Deja Vu?

"Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it’s all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.

But Annika’s plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly fi nds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?"

"Bee’s brother, Tommy, knows everything there is to know about sharks. He also knows that his life will be cut short by cystic fibrosis. And so does Bee.

That’s why she wants to make his wish-foundation-sponsored trip to swim with a great white shark an unforgettable memory.

But wishes don’t always come true. At least, not as expected. Only when Bee takes Tommy to meet a famous shark attack survivor and hard-core surfer does Tommy have the chance to live one day to the fullest.

And in the sun-kissed ocean off a California beach, Bee discovers that she has a few secret wishes of her own. . . . "

Alyzon Whitestarr by Isobelle Carmody

"Alyzon Whitestarr doesn't take after her musically talented father or her nocturnal, artistic mother. In fact, she’s the most normal member of a very eccentric family . . . until the day that an accident leaves her more unique than she ever could have dreamed.

Suddenly colors are more vibrant to Alyzon; her memory is flawless; but strangest of all is Alyzon’s sense of smell. Her best friend smells of a comforting sea breeze. She registers her father’s contentment as the sweet scent of caramelized sugar. But why does the cutest guy in school smell so rancid?

With Alyzon’s extrasensory perception comes intrigue and danger, as she becomes aware of the dark secrets and hidden ambitions that threaten her family. In the end, being different might be less of a blessing than a curse. . . ." -Goodreads.com

Overall: 4/5

There are so many things to say about this book, and I'm not sure where to start so I'll just dive right in. The very first thing that I noticed at the beginning was the author's writing style. It was a almost a mix between Adrienne Maria Vrettos and Barbara Kingsolver, in the aspect that Carmody seemed to add in little bits and pieces about the background of the person and their childhood/life that weren't necessary to the story but nice to read anyway. Like actually looking in on a person's life, because in real life not everything is crucial to the main story of your life. And I love it when authors are able to capture that without making it seem long and dreary.

Unfortunately, the book still seemed to go a little long. Five-hundred pages that told a great story, but sometimes took it's time getting there. I found myself skipping over a particularly long paprgraph here and there that just seemed to hold excessive detail about the setting, or maybe explaining the MCs thoughts more than once.

However, there were a couple of really interesting ideas in there that needed the extra explanations. As one of those people that likes to think about things like this, I found these especially intriguing. One idea that came up as a key point in the book was that cruelty is actually a sickness, like the flu or something, that some people get infected with and from there spread to other people. which, taking that a step farther, means that it can also be cured like any other sickness, if you find the right thing to counter it. How amazing would that be?

The other cool thing that got me thinking throughout this book was the idea that animals communicate through scent; that humans used to be able to do it too, but learned to rely too heavily on the tongue for communication and eventually repressed the ability. Doesn't that just boggle your mind?

Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Ending: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
Happy Factor: 3/5

Other books by Isobelle Carmody: Obernewtyn, Darkfall, The Gathering, Night Gate

The Warrior Heir By Cinda Williams Chima

"Before he knew about the Roses, sixteen-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great - until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts. Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: he is Weirlind - part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game - a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir. As if his bizarre magical heritage isn't enough, Jack finds out that he's not just another member of Weirlind - he's one of the last of the warriors - at a time when both houses are scouting for a player. Jack's performance on the soccer field has alerted the entire magical community to the fact that he's in Trinity. And until one of the houses is declared Jack's official sponsor, there are no limits to what they'll do to get Jack to fight for them. . . . " -Goodreads.com

Overall: 4/5

I've said before that I don't particularly connect with male protags, and that's still true. But what helped with this one was that it was told in third person rather than first, and there was just so much action that it was too good to put down anyway! There was so much going on that kept me constantly guessing; I couldn't figure out who to trust and who had ulterior motives.

Both throughout the book and particularly at the end, I was so sure that there was no good way to end this story, but Chima surprised me yet again. Not only was I completely satisfied with the ending, but I'm also counting down until I can get my hands on the next in the series.

Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Ending: 5/5
Writing:4/5
Cover: 4/5
Happy Factor: 4/5

Other books by Cinda Williams Chima: The Wizard Heir, The Dragon Heir, The Dragon King

Waiting on Wednesday: Solace and Grief

"Solace Morgan was born a vampire. Raised in foster care, she has always tried to keep her abilities secret, until an eerie encounter with a faceless man prompts her to run away. Finding others with similar gifts, Solace soon becomes caught up in a strange, more vibrant world than she ever knew existed. But when the mysterious Professor Lukin takes an interest in her friends, she is forced to start asking questions of her own. What happened to her parents? Who is Sharpsoft? And since when has there been a medieval dungeon under Hyde Park?"-Goodreads.com

This book is actually technically already out, but only in Australia. They're still trying to find an American publisher to take it, and I hope they find one soon. Such an intriguing cover for a vampire book!

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!

Graphic Novels Pt 2

I was walking around my school library the other day and did a double-take. Lo and behold:

Jane Eyre, the graphic novel. Does anyone else think there's something wrong with this?

After finding it, I did a little looking around and found more:

There's one for Dracula too, but I couldn't get the image to copy. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there as well, but was too depressed to look. If you're going to read Shakespeare or Bronte or Stoker, at least havethe respect to read the stories as they were intended. I have no issue with graphic novels or authors who wish their books to be published or re-published as such. But these authors had no say in how their stories are being handled, and in many cases, rewritten.

The point of these stories being classics is less about the story they tell (after all, anyone can tell a story about tragic lovers) and more the meaning given in how it's told. And now it's all being changed because most teenagers are too lazy to read the actual book.

This is sad, guys.

In My Mailbox (11)

Thanks to Kristi from The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week!

Since the library is both closer and a little cheaper then buying all the books that I read, here's what I managed to snag from it this week:

"Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he thought he was destined to live."

"The Cyborg Wars are over and Earth has peacefully prospered for more than one hundred years. Yet sometimes history must repeat itself until humanity learns from its mistakes. In the year 2170, despite technological and political advances, cyborgs and clones are treated no better than slaves, and an underground abolitionist movement is fighting for freedom. Thirteen-year-old Leanna's entire life is thrown into chaos when The World Federation of Nations discovers her mom is part of the radical Liberty Bell Movement.

After her mother's arrest for treason, Leanna must escape as she is chased by a ruthless bounty hunter. Soon Leanna finds herself living among the Firsts, and nothing will ever be the same again. But what does The World Federation want with the daughter of a traitor? So much is uncertain. Danger hides everywhere. Fear takes over. With help from unlikely sources, Leanna learns the origin of The Liberty Bell Movement and how its members may have answers about her past-and her new reality.

As family secrets are revealed, Leanna must face startling truths about self-identity and freedom. Through time travel, advanced technologies, and artificial intelligence, this exhilarating adventure asks what it means to be human and explores the sacrifices an entire society will make to find out."

Twilight Spoofs

"About three things I was absolutely certain. First, Edwart was most likely my soul mate, maybe. Second, there was a vampire part of him–which I assumed was wildly out of his control–that wanted me dead. And third, I unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably wished he had kissed me.

And thus Belle Goose falls in love with the mysterious and sparkly Edwart Mullen in the Harvard Lampoon’s hilarious send-up of Twilight.

Pale and klutzy, Belle arrives in Switchblade, Oregon looking for adventure, or at least an undead classmate. She soon discovers Edwart, a super-hot computer nerd with zero interest in girls. After witnessing a number of strange events–Edwart leaves his tater tots untouched at lunch! Edwart saves her from a flying snowball!–Belle has a dramatic revelation: Edwart is a vampire. But how can she convince Edwart to bite her and transform her into his eternal bride, especially when he seems to find girls so repulsive?

Complete with romance, danger, insufficient parental guardianship, creepy stalker-like behavior, and a vampire prom, Nightlight is the uproarious tale of a vampire-obsessed girl, looking for love in all the wrong places."



"Love between a teenage girl and a vampire can be a beautiful thing. Then again, it can get a little ugly. Just ask Stella Crow. Stella is a clumsy but otherwise ordinary girl whose life takes a radical turn the moment she meets Edweird. Though perfect on the outside, Edweird Sullen is remarkably unrefined on the inside. He also happens to be a one hundred year old vampire, trapped in the body of a teenage boy, who has yet to finish high school. Nonetheless, Stella is unconditionally smitten with him. But not everything is rosy in this gloomiest of towns. Edweird's enemies have sworn to put a tragic end to their romance. Against all odds, the bond between Stella and Edweird is *nearly* strong enough for their love to survive. Most love stories between an impossibly handsome vampire and an ungainly young woman have a magical ending. This one -- not so much."

Okay, you have to admit that it's kind of funny. I'm not sure if I would ever actually read them because I think it would ruin the original book for me a little, but I deifinitely give them an A for effort.

The thing that bugs me is that the only reason Twilight gets so much crap is because it's a love story. Think about it- Harry Potter never had to deal with this kind of thing. Harry Potter also doesn't have a large following of haters that bash on it constantly. I mean, wizards....vampires.... they're really not that different. It just shows how cynical our society has become towards the idea of true love. Anything like the kind of love expressed in Twilght obviously can't be real.....

I think there's also a little bit of the macho issue. Loving wand-wars and masses of crazy soul-eating creatures is much easier to admit to than a sappy love story.

It's pretty much next to impossible to hate these books, but admitting to liking them is a whole other issue and I hate that our world has stooped to that.