May, 2012

"Struck" by Jennifer Bosworth         

Life changed drastically after a major earthquake struck, destroying large parts of LA.  Mia, who has been struck by lightning repeatedly, finds herself torn between two groups who desperately want her to join them.  The Followers are under the sway of Prophet, an evangelic preacher.  The Seekers come across as desperate and needy, and want Mia for a martyr.  Mia must decide what to do before the end of the world strikes.          

This book was well written and very engaging.  The characters were interesting and I learned a bit about what happens when lightning strikes a person.  At times the book was slow and I thought it was pretty predictable at times.  Despite those flaws, I think many teenage girls will pick up the book and enjoy it.

"The Voice: An Ephemera Novella" By Anne Bishop          

Whenever someone is having a rough day, feels sorrow, or is upset, they bake a cake and bring it to the mute orphan girl called "the Voice."  As a child, Nalah follows the villagers lead and bakes cakes for the Voice.  As she grows older she begins to question this practice, wondering what affect it is having on the Voice.         

I typically avoid novellas and short stories, but Anne Bishop is my favorite author, so I couldn't resist.  I wasn't disappointed.  I love her unique story telling flair and the emotion she puts into her characters.  I think this novella works well as a stand-alone story.  You do not have to read the Sebastian books to enjoy this novella. Overall, I highly recommend this (and anything else Anne Bishop has written.)

"Peary to the Pole" by Walter Lord         

Robert Peary spent a lifetime attempting to reach the North Pole.  From each of his failures he learned a bit more, making each attempt more and more likely to succeed.  Not only did he have to worry about extreme cold, he had to coordinate Eskimo's, dog sled teams and provisions.  This massive undertaking finally succeeded.  However, upon his return he learned that another man, Dr. Cook, was claiming that he had reached the North Pole nearly a year earlier.          

This book was very well written and engaging.  It was written in a storytelling fashion rather than a dry recitation of facts and details.  Since reading the book I have been reading about the controversy of who reached the North Pole first, which I find to be fascinating.  This is a quick read, one I think teenagers could enjoy.  It might even serve to spark a desire for adventure and exploration in young readers.

"Naomi and the Horse-Flavored T-Shirt" by Dan Boehl          

Naomi lives in Endless Ranches, a town where everyone works for the Paste Company.  All of the food they eat is made out of paste as well as other necessities for life.  On Naomi's birthday, her mom gifts her with her dad's horse-flavored t-shirt.          

I was very interested in the premise of this book.  However, I thought the writing style failed to live up to my expectations.  It was written in third person and I felt very detached from Naomi.  I also thought the author excessively used Naomi's name.  It seemed that in every paragraph Naomi's name was just repeated over and over.  I thought the pace was good, the book moved along fairly quickly.  Overall, I wouldn't re-read this book and I think a middle schooler would feel just as detached as I did from the characters. 

"Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein         

Maddie and Julie are working with the British army during World War II.  Maddie is a pilot and Julie works for Special Operations.  When the two fly into Nazi occupied France the plane is hit and Julie is forced to jump.  Julie is promptly caught by the Gestapo and is imprisoned and tortured.  Part One of the story consists of journal entries written by Julie.  Part Two of the story takes place from Maddie's point of view.          

I enjoyed this book however I thought Part 1 was written in a very odd and somewhat confusion fashion.  Julie is writing about her friend Maddie, as if she was Maddie.  She then talks about herself in third person.  This was a bit off putting to me and several times I almost put the book down.  I also thought that the book went into way too much detail about military planes.  I am glad I kept reading because Part Two was phenomenal.  Overall, I think this book will appeal to a broad audience, if they can make it past Part One.

"Roadside Picnic" by Strugatsky & Strugatsky         

Sometime in the future, aliens have left scattered artifacts around.  The Zones, or alien areas, are full of strange phenomena and mysterious objects.  Stalkers illegally venture into the zone area and collect, and sell, these mysterious artifacts.          

This is a republication of a science fiction novel published in 1972.  I am not a huge sci-fi fan, but I found this book hard to put down.  It has an interesting plot line, moves swiftly and the characters are fascinating.  Overall, I highly recommend this classic.

"Sebastian" by Anne Bishop         

Long ago the world was splintered into a variety of landscapes.  Landscapers are able to pull these different areas together and maintain the balance.  Bridges are able to connect the pieces of earth.  However, beware, one's heart determines where you land and you cannot travel to a landscape that doesn't resonate with your heart.  Sebastian, a half-wizard half succubus lives in the Den, a landscape created by the rogue landscaper Belladonna.  When strange things begin happening in the Den Sebastian asks the wizards for help.          

This book is very well written.  It is engaging, the characters are fascinating and the world building is ingenious.  Anne Bishop is my favorite author and I highly enjoyed this book.  I look forward to more in this series.

"Belladonna" by Anne Bishop         

The eater of the world has killed most of the landscapers and bridges, leaving the world unstable and subject to the whims of human desire.  Belladonna, a rogue landscaper may be the only one who can save Ephemera and prevent the darker side of the human heart from taking over.

     This is the second time I've read this book and it was much better than I remembered.  Anne Bishop is a wonderful story teller.  Her characters are fascinating and lovable.  Overall, this book was a home run.

"Bridge of Dreams" by Anne Bishop         

Lee is having a hard time accepting the new Belladonna and her compatriots.  He tries to get some distance from his sister but ends up in the city of Vision.  Wizards capture Lee and slowly destroy his eye site.  After they have finished abusing him, they put him in an insane asylum.          

It was very interesting to see a new Ephemera landscape.  It also served to further develop the relationship between Lee, his sister and characters introduced in the previous two books.  Overall, I thought this book was well written and hope that the author writes another in this series.

"Auraria" by Tim Westover         

Holtzclaw has been sent to the small mining town of Auraria to purchase its land.  When he arrives he finds that the supernatural is real and that Auraria's citizens aren't all human or alive for that matter.  Once the land is bought, Holtzclaw and his employer begin transitioning it into a first-class resort.

     I found this book a bit boring.  The supernatural elements were interesting, but not enough to keep my interest.  There seemed to be little action in the first half of the book and I had a hard time becoming invested in the characters.  I think that some will enjoy this book.  It is full of folklore, legends and good old southern people. I do think this book belongs in the library; I'm just not sure how many people will check it out.

"Flutter" by Gina Linko         

Ever since she could remember, Emery has suffered from seizures.  During these seizures, or loops, Emery travels back and forth through time.  Her father has placed her in the hospital, where she is part of a top-secret scientific experiment.  Shortly after turning 18 Emery decides to ditch the hospital and travels to the town of Esperanza.          

Although I thought the book was a bit far fetched, I still found it fascinating.  Emery is a very vibrant character.  Despite her hospitalization she seems quick willing and able to live on her own, even when people are looking for her.  I thought the relationship between her and Ash developed rather slowly.  Not to give anything away, but the ending was a shocker.  Overall, I think teenagers will highly enjoy this book.

"Shadowfell" by Juliet Marillier         

After Neryn's father gambles her away, the boat he is on is set on fire by the king's enforcers.  They are looking to capture anyone with magic and either destroy them or bring them to the King.  Neryn has an uncanny gift, the ability to see the Good Folk, even when they are trying to hide.  After her father's death she sets off for Shadowfell, a legendary town where she hopes to find help.

     I really wanted to like this book, but after awhile I became bored with it.  Neryn spends much of the first part traveling by herself, which quickly became tedious.  It was hard to like Neryn, she seemed a bit generic and one-dimensional.  I did think the good folk were interesting, but not interesting enough to hold the story together.  Overall, I would have a tough time recommending this book.

"Skylark" by Meagan Spooner         

After 15 years of waiting, Lark has finally be chosen to be harvested, a process whereby her resource (magic) would be taken away and she would become an adult.  However, from the moment she was taken she sensed that something was wrong.  She soon discovers that she is a renewable, one able to replenish their source.  The city has decided to use her as a power source, hooking her into a machine like a battery.  Lark escapes from the city and finds herself on a journey into the unknown.          

Overall I thought this was an outstanding book.  Lark was very likable and easy to understand.  She had depth and personality which any teenager will be able to relate to.  The plot was interesting and the myriad of twists and turns were not predictable.  Highly recommended.

"Mechanique" by Genevieve Valentine        

Circus Tresaulti, set in the distant future, features an odd assortment of mechanical people.  Boss has replaced bones, organs and various bits and pieces of the human body with mechanical and medal parts.  This is a very odd book, but I found myself unable to put it down.  The people and their lives were fascinating.  I do wish the book was a bit more chronological, it skipped all over the place, but at times that did serve the author well.  Overall, this is definitely a book worth checking out.

"Living Proof" by Kira Peikoff        

In the not so distant future embryonic stem cell research has been outlawed and the Department of Embryo Preservation will charge anyone who destroys an embryo with murder.  Fertility clinics are subject to random inspections and huge government oversight.  Arianna, a fertility doctor, has recently experienced a surge in her patient numbers and the DEP is highly suspicious.  They send an undercover agent, Trent, in to find out what is really going on.  However, he falls for the charming doctor and finds himself questioning his life's work and religion.          

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  It was very well written and researched.  I realize that the whole book was a set-up between the religious fundamentals and scientists, but after a while I got so tired of reading bible verses and religious rhetoric.  I don't know that the book would have worked as well without the rhetoric but it took away from my enjoyment of the story.  I think that any pro-choice, pro-stem cell research person will enjoy this book and appreciate the game of what-if the author is playing.

"Hollywood Unknowns"by Anthony Slide        

Extras, bit players, and stand-ins were a large part of the film industry.  Although these people are largely unknown and unrecognized, their stories are fascinating.  This book provides a chronological accounting of extras within the industry and the standards and hardships they might face.          

I thought this book was very well written, organized and entertaining.  It was interesting to read about these men and women and the evolution of the film industry.  Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and think that any aspiring actor/actress or anyone interested in Hollywood or the film industry will find it equally as enjoyable.

"A City of Broken Glass" by Rebecca Cantrell        

Hannah and her son have been sent to Poland to cover the St. Martin festival.  Once arriving, she learns that twelve thousand Polish Jews have been deported from Germany.  The deportees are being housed in horrible conditions with little food, water or medical attention.  She finds an old acquaintance housed in a stable, nine months pregnant.  Her friend confides in her that she left her two year old daughter behind in Berlin, locked in a cabinet.

     When I started this book, I didn't realize that it was the fourth book in a series.  The beginning works very well as a stand-alone, but as the plot unraveled I realized that I was missing a lot of information.  I am interested in reading the first three books in the series.  The writing was very well done, the characters interesting and the plot well developed.  Overall, I highly enjoyed.

"Equations of Life" by Simon Morden        

In a post-apocalyptic world, Petrovitch finds himself rescuing a woman from a kidnapping.  After rescuing her, he discovers that she is the daughter of a mob boss.  He then meets the girl’s father, a Japanese gangster, who is working on building a virtual Japan.          

I have to admit that I found the book less than appealing.  At times it seemed to be just one big chase scene, which works much better in the movies.  I could see this book as a graphic novel or a short story, but the author never really explained enough about the world to capture my attention for a full length book.

"The Company Man" by Robert Jackson Bennett         

This book takes place in an alternative history.  It is 1919 and the McNaughton Corp has become the world’s technological leader.  With the increased prosperity also comes increased poverty and there are dozens of murders each month in the city.  When a man if found floating in a canal, police detective Garvey contacts Cyril Hayes.  Cyril is able to form a telepathic link with people and soon believes that McNaughton's machinery is trying to talk to the city's workers.         

I thought the book started off well, but it lost me with its talk of aliens and other such conspiracies.  I thought the characters were interesting, but the plot wore on me after a while.  Although this wasn't' a bad read, I think it just wasn't for me.  Those who like science fiction, paranormal and urban fantasy will probably enjoy this book.

"Scars"by Cheryl Rainfield         

Kendra has learned to cope with the pain of sexual abuse by cutting herself.  Although she is in therapy, and finds release in her art work, she find that cutting is the only way to relieve the pressure as she recovers memories of her abuse and searches for the identity of her attacker.          

I'm not sure how I feel about this book.  I thought it did a good job of discussing why someone would cut and describing the release they get from it.  I just wanted more.  I wanted it to go into more details about how Kendra came to terms with herself, how she was able to stop cutting and how she was able to cope with the revealed identity of her rapist.  I thought the author did a good job of providing resources in the index that a teenager, or anyone, can use if they have questions about cutting or other types of self-harm.