Starters

Title: Starters
Author: Lissa Price
Reading Level: Young Adult
Location: YA Price (when released)

Summary

After all adults between the age of 20 and 60 died during the Spore Wars, the United States is basically controlled by the Enders, those adults over the age of 60 who were vaccinated against the spores. The Starters, kids and teens under the age of 20 also vaccinated against the spores, must rely on protection from older relatives or find a way to survive on the streets. Ever since her mother and father died, Callie has been living in abandoned buildings with her younger brother and trying to avoid getting rounded up by the marshals, forced into slave labor or pummeled by hostile starters. However, Tyler is sick and getting worse. Callie must find some way to get money for medicine and food so he can recover.

Then another homeless starter tells her about Prime Destinations. Starters can sign over their body to be rented by a rich Ender. Meanwhile, the starter exists in a peaceful state of oblivion. At the end of the three-rental contract, the Ender walks away with their exciting youthful experience, and the Starter receives a ton of cash. Although Callie has reservations she signs up. It seems easy enough and they really need the money. But when Callie wakes up during a rental in the life of a rich ender, she knows things are getting weird. She can hear the renter’s voice in her head whispering one warning, “Don’t go back to Prime Destinations.”

Now, on the run but with her renter’s resources and a helpful new friend named Blake, Callie must figure out the evil aspirations of the Old Man who owns Prime Destinations before her life and that of other Starters is snuffed out for good.

Review

I have to say, Starters was actually pretty amazing, much better than I thought it would be from the description. The main character, Callie, is someone you want to see win. She is incredibly smart. Her father prepared her for a potential life on the streets, so she is sufficiently tough and understands how her world works and ways to circumvent the system to survive. She has one goal, to keep her brother safe, and she never wavers from that commitment throughout the entire book. Even when she wakes up in the life of the wealthy ender, she has a hard time letting herself have any fun. She is loyal and very goal-oriented. You almost feel sorry that she can’t just be a normal teenage girl.

The story itself, while not always action-packed, is incredibly tense throughout. Even when Callie was not running from Prime Destinations or holding people hostage, I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know how it would all turn out. The Old Man is a sufficiently creepy villain. I was literally cringing anytime Callie’s plans included confronting him. There is a huge reveal near the end that I, embarrassingly, did not see coming. While many plot threads in this story wrapped up in a satisfying way, a surprising cliffhanger will keep readers coming back for more.  The last book in this two-book series, Enders, is reportedly due to be released on December 4, 2012.

The Bottom Line:  Starters was an exciting dystopia that I can honestly say reminds me, in some ways, of The Hunger Games. You have a strong heroine, good side characters, fun action scenes and an evil man as the main villain. This book kept me absolutely engrossed in the story and ravenously reading until the wee hours of the morning. Give it to fans of The Hunger Games, Incarceron and the dystopia genre in general.

The Publisher provided me with an advanced copy, through netgalley, for this review. Starters will be released on March 13, 2012

The Academie

Book: The Academie
Author: Susannne Dunlap

Summary
The year is 1799 and Eliza Monroe has just been unceremoniously deposited by her mother at a prestigious boarding school in France. Instead of the Parisian holiday she expected, Eliza must now undertake the difficult task of befriending members of the young French upper class, including Caroline Bonaparte, sister to the great Napoleon, and Hortense de Beauharnais, the daughter of Josephine Bonaparte, Napoleon’s wife.  Eliza was hoping for adventure and romance in Paris, will she find it while trying to deal with the intrigues and manipulations of Caroline and Hortense?

Hortense is growing fatigued by Caroline’s attempts to ruin her family and reputation. She wants to fall in love, to be caught up in a great romance, and the son of her music teacher just might do the trick.  Can Hortense find love on her own terms or will she be forever bowing to her controlling mother’s will?

Madeleine wants to be rescued from her life as the serving girl to her mother, an abusive, narcissistic actress.  Madeleine’s  lover, Eugene de Beauharnais, has promised to take her away and marry her.  Will he fulfill his vow or leave her to fend for herself with a mother who grows more unhinged by the day?

Review
I had mixed feelings about this title. As a whole, this was a decent read set in a very interesting period in French history. The years following the French Revolution were uncertain and fraught with potential conflict, particularly for members of the upper class. One of the main reasons I enjoyed this title is because the author captured the precarious atmosphere of this period so well. This aspect of the book was fascinating. 

The Academie switches narration between Eliza, Hortense and Madeleine which builds suspense in some instances but in others only serves to unnecessarily replay particular scenes. I really enjoyed the character of Hortense. I actually wish the entire story would have been about her life before the events of this book. She must have had a fascinating upbringing which would have made for a better story than the one here. The character of Eliza seemed a little inconsistent. She did grow throughout the events of the book, but her development seemed forced. The character of Madeleine was simply a wasted opportunity. As an aspiring singer and actress, she could have been extremely interesting. In the end, she did little more than move the action forward which again, made for another inconsistent character.

I have to say, I wish this book had been better. I enjoyed it for the first half simply because the time period was represented so well and the characters held my interest. In the second half the story became tedious and the characters began to feel very underdeveloped and capricious. If you enjoy historical fiction, you may like this one, but the ending will probably disappoint most readers.  For better spins on this genre, try The Luxe Series by Anna Godberson and for the French Revolution with a supernatural twist try The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner.

The Bottom Line:  This is a book set in a fully realized time period with a disappointingly mediocre plot. I had no idea that life with the Bonaparte clan would ever seem this uneventful. If you like historical fiction, particularly the period after and around the French Revolution, give this one a try. For other books with similar themes, look to The Luxe by Anna Godberson or The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner.

The Publisher provided me with an advanced copy, through netgalley, for this review. The Academie will be released on April 10, 2012

11 Birthdays

Title: 11 Birthdays

Author: Wendy Mass
Level: 9-12 Years

Location: J Mass

It's Amanda's 11th birthday and she is super excited -- after all, 11 is so different from 10. But from the start, everything goes wrong. The worst part of it all is that she and her best friend, Leo, with whom she's shared every birthday, are on the outs and this will be the first birthday they haven't shared together. When Amanda turns in for the night, glad to have her birthday behind her, she wakes up happy for a new day. Or is it? Her birthday seems to be repeating itself. What is going on?! And how can she fix it? Only time, friendship, and a little luck will tell...

Bottomline:  This was a fun quick read about true friends who need to mend their wounded friendship and it takes a repeating birthday to get things right.  The main characters are endearing and when they become selfless and start helping others is when they really shine.  I love a story when everyone is better off in the end!  Great story and written well for the younger reader.

Carrier of the Mark

Title: Carrier of the Mark
Author: Leigh Fallon
Level: 12 and up
Location: YA Fallon

Within the first couple chapters of Carrier of the Mark I was apprehensive about continuing. It seemed to be following what I call the Twilight formula (Wait! Read the explanation before you decide not to read the book.) A girl moves to new place with her father, no mother in picture. The first day of school there’s a great looking guy that she is attracted to, but he acts weirdly towards her. Her new BFF and her associates warn her not to bother. There are rumors about his family. Then she meets his sister who seems to like her. He saves her when there is an accident. Sounds too familiar, but that is where this book continues on a different course. In Carrier of the Mark the mark has nothing to do with vampires or werewolves. Instead Megan, Adam DeRis and his siblings are marked as vessels for the four elements; originally created by the goddess Danu, who managed the elements keeping them aligned to maintain a perfect balance. Now that Megan, the fourth element, is present they must fulfill their true purpose. They have a protector, provided by an ancient order, The Order of the Mark, and a group called the Knox, who wants to take their powers for their own use. Megan has to learn how to call on her element and control it in time for the alignment that can only take place during the summer solstice, all without being found by the Knox. Oh, and she must figure out a way she and Adam can be together with fullfilling the 5th prophecy.

Bottom Line: Once I was past the similarities to the beginning of Twilight I found Carrier of the Mark to be interesting. The premise of a Celtic goddess who created humans to give her abilities to, a secret sect, the history of the marked ones and the Knox who are after them will keep you reading even if you aren’t into the romance between the teens.

Spy spy again true tales of failed espionage

Title: Spy Spy again true tales of failed espionage
Author: Tina Holdcraft
Level: 9-14
Location: J 327.12 HOL 2011

This colorful book is mix of comic type drawings and text with enough interesting stories and facts to keep reader’s engaged. You might not even realize you learned some history too. It covers ancient civilizations through 1985 and includes Greenpeace, Russian submarines, captured spies, and just plain bad plans. Of course spies sometimes have short lives so deaths are also mentioned, but nothing is graphic. The how hard can it be chapter is one parents may want to preview for younger readers as it mentions Mata Hari and describes how she was able to attract people to try and learn their secrets. There aren’t any details, but there may be a few questions after reading it.

Bottom Line: This book will appeal to anyone interested in spies. With colorful panels and short stretches of text it’s perfect for a browsing or reluctant reader looking for short interesting stories as well. It’s written with a slant towards boys, but girls can enjoy it also, I did. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to share the remarkable stories with others.

The Unwanteds

Title: The Unwanteds
Author: Lisa McMann
Level: 8-12
Location: J McMann L.

The Kirkus Reviews blurb on the cover of The Unwanteds is,” The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter.” I would say it’s mostly Harry Potter as the leader of the country creates a dystopian world, but outside of their country the rest of the world is still functioning the same as always. In Quill thirteen year olds attend the annual Purge where the high priest Justine classifies them as wanteds, who attend university, necessaries who become the laborers, or unwanteds, who are shackled and put on a waiting bus for the ride to their deaths. The unwanteds are shocked when upon reaching the Death Farm and being turned over to the eliminators the entire area changes. They are welcomed to Artime by Mr. Today, an amazing wizard, who tells them they were unwanted because they are creative and imaginative which someone reported to the government when they displayed it. The government finds creative thinkers to be a weakness. In Artime the unwanteds have a chance to nurture and develop their creative skills as they also learn to fight with magic. They all know if they are ever discovered Quill will do it’s best to kill them so they can never contact their families. But what if you had a twin who made it through the Purge and was still in Quill? What would you do?

I thought The Unwanteds was a thoroughly imaginative story with characters that grew as the story progressed. I couldn’t help but feel for the teens as they tried to get past the betrayals that brought them to Artime and those that occur later. The family relationships will make you wince and silently cheer. Mr. Today was superb. He is the kind of teacher and leader we would all like to have in our lives. The magic is amazing.

Bottom Line: The Unwanteds has more magic than you can wave a wand at. You may wish you could perform some of the fantastic imaginative spells. Mr. Today is perfect as the wizard who gently leads the thirteen year olds on their journey of learning their creative crafts and reconciling their feelings for the families who let them go so easily. Join the world of Artime with the teens who thought they were going to their death and instead found a creative paradise. The Unwanteds will keep you enchanted.

Book Review: Beautiful Chaos

Title: Beautiful Chaos
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Level: Young Adult
Location: YA Garcia

Spoiler Warning: Beautiful Chaos is the 3rd book in the Caster Chronicles. If you have not yet read Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness, skip ahead to The Bottom Line. This review has spoilers for the first two books.

If you thought Lena claiming herself in Beautiful Darkness was an end to all Ethan and Lena’s troubles, you were completely wrong. Lena’s claiming has left the town of Gatlin on the verge of a full-scale apocalypse, sweltering heat waves, massive earthquakes and ravenous locusts are just a few of the things bent on destroying Gatlin. If that isn’t enough, Ethan is losing memories – parts of his life are simply vanishing from his mind – including the taste of Amma’s cooking. However, when the world is falling apart this time, Amma, Macon and the rest of Lena’s caster family is powerless to stop it. The caster’s abilities are backfiring and Amma is delving into magic darker than any before. Will Ethan, Lena and their friends figure out a way to put a stop to this chaos before it’s too late?

Wow, this was an amazing book! I enjoyed the 2nd book in the series but it did not entirely live up to my expectations. However, Beautiful Chaos, was a home run in every way. I was pretty annoyed with Lena after the last book. In this book, Lena is starting to develop a little more as a character and you understand her past actions much better by the end. You also get some absolutely fascinating glimpses into Seraphine’s past before she was dark caster and right after she was claimed.

Ethan is experiencing a multitude of problems in this book which lends the story its darker tone. The events of the last two books coupled with the plethora of problems he faces in this book help him to develop into a more complete character while simultaneously giving him a bleaker outlook on his situation. Through Ethan’s narration, you really sense the foreboding atmosphere descending on the once-peaceful town of Gatlin. Everything seems to be swirling hopelessly out of control and the stunning cliffhanger ending does nothing to relieve the tension. Have some tissues handy, you will need them! Now that my faith in this series is restored, I am happily looking forward to returning to Gatlin for the fourth and final book. It should be amazing!

The Bottom Line: If you enjoyed the first two books in the Caster Chronicles you will LOVE this one! All of the problems from previous books are nothing compared to the absolute chaos that descends on the people and town in this book. The cliffhanger ending is a little hard to take, but it makes sense for the larger story. Fans will ravenously devour this one and be waiting on pins and needles for the final book due out in 2012.

Legend

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Level: Young Adult
Location: YA Lu

In the future the Republic of America, once known as the western United States of America, is at war with the eastern colonies. The plague is a constant threat, especially if you can’t afford a vaccine. Ten year olds report to a guarded stadium for The Trial, which decides if one gets to go to college and which one, or even high school. Others will be sent to factory jobs and those that fail are sent to labor camps never to be seen again.

Day is considered a criminal and the number one enemy of the Republic. His fingerprints don’t show up in any government records. He’s trying to hurt the Republic and help his family survive. He’s tough, resourceful, observant, and skeptical. He makes bombs, but doesn’t kill people or try to hurt them unnecessarily. He can emphasize and sympathize with others. He seems to be the complete package, combining the good traits of both Peeta and Gail from Hunger Games. He’s more up front than Four in Divergent.

June lives a privileged life with her brother, the only family she has, and attends the top college where at age fifteen she is in her final year. She has a problem following rules, but is totally committed to the Republic. She seems a little gullible at first, but that might be the circumstances of grief. She comes off as a bit of a brat at first, but she starts growing and changing early on in the story. She has the physical abilities of both Katniss (Hunger Games) and Triss (Divergent) plus some. She’s better at faking than Katniss and can figure out when she has been played in time to do something about it.

Both of these characters try to avenge a loved one’s death. Both are very intelligent. Imagine what might happen if they shared information and started connecting the dots when things don’t make sense.

Legend has plenty of action, a change to try to figure things out, suspense, and a bit of romance. A fan of Hunger Games or Divergent here’s a book for you! I really liked the use of a different font and color for the two characters. It made it easy to switch back and forth between the two narratives. The end of the story is a slight disappointment as it could be the end of the story, which isn’t a great ending, actually a fizzle after all the suspense, but it is also written in a way that leaves an opening for more. After all, can they really let the Republic get away with what they know it is doing now.


Bottom Line: Liked it, liked it, liked it! I’ve already recommended the book to three people while writing this review. By the second time I picked it up I didn’t want to put it down until I finished. Legend is a fast read dystopian full of action in what may be a series or trilogy. It has a strong likeable male character, Day, and a strong female character, June, who will grow on you as she grows through the book. Nothing is ever as it seems in a dystopian world and once these two stop fighting each other they uncover the Republic’s secrets and cover ups. Guys will like this one. For fans of Hunger Games and Divergent this is a must read (Unless you hated Mockingjay).

Cinder

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Reading Level: Young Adult
Location: YA Meyer (released January 3, 2012)

In this inventive, futuristic retelling of Cinderella, Cinder works as the top mechanic in New Beijing. As a cyborg, part human and part machine, she attempts to keep a low profile, hiding her abnormalities from the rest of the population to avoid being ostracized. Unfortunately, Cinder catches the eye of the sexy Prince Kai who is struggling with the pestilence spreading through New Beijing as well as the unwanted attentions of the ambitious and ruthless Lunar queen. A marriage alliance with Luna would mean the total takeover of New Beijing but what happens when the Prince unwittingly falls in love with Cinder, the cyborg with a mysterious past? It seems that war with Luna is brewing and Cinder may be involved in more ways than one.

There is a lot to love about this book so we’ll start with the good things. The story is incredibly unique and avoids the pitfalls of sticking zealously to every aspect of the classic Cinderella tale. Cinder is a wonderfully realistic character.  She is tough and confident, but has insecurities and flaws which hold her back at times. In other words, she is not perfect but it is her imperfections that make her genuine. She still has a lot to learn about herself and the world around her which should make for some interesting, future books. The supporting characters also show some depth, particularly Prince Kai and the doctor.

Now for the bad stuff, I really had only one legitimate complaint for Cinder and it is that the descriptions, particularly in the beginning of the book, are horribly lacking. This book takes place in New Beijing (what was once China) and yet none of the characters are described as having any features that one would associate with Asian people today. With the disturbing lack of diversity in young adult literature, I felt this was a wasted opportunity. This lack of descriptive information holds true for the droids (robots that serve humans) and overall setting as well. Considering this is a futuristic novel with a cyborg as the main character, I definitely expected more details than what was provided 150 pages into the book. Of all the books I have read, this is the first time I have ever had this complaint so I tend to think it valid for this title.

This one issue aside, I definitely enjoyed Cinder. It kept me reading ravenously to the early morning hours to see how it would all end and yelling in exasperation when I realized that it was the first in a series.  I have a feeling Cinder will have to work hard to get to her happily ever after, no magical fairy godmothers here! I, for one, am looking forward to the ride.

The Bottom Line: Cinder is an imaginative, futuristic spin on the classic Cinderella story that wisely avoids the pitfalls of sticking too close to the original material.  The likeable main character is both strong and vulnerable. I have a feeling readers will be happy to cheer for her through the upcoming books in this series. Fans of dystopia and fantasy should definitely find something to like here although I think it will appeal more to girls.

The publisher provided me with an Advanced Readers Copy for this review. Cinder will be released on January 3, 2012

Nicholas St. North and the battle of the nightmare king

Title: Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King Book 1 of The Guardians series
Author: William Joyce
Location: J Joyce W.
Level: 7-10 years old

This is the first book in The Guardian series and quite a good start. Nicholas St. North captured me and even after reading the last page I was still in its grasp. It is a well written, imaginative, adventure that is almost a prequel to Santa Claus. This is not a Christmas story and there is no mention of the jolly fellow. Instead it is a story of Omberic, the wizard who protects the town of Santa Claussen, and the man in the moon finding someone who can help them defeat Pitch, the nightmare king And no this book is not likely to give you nightmares. I haven’t read a book like this since The Tale of Desperaux. If your child isn’t reading at the level of this book read it to him/her. You will be creating a childhood memory.
Bottom Line: I loved it! Imaginative and adventurous. Slightly scary in a what’s going to happen way. Nicholas St. North is not jolly or caring at all, but with the help of Omberic and a little girl he begins to transform into a different person. Who knew Santa had such a colorful past!