Accidental Time Traveller by Janis Mackay - Book Review

Book: Accidental Time Traveller

Author: Janis Mackay

Genre: YA, Middle Grade 

Publisher/Publish Date: Floris Books / May 1, 2013

Source: Publisher, NewGalley

Pages: 240

Rating: 3/5

GoodReads  •  Amazon

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, but it in no way effects my review of the book.

Most Young Adult (YA) or Middle-Grade books fall somewhere along the spectrum of either having weak characters, and a weak plot, which the younger readers may not notice, or being very well written, and enjoyable for adults. I found this one fit somewhere in between, and I would highly recommend it to middle and grade schoolers.

Shortlisted for the Scottish Children's Book Award 2013, the story begins with Saul, on his way to the local store to buy some items for his mother, witnesses a girl suddenly appear in the middle of the road. After rescuing her, he's surprised at how puzzled she is by traffic, items in the shop, and she's wearing a very dated looking dress. Agatha Black introduces herself, and we soon discover she's traveled through time with the help of her father, who we find isn't the best time traveler.

Through Agatha, Saul learns about the history of his small town in Scotland, and she learns about what life is like in the 21st century. She gets to attend school, meet some of this friends, but she really wants to go home, and Saul tries his best and helping her travel back in time.

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June - What I Read

After a few months of heavy reading, June wasn't so great. But I have some pretty valid reasons. I've spent the last two weeks packing and moving, and read a book and a half that were pretty awful I will spare you the reviews. The three books I did finish I really liked though, and would especially recommend the first one.

Archipelago, by Monique Roffey

An amazing book about a father and daughter sailing on a trip of a lifetime around the Caribbean islands. Be sure to check out my review for more information on the book.

The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling
Rowling's first adult novel since the Harry Potter series, Very, very different, but I enjoyed it.

Woke Up Lonely, by Fiona Maazel
A fascinating book about a cult leader and his CIA ex-wife. This book has an interesting plot structure, so I recommend it if you are looking for something a little different.

Working on getting through a few more books in July:)

Storybound - book review

Book: Storybound (Storybound #1)

Author: Marissa Burt

Genre: Middle School, Fantasy 

Publisher/Publish Date: Harper Collins Children's / February 5, 2013

Source: ARC eBook courtesy of publisher and NetGalley

Pages: 416

Rating: 2.5/5

GoodReads  •  Amazon

Imagine, while reading a fairytale one day, you suddenly become part of the story. That's what happens to Una Fairchild when she gets sucked into the land of Story. There kids go to school to learn to be Heros, Ladies, and Villains. As the story develops she learns the reason she is there, and it's a lot more complex than she ever would have though.

While I really liked the concept and idea of the book, there were lots of plot holes and poor writing. Maybe I am holding it up to Harry Potter standards (which it is really similar too) and it just isn't as good as that, but what can be?

I don't think I'll be reading the other books in the series when they come out, but elementary, and middle school kids may really enjoy them.

May - What I Read

Thanks to a cold and a lot of time spent sick in bed, I plowed through a lot of books this month. I feel very accomplished:) Working on some longer reviews of some of these, so expect those soon.

Requiem (Delirium #3), by Lauren Oliver
[my review]

What Good Is God?: In Search of a Faith That Matters, by Philip Yancey
I listend to this as an audiobook, read by the author. And since much of the book is based on his sermons, it was an enjoyable and inspiring listen.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
So good! Everyone should read this. [my review]

The Mystery of Mercy Close (Walsh Family #5), by Marian Keyes
[my review]

Queen of the Air: A True Story of Love and Tragedy at the Circus, by Dean N. Jensen
Thanks to the publishers who were kind enough to send me an Advanced Copy of this book. I really, really enjoyed it. This book will be available June 11. [my review]

Screwed, by Laurie Plissner
Also got an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher. I may not be the right audience for this book (I'd recommend for high school and college age), and I had some issues with the writing, but the story was interesting.

Absent, by Katie Williams
Thank you Chronicle Books & NetGalley for the ARC, I really enjoyed this. [my review]

The Last Summer of the Camperdowns, by Elizabeth Kelly
Such a great book! Was so glad yo get it as an ARC. I often value books based on how much I like the cover, and this one held up to my high standard. [my review]

Storybound (Storybound #1), by Marissa Burt
Cute story about a normal girl who is reading one day, and is sucked into Storyland. Sometimes felt that it was trying too hard to be a great series like Harry Potter, but I'd recommend for elementary and middle school kids. (I got an ARC from NetGalley)

Scarlet - Book Review

Book: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi 
Publisher/Publish Date: Feiwel and Friends / February 5, 2013
Source: SF Public Library
Pages: 452
Rating: 3/5
GoodReads  •  Amazon

A sequel up to Cinder, Scarlet introduces new characters and a new story line, but intertwines it with the continuing story of Cinder.

Scarlet's grandmother is missing, and she partners with a stranger, Wolf, to track her down. Yes, I realize how cliche that sounds, but it's only the names that reflect the fairytale, and the story is really good. Scarlet and Wolf go on a journey to discover who her grandmother really is, and how her life is about to collide with the cyborg they keep seeing on the news, Cinder.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. I'd recommend to anyone who enjoyed Legend, Delirium, or Divergent.

April - What I Read

April was a great month. Lots of beautiful sunny weather here in SF, both my sisters came to visit for a week, and I somehow still read 6 books this month.

Bitterblue, by Kristin Cashore
A fantastical novel, about a distant and mysterious kingdom. For fans of The Infernal Devices & A Song of Ice and Fire. [post]

Winning Balance, by Shawn Johnson
Johnson shares her early gymnastic years, her experience at the Olympics, and how how her life has changed since then. Easy and fun to read.

Clockwork Prince, by Cassandra Clare
Just as good as all of Clare's other books, she creates great characters and plots to pull the reader in. [post]

Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, by Barbara Demick
Good, but not my favorite book on North Korea. [post]

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, by Lawrence Wright
Amazing book. Read my review for more thoughts, but I recommend you read it and decide what you think about Scientology. [post]

Scarlet, by Marissa Meyer
This sequel was better than the first, go read it!

Only 4 months into the year and I am 50% done with my goal of 50 books this year. I guess I underestimated myself. Maybe I should aim for 100 next year!

Clockwork Prince - Book Review

Book: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA 
Publisher/Publish Date: Margaret K. McElderry Books / December 2011
Source: SF Public Library
Pages: 528
Rating: 4/5
GoodReads  •  Amazon

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends. (via GoodReads)

Clockwork Prince is the follow up to Clockwork Angel, and this series is a spin off of The Mortal Instruments Series, which also has other spin offs. Which is great, since I like the author, Cassandra Clare, and she's plenty to read. While the series take place in different time periods, they are in the same fantasy world, with some overlapping characters (vampires, hu?).

While I think the short summary above makes the book seem really dark, I think Clare takes a dark subject and intertwines humor and romance. Not sure what it says about me, but I like the mix of dark and romance, and in these books, romance is never the main plot line.

The novel takes place in history London, and you really get the feel of the cold, moist, and dirt that characterized the city at that time. Clare does include some historical references, as thought this is a true story. The under belly of London that was kept secret. The Mortal Instruments, which is set in current time, takes place in New York, and I actually like that series better, if maybe just for the more contemporary feel.

If you haven't before read any of Clare's books, reading this series or The Mortal Instruments first would work, I would just be sure to start with the first book in that series.

Bitterblue - Book Review

Book: Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3)
Author: Kristin Cashore, Ian Schoenherr (Illustrator)
Genre: Teen, Young Adult
Publisher/Publish Date: Dial / May 2012
Source: SF Public Library
Pages: 576
Rating: 4/5
GoodReads  •  Amazon

Set in a fantastical world where some people are born with special skills, known as a Grace, some people use this skills for good, others for evil. Bitterblue, the third book in the Graceling Realm series, takes place eight years after the first book. Eight years after the terrible reign of her dad ended, and she became queen of Mosea. While the kingdom is still recovering from the influence of her father, Leck, Bitterblue is trying to sort out how he terrorized the citizens and find a way to bring healing.

Leck was a violent psychopath, and his grace was an ability to make people believe and do what he wanted them to. Bitterblue was left with advisors who had worked for her father, and were focused on a forward-thinking plan, ignoring the past. Her curiosity leads her to sneak out the castle in disguise, to explore the streets of her city, and discover the true story of what her father did and the impact it still has on her kingdom.

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series (the second is a companion book with different characters), and was looking forward to reading this one for awhile. Although it's set in a mythological realm, I like how believable the characters are, making the plot more true to life then a lot of YA books. While there is romance, it's complicated, and doesn't wrap up cleanly in the end. There is mystery, surprises, but it's never over the top. Not to give too much away, but things turn out really great in the end, and I hope Cashore writes many more books about these kingdoms.

Included at the end of the book, an almost too easy to miss, are breathtaking illustrations of the three bridges that are central to the novel, as well as a map of the seven kingdoms. [Purple illustration above is from the inside cover.]

Loki's Wolves: The Blackwell Pages

Book: Loki's Wolves (The Blackwell Pages Series)
Author: K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr
Genre: Middle Grade, Mythological 
Publisher/Publish Date: Little, Brown / May 7, 2013
Source: ARC curtesy of publisher
Pages: 358
Rating: 4/5
GoodReads  •  Amazon

The son of the local sheriff, Matt, knew he was a descendent of the Norse God Thor, but until he was chosen as the living representative of Thor it was never a big deal. Being chosen as the champion means he must fight in Ragnarök, the final battle, and he over hears his family saying they don't expect him to survive.

Matt decided to go off on his own, and find the other characters from the myths who were also foretold to fight in the final battle. He wants to prove his family wrong, and return a true champion.

When I got this book in the mail and saw the cover, I wasn't sure what to think about it. But once I got to reading I found I really enjoyed it. In many ways it reminds me of Harry Potter: kids having an adventure without their parents, serpent attacks, friends banding together to battle mythological creatures. While the writing isn't quite on par with J.K. Rowling, I could see this series really taking off, especially with grade school and middle school kids—much like the first Harry Potter book.

It ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you have any young kids on your christmas shopping list, this would be a great gift for them.

Thank you Little, Brown and GoodReads for the ARC! I received it by entering a contest on GoodReads, First Reads. It's open to anyone so head on over and see what other books you can enter to win; they have some really great giveaways.

March - What I Read

Welcome to April everyone. The rain here in SF has arrived right on schedule, but I hope it leaves soon. March was a busy month for me, so I'm happy to have made it through 6 books. None of them were audio books and two of them were pretty large books.

What are your thoughts on the recent announcement of GoodReads being bought by Amazon? I really love everything about GoodReads, so I hope none of that goes away. Crossing my fingers.

Red Carpet Burns, by Georgia Cassimatis
I blogged about it here.

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict, by Trenton Lee Stewart

Enjoyed this book and love the world that Stewart has created in these books. I blogged about it here.

Off Balance, by Dominique Moceanu

It was nice to have a shorter book I could finish in a couple days. I have a review of this book coming out in a couple days.

Insurgent, by Veronica Roth
I blogged about it here.

Legacy of Rescue, by Marta Fuchs
Blogged about it here.

Loki's Wolves, by K.L. Armstrong, M.A. Marr

This is a book I got as an ARC and really enjoyed it. It's coming out May 7, and I'll be posting a review of later this wee.

my favorite dystopian serial novels

Hunger Games / Catching Fire / MockingJay - Suzanne Collins

These were one of the first YA dystopian series I read. I fell in love with the plight of the characters and the energy and tension of the story. While the second two books were also good, as a stand along, the first is my favorite. I assume most readers will know of these already so I won't recap their plots.

Maybe it's due to the covers, but I get these next ones confused all the time. if you asked, I could now, of the top of my head, tell you which each are about

Divergent / Insurgent / #3 - Veronica Roth

Set in Chicago, the world is divided into five factions, each focused on a particular virture. At the age of 16, each citizen must chose their faction, one with they will stay with the rest of their lives. Our female protagonist must decide to stay with her family, or go with her gut. And of course this all leads to running, fighting, a little falling in love... the typical YA dystopian plot.

Legend / Prodigy / Champion (coming soon) - Marie Lu

In a divided United States an elite member of society, June, must partner with the country's most wanted criminal to discover what's really going on in the government and try to reconcile the nation. I think this would make a great movie, would be similar to many military fantasy movies and lots of good action.

Delirium / Pandemonium / Requiem - Lauren Oliver

Love is a desease. Everyone gets a cure on their 18th birthday. But between then and now, dun, dun, dun.... This series has a really strong second book and I'm really looking forward to reading the last book in the series. (I just discovered there are also short ebooks between each of the main 3 books, more to enjoy)


Honorary Mentions...
The Mortal Instrument Series: City of Bones / City of Ashes / City of Glass / City of Fallen Angels / City of Lost Souls / City of Heavenly Fire - Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices Series: Clockwork Angel / Clockwork Prince / Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare
The Uglies: Uglies / Pretties / Specials / Extras - Scott Westerfeld

Insurgent (Divergent #2) - book review

Book: Insurgent (Divergent #2)
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: YA
Publisher/Publish Date: Harper Teen / March 2012
Source: SF Public Library
Pages: 525
Rating: 4/5
Other books from author: Divergent Series
GoodReads  •  Amazon

One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. (Summary via GoodReads)

Oh boy! That's quite a gripping summary. (**there are spoilers ahead**)

This was a great sequel to Divergent. Does a great job of getting the reader right back into the story and continues the action, the love story and the suspense. 

This series is set in a universe where everyone belongs to one of five factions, based on their personality: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). I don't know about you, but this just seems like it's gonna cause some problems and of course it does. But, I think it's also a really interesting look at what we hold to be virtues, and what we put value in. And that can be a good and a dangerous thing. 

There are some hints at the end of the book that there may be more than meets the eye, so I'm really excited to read the next book.

Like many YA dystopian novels I like, this one also features a strong, female, lead character. Sometimes though, I feel like her decisions and conversations belong to someone much older than her, so it doesn't always seem true to character. But I like her determination and how real she is with her emotions and struggles.

You'll like this series if you like Delirium, Hunger Games, or Legend.

Book 3, still untitled, is expected to come out sometime in 2013.

Book Review: Clockwork Angel

More young-adult fantasy novels... they may be my favorite genre.

This is the fourth book I have read in this series. The first three, (known as the Mortal Instruments), are set in present time, While Clockwork Angel, the first in The Internal Devices series, is set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria.

The story deals with London's Downworld, and the Shadowhunters who protect the civilians from vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk. It follows a young girl Tessa Gray, as she travels to England, gets kidnapped by two downworlder sisters, and is rescued by the Shadowhunter. The story continues with a lot of twists and a couple love stories.

I enjoyed that is wasn't too sappy, was a well written, smart plot, and has good character development. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, Clockwork Prince, and the third, Clockwork Princess, which comes out on March 19. And a movie based on the original series The Mortal Instruments, is coming out this year, can't wait.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

[Book #1 I have read for the 2013 YA Contemporary Challenge]

Since I read so many young adult, dystopian series, I sometimes get confused and mix up the plot lines. While I know I like the book, I could not tell you the main character's names and the title of the previous book. Honestly, I wish there was a good way to keep track of these sorts of things, and get alerted to when the next book comes out (if someone knows of something like this, let me know).

Onto the book review.... [**spoiler alert**]
Prodigy is the second book in the Legend Series, was published in January and written by Marie Lu. There is actually a 0.5 book in the series, Life Before Legend, a short eBook, that takes place before Legend, that I have yet to read.

Prodigy begins where the last book leaves off, with Day and June arriving in Vegas to try and work with the Patriots. A little back story. Years before, Antartica began to melt, and much of the eastern coast and some of the western coast of the United States is now underwater. The story takes place in a United States that is now separated into the Colonies (east), which is fighting a war with the Republic (west) run by the Elector (sort of dictator-ish). June grew up in a well-to-do Republic family, and trusted the Republic until she discovers they killed her brother, and she partners with Day, a well known rebel.

The Patriots are a group of people trying to destroy the Republic, and bring back unity to the States. Whatever means necessary. June and Day need their support to try and find his brother, but as June goes on a mission to set up the new Elector for assassination, they begin to doubt the goals of the Patriots, not knowing who to trust.

This book has all the aspects that I enjoy in a good YA novel, strong, multi-layered characters and a complex history to their current world that makes sense and holds together. Some scenes seem straight out of an action movie, in a good way, and make for an heart-stopping ending. It is a little predictable though, I could see the multiple love triangles coming for miles (or is it a love square?). Though that didn't make me enjoy it any less.

And now I have to go sit and wait for the next book in the series to come out.

Rating: 3.5/5

February - What I Read

Boy did March sneak up on me, but I think I did a pretty good job this month considering it's a short month.

At the beginning of the year I made a goal to read 50 books this year, which I though was a conservative goal. I may have underestimated myself. So far I've read 13, and according to GoodReads I am six books, 11% ahead of schedule. Maybe I can get that percentage up for next month.

More Or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity, by Jeff Shinabarger
A recently published boom and my first ARC review. My review (FYI: I really loved it!)

Disco Bloodbath, by James St. James
I blogged about it last week.

Prodigy, by Marie Lu
I have a review of this coming out later this month.

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan
A book I've been wanting to read for awhile, and I got my hands on the audio book at the library. While I don't love listening to audio books that often, it's great how quick it is to get through a book. This book focuses on the neglect of the Holy Spirit in today's church. How it's the true true source of the church's power and calls for us to refocus on the forgotten God.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer
Loosely based on the story of Cinderella, though in this story she's a cyborg. As crazy as that may sound, this was actually a really great book. And unlike most other dystopian novels, this wasn't based in North America, but in New Beijing. Scarlet, the second book in this series (Lunar Chronicles) was published February 5th and I am looking forward to reading that soon.

Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West, by Blaine Harden
I have a review of this coming out later this month. I highly recommend reading this.

This Book is Not Good For You, by Pseudonymous Bosch
How can you not love a title like that. This is the third book (out of five) in the New York Times bestselling Secret Series. Two adventurous 11-year olds, Cass and Max-Ernest head off to track the Midnight Sun organization, after they kidnap Cass' mother. While I enjoy this series, the plot tends to be pretty shallow and repetitive, but I really enjoy the characters. And they are easy and fun to read, so I think I'll stick with the series. Recommended for 3rd - 5th graders (or thirty-somthing adults).

In process...
Infinite Jest: going to work on this book a little at a time. Only 51 pages in so far, but I am really enjoying it.
Red Carpet Burns: a memoir about moving to LA for love.
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict: one of my favorite contemporary series which I consider a cross between J.K. Rowling and Roald Dahl.