Book Blather

In this Gossip-Girl-meets-the-paranormal, nothing is ever as it seems. The Faust siblings are new to Marlow, a prestigious high school in New York, but they won’t be unknown for long. With a little help from their “gifts”, the teens dazzle and dominate any room they are in. After all, with powers like beauty, mind reading, stopping time, erasing events, and stealing powers they are notches above the rest.  However, a bargain with the devil is never easy or without complications. As the teens struggle to be the best, secrets threatened to be revealed…lies that could tear the Faust siblings apart. Who will rise above the rest, and who will be left to waste away?

Another Faust ended up being one of those books I liked, but just didn’t love. I had a hard time really connecting or liking any of the characters. I just felt like I never truly got to know them enough to fully understand the way they thought or what made them tick. There were some characters like Victoria or Valentin that I really wanted to like and kept looking for some vulnerability, but the more I learned the more I despised them. Their constant need for power and superiority left a foul taste in my mouth, especially after we learn the dirty tricks they’ve pulled on the others. The other three, by the end, I did have a twinge of sympathy for. They got caught up in a situation that they couldn’t fully understand/know about. I mean, they were only 10 when they sold their souls! A mere child cannot comprehend what they are doing. Although, I suppose the point was that the governess was preying on their weakness and desires. What better age to start than childhood.

Now, all that being said, I think the story premise was interesting enough. At times the plot was a little strange or hard to follow, especially the tales from another time, but I’ve always been interested in the selling your soul to the devil type stories. And I have to say this was a much different spin than I had heard before. The last 100 pages or so really picked up and I truly began to enjoy the story. I’m not sure I was totally happy with the ending though. I really wanted to know what would become of them. I’m secretly hoping there will be a sequel that will follow the kids in the aftermath. I would love to see how they’re faring and if anything changed. I know I’ve heard the next book will be at Marlowe again, so maybe we’ll catch glimpses (*crosses fingers*).

On a side note, I can really see teens who like Gossip Girls/Paranormal really liking this book. The teens that I work with seem to really be drawn to that rich and famous lifestyle…not to mention all the Twilight fans that are out there. (In fact, I’m not even sure the my copies have hit our shelves yet! It was one of those that went immediately to someone who had a hold on it.) I can certainly see this being one of those slow-creeping hits. The teens may not realize it’s around, but once they do they’ll eat it up!

Ok, now that you know what I think, let me hear from you! Have you read Another Faust? If so, what did you think?

Life should be perfect and carefree now that Katniss and Peeta won the Hunger Games, right? Walking out alive? Check. Never worrying about money/shelter again? Check. Happiness and Bliss? Houston, we have a problem! The Capital is not happy about Katniss and Peeta’s win and is viewing it as an act of defiance. Add in the hushed whispers of an uprising, and all hell is about to break loose. Katniss and Peeta know they will be the ones blamed for the chaos. Will they be able to appease the Capital and restore compliance among the districts? Or will this finally be the chance to take down the oppressive government? Catching Fire, the sequel to Hunger Games, is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.

I’m not going to do a review-review for this book because it’s so hard to do a proper one without giving anything away. And I really don’t want to mess around with spoiler spaces or anything like that. Plus, I have some exciting news to announce that ties in perfectly with this book & my low-key review. (So that means read to the very end!)

First things first, the review; this book can be summed up in one simple word. WOW. Just…wow. I went into Catching Fire with very high expectations and I was sure that Collins would never be able to live up to them. Boy, was I wrong! This book is exceptionally written and was better than I could have ever imagined. I had had some thoughts about where she could take the storyline, but I never expected the twists she threw in. Although, I do have to admit that at first I was very taken back by what she did. I thought it was overly convenient and too easy, but the more I thought about it the more I realized how perfect it was. It was spot-on on how the government thought and how they took action.

The love-triangle is, of course, still there. I enjoyed being able to see more of Gale, although, it was still not enough. I think I’m also falling more and more in love with Peeta. He has totally won my heart over and may be becoming one of my favorite characters. (But I’m still Team GALE!) I can totally sympathize with Katniss as she continues to try to deal with such a complicated and delicate situation. She was thrown into something as a way to win a game and now untangling her emotions is becoming so hard. I doubt I would be handling it as nicely if I were in the same situation.

And, sadly, this is where my review must stop. I’m too worried that I may give away something I shouldn’t! Besides, if I tell you everything now, there would be nothing to discuss at the first YA book group meeting that is being held by Michelle and myself! The Literary League (Read ‘Til YA Drop) will begin online discussion of Catching Fire on Sept 22^nd and will end with a Skype talk the weekend of Oct 4^th. I’ll be posting more info/details as it gets closer. I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she’s part-time shrink to a whole bunch of semi-dead people with killer issues. All Megan really wants is to go to homecoming, but when you’re trailed by a bunch of slobbering corpses whenever you leave the house, it’s kinda hard to score a date. Let’s just say Megan’s love life could use some major resuscitation. Megan’s convinced her life can’t get any worse – until someone in school starts using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into scary, hardcore flesh-eating Zombies. Now it’s up to Megan to stop the Zombie apocalypse. Her life – and more importantly, the homecoming dance – depends on it.

First, I’m going to have to admit that it has been quite a while since I first read this book. (I think it was back in Feb/March) I fell really behind in reviews around that time and would have just let this one go had it not been for Zombie week. So basically, I really apologize if this review stinks. That being said, I enjoyed this book, but didn’t really love it. Jay has a nice writing style and voice (the main reason I liked the book), but the plot didn’t sit well with me. I’m really not sure what’s up with this zombie invading school type plots, but I’m not sure I like it. There were times I wanted to slap Megan silly, especially when she was more concerned about her Homecoming dress and not the killer zombie after her. I mean, HELLO, dress = replaceable…your life = not so much. However, Megan does have this air about her and I can totally see the potential that her character holds. I also liked the little romance that was going on and am interested to see where it leads. And you can bet that when Undead Much comes out, I’ll be picking it up to see how the story continues. (That and I’m really hoping this whole zombie/high school thing starts growing on me.)

So tell me, have you read You Are So Undead to Me? If so, be sure to tell me what you thought!

P.S. This post is part of zombie week. Be sure to check out the September Zombie blog for even more Zombie-goodness.

P.S.S Yes, yes I know I usually write my own summaries, but I’m strapped for time lately. You may see a couple more product description summaries as I try to catch up, but I promise they won’t be here to stay.

Principal Taft’s 3 Simple Rules for Surviving a Zombie Uprising:

Rule #1: While in the halls, walk slowly and wear a vacant expression on your face. Zombies won’t attack other zombies.
Rule #2:  Never travel alone.  Move in packs.  Follow the crowd.  Zombies detest blatant displays of individuality.
Rule #3:  If a zombie should attack, do not run. Instead, throw raw steak at to him.  Zombies love raw meat. This display of kindness will go a long way.

On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, most important, have boyfriends. Three years later, they haven’t accomplished a thing! Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky Principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize that this is the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. All they have to do is stay alive….

Never Slow Dance with a Zombie is one of those reads that is fun and quick, but one I just didn’t click with. I really can’t put my finger on it other than the fact that the premise was too far fetched for me. I know, I know zombies are far from realistic, but co-existing and even dating one?! Where is the running in fear? Where is the need to fight and destroy them? Okay, so maybe the whole virus scenario makes these zombies a little different, but would you really want to date one? Decomposing lips aren’t really that kissable. (You know I’m right!)

On another level, I totally appreciate what E. Van Lowe was trying to accomplish the whole popularity & “it” girl message. I even liked the subtle message of mixing with people you may not normally hang out with. After all, if you only judge a book by it’s cover your sure to miss an excellent story within. I just wish there would have been more done with it. I was kind of sad to see how it all ended. In this case I definitely think that more would have been better. (I know I’m being a little vague, but I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone!)

If you LOVE zombies (or even if you don’t) I recommend giving Never Slow Dance with a Zombie a try, especially if you’re looking for a quick, light read. And, as always, be sure to drop me a note if you do! I always love to hear what others think!

P.S. This post is part of zombie week. Be sure to check out the September Zombie blog for even more Zombie-goodness.

P.S.S Yes, yes I know I usually write my own summaries, but I’m strapped for time lately. You may see a couple more product description summaries as I try to catch up, but I promise they won’t be here to stay.

Ellie loves the words the boys whisper in her ear. They tell her how beautiful she is and how much they want her. They make her feel loved, if just for a moment. And no matter how many times they leave her alone, she always thinks the next one will truly love her. However, Josh is not that guy. He’s out to lose his virginity and knows Ellie is a sure thing. His guilt at leaving her alone in the backseat of his van is nothing compared to what he feels when he finds out Ellie is pregnant. With the support of their best friends, Caleb and Corinne, the two struggle with the consequences of their one-night stand. And no matter what the end results are, all four teens will realize that the innocent-like days of childhood must be left behind.

I have to admit that this book caught me off guard. Never before have I read a book with four different narrators where I felt a connection with each one. Knowles does a wonderful job at bringing her characters to life as they deal with a delicate situation. It was very easy to sympathize with each character, but I have to say I felt for Josh the most. He was kept at arm’s length the whole time with no say in anything that was happening. By the end, he resorted to following Ellie around school just to make sure she was okay. It was the only glimpse into a world he no longer had rights in. His perspective  brought him into a different light. He wasn’t some dead-beat with no worries as he moved onto the next girl. In fact, I would say he was as haunted/torn-up about the pregnancy as Ellie was. This was a boy who would carry this around for the rest of his life. I truly appreciate the new perspective Knowles gave me into a situation I have seen way too many times. Jumping Off Swings may have been my first book by Knowles, but it certainly won’t be my last. I look forward to checking out Lessons From a Dead Girl and her future books.

Fred Squires, a fourteen year old from England, is less than thrilled about being sent to stay with friends in the USA. While his parents are off in Australia he’ll be doing research for a school project about language differences. Of course, his attitude quickly changes when he meets their daughter, Brit. He is instantly attracted to her and before long, a budding romance is forming. As they get closer, Fred learns of a secret that Brit has been hiding for sometime now. Deciding to be her “knight”, Fred aims to get revenge for what was done to her. In a tale full of mishaps and humor, Fred learns a lot of about love and what it really means to be a knight in shining armor.

I was really torn about how to rate this book. On one hand you have a cute, fast-paced story about two teenagers in love. I really enjoyed Fred and thought he had a very honest voice. There were many times I enjoyed his antics and even felt myself go “aww” at his romantic nature. However, there were a couple of things that really distracted me from the overall story. The big one from me was the editing errors. I’m no grammar-nazi by far (even if I was an English major) but story inconsistencies drive me insane. There was one point where an entire conversation/scene was repeated in back to back chapters. I flipped back and forth several times just to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. I also thought that Brit and Fred falling in love went way too fast. I suppose this is very typical of teenage-relationships but I would have liked to see a little more depth to it. Overall, Across the Pond is a very cute story, but I think if it had been edited better and been about 100 pages longer it would have been an excellent story.

Lia Milthrope may now be an orphan, but she has no time to mourn her loss. Days after her father’s death, a strange tattoo-like mark appeared on her wrist. She knows she has seen it before, but has no idea what it means. Unsure of who to trust, Lia works to unravel the clues about her mark, but soon finds herself buried in an ancient prophecy of two sisters, of gates and gatekeepers, and utter destruction. She may not fully understand her role in this prophecy, but she does know that her twin sister, Alice, is now the enemy. In a tale of good and evil, Lia must decide which side she’s on before the world as she knows it ends.

This is one of those books that I had been anticipating for months. It was also one of those I was semi-afraid to read. I have been talking to MZ for months and was so worried that I might not like it. Thankfully, that was not the case! In fact, I believe I was up to about 4 a.m. finishing it because I simply could not put it down. MZ has a beautiful way with words transforming them into beautiful and flowing prose. I will warn that this is a period piece and the language is very reflective of this. (I somehow missed this and was caught off guard at first!) I will also warn that this is story is not your big action/adventure book. The story is moved more by the unraveling of secrets than anything else. Lia at times will probably also drive you insane. There were a couple of times I wanted to yell at her for not seeing the most obvious clues in front of her face. Although, at the same time it makes her lovable as you realize how truly innocent-like she can be. Her knowledge of the prophecy is so inept you can’t help but feel a little sorry for her. The only thing I would have liked to see more of is the romance between Lia and James. Their romance added a nice element to the story. I totally understand why she is keeping him at bay, but I sort of wish that she would have allowed him in more. I will be interested to see how his role continues as the story unfolds. Overall, Prophecy of the Sisters is a great gothic-like novel with plenty of mystery and great writing. How much longer until book two?

A few months ago, Clary was a normal girl leading a normal life. But the moment she met Jace her world turned upside down. She was plunged into a life that had been hidden from her, a world of demons, Shadowhunters, and other Downwordly things. While she knows that nothing will ever be the same again, the only thing she can think about is saving her mom from a magical coma. To do this she must go to Idris…the City of Glass.

The plan was simple. She was to go to Idris with Jace and the Lightwoods, but when they leave without her everything changes. Clary doesn’t care that she doesn’t know the magic to open a portal or that she doesn’t have permission to enter. The only thing that matters is saving her mom. Of course, once she gets there things go from bad to worse when she discovers that Jace doesn’t want her in Idris and that Simon (her best friend) has been locked away in the Shadowhunter prison. Her only bright spot is her new ally, a mysterious Shadowhunter named Sebastian. She finds herself instantly drawn to her dark prince lookalike; he’s no Jace, but perhaps he could be the next best thing?

As Clary’s quest continues, she finds herself in a tangled web of family secrets about experiments, magic, and cruelty. The truths about her father, mother, and the world she never knew was not what she had ever expected. But as the lies begin to unravel, Clary may just have all she needs to save her mom, to make old enemies into allies, and to have her heart’s true desire.

My Thoughts

All over, I really enjoyed this book. It was not my favorite in the series by far, but it was an enjoyable wrap-up to the series. Before I go into complaints, I have to get my YAYs out of the way. So…YAY Alec and Magnus and YAY Luke and Jocelyn. Ok, now the complaints, which really I have very few of. I suppose my main one is the end felt so rushed. We had been building to this moment over the past three books and if you blinked…well then you missed it. It felt too easy in a way. I’m not saying that I expected a 200 page fight were everyone dies, I just wanted more. It was like BAM, we’re done kthanxbai. And to be honest, I’m not exactly sure HOW she defeated Valentine. I know that she somehow changed the rune of the ritual, but I’m not sure if I understand how that bound her to the ritual. Can anyone help a poor girl out? It’s been a while since I’ve read the other two and I’m not sure if I’m just forgetting something from them.

The only other thing that bothered me is that the Jace-Clary relationship and the lack of tension. Okay, so I guess I shouldn’t say lack of tension because it was still there but it was very off. I was still locked into the frantic page turning for another scene with them but felt less satisfied with it. I fully understand that Jace was trying to push her away as far as possible, but shouldn’t that have just increased the tension? Their final scenes were very sweet though and made me happy overall. (Okay, but I still wanted more!)

Ava’s world shattered the day that Jackson died. He had been her everything and now he was gone. To make matters worse, she knows it’s her fault he is dead. Scribbles of  Ava + Jackson = true LOVE 4ever in her notebook are constant reminders of her guilt and what is no longer hers. But then a miracle happens and her love is return to her, even if it is only in the form of a ghost. Jackson may no longer be among the living, but he continues to show his love for Ava through music, soft whispers, and through her dreams. Fearful of losing him again, Ava isolates herself from her family and friends in order to be with him more. Her friends and family try all they can do to draw her back to normalcy, but she refuses to let go of Jackson. Even as loneliness creeps in, she knows she owes it to Jackson to be there for him. Will Ava continue to cling to this ghostly world or will she let go and return to one of living?

While I’m not normally a fan of verse, I did truly enjoy I Heart You, You Haunt Me. It was the perfect quick read, especially since I had been struggling to finish books before ALA. Schroeder does a good job of connecting Ava with the reader. She tries to give some extra information on the supporting characters, but sometimes it felt a little out of place. I know it was needed to flush out the world more, but I didn’t really care about anyone other than Ava. I should also mention that while I really liked Ava, Jackson kind of creeped me out. I’m sure he was a good guy, but there were several times I cringed at his over possessiveness. At first, I thought it was just anger at his restrictiveness as a ghost, but there were scenes that proved otherwise. My dislike for Jackson made me want to shake Ava and tell her to dump the ghost NOW, especially when a new possible love interest enters the scene. I’m sure this was not the intended reaction and could possible just be me. (If you’ve read it, please let me know what your reactions were!) Beyond that, I have no real complaints about the book. It’s definitely one I recommend picking up and giving a try. I honestly don’t think you’ll regret it!