Annette's Book Spot

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Follow Friday -- Sleepless Nights

Hey! Welcome back. And happy Friday! I know I, for one, am very happy to be at the end of this week. Sometimes 4-day weeks seem so much longer than 5-day ones. I don't know why...

Anyway, Alison and Parajunkee have this week's Feature and Follow Friday question:

Q: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

This is kind of a timely question, because last Sunday I did a post about how I CAN'T stay up to read! No matter how hard I try and how exciting the book -- my body just goes to sleep. Here's where you can read my discussion about "Falling Asleep". If you have any "tricks" for staying awake, let me know!

Hope you enjoy your weekend. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you come back soon.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Book Review: The Always War, by Margaret Peterson Haddix

At first, I thought The Always War didn't really have anything to do with the war, but I was quickly proved wrong.

Tessa is excited to see the latest war hero, Gideon, receive his medal. Gideon grew up in the apartment next to her and they played together as children. When Gideon refuses to accept the medal, claiming he is a coward, Tessa can't help but try to find out why.

The war, which apparently takes place between a future eastern United States against the western United States, has been going on for generations -- apparently hundreds of years. Society is poor and everything is run down because all the money is going towards the war.

Gideon returns home, broken and ill, and Tessa sneaks in to help him. She follows him, as he escapes, and they end up on an airplane, flying into enemy territory, because Gideon wants to apologize to the enemy for killing so many of them. They soon discover there's a stowaway, Dak, who is there to protect the stolen, black-market airplane.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot. These three unlikely heroes have an adventure and do some interesting problem solving that changes the world. It is a bit unrealistic, but entertaining if you allow yourself to go along for the ride. As usual, Haddix gives us much to think about and discuss--about war, it's causes, and the use of technology for decision making.

The Always War kind of reminded me of Ender's Game, although The Always War is much shorter and less complex. There's enough action in The Always War to keep reluctant readers interested, and with both male and female main characters, I think this will appeal to both sexes. The Always War is a short but entertaining, well-written, exciting book for tweens and teens.

Published by Simon & Schuster, 2011
Copy obtained from the library
197 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Book Review: Prodigy, by Marie Lu @Marie_Lu

Oh, Prodigy, you definitely did not disappoint. I don't know why, but I really connected with the characters in Legend (the first book), as well as the writing, and plot, and Prodigy just kept me enthralled from the first page to the last.

This is a book about Day and June -- the characters that I connected with on such an emotional level in Legend. So, of course I loved this book. Not to mention that there's lots of action and danger and fighting and surviving that also kept me going.

We get to leave Los Angeles and travel to other cities in the Republic. There are some new characters to love (and hate) and Day and June are never safe. They are always trying to figure out who they can trust...and all the way to the end, we still aren't sure. That's another reason I love these books. The characters really have to fend for themselves, and each other. They really watch out for each other, because they really don't have anyone else to trust.

There's a romance that continues to bloom between our two main characters, but they both are conflicted at times with other interests involving the opposite sex. I wouldn't really call it a love triangle, though.

For a second book, there's lots of plot. Prodigy isn't a "filler." We learn a lot about the Empire, the Colonies, the Patriots, and much about the origin of the conflict is revealed. At the end, we hope that Day and June are in a position to better the lives of the people, but there's also a shocking revelation.

I, of course, can't wait until the next book in the Legend Series. I must find out what happens! Anyone who enjoyed Legend will love this one, and the sooner the better. If you haven't begun the series yet, I highly recommend it. Some would say there are some formulaic elements, but the characters are what grabbed me in Prodigy, as they did in Legend.

Published by Putnam, January 29. 2013
ARC obtained from Around the World ARC Tours
371 pages

Rating: 5/5

Monday, January 21, 2013

Book Review: As I Wake, by Elizabeth Scott

Rarely has a book kept me thinking, "What the heck?" as much as As I Wake did.

A girl wakes up in a strange bed, in a strange house, in a strange place. She doesn't even know what her own name is. She's lost everything. She screams, faints, and wakes up in a hospital with a person who claims to be her mother. Her mother calls her "Ava." Ava is told she has lost her memory, but the doctors don't know why. Ava thinks she doesn't even belong here.

She starts having dreams, which don't seem like dreams as much as memories. These visions are of herself and her "friends" in a different place, a different life. Many of the people she meets in this new life also exist in the other life. But they are very different, and that life is very different. Very harsh.

Ava begins to remember that she was a spy -- she was spying on someone named Morgan, and they end up in a forbidden relationship. Morgan appears to her in this new life, but he's not really supposed to be there. As you can probably see, there are lots of reasons to say, "What the heck?"

As I Wake kept my interest, mostly because I wanted to figure out what was going on. It was easy to read, and pretty fast-paced. I liked the way Ava analyzed the differences between the people in her old life and new life. She knew a lot about what was "inside" these supposed friends in her new life, because of the way they behaved in the other life. As I Wake did spark some emotions as I was reading. Along with frustration, there was a bit of horror at the conditions of the "other life" although this life is only vaguely alluded to in Ava's visions, so this didn't have as much impact as it could have. And, there is some sadness at the forbidden love aspect.

So, what is that other life? I don't know. That was never explained. I wanted to know more As I Wake is written like a science fiction, but there really isn't any science -- no explanation. There is a romance between Morgan and Ava that is kind of heartbreaking, but what happens at the end doesn't make sense. We were told this "something" isn't possible, and then it happens at the end of the book.

I was pretty confused through the entire book, and then I still felt mostly confused, or maybe I should say unfulfilled, at the end. I can say that As I Wake kept my interest, and I never wanted to stop reading. But after finishing, I was disappointed.

As I Wake wouldn't be the first book I'd recommend to my teens, although there are some I could hand pick that might like it. It's just a hard book to peg -- not really science fiction, fantasy, or horror - although VOYA put it on its "Best of 2010" list for those genres.

Published by Dutton Juvenile, 2011
Copy obtained from the library
269 pages

Rating: 3/5

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Do I Have Anything to Discuss? Falling Asleep

I keep reading this in your book reviews: "I stayed up until 3 a.m....I just couldn't put it down! Even though I had to go to work the next day..." Or, "I was so tense I couldn't wait to find out what happened, so I stayed up and finished the book."

Uuugggghhhh!!! How do you do that? Is there a trick? Please let me know. Because I read before I go to sleep pretty much every night .... and I can be reading something riveting... a "five hat" book, I can be at a tense, pivotal point in the plot. And still --- I find myself having "read" three pages that I don't remember. I wake up, realizing that I'm not reading -- I'm sleeping! But the book is so good, so I plod on. And, the next day I just have to read everything again because I don't remember it. No matte how bad I want to read, I can't. My body just WON'T stay awake.

I really WANT to stay awake. I have goals... but I can't keep them after my bedtime.

Am I alone? Do others have this problem? Even though you love to read, and are reading a really great book, do you fall asleep?

If you don't --- do you have any advice? Techniques? Tips? Especially when I DON'T have to go to work the next day, I'd really like to be able to stay awake to read! Help!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Stacking the Shelves - A Fun One!

A mixed bag, this week. Some books I'm really looking forward to reading! And here they are:

For Review:

Obsidian Mirror, by Catherine Fisher, from Around the World ARC Tours

Crime of Privilege, by Walter Walker, from LibraryThing Early Reviewers

From the Library:

Before You Go, by James Preller

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life, by Tara Altebrando

Between the Sea & Sky, by Jaclyn Dolamore

Thanks to Tynga's Reviews for hosting all of us. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to stop by some of the other participating blogs!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Feature and Follow Friday: Villains

Here's Parajunkee's and Alison's question for Friday:

Who is your favorite villain from a book?

A blast from the past for me: Gary Soneji, from James Patterson's Alex Cross series. He's despicable. He's one of the earliest villains in the series, and appears in two books (I think.) I know these books are formulaic, but there's something very appealing about them. My heart always pounds as I fly through the books (they are usually pretty quick reads). I love them and can't get enough of Alex Cross. There's a new one coming out in February, and I haven't read the last one yet!!!

How about you? Do you have a "favorite" villain? Leave me your link in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Book Review: Rebel Heart, by Moira Young @Moira_Young

Blood Read Road was my favorite book of 2011, and I'm happy to say the sequel, Rebel Heart, lives up to it's predecessor.

Once again, the characters are superb. I loved every one of them. It was amazing how quickly they all came back to me. Often, I have trouble remembering what happened to each person when it was more than a year since the first book, but in this case, Blood Red Road was so memorable, that I fell right back into the Dust Lands world.

I, unlike some readers, absolutely love Young's use of dialect. I think it adds so much atmosphere to the setting and characters. I don't think it would be the same book without that feature.

The main adventure is Saba and Jack trying to get back to each other, and of course nothing is straight forward -- nothing goes as planned. There is a new, more sophisticated enemy, and of course the forces of nature do not help their journey.

Rebel Heart is really action packed and I had difficulty putting it down. When I did have to pause, I found myself thinking about their predicament. Fortunately ;) I didn't feel well on Sunday, so I was able to spend much of the day finishing the book.

There is a romantic situation towards the end (trying not to spoil anything) that was a pretty big surprise. I didn't expect the plot to go that way, and I didn't like it -- but I do like it. I mean, it's clever, and I'm anxious to see where this love triangle goes. And there is even a third person who may be in the mix in the next book. Given the last page, I have a feeling this character is going to muck things up a bit in book #3.

I only have one very small criticism. When the shaman is "banishing the dead" from Saba, she gets interrupted in the middle. Auriel is very concerned because she says Saba is "dangerously open" because they didn't get to finish. It seemed like such a big deal, and I was sure this would come back to haunt Saba, but it didn't. Maybe there will be some consequences in the next book, but I thought there should have been at least some small effects in Rebel Heart, otherwise, why make it sound like such a big deal.

The ending is heartbreaking and satisfying. There isn't an uncomfortable cliff hanger, but plenty left to solve. I do wish the next book was coming sooner! I would (and do) recommend this series to anyone, young or old, who enjoys a great adventure, dystopian, or apocalyptic story. This series just can't be beat.

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, October 30, 2012
Copy obtained from the library
424 pages

Rating: 5/5

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Audio Book Review: The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) by Michael Scott

I would have enjoyed The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) much more had it been about half the length.

Twins Sophie and Josh come to the rescue as Nick Flemming, Josh's boss, is being attacked in his book store. Thus begins an adventure through the shadow realms, where they meet and are attacked by a variety of horrible and wonderful fantastical creatures.

It turns out the Nick is Nicholas Flamel. He's around 700 years old, and has stayed young because he possesses the Codex, a magical book that contains many secrets. When the book shop was attacked, a bad guy, Dr. John Dee, was able to steal the book -- all except the last couple pages that Josh managed to grab as Dee was stealing the book.

Now, Josh and Sophie must help Nicholas and some others of the Elder race to save the world from takeover by the Dark Elders. They must get the book back, while John Dee and the Dark Elders are trying to find them to get the missing pages.

The Alchemyst is full of wonderful creatures with imaginative magical capabilities. Our heroes escape from several near-death experiences in very unique ways. Scott has created a complex and intricate world and manages to keep it all organized and making sense.

My problem with The Alchemyst is the length, the "telling," and the repetition. The action in the book, along with interesting dialog and plotting, is regularly interrupted by giant asides -- describing the history and back story of the creatures and world. This really brought the story to a screeching halt several times. As the perspective changes during the story, we are brought inside each character's head and told their thoughts and feelings, often repeating the same thing every time we go back to them. I got really tired of being told how much Josh didn't trust Flamel. Likewise, every time were are returned to Perry (Nick's wife) we seem to be told the same thing over and over before any progress can be made. In general, there's much description of the characters' thoughts which is repetitive and unnecessary. Couldn't their actions describe their feelings? At least more than they did.

I would have enjoyed more dialog and movement (showing as opposed to telling) to keep my interest. At 400 pages, I thought The Alchemist would benefit from some editing.

The story itself is a good one. It's intriguing and I enjoyed the action. The audio narration was excellent. The various accents required were handled expertly by Denis O'Hare.

Die-hard fantasy fans who can handle the length will enjoy this as well as the other books in the series. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel is appropriate for middle or high school students.

Published by Delacorte, 2007
Audiobook obtained from the library
400 pages

Rating: 3/5

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Book Review: Shadowlands, by Kate Brian

For the first 1/3 of Shadowlands, I was enthralled. It was a heart-pounding, thrilling ride and I wish it had kept going. However, the story slowed so much, the plotting became very sloppy, and I ended up just waiting for it to end.

Rory is the only victim to have escaped from what she finds out is a wanted serial killer. She knows the man as her math teacher, but he has a hidden past. According to the FBI, he will stop at nothing to finish the job, so Rory and her family (Dad and little sister) end up in protective custody, in something like a witness protection program.

The actual attack at the beginning of Shadowlands and Rory's escape is exciting and had me on the edge of my seat. Then, as the police frantically try to find the killer, the danger is palpable and the tension mounts. Then the family is sent away to a safe house on a remote island, and things get really weird.

Rory and her sister, Darcy begin to make friends, but there are strange things about the people on the island. There are no phones, no newspapers, no TV or internet reception. And, no contact with the authorities. Really? This makes no sense. Rory finds clues that the killer leaves -- and knows that he must be close -- but she does NOTHING about it. She just ignores them. Again, really?

The use of dreams was a bit overdone. I really got tired of the fact that most of the tense scenes turn out to be dreams. A cheap way to thrill a reader.

The last 20% of the book once again gets exciting, as Rory gets help from people on the island to stop the killer. The tension, once again, is felt. The ending really fizzled for me. The explanation of the island's idiosyncrasies was too easy, and very quick. In one page we get the answer, and I kind of felt cheated. The explanation just didn't do it for me. It explained a lot of what happened, but it was the easy way out.

The writing was great. The characters, for the most part, acted like teens act. There's animosity between the sisters, as teens will exhibit, but deep down there's love and support. The story flowed well and was easy to read, although it dragged in the middle. We get the perspective of the killer every few chapters, which was a nice touch and added to the suspense.

Ultimately, I was disappointed in Shadowlands. From what I can tell, I'm in the minority though, so look around and you will find lots of rave reviews. You should make your own decision.

Published by Hyperion, January 8, 2013
eARC obtained from NetGalley
336 pages

Rating: 2.5/5