Wings

Wings
by Aprilynne Pike

7 out of 10

To be fair, I read this book some time ago.  I actually read the ebook version, which only took me an hour and a half or so.  If I'd rated it immediately after reading it, I think it might have been higher.  I think the fact that I read book 2 before rating has also impacted that rating.

That being said, I liked this book okay.  There was a really neat premise, and I like fairies as a general rule.  I don't want to spoil the big reveal, so I can't say too much, but it was a neat idea that I liked quite a lot.  I don't think the author executed it that well, though.

Again, without saying too much, one of the biggest issues for this book for me was that the author kept emphasizing the scientific basis behind the magic system, but the scientific basis doesn't actually hold up.  I would explain how it doesn't hold up, but then that would be telling.  For the general intended audience, however, I don't think it will really be a big problem.  For the nongeneral audience, you may be able to suspend your disbelief better than I was.  Usually, I don't have a lot of difficulty doing so, but this was a hard sell.  I can totally buy the explanation of "it's magic" as long as it's consistent, and I can buy a strange sci-fi explanation, again, as long as it is consistent.

Perhaps that is the best summation of my feelings for this book: inconsistent.  I really liked some parts and felt they were done well.  I felt 'meh' at best about others and felt it could have been done better.

Recommended reader:  10 to 14 year old girl.  I think they wouldn't be bothered by the not-as-solid science background but could really get into the love triangle aspects that were present (and done well).

Catching Fire

Part Two of the promised series.

Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins

7 out of 10
YA post-apocalyptic fiction.

This book is a clear example of giving your fans more of what they like, but not as successfully as the first time.

****HUNGER GAMES SPOILERS******

You've been warned.  Okay, if you liked the Games in HG, there's more of that here, and it's good.  The games are different, but I'm not convinced they had to happen at all in this book.  It seems somewhat contrived that Katniss and Peeta end up in the games...again.  I mean, didn't I read that already?  I do like the secondary character development, though.  In fact, that's what made this a positive read.

All in all, I think this book is worthwhile to read, though not memorable on its own.

I Am Not a Serial Killer

No, seriously, I'm not.

I Am Not a Serial Killer
by Dan Wells

9 out of 10
YA horror-fantasy.

In the interest of full disclosure, I really like Dan Wells, not just his books.  You see, Dan is part of a group of three authors, including Brandon Sanderson and Howard Tayler, who make a podcast that I really love.  As an aspiring writer myself, I listen to Writing Excuses regularly (I hesitate to say religiously because I make it a point to only do religious things religiously), and I think you should, too.  Even if you don't want to be a writer...it's just that awesome.

The book is about a pre-sociopathic teenager who is struggling to keep his demons in check.  He's fascinated by death and serial killers in particular.  When a body is found in his hometown, he sees some red flags and knows immediately a serial killer has come to town.

John Cleaver struggles with using his particular knowledge set to help catch this killer without becoming something worse in the process.  It's amazingly well-told, and I'm sure countless fans wonder how Wells could write such a chilling main character with such insight.

We discover something that turns the story upside-down halfway through the book, and I'm not going to give that away.  You'll just have to read it and find out for yourself.

Beware: Once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down.  And don't read it late at night, alone in a dark, empty house.

I recommend for fans of horror, fantasy, or really great writing anywhere. Not for young teens, in my opinion.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

8 out of 10
YA post-apocalyptic fiction.  This is part of a three-part series leading up to my review of Mockingjay, book three of this trilogy, which came out just recently.

Essentially, I loved it.  It had great pacing and was at times thrilling, sensitive, and romantic.  One major issue which pervaded the entire series was the lack of practical writing, which is explained in the podcast.  Collins seems unsure of how many people are really present in Panem, how big each of the districts are in terms of both population  and physical space.  I know district 12 is the most sparsely populated, but the inconsistencies require a suspension of disbelief that could easily have been fixed with an understanding of basic economics.

The games themselves are intriguing and thought-provoking as well as full of action.  I highly recommend this book to both young adult and adult alike.  There is mature subject matter, but little to no sexual innuendo.

East

East 
by Edith Pattou

10 out of 10

YA fantasy.  I rarely give a full 10 to anything, but I think this book deserved it.  Not that it was perfect, but because I would have no reservations about recommending this book to anyone.  No caveats, no hedging.  If you're a person who can read, I think you should read this book.

Rose has been brought up in a superstitious household, and there is some element of supernatural in her life.  This is a retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon (the fairy tale), which in and of itself is unusual.  I have actually read The Blue Fairy Book, in which the fairy tale is recorded, but it's much less well known than, say, Beauty and the Beast, of which this is not a retelling.

As a retelling, I think Pattou does an excellent job.  There are elements that are taken directly from the fairy-tale, like the drops of candle wax, sleeping potions, and trolls.  There are completely new elements, also.  The guides that Rose encounters are developed characters in their own rights, and the birth-direction superstition is new and intriguing.

One thing that may throw readers is Pattou's use of shifting narrative.  At the beginning, we learn that this story has been recorded in a book, each person faithfully recording parts of the story.  The prologue seems almost contrived in that aspect, but the book itself holds up very well.  I typically don't like first person or shifting narrative, and this book employs both; however, Pattou does it so successfully that by the end of the story it seems like exactly the right way to have done it.

The Mermaid's Madness

The Mermaid's Madness
by Jim C. Hines

8 out of 10

YA fantasy, fairy-tale retelling. I couldn't decide between 8 or 9 out of 10, but settled for 8 just because it's very genre-specific.  If you don't like fantasy, YA, and fairy-tales, this probably isn't the book for you.  If you're willing to give it a try, though, there's a lot in it that is very well done.

I always think about who I could recommend the book to when I'm reviewing it.  If there's really no one that I think would enjoy reading it, it's not worth a lot of effort on a review.  When I was reading this one, I knew before the first chapter exactly who I would be letting borrow it next, which is a fun thing about reading.

My cousin, a 14-year-old girl, loves fairy-tale retellings.  I've read some that were okay and some that were pretty good, but this series has so far been awesome.  They're very different from the original stories and have a complete world they are all set in, which lends it a dashing-adventure feel.  Each book still stands alone, though I would recommend reading them in order so that you can get the character development progression.

That is one thing well done in this series: the character progression.  There are three main characters:  Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, and they each develop along the way.  As I'm reconsidering this book (it's been over a month since I read it), I remember enjoying so many different things about it that I want to get book three now.  As in, I have to be done with this review so I can find it online.  See ya!

Uglies

Uglies

by Scott Westerfield

10 out of 10

I loved this book. So much so that I bought all of the trilogy (and I'm a library kind of gal) and then made my husband read it. He is currently sitting in the bedroom doing just that.

Tally is an Ugly, and has not yet undergone the surgery that everyone in her society gets at age 16. She befriends a group who have chosen not to get the surgery to be Pretty, and this book is about the fallout of making that choice. I don't want to give away too much of the plot because YOU HAVE TO READ IT. Seriously. You HAVE to.

It's a post-apocalyptic novel and coming-of-age all in one, and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait until book 2 comes in the mail!

The Hunter's Moon

The Chronicles of Faerie: The Hunter's Moon

by O.R. Melling

7 out of 10

YA fantasy. I had higher hopes for this one. It seemed and interesting premise: Two modern girls who love fantasy and Faerie literature decide to go on an adventure and end up getting swept into the world of Faerie.

I felt like in order to really appreciate the book, you had to be as familiar with Irish Faerie lore as the girls supposedly were, and in spite of loving fantasy literature, I'm not. I don't know the in-depth history of any one fantasy genre, and I felt a little lost. I didn't know why certain things were supposed to be important, and a lot of the world-building magic was missing, ostensibly because the author assumed you were familiar with the world already. That was a major weakness in this novel.

That being said, it was interesting in its own right. The plot was pretty well developed, and there were certain budding romances that I feel an integral part of this genre. Also, the ending was well done.

Not a home run, but worth a read if you like the genre.

Flora Segunda

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog

by Ysabeau S. Wilce

6 out of 10

The main issue I had with this book is that it seemed to be whimsical for the sake of whimsy. It was an unusual world, and there really was not enough background to back it up. Just because a novel is YA doesn't mean it doesn't have to have good world-building.

All in all, it was mostly non-exceptional. I find myself not particularly eager for the next book, which is not necessarily a good recommend in my opinion.

Flora wants to buck family tradition and become a Ranger (something like a spy) rather than go to the Barracks to become a soldier. Flora and her friend Udo release Valefor, the banished Butler, despite her mother's serious prohibition against it.

Mostly a coming-of-age done very heavy-handedly.

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie

by Jordan Sonnenblick

8 out of 10

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. With statement like that, you may be wondering why the 8, and not 9 or 10. Well, I don't have any concrete reasons. Let's just say that it's not my typical fare, and I'm not ready to give something so far out of my comfort zone a higher score.

This book brings me back to the days of middle school. I was in my high school band, and I can really identify with music as an escape. Sonnenblick writes this very captivatingly, and it was a surprising read for me.

I think Frank McCourt says it perfectly: "A brave book...Jordan Sonnenblick carries it off with such charm and elan, you forget for a moment your heart is breaking."

I typically don't hold much stock with back-of-the-book critic quotes, but this really summed it up for me. The main character is struggling with something incredibly difficult to understand while at the same time trying to get through life.

The main character's younger brother gets cancer, but I think Sonnenblick handled it in a totally new way. Your heart really is breaking for the little boy and the family, but the story is written so well that it isn't depressing at all. It really does become a story of hope, family and growth. It's a pretty heartwarming coming-of-age, and there's even a little romance in there.