Review- Paranomalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Pages: 352 pages
My Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Evie learns that she is not quite the person she thought she was in this creature-feature mash-up. Possessing the unique ability to recognize paranormals beneath their glamour, Evie has lived most of her life under the protection of the International Paranormal Containment Agreement (IPCA), an organization dedicated to the cataloging and neutralizing of paranormal creatures. After a mysterious entity begins killing paranormals around the world, Evie discovers some startling truths about her own identity.


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   So I'm going to start by saying I loved this book. Evie reminded me sooooo much of Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it was ridiculous. She had it all down, the cheesy one liners, the puns, the kick-buttedness. She quickly turned into one of my favorite book characters ever. She made me laugh sooo hard, especially when she introduced us to Tasey. What's cooler then a pink taser with rhinestones? Especially one that can take down almost any paranormal.

   Paranormaly is one of those books you just don't want to put down, it's full of action and twists and that bad guy you love to hate. It was hilarious too, Evie wasn't the only one making me laugh. I loved Lend, he was so charming and sweet, and was always there for Evie. Reth scared the bleep out of me, he was so dark, and just plain scary. I was in shock when I heard he was a Seelie.

   The writing was amazing, fun, witty, hilarious, but could be dark and serious at the same time. White crafted an amazing world about a girl just trying to figure out who she is, and get a boyfriend at the same time. Paranormalcy is definitely a new favorite, and I can't wait for the sequel.

Review- Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Title: Forgive My Fins
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Pages: 304
My Rating: 4 Stars

Summary:
Lily may look like a run-of-the-mill high-school student, but she is actually the mermaid heir to the throne of the ocean kingdom of Thalassinia. Half human, Lily is able to maintain her bipeds in order to snag a human beau, who will then turn into a merman to rule by her side with a single kiss. She has her fins set on champion swimmer Brody. But when Lily accidentally busses bad-boy biker Quince instead, she moves heaven and sea in an attempt to swim off into the sunset with her first crush as planned. But it isn't long before the scales fall from her eyes, and she realizes which boy truly loves her, tail and all.

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   Forgive My Fins was a....an interesting read. In a good way. I've never really been a big fan of mermaids, but this exceeded my expectations. It was everything you'd expect from a mermaid novel, fluffy, cute and sweet, and...different. I liked Forgive My Fins, I'd been craving reading a fluffy romance for a while now, and this hit the spot. It was definitly different then all the other books on my shelf, and I'm glad it was.

   I loved the characters, I fell in love with Quince. He was sooo sweet, it was so romantic how he loved her for so long and she hated him. I was rooting for him the whole way. Lily was interesting, I was annoyed with her a lot that she couldn't see through Brody, and actually see Quince.

   My only problem with the book was the cat, I can't remember her name....but she loved Lily. Lily's a mermaid, she lives in the water, shouldn't the cat hate her..? Besides that one little quirk, I loved this book. The writing was great, the characters well developed, and the ending was great as well. I'd definitly recommend this book if you're looking for a light, fluffy and quick read.

Review- Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Title: Stolen
Author: Lucy Christopher
Release Date: May 1, 2010
Pages: 299
My rating: 5 stars

Summary: While 16-year-old Gemma is en route to Vietnam from England with her parents, she is drugged and kidnapped from the Bangkok airport. She regains full consciousness in a rustic house deep in the Australian Outback with a 25-year-old man who is going to keep her forever. Ty never sexually abuses her, but she is truly a captive. Little by little, Ty wears down her defenses as Gemma realizes that escape is impossible. Soon she discovers the stark power and vibrancy of the wilderness and becomes absorbed in it. She also learns that Ty has been stalking her for years, devising a crafty plan to steal her away to make her love him which she ultimately believes she does. Ty's capture, taming, and release of a female camel effectively parallels Gemma's ordeal. Her unique first-person narrative is written to Ty after her release. Both characters are as vivid as the desert setting in which they are immersed. Despite the fact that Ty is a kidnapper, the revelations about his difficult youth and his usually caring behavior allow readers, like Gemma, to eventually care about him.

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   Spoiler alert!!!

   To start, I didn't know what this book was about when I picked it up. I thought it was a love story (blame the butterfly and that the copy I had didn't say "A letter to my captor" on it. So I was kind of surprised when I started reading it and, low and behold, it's not one. I didn't think I was going to really like it, and was disappointed it wasn't a love story (wouldn't Stolen be an awesome name for a love story? Like the Dashboard Confessional song) but I quickly grew to be fascinated by it. It was an amazing story about a guy, who was I believe genuinely in love with a girl, stealing her away from everything she's ever known and taking her to the Australian outback. I really wish Ty waited about 10 years and tried to get her to love him and Australia normally....but it would still be super creepy cause he's been stalking her since she was 10.

   This was my first book by Lucy Christopher, and I have to say I was amazed. She's an excellent writer, she developed the story beautifully and poetically and at just the right pace. I love how she wrote the story from a letter's perspective, how it was Gemma's account of what happened in her own words. I connected with Gemma, and because of the unique way Christopher wrote it, with Ty too. I understood his logic in taking her quickly, but I wish Christopher gave us more information about Gemma's past life so I could figure out Ty's reasoning a bit more, it almost made me wonder if he was a liar as well as psychotic.

   I loved the ending, how Ty goes with Gemma in the plane even though he knows he's going to get caught. It redeems him a little bit, and proves that he really, truly loved her in all his crazy and obsessiveness. I wish there had been more answers about Anna and Ben though, they were both mentioned a few times in the book, but Gemma never goes in depth about them. I can see why, it being a letter to Ty, and why would she go in depth about them in a letter to him? But I still wish Christopher had found a way to incorporate their stories into it.

   All in all, Stolen was an amazing, poetic read. I fell in love with Gemma, and, I'm sorry to say, Ty. There was just something about him that made me love him. Maybe it was the way he seemed to really care about her, or how much he loved Australia despite the fact that it seemed dead to everyone else. Maybe it was when he got on the plane with Gemma when she asked him to. I just loved them both. I was continuously thinking that I would react the same way, should I ever been in the same position. Christopher did an amazing job with this unique novel, I'll definitely be looking forward to read more by her.

Summin it up:
Plot: Fascinating and poetic. 4/5

Characters: The only ones you really interact with are Ty and Gemma, and both were really great characters. Described well and very realistic. 5/5

Writing: Beautiful, this book made me a big Lucy Christopher fan.

Ending: Well drawn out, I wish it answered some more questions though. 4/5

Kid friendly: The f bomb is dropped a few times, and there's substance abuse.

Review- Heist Society by Ally Carter Review

Title: Heist Society
Author: Ally Carter
Release Date: February 9, 2010
Pages: 304
My Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Summary:
After a childhood spent assisting her father, one of the world’s most talented art thieves, Katarina Bishop tries to leave the family business behind when she forges her way into a New England boarding school. She quickly discovers, though, that her past is inescapable. Her father has been accused of stealing already stolen masterpieces from a dangerous Italian billionaire. Certain that her father is innocent, Kat resolves to find the missing paintings and return them to their unsavory owner, who has given her a two-week deadline. Carter, the author of the Gallagher Girls series, skillfully maintains suspense as Kat assembles a team of teen accomplices, travels across Europe, and plots an impossible art heist to save her dad. (Amazon.com)

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   So I just finished this book, and I have to say it was pretty awesome.
   Ally Carter is a really desciptive, almost poetic author. It was action packed, a real page turner.It was my first book by Ally Carter, and I wasn't disappointed, it was everything I was expecting from a book like this. I wish there had been a few more twists though....but besides that, I liked it. It's not hitting my favorites list, but it was really good. Her characters were deep and interesting, she described them all to a minute detail and I didn't have any questions about any because she described them so well. The plot was fast moving and I didn't want to put it down....until I got sick and didn't want to pick any book up. But once I picked it up when I was feeling better, I couldn't put it back down again.
   It's a story about a teenage thief pulling off a big heist, so once I heard about this book I was EXCITED. And it didn't disappoint. It's got all the aspects from a novel like this you'd expect, the interesting characters, the exciting plot twists (just two -sigh- but they were still there), the nasty bad guy. But Carter manages to make it all her own. The ending was a little too drawn out though, I thought she could've wrapped it up faster.
   The characters were so interesting! They were deep, fun, realistic, and Carter does an amazing job describing them. I loved Kat, she made an awesome lead character, and Hale! He was awesome! I wish Nick had made more of an appearance though, and earlier. I really hope he's in the second book.
      All in all, this was a really good book. Ally Carter did an amazing job describing everything and making deep characters and a fast-paced plot. I'll definitely be looking forward to the sequel.

Summin it up:
Plot: Fast-paced and fascinating. 4/5 stars
Characters: Deep, very well described and realistic. 5/5 stars
Writing: Descriptive and captivating, Ally Carter is an awesome writer. 4/5 stars
Ending: A little too drawn out, she could've wrapped it up faster. But it was good. 3/5 stars
Kid Friendly: Pretty much. There wasn't any cussing or substance abuse, nothing of a sexual nature either.

Review-The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes (Vol. 1) by Neil Gaiman

Title: The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes
Author: Neil Gaiman
Artists: Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcom Jones III
Release Date: 1988
Pages: 234
My Rating: 5 Stars

Summary:
  In Preludes and Nocturnes, Neil Gaiman weaves the story of a man interested in capturing the physical manifestation of Death but who instead captures the King of Dreams. By Gaiman's own admission there's a lot in this first collection that is awkward and ungainly--which is not to say there are not frequent moments of greatness here. The chapter "24 Hours" is worth the price of the book alone; it stands as one of the most chilling examples of horror in comics. And let's not underestimate Gaiman's achievement of personifying Death as a perky, overly cheery, cute goth girl! All in all, I greatly prefer the roguish breaking of new ground in this book to the often dull precision of the concluding volumes of the Sandman series. --Jim Pascoe (Amazon.com)

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   So I just finished this book about 5 minutes ago, and I'm just in awe. I don't normally read graphic novels, this was actually my first, and I'm amazed at how much I loved it! It's just...wow. I've been meaning to read more by Neil Gaiman lately, and I've heard so much about this series, that I decided I had to read it and now I'm seriously considering hitting my bed later and reading the other 4 I got from the library, completely disregarding every other book I have that needs to be read.
   This book was just...wow. That's all there is to really say about it. It was insane, literally, metaphorically... I'll never look at dreams or revenge the same again. It was so colorful and intriguing and shocking and amazing and dark and sexy and lifelike and just... wow.
   I love the art, it was sooo colorful, and detailed. Heh, so detailed some scenes may give me nightmares tonight. And the plot, the storyline...I've never really approved of revenge, but it just felt so right. Some parts of the story just went right over my head, I didn't understand some of it, but maybe that's the point...because a lot of it was insanity. Pure insanity.
   I can't wait to read the next one! I'm seriously considering going out and buying the series, which I never do...

Summin it up:
Plot: Wow. Absolutely frickin' amazing.
Characters: See plot ^
Writing: Neil Gaiman is an amazing storyteller, this is really inspiring me to get off my butt and read more by him.
Art: Colorful, detailed. Inspiring.
Ending: Leaves you wanting more.
Kid Friendly: Wouldn't really suggest it for anyone other then 16 and up....there's sex, cannibalism, murder, nudity, cussing, death....

Review: Defect by Will Weaver

Title: Defect

Author: Will Weaver

Release Date: July 24, 2007

Pages: 199

My Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:

David's odd appearance makes him a target for bullies, but what sets him apart most is his secret: he can fly. After persistent hazing, he is moved to an alternative school, where he meets Cheetah, a girl with epilepsy. David and Cheetah, both medical anomalies and social outcasts, begin a strong friendship and, eventually, a romance. When David's flying is observed in public, everyone wants a piece of him—doctors, religious fanatics, the press. With the steadfast support of Cheetah and his compassionate and loving foster parents, David must decide whether to undergo corrective surgeries to remove his collapsible wings, giving him a more "handsome" appearance. The eerie cover and enticing premise will draw readers in for a big payoff. David struggles with his ability: Is it a gift or a curse? Will he be different if he looks different? Does God have a plan for him? (Courtesy of Amazon.com)

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   This book kind of fell flat for me. I had higher expectations cause the cover was so awesome, and they were apparently too high... It was a good book, I just didn't find the characters ratable. The only one I really liked was Brandon, he was so colorful and fun to read about, I was sad when he died. The writing was mediocre, the characters...I don't know, aside from Brandon I didn't really like any. I didn't like it, but I didn't not like it either. It was just OK. The ending was nice though, I thought it wrapped things up nicely. It kind of left me wondering a little bit what was going to happen afterwards with David.

   Yeah, short review. But it was just OK, there's really nothing more to write about it. It's not going to stick with me, and it's not going to make me think about it. The awesome cover is going to stick with me more then anything else.

Summin it up:

Plot: Meh, it was OK.

Characters: Again, just OK. Brandon was nice and colorful, but the rest were just OK.

Writing: Mediocre. I don't think I'll be looking to read anything else by Will Weaver again.

Ending: Nice, probably the best part of the book, I liked the way Weaver wrapped everything up and left me questioning what's going to happen next.

Kid Friendly: It's about a teenage guy, so there are a few mentions of, "stirring in the crotch area", and mentions of death.

Review: Behemoth by Scott Westerfield

Title: Behemoth

Author: Scott Westerfield
Release Date: October 5, 2010

Pages: 496
My Rating: 5 stars!!!!
Sequel to: Leviathan by Scott Westerfield

Summary:
This book continues the hard-driving, action-packed adventures of Alek, heir to the throne of the Austrian empire and current British prisoner of war, and Deryn Sharp, a midshipman assigned to the Leviathan. Their loyalties to their respective governments and philosophies are tested as their friendship grows; Alek is an Austrian Clanker and Deryn an English Darwinist. After the Leviathan is damaged by a German attack, Alek and his personal guard escape the airship and join a revolutionary group dedicated to the overthrow of the sultan of Istanbul. Meanwhile Deryn has been sent to sabotage a key military blockade in the Istanbul harbor. But true havoc doesn't ensue until the teens are reunited. (Courtesy of Amazon.com)

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  I LOVED Leviathan, so I was really psyched to finally get my hands on (and the time to read) Behemoth! I've been waiting for this sequel forever and the library finally got a copy.

   I've heard some people say this isn't a steampunk book. Whoever says this novel isn't steampunk is dead wrong. Sure, it's not from a Victorian era, but every genre grows, and this one is, in my opinion, helping the genre of steampunk grow. Everything about this book screams steampunk, the outfits, the goggles (just take a look at the cover), the background, and the whole plot itself. I'm a huge steampunk fan, I've read steampunk novels before, this is steampunk.

   I'm a huge Scott Westerfield fan, I loved Uglies, Peeps, and his books are always circulating my To Read list and are making appearances on my shelves. This wasn't a disappointment. I was worried that I wasn't going to like it as much as I liked Leviathan, but I did. I LOVED it. I love the world he created, the characters. If I had to pick any book to actually live in, I'd pick this one, and be a huge Darwinist, perhaps even dress up like a boy and live on the Leviathan. I was a little disappointed cause the second half of the book takes place in Istanbul, and not on the Leviathan, but it was still really good. He finishes the book with a cliffhanger, so I'm really happy that there's going to be a third, this is one of those series that I want to go on and on forever and never end.

   Scott Westerfield is always good at developing alternate worlds, creating amazing characters, and writing a page turner. I cannot wait for the sequel to Behemoth.

Summin it up:

Plot: Colorful and riveting. A page-turner.
Characters: Deep, interesting. Everyone plays there part.
Writing: It's Scott Westerfield, I need say no more.
Ending: Good, but a cliff-hanger. I can't wait for the next one.
Kid friendly: Very, no cussing, no mentions of sex or substance abuse.

Review: Lessons From A Dead Girl

Title: Lessons From A Dead Girl
Author: Jo Knowles
Release Date: October 9, 2007
Pages: 224 pages
My Rating: 4 stars

Summary:

Leah Greene is dead. For Laine, knowing what really happened and the awful feeling that she is, in some way, responsible set her on a journey of painful self-discovery. Yes, she wished for this. She hated Leah that much. Hated her for all the times in the closet, when Leah made her do those things. They were just practicing, Leah said. But why did Leah choose her? Was she special, or just easy to control? And why didn’t Laine make it stop sooner? In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laine is left to explore the devastating lessons Leah taught her, find some meaning in them, and decide whether she can forgive Leah and, ultimately, herself. (Barns & Noble)

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My second review-Woot!

I started reading this book last night, and Jo Knowles just completely sucked me in with the first sentence. It only took me 2 1/2 hours to finish it, and during those 2 1/2 hours I could not put it down. I didn't love it, I just really, really liked it. It was a very vivid portrayal of the effects of children abusing children, and the affects it has on the victim.

Like I said, I literally could not put this book down. It was graphic, at times heartbreaking, but at the same time lovely. Cause through it all, there's a part of Laine that still loves Leah, which I admired about her. Despite Leah being portrayed as a vitim, I really felt bad for her. The only reason she was abusing Laine was because she was trying to feel better herself, which doesn't give her an excuse, it actually makes it worse. This triangle of sexual abuse, Sam abusing Leah, Leah abusing Laine, and Laine carrying both burdens, broke my heart.

 I wish Knowles had shown us more of Jess and Web, but all in all, it was a really good book. Jo Knowles is an excellent writer and storyteller, and I will definitely be looking to read more books by her.

Sum it up:

Plot: Riveting and graphic.
Characters: Jo Knowles did an awesome job describing the main characters, I wish she did a better job with Web and Jess though.
Writing: Very descriptive, she really pulled you into the story.
Ending: Things were wrapped up nicely, it almost seemed like Leah was healing. As "happily ever after" as you can get with a book like this.
Kid friendly: Not particularly. Knowles never directly mentions sexual abuse, but it is hinted at.

Review: The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian

Summary: Born poor and hydrocephalic, Arnold Spirit survives brain surgery. But his enormous skull, lopsided eyes, profound stuttering, and frequent seizures target him for abuse on his Indian reservation. Protected by a formidable friend, the book-loving artist survives childhood. And then—convinced his future lies off the rez—the bright 14-year-old enrolls in an all-white high school 22 miles away. (Taken from NetLibrary)

So, my first review. Here goes.
I thought this book was AMAZING. It had been sitting on my shelf for months before I finally got around to reading it, and when I finally did, it took me less then 24 hours. I loved the characters, Junior (Arnold's nickname) was pretty awesome, how he was able to leave everything he'd ever known and do something no one in his family, or tribe, had ever done before. Even risking his friendship with his best friend, Rowdy, who I also loved. What I especially loved was how real the book felt. It was based off of the author's own experiences, and I felt like I was experiencing them with him. One of my absolute FAVORITE parts of the book was the PICTURES!!! I still love, and read, picture books, so I was excited about this.

This was Sherman Alexie's first book for young adults, and he did a spectacular job. He wrote about very vivid characters, even the ones that just popped in for a page or two really stuck with me. His writing was witty and sarcastic at times, which i loved. I'll definitely be thinking about this one for a while.

Sum it all up:

Plot: Interesting. Definitely pulls you in quickly, again, read in less then 24 hours.
Characters: I loved all of them, they really stuck with you.
Writing: Witty and sarcastic.
Ending: Nothing special, it was just as good as the rest of the book. It didn't stick with me quite as much as the rest of it did.
Kid Friendly: Lots of death, mentions masturbation, lots of "boner" comments. I don't remember too much swearing...
Should I read it? Definitely!