Books I Read In January 2011

Some of these books you will not see a review posted on my blog until they are scheduled. Some books have not been published yet, I received a e-copy to read from NetGalley and those book reviews will be posted on this site near their release dates.
The Day I Shot Cupid: Hello, My Name Is Jennifer Love Hewitt and I'm a Love-aholic
The Knife of Never Letting Go: Chaos Walking: Book One
Revolution
Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family, and Finding the Perfect Lipstick
Slice of Cherry
The Vespertine
House Rules: A Novel
Across the Universe
Witch Child
Savannah Grey (Carolrhoda Ya)
Eighth Grade Bites (Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Book 1)

Here Lies Bridget

The Marbury Lens
The Betrayal of Maggie Blair
Paper Towns
The Agency 1: A Spy in the House  
Crank
Awaken
Queens of All The Earth  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10280962-queens-of-all-the-earth

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An Andrew Smith Reply

Description from Goodreads.com
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for ...moreBROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.
Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart
I want to admit that at first the main characters depression was off-putting. But like the description states the author "artfully weaves" the girls' lives and that could not be more true. Andi has lost her little brother in a tragic way, her father has abandoned her and her mother has completely closed-in on herself and doesn't leave the house. Andi's focus is her music and it plays a HUGE part of this book and so does the depression factor. This book was not at all what I expected when I initially picked it up, but I knew once the journal was introduced in the story, I was hooked. The adventures they both live through in Paris are very intriguing and I wish the story never ended. I think this would make a wonderful movie. I really enjoyed both girls stories and the chapters about half way in (when the journal is located) the story jumps from one girls perspective to the next. Revolution appealed to every part of me, as a girl, a history major, a daughter, a traveler and a music lover. It was very addicting and here, a week later I still find myself thinking about it daily. I loved that I got to be introduced to these girls and this story. And I want to add that this was one of the best Narrator job's I have heard on an audiobook in a very long time. If there is one audiobook that I would recommend everybody to buy it's this one. The  French accent was perfect and added to the feel of the book.

PS Little extra tid-bit if you have seen the scary movie Catacombe with Pink (yes the singer acts in it) and Shannyn Sossamon you will have a great mental picture of what she is describing "the beach" party in the book. But remember it's a horror movie and I could not find if it was rated R or not, so beware if your interested to keep that in mind and be of age.
http://www.amazon.com/Catacombs-Shannyn-Sossamon/dp/B00105304M/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1295672361&sr=1-1  
or you can check out google "Catacombs Paris" http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=catacombs+paris&cp=10&qe=Y2F0YWNvbWJzIHA&qesig=io7FpOhBe_oMlwsFd1l_sg&pkc=AFgZ2tmRb5uiiudhqi7hX-qtQZ2nSOSGH5cWnoSJwzID0Ikics0xSRBkWgOLiDcEZMOoYwWdEZWm-9WdppgXdJNjWBCU37dBRg&safe=off&wrapid=tljp1295672443460012&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1659&bih=798

Book Review: Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen (Harlequin Teen)

The story of Meghan continues in this third book in Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Series. More drama ensues between the Summer,Winter and Iron Fey courts. But in this third installment Meghan is not only involved in the feud but she's determined to save her "father" Paul from the Fey world. The author continues in this magical world of Alice in Wonderland meets Labyrinth (or Narnia) with wonderful creatures, monsters and their clash with the technology of today. Again we see Meghan travel through both the human world and the Fey world combining reality with imagination.
     This series is one of the most entertaining Teen series out today. It's imaginative, unique and entertaining.
You will find yourself torn between her love for Ash and Puck, her decision to live in the human world or the Fey. And her want to fight for what is right and for those of whom she loves.
    The Iron Queen (Harlequin Teen)

Slice of CherryDescription from Goodreads.com
Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.
It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities….
    I want to take a precious moment to just bow down to the cover artists Cara E Petrus, Michael Frost and Jonathan Dorfman for the absolutely amazing cover. I spent the extra money for a Hardback copy of this book just to have it's beauty displayed on my shelves. So thank you for your genious.
    Now onto the book: Crazy, out of this world, gruesome, unbelievable, abnoxious, jaw-dropping amazement. I thought that bleeding violet was a "trip" in writing but Dia Reeves has out-done herself with this one.    
   Let me explain some of those words further. Unbelievable and Jaw dropping are actually being used as the same term here. I was shocked during parts of the book and speechless when trying to draft this review. All I can really say is "I can't believe she just did that." was what I was repeating in my mind every chapter of this book. It was more gruesome that bleeding violet, the main characters were not your next door neighbor type of girls, they are vicious and really un-likeable and abnoxious. But it adds to the story, these terms are not to be meant in a negative way. I would recommend her first novel Bleeding Violet to be read first even though they are not a series, but it's a good beginner step to get used to this author's type of writing style. I don't think I have ever picked up anything so weird, ever. And I just use the word weird because like I said I'm kinda speechless after finishing this one.  I never acutally thought I would refer to Bleeding Violet as a more "tame' novel..but I think I just did

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

House Rules: A Novel  By Jodi Picoult  -Description from Goodreads.com
When your son can’t look you in the eye . . . does that mean he’s guilty?

Jacob Hunt is a teen with Asperger’s syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, though he is brilliant in many ways. But he has a special focus on one subject—forensic analysis. A police scanner in his room clues him in to crime scenes, and he’s always showing up and telling the cops what to do. And he’s usually right.
But when Jacob’s small hometown is rocked by a terrible murder, law enforcement comes to him. Jacob’s behaviors are hallmark Asperger’s, but they look a lot like guilt to the local police. Suddenly the Hunt family, who only want to fit in, are directly in the spotlight. For Jacob’s mother, Emma, it’s a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it’s another indication why nothing is normal because of Jacob.
And over this small family, the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
This was my first Jodi Picoult book, it was chosen out of the many because it looked the most interesting to me. I have no knowledge of Asperger's syndrome so I cannot put my vote in on how well that aspect of this story was. So my thoughts on this book are just pure storyline and writing style. 

I found the storyline very predictable so I was unable to really enjoy it. But I did find some things about it that made it worthwhile for me.
                    1- The chapters change from different characters points of view.
                    2- Description and wording the author used to describe how Jacob related to the world

     My favorite parts of the book were the chapters told from the mother's perspective and from the 2    boys perspectives. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if it were just those point of views.
      I of course am an avid reader, so I am not about to give up on reading any more of Jodi Picoult's books, but I may not read all 3 I had set aside initially for this challenge, and explore some different authors out there. And reading as much as I do, it's bound to be that I do not get a long with every book that I read. But I did like the authors descriptive writing and her characters
    
There is a great interview with the author on the Amazon Site: http://www.amazon.com/House-Rules-Novel-Jodi-Picoult/dp/0743296443/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295582120&sr=1-1
challenge for http://chicklitplus.com/category/chicklitchallenge/

Across the Universe - an interview with author Beth Revis

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Description taken from Goodreads.com 16 year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.
There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.
Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind.
Conner tells Jack it’s going to be okay.
But, it’s not.
Andrew Smith has written his most beautiful and personal novel yet, as he explores the nightmarish outer limits of what trauma can do to our bodies and our minds.

 First I have to say that I have never read a Young Adult book with so many Swear words! I think that a total count of this novel would be in the 1000s. As the book does include sex, swearing and a ugly kidnapping I of course would only recommend this one to more mature teens.

The characters in this book are very relatable, (in the real world) the writing was awesome and the storyline was unforgettable. Through the lens, Marbury is a very disturbing world to be taken into and the traveling through the worlds becomes addicting. The real life story and the Marbury stories are both very intriguing and I found this a completely engrossing book. I know several people that I will be recommending this book to, but it def. requires a certain taste in books. Nevertheless I found myself thinking about it when I was not reading it and will pick it up again in the near future.

 

 

 

 



1/11/11

Across the Universe By Beth Revis  

Description from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8235178-across-the-universe
Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.
Unfortunately I have not finished this book in time to do a full review (But I will have it up within the week) But I have been soo excited for this book's Birthday yesterday I had to acknowledge  it's release day! The map you see above is actually on the inside of the dust jacket (cover of the book) and it's interchangeable which I think is completely awesome! What I have read so far this book deserves all the hype it's been getting and I will have a full review to come, please enjoy the trailer!

http://acrosstheuniversebook.com/

Paper Towns by John Green

Description from Goodreads.com
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.
Printz medalist John Green returns with the brilliant wit and searing emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of listeners.
So, after finishing this book, I found myself almost irritated. But I want to add that after thinking about it, I have to say that it's a good thing. I think that by me wanting so much more out of this book, that it shows a really great story, because it completely pulled me in. I laughed out loud on parts, I got frustrated and wanted to just tell Q to get on with his own life and forget about M. But in the end, if nothing else we see a great adventure that Q, at the end of his high school days will probably never have again. And so even though I read this book in one day (also a sign of amazing writing on behalf of John Green) It made me emotional but not in a mushy way, it made me want to scream out loud. I would get so frustrated at how selfish i thought M was and how completely one track minded she made Q. All in all this book deserves all of the love that it has been getting. Nerdfighters worldwide should be proud. It had me gripped emotionally, and whole heartedly.

A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

Info from Goodreads.com

Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an...more Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment.
Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past
If you are into historical fiction, this one is for you! With a woman lead and an interesting plot, it will leave you wanting more. The romantic interests have a bit of bite to them with some great dialogue. She is a fiesty, headstrong, intelligent girl whom I enjoyed being introduced to. I am looking forward to see where the next story will take us.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins Five Stars

                           Passionate                                     obsessive
                          want to know more                         wish I didn't know
                          the working mother                          the anger at father
                          Eye opening behavior                      relatable to me
                                                               I know                                 
                                                The desire and want for more
                         More of the pace                             more of the addiction
                         must read more                                must read now
                        the love addiction                             the drug addiction
                       the family that cares                           girl wishing she didn't

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

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Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #1)  

by Heather Brewer

Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod Series #1)   Description from Goodreads.com

Junior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher b
...moreJunior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: he's being hunted by a vampire killer.

I have to admit that I never thought I would pick up this series. I have always found the covers interesting but thought that it would be a little more middle grade reading than my usual preference. But I had a chance to get the first book on audio pretty cheap and thought "why not". So one boring day at work, I turned on the audio and found that I really kinda adored this story. It's funny and interesting and I listened to it in a day. I am happy I have been introduced to Vlad and will most likely continue with this series over the next year. I do recommend this to others, especially those trying to get back into reading because it's quick and will leave you wanting more.. oh and forgot to mention, it has VAMPIRES