. The plot so deep, that it was hard not to think and wonder on the characters. Does she keep her humanity? Can she? Will she try to overthrow the government?
I know there's a lot of hype for this title, but it's hype that is well deserved.
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- Location: computer desk
- Mood:
accomplished
Jumped by Rita Williams-GarciaMy review
rating: 2 of 5 stars
Told in 3 POVs - this is the story of one girl getting jumped in her high school for the most innocuous offense. When Trina cuts through Dominique and her friends early in the morning, Domnique, already infuriated by the fact that she was benched from her basketball team decides to jump Trina at 2:45 p.m. when school ends. Leticia witnesses the episode - and though excitedly tells her friend - does not warn Trina or go to the authorities to try and prevent it.
The action moves very slowly - taking us through the girls' day in school. The final jump scene is just pages from the end and the scene itself is a bit muddled and incoherent. It took away from the horror of such a scene.
In addition, the 10 page follow-up to the jumping leaves readers quite blah, because in the end - no one (except maybe Trina, the victim) has grown. Dominique has no remorse. Leticia is still spoiled and reveling in the action, but never wondering if it's wrong.
This is a book that has so much potential and fell very short. One thing Williams-Garcia did manage was to truly capture the voices of urban teenagers.
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- Mood:
complacent
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse AndersonMy review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
4 students borrowed this book before I had the opportunity to take this one home. They all came back with similar feelings: This was too sad. Some loved it because it was so sad and intense and others couldn't finish it. So I knew what I was in for, but - wow! - what an intense read. I haven't had that in ages.
The story is about Lia, an 18-year-old girl battling Anorexia-Nervosa. Her best friend Cassie just died. Cassie was Bulimic, not anorexic and their friendship had been on the brink for months. Lia is haunted by Cassie as she struggles with her illness.
This still doesn't top Anderson's first novel, Speak. But it's a close second. I'm sure come award time this title will be making waves.
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- Mood: accomplished
But I did review this title for a professional journal and didn't feel it was proper to do a full review. Forgive the cryptic review.
The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene Luen YangMy review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Not everything is what it seems. Compelling. Wonderful artwork. Worthwhile book to read more than once.
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- Mood:
happy
By Robin Benway
Razorbill (a division of the Penguin Group USA)
ISBN 978-1-59514-191-0 $16.99 320 p.
April 2008
Ages 14 and up
It’s been a really long time since I’ve updated this blog! At one point, I promised myself, that I’d post about a book a month. The dumb thing is, I’ve been reading a lot more than that, but haven’t had the time to sit and write about what I’m reading.
But Audrey, Wait! put me in the mood to blog again. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I picked this up after hearing about it on a YA literature discussion group. The reviews were unclear as to age appropriateness, and I knew that before purchasing this title for my library’s (middle school) collection, I would have to read it for myself. I’m glad I did.
( Read more... )
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- Mood:
apathetic
By Abel, Jessica
Soria, Gabe
Pleece, Warren
First Second©2008 186pp.
ISBN 978-1-59643-107-2
Sometimes, after finishing a book, we put the book down and think, ok, now what? That was sort of the feeling I had when I finished Life Sucks. Dave is a reluctant vampire. He was turned against his will by an opportunistic Lord Radu, who needs cheap (meaning free) labor to make a greater profit. Dave is forced to work the graveyard shift (the deadliest) at Radu’s corner bodega, as he is now a vampire slave to Lord Radu (since he was turned by him). Dave hates his life, or rather unlife. Since he refuses to suck on people for blood, he is left weak, unlike the other vampires around. Dave has his eyes on a Goth girl but is up against a much stronger vampire to win her affection. Will Dave succumb and start sucking on humans so he can win
The artwork is strangely dull and uninteresting, considering the bold colors. And while the plot should have grabbed me, I think that the unsympathetic characters just sucked the life out of this story. The last two lines (of this review) make it sound like this book is terrible and it’s not. I did keep turning the pages. I wondered how Dave would turn outt and if he’d get the girl. I also think that with the popularity of vampire novels/stories (Vampire Kisses by Schreiber and Twilight by Meyers), this should be an easy sell to teens. I’m just wondering if they’ll be left as I was when finished reading this book…. “so what?”
While not terribly graphic or violent, this book is suited best for teens and high school libraries.
- Location:computer desk
- Mood: tired
Savvy 
By Law, Ingrid
Dial (An imprint of the Penguin Group) ©May 2008 352pp.
978-0-8037-3306-0
- Location:computer desk
- Mood: drained
- Music:Take It Easy - Bright Eyes
Double Love (Sweet Valley High)by Pascal, Francine
Random House: Laurel Leaf ©April 2008 240pp.
ISBN 978-0-440-42262-4
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- Mood:
giddy
Long May She Reign
by Ellen Emerson White
708pp.©2007
ISBN 978-0-312-3676-1
Reading Long May She Reign was like catching up with an old friend. ( Read more... )
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- Mood: accomplished
Minerva Clark Gets a Clue
by Karen Karbo
245pp.©2006
ISBN 1582347476
When I read this gushing post about Minerva Clarke Gives up the Ghost, I just had to go and see what this book was about for myself. Alas, at the time, Brooklyn Public Library did not own the book and so I went ahead and reserved a copy of the first book from this series: Minerva Clarke Gets a Clue. And just like the blogger at Book Shelves of Doom says: How did I miss this?
Crossposted to http://cornerbooks.blogspot.com/
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- Mood: cheerful
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- Mood: busy
By Cecil Castellucci
ISBN 978-1401211158
Minx ©2007 pp.
Re-Gifters
By Mike Carey
ISBN 978-1401203719
Minx ©2007 174 pp.
Clubbing
By Andy Watson
ISBN 978-1-4012-0370-2
Minx ©2007 149pp.
( Read all about it )
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- Mood: productive
Crispin: At the edge of the world
By Avi
ISBN 0-7868-5152-x
Hyperion ©2006 234 pp.
Crispin’s adventure continues with Bear. For a short while they revel in their freedom, but it’s not long before the men of the Secret Brotherhood that think Bear has betrayed them pursue the duo. Bear is injured and near death. Crispin must turn to an old hag and a young deformed girl to save his beloved friend. I read the first part of (what is now going to be) a trilogy eons ago and with the amount of reading I do it’s difficult for me to recall details… and so it was almost as if I hadn’t read the first part and still I was able to enjoy the adventure immensely. In my experience the tweens today don’t clamor to read historical fiction, but the intrigue, betrayal, and action should make this a title adults can sell to them.
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- Mood: productive
By A.C. Bauer
ISBN 978-0-375-93921-1
Random House, ©October 2007
A sweet if a bit saccharine fantasy/realistic fiction. A young boy living in a rough neighborhood loses himself in a fairy tale book that seems to have magical powers. In his real life there are bullies, drugs, violence and a chorus that might change everything. The urban part of the story won’t quite cut it for the tough inner city crowd of readers, but will still have some appeal.
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- Mood: productive
By Lois Ruby
ISBN 0823419606
C2006 Holiday House 284 pp
I don’t know when I first heard about the [Jewish] Holocaust, ( Read more... )
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By Catherine Gilbert Murdock
ISBN 9780618686957
c2007 Houghton Mifflin, 288 pp.
This sequel to Dairy Queen starts where we last left off. ( Read more... )
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by John Feinstein
ISBN 037583592x
c2006 Random House, 256 pp.
Football Genious: A Novel
by Tim Green
ISBN 9780061122705
cJuly 2007 HarperCollins, 256 pp.
Books with strong boy appeal are hard to find. ( .... )
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- Mood: chipper
By Elizabeth Scott
ISBN 9781416926832
C2007 Simon Pulse, 231 pp
The first thing I thought of when I finished this book was why the title? (I’ve been hanging out in the back of too many Language Arts Classrooms this year.) But in fact, flowers do not play a prominent role in this story. ( Read more... )
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- Mood:
depressed
- Location:work
- Mood: tired
By Carter, Ally
ISBN 142310034
Genre: Romance, humor, action
c2006. Hyperion. 288pp.
( Read more... )
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- Mood: calm
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