Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains)

Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains)

by Laurie Boyle Crompton

0 stars

320 pages

Published Feb. 1, 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire

 
This is the payback I get for not reading the reviews and "blurb" before reading a book. I thought I was being all brave and stuff for picking up this on the fly. NO!

I got to page 60 before I shut the book. It had wildly, wildly inappropriate content for teens!!! Porn on a page. Awful. I wish I could give it 0 stars. My brain "eyes" are bleeding!

Even if the porn wasn't there, I'd still give it one star because the writing was below sub-par. I was skimming paragraphs because it was all just atrocious. Terrible.

Please, don't read this book. There are so many other worthwhile and better written books out there.
Rant over.

Redwall

Redwall (Redwall #1)

by Brian Jacques

3 stars

 

416 pages

Published Sept. 4, 2006 by Red Fox (first published 1986)

 

A cute book about bravery and fortitude, but there are just sooo many books in this series that I got a bit overwhelmed and decided not to read anymore.

Plus I don't know if I could get down with reading about mice and other little animals all the time. Kids would definitely like this.

The Accidental Bride

The Accidental Bride (Summer Island #2)

by Christina Skye

3 stars

 

376 pages

Published Sept. 18, 2012 by Harlequin

 

I wasn't overly thrilled with this book, but it was a sweet story without all the yucky sex scenes. A bit of an unbelievable plot, with the main characters falling in love the moment they see each other - call me jaded, but it usually doesn't happen that way. I guess that's why it's a "romance" book - the idealized version of love.

I was a little bugged by the blatant use of puppies and knitting and cooking in the book - it was as if the author thought of three things that women love and stuck them in the book to appeal to the widest range. I'm surprised that kittens and rainbows did not make an appearance, although reading in front of a sunset did (which is my personal favorite). See! It caught me, too!

Doubt I'll read another one in the series. But it was a good experiment.

When in Doubt, Add Butter

When in Doubt, Add Butter

by Beth Harbison

2 stars

338 pages

Published July 17th 2012 by St. Martin's Press 

 

Meh.

I wasn't a fan of this book - at all. It was too saccharine for my tastes. Harbison tries to grit it up by liberally showering the f-bomb throughout the book. So tacky.

And let's talk about how horrifically predictable it was. I had the entire book laid out from start to finish with the first mention of Mr. Tuesday.

So why did I actually finish the thing - in one day, at that? Hmmm ... Despite all the negative crap contained within those pages, there was something about the writing that caught me and wouldn't let go - like a fly caught on one of those sticky fly tape trap things. It was - I don't want to say addicting - but it sort of was. Harbison definitely has writing talent. She just needs work on her imagination - plot and vocabulary specifically.

I can't honestly recommend this book to my friends because of the bad language. And I probably won't pick up anymore of Harbison's books, either. Life's too short to waste on bad books.

The Cry of the Icemark

The Cry of the Icemark (The Icemark Chronicles #1)

by Stuart Hill

2 stars

494 pages

Published May 1, 2006 by Chicken House (first published Dec. 31, 1999) 

 

This wasn't an awful book. But I am not going to read the rest of the series, though, because it wasn't a great book. Bland and forgettable. Just like this review.

The Boy at the End of the World

The Boy at the End of the World

by Greg Van Eekhout

3 stars

224 pages

Published June 21, 2011 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 

 

I started this book, then put it aside for a while to read another book. I guess that says something for the story.

While it was an interesting concept - an engineered boy waking up after thousands of years since the extinction of man - I just couldn't quite engage in the story. Mostly because it was a little-disguised environmental lecture. I love nature, yet I don't like being told that I'm an evil villain because I drive my kids to school.

I give this three solid stars because the writing was actually quite witty. There were even some places where I laughed out-loud ... Hello!

The Dark Shore

The Dark Shore (The Atlanteans #2)

by Kevin Emerson

3.5 stars

470 pages

Published May 21, 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books

If you liked The Lost Code, you'll be happy to know that No. 2 is better. Much better.

What bugged me about No. 1 is that nothing really happened - but The Dark Shore makes up for that lack with lots of action and lots of intrigue. Information is divulged and people die. The pacing is spot on and the action is not stop. Owen continues to grow a spine and is popular with the ladies. Leech sheds his sub-human attitude and makes peace and friendship with Owen. And Lilly - well, you'll just have to read what her deal is.

So why the 3.5 stars and not a 4 or 5? There is some teen almost-sex and some swearing. But what disappointed me most of all is that the author threw zombies into the climax of the book. I'm not the hugest zombie fan, I admit, but jumping on that band wagon was cliche and uninspired.

Although despite that, I am going to read the next in the series, which is expected to be out Aug. 26, 2014.

The Lost Code

The Lost Code (The Atlanteans #1)

by Kevin Emerson 

2.5/3 stars

435 pages

Published May 22, 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

I'm wavering between a 2.5 and a 3 star rating.

The first couple of chapters were fantastic. I couldn't believe how gripping they were - kid at a summer camp drowns, but doesn't drown. Cool stuff happens to his body that allow him to breathe underwater.

But after he figures that whole body thing out and he finds some friends, the story kind of stalls. It picks back up toward the very end of the book with some major discoveries, but the previous lackluster story dulled the heightened tension. I really had to push through the "blah" to get to the "yah!"

I must say, though, that Kevin Emerson knows how to write a good bad guy.


There is some gore and swearing and allusions to teen sex.

I may read the next in the series. We'll see.

Code

Code (Virals #3)

by Kathy Reichs, Brendan Reichs

3.5 stars

408 pages

Published March 7, 2013 by Young Arrow

I am an avid "Bones" fan - I love that TV show! And if you are, too, this book is hand-picked for you. Especially if you like YA, adventure and murder mysteries. I wouldn't be surprised if this book made its way to the small screen - it's right in line with the premise and execution of the TV show.

The reason I docked it 1.5 stars, though, is that I was hoping for more use and development of the Virals' powers. That was touched on, yes, but the Gamemaster story overshadowed that aspect. I especially wanted some insight into the other 3 members of the pack and their individual development of their powers. Readers are still unsure exactly what they can do - just general information is provided.

Despite that, I am infinitely grateful for this series. I am guaranteed an entertaining and thrilling story without all the swearing and sex and gore of adult fiction. The mother/son team of Kathy and Brendan Reichs is definitely talented and engaging. They know how to write great YA fiction.

Keep 'em coming, please! I'll be waiting.

Resist

Resist (Breathe #2)

by Sarah Crossan

2.5 stars

368 pages

Published Oct. 8, 2013 by Greenwillow Books

I'm being very generous with the 2.5 star rating. I really wanted to give it a 2-star, but the ending was happy-ish, and you know how much I like happy endings.

The reasons for my "meh" inclinations are many:

1. Too many main characters. It took me half the book to actually figure out what was going on and who was who again. I had read the first book, Breathe, when it first came out and got this one as soon as I could, but it was tough for me to remember exactly who everyone was - there were way too many main characters to make the sequel easy to read. It it did not help that each chapter was from the viewpoint of each of those multiple characters. It was so hard to keep track!

2. Too many loose ends. What happened to Niamh? The other members of the Ministry? The other members of Sequoia? Or Vanya? What were the oxyboxes?

3. The writing was blah. There was also some swearing, supposedly to add some spice to the bland writing.

4. The characters were blah. Nobody grew much really. All that apparently happened in the first book. This book was not character driven at all. It was all focused on ...

5. The plot, which was also blah. Overthrow the Ministry. Start growing plants. Booooring.

6. There needed to be an Epilogue - from at least 20 years in the future - so we the readers could see how everything turned out and how the environment had changed.

So all in all, a solid blah effort.

The Bride Wore Size 12

The Bride Wore Size 12 (Heather Wells Mysteries #5)

by Meg Cabot

3 stars 

392 pages

Published Sept. 24, 2013 by William Morrow Paperbacks 

 

Another light, fluffy, formulaic murder mystery by Meg Cabot. Not the best book Cabot has written, but entertaining enough. Heather Wells is an endearing character, with cleverness and wittiness in spades.
There is some swearing and some glossed-over sex. I probably wouldn't let my mom read it.

P.S. Just FYI, we just had an magnitude 5.2 earthquake over here in Italy - and we sure felt it! It was my first earthquake - but we all are OK and nothing collapsed. Yay!

Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2)

by Leigh Bardugo

4 stars

432 pages

Published June 4, 2013 by Henry Holt and Co.

After reading the first in this trilogy, Shadow and Bone, I couldn't wait to read this one.

I actually tried to read another book before reading this one (a light Meg Cabot book) - but I got too antsy. I had to know what was going to happen next in the lives of Alina and Mal! When that happens, I know that what I'm reading is good - the words are reaching out and grabbing me by the wrist and forcing me to sit down and read.

And luckily, No. 2 in the Grisha trilogy delivers. It's such a relief when you read a sequel and it's just as good (if not better) than the first.

We continue to see growth in all the characters. We follow the struggles to free Alina's world from evil. And just to make things more interesting - the love story hits some snags.

Little to no swearing and no sex.

Can't wait til the last book comes out. It's already on my To Read list.

Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1)

by Leigh Bardugo

4 stars

358 pages
Published June 5, 2012 by Henry Holt and Co.

Happy, happy day! This fantasy is right up my alley. Part coming-of-age story, part love story and part magical power story.

This is a story about a girl who discovers her inborn powers and her struggle to learn to use them - and not be used by others. She also loses her innocence and naivete by trusting the wrong people.

I was intrigued by the premise and held captive by the plot. I read this book quickly - much to the dismay and neglect of my family.

Pick this up. It's fantastic. No swearing and no sex. Yay!

Steelheart

Steelheart (Reckoners #1)

by Brandon Sanderson 

4.5 stars

386 pages

Published Sept. 24, 2013 by Delacorte Press 

 

I admit, I love superhero movies - but not books about superheroes. They're just so cheesy. I've tried.

BUT ...

I loved, loved this superhero book! It's a totally new take on superheroes ... they're EVIL! And regular people have to figure out their weaknesses and take them down so protect all the other regular people.

The first part of the book is pretty disturbing and violent. Actually the whole book is filled with fighting and violence and death, so I won't be letting my 10-year-old read it for a couple years. But as an adult - and maybe I'm desensitized - I could overlook it a bit and focus on the plot and the struggle for freedom from tyranny and fear.

The writing was fantastic and in places, quite witty. There was little to no swearing and no sex. Just a thrill ride from start to finish.

Based on this book, I'm going to find other books by Brandon Sanderson. And I will definitely be reading the next in line in this series.

Well done, Brandon!

Deep Blue Secret

Deep Blue Secret (The Water Keepers, #1)

by Christie Anderson

4 stars

 

370 pages

Published July 29, 2011 

 

This is another teen love story, with elements of the paranormal sprinkled within. It has a good plot, good character development and a decent “obstacle to love” – every good love story has one. This one is the ol’ “boy protector shouldn’t fall in love with protectee,” but of course it happens, and he feels all sorts of guilt and angst about it. Girl needs boy and is annoyed at his sense of duty and reluctance to just let go.
Sounds cheesy, but it somehow works.

Christie Anderson knows how to write a angsty love story and get the reader to really root for the relationship.

I have to admit that the girl is a bit whiny – and the boy a bit too righteous, but like I said before, it works.

I also enjoyed the icky bad guy. I wish there were more of him – though I think that he will be in the next book quite a bit.

Can’t wait to find out, because I will be reading the second book!

Thank you to Mark My Words Publicity for providing this book for review.

A World Without Heroes

A World Without Heroes (Beyonders #1)

by Brandon Mull

4 stars

 

457 pages

Published Mar. 15, 2011 by Aladdin (first published Mar. 1, 2011)

 

For a juvenile fiction book, this one is fantastic. My 10-year-old was recommended this book by her friend, and she LOVED it! It's got action, adventure, a quest, puzzles, some gross stuff - all things that my kid loves. I also enjoyed it.

She's now well into the second one.

Let me just tell you, it warms my heart to see my kid reading a nice, fat book.

The Actor and the Housewife

The Actor and the Housewife

by Shannon Hale

2 stars

352 pages
 

Published June 9, 2009 by Bloomsbury USA (first published Jan. 1, 2009)

Sometimes YA authors should stick to their genre. (Kathy Reichs, I'm not talking about you! I adore your YA books!)

Here, Shannon Hale, author of the popular Princess Academy books and Books of Bayern series dives into adult fiction. It's not a happy dip.

I've read 8 out of Hale's 10 published books, and there is an obvious trend - her YA books outshine her adult fiction books. So be warned.

The book starts out as every housewife's dream: meeting and having dinner with their movie star "crush." But from there, it just kind of got unbelievable - the two becoming best friends and all. That NEVER happens.

But what really bugged me is that Hale uses cancer to force some emotion into the book. Not cool.

Plus, her dialogue and repartee seemed just a bit too clever for its own good. Who talks like that? Who can come up with one-liners like that on the spot? It got old after a while.

Another thing, if you're not Mormon who has spent any time in Utah, you will not get half of the jokes.

Champion

I've been out of town for a week - hence the lag in posting. But I'm back!

Champion (Legend #3)

by Marie Lu

4.5 stars

369 pages

Published Nov. 5, 2013 by Putnam Juvenile

I was sad when this series ended, because overall it was a well-written, exciting dive into a post-apocalyptic, dystopian society. I was happy though, that most, if not all the loose ends were tied up nicely - if a bit too abruptly. But I can't complain too loudly when an author doesn't neglect her duty to satisfy readers' needs for closure.

The ending was happy, with a touch of sadness - lots of room for hope and healing. I enjoyed that very much.

No swearing, but one slightly glossed over sex scene.

I'd love to see a spin-off of this series set in the world of Antarctica. That place was intriguing.

Good job, Marie Lu, I like your style!

Anna Dressed in Blood

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

by Kendare Blake

2 stars

316 pages
Tor Teen First Edition

Published September 2011 by Tom Doherty

 
I can't recommend this book based on a couple of things.

First the language is horrible. Really, really bad. I felt like I was with a bunch of Marines, not a couple of teenagers. The F-bomb is liberally slathered throughout the book - and for NO REASON! I found myself skipping whole passages in order to cut down on the number of curse words I had to read.

Second, there is quite a lot of guts and gore. People dying right and left. Police didn't do much, which was not believable, especially with WHO the victims were. They asked maybe 3 or 4 questions and decided that was fine. The gore was all very slasher movie-esque.

The ending was OK, but I'm not sure I understood exactly what happened. There was an epilogue, but it only gave information about what happens in the near future. I wanted to know what happens much later on.

I will not be reading any other books by this writer if the cursing continues to taint the stories.

Prodigy

Prodigy (Legend #2)

by Marie Lu

3.5 stars

371 pages

Published Jan. 29, 2013 by Putnam Juvenile

An exciting sequel to Legend. It has everything I love - survival, anti-government rebellion, a good love story with "issues," so it's not too boring.

I also appreciate how the main characters don't know who to trust, but ultimately decide to trust each other. I will read the last in the trilogy to see how it all plays out.

Little to no swearing, and no sex. A bit of violence, but it's mostly glossed over. Nothing like the first book where it was glorified and reveled in and described in minute detail.