Tyger, Tyger

Tyger, Tyger (The Goblin Wars #1) by Kersten Hamilton

Source: ARC from Clarion Books

Grade: 3.8 stars out of 5

I was apprehensive about this novel at first mainly because I (deep breath) judged the book by its cover. I did not like the cover very much, (hello giant tree!), which gave an almost impression of a self-published novel. I know, I know, I am being book-prejudice, but I have had my fair share of self-published novels that lacked proper editing and a good designer. It automatically got an involuntary flinch from me. So once I got past the cover, I decided to take a break from vampires and read a book about goblins.

Tyger, Tyger follows three unlikely heroes where they travel through a fantasy realm to rescue their father and defeat the king—Fear. One is a small six-year-old boy, the human GPS, another is an Irish traveler who claims to be born to fight all of goblin-kind, and lastly a heroine who just wants to get into Cornell’s vet-med school and sees all boys off-limits until her goal is reached.

Tyger, Tyger is for fans of Impossible by Nancy Werlin who likes a little myth and folklore with their fantasy. The novel has a heavy-hand on religion and Celtic pre-history and mythology. The mythology demonstrates in-depth research and dedication. If your attention span, however, is just a smidge better than that of a goldfish (such as myself) you might find yourself dazed and not fully comprehending the quick history lesson with a barrage of names.

The overall execution for Tyger, Tyger was well-done and well paced with very little fault. Kersten Hamilton managed to craft a novel that I think will even please the Irish with her ghastly goblins, crafty cat-sidhe, swift sprites, and heinous hellhounds. It is like walking through Narnia’s closet and reaching a land where everything is questionable and the motives selfish. Some of the actions and details were confusing to read and harder to imagine in the mind.

The characters were fun to read, but many lacked that memorable personality. They were very likable throughout the novel and some had great moments where they shined with life. I do feel frustrated, however, with Teagan and Abby when the goblins do appear. It was Abby who first warned Teagan that the goblins are coming yet when Teagan told Abby that the goblins were here she did believe her. It makes me wonder why Teagan did not mention the dream and why is Abby so reluctant to believe her.

I expect great things in the sequel and answers to questions that I still have.

Cover C-/D+
Now that I read the book, I understand the siqnificance to the cover, but before I was I like "WTF is this?"

Buy Tyger, Tyger: Amazon / Indie Bound / Book Depository

T2T: Hunger

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Grade: 3.8 / 4 stars out of 5

Lisabeth Lewis has always thought herself to be too fat; always counting the number of calories per meal and how many sit-ups, push-ups, or hours on the bike should she do to counteract the calories. Just when she was tired, too tired of life, Death comes knocking on her door and giving her the job of Famine. 

Hunger is a small book—novella?—but packs a lot in. The story is told through a point of view of a girl dealing with anorexia and self-denial. The folklore (or was it mythology) of the Apocalyptical Horsemen brings another dimension to the novel that was definitely new and creative. Hunger was a novella of irony where Lisa, the Horsemen of Famine, who has trouble dealing with her own hunger, helps the world with theirs. But the greatest was how becoming Famine helped Lisa discover her own problems with anoxia.

I think another aspect that I really enjoyed about Hunger was the friendships and family members that surrounded Lisa. It many cases the readers find a lack of family support or people questioning the health of the main character. In the cases of novels involving anoxia and bulimia we follow the healing process and not the coming-to-terms process.

My questions are, however, how did Death come to choose Lisa as the bearer of Famine? Whatever happened to Tammy, Lisa’s friend who was bulimic?

Cover A

Source: ARC from Graphia for Traveling to Teens Tours

Published: October 18, 2010 paperback

Order via Amazon

a portion of the proceeds from Hunger will be donated to National Eating Disorders Association

The Education of Bet

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Source: Won ARC from Sarah (Sarah’s Musings)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Elizabeth could speak, write, and read as well as Will, but there is something that Will can do that she cannot: attend school. But Bet is determined and when Will confesses that he dreams to join the military rather than go back to school, Bet proposes that they switch places and in her case, genders.

Lauren Baratz-Logsted has a habit of underwhelming me with her books. The last book I read by Baratz-Logsted was Crazy Beautiful, stunning cover with a sinful synopsis, but it fell to impress. Now with The Education of Bet it has a pretty cover and an intriguing synopsis (I admit that I have several graphic novels with the similar synopses, but I cannot get enough) I was immediately excited. And I gave a half-hearted shrug once I finished.

In my past experience with first person narratives, I feel like they give the most extreme emotions. I felt like I can relate better to the main character yet with The Education of Bet there was distance between Bet and I. The pace of the novel is brisk and was written in mostly paragraphs detailing the adventure and what an adventure! An adventure, I felt, was over so quickly with not enough hoops to jump through and not enough trouble that makes a full-grin read.

A part of me still does not believe in the James and Bet relationship. It was so complete-180 for me that made me reluctant in the whole thing. Once I got over the quick turnabout I do so love their forbidden love as you will.

Quite frankly, however, The Education of Bet had nothing bad about it, least not a scene or subplot that made me tsk and shake my head over. It was just a lack of exuberance and energy that I thought I would read. There are two scenes that held great energy: the fencing and the climax, but those were two scenes out of many.

Cover B-
It’s pretty. It’s the jade dress.

The Education of Bet is out in stores: Amazon / Indie Bound / Book Depository

Zen and Xander Undone

Zen and Xander Undone by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Source: Personal Bookshelf

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Ever since their mom past away, Zen and Xander have dealt with their grief in different ways. Zen turned to martial arts as a physical outlet while Xander turned to late night parties and drugs despite her exceedingly intelligence having been accepted to both CalTech and MIT. Zen although being the younger sister is watching out for Xander for her fighting skills comes in handy against unwanted men. Adam, however, Zen and Xander’s next door neighbor, is wanted. But ever so often a letter from their mother shows up and it breaks them even more.

There is nothing characteristically great about Zen and Xander Undone. It can be the fact that the novel is fairly short, clocking in at 200 some pages. It can also be because the novel focuses so much more on Xander that I lost Zen making the first person narration worthless. I do specifically recall her back pains for Zen—just a lot of back straining.

The various methods of grief—hidden from the world, physical violence, and destruction of oneself—are well done. The typical denial of death is not there, which is surprising considering the fact that letters and packages are being delivered to them. In the end, however, I still feel that the novel presented nothing wrenching or addicting to the reader making the novel feel longer than it truly was. It may seem like an oxymoron, a long short book, but it felt endless at times yet when it was done, it felt incomplete.

I do happen to like Paul, another male interest you shall meet. He added the extra oomph and comedic humor that every book needs.

Cover D

Sorry, but there's just something oily and stringy about it. I like this other version better.

Jekel Loves Hyde

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey (May 3rd 2010—Harcourt)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Summary: “Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad.”

Review: If you love Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, don’t bother to read this review because you should just PREORDER THIS BOOK NOW. If you hated it, well, I’m sorry you wasted your time. Anyhow I had received an ARC of this upcoming book and to say I was excited is an understatement. I dropped whatever I reading, literally when I saw the package in the mail I jumped high and hard enough for the book to fall off my hand, and with a somewhat psychotic grin began to read. And read, and read, and read I did.

My overall reaction was a bit on the disappointed side. My expectations on my end were too high. Coming off of Jessica’s Guide to Dating of the Dark Side I had hoped Fantaskey topped herself and instead I had a lukewarm response. There was hardly any of that humor I loved in her debut novel.

The chemistry between Jill and Tristen while sizzling failed to give any sense of a deep connection. The same issues I had with Crazy Beautiful were present here: a hard time grasping either character in such a short book. The novel alternates POV which may demonstrate an author’s flexibility but can result in losing something more important.

The best part of the novel was the plot. The plot attracted me the most and it was because of the plot I just had to keep reading. I needed to know the end—will it be a happy ending? a sad ending? a satisfying ending at least? It was both creative and ingenious and like my brother said, it is the selling point to the book.

I half hate/half love the epilogue. I won’t give it except that it left me frustrated and slightly annoyed.

Cover B-

FTC: review copy as provided by the publisher in exchange for this review

Swoon At Your Own Risk

Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter (April 5th 2010—Graphia)

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “It’s the summer before senior year and Polly Martin has sworn off boys. Who needs the hurt and confusion? Five recent breakups have left her with an unnatural knowledge of NASCAR, the ultimate hiker’s outfit, a student council position, the sixth highest score on the Donkey Kong machine at the mall, and a summer job at Wild Waves with ex #2 Sawyer Holmes.

Success seems a sure thing when Polly’s grandmother, the syndicated advice columnist, Miss Swoon, moves in for the summer. Polly almost doesn’t mind sharing a room with her little sister, Grace. Think of all the great advice she’ll get!

Everything is going according to plan except... Miss Swoon turns out to be a man-crazy septuagenarian! And then there’s Xander Cooper. If only he wouldn’t keep showing up at Wild Waves with his adorable cousins every afternoon — and what is he writing in that little notebook?

No advice column in the world can prepare Polly for the lessons she learns when she goes on a group camping trip (with three too many ex-boyfriends). Polly is forced to see people for who they are — a blend of good and bad qualities that can’t be reduced to a list or a snappy answer in a Miss Swoon column.”

Review: I loved Salter’s debut novel, My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters, I kid you not. I bawled like a 5 year-old for some reason. I had a huge grin on my face that my mom had to stop and ask why I was happy. When I find a novel that good I stalk the author. Seriously I’m like a rabid dog that will not let go until the owner of said leg dies…or something (preferably the something).

Swoon at Your Own Risk doesn’t deliver the initial love I had. My expectation bar was high, but the jump was just a few notches down from the clear. I think for me the hardest part to read was Polly herself. She was just so easily persuaded. I felt too frustrated to even enjoy the novel completely. I wish her internal mind somehow connects to her external mouth, which eventually does happen….

Swoon at Your Own Risk plays of childhood friends grown apart but grew extremely hot somewhere in between those years. Yes prepare for some swooning of your own ladies. Okay I’m not going to bore with all those needless details; I liked the book, but didn’t love it. There were chapters I gobbled up like a chocolate and some I had to waddle through like thick molasses. Some characters I yearned for more and others I learned to appreciate with a few that I would have been fine to never have read.

Cover

B-/C+

The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (Harcourt)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventurous librarian who involuntarily travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whole life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare’s passionate affair endures across a sea of time and captures them in an impossibly romantic trap that tests the strength of fate and basks in the bonds of love.”

Review: Wow—this book floored me. It was the intricacy of the whole tale that blew me away. I could only imagine how the outline of The Time Traveler’s Wife was a ’itch to create. Niffenegger moved the plot forward, planned what was to come—how it affects this and that—insert a few flashbacks of what you already know--heartbreaks, heartaches, heart confused—then bam! you’re back to where you started out from. It’s like taking a ninja with the general shape to a circle in the middle yet there are other pathways you can take, somehow leading yourself back to the original road.

Both characters were quite strong (even if the reader dislikes them at times) with plenty of faults. Clare is always waiting for Henry, during her youth and during her marriage, for he always disappears. I felt my heart being tugged while she tries to retain that hope and vigilance. But what really tugged my heart was Alba. Opps. Mild spoiler alert.

Okay it’s rather hard to write this review. *waves arms around* There, poof, we’re done. At any rate I want to ask the people who’ve read the book and watched the movie. Which was better? Or were they both great in different aspects?

Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (May 22nd 2006—Houghton Mifflin)

Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D.J. can't help admitting, maybe he's right. When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn't so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won't even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league. When you don't talk, there's a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D.J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say.”

Review: It breaks my heart a little bit when the majority of the people I listen to recommendations from love a book while I dislike said book. It boggles your mind when you try to figure why is that you do not like this book!? Then you just have to say to the heck of it because you can’t change your opinion because your friend likes it.

Dairy Queen for me was so slow. That’s one of the main reasons for me. After reaching to page 100+ I gave up hope. Nothing sparked for me. I wasn’t fond of neither D.J. nor Brian or the entire story for the matter. Complete bore.

This book is one for fans of football, feministic ideology (yeah we can totally kick guys’ arse even in their respected sport) and cows/farm life. Most of which I do not happen to enjoy reading. So, um, yeah, that’s all.

Overall: N/A

Cover C+/B-

After the Moment

After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr (May 18th 2009—Houghton Mifflin)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Summary: “Maia Morland is pretty, only not pretty-pretty. She's smart. She's brave. She's also a self-proclaimed train wreck.

Leigh Hunter is smart, popular, and extremely polite. He's also completely and forever in love with Maia Morland.

Their young love starts off like a romance novel—full of hope, strength, and passion. But life is not a romance novel and theirs will never become a true romance. For when Maia needs him the most, Leigh betrays both her trust and her love.”

Review: After the Moment felt to me like I was looking in a private affair through a glass window. Captivated but knowing that it was bad to be watching. Because of this I felt a disconnection between all the characters. Like I know of them, but I don’t know them.

I would agree with some that After the Moment was slow and a tad on the boring side. It felt that I was fluttering along the novel waiting for something, anything, to happen. It would touch on many subjects, never breaking free of that one barrier to make it astounding. There was a lot of buildup, a lot, to reach the climax. I felt that the climax could have been dragged a bit longer for a better impact but it still manages to shake the reader (especially with the gruesome fist to fist fighting).

There was a lot of potential behind this book. Some came through others needed to be expanded more. The ending for me was bittersweet.

Cover B-

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Thank you Trish for allowing me to be the first stop of Garret Freymann-Weyr’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS. Check out the other stops:

Tuesday, October 20th – Eclectic Book Lover

Thursday, October 22nd – Cindy’s Love of Books

Tuesday, October 27th – The Brain Lair

Wednesday, October 28th – Luxury Reading

Thursday, October 29th – Pop Culture Junkie

Monday, November 2nd – Steph Su Reads

Wednesday, November 4th – Bart’s Bookshelf

Thursday, November 5th – A Striped Armchair

Tuesday, November 10th – The Bluestocking Society

Thursday, November 12th – As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves

Monday, November 16th – Starting Fresh

Tuesday, November 17th – Beth Fish Reads

Thursday, November 19th – Book Addiction

Monday, November 23rd – The Novel Bookworm

Tuesday, November 24th – All About {n}

Once A Witch

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough (September 14th 2009—Clarion)

Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Summary: “Seventeen-year-old Tamsin Greene is the only non-magical member in a large coven of witches. Her mother can move at lightning speed. Her father can control the weather, and her sister can spin words into phrases so powerfully persuasive people are compelled to do as she wishes. As outcast in her own family, Tamsin spends most of her time at boarding school in New York City, as far from the world of witches as she can get.

But it isn’t far enough. When she agrees to help a handsome strange find a lost heirloom, the search quickly turns ominous—magically so. Soon, Tamsin is caught up in a centuries-old-conflict between her family and another, much sinister clan.

Can an ordinary teenage girl with no magical talent save her family of witches from powerful forces allied against them?”

Review: I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when Once a Witch landed in my hands. Did I think of bubbling cauldrons? Giant nose warts? Maybe….

Once a Witch was a magically delicious blend of romance, suspense, and fantasy. I practically gobbled this entire up in less than one sitting. That’s right, less than one. The book had to pried from my hands (with of course me leaving them a few bitemarks).

I’m a sucker for a love story, I admit it. So when you shove me a book about childhood love and cults I’m game. I love the relationship between Tasmin and Gabriel. More of a deep friendship than kissy kissy face, I found their bantering cute, their ease they have together charming, and the way they lean on one another without a pissy contest sweet.

The action was exhilarating as we raced through New York City to defeat a Knight from taking over the world! Okay this review sucks. I have no words. I can pretty much continue on with very vague details about how good this book was or I shall cut to the point and say: Read it. It’s very, very, very good. It’s fast, short, and you will demand more. A perfect set up to a sequel.

Overall: Read the bold print. Pick this book up!

Cover A-

I believe that this is a drawing (don’t quote me on this). Anyway I love the vibrancy of the colors and the details.

Crazy Beautiful

Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted (September 7th 2009—Houghton)

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Summary: “In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself.

Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her.

But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering.

Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does.”

Review: In the back of the book the description compares this book to that of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. In some ways I see no resemblance. Yes the girl is beautiful in the sense that she’s fashionable, that she brushes her hair a hundred strokes (I’m actually quoting from the book), and that everyone seems to enjoy her company. And yes the boy is different from the norm. But it stops there. So if you expect this whole ordeal where the two love birds fall head over heels, you’ll get it, just not the whole ordeal part.

Told in alternating point of views, Lucius’s and Aurora’s tales behave more like talking rather than actual storytelling. At one point of the book, Aurora actually answers the readers’ question and responds back to Lucius’s concern. Slightly awkward as it disrupted the flow of the writing style.

There were also a lot of plot holes in the book. For instance, how did Lucius manage to ruin Jessup’s (standard evil male teen in high school) diabolical plan? In the nick of less than a day, I’m guessing a few hours or less, he somehow convinced that Mr. Belle is innocent thus making him able to see Aurora before in the play and convinced the vice-principal that Ceclia lied (that was a mouthful). Or wait. Did any of that really happen? Because no where in the book does it explain how the entire thing got resolved. We went from Lucius threatening someone to happily ever after. I’m screaming to the book “Why are you so damn short!? Explain to me what the heck just happened!” Really this book was too short. Some things needed to be expanded, to develop, to make sense!

Wait! Here comes the happy part! (I flipped the way I typically write a review). Crazy Beautiful made me laugh. Like out loud. Which I never do because I don’t need any more reason to be considered crazy. It was the scene where Lucius and his younger sister went shopping to style Lucius. The entire scenario was hilarious, the dialogue completely realistic, and the bantering between siblings so relatable!

The theme of course darker than most teen novels but still had its touch of cuteness. I enjoy the buildup of Lucius’s evilness, his loner personality, and his ability to create madness within love. Suspense was partially there. Emotion as well. Would have liked the two dynamic characters interact more before thinking that they’re in love-ish. Aurora seem a bit bland at points—too much sweetness, trustworthiness.

Overall: I so want this to be longer! It might steal away from the impact but it might also answer so many questions!

Cover A
This cover is drool, drool heaven. It’s so mystique, possessive and dark. Something about just makes a girl swoon.

My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters

My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter (April 1st 2009—Sandpiper)

Grade: 4.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “It’s the end of junior year, and summer is about to begin. The Summer of Passion, to be exact, when Jory Michaels plans to explore all the possibilities of the future--and, with any luck, score a boyfriend in the process. But Jory has a problem. A big problem. A curvy, honking, bumpy, problem in the form of her Super Schnozz, the one thing standing between Jory and happiness. And now, with the Summer of Passion stretched before her like an open road, she's determined for Super Schnozz to disappear. Jory takes a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer; she even keeps a book filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor. But nothing is ever easy for accident-prone Jory--and before she knows it, her Summer of Passion falls apart faster than the delivery van she crashes.”

Review: So I heard several different takes on this book. Was okay, was not that good, was amazing! I happen to be in the latter class. Sydney Salter made me laugh, cry, and smile throughout the entire process.

Jory was relatable in the sense that every teen has self-confidence issues. I know I do. So it was a relief to find one that a problem with herself that was not so outlandish. A nose. Simple, but effective. What she does she solve this problem made me cry my freaking eyes out. She has this entire notebook titled “Nice Nose Notebook”, an ideal process where after having a plastic surgery she’ll be more loved. Self-confidence issues. Every teens and/or adults have them. Unloved. A flaw.

Gideon was the comic relief. He made me laugh (out loud). Smile. Sigh. And cross my fingers that he and Jory will end up together. The perfect Yin to her Yang (cheesy I know), that helped her realize that she is fine the way she is.

The friends that Jory has were pitiful though at times. Non-empathic, selfish, and hateful. To be mindful of the different scenarios, the ups and downs of each of the girls lives, I will let it slide...a bit. Some parts are more touching than others.

Overall: Stealing this from Jason Mraz’s CD title “We sing. We dance. We Steal Things.” Actually after thinking it over, that has nothing to do with the book…

Cover C+
Not a really big fan of the cover.

Graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (October 1st 2008—Harcourt)

Grade: 5 stars out of 5

Summary: Katsa can kill a man without even batting an eyelash for she has the Grace of killing. Her uncle, Randa, had taken Katsa under his wing since she was an infant, but he exploits her ability and sends her on various missions to show that the king is always in power—murdering those who stole from the king, broken arms or fingers if you go against the king.

But Katsa has her own missions aside from the king’s orders. During one of theses mission she runs into this a skilled fighter, but not skilled enough to take her down. When she later arrives home she soon discovers that this stranger happens to be Prince Po from Lienid, an island country. While she is shocked about this, she later befriends him in the most extraordinary way.

Together they will go an adventure to discover what has happen in another country that left his sister, the Queen, locked up in her room. And they will also discover something about their feelings along the way…

Review: Graceling was gorgeously put together and packaged with a beautiful bow presenting itself to the lucky readers.

Let’s start with the world that Kristin has created. It is luscious, detailed, and filled with imagery. What is even more helpful is that if you do happen to be troubled, there is a map in the book that shows the countries and has symbols to point out key locations. Think of Eragon if you will. However, I do have to mention that the various names and overly descriptive backgrounds of each country may bog the reader down. I know for me, it forced me stop reading for some time. It was around the first couple of pages, 30 or so, that made me frustrated—it gave too much at one time. I got lost in the details, in the many names, and the situations.

After I got through the muck, Katsa turned out to be a thrilling character. She was a strong female character who can kick almost everyone’s butt. She had strive, devotion, respect, and a clever mind. However, her stubbornness may be a flaw at points, along with some others—which can also give dimensions to her ever expanding character. She desires to bear no children or wedding rings, which later aggravates me especially at the ending with Po. I am all for being independent, but remaining lovers despite equal feelings on both sides kind of does not make sense to me. Okay, it kind of does. Not being chained down, not being forced to think that someone owns you. It just a pet peeve I guess.

Po, weird name I know, was the pretend laidback, but highly sensitive character that played off Katsa very well. He brought out the feminine side of her, her love aspect. He, himself, also plays his own role. He was selfish but also unselfish; he was the sweet gentle man but also filled with anguish. And he can also kick some major booty as well.

Speaking of lovers, I feel that I have to point out that there is indeed sex in this novel. While it may not be explicit, explicit, I have to recommend to mothers who wants to know if their 12 year old daughter can read this or not. Do not unless they are mature enough. So I definitely recommend this book to the older teen group.

Katsa and Po’s relationship develops over a period of time. Nothing too elaborate or fast paced. I definitely felt that this love does not hinder the plotline at all. In fact, I think it may have helped it in some areas. It gave the reason behind Katsa’s decision to leave Po behind a bit of a small heartbreak. But overall more depth, that there truly was a decision behind it all—their reasons and actions. So was it cliché? In some aspects sure. There were twists and surprise, however, which left me smiling at the unexpected events.

Overall: A wonderful and amazing read! I am definitely stalking this new author and cannot wait to see what she has in store!

Cover A+
Gorgeous!

P.S. Me + summaries = Yan pounding head on desk...repetitively

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (January 1st 2009—Harcourt)

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Summary: “The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction”

Review: First things first I have to point out that I love Lucius’s character. He had depth, volume, and area! Granted, I just made two of those things up…but really! He actually developed, a lot! I love his original attitude. He had the whole haughty European sex vibe going on; “I know I’m hot and sexy, so back off commoners, you’re breathing my air” type of presence. Even after he sheds his arrogance, his character still remains amazing. Jessica, however, fell flat at some points.

The love that grew between them also nicely developed. In the beginning they both couldn’t stand each other, and day by day it blossomed until they actually tolerated each other. And of course, fall in love.

The alternating points of views were a nice touch. It gave a deeper connection and a better understanding to their motives. I love how Lucius’ point of view was through letters to his uncle. It was just plain laugh out loud funny. But within the letters, it gave the true plotline and conflict. Which I have to say was creative and original.

Speaking of original, I thought that there were some vampire characteristics that were unique. The trait that only female vampires can only become full vampires by getting a male vampire to bite you was something that I have never read before. Apparently, never reading a vampire book in your life helps. A lot actually.

The ending, however, left more to be desired. There were some open-ended questions left to me. What happened back in the United States? Her friends? Her parents? Those type of questions.

Overall: Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side was a funny yet dark tale of love. It was a magnificent read from start to finish!

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