Annette's Book Spot

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Book Review: Uncommon Criminals, by Ally Carter

If you enjoyed Heist Society, then you will surely want to add Uncommon Criminals to your list. Kat and her crew are at it again.

This time Kat and Hale and all of our favorite characters are trying to steal the Cleopatra Emerald. Well, of course, their intentions are noble, because this emerald was stolen from the tombs of Egypt, and Kat wants to return it.

Of course things go right, and then they go wrong, and then right again, as the plot twists and turns. And along the way we get to know Kat and Hale a little better, and perhaps the romance we have all been waiting for will begin -- perhaps??

The story is easy to read and follow. There's not much stopping of the action as we try to figure out just how this is going to be executed. The teens act older than teens but still have some youthful charm, and you will get so wrapped up that you will finish this one quickly.

I think you could read this one without reading the first book, Heist Society, by I'd still recommend reading them in order just to get the character backgrounds and to understand all the references made in Uncommon Criminals. Teens who enjoy heist books, a la Ocean's Eleven, should be directed to this series.

Published by Disney Hyperion, June 21, 2011
Copy obtained from the library
298 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Book Review: Irises, by Francisco X. Stork

The beautiful characterizations are what makes Irises worth reading.

Kate (18) and her sister, Mary (16), have led a sheltered life in El Paso, Texas. Their father is a minister at a local church, and they have never had to make any decisions -- he has made all decisions for them. Their mother lives at home in a persistent vegetative state being kept alive by a feeding tube.

A visiting nurse comes in every day to check on things, but most of their mother's care is the responsibility of Kate and Mary. Kate has dreams of going to Stanford and becoming a doctor, and Mary is a very talented artist, but neither of them have been able to pursue their dreams since their mother's accident.

When their father dies suddenly, their world changes drastically. Suddenly they must move out of their house. They have little money and even though Kate gets a full scholarship to Stanford, where will Mary go? Who will take care of their mother?

Guiding these decisions are the girls' Aunt Julia, who comes to stay for a while and help out. Andy, the new pastor, is also involved. The minor characters contribute to the plot, but really Kate and Mary receive Stork's emphasis in this story.

They are wonderful characters, and well-written. They both change very much throughout the story, and these changes are slow, and subtle and totally believable. That's really what kept me reading. There isn't much of a plot here. The girls need to figure out what to do, and they do figure it out. It's the journey to these decisions and the growth of the characters that shines in this story.

I think this book has limited appeal to teens, but there are those that will identify with the story. Girls mostly, who enjoy stories about teens struggling to find their way and growing up as they do, will relate to this one.

Published by Arthur A. Levine, January 1, 2012
ARC obtained from the publisher for an honest review
288 pages

Rating: 3/5

Monday, December 26, 2011

Monday Memories: Night Before Christmas

Welcome to my meme, Monday Memories, where I feature favorite books we've loved from the past. You can link to an old review, or write something new about a beloved book from your past. Really, what's important is not the book, but why it is memorable to you. So, have fun reminiscing, and leave a comment below, so we can all enjoy your memories.

I also wanted to let you know about another wonderful blog that you should check out. Ashley @ Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing does a weekly post called Memory Monday. She has been posting about her childhood memories of books. What's great about Ashley's site is that she is asking for guest posts for her Memory Monday event! So hop on over there and check it out.

Night Before Christmas, by Clement Clarke Moore

I am the youngest of four children, and I believe this book may have gone through all four of us. But I was the one that took a black marker and defaced the front cover (thank goodness I didn't scribble all over the inside.) I wrote my name, colored his eyebrows black, and outlined the title, as well as just generally scribbling over everything. I don't know why. I don't recall doing this to any other books. I have no idea what I was thinking. What's that weird face in the middle of his beard??? Both of my children have enjoyed this same book (they are both in their 20s now, so it's been around a while.) I love the illustrations, and I've included a picture of my favorite one. I loved that the book was shaped like Santa, and his hat on the cover, is fuzzy (and, yes, there is a bit of fuzz still left.)

Share one of your cherished book memories!

You can do a Monday Memories post on your blog. Copy my button and link back here, so others can see all the other posts. Leave a comment below with the link to your post.

Or, just leave one of your Monday Memories right here in the comments.

Be sure to visit some other blogs that have posted their links. Thanks!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to take a minute to wish you all a Very Happy Holiday, and I hope you get to relax and spend some time with family and friends (and reading, of course.)

I've completed my 12 Books of Christmas countdown, and next week I will be doing some year-end wrap up posts, and I'll be looking forward to reading yours too.

Take care, and enjoy!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

The 12 Books of Christmas -- Book #1 -- My Favorite Book of 2011!!!

I've been counting down my 12 favorite books of 2011, and today we are ready for #1. To clarify, these are book I READ in 2011; they weren't necessarily published in 2011. I have rated 18 books so far this year with a perfect 5 out of 5 hats. So my top twelve books were a bit difficult to determine. My #1 book of 2011 is:

Blood Red Road, by Moira Young

Click on the title to read my full review. I don't know where to begin with this book. I loved EVERYTHING about it. The characters, the dusty, bleak setting, the bad guys, the action, the love interest. Most of all, I loved the dialect. I think this is what made this book feel so real to me. It didn't bother me at all, and I felt like I was living this adventure with the characters because of this technique. From my review:

The plot moves rapidly and is very exciting, as Saba embarks on an epic journey to places she had no idea even existed. But what also is compelling is the change in Saba. She becomes a warrior—tough and hard. She rises to every challenge that comes her way, no matter how impossible the odds. She makes friends and enemies along the way, and each character is well portrayed and important to the story.

Saba has a pet crow named Nero and you will fall in love with him. He’s an important character, and I totally believed in his abilities. Emmi, the younger sister, is totally frustrating. She never does what she’s told, and I really wanted to slap her several times. Jack is Saba’s romantic hero, and he’s perfect too. I could go on and on about these wonderful characters.

This is apocalyptic and dystopian. It's an adventure and a thriller. It's a must read. For sure. I need some more from Moira Young....please???

Feel free to link up your favorite books in the comments, if you want. Thanks for following along. What are some of your favorites of 2011?

Book Review: Everybody Sees the Ants, by A.S. King

A.S. King has done it again with Everybody Sees the Ants. Her characters just fill your heart. I want to be Lucky's mom. What an exceptional character.

Lucky has been bullied by Nader McMillan since he was seven years old, and no one will do anything about it. Nader's father is a powerful attorney whom everyone is scared to confront. Lucky's parents just want him to ignore it and move on.

When Lucky is dragged across the concrete floor by Nader and seriously injurred, his mother has had enough and they go on a three week trip to visit his aunt and uncle in Arizona. Lucky has a lot of time to grow and change, with the help of his aunt, his uncle, and a girl named Ginny.

Lucky is also on a mission to save his grandpa, who never came home from the Vietnam war. So he escapes to Vietnam to save his grandpa in his dreams.

It's hard to describe this book. The characters are quirky and the plot is a bit malleable. Much like Vera Dietz, the book is weird. It's not a straight-forward "this is what happened" story. But it's beautifully written, unputdownable, and won't let go of you for a long time.

Published by Little, Brown & Co, October 3, 2011
Copy obtained from the library
279 pages

Rating: 4/5

Friday, December 23, 2011

The 12 Books of Christmas -- #2

I've been counting down my 12 favorite books of 2011, and today we are ready for #2. To clarify, these are book I READ in 2011; they weren't necessarily published in 2011. I have rated 18 books so far this year with a perfect 5 out of 5 hats. So my top twelve books were a bit difficult to determine. Book #2 is:

Divergent, by Veronica Roth

Click on the title to read my full review. Divergent had one of the most colorful, kick-ass heroines that I've ever read. The book is action-packed, but still has enough interesting plotting to make the story real. From my review:

Roth writes characters that just jump off the page. My heart pounded right along with Tris, and I felt her pain as she made a decision about her faction. All of the side characters brought out strong emotions – whether hate, love, heartbreak, or tension. She really gets you inside all their heads.

For dystopian lovers this is a must read. And for those who aren't quite sure, this book might make you a believer. Give it a try.

Feel free to link up your favorite books in the comments, if you want. Tune in tomorrow for number #1!

Happy Friday! Happy Christmas Eve Eve

Ginger at GReads! has a Christmas question for us today:

Dear Santa: Which books made it to your Christmas wish list this year?

It's difficult for me to decide. It always depends on what I can get at the library, and what I really want to own as opposed to just borrowing. Truly, my favorite thing to get is a gift card because I love the shopping experience. But, if I had to pick two books today, right now, they would be:

Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor

I've read so many great things about these, and I can't wait to read them!

Parajunkee and Alison have asked a difficult one -- at least for me -- this week:

If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why?

I read a book called The Love Goddess' Cooking School, which took place on Blue Crab Island off the coast of Maine. I'd love the spend eternity in some place like that with friends like that. I know the popular answers will be Harry Potter, or some other paranormal settings, but I just want a normal, romantic place. Another one is Crystal Cove State Park in Moonglass or Bainbridge Island on Puget Sound in The Violets of March. All of those settings sound great to me!

How about you? I'll bee looking forward to reading your answers to these questions! Thanks for visiting. Have a great holiday weekend!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

The 12 Books of Christmas -- Book #3

I've been counting down my 12 favorite books of 2011, and today we are ready for #3. To clarify, these are book I READ in 2011; they weren't necessarily published in 2011. I have rated 18 books so far this year with a perfect 5 out of 5 hats. So my top twelve books were a bit difficult to determine. Book #3 is:

Goliath, by Scott Westerfeld

Click on the title to see my full review.This is a series that each consecutive book got better than it's predecessor. Goliath just blew me away. I'm not big on illustrations in books either, but these are just stunning and mesmerizing. Some quotes from my review:

The twists and turns of the plot are creative, ending up taking us pretty much all the way around the world, meeting famous (and infamous) people, and experiencing an adventure at ever stop. The ending is completely tied up and doesn’t disappoint.

How Westerfeld depicted the Clankers’ machines and the Darwinists’ beasts is beyond my comprehension. I don’t know where he came up with all this, but boy it is good stuff.

This series has wide appeal.. Girls and boys, historical, adventure, or science fiction lovers would all love these books. I can't see why anyone wouldn't love these books!

Feel free to link up your favorite books in the comments, if you want. Tune in tomorrow for number 2!

Book Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, by Michelle Hodkin

I fell victim to the "over-hype" when it comes to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Don't get me wrong--I loved this book, but I was expecting a twisted, surprising premise, and I didn't get that.

Mara wakes in the hospital and finds out that she was with three of her friends when they were killed in a building collapse. Mara was the only one to survive, and she remembers nothing.

Mara suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and to assist her recovery her entire family (parents and two brothers) relocate to Florida. I found this a bit far-fetched, and really unnecessary to the plot. I don't think any mental health professional would suggest that a family needs to move across the country to deal with the trauma the Mara was experiencing. So, weird, but not important to my feelings about the book.

I loved Mara's character, and I thought her reactions and fears were very realistic. I liked how her older brother, Daniel, stuck up for her and helped her. I thought Noah was a bit strange, but that's part of the story. Jamie was a great character, and added a lot to Mara's experience. Too bad he disappears halfway through the book. I would have liked him to be a part of the entire story.

I guess what was most disappointing about this book is that I figured Mara out fairly early in the book. I kind of thought it was obvious what was going on. Noah was a surprise, however, so that helped.

The book is masterfully written so that it draws you in. I couldn't believe how fast those 450 pages went by. I was surprised by the twist at the end, and I'm in for another story. I need to find out what happens to Mara and Noah (and some other characters.)

Published by Simon & Schuster, Sept. 27, 2011
Copy won from Heidi @ YA Bibliophile (autographed!)
452 pages (qualifies for my 350 Page Book Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5