Natalie: Review of Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making

Wow. Just wow. I have no words that could possibly describe how incredibly amazing this book is.

The book has split POV between both Rachel and Logan. Most of the time, unless properly executed doing that is a big mistake. Sometimes, especially if the author is female they have a hard time distinguishing between the male and female voices. Making the book undeniably suck.

That was not the case with this book. Redwine does an absolutely magnificent job of giving wonderful voices to both characters, while at the same time delivering a breathtaking story.

Oh the characters.

I adored all of the characters, even the ones you are supposed to hate.

Rachel is probably one of the strongest female leads I have read about in a long time. And Logan, *girly sigh* well Logan is everything you expect a male lead to be, and so much more.

...*frustrated sigh* I have come to the realization that no matter what I say, no matter how hard I try, I  will not be able to describe Rachel and Logan in a way that will do them justice. I will do my best though.

Rachel has always been strong. She was trained to be able to take down anyone who tried to hurt her. Her mental strength, the ability to outwit others and think for herself is very admirable. But now that her father is gone, presumed dead she has to use all her dexterity to try and find him before it is too late.

Now don't get me wrong, just because Rachel is strong does not me she is without flaws. On the contrary, it is those flaws that make her such a capable character. Her Independence and enduring will  shall get her into trouble throughout the book and make her seem at times, foolhardy and reckless. But it is that recklessness that makes her brave.

She loses a lot throughout the book. People she cares about, her innocence and her sense of safety, but they only seem to make her stronger, and fuel her rage for those responsible. She at points is almost single minded in her hatred for her enemies.

Logan is her polar opposite. Even though he can hold his own in a fight just as well as she can, he is a very intelligent rational character. Always thinking, always with a plan. He is both brilliant and resourceful, and as a reader you can't hep but respect him. Together, they are unstoppable.

One of the things I found most intriguing about the book wasn't their love, but the fierce protectiveness for each other. Keeping the other person safe was the main objective for both of the characters. Each of them has lost so much that neither can bare anything happening to the other. Which is the basis, and heart of their feelings toward one another.

Both of them would gladly die to protect the other, and almost do, several times. That is a very powerful kind of love. Not that mushy " Soul mate-insta love" crap . They are all each other has.

The Commander, as the main Antagonist/Bad Guy/ Evil Jerk, aims to make them both suffer for defying him. The best way to do that? Take away the one thing they care about most in the world.

Each other.

All the while using their feelings and love for one another to get in his possession the most powerful weapon in the world. One that in the wrong hands could destroy everything Rachel and Logan care about.

I was surprised to discover that this is C.J. Redwine's first book. She weaves and an absolutely, enchanting world with her words. Plot lines so gripping you will, like me, refuse to make contact with the rest of humanity until you finish the last page. Her writing style so exquisite that at points you cant help but laugh, cry and pray for a sequel all at the same time.

Hands down this is the best book I have read all year.

 

my rating:

six out of five stars

                                                                          

Tehreem: Hysteria by Megan Miranda

Mallory killed her boyfriend, Brian. She can't remember the details of that night but everyone knows it was self-defense, so she isn't charged. But Mallory still feels Brian's presence in her life. Is it all in her head? Or is it something more? In desperate need of a fresh start, Mallory is sent to Monroe, a fancy prep school where no one knows her . . . or anything about her past.But the feeling follows her, as do her secrets. Then, one of her new classmates turns up dead. As suspicion falls on Mallory, she must find a way to remember the details of both deadly nights so she can prove her innocence-to herself and others.

In another riveting tale of life and death, Megan Miranda's masterful storytelling brings readers along for a ride to the edge of sanity and back again.

I remember when I first saw the summary for this book. It was sometime in December and for some odd reason when ever the weather is cold, I want nothing more than a chilling horror novel. The synopsis made this book seem perfect, so I immediately ordered it from my library. Fast forward a few months and the book is ready for me. When I finally got a hold of this book, I was positively giddy. No joke. My excitement couldn't be contained. I opened the book, read the first few pages, and....

It sucked.

I wish there were more a elegant way to put that. However, adding any pizazz to that sentence might give you the wrong idea and make you decide to read this dreadful book.

Mallory is your average teenager. In other words, her intelligence level is below zero. One day, Mallory kills her boyfriend. Plot twist! (Yay!) She can't remember a single thing from that night. Instead of being traumatized like a normal human being, she goes on with her mundane life, all the while being a ditz as expected. She doesn't care at all that she killed a dude in her kitchen. All that matters is the fact that her parents are now hiding all the knives that were laying around the house. She constantly complains about how terrible her life is and how nobody trusts her. The irony in that is whenever someone confronts her about anything, she runs away.

Every. Single. Time.

I need both hands to count the number of times she took off when something went wrong. Now, it would be understandable if she ran away from some sort of killer panda or something, but she doesn't run away from danger. She runs away from a guy.

Why, you ask?

Because when she asked him out a few years ago, he turned her down.

Yes, do run away! That will definitely not make things all the more awkward the next time you meet! And you two are bound to meet again since, you know, you guys go to the SAME FREAKING SCHOOL!

Have I mentioned the love triangle? Basically, there are these two guys (as usual) who are fighting over a dumb chick. One is a creeper who threatens her, and the other is a guy she knew from the past. Does this seem familiar? I'll give you a hint; the title of this book rhymes with Nightlight. The creeper's name rhymes with Schmedward.

Anyway, the love triangle really isn't a love triangle. Normally, I would like this. However, if you are going to randomly infer that they are romantically attached to each other, at least give the relationship a strong base. Giving someone a longing stare doesn't exactly scream out, "I love you". Longing stares are so middle school. Maybe even elementary.

Personally, I would prefer it if this novel had no romance at all. The book would still be revolting, but maybe not "kill it with fire" worthy. The romance was completely unneeded. In fact, it was virtually non-existent. Why was this book categorized as a romance in the first place? I guess I'll never know. And I've long decided that I really don't care.

Please, if you are reading this review, do yourself a favor and do what Mallory did;

RUN

AWAY!!!

My rating:

One out of Five Stars -_-

Natalie: Freaks Like Us by Susan Vaught

When Jason Milwaukee's best friend Sunshine vanishes, Jason knows that something is terribly wrong, but solving her disappearance will require pushing through all the voices in his head and then getting the world to listen to him. His schizophrenia is stopping him from remembering the events leading up to her disappearance, and often he discounts his own memories, and his own impressions. But his deep knowledge that he would never hurt his friend, plus the faith of his parents and a few others in the town bring him to the point of solving the mystery. In the end, it's Sunshine's own love for Jason (Freak) that persuades him of his own strength and goodness
  

This book was so incredibly sad that I wished with all of my heart that I could stop reading it, put it away and find a nice paranormal book, with witchcraft or a sweet little dystopian society. But it wouldn't let me.

You are transported into 17 year old Jason's mind, and it is not a pretty place.

 He  has heard voices in his head all of  his life. Voices that tell him how insignificant he is. What a freak he is. How he doesn't deserve to live. How he should just kill himself, and that the world would be better if he did.

The entire book no matter where he goes, the voices follow him. Making his narration excessively depressing all of the time. But along with the mean voices, he also hears her voice. Telling him that he isn't a freak, and how much he means to her.

Sunshine was everything to Jason. As a life long friend, Jason knows that Sunshine is special. She doesn't make Jason feel like a freak. She lets him know what is real, and is there for him when he can't tell the difference. He loves her, and would do anything for her. And now she is he is gone, and he feels as if he is drowning, as if he has lost his anchor to reality.

People think that he hurt her. That he had something to do with her disappearance, even his own parents don't trust him.

 Yet he is not surprised, because no one ever believes an alphabet.
 GAD, SCZI. To him all he has to offer the world is a set of letters stating whats wrong with him. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Diagnosed Schizophrenic. Why would anyone trust a boy with voices in his head? Especially when he is beginning to not trust himself.

 I can not begin to convey to you the magnitude of Jason's self-loathing, and for my own sake will not attempt to. Just know that it was painful to read. Reading the book hurt.

This book brought so many emotions to the table. It would be impossible to read something like this without feeling sad, helpless and indignant on Jason's behalf. That poor boy. All he wanted to to was find his friend, the one person who made him feel like more than a freak. All the while those voices where there on every page.  Reminding him of all his failures. Telling him that he had hurt Sunshine and that he deserved to die. I absolutely despised those voices and everyone who made Jason feel like nothing.

But through it all he was forced to ignore the voices, and remember how much he loved sunshine in order to save her.

This book made both my head and my heart hurt. It was not an enjoyable book and I despised reading every page, but it was a good solid book in its own right.

It held far to many depressing moments that made me question my faith in the good of humanity, but it was a solid read.

I'm not a fan of contemporary books. They always break my heart in some way or another. I don't like reading books that break my heart.

Fantasy is reliable. There is always an evil dictator, or an egotistical king, or a demon about to destroy the world. The characters must rely on their magical powers and funny best friends to help them save the planet from destruction. They always find love along the way. And after some discovery, self sacrifice, and an occasional death of a minor character, they almost always have a happy ending.

Contemporary is real. Evil demons are replaced by bullies. Dictators turn into abusive parents. And yes, I know that people in the real world don't have superhuman abilities to get them out of tough situations. I know that in real life sometimes you never find good friends or true love. That sometimes people don't get their Happily Ever After.

But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I am a firm believer that you should read books that you enjoy. Reading should bring you a sense of elation. Books can transport you to different time periods, show you worlds beyond your imagination. Words are like art, beautiful treasures in their own way. Appreciate them.

So read what you like, not what other people "think" you should like.

If you like modern day books about love in its rawest form, overcoming self hatred, and don't mind your heart being broken, then this is a book you will most definitely enjoy.

 My rating:

two out of five stars

Natalie: Review of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all


WHAT IS WITH ALL THE UNNECESSARY LOVE TRIANGLES?!?!?!

*deep breath*

I apologize, I finished reading Clockwork Angel a few hours ago and this is still bothering me.

Almost two years ago I read, and somewhat disliked Cassandra Clare's City of Bones.  For some reason I didn't like the characters, and the writing style kinda bugged me.

 Buuuuut since that was almost two years ago I decided to give Clockwork Angel a try. It takes place in a different time period with a whole new set of characters, right??

At least, that's what I thought.

Essentially they are the same characters but with different names, slightly better personalities, and more dramatic back stories.

Tessa=Clary
Will=Jace
Jem=Simon

I liked the characters better this time around. And the writing was much better, but I was disappointed in the fact that aside from the British accents they were way too similar to their companion series counterparts.

Now, I shall address the love triangle. *exasperated sigh*

As in most YA novels their commonly is the "good boy", and the "bad boy".

This book was no exception.
Their hair is even in correspondence with their personalities.
 Jem: good boy = white hair. Will: bad boy = black hair.
 *facepalm*

I am a big believer that love triangles are a sad waste of paper. What are the odds that two guys would fall in love with one girl in the course of a few weeks?? Annnnnd that the girl can find it in her pretty little heart to love both of them sooooooo much that she ends up stringing them both along for the majority of the series??.

I'm getting ahead of my self.

Yet, even if you despise love triangles as I do, you still read about them. You still form attachments to the guy you want her to end up with. Most of the time its easy. And sometimes, like in this book you are a little more undecided.

When in doubt, compare and contrast.

Jem: Obvious golden boy. Shameful illness. Always manages to say something wise/poetic at very opportune moments. Kind, sweet, yada yada yada. Can be very funny, but usually at Will's expense. Other than "caring" too much, he has no obvious flaws. So in other words, he is perfection. This is why he has a fan-club.

Will: Bad boy. Insanely funny, usually in an arrogant, I'm-better-than-every-one-else-and-am-trying-to-hide-my-inner-pain kinda way. Loves to read , although he pretends that he doesn't.  Can be depressing a times. Has more mood swings than a teenage girl. And has a stupid curse, that may or may not make him act like a Grade-A-Butt for 99.4% of the book.

Both can wield swords, are very attractive, and are involved in some sort of bromance with one another.

Apparently they are Best friends. Thick as thieves. Almost like brothers. *bangs head against wall* Of course they are.

I had no personal attachment to either one. Will was funnier (and better looking) then Jem but he was a HUGE jerk . Jem was kinder than Will but was almost too perfect. I don't trust that.

If I had to choose, it would be Will. But only because he likes to read and is often found quoting passages from novels...when he isn't being an utter jerk-face.

I did however quite like Tessa. For three main reasons

1. Love for her brother: It was always on her mind, and she did everything she could to protect him, even when he didn't deserve it. That is always incredibly important to me. If you have siblings, you know what I mean.

2. She never let anyone see her cry. Tessa wasn't necessarily a "tough" character as far at fighting went. She was never trained, and left most of that for the boys to handle. But she never cried. She didn't let anyone else see her break down. Respect.

3. She was a Massive bookworm. Always quoting some novel or poem. She understands what its like to be in love with words and stories, and held them dear to her heart.

 In conclusion it was funny, fast paced, a quite intriguing. I really enjoyed the beautiful description of the Victorian time period.  Some of the major plot twists are kind of predictable but all-in-all it was better that City of Bones. And I will most likely have to read the next few books, just to see who she ends up with.

 Even though I already know, due to extensive Internet research. Yeah I'm a bad person. Sue me.

 

My rating:

four out of five stars

Natalie: Review of the Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

In the good old days, magic was indispensable—it could both save a kingdom and clear a clogged drain. But now magic is fading: drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old foundling Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer. Because something is coming. Something known as . . . Big Magic.

I'm going to be honest, I could tell that something was different about this book right from the beginning. It was a wonderful story, but I could not figure out for the life of me why it reminded me so much of the books that I read when I was younger. Was it the fantastical air? The realistic characters? The exciting plot? Then it dawned on me.

This book was fun.

Now don't get me wrong: I read a lot of good books and enjoy reading most of them, but they all carry some common, rather depressing aspects that you see a lot in young adult literature.

1. Love triangles.
2. Angst-ridden teenage girls.
3. Death of a family member/best friend.
4. Cussing.

All of these things are very prevalent in YA novels. But not this one. This is the first book I have read in a long time that was just plain fun.

Even with the enjoyable story line and prominent lack of overall gloom, The Last Dragonslayer still managed to be an upper level read. And definitely belongs in the Young Adult section.

I have started categorizing this book as mature fantasy. Not mature in content, but writing style. The vocabulary & subtle, smart humor, as well as a steady, comprehensible plot is what makes it different than children fantasy or even other YA fantasy books.

The characters were an absolute joy to read about.

The main character, Jennifer Strange, has a rather sophisticated, grown-up demeanor for a sixteen-year-old.  Perhaps that is because The Kazan magical employment office literally rests on her shoulders. And now, so does the life of the last dragon. As she is destined to be the Last Dragonslayer.

With the help of her new twelve-year-old assistant Tiger, her trusty Quark Beast, and a little bit of magic Jennifer must;
1. Dodge marriage proposals, the local police, and all of the companies that want to sponsor her.
2. Manage to persuade two kingdoms not to slaughter each other.
3. Save the last living dragon from a horrible death.
4. Convince the hundreds of thousands of people to stop being greedy, selfish jerks.
5. And replenish the magic supply so that she will still be employed when all of this is over.

All in the couse of one week.

Overall, a riveting, beautiful book that reminded me of a simpler time when all books had happy endings.

My rating:

 

five out of five stars

Meredith: Review of Feed by M.T. Anderson

 

 

Spending time partying on the moon and riding around in his "upcar," Titus is an average teen of the future, complete with a computer chip implant -- the "Feed" -- that lets corporate marketers and government agencies broadcast directly into his brain. Then Titus meets Violet, and an anti-Feed hacker shuts down their Feeds for a short time; but when Violet's Feed is seriously damaged, she begins spouting some radical ideas.

 

There are very few books I put down for just being horrible. Many times I am able to see the good things, even if there are few: I detested Beautiful Creatures, but I loved the character of Macon Ravenwood. I couldn't stand Far North, but I felt the setting was accurately portrayed, and somewhat made up for the excruciating lack of plot.

 

Not Feed.

 

Feed takes place at some unknown time in the future, a time where the majority of people have "Feeds-" a chip implanted in your head that allows your brain direct access to the internet.

 

It also allows agencies and advertisements direct access to your brain.

 

Just let that sink in. That annoying Super Bowl ad that just won't get off your TV? In your brain. Twenty. Four. Seven. The McDonalds "Filet Fish" jingle? Constantly. Replayed. No way to turn it off.

 

Okay, so it's a fairly interesting premise.

 

At the beginning, I did not know what our main character's name was. "He" is taking a vacation on the moon. The author throws you directly into the world, complete with a large amount of slang term that will never actually be defined in the chapter, or the book, to be honest. For about fifty pages, I honestly thought the guy's name was "Unit." ("Unit" turns out to be some slang similar to "dude," despite the fact that "dude" is also used, which leads me to believe they are interchangeable?)

 

So, our main character, our "Unit," is attempting to figure out with his friends what to do on this weird thing called the Moon. They're incredibly bored, and so end up heading to the bar. There he meets the first intelligent being in this book, and her name is Violet. (insert "Unit" swoon here.) All's going well until they go out dancing, and some strange old man hacks their Feeds. The police come, and plot begins.

 

Around page one-hundred and fifty, I still didn't know "Unit's" name. So, naturally, I looked it up on the Internet. "Titus," that's interesting.

 

So what I'm trying to say here:

I didn't like Feed.

 

Not at all.

 

The slang, which could have been interesting had it been done properly, was confusing and unhelpful. The voice of "Titus" sounded like some strange mix between a modern-day valley girl and a whiny futuristic boy. The word "like" was incorporated infinitely more than it should have been. There was very little amount of character development. Titus starts the story as a bratty teenager, and he ends it as a bratty teenager. His friends are incredibly flat. Violet and her father, the only mildly interesting characters, seem to have little impact on Titus' life.

 

I was honestly hoping for a revolution book.

 

I was hoping this strange world of Brain Internets was a terrifying dystopian setting, set perfectly for our main character to rise up against the power that be.

 

Instead, I get a plot which could have easily taken place modern-day, the main character being a snobby billionaire's kid and the antagonist being cancer.

 

I feel like this world has such possibilities, but the plot was awkwardly developed and the characters were Ew.

 

My rating:

one out of five stars

 



Tehreem: Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.

Nix is broken. He is confused, alone, and dangerous. He only knows one thing; the rush of killing. Nix doesn't kill for fun. He kills for a cause. "A greater good," his superiors would say. Superiors who had to set alarms to remind themselves of his existence. Even those who shaped him into the perfect assassin that he is cannot remember him. He is a nobody. Nothing.

Claire is a girl who lives in fantasies of her own making. Since no one ever seems to remember her - even her own parents - Claire keeps herself sane by creating situations in her head. Situations in which she saves someone, or they save her. Situations in which she gives her life for someone. Situations in which she matters. Deep down, Claire knows this is impossible. No one could possibly care for somebody who is a nobody. No one could care for nothing.

All they ever knew changes when they meet. Nix is staring down the barrel of his gun, his aim readied, when Claire looks at him. Not through him, but actually at him. She shouldn't have been able to look at him. She was a null. Somebody evil and without any sense of remorse. 

Or so he thought.

One event leads to another, and the two of them find themselves uncovering the past, present, and future. They learn more about themselves, and come to understand that they have been betrayed and led on for their whole lives. The only ones they can trust now are each other. 

What happens when you put two negatives together? They equal a positive. What happens when you place two nothings together?

They become everything.

Once again, Jennifer Lynn Barnes forged a story that left me breathless. Everything about this book was so compelling and beautiful. The writing was skillful and the words on each page spoke to me like the breath of the wind. The characters were raw and full of emotion. Even the nulls, who were described as heartless, gave off a sense of understanding. While there were flaws, the beauty of the story seemed to dismiss them. I found myself feeling for Nix and Claire. Their naked hurt and anger stirred emotions in me as well. I couldn't help but hope that they would find a way to escape those hunting them and finally live in peace.

I'm still in complete and utter shock after the events of this novel. While this may not be the best novel out there, it is definitely a jewel you don't want to miss.

My rating:

Four and a Half out of Five Stars!

Andrea: Review of Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

 

Midwesterner Gary D. Schmidt won Newbery Honor awards for Lizzie Bright and the BuckminsterBoys and The Wednesday Wars, two coming-of-age novels about unlikely friends finding a bond.  

Okay For Now, his latest novel, explores another seemingly improbable alliance, this one between new outsider in town Doug Swieteck and Lil Spicer, the savvy spitfire daughter of his deli owner boss. With her challenging assistance, Doug discovers new sides of himself. Along the way, he also readjusts his relationship with his abusive father, his school peers, and his older brother, a newly returned war victim of Vietnam.

When I first looked at the book because of battle of books I will admit that I was really reluctant to read it. I saw that it was historical fiction, and being the bad person I am I neglected it and allowed Natalie to read it first. I feel bad that I read this book because I wanted to make sure that I knew the answers to the questions in the competition. However, this book has now influenced me to give books a try, no matter the genre. 

This book starts out with a boy, Doug, moving to a beat up town, with an abusive father and brother. His other brother is fighting in a war, while his kind mother tries to cope with everything that is happening. He meets Lil Spicer and follows her into the public library. He sees a painting of a bird, and begins to draw it. 

Lil Spicer is his best friend. She has a spunky, don't-mess-with-me attitude and seems to have a solution for everything. She gets Doug his job at her father's deli as a delivery boy, which allows him to meet many of the people that influenced him in very special ways. She is eventually put into the hospital after getting a disease that only one in four people survive of. This had an interesting love story, as Lil and Doug were both amazing people.

Out of all the people that Doug delivered groceries to, Ms. Windermere. She was a very wise woman, and very passionate about everything. She loved Jane Eyre, and formed a play, with Lil as the main role and Doug as the background shrieker for an old woman in the play. She helped Doug discover things in him that he never knew before.

One of the best parts of this book, at least for me was it teaches you that you can't judge a book by its cover. That is the main point of this book. Doug's brother is accused of theft, causing the whole school to look down upon Doug thinking that he is the same as his brother. He has an extremely rude principal and gym teacher, but then, as you read ahead you find that they are having extreme sadness in their own lives, and you realize... they are not what you expected on the inside. You must always remember that you have to get to know them first before neglecting them, and this book is a perfect example. 

This book makes you realize all the people that have helped you get this far, as you read through all the amazing people that helped Doug. His brother, Lucas, comes back with no legs, and almost blind but he pulls through. This book can really raise someone's hope if they are injured, or feel different from their community. However, many children these days do have abusive families, and some don't get happy endings like Doug did. This can influence families though, to encourage each other and go in the right direction. Also it reminds us we must never lose hope and remember the people who have sacrificed much for the good of others.

Every person can change. They just need the willpower to do it. This book proves that everyone can change. His father, abusive, but in the end understands what he has done and tries his best to make it all better. This book nearly brought me to tears, and Gary Schmidt wrote an amazing piece of literature and I think everyone should give this book a try.

 

Rating:

Five out of five stars

 

Natalie: Review of Fang Girl by Helen Keeble

 

 

Things That Are Destroying Jane Greene’s Undead Social Life Before It Can Even Begin:

1) A twelve-year-old brother who’s convinced she’s a zombie.
2) Parents who are begging her to turn them into vampires.
3) The pet goldfish she accidentally turns instead.
4) Weird superpowers that let her rip the heads off of every other vampire she meets.(Sounds cool, but it doesn’t win you many friends.)
5) A psychotic vampire creator who’s using her to carry out a plan for world domination.

And finally:
6) A seriously ripped vampire hunter who either wants to stake her or make out with her. Not sure which.

Being an undead, eternally pasty fifteen-year-old isn’t quite the sexy, brooding, angst-fest Jane always imagined....

 

Ok so I have very strong opinons when it comes to vampire books. Whether they are positive or negitive opinions depends on the book, author and overall rate of suckiness (pun intended). This book can definitely be categorized under the one-of-the-few-not-horrid-vampire-books-out-there shelf.

 

Yes, the description makes it sound pretty ridiculous and I'm not gonna lie to you and say that this book was filled with heart-warming character relations and moving plotlines that will have you on the verge of tears.

She has a freaking vampire goldfish named Brains.

 

Nonetheless, it was a very satisfying read. I found myself laughing out loud over the ironic absurdity of it all at 3 am.

So essentially Xanthe (aka Jane) wakes up in a coffin six feet under and realizes that she is an undead vampire.

 

So what does she do after she digs herself out of the ground?

 

Join a rebellion of semi-evil vampires on a quest to rid the world of injustice? Nope.

 

Run off with her brooding vampire boyfriend and make out for 100 pages? Nope.

 

Go on a killing spree and murder tons of innocent people? Nope.

 

She does what any normal 15-year-old girl would do, she goes home to her parents. And not only do her parents easily accept her newfound state of being dead, they do everything from extensive library research to buying small guinea pigs for her to snack on (named Toast, Marmalade and Sugar Puff.)

 

I loved all of her friends!

Ebon is a vampire who spends most of his time trying to seduce her in a french accent and playing rock band.  Van Helsing is the vampire hunter (Ha ha yes I see the irony) and is constantly trying to kill Jane, much to her chagrin. And I especially loved Sarah, a 12-year-old evil genius whose hobbies include fanfiction and world domination.

 

Funny stuff happens, intense stuff happens, more funny, more intense... Well, you get the picture.

 

If you want more deatils just read the book.

  

Oh I almost forgot. Zach, the little brother? No words. He is so freaking awesome.

 

Overall, the plot did seem a bit slow at times but  that was overshadowed by the great characters and awesome one liners. I recommend this to anyone who wants a good laugh and doesn't mind reading a book about vampires (these ones don't sparkle, I promise.)

 

Oh, and they all have british accents. If you don't read the book for anything else, read it because of that.

 

My rating:

five out of five stars