Annette's Book Spot

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Book Review: Silver, by Chris Wooding

If you're into exciting survival books, Silver will fit the bill.

Paul is the new kid at an exclusive boarding school in the middle of nowhere. He's trying to fit in and has and admirer in Caitlyn, but he's not feeling it. Caitlyn is tired of playing second fiddle to perfect Erika. No one likes Adam. He's mean. And Mark is invisible.

It's typical high school stuff. Until weird creatures start appearing. First the students discover huge beetles that are silver and appear to be metallic. Things rapidly deteriorate, as other larger metallic animals are spotted. These creatures start attacking the humans who become infected and turn into these zombie-like metallic beings.

The survivors are holed up in the science building, but the creatures outside get stronger and smarter as hope of rescue diminishes.

Silver is a classic teen survival story that will get your heart pumping at times. Once it gets going, it never stops. But it takes a long time to get going. The setup is slow, and after all that, I still didn't connect with the characters. I don't really care about them, I think I needed a bit more personality out of them. Also, I found Silver to be a bit repetitive. I get that Adam is beating himself up, and Paul has a big secret. Tell me something ELSE so I can bond with these characters instead of repeating the same teen-angsty thoughts over and over.

So, while the action will take your breath away, the characters and a bit of a slow start are the weaknesses. It's all about what you like in a book, and for teen reluctant readers, Silver might be one to recommend.

Published by Scholastic, March 25, 2014
eARC obtained from NetGalley
320 pages

Rating: 3/5

Monday, March 10, 2014

The Other Side of Life - New Sewing Machine!

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 can't remember the last time I didn't have a book review ready to post on Monday. But I thought I'd explain part of the reason why I'm not reading as much lately. I took my 14-year-old sewing machine in to be fixed and found out it was going to cost too much to fix it, and being 14 years old, probably not worth it. So, while I certainly didn't have a new machine in my budget, I really can't live without one. And, while I haven't been sewing a huge amount lately, getting a new sewing machine sure puts you in the mood! So, here's the new baby:

It's a Baby Lock Elizabeth. Not the fanciest machine, but it's got everything I need and then some. I've been sewing on Baby Locks for years, so it is already very familiar and was easy to get used to.

Here's my first project:

A book bag, of course! I've had this fabric for a long time, and actually cut out the pieces months ago, but still didn't sew it until now. I'm very happy with the way it turned out, and it puts me in the mood for SPRING! It's a Heather Bailey pattern called Smarty Girl Book Bag.

I need to get to the fabric store to get ready for my next project!

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Stacking the Shelves: Working on the Abes

It's once again time to share the books we have received for the week. I can't believe how fast the weeks are flying by, but I still managed to grab on to a few...

For Review:

The Ring and the Crown, by Melissa de la Cruz from NetGalley

I'm going to be honest here, and tell you that I've never read any of her books. I love this cover. Can't wait to see what it's about!

From the Library:

Stolen, by Lucy Christopher

This book is one of the nominated titles for the Illinois High School Book Award (The Abe Lincoln Award) that I haven't read yet. I think I have about 5 of the 22 books on the list left to read.

Thanks to Team Tynga's Reviews for hosting us. Make sure you go visit some of the other participating blogs. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

Friday, March 7, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday - Oldies but Goodies!

This week's question is:

Recommend some of your favorite back-list books - books that are at least a few years old (I’m thinking 5-10 years old rather than classics)

I feel like I mention these books a lot, but hey, they're favorites, right?

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (series)by Ann Brashares
The Luxe (series), by Anna Godbersen
Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Goldman
Leviathan (series), by Scott Westerfeld
Revolution, by Jennifer Donnelly
Harry Potter Series, ('nuff said)

A couple of those are a bit newer than five years I think, but these are some of my most memorable titles. Heavy on the historical too. But, what can I say, when it's my favorite genre?

How about you? What books are so great that I just have to read them? Leave me a link! Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to visit all the participating blogs on Parajunkee's and Alison's blogs.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Book Review: Don't Even Think About It, by Sarah Mlynowski

Don't Even Think About It is a lighthearted, somewhat predictable, but totally entertaining story.

We are quickly introduced to several students who are all in the same homeroom as they get their flu shots. Everyone but two people in the class decides to get the shot. Turns out, the shot does a lot more than protect them from the flu.

Don't worry about the number of characters. They soon become distinct as we go on this journey. Turns out, everyone in this homeroom who got the shot can now read minds. They can tell what each other are thinking. And they can also read other peoples' minds.

They are, of course, very excited about this and quickly decide that they can't tell anyone. When you know what everyone is thinking, things are bound to come out that you don't want people to know. And you will hear things you don't want to hear. And you will think things that you wanted kept private. So while at first things are fun, eventually the ability to hear everyone's thoughts gets overwhelming.

You do have to be in close proximity to each other, with no people or walls between you. And, if you close your eyes, you don't hear anything. That helps a lot.

Don't Even Think About It is told in the first person, but instead of "I," Mlynowski uses "We" for the collective, since they all can communication instantly when they are together. This works well for those scenes. But when someone is at home or separated from the rest, the "we think that" or "we don't agree with that" jumping into those scenes really didn't make sense.

There are typical issues because of the telepathy -- kids learning their parents' secrets, boyfriends learning about their girlfriends' cheating, girls learning that their friends think they are fat. But also, the shy ones learn that they don't need to be shy. They realize that they aren't under the microscope. Friendships are formed. These revelations add interest and give some meaning to the story.

I won't discuss the ending, but I liked it. Don't Even Think About It is a cute, quick read that isn't life altering or memorable, but I would still recommend this captivating story to teens who enjoy contemporary novels.

Published by Delacorte, Marcy 11, 2014
eBook obtained from NetGalley
336 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Book Review: This is What Happy Looks Like, by Jennifer E. Smith

This is What Happy Looks Like is a warm, delightful story of young love that must overcome some big obstacles.

I love how these two meet. Graham, our heartthrob, sends an email to Ellie by mistake. She responds, and they begin a funny, lighthearted banter that brings them closer and closer together. But Ellie doesn't know that she's corresponding with THE Graham Larkin -- a teen movie star.

Graham arranges to film a movie in Ellie's small town in Maine. And off we go. It's not all "happy" (even though they have ideas about what Happy should look like). Graham comes with a lot of baggage -- the popularity, the paparazzi, the manager who wants him to start a relationship with his co-star. But when Ellie finally meets Graham in person, the sparks fly.

Ellie has her own secrets, and because of that, she feels she must not pursue a relationship with someone like Graham. But they are definitely attracted to each other and end up not being able to stay apart. This causes some turmoil, of course.

I really liked the added elements that made the story tense. Ellie's secret (that she's also kept from her best friend) and Graham's difficulty dealing with his stardom make This is What Happy Looks Like more than just "two teens falling in love."

The dialog between Graham and Ellie is priceless, and you can't help but root for them. This is What Happy Looks Like is a feel-good book that teen romance fans are going to love.

Published by Poppy, 2013
Copy obtained from the library
404 pages

Rating: 5/5

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Book Review: The Violet Hour, by Whitney A. Miller

It's hard to put The Violet Hour into a category. It's a survival story in a dystopian world, with some supernatural elements thrown in.

Most of the world follows VisionCrest. Some call it a religion, others, a cult. Harlow is the daughter of the leader of VisionCrest. Her face is know all over the world, and she's supposed to be preparing to take over after her father.

When The Violet Hour begins, Harlow and a group of students are touring Japan and China. Their journey is being closely followed -- they are an advertisement for VisionCrest. Most of their parents are high up in the organization.

Harlow has been keeping a secret all of her life. She hears a voice in her head and sees violent visions that depict Harlow killing other people. The visions are brutal and gruesome. They seem very real to Harlow, and she doesn't understand what they mean or why she has them. As the book progresses, she begins to understand who this voice is.

That is my first issues with The Violet Hour. I had difficult understanding all the mythology associated with the visions. I understood by the end, but I found it all a bit murky.

I had difficulty connecting with Harlow. I wish the book hadn't jumped right into the trip and one of Harlow's visions. I would have liked to see these kids in their normal environment and get to know Harlow and feel the pressure she felt because of her position. All of that came out later and just didn't have the impact that it should have.

Dora, the best friend, is very annoying. I got tired of her making jokes and using her cutsie sayings over and over. "swizzle stick" -- blaahhhhh.

I liked the ambiguity of the love interest, Adam. Is he good, or bad? What are his true motives? How does he really feel about Harlow? This aspect was well done. I also enjoyed the action, especially at the end. Miller ratchets up the tension quite well and provides an exciting (and twisted) conclusion.

As an adventure book, The Violet Hour works pretty well. I just didn't really connect with the characters or the deeper meaning of the story. It was an entertaining read, but it won't stick with me.

Published by Flux, March 8, 2014
ARC obtained from Library Media Connection Magazine
300 pages

Rating: 3/5

Monday, March 3, 2014

Book Review: A Death-Struck Year, by Makiia Lucier

A Death-Struck Year is an emotional book about a very interesting period of U.S. history.

After recently reading In the Shadow of Blackbirds and seeing that A Death-Struck Year was about the 1918 flu pandemic, I knew I had to read it.

Once again I will remind you that historical fiction is my favorite genre, so my reviews are always biased because of that. But, I just absorbed A Death-Struck Year.

It's a very short book, but powerful. It moves fast (as the flu epidemic did) and slams you hard with the realities of the situation. Cleo has been staying at her boarding school because her much older brother and his wife (who are her guardians) are on a 6-week holiday. Cleo would much rather have stayed at home, but her brother would not allow it. When the flu comes to Portland, Oregon, all schools and public gatherings are cancelled. All the parents must pick up their students. If your parent can't get there, you must stay at the school.

Cleo's sister-in-law just found out she's pregnant, so they can't travel home to pick up Cleo. She can't stand the thought of being at school, so she escapes and goes home. All by herself. She's never had to care for herself before, but even the housekeeper isn't there. Cleo sees an announcement that the red cross is in need of volunteers to help with the pandemic, and she decides to sign up.

Cleo has a car and knows how to drive, so she is assigned the job of going door to door, handing out masks and information to the healthy and getting the sick to the hospital. She also ends up helping in the hospital. Along the way she makes some good friends, including Edmund, a young medical student who becomes the love interest.

But, this isn't a romance. This is a stark portrayal of the blood, gore, and death that surrounded the Spanish Influenza epidemic. Cleo is brave. Very brave. I don't know if I could have risked what she did and many who tried to volunteer ended up backing out. But Cleo didn't. She kept coming back every day to help.

A Death-Struck Year is emotional -- sad, happy, scary, repulsive. You name it. It's a short book, and reads very quickly. If you don't know much about the pandemic of 1918, this is an excellent resource. Or if you just want to know more. Or if you just like books about teens who are truly heroic. Great for reluctant readers. Highly recommended.

Published by HMH BFYR, March 4, 2014
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
288 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 5/5

Sunday, March 2, 2014

2014 Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge - February Update

Happy March! It's time to see how we're doing on our Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge so far in 2014. You can keep track of my entire year's progress for all my challenges here. My goal for the year is to read 25 books. I did make some progress in February, as you can see below.

Here's what I read in February:

3. Manor of Secrets, by Katherine Longshore

4. Maybe One Day, by Melissa Kantor

To update you on the other challenges I'm participating in:

EBook Challenge: Goal - 75 Read - 15

Library Book Challenge: Goal - 50 Read - 5

You Read How Many Books? Goal - 150 Read - 27

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

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."

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Stacking the Shelves: One Lonely Book

I didn't get any new books for review, but I had a few extra minutes and grabbed a good one off the shelves.

From the Library:

This is What Happy Looks Like, by Jennifer E. Smith

So, tell me what else I need to try to get? I've had a couple of slow weeks, and I need to know what I'm missing. Thanks for stopping by. Make sure to go visit our hosts at Team Tynga's Reviews. Hope to see you back soon!