Annette's Book Spot

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Book Review: Strangelets, by Michelle Gagnon

Strangelets is a "light" dystopian that kept my interest, but might be more appropriate for younger teens.

We meet three teens, in very different situations in different parts of the world. As they experience death, they are sucked into a black hole. They all wake up in separated rooms in an abandoned hospital and discover there are a couple more kids with similar stories. They have no idea where they are or how they got there. They begin the process of trying to escape and find other people. Once they escape, they realize they are on Long Island, and things just get more and more confusing.

I had some problems with the actual plot of Strangelets. It seemed like one second it was impossible to escape the hospital, and the next minute they were outside. It was a bit too easy. It was unbelievable that none of these teens caught on that it wasn't just the next day -- everything was grown up with trees and mold, but still they think it is the day after they "died?" No teens are that stupid.

I found the "monsters" to be scary -- but then again, I didn't really feel a build up of tension, because escape always seemed too fast and easy. These creatures appeared over and over again, but some how the kids actually never SAW them until over halfway through Strangelets. Another weak plotting element. And, while I love a happy ending, the ending of Stragelets seemed a bit too unlikely and too happy.

Strangelets is easy to read and fairly fast-paced. I think it read a little slow for me, just because I thought they should have figured at least SOME things out before the big reveal. I got frustrated at their stupidity.

I think younger teens, who have not read the more complex dystopians that are so popular now will enjoy this book. There are plot flaws which bothered me, but a more inexperienced reader will be sitting on the edge of their seat for much of the time.

Published by Soho Teen, April 9, 2013
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
272 pages

Rating: 2.5/5

Monday, April 8, 2013

Book Review: Thorn, by Intisar Khanani @IntisarKhanani

I thoroughly enjoyed Thorn. I usually go into a book fairly blind, and since I received Thorn so long ago, I didn't remember it was a fairy tale retelling of The Goose Girl.

I became attached to Princess Alyrra very quickly -- within the first pages -- and that's why I enjoyed the story so much. She gets betrothed to a prince from a far away land, and on the way there, her nasty companion uses magic to change places with her!

I think the twist is that Alyrra doesn't mind becoming a common, relatively poor, hard-working girl. She tends the geese with a quiet and somewhat scary man. She works hard and makes friends with several people who tend the horses. She's a wonderful, strong character who always wants to do the right thing for everyone. She's caring and eventually realizes that the best way she can make a difference, is to reach her true destiny and become princess. This takes her a long time.

Meanwhile, the prince knows something is up. He keeps making contact with Alyrra (who is now known as Thorn) because he doesn't entirely believe her story. Thorn can't tell him what happened to her because of the curse, but she doesn't really want to because she's happy where she is.

I'm not a big fan of magic, but this is a fairy tale, and I'm pretty good at just going with the flow. So, there's a talking horse, and the wind speaks to Thorn, and a mean witch has cast the spell to change Alyrra's life because she wants to kill the prince. The talking horse is a bit over the top, but he's part of the original tale, so I'm OK with that. And, he's a great character, even if he is a horse. Very wise.

It's just all great fun, and I even choked up during a few parts. The writing is excellent. The only problem I had was during a few of the magical moments -- I didn't think things were explained very well. I had to read several passages a few times, and still, I thought some "leaps" were necessary, and I wasn't very good at taking those leaps.

Fans of The Goose Girl should definitely find this book. Thorn stays pretty true to the original story but is colorful and embellished nicely. Fans of any retellings will not be disappointed.

Published by CreateSpace, May 15, 2012
eBook obtained from the author for review
246 pages

Rating: 4/5

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Other Side of Life - A Wine Tote

I'm using these posts to occasionally describe other things I enjoy (besides books.) I used to post these projects on my other blog, but I posted so seldom that I decided to include them here. Feel free to skip this one, if you are strictly in it for the books.

I was in the mood for a small sewing project this weekend, so here's what I made:

The pattern came from Needle and Spatula, although I made a modification. I chose to quilt the entire fabric piece, cut out the handle, and bind it with the bias tape.. It made the quilting a lot easier. I made it from scrap fabrics, so it cost me nothing. Took about 2 hours. I think I may make some of these for gifts. What do you think?

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Stacking the Shelves -- The Wait is Over

I received some really great books this week -- a couple that I've been waiting a long time for.

For Review:

Some Quiet Place, by Kelsey Sutton eBook from NetGalley

I have to admit this one is all about the cover. Isn't it beautiful?

Won:

The Tragedy Paper, by Elizabeth Laban, from RandomBuzzers

Strands of Bronze and Gold, by Jane Nickerson, from RandomBuzzers

I already read the eARC, and this finished copy will go to my library.

Purchased:

Tiger Lily, by Jodi Lynn Anderson, eBook bargain from Amazon

Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, eBook bargain from Amazon

I've wanted to read this for so long, but it's always checked out of the library. When I saw the bargain, I grabbed it up and intend to read it soon!

From the Library:

The Death Cure, by James Dashner

Don't for get to visit Team Tynga's Reviews, our host for this weekly event. Thanks for stopping by. Leave a link so I can add to my wish list!

Friday, April 5, 2013

Feature & Follow Friday - Books You Loved or Hated

Happy Friday everyone. For me, spring is finally here! We are supposed to have a great weather weekend, and I'm looking forward to it. Here's this week's question from Parajunkee & Alison:

Have you ever read a book that you thought you would hate -- ? Did you end up hating it? Did you end up loving it? Or would you never do that?

Well, I'm sure I could name quite a few books that were required reading during my education that I ended up not liking very much. But I'm going to talk about a more recent book (well, not that recent) but one that was read by choice. I don't know -- this might be a popular answer today, but I really wasn't sure about Harry Potter.

I'm not a big fantasy fan, as I've said many times on this blog, but there are exceptions, and Harry Potter made me realize that it's the quality of writing, the characters, and the exquisite world building that will allow me to love ANY book - fantasy, science fiction, romance, dystopian....whatever. Harry Potter changed my reading world...as it did for many. But I might not be the "norm" because I was an adult when this series was released (in my 30's). I loved those books like a kid, though!

How about you? Books you hated? Loved? Leave me a link so I can visit. Be sure to visit Parajunkee & Alison to see all the blogs participating. Have a great weekend and come back soon!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge! -- March '13 Update

Another month has come and gone so it's time to see how we're doing on our Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge! You can keep track of my entire year's progress here. My goal for the year is to read 25 books. I made great progress this month, well on pace to make my goal.

Here's what I read in March:

7. The Future of Us, by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
8. Six Years, by Harlan Coben
9. The Elephant of Surprise, by Brent Hartinger
10. Rotten, by Michael Northrop

How about you? Have you read any books in ONE DAY? Give me some suggestions.

If you would like to join us it's not too late! There's a link to the challenge page on the sidebar.

If you are participating, please leave a link to your post, or just list your books in the comments. Hope you are having fun with these "little gems."

Book Review: Nine Days, by Fred Hiatt

While the premise of Nine Days sounds like it will involve political intrigue and the plight of political prisoners in China, in actuality it's a story about two teens on a nine-day adventure through a foreign land.

Ti-Anna's family moved to the United States when she was very young because her father was forced to leave China. He is still fighting for a democracy in China, even while in the U.S. Ti-Anna becomes friends with Ethan when she discovers he knows a lot about Chinese history. They form a close friendship, and when Ti-Anna reveals that her father returned to China and they haven't heard from him for weeks, Ethan decides they should go to China to find Ti-Anna's father.

I enjoyed the characterizations. It is easy to feel sympathy for Ti-Anna. Josh's obsession with food adds some comic relief. Their moods are accurately reflected as they face many hardships. I did feel that the trail they followed appeared a little to easily. The action and danger doesn't really begin until over halfway through the book. However, the writing is clear and easily understood. The plot flows logically and the book reads rather quickly.

Nine Days is fiction, but there really is a Ti-Anna, and her father is currently being held in a Chinese prison for political activism. There is a nice explanation of the true situation at the end of Nine Days. The book itself however, doesn't really give much information about the politics or plight of these political dissidents. I just never felt the indignation about this situation that I had hoped Nine Days would evoke.

I will recommend Nine Days to teens who are interested in adventures, especially about teens in a foreign land.

Published by Delacorte, April 9, 2013
ARC obtained from Library Media Connection Magazine, for review
230 pages

Rating: 3/5

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Book Review: Carnival of Souls, by Melissa Marr

While I enjoyed reading Carnival of Souls, it's not going to be a book that sticks with me for a long time.

Mallory is living a secret life with her father who is a witch, but Mallory doesn't realize that she is a daimon. Back in The City, the world of daimons, there is a competition involving fighting to the death to be allowed to enter the elite class of daimons. Aya and Kaleb are both top contestants in the fight.

Aya is already a member of the elite and a woman, and it is unheard of for a woman to enter the competition. Aya has secrets of her own that no one must know. Kaleb is a cur, the lowest form of daiman. He is also an assassin and has been hired to find Mallory in the human world and kill her. When he finds Mallory, everything changes.

Carnival of Souls is a complex tale of witches and daimons, living in two separate worlds. They are at war with each other, but there are a lot of secrets about our main characters that muddy the waters between good and evil. Alliances are made, magic is used, and things happen so fast that I had a hard time keeping track at times. I found the characters that make up The City and their classes and traditions to be the most difficult to follow.

While Carnival of Souls kept my attention, I didn't really ever feel my heart pound or feel any emotional investment. I've thought about this quite a bit, and I think it's because of the characters. I didn't connect with Mallory because she's totally oblivious and therefore is a wimp. Aya is tough, but because of her secret, she has an unfair advantage that I found a bit convenient. I guess Kaleb was my favorite.

If I can't feel for the characters, it's just a good story. I could compare Carnival of Souls to Throne of Glass or Shadow and Bone. Both of these books had me so wrapped up in the main character that I was holding my breath with anticipation of their next move. Carnival of Souls just didn't compare to either of these books.

I also have (my usual) complaint about the "ending" of Carnival of Souls. It, like many books in a series, just stops. There really isn't an ending or any resolution. I absolutely despise when an author can't wrap up an episode but still leave us wanting the next installment of the series -- the next story. Not the end of this story. I shouldn't have to read another book to find out the ending. The entire story should be complete in ONE book. I'll stop now....

There's some great world building in Carnival of Souls and an interesting concept of war between witches and daimons. I just didn't connect enough with the characters to really make this a highly rated book for me.

I'll still recommend this to Marr fans and fans of adventure fantasies. I know that I've read many great reviews of Carnival of Souls, and this might be easier for teens to connect with than me.

Published by HarperCollins, September 4, 2012
eBook purchased
320 pages

Rating: 3/5

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Book Review: Dark Triumph, by Robin LaFevers

I really loved Grave Mercy, the first book in this trilogy, so it's really no surprise that I absolutely loved Dark Triumph too.

This is one of those series where each book is about a different character. So, while you may have some concerns that your beloved Ismae from Grave Mercy isn't the focus, you needn't worry. Sybella's story is just as exciting.

Sybella has been sent to her "family" home to spy on Count d'Albret, her father. Of course, Sybella wants to kill him, but d'Albret has no marque. The Reverand Mother does send her an assignment, though. She is to try to rescue one of the duchess' knights that is currently being held in d'Albret's dungeon.

Sybella works on a plan, but finds the knight in such bad shape that she may have to kill him to put him out of his misery, rather than send him back to the duchess. She attempts a rescue, but things don't go exactly as planned, and after a harrowing journey with several near-death battles, Sybella finds herself back in Rennes, in the duchess' castle.

There are a few assassinations, but mostly this book consists of Sybella (and others) killing in battle. Dark Triumph is really Sybella's story. We see her most inner thoughts and struggles. She has such a complicated life, and is so torn by what she sees as her destiny and what her heart desires. Yes, there is some romance in Dark Triumph and it is wonderful.

There is a huge list of characters in the front of Dark Triumph (at least in the ARC), and that always scares me a bit. I didn't think the list was necessary. I don't think I referred to it at all while reading Dark Triumph.

I guess you could read this book without having read Grave Mercy, but I wouldn't recommend it. You need to know about the convent and the assassins training and beliefs to truly appreciate what is going on in Sybella's heart. And, Ismae is in Dark Triumph enough that you will want to know her story anyway.

If you've read Grave Mercy, this is a MUST read. If you haven't, then I highly recommend both of these to fans of books with strong female heroes in exciting adventures. The third book is about Annith, who was referred to in Dark Triumph, but we haven't really seen her since Grave Mercy. I have faith that Annith's story will be just as compelling as Ismae's and Sybella's. The third book is called Mortal Heart, and we have to wait a whole year for it!

Published by Houghton Mifflin, April 2, 2013
ARC obtained from Around the World ARC Tours
386 pages

Rating: 5/5

Monday, April 1, 2013

Book Review: Rotten, by Michael Northrop @mdnorthrop

Rotten is a heartfelt story about a teens trying to do the right things, and not always succeeding.

JD is returning home at the end of the summer. Presumably, he's been at his aunt's house for the entire summer, with no internet, phones, or any other way to contact the outside world. His friends don't really buy this story, but JD isn't talking. His mother has adopted a rescued dog -- a huge rottweiler, that JD names "Johnny Rotten" (he's a Sex Pistols fan.) Johnny has problems of his own. He doesn't trust most people, and especially not adult males.

Johnny bites one of JD's friends while no one is home, and all of a sudden JD's mother is being sued, and Johnny's very existence is in danger. JD knows that his friend is lying about the bite, but there's nothing he can do.

Through most of Rotten, we are wondering why JD was away for the summer. We are also worried about Johnny, as JD and Johnny begin to bond, and Johnny becomes a more well-behaved pet.

Once JD's secret is revealed, I was king of underwhelmed. I didn't understand why it was such a big deal, and so necessary for no one to know. He made a mistake and had to pay for it, but I think most kids would be OK with telling people -- especially their best friends. This revelation just didn't have the impact I think it was meant to have.

Rotten is a touching, quick story about the difficulties of friendship. The hierarchy of friendship is an interesting concept, and how these dynamics change over time as kids grow up is very realistic and not always explored as in Rotten. These interactions play an important role in the resolution of the plot. Sometimes parents get in the way, sometimes money can really stress out not only the parents, but their children. And, being a dog person, I loved reading a book about how the love between a kid and a dog can make a difference.

Teens and preteens who like "issue" novels, and especially animal lovers, will want to check out Rotten.

Published by Scholastic
eBook obtained from NetGalley
256 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 3.5/5