Eh, apparently I liked this a lot as a kid. As an adult it made for a quick and kind of unsatisfying read. The book starts off slowly with characters Eh, apparently I liked this a lot as a kid. As an adult it made for a quick and kind of unsatisfying read. The book starts off slowly with characters who seem younger than they are, and corny dialogue. It got better as the mystery deepened but ultimately it has a very abrupt ending. The best part was the typical 80's experience of Gen X running wild with no adult supervision. But, as is also typical of 80's YA, issues and emotions were introduced but not really thoroughly examined. And so many things were left unresolved. A solid SciFi YA for it's time. And maybe even kids today would enjoy it. But not the sort of YA that adults can also enjoy. ...more
Not bad, really more of a 3.5 star read. Lots of suspense and a great ending. The only thing keeping this from being 4 stars is not knowing how well iNot bad, really more of a 3.5 star read. Lots of suspense and a great ending. The only thing keeping this from being 4 stars is not knowing how well it will hold up reading it a second time and knowing all of the answers. Otherwise, thoroughly enjoyable. ...more
The Deepest Cut is a cute little ghost story, but unfortunately it seems to be an age appropriate YA book, rather than the sort of YA which an adult cThe Deepest Cut is a cute little ghost story, but unfortunately it seems to be an age appropriate YA book, rather than the sort of YA which an adult can appreciate. Ever since Riley barely survived the car crash which killed her mother, she has been able to see and communicate with ghosts. Naturally, this freaks her a little bit, and she ignores them to the best of her ability.
Looking to start over after the crash, Riley's dad decides to move to a big, old inn in Scotland. Conveniently, dad's job keeps him out of the picture for most of the book, leaving Riley alone for most of the time with her brother Shane and paranormal-believer housekeeper, Miss Akin. This could have been a cool, creepy story except...
We don't get any sense that the setting is Scotland. There are a few token mentions of "lass" and "bloody hell". Otherwise, this story could have taken place pretty much anywhere.
Answers are appropriately found in old spell and witchcraft books. Even internet research helps a little. Really? If that is the case, the paranormal is real and spells really work... wouldn't every kid with a library card be a sorceress? It's a pet peeve of mine when difficult answers are easily found.
The ghosts in this story happen to be corporeal. All the time. Hmmm… not buying it. Part of the sweetness and sadness of ghost stories is that they can feel so many emotions, but there is no physical being to, well, hold on to. When a ghost has a body which can be felt… is it still a ghost?
Riley cuts, but this isn’t a cutting issue book. Rather, it seems to be just thrown in there.
The bitchy girls are fairly one dimensional in their bitchiness.
The Deepest Cut isn’t a bad story. But it lacks a lot of depth, and will likely leave adult readers of YA unsatisfied. It is doubtful I will continue with this series. ...more
Catching Jordan does not do justice to the YA genre, lurve triangles, college football or girls who aspire to play traditional "boy" sports. For a beCatching Jordan does not do justice to the YA genre, lurve triangles, college football or girls who aspire to play traditional "boy" sports. For a better, I mean completely different league better, book about a girl who plays football, pick up Dairy Queen and forget this one.
In Dairy Queen, protagonist DJ Schwenk struggles with the reality of a girl playing a tough, physical boy sport. She deals with different degrees of acceptance. She balances her hopes, dreams and the realities of her situation. Unlike Jordan here.
Let’s see, Jordan is a high school senior, and daughter of a NFL pro. Not only is her dad a NFL hero, but in college he was a two-time Heisman trophy winner. Um...what the fuck with the slap in the face to Archie Griffin??? The man who happens to be the only real life two time Heisman winner, and an alumni of The Ohio State University! (On that note, author Miranda Kenneally clearly has a beef with Ohio State... her players don't care when Ohio State scouts come to the game but get their panties jockstraps in an uproar when scouts from the team up North come to check them out. Whatever :P)
At any rate... Jordan. Her dad is a football hero. Her brother is doing quite well in college ball. And Jordan herself has been her town's star quarterback since she was in grade school. So it is accepted that she is a kick ass football player, despite being a girl. Uh huh. I get it. Really. Girls can do anything boys can do. Except... sometimes they can't. Sorry ladies. But physically girls simply don't measure up. We don't. So while a girl may be able to compete with some guys, in the end guys are bigger, have more muscle mass and therefore more strength. Yet Jordan seems to think that she has a shot at winning a full football scholarship at a Division I-A football school. Do you know how very difficult that is? For talented football playing boys??? Let alone a girl? She says she loves football and wants to play football... which I can believe. But why must she go to the best of the best? To compete in a sport in which girls can't possibly compete? What the fuck is wrong with going to a smaller school? Do you know how many high school kids may be hometown (or even statewide) heroes and have to make the heartbreaking decision between accepting a scholarship to a Division I-A school and probably not getting field time because of the talent and the competition... and accepting a scholarship at a smaller and less prestigious school yet getting lots of playing time because the competition isn't nearly as fierce? When boys, talented boys, are faced with this decision... it is difficult for me to believe that a girl would be recruited by (and play at) a Division I-A school.
Furthermore, the kids in this book casually make statements such as, "He's NFL material" Uh, what? Firstly... going from high school football to college football is such a huge leap. So many high school stars simply fizzle out when it comes to college ball. And the transition from college to NFL is an even greater one. In so many ways, it is an entirely different game.
Anyway..... the "sports" aspect of this book severely disappointed me. Clearly, LOL. As for the lurve aspect... clichéd triangle. Jordan was shallow, the story line was unrealistic. Lurve triangle at its worst. Sorry, but there was nothing redeemable or enjoyable about this story. ...more
It seems that Judy Blume catches a lot of flak these days. Yes, her books are dated, and perhaps even a little juvenile when compared to contemporary It seems that Judy Blume catches a lot of flak these days. Yes, her books are dated, and perhaps even a little juvenile when compared to contemporary YA. Even so Tiger Eyes is a book which, I believe, still stands the test of time. This is the story of fifteen year old Davey, who has lived her entire life in Atlantic City with her parents and little brother. One night, Davey's father is shot to death during a robbery while working at his grocery store. In attempt to get their lives back together, Davey, her mother and brother temporarily move to Los Alamos, NM to spend a few weeks with relatives.
Judy Blume packs a lot into this novel. Of course there is death, dying and letting go. She also touches on family dynamics, depression, friendship, alcoholism, peer pressure, and of course a little bit of teen lurve. Not the super stable, super intense, solid relationship teen lurve which is featured in just about every YA these days. But the sweet, unsure, I-kinda-like-you-and-I-think-you-might-like-me-too tentative relationships which border on dating and friendship. What I love about Tiger Eyes is that there is no big revelation. Circumstances don't suddenly change and so much is left unresolved. Somehow, the open-endedness in this novel makes it more realistic. The one subject we do get closure on is the most important; Davey learns to deal with her grief. She also starts to understand a little bit about who she is and what she wants out of life. And isn't that the most important lesson in any YA novel?
People who haven’t read Judy Blume, or perhaps are afraid to revisit old favorites of hers (and discover they may not have stood the test of time) should give this one a try. It is a novel I wholeheartedly recommend to all lovers of realistic YA. ...more
How I Live Now is a book that I actually rather liked. Why is that so surprising? To start, there is a very sweet (yet strange) first love (view spoilHow I Live Now is a book that I actually rather liked. Why is that so surprising? To start, there is a very sweet (yet strange) first love (view spoiler)[ which takes place between cousins! Gross! (hide spoiler)], this book also involves anorexia, it is at times a survival story, a pseudo post-apocalyptic story, and has a bit of magical realism and mental illness thrown into the mix. Yet, despite this plethora of topics, How I Live Now never delves into the realms of an issue book, unlike so many contemporary YA's.
The main character here is fifteen year old Daisy, who seems fairly normal and likable at first. However as the story continues you learn that Daisy has problems. Anorexia, an uninvolved father and a (possibly) devious stepmother. Although we don't know what precipitated this decision, we do know that at some point Daisy's father felt the best way to deal with her problems was to send her to England (in the spring, before the school year is out) to live with her maternal Aunt and cousins. Daisy had never before met these family members and the world is on the brink of war. What transpired between Daisy, her father to warrant such drastic actions? I am clueless. If needing to know details and backstories is important to you, this book would be best skipped. Because I cannot even begin to stress how much Meg Rosoff has left out of this story.
Daisy is a fairly typical, self-absorbed teen. She takes no interest in the world around her, and although she isn't as prone to dramatic emo inner monologues as many teen protagonists, she isn't interested in that which doesn't directly affect her. For me, this technique worked for most of the book. Daisy clearly has issues, and with being thrown into a strange environment with strange people, on top of scattered terrorist attacks and a world war breaking out I expect Daisy to be quite self-involved. This book uses a stream of consciousness writing style and is fast paced, so it is easy to be sucked into the story.
What didn't work for me was that throughout this novel Daisy's character and prospective never changed. She did not experience growth or an epiphany. How We Live Now chronicles Daisy's experience through the beginning and most difficult part of the war. Once she makes it through her immediate ordeal, her story abruptly stops and picks up again six years later. Sadly, it may as well have been six weeks or even six months because Daisy (view spoiler)[ and her cousins (hide spoiler)] is basically the same person with the same voice, wants, and needs as she had been previously. Disappointing.
There is so much I loved about this story. The survival aspect, the lovely garden descriptions, the paranormal abilities which are mentioned but never brought front and center... I loved the vagueness of this book. Despite the fact that so very much is left unsaid, this How I Live Now is beautifully written and evokes a certain mood which stayed with me for a long time after reading it. Yet, even with loving all of the strangeness which Meg Rosoff created, I wish I knew what exactly she wanted to convey with this book. I can understand a survival tale except, why revisit Daisy in the future when she has not grown or changed as a result of her experience? I do recommend this book, however. Unless you absolutely have to know what, why, where and how ~ then it would be best to leave this one alone. But if you are looking for a unique, thought provoking, quick read, then I highly recommend How I Live Now . ...more
Awww... hippies!! Whatever happened to them? The Butterfly Girl doesn't showcase the smelly, stoner, poser hippies of the 1980's and 1990's but genuinAwww... hippies!! Whatever happened to them? The Butterfly Girl doesn't showcase the smelly, stoner, poser hippies of the 1980's and 1990's but genuinely naive, hopeful, free spirit and new age hippies of the 1970's. It makes me feel all fuzzy and nostalgic. It also makes me roll my eyes, lol. That is, teenage Megan would have totally wanted protagonist Florrie for a BFF. Adult Megan just smiles and shakes her head every time the girl does something idiotic (which is fairly frequently.)
So this is a book about teenage pregnancy. An incredibly dated book about teenage pregnancy. Florrie is able to run away from home, meet up with various helpful strangers, work odd jobs and even have her baby with the help of a midwife. Although she is repeatedly encouraged to get her head straight, no one suggests the importance of finishing highschool or seeking medical attention for her child. More than anything else, The Butterfly Girl shows how immature and young Florrie is. While I don’t believe she is more childlike than any teenage girl, her decision to keep her baby forces her to come to terms with the real world much quicker than she would have otherwise. Despite the fact that Florrie’s experience is so very different from that which a modern pregnant teenage runaway would face; her story is still worth reading. ...more
Eh... lately anthologies aren't really my thing. And I read this on a turbulence filled flight squished into a seat between the window and a very niceEh... lately anthologies aren't really my thing. And I read this on a turbulence filled flight squished into a seat between the window and a very nice, but larger lady who was taking up the entire armrest and part of my ribcage as well. Bad mood + bad flight + lack of personal space = enjoyed this book much less than I expected to.
Perhaps my expectations for this novel were too high? After all, people are frequently raving about Courtney Summers here on Goodreads. Underwhelmed.
Perhaps my expectations for this novel were too high? After all, people are frequently raving about Courtney Summers here on Goodreads. And of course everyone has given This is Not a Test at least four stars. So it would only make sense that when a highly rated YA author delves into zombie apocalypse land I should finally see what the hoopla is all about. Right? Meh.
The zombie aspect was amazing. For someone who sticks to contemporary YA, Summers did a fantastic job with both subtle and creepy zombies. When the time is right, she doesn't shy away from the gore. What made this work as a zombie novel is the way Summers was able to switch so easily from the monotonous day after day survival to the fast paced moments. Although the action scenes were fairly spread out, I never saw them coming and loved the way they were incorporated into the rest of the story.
Regarding the rest of the story, it was fairly dissatisfying. This is Not a Test features teenage Sloane who, in true teenage form, is so wrapped up in her own troubles and angst that she is disconnected from the world around her. Granted, this girl has problems, and I don’t blame her for the extended periods of selfishness and introspection. But an exciting novel this does not make. While we see great progress and development from Sloane’s character, the others in this novel suffer from blandness. There is Grace who is kind and fair (which we pretty much know from how often we are told this.) And a handful of boys… Harrison the weak crybaby, Cary the leader, Rhys the (view spoiler)[ boyfriend (hide spoiler)] and Trace the hothead. If these guys have more to their personalities, well…. I don’t know it. Out of all of these, Trace was the easiest to dislike and the most fleshed out. Rather than tell us about him in between weak dialogue, we get to see Trace behave like an ass all the while covering up his fear and insecurities. For all you The Walking Dead fans, Trace reminds me a lot of Daryl as he was in Season 1, only not a redneck.
Or are these people rednecks? In addition to not having any sense of the characters in this story, we have no sense of the town or state they live in. I gather it’s a small town, but beyond that…. I’m clueless. Summers captures Sloane’s grief and personal story very well. But, frankly, I wasn’t interested in reading a story about one girl’s transformation from depressed, abused and self-absorbed to interested and active in the world and people around her. No, scratch that. I could be interested in that story, but the people and the town around her have to be interesting as well. And they weren’t.
Sadly, This is Not a Test is a low three stars for me. Really, two and a half. Sloane’s characterization and freaking zombies saved the day. But as for the rest… have I said Meh already?? ...more
Kelley Armstrong's books are becoming more and more difficult for me to rate and review. On one hand, her characterization and world building are someKelley Armstrong's books are becoming more and more difficult for me to rate and review. On one hand, her characterization and world building are some of the best I've read. But on the other hand, she apparently wants to be a mystery writer, and her plots have become formulaic. Le sigh.
Here is what kicks ass about this book: The Otherworld is amazing. Armstrong's strength as an urban fantasy writer definitely lies her her ability to create a believable, well defined, and engrossing world without ever overwhelming the reader with info dump. In Broken the story revolves around Elena, Clay, Jeremy and the other werewolves. We also are confronted with sorcerers, ghosts, zombies, necromancers and vampires (oh my!) There may be a few others I am missing. But my point is that Armstrong is able to weave so very many beasties and mythologies into an amazingly complex and enjoyable story.
Another strength is Armstrong's characters. Whether I love them or hate them, they are all incredibly well rounded, authentic and have distinct voices. So many urban fantasies rely on secondary characters who are defined by their paranormal type. The people we meet in this series are fairly unique in addition to their Otherworldly persona.
Here is what is not-so-awesome about this book: Speaking of characters, I would love to see them grow and change a little bit. One of the things I loved so much about Bitten is seeing Elena struggle to accept her wolfiness and the pack lifestyle. Since then, Armstrong has written stories with protagonists who face external struggles rather than internal ones. Not really a big deal, but when we are seeing the same characters over and over again (granted, not all books feature the same protagonist) I would love to see… I want to say character development. But that really isn’t the right word because they are already so developed. I just want to see characters change some as a result of their experiences.
Regarding those character experiences… at the beginning of each novel the protagonists and her partner are faced with a mystery. One that seems quite simple and straightforward but becomes more convoluted as the quest to solve it continues. At this point in the series, I know to expect lots of Scooby Doo type chases down different pathways, old fashioned detective work (you know, based on finding the right clue or talking to the right person rather than scientific evidence) and introductions to lots of new and old people, and lots of new and old mythologies.
Here is where Armstrong’s books leave me so conflicted. I’ve read through bad urban fantasy plots when I am in love with the characters and want to see where they are headed. *cough* Charlaine Harris *cough* And of course so many urban fantasy books are dependent on awesome plots without a lot of character growth. Unfortunately at this point in the Women of the Otherworld series I know what to expect from the plot. And the characters. The result is a reading experience that doesn’t make me feel nearly as much as I would like to. The twists and turns while mystery solving become annoying and the life-threatening situations are lacking intensity. All in all, I am faced with a skim-worthy, blah book.
If any of my local libraries happens to get the rest of this series on audio, I will continue with it. After all, I love Armstrong’s writing style (mystery stuff and weak plot aside) as well as her Otherworld. This series is great to listen to as I am driving to work or completing errands. But as far as sitting down to read a novel? I’m moving on to books with a little more surprises in store for the reader. ...more
Meh. A Little Wanting Song is told from alternating points of view. There is sixteen year old Charlie, a socially awkward, sensitive, musically talentMeh. A Little Wanting Song is told from alternating points of view. There is sixteen year old Charlie, a socially awkward, sensitive, musically talented girl with few friends. And there is also Rose, a sixteen year old, socially awkward, mean girl who is also quite interested in science and has few friends. Do they sound a little similar here? They do in the book, too. Their voices aren't that different from each other. This book relies heavily on dialogue between not just Charlie and Rose, but also their friends Dave and Luke, as well as Charlie's dad, granddad, and the ghost voices of Charlie's mom and gran. It might have worked better had this story only been from Charlie's point of view, or displayed less dialogue. But as it is written, all of these unique characters came out sounding so very much alike.
The plot here had little surprises. Read the synopsis, what do you think is going to end up happening? (view spoiler)[ It happens. Happily ever afters all around, hooray! (hide spoiler)] Between the undistinguishable characters and the obvious plot, A Little Wanting Song is missing that Aussie magic. This story had potential, but as it is, it doesn’t really bring anything new to YA lit. ...more
Kevin Brooks certainly has high ratings here on Goodreads, so I went into this one quite hopeful. Well... let's chalk it up to my reading tastes vs. wKevin Brooks certainly has high ratings here on Goodreads, so I went into this one quite hopeful. Well... let's chalk it up to my reading tastes vs. writing style. Lucas has a slow-moving plot filled with a lot of introspective musings and societal comments. *yawn* Making the story move even slower is the repetative prose,
As the afternoon wore on I just kept moving all the bits around in my head, trying to fit them together. But, unlike a plastic puzzle, these bits didn't keep still. They kept shifting around and changing shape. I'd work on two or three bits, get them sorted out, fix them together, and then I'd leave them for a while to go off and look at some other bits. But by the time I'd sorted those bits out, the original bits didn't fit anymore. They'd become something else. And then, when I went back to working on them again, the other bits started to change. It was infuriating.
Infuriating indeed. When the days are warm and sunny, and I am behind on my reading challenge, my patience runs thin with this type of tiresome, overwritten prose.
An even bigger literary offense, in my eyes, is that the entire plot in Lucas is dependent on characters behaving stupidly. The good guys, the bad guys… there was simply no motivation nor was there any believability to their actions. Had just one person acted normally, this book might not have been.
Still, Brooks does seem to have a high rating here. Perhaps the best time to give him a go is a dreary rainy day when all the laundry is done and a pot of soup is warming on the stove. Whatever. This one is a definite two stars for me. ...more
We all went to highschool with that girl. You know, the slutty one. Maybe she had sex with her boyfriend in the band room after school. Or with multipWe all went to highschool with that girl. You know, the slutty one. Maybe she had sex with her boyfriend in the band room after school. Or with multiple guys in the alley behind the grocery store. Or gave head to a member of the soccer team during a party. Or maybe she didn't? But whether she did or not doesn't really matter. Because these sexual gossip stories and labels are how she will be defined by her peers.
The Story of a Girl is the story of Deanna Lambert, a girl who was discovered to be having sex with a 17 year old friend of her brother when she was only 13. Four years later, Deanna's self-esteem is worse than it was back then, she only has two friends, and is labeled the town slut. In addition she comes from a low income, incredibly dysfunctional family. Speaking of her family, Deanna's father was the one who initially discovered her in a sexual act with the older boy. This created a hot mess of tension between father and daughter which is still affecting their relationship.
As someone who grew up in a small Ohio town, I found this story as well as Deanna's slut-shamming to be very realistic. Kudos to all of you lucky enough to experience your adolescence in a large city. Or an enlightened part of the country. In the heart of the Midwest, those stories do stay with girls long after they should.
While there are a ton of realistic YA novels dealing with sexuality, self-esteem, friendship and family issues, very few of them feel nearly as realistic as Story of a Girl. Deanna struggles with conflicted feelings towards sex, jealously of her only female friend, maintaining a platonic relationship with her only male friend, and idolizing her older brother. Deanna also suffers a whole mess of issues revolving around her father, as well as her mother. What makes this book so unique is that Deanna is not the sort of YA protagonist to look up to. She doesn't always make the right decision or say the right thing. She is troubled, insecure and secretive. There is no big epiphany at the end or heartwarming moment. But in all of Deanna’s interactions, words and thoughts there is an honesty that is often missing from YA novels.
So why only three stars? As I mentioned, Deanna is a mess. Yet at the end, things appear to be looking up. Author Sara Zarr did not shy away from creating a fucked up situation, but when everything was said and done… everything turned out okay. Granted Zarr showed us the rationale for Deanna’s bad behavior. But no matter how justified crappy behavior is, there are usually consequences. I just don’t buy that relationships will go back to the way they were, or even become stronger after a person acts like a jerk. Unfortunately that is the only thing I find disappointing in Zarr’s novels. She has a talent for making unlikable characters sympathetic, but seems unwilling to let anything bad happen to them once they and their baggage have been introduced. ...more
Loading...
