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Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Evermore Meets The Mortal Instruments - and Not in a Good Way - In New Angel Novel
1:00 AM
(Image from Indiebound)
Q. What speeds across the Earth at inhuman speeds, hears the thoughts of others and craves the taste of blood?
A. Not what you're thinking of.
Sixteen-year-old Ellie Faneuil has always been different from her classmates. Spending her summers working in impoverished countries with her Save-the-Earth obsessed parents has given her a wider world view, one that makes all the petty dramas of high school seem ridiculous. If she could just skip the whole scene and step right into college, she would. Unfortunately, she's stuck in Tillinghast, Maine, with uber-popular Piper Faires and the rest of her snotty crowd. To make matters worse, Ellie has the uncanny ability to see what people are thinking, just by touching them. She doesn't want to read her best friend's mind, let alone wander inside the heads of girls like Piper. The best she can do is stay clear of the Queen Bees and never, ever touch anyone.
When Ellie catches the eye of Michael Chase, the hot new guy at school, she feels an instant connection. Not only does he seek her out, ignoring gorgeous Piper and her friends, but he actually seems to care what she thinks. No doubt about it: Michael's different than the other boys. When Ellie finds out just how different he is, though, she's terrified. No human can do the things Michael can, so what is he, exactly? For that matter, what is she? Michael seems to have at least some of the answers, but his careless disregard for his "gifts" makes her wonder if she can trust him with her darkest secret.
As Ellie questions everything she's ever known to be true, she learns startling facts about herself, her family, and the boy that's suddenly consuming her every thought. Although the details are foggy, Ellie knows both she and Michael have important roles to play in the ultimate battle of good v. evil. The question is, what side are they on? Who's right in this ancient war of wills? Can Ellie figure out her place in the whole mess before it's too late? Or will the Angel of Destruction obliterate everything she knows and loves?
Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell (available December 28, 2010) is another one of those YA paranormals that offers an interesting premise, but fails to deliver. Big time. The problem here isn't the idea - which, although similar to Evermore by Alyson Noel with echoes of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series, is unique enough to be compelling - it's the writing. All of the characters are flat as pancakes, starved of personality, individuality and charm. Since neither Ellie nor Michael are rounded enough to feel real, it's no surprise that the passion they supposedly feel for each other falls totally flat. Their dialogue is stilted, the love scenes cheesy, and the romance never gets the chance to build, it just suddenly is. Plotwise, the story meanders all over the place. It's so contrived in spots that Ellie's ability to fly becomes one of the only plot elements that feels real.
On the upside, the book is pretty clean. Well, it's clean in the way Twilight is clean, which is to say there are a number of make out scenes, but they're not graphic. There's also no profanity, no real sexual innuendo (besides the making out, of course), and only vague references to things like underrage drinking. This, coupled with some serious editing, probably would have equaled a decent book. If only.
(Readalikes: Reminded me a lot of Alyson Noel's Evermore, a little of The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum and a teensy bit of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series.)
Grade: D
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 because of makeout scenes, although they aren't graphic
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Fallen Angel from the generous folks at HarperTeen. Thank you!
On the upside, the book is pretty clean. Well, it's clean in the way Twilight is clean, which is to say there are a number of make out scenes, but they're not graphic. There's also no profanity, no real sexual innuendo (besides the making out, of course), and only vague references to things like underrage drinking. This, coupled with some serious editing, probably would have equaled a decent book. If only.
(Readalikes: Reminded me a lot of Alyson Noel's Evermore, a little of The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum and a teensy bit of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series.)
Grade: D
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 because of makeout scenes, although they aren't graphic
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Fallen Angel from the generous folks at HarperTeen. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Native American Coming-of-Age Story Just Okay
5:59 AM
(Image from Amazon)
Montana, 1909 - Intent on civilizing Native Americans, the U.S. government is rounding them up, corralling them onto reservations, and cleansing them of their "savage" ways. For young Lionel and Beatrice, Blackfoot orphans who lost their mother to tuberculosis during the brutal winter of 1903, this means enrollment at the Chalk Bluff boarding school. Although Lionel would rather live with what's left of his family, he's not unhappy with the situation. Beatrice, on the other hand, craves the old ways. She defies the Brothers who run the school by speaking her native tongue, refusing to let them cut her thick black braids, and honoring the Creator in the ancient manner. Lionel can't understand why she insists on making trouble not only with the priests at the school but with the soldiers at the Army outpost next door.
On the day Lionel finds a dead man kneeling in the snow, Beatrice turns on two of the soldiers with a vengeance that surprises them all. Stealing the Army's prized stallion, she and Lionel flee into the wilderness. Beatrice thinks she remembers how to get to their grandfather's home, but the way is long and the weather uncooperative. With soldiers hot on their trail, the children try to move quickly, keeping themselves and the big horse safe from harm. Fighting hunger, the frigid winter, wild animals, illness, and the not always honorable intentions of other wanderers, the children's journey is fraught with danger. And adventure. And great revelation for Lionel, who finally begins to see why Beatrice fights so strongly to defend the culture the government's determined to destroy.
Starfish, a debut novel by writer/filmmaker James Crowley, examines two very different characters coming of age in a time when everything around them is changing. As the old ways converge with the new, Lionel and Beatrice must choose which to embrace. The farther their journey takes them, the more they learn - about themselves, each other, and what it means to be a Native American in the white man's world. While I didn't absolutely adore this book, I did find it to be an exciting adventure piloted by two engaging characters. It's not entirely believable and I have no doubt that some people (see Debbie Reese's very thorough review of Starfish here) will have problems with Crowley's portrayal of American Indians, but I thought it was okay. Not unputtownable, not riveting, not jaw-dropping, just okay.
(Readalikes: Apparently, I haven't read too many books about Native Americans. Any suggestions here?)
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for mild, but frequent invectives
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Starfish from the generous folks at Disney/Hyperion. Thank you!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Who Killed Sutton Mercer? Frankly, I Couldn't Care Less.
1:00 AM
(Image from Indiebound)
Something's always been missing in 17-year-old Emma Paxton's life. And it's not just because her mother dropped her off at a friend's house when she was five and never bothered to come back. It's more than that. It's almost like a piece of herself is missing. When she sees a You Tube video of a girl being strangled, Emma's shocked - not just because of the violent images, but because the dead girl looks exactly like her. Even if the video's some kind of sick joke, one thing is certain: Somewhere out there, Emma has a twin sister.
Sutton Mercer, also 17, wakes up in a bathtub in a house she's never seen before. Primping in the mirror is a girl who looks exactly like her. Confused, Sutton tries to get the girl's attention, only to be completely ignored. No one in the house can see or hear her. Considering her body seems to be fading, Sutton can only come to one conclusion - she must be dead. Only she can't remember how it happened. She can barely remember anything. All she knows is that she's now somehow attached to her twin sister, a girl she never even knew existed until now.
As Emma digs into her long-lost sister's life, she discovers a girl living the kind of existence Emma's known only in her dreams. Sutton's beautiful, wealthy, popular, loved and, as far as she can tell, not dead. When she receives a Facebook message from Sutton, it's all the encouragement Emma needs - she hops a bus to Tucson. Before she knows what's happening, Emma finds herself living Sutton's life. Since Sutton is nowhere to be found, it's obvious that's something's happened to her, but what? Did she take off voluntarily, thinking that Emma could just step in and take her place or did someone steal Sutton's life from her? The more Emma learns about her sister, the stranger the whole situation gets. Can she figure out what happened to Sutton before she, herself, is discovered? Before she, too, disappears?
Sutton longs to help her sister, tries to remember, but everything's so hazy. Can she harness her beyond-the-grave powers to help Emma solve her murder? Or will she be forced to stand by and watch while someone kills her sister?
As intriguing as its premise is, The Lying Game by Sara Shepard falls flat due to poor execution. The writing's clumsy, the characters are almost wholly unlikable and the story goes nowhere fast. It's the first in a series of four books, so I didn't expect Emma to find the killer in the first book, but still, it seems like she makes no progress at all. Sutton's presence is just irritating since she does almost nothing to advance the story. If you can't tell, I found the whole novel frustrating. Still, I picked it up again after abandoning it twice, so I guess that says something. The premise continues to interest me, but the series doesn't. Frankly, I couldn't care less what happened to Sutton Mercer. And that's no lie.
(Readalikes: A little like The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold)
Grade: D
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (1 F-bomb), sexual innuendo, and depictions of underrage drinking/smoking/drug use
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Lying Game from the generous folks at Harper Teen. Thank you!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
1 Skinny Sixth Grader + 1 Swirlie-Loving Bully + The First Day of Middle School = Disaster
1:00 AM
(Image from Indiebound)What do you get when you mix one scrawny 11-year-old, one swirlie-loving bully, one ex-best friend and the first day of middle school? A disaster, that's what. David Greenberg isn't exactly thrilled to be starting junior high, especially since he and his closest pal had a big fight. Now, David has to navigate the confusing world of Harman Middle School all on his own. To make things worse, his BFF's now hanging with the biggest bully in town. Their favorite target? You guessed it. David Greenberg.
At least David's troubles give him plenty of fodder for his online talk show. With the help of Hammy, his talented pet, David just knows that someday he's going to be as famous as his idol, Jon Stewart. When a new friend spreads the word about his videos, TalkTime goes viral. Suddenly, David's getting hundreds of hits and comments. He's an Internet sensation. Only his popularity doesn't follow him to school. If anything, it makes him a bigger target for the bullies. What's a short, nerdy sixth grader to do? Can he handle being a star? Can he make it out of middle school alive? As David treads the treacherous waters of middle school, he'll learn a whole lot about family, friendship, and the importance of following your dreams.
How to Survive Middle School by Donna Gephart is a laugh-out-loud funny story that perfectly captures the ups and downs of preadolesence. David's an engaging narrator, completely lovable and empathetic. Kids will find his woes familiar, his triumphs encouraging. With an engrossing plotline, interesting characters, and an upbeat tone, this charming treat of a novel is perfect for children dreading the jump from elementary to middle school and their parents (who are dreading it even more). I loved it. Hamster and all.
(Readalikes: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney [sans illustrations])
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for very mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of How to Survive Middle School from the very generous Donna Gephart. Thank you!
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