Pepper Ink

Annabel

2011-10-25T19:30:00.007-04:00

Hardcover, 480 pages

Published March 10th 2011 by Jonathan Cape

In 1968, into the beautiful, spare environment of remote coastal Labrador in the far north-east of Canada, a mysterious child is born: a baby who appears to be neither fully boy nor girl, but both at once. Only three people share the secret - the baby's parents, Jacinta and Treadway, and a trusted neighbor, Thomasina.

The tale of an intersex child growing up into adulthood, Annabel is not the type of book I usually read, and thus it figures as the fresh and original meat of my pile of reads. I think this book is wonderful in the way that it deals with an issue that a lot of people need to relate with; as for if it's actually effective or not, I'm not certain I can entirely argue for or against.

Annabel is written in a very rich, poetic language, and I think that's the biggest pro of the book. I was touched by many quotes and words coming from the characters, and it's definitively an easy read for anyone, making it thus accessible to a wider public.

I will say though that I wasn't particularly hooked by the story. I was very interested in Wayne's/ Annabel's journey, but I feel like it never really met enlightenment. The characters have, of course, greatly evolved; I was most touched by Wayne's father turn of thoughts and epiphany at the end of the book, and this sudden expressive fatherly love. Yet, when it comes to Wayne, a lot of what I was expecting to see didn't really happen; he does not clearly declare himself either male or female, yet keeps living on as a man. Instead he spiritually accepts himself as both gender, and although that is perfectly reasonable and fine and cannot be argued as a plot's flaw (and could even rather be seen as the most rational conclusion to such a existential dilemma), it did not touch me a whole much. Maybe it was the lack of drama that didn't quite make it up to me, the lack of tension and the fact the Wayne sort of... went on with the flow.

Annabel is not a bad book; it's arguably great and even won a prize. It personally didn't do it for me, and I even let go off it for a few weeks before picking it up again. I also feel that I would have liked the story more if it was about a female relating more to masculinity rather than a male relating more to femininity. Would I be wrong saying that male going female cases are more spoken of rather than female going male cases?

Originality: 9.5
Plot: 8
Characters: 8.5
Writing: 9.5
Cliffhangers: 6

Annabel by Kathleen Winter
Rating: 8,3/10

So Silver Bright

2011-10-11T21:51:00.004-04:00

Hardcover, 354 pages

Published September 13th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends

All Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has ever wanted is a true family of her own. And she’s close to reuniting her parents when her father disappears. Now Bertie must deal with a vengeful sea goddess and a mysterious queen as she tries to keep her family – and the Theatre Illuminata – from crumbling. To complicate it all, Bertie is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate.

So Silver Bright was definitively better than its prequels. Even if Matchev has stuck to her random, desultory plot lining where events pile up without much structure and instead with fairy-tale-ish mannerism, the flow of the story is this time easier to catch.

Clearly, tremendous efforts were put in the writing style that came out quite literate, poetic and rich in imagery, even if it sometimes feels like over the top and a tad bit ridiculous with too much metaphors about cake and pie. I nevertheless appreciated this last installment for this very lightness and comedy that the author's writing style and plot brought to the book; I was in heavy need of a sweet, enjoyable read, and So Silver Bright was just my cup of tea.

Plot-wise, I think it concludes the series' well. There are sacrifices as well as lessons learned, and the final answers that we all craved for are given and spun in Mantchev's ever constant original telling. With the final mystery solved, I must admit these books' plotline is truthfully interesting and appealing with originality, and although I still think it could have been carried out better in many ways, I'll drop my reprimands and say everything is good enough in the end.

The main down of the book, and what I consider as a real shame, is that too much attention was given to Bertie. I feel as if Nate and Ariel were ever present only for the love triangle; I can barely recall them doing anything particular except fussing over Bertie or standing by her side. Bertie was always the one doing the confronting, and she ended up with a myriad of magical powers whilst Nate and Ariel never got their chance to be useful. Nate and Ariel never had time to settle their score or just become friends either, and I find that a lot more feelings could have been put in the other characters.

But well, that's all I've really got to say. I'm curious of seeing what other novels Mantchev will create, and I'm also very curious how a motion picture adaption of the series would look like...

Originality: 9
Plot: 8
Characters: 7.5
Writing: 8.5
Cliffhangers: 8

So Silver Bright by Lisa Mantchev
Rating: 8,2/10

-Beryl

Geist

2011-10-11T15:55:00.002-04:00

Paperback, 304 pages

Published January 27th 2011 by ACE

Between the living and the dead is the Order of the Deacons, protectors of the Empire, guardians against possession, sentinels enlisted to ward off the malevolent haunting of the geists...

Among the most powerful of the Order is Sorcha, now thrust into partnership with the novice Deacon, Merrick Chambers. They have been dispatched to the isolated village of Ulrich to aide the Priory with a surge of violent geist activity. With them is Raed Rossin, Pretender to the throne that Sorcha is sworn to protect, and bearer of a terrible curse.

But what greets them in the strange settlement is something far more predatory and more horrifying than any mere haunting. And as she uncovers a tradition of twisted rituals passed down through the dark reaches of history, Sorcha will be forced to reconsider everything she thinks she knows.

And if she makes it out of Ulrich alive, what in Hell is she returning to?

I'm really disappointed I could not find a hardcover or simply bigger version of this book. I'm also surprised the two bookstores I went to only had one or two copies of Geist and Spectyr, because these books should definitively be found in a larger number.

It only took me three days to go through Geist, and I can't wait to purchase the follow up. This novel offers one of the most original and inspiring fantasy universe that I have seen in a long, long time. It's fresh, loaded with action and strong characters and because the book can be relatively considered as an 'Adult book', it's devoid of the sappy, mindless drama that you drown in while reading YA novels.

I loved every single one of the characters. Sorcha with her blunt, strong attitude, Merick with his intelligent but young naivety, Raed and his pirate-ish, cool-headed mannerism. I enjoyed the fact they all brought something to the story and that the plot's fate didn't rest on only one character's shoulders. I loved the fact they all have both weaknesses and strengths. The world Ballantine created is also fantastic and refreshing, and I can't wait to read more. It's been a while since I've looked forward to a sequel like this.

Ballantine is very good at creating a stable, suspenseful plot. Just like with any other fantasy story, there may be a lot of elements to take in, the magic system can seem complicated at first, but I admired the fact all this universe was layered out one bit at the time in a very precise manner, and without some kind of major dumping of information on the reader, or on the contrary, none at all.

Having read other reviews, I observed that a lot of readers stated that the first few chapters were really 'boring and hard to pull through'. I personally disagree. The first chapter of Geist is already hooking the reader to the core of the action, and albeit one or two introductory chapters about the characters themselves and the world, Geist is action-packed till the end. I may even say that that's something to beware of; too much constant rolling action can get very tiresome and ridiculous, but Geist treated everything perfectly. I hope though that in the following sequels there will be less fighting and more interactions, more passive drama and also more deepening of the character's pasts and future.

In any case, I recommend this book to all those fantasy readers out there. Great, great novel and I hope it keeps being great.

Originality: 9.5
Plot: 8,5
Characters: 10
Writing: 8
Cliffhangers: 8.5

Geist by Phillipa Ballantine
Rating: 8,9/10

-Beryl

And we're back on a roll.

2011-10-10T19:39:00.004-04:00

It's really impossible for me to stay away from books for too long, and I'm glad to say I'll be posting up some new, fresh reviews soon. I don't know about Aithen, but I've been spending some of my money on some sweet deals lately, and I'm just dying to share my thoughts online. Look forward to reviews of

'Geist' by Phillipa Ballantine
'So Silver Bright' by Lisa Mantchev
'Annabel' by Kathleen Winter
'The way of Shadows' by Brent Weeks

and many more to come. :)

-Beryl

It has been a while now...

2011-08-10T12:49:00.007-04:00

... since we've reviewed a book! And it may take some time before we update again.

See, it's not that we've fallen out of love for books, it's just that this summer Aithen and I have been concentrating a lot on simply writing! We've been writing our own stories, short and long, roleplaying and also getting ready for NaNoWriMo. We plan on participating this November, and thus we have to get mentally ready to write down 50 000 words in only one month. In September we're also entering College / 'Cegep' / 'Pre-Uni', which is a big change and will assure us a busy schedule.

This goes without saying that we haven't been reading much... It is really just a phase where we enjoy working with our fingers rather than with our eyes, but fear not! Pepper Ink is not dying and we're thankful for the attention we've been given till now! We'll continue on posting reviews whenever we finish a read.

We hope everyone had a great summer till now, and that the greatness continues till the end!

-Beryl

Before I Fall

2011-04-11T19:52:00.007-04:00

472 pages
Published March 2nd 2010 by HarperCollins
Genre: YA Fiction

"What if you had only one day to live?
What would you do?
Who would you kiss?
And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing."

It has been over two months since the site's last review! Gasp! We're awfully sorry, but school has been nipping at our heels. Here's a book I just finished reading a few days ago, and hopefully this review can make up for the lack of any recent ones... and the sparse that are to come until the end of the school year.

Before I Fall! A not so bad read. Telling the story of how a girl lives the same day through an entire week and how she comes to change herself and the people around her, it is an interesting book that is both realistic and relatable to. Samantha Kingston, your vain, simple-minded and bitchy teenage girl who sees the amount of roses you get on Valentine's day as important, suddenly dies on said Valentine day, in a car accident after your generic teen party. The next morning, she wakes up in her bed, on the same exact day. Fun stuff!

In Before I Fall, Oliver makes her protagonist go through the same day seven times, causing her to evolve into a better, nicer person as she realizes that popularity, sex and social power aren't the only things that matter, and that there are better things to concentrate upon. For a novel of 472 pages, there's enough space to clearly witness Samantha's evolution and for the reader to end up liking her. The story itself is gripping and holds some jolting twists at the end. It was my personal pleasure to see the story and mystery behind Sam's death and quest unfold so well.

The same day, seven times? Might be a bit repetitive. It was, on day 3 or 4, but the events vary. Even if I did approach the ending of the book with certain relief and impatience, Before I Fall offers many versions of the same day, and doesn't drag on the details that were already presented earlier. Character-wise, I think the cast is very realistic. All of Samantha's friends are the type of girls that one can classify as 'classical school bitch', and are presented such as that; bitching, being mean and vile, horny and self-centered. Lauren Oliver does, though, show their better side, a deepness to them that the reader doesn't realize at first. The character development is drastic and entirely believable.

Before I Fall captures the narcissistic emotions and feelings of high school very well. I think a lot of people can relate to the book and it's characters, and even if sometimes the repetition threatened to be overwhelming, the book satisfied me. The writing is engaging and flowing. A book I recommend.

-Beryl

Originality: 9
Plot: 8,5
Characters: 9
Writing: 8
Cliffhangers: 7,5

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Rating: 8,4/10

PEPPER INK IS GOING ON SALE

2011-03-21T16:54:00.010-04:00

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN

THE TIME HAS COME TO PRESENT YOU
PEPPER INK, THE SPAZZSTASTIC COMPLETE GUIDE TO YA LITERATURE!!1

26 RENEWED AND REFRESHED REVIEWS,
COUNTING SOME
THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN UPLOADED ON THE BLOG BEFORE!

70 PAGES OF BLUNT CRITICISM,
JUST THE WAY YOU LIKE IT!
THIS IS A MUST GET!

ORDER YOUR COPY NOW!

for the little price of 999,99$

-----------------------------------------

Joke's on you. :P

This was, actually, Beryl's final high school thesis. She wrote a YA literature guide for teens ad this is the result. XD And it is no where near worth 999 bucks.
But, admit it. You were already taking out your wallet. Yes, yes you were.

House Rules

2011-02-17T16:19:00.003-05:00

532 pages
Genre; Fiction
Published March 2nd 2010 by Atria

When your son can’t look you in the eye . . . does that mean he’s guilty?
Jacob Hunt is a teen with Asperger’s syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, though he is brilliant in many ways. But he has a special focus on one subject—forensic analysis. A police scanner in his room clues him in to crime scenes, and he’s always showing up and telling the cops what to do. And he’s usually right.
But when Jacob’s small hometown is rocked by a terrible murder, law enforcement comes to him. Jacob’s behaviors are hallmark Asperger’s, but they look a lot like guilt to the local police. Suddenly the Hunt family, who only want to fit in, are directly in the spotlight. For Jacob’s mother, Emma, it’s a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it’s another indication why nothing is normal because of Jacob.
And over this small family, the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?

I found House Rules a very enlightening read. I often like to take a break from fantasy and science fiction in order to grab a book from which I can learn something new. House Rules explores the many facets of a kid with Asperger's, who has a kick on forensic science, and Picoult does a great job into weaving a fascinating story around him and his family. Picoult has a simple, clear writing style that made it simple to understand everything that was going on, and she made the plot even more interesting by offering different point of views (of the cop in charge of the case, the lawyer, Jacob's brother...). She made me curious about forensic science, too, and I'm probably going to recommend this book too all my friends and relatives who are in criminology.

Yet, sometimes I felt like I was reading Wikipedia. This was the case often; from when Emma, Jacob's mother explained how life with her son worked, to when all the various doctors and psychologies testified at the trial, I had the impression of reading a Wikipedia article. Yes, I did learn a lot, and I do give credit to Picoult for the extensive amount of research she did on Asperger's, but this is a novel, after all. It goes without saying that these walls of text became repetitive, to the point where I felt comfortable in skipping a few paragraphs of testimony (that blabbered about what the reader already knew about Jacob) just to get to the part where the plot advanced.

I also didn't get attached to the characters, except for Jacob. I consider the other characters as too representative of the generic family members struggling with a handicapped child; in this case a young adult with Asperger's syndrome (such as Emma, by example, who was your typical brave mom who loves her child no matter what or Theo, your typical normal brother who his annoyed by all the hardships that come with a 'defective' sibling, and who just wants a normal life). I didn't see them as characters that stood strongly by themselves. Of course, I consider House Rules more like a book that wants to bring a point across than a poetic tale that you enjoy reading over and over again.

It was definitively an interesting read. Slightly predictable too, but very bright and smart.

-Beryl

Originality: 9
Plot: 8,5
Characters: 7,5
Writing: 8
Cliffhangers: 7,5

House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 8,1/10

The Paper Girl

2011-02-15T17:03:00.009-05:00

376 pages
Published March 31st 2010 by XO Editions

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Originally written in French, translation in English not yet available

"Soaked to the bone and completely naked, she appeared on my lawn in the middle of a stormy night.
'Where do you come from?'
'I fell.'
'Fell from where?'
'I fell from your book. I fell from your story, geez!'"

Tom Boyd, a popular author undergoing a writer's block watches as the protagonist from his
novels arrives in his life. She is pretty, desperate, and she's going to die if he stops writing. Impossible? And yet..

Together, Tom and Billie will experience an extraordinary adventure where reality and fiction become intertwined in order to deliver a seductive but dangerous game.

Musso has a simple yet fluid writing style and offers us here a quick novel that is good when you're on a vacation or in the need of a break. Even if he doesn't stand out as an exceptional author, I must say I enjoyed this novel (the first I read by him) quite a lot. Actually, when thinking of this novel, one word pops out in my mind: Lovely.

This is a funny and romantic road story about an author who struggles with his loss of inspiration and heartbreak, about friends overcoming hardships together and of course, about all kinds of love. Musso weaved together a curious plot that kept me hooked till the very last page and surprised me with a twist I honestly hadn't expected.

His characters are all unique and interesting; Billie, the head strong but troubled woman, Tom the depressed but inspiring author, Milo the foolish yet caring friend and Carole, the sturdy cop that started with nothing but rose to the top. Each of the main characters play an important part of the story, from when they are trying to pull Tom out of his depression to dealing with their own troubles from the past. They reach the reader's heart with their many strengths and faults, and I was slightly reluctant in letting them go.

I found the whole book very touching. It's a wonderful story about how books can change people's lives, and not only those of Tom, Billie, etc. It's an easy quick read that takes you all around the world; from the USA to Mexico, France and Italy. It hasn't yet been translated in English, and I don't know when it will be, but I recommend this book for those who want a cute love story with a bit of mystery and true feelings.

I don't acknowledge Musso as a brilliant author and consider his writing style as bit too simplistic, but he sure knows how to plot.

-Beryl

Originality: 8
Plot: 8,5
Characters: 9,5
Writing: 7
Cliffhangers: 8

The Paper Girl by Guillaume Musso
Rating: 8,2/10

Sapphique

2011-01-20T18:41:00.011-05:00

Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are?

Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique.

Catherine's Fisher Incarceron was very satisfying, and I think Sapphique followed the league better than most sequels do. The world of Incarcon is an amazing one; Fisher really knows how to create a world and how to trap the reader in it. Her writing is fluid and rich, and it all got better in Sapphique. I just think that a lot of the book's potential was ruined buy the odd ending.

Sapphique was Incarceron but more pumped. There was more action, more drama, more suspense and Fisher started to admiringly toy with cliffhangers. Already the first chapters have you standing on edge, and its hard to put the book down for the first parts of the book. Sapphique was also alternating between many point of views, giving us a good tour of each and every character and how they were struggling with the inner and outer problems.

I must say I loved the universe Fisher created. It was truly original and fresh, not something I see often in YA litterature. She crafted two wonderful books and I'm glad she didn't extend them into a trilogy, because when authors do that they often slip away from their original goal, and the story becomes a mess.

In Sapphique, I started caring for Jared and Keiro more, and also Incarceron itself. They are my two (three if you count the Prison as a being) favorite characters, simply because I like Jared's soft caring and Keiro's sharp attitude. Claudia, Finn and Attia, development-wise, stayed pretty much the same. I did not get to poke my head into the depths of their persona, and sadly didn't care that much for them. I did not learn much more about the Warden, either, and the unraveling of his true feelings for Claudia was nonexistent. We all knew that their father-daughter relationship was bittersweet, but it was nothing new. Some people were added to the cast, but they did not rise above their roll of supporting characters that are eventually forgotten.

The only drawback in the book is the ending; it felt rushed and was extremely odd. Many elements were left unexplained. The reader is not told the true nature of Incarceron, and why it has a voice, a mind and dreams. The whole concept of 'magicke' that Rix uses and that is the essence of the Glove is left for us to wander about. The dove and the eagle appear many times throughout the book, at various places, but no clear light is made on them either. It's easy to assume and guess the eagle represents the royal family, and the dove, Sapphique, but what was their connection? Another example is when Claudia enters Incarceron while having it in her pocket, it being the little cube on her father's pocket watch. How is this possible? There were many plotholes of this kind.

I an still unsure, and out-mostly confused on Sapphique's case. I liked the fact he was a legend, the hero of a myth whose real existence cannot be proven, and I would have been content on having him stay that. Yet, Fisher incorporated him back into the story in the most bizarre way imaginable, and without concrete explanations. The ending leaves the reader confused and asking for questions, and truthfully, it was just all so odd.

I cannot say the ending satisfied me, even if the rest of the book was amazing. It seems Fisher rushed the last hundred pages into a senseless mess, and its a bit of a shame, I dare say, for so many pages of good stuff to be ruined. The series still stands as a wonderful duo of books that will enchant many Young Adults. It has a brilliantly crafted plot, characters that are perhaps not memorable but fun to follow, but a rushed ending. Go read it still, and I rest my case.

-Beryl

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Rating: 9/10

Thirteen Reasons Why

2011-01-13T16:37:00.009-05:00

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Thirteen Reasons Why is told by the recorded voice of Hannah Baker who, through the faces of seven cassettes, tells the story of how she came to be suicidal and eventually took her own life. Alternating with her tale is Clay Jensen, one of the thirteen people featured on her list. He spends an entire night listening to what she has to say and briefing the reader on his own vision of Hannah when she was still alive and on the few moments they spent together.

Minus the flaws I will speak of later on, this book can be considered as relatively good. I had spotted it long time ago on the shelves of Indigo and heard it was very appreciated throughout the main stream. It was indeed plastered with genuinely good critiques almost everywhere. I nevertheless differ from the main stream opinion, and think that whilst this book can be appreciated for many reasons, it lacks too many things to be considered as strong and true.

With Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher illustrates how the often cruel behaviour of teens leads to unconscious repercussions on others. In this book, it is Hannah who is the punching bag of the many nasty girls and boys that dwell in her school (the classical morons that you as well as I have probably already met once in our life) and who unable her from making friends that she can trust. With his debut novel, Asher tries to portrait how little cruelties piled up can do much harm.

While I agree that high school can be hell for a lot of people I somehow thought it forgot to show and describe how Hannah suffered, and instead we learned it through her narrative, which didn't give the same effect, but I'll get to it later. First of all, the characters.

My opinion on this book can be summarized with this simple statement: I loved what Hannah had to say. I wish I could have said the same about Clay.

Clay was a total gary stu. It is unbelievable how amazingly annoying he was, to the point I started skipping his narrative towards the end of the book. Long story short, he is the adorable, kind and shy but understanding guy that would have been Hanna's 'the one' if he hadn't stepped forward so late. When he receives the cassettes and listens to the first one, he panics, terrorized like a little rabbit and shedding tears every few minutes. Asher gave him a quite important role in the book: he offers the reader a view of Hannah seen by the eyes of an outsider who has no clue why he's on Hannah's list. It is needless to say that Clay fails delivering such a view. All he does is nourish dialogs with Hannah in his head, even though she is dead. Every once in a while the reader has something going around the line of "Why did you do this Hannah?" "Why did you go there? You knew it was dangerous!" "Oh Hannah, what did I do, tell me what I did to you!"

This pitiful whining is not needed to explain Clay's distraught mood, especially since he spends more time saying these lines over and over again instead of really focusing on how he remembers Hannah. Most of the time he simply repeats what she tells in her recordings, but by altering the information with his own words. It is incredibly frustrating and this is why I didn't appreciate the book as much as I could have.

Hannah's character and personality are pretty clear from the beginning: she's an outgoing, smart and mature girl who easily falls in love with poetry. She's slightly rebellious and imaginative, but eventually looses herself as the nagging from the kids all around her becomes constant, and as those she considers friends slowly backstab her. Hannah’s narrative is interesting, since she’s a dead girl getting her revenge. The idea of getting her due back by recording people’s actions on tape and making them listen to them is ingenious and quite chilling. It is truly a good way of shoving the truth into the faces of those who don’t realize how much they hurt people. That is why I was intrigued by what Hannah had to say, and why I could have easily skipped Clay’s narrative.

One of the only issues with this book is that it lacked emotions. Clay failed in giving us the picture of the gradually evolving Hannah, and Hannah's narrative concentrated on describing the events that led her to change, but not how she changed. Asher concentrated too much on making Clay feel sorry for himself and on Hannah describing everything. He forgot about the emotions that needed to come along, and as a reader, I didn’t see Hannah change. Never once in the book did I relate to her. Clay was also so over emotional it seems the author forgot who the suffering victim in his book was.

Lastly, during the reader, I felt disconnected to Hannah’s motives, and constantly felt like they were surrealistic. I know and do understand how few years of bad high school life can destroy and be painful, especially since teenagers are in their full growth and development. The list of misfortunes that Hannah has to endure is clear, and I do agree that most of it is nasty and all, but somehow I am not persuaded. To me Hannah seems like a very strong character, mentality speaking. She has the smarts to rise above the level of teen stupidity and ignore it, but somehow she always gets caught up with it, and chooses to be affected by it, too. Even when she meets Clay and discovers he can be her life-saving boat she chooses to kill herself. High school can be bad, but it doesn't last.

Thirteen Reasons Why will touch some readers. It is a reminder that even when we think we are alone, there is always someone out there that truly cares for us and who is just waiting to help out. I nevertheless met with too many flaws to appreciate this book. It's a good read for Young Adults, and entertaining enough when you ignore Clay's inner monologue. It brings its point across and is highly original, but somehow slipps when it comes to the feelings of the characters. I still encourage teenagers to read this, since it's good for the consciousness of some.

-Beryl

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Rating: 8/10

Pepper Ink's New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-05T21:28:00.006-05:00

It is 2011, and we love the you that follows us in our reviews! We are always so thankful for your comments and for your opinions. You don't know how much it means to us to make a difference and help other book lovers in their reading choices. Yet, in order to provide even better services, we put a few question for you. Please answer honestly; the polls' results will help us improve our reviewing so we can satisfy our darling readers, in other words, YOU.

If there's anything you'd like to tell us, feel free to do so! Opinions, critiques... fire away!

Favorite Books of 2010

2010-12-31T16:29:00.013-05:00

2010 is coming to an end, and so is our first year of existence. We've read and reviewed 66 books over the course of the year, some amazing, some awful, some just average. I believe now is a good time to say which were the best reads of this year. Some were published this year, most were not. We just lay our hands on them during 2010. Without further ado, our top-5 reads of the year :

Aithen's favorite books of 2010

5.

The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray

Wych-kin, similar to what we call demons, run all over London. It is up to Thaniel Fox to rid the city of them. On one of his hunting trips, he encounters a young woman, Alaizabel Cray. I especially loved the world created.

4.

The Alienist
Laszlo Kreisler investigates a series of gruesome murders, all committed on young prostitute boys. He explores the psychology of the murderer in search of clues. What I preferred in this one is the complexity of the plot - every page was more complicated than the last.

3.

Incarceron
Stuck in an alive prison, Finn tries to escape its grasp. Meanwhile, outside the prison, Claudia, the daughter of Incarceron's, the alive prison's, warden, is trying to escape a marriage to a boy she despises. Though at the time, I hadn't given it a very high rating, Incarceron marked me. I can't wait to read the sequel, I've already ordered it!

2.

Feed
People have a chip inside their head that constantly gives them the latest updates on everything - fashion, games, vacation locations. Titus, a normal teenager, meets Violet, a young girl who rather dislikes her feed and the capitalist society that comes with it. There was so much emotion in this book, it overflowed. The world was frightening, yet amazing.

Unwind
In a world where troublesome children, orphans and tithes can be unwound (have all their organs removed and donated), three Unwinds, Connor, Lev and Risa are running from their fate. The horrifying scenes and terrifying world in this book were what made Unwind memorable for me - I still think of them sometimes and cringe.

Beryl's favorite books of 2010

5.

The Hunger Games

In Panem, every year, two children from twelve districts are chosen to compete against each other in an arena. The last person alive wins. The Hunger Games has a message, and this message is very clear. It is the perfect presentation of humans' cruelty and of how some people see many things as simple games that they watch from high above. It is the start of a good trilogy, but it's the best of all three books.

4.

Noughts and Crosses

In a world where the white are persecuted and the black rule the world, and where both races are not supposed to mingle, Callum and Sephy struggle to love each other. This book really brings in a fresh point of view and slaps discrimination in our faces. It is true and tragic, and I recommend it to all young adults.

3.

The Lovely Bones

Susie Salmon was murdered on December 6, 1973, after being raped. It's from her gazebo in heavens that she tells the story of how her family survives her loss and how life goes on. I had trouble putting this book down. It was filled with so many emotions it brought me to tears. It is a beautiful story that proves that after the greatest tragedy, not all is lost and that life keeps on going...

2.

The Book Thief

In Nazi Germany, Liesel Meminger, a little girl adopted by a foster family, starts an amazing love affair with books and words. I will always remember this book for its wonderful characters and truthfulness, and how Zusak succeeded in showing a side of Nazi Germany that I didn't know. Told by the point of view of Death and written in a very original way, this is a must read.

1.

The Garden of Everlasting Spring

One of the most beautiful and inspiring stories I ever read. It is the tale of the Laguna women who struggle against their curse of unhappy love throughout many generations. The characters are memorable and deep, and the writing is elegant and extremely rich. This book is for all who crave true love.

Happy New Year! And our best wishes for the upcoming year. May you read as much as you want!

The Graveyard Book

2010-12-27T22:42:00.005-05:00

After his family was murdered, a little boy wanders into a graveyard, where the ghosts decide to let him live with them and protect him from the murderer still searching for hi. Raised by spirits, the boy, named Nobody, will stay with his adoptive parents and guardians until he reaches manhood.

I got a lot of money for Christmas (people never know what to get me, so they opt for gift cards for book shops), and The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman, is the first book I bought with my new (and temporary) riches. Wonderful, wonderful book, in all aspects, and even if it's sometimes labelled as a children's book, it's much more than that.

First of all, I had never personally seen a story about a child being raised by ghosts, in a graveyard. Sure, there are lots of ghost stories out there, but this one struck me as truly unique, and was well enough executed to excuse any resemblances to other novels.

The characters are amazing. Bod, short for Nobody, is growing up in a graveyard. Obviously, he's different from the other children, and Gaiman really has the trick to make his characters believable. Bod really grows throughout the novel, and has an amazing depth I can only admire. The crew of ghosts and spirits that raises Bod is also very diversified, and though none of them are as well developed as Bod himself, they are all unique.

The way this story was written was in a series of short stories, memorable moments of Bod's childhood. Most of them don't have much of a link between them, but that doesn't really matter. The tales of Bod's life are all equally adorable and they all draw you into the story. What I really liked, though, was how even though each story could stand alone, there was an actual plot : Jack wants, needs, to kill Bod. It was introduced in the first chapter, and concluded in the last, each story bringing its own contribution to the evolution of the story.

The only thing this book lacked was explanation. The book raised many, many questions, and hardly any of them were actually answered. Who is the Honour Guard, what do they do, how did they come to be? Where do the Jacks of All Trades come from, what is their purpose, who prophesied their death? I wish the book had provided answers to all these questions and more.

Overall, even though many side stories and plots in the book were left hanging, I thought it was a wonderful book. I didn't stop reading for an instant once I opened it. I read on the ride home, on the sofa, on the other sofa when my brother pushed me out of the TV room. I read it in a single sitting, and I couldn't have put it down if I had wanted to. I recommend it to everyone, young and old. It has the power to charm any reader, even if the years during which they were Bod's age are far, far away. After all, this childhood tale is, as Neil Gaiman said himself, also one about parenting.

-Aithen

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Rating : 9/10

A Thousand Splendid Suns

2010-12-24T12:49:00.005-05:00

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan's last thirty years, from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding, that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives, the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness, are inextricable from the history playing out around them.

The very first issue I had with this book was that I didn't like reading about a woman that is married against her will and that is afterward beaten for various reasons and trapped in an unhappy marriage. Because this is also the story of many real women, I felt bad and didn't enjoy reading the first few chapters. I nevertheless pushed myself and made it to the end rather satisfied.

I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns mainly because I wanted to learn something new. This book is rich in history and culture of Afghanistan, and I'm glad it enlightened me.

This is the story of Mariam and Laila who survive the many conflicts in Afghanistan and also the hardships of their marriage to the same man, Rasheed, your typical cruel husband who beats and reduces the freedom of his wives. It's the story of how, despite those hardships, they create a family and find happiness after many years of death and war.

The book is written in the point of view of Mariam and Laila, and alternates between the two. The plot itself is quite good, but to me most of the characters seemed flat, at the beginning especially. There isn't much I could say about any of them. They aren't memorable characters, either, and got better only towards the ending of the book. Look how short my review is! I really don't have much to say about it. It is a book that will be appreciated for the mass of information it contains, for its message and meaning, but not for the characters.

I think this story should be read for the context and history it presents. It definitively has something to teach, but I consider A Thousand Splendid Suns as the kind of book that is only good to read if you want to get a good portrait of some chunk of history: The characters are flat, the writing style is simple and uninspiring, and so all you pay attention to or remember after the read is the drama and the moral.

-Beryl

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Rating: 7,7/10

Books that will become movies : Incarceron

2010-12-23T15:05:00.007-05:00

Incarceron's review is here

No. I can't believe it.

And that was supposed to sound really, really depressed and annoyed.

So Fox 2000 is going to make a movie out of Incarceron. Super! I loved that book. I hope it'll follow the book's plot enough for me to appreciate it. I'm also anxious for Sapphique to come out in Canada, so I can buy it. I'm literally counting down days, and there are 5 left.

But guess who's been casted as Finn.

Taylor Launtner.

THIS GUY. -->

TAYLOR LAUNTNER. THE WEREWOLF DUDE THAT JUST SHOWED OFF HIS BODY FOR THE TWILIGHT SAGA.

That just ruined it for me. He hasn't proven he can act, and he doesn't even fit the role! Finn isn't supposed to be over-the-top gorgeous (I don't think Taylor Launtner is gorgeous, but the fangirls do), he's an awkward misfit that looks ugly compared to his buddy.

Whatever. I'll go see it anyways, and review it anyways, but right now, I am so.pissed.off. I had high expectations for this book, the book itself fulfilled them, but THIS? I guess I'll have to wait to see the movie to really judge it, but I can hardly believe they actually casted Taylor Launtner as Finn. Ugh.

Zombies vs. Unicorns

2010-12-19T11:29:00.013-05:00

It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths—for good and evil—of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

Aithen's Review

This was a pretty awesome anthology, to say the least.

I adore zombies (though as a kid, I was a fervent believer that unicorns existed and would be back to save the world - some day), and I was already 100% team zombie before I even started reading this anthology. But that didn't stop me from loving many team unicorn stories (even if the zombies were better, in the end).

Something I really loved is the little introductions Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier gave before each story. They were really funny, and it was cute to see them argue about which kind of mythical creature was best.

It was amazing to see all the different stories that could be done with the theme. Every single one was different, even if a zombie or unicorn had to play a main part. They were all quite different, and that is what made every single story interesting.

Of course, I won't review every single story in the book, but I'll tell you the highlights of my read:

- The Children of the Revolution, by Maureen Johnson
A seriously deranged story that sent shivers down my spine. My favourite story of all. No story can even start to amaze me as much as this one. I had never heard of the author before, but I am definitely hunting down more of her books with my Christmas money.

- The Care and Feeding of your Baby Killer Unicorn, by Diana Peterfreund
A really amazing unicorn story. Killer unicorns? Count me in! This story was really, really cool, and the best of the unicorn stories. If all unicorn stories were as good as this one, maybe my unconditional zombie love would've wavered. Maybe.

- Inoculata, by Scott Westerfeld
A strange spin on a zombie story. Zombie-human hybrids are extremely interesting, and the fact that the main love-story is between two girls just adds to the awesomeness.

- Princess Prettypants, by Meg Cabot
Absolutely hilarious, this story kept me laughing all through physics class (don't do like me, kids, reading in class is bad, bad bad XD). It was a caricature, really, of the sparkling purple and white unicorns of our childhood, and it was exquisitely done, too. Another author I've never heard of and am going to read more from. (Okay, wait, scratch that. ALL her stories are sparkling-colorful-girlish stuff. Guhh. )

These stories could've given this book an easy 10. Sadly, some of them weren't as good (Like Cassandra Clare's Cold Hands. I was so disappointed with it, and I already didn't really like her books and wasn't expecting too much. Margo Lanagan's A Thousand Flowers actually disgusted me. Bestiality? With a unicorn? Uh, sorry, but no. Hating that.) and made me want to give this book a 6. That's the problem with anthologies, I guess. Some stories are amazing, some aren't, and you have to live with it. Overall, though, it was really excellent, and I recommend it to all zombie-, unicorn-, and fantasy-lovers out there.

What team will you be on? Zombie, or unicorn?

The awesome-tastic promotional video

-Aithen

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
Rating : 8,5/10

Beryl's Review

I'll tell you which story I liked, and which I didn't.

Those that I liked:

Love Will Tear us Apart (Alaya Dawn Johnson): This story is told by the point of view of a zombie, which I found interesting, since no other story did this. All the thoughts and the mentality of the protagonist who is actually the zombie really gave a cool insight.

Purity Test (Naomi Novik): Hilariously ridiculous. It's the kind of story that is so silly you just love it.

The Children of the Revolution (Maureen Johnson): This story was funny, but I found it a bit generic. I know Maureen Johnson is a popular and good author, but I found her story a bit unoriginal. She took the base concept of zombies and made her characters turn into them. Let's say there was no new element. She didn't try to redo the concept of zombies in her own way. The reading was nevertheless good.

The Care and Feeding of your Baby Killer Unicorn (Diana Peterfreund): I think this one is my favorite. I just found it really fun to read and I couldn't wait to learn what happened to the baby unicorn.

Inoculata (Scott Westerfeld) : This story had an interesting concept, and kudos for the lesbian pairing.

Princess Prettypants (Meg Cabot): I laughed so hard while I read this. This story really made me pity and relate to the protagonist. It's another of my favorite stories.

The Third Virgin (Kathleen Duey): The story is told by the point of view of a unicorn, and so it's another interesting insight. Loved the ending.

Prom night (Libba Bray): Libba Bray has a usual succeeded in creating this atmosphere that makes the reader want to keep reading. Her short story really seemed like the beginning of an awesome novel. It only lacked a bit more of zombie action.

Those I didn't like

The Highest Justice (Garth Nix): Very dull, lack of characterization, and a mess overall. I browsed through it quickly instead of wasting my time reading it.

Bougainvillea (Carrie Ryan): It had a nice decor and setting, but the rest was boring.

A Thousand Flowers (MargoLlanagan): Somewhat weird. A failed attempt at creating a sort of fairytale with bestiality. What I hated most was that the story was told by the point of view of three persons, but in the 1st person. You don't write a few pages using the 1st person point of view, because it has the effect that the reader quickly gets attached to the narrator. If you kill the narrator off a few pages after, and switch to another person, the reader is destabilized. The transactions from person to person were also messy.

Cold hands (Cassandra clare): Boring. It's Cassandra Clare, after all.

-Beryl

Rating : 9/10 (if you don't count the bad stories)

The Book Thief

2010-12-17T19:21:00.006-05:00

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

This is a magnificent story about the power of words set in Nazi Germany, where Death tells the tale of a little girl who started an affair with books that eventually saved her life.

The writing is rich and Zusak toys with the words like only the best authors do; those that write for the joy of doing so. He painted the book like you paint an artwork, but with the use of words alone. The story flows easily and the plot is ingenious while being very simple. It stretches on four years, from the moment Liesel Memminger meets her foster family until the 'end of the world' arrives. This book is filled with feelings. The reader can definitively not ignore them.

The characters are true and it is hard to let go of them. You do not love them at first sight. You grow to love them, and I think that is what makes them such good, strong and willing characters. What I loved the most about The Book Thief was of how the narrator was Death. It fits, I think, for after all, the World War II was all about death, and death had become man's best friend. But in this book, instead of having a cruel and merciless picture of the end itself, Death is afraid of humans, and is described in almost a gentle way. It makes me want to believe that when I die, it is this Death that I shall meet.

Zusak offers the reader a different perspective on Nazi Germany, one where more than one person despises Hitler and his doings, and where children see Hitler's Youth as boring. It never occurred to me that German children could see Hitler's Youth as boring, or even have the opportunity to think so. But here you have Rudy defying his Hitler's Youth leaders and Liesiel adopting the uncanny hobby of book stealing.

This book is truly beautiful, and on the way to become a classic. It is a must-read that you should have on your shelf.

-Beryl

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Rating: 9,8/10

The Explosionist

2010-12-17T17:14:00.004-05:00

The Explosionist (formerly known as Dynamite No. 1) is the story of a 15-year-old girl growing up in an alternate version of 1930s Edinburgh. There, the legacy of Napoleon's victory a century earlier at Waterloo is a standoff between a totalitarian Federation of European States and a group of independent northern countries called the New Hanseatic League. This world is preoccupied with technology (everything from electric cookers to high explosives) but also with spiritualism, a movement our world largely abandoned in the early 20th Century; Sigmund Freud is a radio talk-show crank, cars run on hydrogen and the most prominent scientists experiment with new ways of contacting the dead.

I thought this book was rather ordinary, and definitely not worth all the excitement I had over reading it, and finding it with Beryl at the bookshop for 2$. Lets just say I understand why it was only 2$.

First of all, this was extremely hard to understand. And not in a mysterious, interesting way. In the sense that the author never gave explanations or descriptions of the main, important events. Dialogues were often downright cut out and resumed into a paragraph. It was always unclear to me what was happening.

The timeframe was also extremely unclear. Up until the 3rd chapter, I thought it happened today (when I finally discovered it was in the past, it was rather shocking, actually, and I thought it was in the 1950s). And then, I was absolutely convinced it was a normal world, with no spins on history, and I only had a hint that it was an alternate history when a whole chapter, the 5th, was completely devoted to History. Never assume your readers know everything you know. Never assume they know History as well as you do, because they don't. They haven't spent hours researching the subject. No, I didn't have the slightest idea that Napoleon had lost at Waterloo in our world, and won in theirs. These are things that need to be explained early on in the book, when writing science-fiction.

Sci-fi lesson 101 : Introduce your reader to the world you've created within the first page, ideally, because the reader always assumes everything is exactly like in his world unless proved wrong.

Some details appear at random, and that can be quite annoying. Like Sophie's carsickness that suddenly starts to manifest itself in the end, while throughout the whole book she rides around in cabs and trams and never feels the slightest bit queasy.

Finally, the technology gets way too strange. I could've accepted the fact that mediums and spirits could communicate easily and were quite common, if it had been on its own. I could've accepted the whole turning-teenage-girls-into-emotionless-zombies-thanks-to-technology on its own. But combined together, they make a strange mix. Plus, neither element is the centre of the story. By the way, the actual plot isn't really introduced or explained until the last chapters!

Despite all this, I thought it was a rather remarkable idea, and the whole concept was quite amazing, frankly. I never saw such a unique alternate history, neither one that had such a source. It was really quite a compelling idea. It was simply quite poorly executed.

I had no fun reading it, and it was actually a laborious read. I constantly had to stop reading to simply think at what the author meant, and even the greatest idea can't overcome the description problems. In the end, it kind of felt like a childish Spy-Kids kind of plot and book, and greatly disappointed me. Definitely could have been better.

- Aithen

The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson
Rating : 6/10

The City of Ember

2010-11-22T16:31:00.006-05:00

From Goodreads: The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever!

I read this book years ago, and fell in love with it at first sight. It was an amazing read. As a young teenager, I didn’t think science-fiction could get any better than this. The characters spoke to me, the setting marvelled me, the story had me on the edge of my seat. When I found out a movie was going to be made about it, I squealed. Literally. And excitedly jumped up and down for about five minutes.

I have reread it with critical eyes. I found that even though I still appreciated the book, I no longer adored it like when I was younger. I was nonetheless drawn in and interested throughout the book. That, I believe, is the true mark of a good children’s book: it can mesmerize teenagers and adults as well as children.

The characters were interesting, and well constructed, though many things were left untold. I would’ve liked a little more characterization, but then again, it’s a children’s book; so if it were any longer it probably would’ve discouraged the less motivated readers.

The world created was probably what I loved best, and I remember, for weeks after reading this book, how I had an unhealthy obsession with caves. Indeed, the world Lina and Doon live in is built entirely underground, in a huge, brightly-lit, cave. I loved how it was completely decrepit, and how everyone lived in a perpetual state of need, and how there wasn’t enough of anything anymore and the people of Ember had to adapt and recycle literally everything. The ever-lasting longing every citizen of Ember felt for things as essential as food was extremely well described, and this is probably one of the strongest points of the book, with the world-building: the beautiful yet simple very descriptive writing.

The plot in itself is also interesting, though not quite original enough for me to love it. Indeed, it is a basic, simple, “we need to save the world” plotline, with not much twist to it. If it wasn’t for the amazing world, it probably would’ve been a very bland book. So don’t read this book expecting to see an amazing story, because there isn’t one: the true impressiveness of this book lies in the city of Ember itself.

It is a good read; fun, without being light-headed, serious, without drowning the reader in dark themes and nerve-wracking plot-lines. Some issues were still talked about, like corruption, poverty and how a society faces a crisis, but it wasn’t painfully moralizing like some other books. Overall, a nice, quick read that I recommend to those of you who still feel young at heart and want a fast-paced, interesting novel for a weekend’s entertainment.

-Aithen

The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau

Rating: 7,7/10
P.S.: This book has been made into a movie, but I haven’t seen it yet and the critiques about it are awful. Do any of you have comments about this?

The Garden of Everlasting Spring

2010-11-20T15:08:00.009-05:00

The curse hanging over the Laguna family ruins golden-eyed Clara’s love. The distress thrown on the girl causes a miracle to happen; the red house’s garden starts to bloom all year around despite nature’s laws. Women from the next generations live condemned by the merciless fate of unhappy love, loneliness and revenge. Will any of them manage to reverse their destiny? "The Garden of Everlasting Spring" is written in a colorful language. It is a multi-generational saga, where the heroines fall in love only once - for life. It is a stunning and inspiring story of hidden passions, sinful pleasures and about the power of love.

This book was originally written in Spanish, and it seems it has only been translated to Polish for now, so no, it isn't available in English. Yet, when it comes out, I really, really recommend readers that are fan of romance and drama to buy it.

I was in Poland, in my little southern village called Iwonicz Zdroj, when I bought this book. The cover was like a magnet. (I need to brag about how polish publishing houses know how to choose the best covers, even more beautiful than the American ones. :P ) I must say I wasn't disappointed by this novel, and if it wasn't for school, I would have already read it. I can't believe such a masterpiece was left unread for 3 months!

In Spanish; "The house of impossible love", and in Polish; "The Garden of Eternal/Everlasting Spring", is the kind of book that is so good you fear of reading it for too long, and end up reading it bits by bits, enjoying it slowly, and looking forward to the next time you'll pick it up. The books that I read this way are rare, but they always come out as my favorite works, the kind I can read over and over again.

This story is first of all a saga, and it starts in Spain, in a little village in the mountains around 1896. It is the story of multiple characters, that spreads over an entire century. Some might be ready to argue that because the characters live and die, and new ones appear, none of them are developed sufficiently enough for the 340 pages that contains the book. Wrong. The book is all about the characters, their love, misery, happiness. Their story is narrated so well that we very easily get to know them. I must say I loved all of the characters. They all had their faults and strengths, and every woman brought something new. The relationships were explored on all sides, and even when the time if a character came and went, her deeds weren't forgotten. They were mentioned again later in the book. Their presence never disappeared.

Another thing I loved about this book is that it's a saga. It takes place during an entire century. The changes of times, the world's evolution, all that was magnificently portrayed. I loved seeing the characters grow up, pass from childhood to adulthood and then give birth to the next girl, and watch the curse take effect each time. Of course it isn't really a 'curse'. The story has nothing to do with magic and spells. It's a beautiful tale of love and passion, and how it isn't love that dies, but ourselves.

The writing; Exquisite. Inspiring. Beautiful. Masterpiece. The book itself is a masterpiece in my eyes. The writing made the world come alive; the smells, every shadow and light, the colors, the characters themselves. There's only one book whose writing ever inspired me so much, and it was Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty (and its sequels).

I have nothing negative to say. This book isn't filled with action. It isn't a thriller you read in one sitting. it isn't Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games. It also isn't a cliche and sappy romance story like Twilight. It's this beautiful thing you don't want to die. I think it deserves a prize of some sort.

-Beryl

The Garden of Everlasting Spring by Cristina Lopez Barrio Rating: 9,7/10

Interview With The Vampire

2010-11-09T23:15:00.008-05:00

This is the book that started it all. We are in a small room with the vampire, face to face, as he speaks--as he pours out the hypnotic, shocking, moving, and erotically charged confessions of his first two hundred years as one of the living dead.

I have never liked vampires very much, not before reading Twilight and certainly not after reading it and a couple of other YA vampire novels. Having read only pathetic baits for crazed teenage fangirls craving sappy romance, also meaning to bring in lots of cash and standing as potential sources of horrible movies, I never really got to get familiar with the true vampires. Of course, I knew about the blood drinking and the coffin-sleeping, but a friend of mine persuaded me to read this, in order to enjoy a real and worthy vampire novel. Interview With The Vampire did not make me like vampires more, but it certainly made me see the real picture, and I'm grateful for that.

Honestly, Twilight and everything that came afterward is negligible compared to Anne Rice's first vampire novel. This book was not about sparkling brooding vampire teens, but about real vampires, those who lived in the 18th century, who slept in coffins, fed of humans at night and wore silky jabots and embroidered suits, hiding from the sun and the fire. I liked that I was confronted to the real monster instead of some ridiculous falsity named Edward Cullen, and that I got to experience the life of a vampire beside the characters, the life of the vampire as the world knew it. Anne Rice crafted her book around the original version of the blood-drinking creatures, but by still adding a bit of her own to it.

The reason why I loved these vampires so much was due to the writing. The scenes when they attacked their victims, drank their blood and tore the skin were so rich, so well described it was a great pleasure to read. It was as if you were there, on the scene, seeing everything with your own eyes! Even if I read the book in French, I can guess by the varied vocabulary and the numerous metaphors that Anne Rice is a competent writer. Her descriptions were full and beautiful. She truly brought the beauty of the world during the 18th century to the reader's eyes.

I shall say that these are the two major things I love in this book; the very well exploited concept of vampires, and the masterful writing that crafted this book.

Interview With The Vampire is nevertheless not a very action-packed book. The story revolves around Louis de La Pointe du Lac, who has been turned into a vampire by Lestat, with who he thereupon lives before adding another character to the group, Claudia, a young girl that will from the moment she is turned into a vampire be trapped in the body of a five-year old. The story is narrated by Louis, and it is the story of a vampire's slow birth throughout 200 years. Those who expect great mysteries, lots of action, romance and drama will be disappointed. The drama is delivered sufficiently, but Interview With The Vampire is a very deep and psychological book. Throughout the entire novel we follow Louis as he mediates on his case and the cases of others, and so the readers has to go through long, elaborated, meticulous dialogs or walls of text about bad and good, God and Devil.

I personally didn't relish it so much. I loved all the reflecting and the deepness of the story, but I'd rather have a bit more action, a bit more plot in what I read. This book can be said to have no plot, actually, since it simply recalls a part of life of a certain character. The plot itself is the series of events. This is why I my appreciation of the book was moderated until the last 100 pages, where things picked up a bit more.

The characters. I can't say I liked any of them, and here is why: Louis was terribly dull, weak, and easy to manipulate. He easily accepts any misfortune fallen upon his shoulders without fighting back, and lets the others pull him by the ears. Lestat was terribly conceited, whiny and arrogant, to the point where you wonder why Louis ever put up with him. Claudia was a spoiled and egoistic brat, the type you should get rid of as quickly as possible. These characters didn't harvest your sympathy or pity, and mainly got on your nerves most of the time. That's why I didn't like any of them.

Yet I still bore with each of them, for the simple reason that they were developed, something most characters lack in today's book. Even if the characters themselves didn't have a persona that pleased me, I was still interested in why they were like this and how it acted on the other characters. Let's take Louis, by example. Louis was always so confused and afraid of his nature of vampire, simply because as a mortal, he had been very close to God, and that one day he woke up immortal, killing of humans, which totally shattered his conception of good and bad. He loved Claudia as his child, the child he had educated and shared his passion for books and knowledge he couldn't have shared with Lestat. Lestat, on the other hand, was hungry of luxury and wealth, for as a mortal he had never gotten any of those things, and now that he was immortal, there was no reason not to seek all he desired. Claudia was the woman trapped in the body of a five-year old, weak physically, frail and in need of care, something she didn't want to. She kept on trying to act like a woman, but how could that look on the face of a child? She loved Louis as a lover, but Louis loved her as a father.

And so, all of these characters were crafted with such realistic weaknesses, with so much behind their unlikable personas, that I almost didn't mind that I didn't like them.

Another flaw in Anne Rice's novel is the very vague use of 'love'. There was a lot of 'love' between the characters; Louis and Claudia, Claudia and Madeleine, Louis and Armand, even between Louis and Lestat. Yet, this love was never defined. Was it a romantic, fatherly or friendly love? In most cases I never understood what were the characters' feelings.

Thus, as you see, this book has many flaws but also good points. Personally, it didn't blow me away. It didn't mark me emotionally, neither did it inspire me. But it opened my mind; I learned new things and met the true nature of the vampire. I know there are several other books following, but I'll pick them up another day. I highly recommend this book for those who want better than Twilight and its numerous imitations.

-Beryl

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice
8,2/10

The Giver

2010-11-04T16:17:00.005-04:00

From Goodreads: In the "ideal" world into which Jonas was born, everybody has sensibly agreed that well-matched married couples will raise exactly two offspring, one boy and one girl. These children's adolescent sexual impulses will be stifled with specially prescribed drugs; at age 12 they will receive an appropriate career assignment, sensibly chosen by the community's Elders.

This is a world in which the old live in group homes and are "released"--to great celebration--at the proper time; the few infants who do not develop according to schedule are also "released," but with no fanfare.

Lowry's development of this civilization is so deft that her readers, like the community's citizens, will be easily seduced by the chimera of this ordered, pain-free society. Until the time that Jonah begins training for his job assignment--the rigorous and prestigious position of Receiver of Memory--he, too, is a complacent model citizen. But as his near-mystical training progresses, and he is weighed down and enriched with society's collective memories of a world as stimulating as it was flawed, Jonas grows increasingly aware of the hypocrisy that rules his world.

With an eerie futuristic setting, Lowry is once again in top form--raising many questions while answering few, and unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers.

We are so sorry for the lack of updates! Beryl and I are in our senior year of high school, and we didn’t think it was so much work! We’re both overachievers, so we hardly have any time for books and this site. Please stay with us, though! We’ll try to read enough to provide you a few reviews every month.

The Giver is a book the juniors read every year at our school, and they kind of hate it. All of them hate it, really, without exception. I don’t see why, though. I absolutely loved this book, even though it was rather plot-less. It was a book of feelings, and the author has the amazing ability to transmit her emotions through her words.

Jonas, our protagonist, is brave and intelligent, even in his young age. He has started to see things others don’t see, and has been chosen to be the next Receiver of memories of his community. The Receiver knows everything. He is taught everything of a world before Sameness, of the world we live in.

The world built is perfect, supposedly. But to me, it is simply eerie. A guy with whom I was talking claimed it was a magnificent utopia; I call it a disturbing dystopia. I guess it’s just how you look at it, really. Nonetheless, it was a fascinating world I would gladly read more about. I would hate to live in a gray world where everyone is the same. Colors and art are such an important part of my life, I would be unable to live without it, and the way this world works captured me. Who would’ve thought to create a world where people willingly accept never to think, never to choose, don’t ever see color, but also a world with no war, no fear, no hard choices?

The Giver is a book of tenderness, emotion, and feelings. It is amazing. It can make you feel the warmth of Christmas, make you fall in love with colors all over again, show you an orange sunset and give you the calmness that comes with it. But it also can make you disgusted with the world by showing you pain and hunger, though not with as much efficiency as it gives the happier feelings. I highly recommend and praise this book. I didn’t find it had much of a plot, but that might be because I didn’t fully understand the ending I recommend it nonetheless. It is a book you feel in your heart and cherish once you are done.

-Aithen

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Rating: 8/10

Freak Show

2010-09-30T17:06:00.009-04:00

Meet Billy Bloom, drag queen extraordinaire and new student at the ultra-white, ultra-rich, ultra-conservative Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy. Actually, "drag queen" does not begin to describe Billy and his fabulousness. Any way you slice it, Billy is not a typical seventeen-year-old, and the Bible Belles, Aberzombies, and Football Heroes at the academy have never seen anyone quite like him before. But thanks to the help and support of one good friend, Billy's able to take a stand for outcasts and underdogs everywhere in his own outrageous, over-the-top, sad, funny, brilliant, and unique way.

Hm.
Ahh.
I'm not too sure what to think of this one.

I'm having difficulty buying it, honestly.

Life, for Billy, goes from getting his brains bashed in during biology class to running for homecoming queen.

Yes, you've guessed it: Billy is a drag queen, and an over-the-top fabulous one at that.

I (miraculously) found this at the library; I'd been wanting to read it for a few weeks. So I picked it up and started reading immediately (even though common sense told me to finish the other 20 books on my pile first). At first, it wasn't too bad. Billy seemed to be a great character, and if it wasn't for ALL THAT ANNOYING RANDOM CAPITALIZATION AND ITALICS AND BOLD TEXT, I thought, at the time, that this would be (another) great coming of age gay book.

Wrong.

I'll give it to you, it was a real shocker of an eye-opener. The bashing, at the beginning, especially had me moved. The life 17-year-old Billy leads is somewhat too realistic for me to bear, since I'm positive kids get beaten to a pulp for who they are in these crazy hell holes we call 'high-school'.

But then, Billy just didn't learn. He shows up in Drag garb again, and again, and again. He made me groan in exasperation. Sure, he's a great model of determination and resilience and knows exactly what he wants, and who he is, and has the courage to be who he is, but then... There seems to be nothing under the makeup. He seems to be just an empty husk at times. Fine, he has interests in everything stereotypically gay but... Does that make him a deep and meaningful character?

One thing I don't know, though, is whether the gay community would take this book as an insult or a touching cry of a teenage boy. Billy is OVER THE TOP. He's... Too much. Sure, there are Drag Queens in real life too. I acknowledge and accept it.

But, even whilst being incredibly true and powerful, Billy's CAPITALIZED speech and maneurisms and obsession with looking like a freak (his word, not mine) somehow doesn't ring true. Indeed, there just something... in the random capitalization... and how he never learns... and is practically a masochist... and then the cool kid who becomes his best friend... That makes me sceptical about the whole thing. He kind of loses points for credibility, to say the least.

Two things I have to give the author is that, first of all, he has exceptional vocabulary. Honestly, once or twice I needed a dictionary to figure out what he really meant in a said sentence. And the pop culture references were also varied and numerous. Secondly, there were one or two moments where I burst out laughing during class and got a few weird looks from my piers. There were also a lot of funny moments that made me smile, but I wouldn't say the whole book was laugh out loud funny. I got pretty dramatic at times.

In retrospect, I'd say it is a good read, and definitely a mind-opener. Recommended as the next book you'll order from the library, but not necessarily from the bookstore.

Aww, shoot. Now I'm writing with excessive italics and CAPITALS.

- Aithen

Freak Show by James St-James
Rating: 7,7/10

Mousetraps

2010-09-24T20:45:00.011-04:00

Back in grade school, Maxie and Rick were best friends. Rick would design crazy inventions, and Maxie, the artistic one, would draw them. Then something terrible happened to Rick, and he vanished from her school and her life. Years later, he shows up at Maxie's high school. In some ways he's the same person she once knew. But in other ways - frightening ones - he's very, very different . . .

Warning: This rant will contain spoilers.

I picked this really short novel up at the library because I was dumped there for 5 hours after school yesterday. Reading this book passed the time, but I can't say I liked it or felt more elevated after reading. In fact, there wasn't much good in this book.

It started out seeming promising, though rather cliché: a guy comes back to high school, meeting his best friend from grade school again, with whom he'd lost touch since a mysterious incident in middle school. It sounded promising; this, coupled with the fact that many minor characters were gay, drew me into the story at first.

Sadly, as I read on, I got more and more frustrated.

First of all, I was irked by the random describing at the most dramatic times. I know the main character is an artist, but I swear, when you're having a huge argument with your best friend, you will definitely not stop to look at a robin fly through the air, and how his feathers clash with the bright blue sky. I was really annoyed, because this occured so many times. It seems to me that the author's editor asked her to write more descriptions or something, and that she added them at random.

Also, there seemed to be no character development at all, and even less descriptions of the characters. They were anonymous to me, completely unreal and unbelievable. The main character, Maxie, was as flat as a piece of paper. I don't know what she likes, who she is, what she looks like, apart from the fact she loves to draw cartoons. That is the only thing mentioned about her personality! Other utterly flat character: Tay. Even though we were told she was a complete hockey fan, she just abandons her favourite sport early on because she dislikes the coach. Completely unrealistic. I personally have been playing baseball since I was 5, and have continued even when I had notorious jerks as coaches. I never stopped because of that, because I love the sport. When you love something, you don't just abandon it at the first difficulty you run into. There was also Rick, short for Roderick, constantly bullied in school, who was apparently completely psycho? If I wasn't told he was, I would've guessed he was a sad little angel.

Bottom line : the way the characters act in the book and the way we are told they are are radically different.

I could probably rant on about the characters for hours, but I'll keep it at that.

I was also very surprised by all the developpments that took place. But I don't mean surprised in a good way. In fact, the developments made no sense. Since the main object of the book (at least, until page 150) seemed to be the relationship between Rick and Maxie, it was an unpleasant surprise when it turned out Rick actually wanted to blow up the school, got kicked out by his dad, turned out to NOT be gay, and was taken in by Maxie's gay uncles, all within about 40 pages. Honestly, I was lost. This development didn't make any sense at all to me.

Which bring on the next reason why I was disappointed : everything was so poorly explained! I didn't understand how Rick turned out to be the psycho. I don't understand how Tay and Maxie would ever be friends in the first place, I don't understand why Maxie pushed her best friend away in sixth grade, and what was the big secret, and in what grade are the characters, and who, what, where, when, why? Whaaaaaaaaat is going on!?

I found it excessively odd, though, that although Rick is called a faggot at every possible occasion, and picked on, and singled out, and attacked, Sean, Maxie's gay cousin raised by her gay uncles, was relatively unscathed. Come on. If a straight kid is being picked on for looking gay, how can a real gay kid, raised by two gay men, be pretty much left alone? Logically, this would not happen.

There was one little thing I really did like: the relationship between Rick and Maxie when they were still little kids, and the whole mousetrap company they invented. I thought it was an adorable concept, and it made the ending even more dramatic when you saw the relation between the childish games and all the traps Rick set up to ensure the school would blow up. But then he took everything down because... Actually, I don't know why.

All these things led to me greatly disliking this book, and it left me kind of mad. I did not like it. But it did entertain me for a few hours, just the time I needed to get my brain off school. It could have been good, if it was better explained. The concept wasn't really innovative, but there were a few elements that could've been exploited to make this much better, and many, many things that could've easily been corrected in order to keep my attention longer.

Overall, not so good a read. You can find something better to read, I'm sure you can.

-Aithen

Mousetraps by Pat Schmatz
Rating: 5,3/10

Liar

2010-09-23T21:01:00.006-04:00

Micah freely admits that she's a compulsive liar. And that may be the one honest thing she'll ever tell you. Over the years she's duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents. But when her boyfriend, Zach, dies under brutal circumstances, the shock might be enough to set her straight. Or maybe not. Especially when lying comes as naturally to her as breathing. Was Micah dating Zach? Or was Sarah his real girlfriend? And are the stories Micah tells about inheriting a "family gene" real or are they something that only exists in her mind?

This review contains spoilers

Started out interestingly, then went a bit down, and then picked up for the last half of the book. Liar was a good read. It wasn't a fantastic book, nothing breath-taking, but good enough to satisfy a majority of teenagers.

So Micah is a liar with a big secret that actually gets revealed in the middle of the book. I was honestly awaiting some sort of deep murder psycho book that would really make me go woah but instead I got a werewolf hiding in the city. I can't say I was displeased, or that the book was bad because of it, but I just went 'oh, another werewolf'. Albeit cliche and overated, the werewolves in this book actually had a pretty cool concept. The change happens because of hormones, during women's menstruation, and its actually a painful shifting because of the bone and body remolding. Nothing to do with taking off your shirt and taking a leap. The werewolves' nature had a lot to do with science, DNA, genes, one thing Micah promises herself to study later, and so I was interested to learn more about them. We do get a lot of information of how they live and all, but we aren't given any final, clear scientific explanation of how the change happens (At least there isn't some kind of crap like imprinting or whatever). But anyway, it's the goal Micah sets herself up with at the end of the book, so we'll just pretend one day she finds the answers to her questions.

Character-wise, Micah was interesting, understandable, relatable to. I can't say the other characters such as Sarah or Tayshawn (I don't know if I spelled his name right) were as developed as her, and I can't say Zack was either. I personally never got to understand why he fell in love with Micah and what were the extents of his love, and so I was a bit annoyed since the story was actually everyone fuzzing over his death.

There wasn't that much action, it didn't really deliver any ultra deepness of doom, it didn't stir too much emotions, but it was agreeable to read. It could have been laid out better, with more mystery and a bit more of plot. There were a lot of twists at the end, a lot of lying and confessions and so I always braced myself for the next big revelation. The ending was good. Sad but good. You truly feel sad for Micah, but then happy that she finally found herself.

Overall, good to pick up in a library, but perhaps not enough to read twice.

-Beryl

Liar by Justine Larbaleister
Rating: 7,4/10

Mockingjay

2010-09-09T20:54:00.013-04:00

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost.

Beryl's Review

This review may (actually it will) contain spoilers. Avert your eyes if you don't want to cry.

It took me a day to cool down and get my thoughts straight so I could rewrite this review. I'll be honest and say that even if the two previous books were amazing, and even if this third book had everything to stir a roller coaster of emotions in the readers, I didn't enjoy this read.

The Hunger Games was generally an excellent serie, with lots of meaning and passing a clear message. It wasn't never a book, that, personally, 'inspired' me. It was just a jolly good sandwich of action and romance and drama.

The message portrayed throughout the entire series was the most clear in this last installment, 'Mockingjay'. It's true that Collins got what she wanted; show that in war no one wins, and that it breaks people to no repair. But it was sad. It was misery all over, it was painful and heavy and I disliked that. Hey, I've read so many books that end on a dramatic note, but none of them have made me so tired and depressed as much as Mockingjay did. You'd say 'that's great it made you sad, it means the book was good!' Well, it was good, on the part where we got the meaning and the cruelty of the world and people. But I didn't like reading Mockingjay. I was annoyed, irritated.

I disliked that Katniss was so weak. I disliked the fact she couldn't assume her role of the Mockingjay, that she couldn't inspire anyone, that she couldn't get over her morphine and collect the broken pieces of her heart to do something useful. I didn't mind she was distressed at first, but after she continued whining past the 200 page, I got tired. She also always ended up in the hospital instead of fighting, and that simply wasn't the Katniss I knew.

I didn't like the fact the love triangle wasn't solved, that Katniss kept switching from Gale to Peeta, that Gale had to end up badly and that at the end it feels like Katniss still doesn't know how to love.

I hated that Prim had to die, even if I both agree and disagree on her death. I disagree because it defies the point of saving her at first, but agree because it doesn't mean that you've once met a magical unicorn that you'll survive a war. For Finnick's case, though, I am totally against it. I think that what Collins missed to show is that even if a war is going in, even if everyone gets broken and hurt and bashed and stumped at, love still exists in times of chaos, and it can go on. Finnick should have lived and been an example.

That's why I didn't like Mockingjay. Too much useless deaths, too much drugs, too much giving up. In a war, people should never give up. Katniss never put her heart in her role. Yes, she was manipulated, yes, she's still just a girl and a child, but she could have rejected her role of Mockingjay and still taken things in hand in her own way, and it would have been alright, because she would be doing something.

In the end, people may say this book was epic, and I guess it was in some way, but I didn't like the way things went. It wasn't inspiring. It was, on the contrary, depressing. Things made sens, though. Just like Aithen kept telling me when I whined on and on: "It makes sens, so deal with it, wimp." But I didn't like reading it. I really didn't, and I want to forget this book as quickly as possible.

I won't even rate it, and let Aithen do it.

-Beryl

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Aithen's review

I let Beryl write the first part of the review, since she was the one to review so well the other two tomes in the trilogy. And though I have to admit I do agree with her on most issues she raised with this book, I actually enjoyed it.

My review also contains spoilers.

Even if I understand that Katniss was in a great mental pain after everything that happened to her in the two previous books, I have to agree with Beryl. At one point, she just should've picked herself up and done something with herself. Her being so down throughout the whole book, though understandable, really irked me at times, but I could get over it and see how good the rest was.

My first reaction to reading Mockingjay was fascination. Fascination with the whole world Collins built, but also with how she toyed with my emotions, pulled me into the story without letting me the chance to think of anything else. The absolutely unpredictable plot made it all the more interesting. Every detail was explained, and the characters grew throughout the book. Even the secondary characters, tertiary characters, rather unimportant characters.

Something I loved was the emotional roller coaster I was on all throughout the book. Every single event roused a strong emotional response on my part. Like Annie and Finnick's reunital, their wedding, their child. Finnick was probably my favourite character, and I really don't understand why he had to die too. As Beryl said, that was cruel and useless.

Unlike Beryl, I think the love triangle was actually resolved. I actually understood why Katniss chose Peeta over Gale. It was a good reason. It was also a good thing that they fell in love all over again. Before, Peeta was just too crazy about her to notice she wasn't the perfect princess of his dreams. After this book, it didn't feel like he didn't see her flaws anymore, because he did see them.

I have to say my appreciation of this book was enormous. People say it was too dramatic, too sad, too exhausting, but I liked it. It was a perfect conclusion to an amazing trilogy, filled with morals everyone can learn from.

If it were only up to me and my love for Mockingjay, I'd rate this book 10. But there are flaws in this book, which is why it received a lower rating. That doesn't prevent me from telling you to read this book. It was truly excellent.

-Aithen

Rating: 8,9/10

Boy Proof

2010-08-28T17:31:00.005-04:00

Feeling alienated from everyone around her, Los Angeles high school senior and cinephile Victoria Jurgen hides behind the identity of a favorite movie character until an interesting new boy arrives at school and helps her realize that there is more to life than just the movies.

Just a quick review, I'm trying to coax myself into finishing a rather awful book.

I was in the library a few days ago, listening to music. While I was in there, I didn't intend to find another novel to read, but I seem to have book-magnets in my hands and I soon enough lay my fingers on this one. It's not science-fiction, for a change! But it does speak of sci-fi.

Victoria, a.k.a Egg, the name of her favorite heroine from a science-fiction movie, is a geek, a nerd, and a loner. I also fit into those three adjectives, so I can relate to her, to what she lives, to her thoughts. There are many references to different science-fiction books, most of which I have heard of or read. Though she makes herself completely unlikable, I think she was attaching nonetheless. She evolves very nicely throughout the story. I love it when characters are changed by events, and grow up.

The plot itself wasn't really remarkable. In fact, it was common, at best. It's the story of the coming of age of a teenage geeky outcast who has made herself untouchable. I've quite often read things like this, but none had the same depth of character that Victoria/Egg, or Max, or Nelly, or Rue had. That is what makes this novel great.

Finally, the voice used was perfectly adapted to what was being told. It felt so... natural, like Victoria/Egg herself was talking to me like this. She made me chuckle at times, made me cry when things got tough. It was excellent, really.

I really did like this book. I'm just not sure it'll appeal to everyone, since there are many geeky references. There aren't too many, though, so it should be okay even if you aren't that much into science-fiction.

-Aithen

Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci
Rating: 7.9/10

Fringe Girl

2010-08-11T11:35:00.005-04:00

Adora's place in the pecking order of her posh high school is decidedly on the fringe: Pretty but not beautiful, comfortable but not rich, popular but not the ruling class. But for her latest social studies project (and to exact a little old-fashioned revenge), she decides to put what she's learned about political revolutions to good use.With the help of her friends, Adora stages her very own uprising. And guess what? Victory is hers! Before she knows it, the snotty cool kids have been overthrown-and suddenly Adora is the leader, reveling in her newfound power and popularity.

But a few unexpected events are about to trip up the new order-and Adora's noticing that sometimes it can be lonely at the top.

Two weeks ago, I went book shopping with Beryl. Being kind of broke, I bought a paperback and then found a 2$ book section and discovered this little book. It looked interesting, and, though it was, it was definitely only worth the 2$ I paid for it.

The characters are what struck me the most. They were so completely and utterly unbelievable, I sometimes wanted to puke. Especially because of their love life. *SPOILER ALERT* Adora Benet, for instance. The main character. She is 16, and a "Fringe Girl", on the fringe of the popular girls circle. She is so artificial, boring, predictable and not teenager-like. She goes through 3 boyfriends in 6 weeks, one of those being her long-time love interest. She got over HIM after about 2 days. Honestly, if my lobe interest for the past few years had cheated on me, I would've been inconsolable for weeks. But no. She goes on to dating a guy she's known for a week and breaks up with him when he turns out to be a stalker. Once more, her reaction to this news was completely unbelievable. "I have such bad luck with boys!" If I had just learned my ex-boyfriend was expelled from his past few schools for stalking, I would've been creeped out and traumatized. For weeks. But not Adora Benet, oh, no! She now realizes her enemy, the guy she has hated ever since she was 6, she realizes that, in fact, she is completely in love with him! And he has loved her since she was 5! They hook up, are happy forever, the end. *END SPOILER ALERT* ASGUHGAIOHFS. I swear, I never read about such an unbelievable love life. Ever.

One comforting thing, though, was that there wasn't an abuse of "teenager" slang like... Like, OMG, and the such.

Now, onto the actual plot. That part was quite interesting and filled with unexpected twists and turns. The whole concept of someone trying to reverse a school's social order was something I'd never seen before, and really liked, being somewhere along the fringe or farther away myself. The way Adora got to the top of the social order was very instructive, too, since it was pretty much the same way all revolutionaries managed to do a coup-d'etat in the real world.

As I said earlier, there were some moments where I was actually surprised by the turn of events. Even if what was happening was still (often) believable, it was something I never would've expected, and that is pretty good. I can usually predict how the book will end within the first pages of a book, but this one kept me thinking until the last page.

Finally, the emotions conveyed in this book were incredible. Even though I didn't care about the characters because they were so unbelievable, what sometimes happened to them sometimes made me really sad, and almost made cry. This book also gave me a few good giggles, but it wasn't roll-on-the-floor funny, like the cover praise said.

I would've loved to give this book a better rating, since the plot was excellent, but the characters really were annoyingly unrealistic. I don't suggest you waste your money on this, except if you find it for 2$ like I did.

-Aithen

Fringe Girl by Valerie Frankel
Rating: 7,3/10

Rainbow Boys

2010-07-29T12:08:00.009-04:00

Jason Carrillo is a jock with a steady girlfriend, but he can't stop dreaming about sex...with other guys.

Kyle Meeks doesn't look gay, but he is. And he hopes he never has to tell anyone -- especially his parents.

Nelson Glassman is "out" to the entire world, but he can't tell the boy he loves that he wants to be more than just friends.

Three teenage boys, coming of age and out of the closet. In a revealing debut novel that percolates with passion and wit, Alex Sanchez follows these very different high-school seniors as their struggles with sexuality and intolerance draw them into a triangle of love, betrayal, and ultimately, friendship.

This was a cute book. It wasn't one of the best gay themed books I've ever read, but it was okay. It didn't have the greatest plot, or characters, or anything, and it wasn't the most original book, but it left me with a warm feeling and I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish it, so I guess it can't be that bad.

This is probably one of the first romance books I managed to sit through and like, too.

The characters were highly attachable, and absolutely lovable. I was sometimes annoyed by Jason, but the other two boys, Nelson and Kyle, were great. I especially loved Nelson and his over-the-top stereotypically gay behavior. They were well constructed and believable, and even the minor characters were well looked into and thought out. Their individual concerns were different and the same, and probably would be similar to mine if I were them.

The story-line, though not incredibly original, was cute and sad and funny. The love triangle thing has been done a thousand times over, but somehow, Alex Sanchez managed to make his book feel new and refreshing. The voice used by the author was also very appropriate, it wasn't too basic or too complex.

The plot had many twists and turns, making it relatively unpredictable, even though the basic story-line was quite simple, like I said previously. There are many cliffhangers left to be resolved, even now, after I finished the book. I MUST go back to the bookstore when I get some money and buy the second and third novels. I have to see how the little couples work out, and what is up with Nelson's health, and many other things. I simply cannot wait to read the next book.

Finally, the cover was perfectly appropriate, and gave me a clear image of all three of the protagonists. This was a nice addition to the descriptions provided in the book, because I often forget how the characters are supposed to look and decide on my own what they look like.

Overall, though this book wasn't the best, most original, number one book of the century, it is a very nice one, and I suggest it to everyone who hasn't read it. This book about the coming of age of three gay teens and how they see themselves is one of the best I've ever had the chance to read. Of course, keep your mind open while reading Rainbow boys!

-Aithen

Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez
Rating: 8,1/10

My Heartbeat

2010-07-28T13:05:00.005-04:00

As she tries to understand the closeness between her older brother and his best friend, fourteen-year-old Ellen finds her relationship with each of them changing.

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be : stupid. And in two : very stupid.

First of all, it was completely pointless. And I mean it. It started out alright, I guess, but as the book went on, the plot didn't evolve. It stayed where it was, and maybe even backed up. Nothing was going better for anyone at the end, there were broken hearts, frustrated people, broken friendships, nothing was going well at all. There wasn't even any good drama of any sorts, it was just a maddeningly pointless and plot-less book.

Secondly, it left me depressed, which is very hard since my usual state of mind is super-hyper-happy. This is one of the only books that ever made me curl up on the couch and listen to happy music on repeat. No, I wasn't was because the story was sad. That kind of sad is one I actually like. But in this case... The book itself frustrated me from its complete lack of anything good at all.

Next, I was unable to feel attached to the characters AT ALL. I hated the protagonist, wait a second, I already forgot her name... Ellen. Her voice was nothing like a fourteen-year-old's. Her brother was downright frustrating and useless. And of course, James was equally frustrating, though he was probably the character I preferred.

I don't like ranting very much, but this one time I had to vent off steam. I honestly suggest you stay very far away from it.

I only have one last comment. Because this is a book with gay themes, it seems everyone praises it very highly, yada yada yada. But if we take that factor away, if I compare it to other books that do not have gay themes, it sucked. It seems that everyone is biased by the fact there are possibly gay characters. This makes me so mad, you have no idea. I might review a few really, really good gay books because this, honestly, is a book a absolutely hated.

Sorry if I offended anyone, I needed to get that off my heart.

-Aithen

My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr Rating: 4/10

Let's blah blah :: Issue I

2010-07-28T00:31:00.005-04:00

Yeah well, we wanted to have a sort of event going on, so we thought of these kind of debates and discussions we could have. We need to reach out mooore to you fellow readers and bloggers if you even read our tremendously long reviews in the first place.

So Beryl will be starting with the first issue. We'll discuss things.

GUYZ I WANT ROMANCE BOOKS TO READ.

q_q

BUT NOT ANY KIND.

YOU KNOW, these days we've got all these awesomeee sites such as Goodreads and what not to provide us with books summaries and some other what not, but because the world is filled with people with such bad taste (disclaimer: that's my opinion) bad books are rated as good. Well I want to read more young adults romance books, but as I said, not any kind. I want fantasy and action and bam kaboum shabam added to it. Get it?

I pick some random books on Goodreads, and they are all the same damn thing: HOT NEW BOY IN SCHOOL AND GIRL IS MYSTERIOUSLY ATTRACTED TO HIM GUESS WHAT THEY FALL IN LOVE.

Gosh, aren't there enough books of this type? I'm still surprised when I read comments such as 'omg you'll love this best book evar!!!'. Really? Do people really enjoy it when the matter is love-at-first sight, instead of a progressively developing relationship between a girl and a boy that isn't a vampire or anything possibly worse than that? Is love at first sight even possible? I mean, you can find someone attractive by the first glance, suppose him nice after the first conversation, but understand and known him deep from the inside at first-sight? No, intuition/feelings/instincts don't count. But you get my point.

I'm not going to start one how cliche and lame such plots are, so I'm reaching to you readers to help me find some books where the romance is actually good! Strong characters! Developed romance through out the book! Drama! Don't tell me the Hunger Games, 'cause I'm already aware of that one.

But really, I want to get some good suggestions so I can actually put my money to good use.

And while you're at it, tell me what you think makes a relationship between two characters strong and realistic, and what you love best in those relationships. :)

-Beryl

If I Stay

2010-07-25T19:25:00.010-04:00

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon roa...more A gorgeous boyfriend who was madly in love with you?
Quirky hip parents who totally got you?
A musical talent that could take you anywhere?
What if your biggest problem in life was choosing which path to take?
Follow your first love--music-- to New York City?
Or stay with your boyfriend, friends, and family?

What if one day, you went out for a drive...

And in an instant everything changed?

What if suddenly all the other choices were gone?

Except for one--the only one that truly mattered?

What would you do?

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

This was a good book, technically. Well written, with a good, realistic love relationship between two characters and a dramatic subject to break everything apart. It was a quick, enjoyable and easy read, but this book lacked one thing. It didn't stir enough emotions in me.

I can't say it was... badly written or something, but it didn't have the WOW factor. Usually, when a book is amazing and has swept me off my feet, I hug it and let out a long sigh. Then I rethink of all the great passages and my mind is in a state of awe for the next 12 hours. Here, I acknowledged the fact it was sad, true, hard, yada and yada, and then I put it back onto my shelf.

Don't get me wrong. It's a great book, with great, strong characters. The story is divided with Mia's memories of happy, sad, decisive moments in her life and the next 48 hours after her accident where she watches everything happen in a ghost-like state.

I just can't say it blew me away.

Now I'd like to analyze a part of the book. This is what most of my reviews consist of; it's a lot of opinions and thinking mainly.

Mia has lost all her family. Her brother, her mother, her father. When she recalls her memories, we see how much of a happy family they were, how supportive, understanding and awesome her parents were (It might sound cliche to say that her family was almost perfect, but I think the author did that just to underline how much Mia lost after the accident, so I won't get into that). I agree that loosing her entire family is no little deal, and that perhaps one wouldn't want to stay alive because of that, but I felt as if the big question of the book; "Would you stay if you lost everything?" isn't much of a challenge.

Personally, I think that if Mia would have come out from all this paralyzed, somehow handicapped, if there would have been something hindering her life except the loss of her family the question could have had more pressure. I'd say that even if her family survived, but she woke up to not be able to play cello anymore, or walk, there would have been more of an issue. "Should I keep on living even if I can't walk/play/whatever anymore?" I mean, for me, becoming blind due to an accident would be a huge deal, and I would really have to think about staying or not, and so there would be a dilemma. I didn't feel any dilemma in If I Stay.

I think that the theme of "all the reasons you have to live for" weren't really explored too deeply. Sure, friends, boyfriend, other family, celo, but I still feel as if something was missing. So, really, I would have liked there to be more to the big question. Of course, there is no indication of Mia getting out 100% fine afterward, but neither any indication of something else coming her way.

One, last thing. This is the major rant part, but not about the book. On the cover it said 'Will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT".

I am OUTRAGED and sincerely DISGUSTED that there had to be this label. Because this is a love story that will appeal to teenagers DOESN'T mean it is IN ANY WAY similar to Twilight. If publishers need to label their products "REMINISCENT OF TWILIGHT" just to sell, then I tell them to go to hell and see if they have Twicrap there. If I Stay has nothing to do with Twilight, and I will rephrase that label. It will appeal to fans of "The Lovely Bones", seeing as it is similar in concept of a girl watching people deal with her loss and shares the theme of death and such. Gosh, the world can be so idiotic sometimes.

That is all. Go search for If I Stay, it's a fun and good book to read. (But The Lovely Bones is better, ha ha. It has the WOW factor)

-Beryl

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Rating: 8,3/10

Incarceron

2010-07-25T14:38:00.010-04:00

Incarceron -- a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology -- a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber -- chains, great halls, dungeons.

A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison -- a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists.

But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device -- a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn's escape is born ...

Aithen's Review

Aithen's back from camp! I read Incarceron and The Hunger Games while I was away, though I won't review the Hunger Games, since Beryl already did a great job at it. I'll just say I loved it. Now for our main presentation...

First of all, I really liked Incarceron, though it isn't one of my favorite books. It had a few flaws, though they were very minor compared to all its good points. Overall, it was a very interesting and good read.

Now Incarceron isn't one of your typical science-fiction or fantasy books. It is, somehow, both. I found it very impressive how both styles could blend so perfectly in only one book. The concept of Protocol was very interesting, though rather frightening, I must admit. Protocol is a law that forces the society to act like it was in medieval ages, even though technology has evolved very much. The society in Incarceron is well described and elaborated, and the way every single information was given about it was perfectly blended into the story.

I found the plot rather complicated, and that's probably why I love this book so much. Complicated books are the best ones. There is only one thing I didn't like too much : I had guessed Finn was probably Giles around page 50. It was really too frustrating, but I like how it is still possible Finn and Giles aren't the same person.

Speaking of the characters, I really loved Keiro, but that's about it. He seems so perfect, but is really so complexed. Keiro is probably one of the deepest characters in this book, and that is kind of sad, since he isn't one of the main characters. Finn is frustrating because he can only remember fragments of his past and is amnesic. There is such an abuse of amnesia these days... Attia was frustrating too, she is a tomboy-survivor type of girl, and she got on my nerves quite often. Gildas was so annoying, too! Finally, Claudia, our protagonist. She was a flat character that I never got attached to. Jared was interesting, though he was described very little, and I'm still unsure whether he was 20, 40 or 60. All characters lacked description (except Keiro, which is probably why I didn't dislike him as much as I disliked the others) and depth. This is probably one of the weakest points in this book.

The plot greatly compensated for this, luckily, though some streaks of luck made me frown and mutter "Ya right." I loved it. The whole concept of Incarceron was incredible, I never saw anything like it before. If Incarceron was a character, it would be my favorite one by far. I loved its evil overlord personality, it wasn't anything like a cliche overlord who was too fond of its abilities.

All in all, a highly entertaining book, well written and well thought-out with a beautiful cover. I recommend it for anyone who liked the Maze Runner, the Hunger Games, or any other book where people are confined together. I can hardly wait for the second one to come out in America!

-Aithen

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Rating: 8,3/10

Beryl's Review

This was an amazing and very innovative book. It's one of the best fantasy/science fiction novels I've ever read, and one of the best I've read in a long time. I'm really impressed by the plot, how structured it was, and I can't wait for the sequel. Of course, this book could have been even better without all the flaws, and it's really a pity they had to get into the way of our complete appreciation.

The characters, just like Aithen said, were very poorly described. I've got no idea of how Claudia looks, and I think the only indication of her physique was at page 375. This kind of situations always make me twitch. I sometimes wonder if authors even think about how their characters look, or if they simply forget to mention it. Anyway, it's strange how much descriptions were put into the surroundings and the prison, while Keiro seems to be the only character with a defined image.

Speaking of the characters, I actually liked most of them. I found Claudia strong-headed, determined, and somehow badass in her own way. I can't really agree with Aithen that she was flat. I think there was much to her. Finn didn't really impress me in much way. He was common. Keiro was my favorite, because he was, indeed, so complex while seeming so perfect. But I do think that one of this book's high point is the diversity of the personalities. Their reactions and their characters are very well outlined, even if they lack physical descriptions.

In any case, the good plot made up for the lacks. Most of the things were, though, easy to guess, such as that Finn was Giles, but some others actually surprised me. There were a lot of twists. A recommended book.

Rating: 9,2/10

Books gone Movies: Pretty Little Liars

2010-07-13T21:37:00.011-04:00

Okkk so technically not really a 'Book gone Movie', and more like a 'Book gone Tv Show' BUT it's so good and I just can't get over it I need to babble about it and omigod Toby Cavanaugh win.

Ahem.

I never read the books of PLL. I remember seeing the cover somewhere, but being me I told myself 'pff some girly story' without really reading the resume and only basing myself on the covers. BUT, as usually, my cousin got the better of me and she hooked me up to this suspense-filled-dramatic-yet-creepy-mystery show that is Pretty Little Liars. Ladies and Gentleman, the second T.V. show I watch in my life! The first one was Gossip Girl which I also before highly doubted I would ever read/watch/have anything to do with it.

I don't intend to read the books, now. I prefer the T.V. show and Toby Cavanaugh. Here's the blurb:

Aria, Emily, Spencer, Hanna and Alison have been best friends since the third grade. They go everywhere together, and think no one can come between them. If anyone is the ringleader of their group it is Alison, and the other girls cannot help but confide all their secrets to her. One night, during a sleepover, Alison goes missing. Her body is never found. The girls mourn her death, but move apart after time, assuming their secrets have disappeared with Alison too. One year later and Aria is having an affair with her teacher; Emily is questioning her sexuality; Hanna is a thief; and Spencer is flirting with her sister's fiance. They all think their secrets are safe, until they start receiving messages from a mysterious A - - who knows exactly what they are all up to, and is threatening to spill the beans....

I really love this series. Its got suspense, mystery, and very entertaining characters and it really makes you want to know who is A and all. I recommend it to Gossip Girl lovers, since the concept is quite similar, but PLL has a scarier touch to it. It's very dramatic.

I just can't wait for episode 7. What happens to Emily omigod?? D8

Go watch on Much Music, 8pm ET each Tuesday. 8D

-Beryl

Perchance to Dreams

2010-07-12T20:09:00.009-04:00

When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

First of first, the bad points.

When I started the book, though, most of the events were a big jumble. Characters were thrown in harshly and events succeeded themselves too quickly for me to understand. I think that this is the main problem in this book; The author tried too hard to turn the story fantastical and incorporate magical elements and finished only by making me confused. I agree that it was all nice and sparkly, highly original and entertaining, but not laid out well enough for me. There were things I didn't understand. I didn't understand why they were hapenning, how they were happening, and sometimes I thought they didn't make much sens. I don't think I'm enough of a dimwit to not understand something after many rereads.

So as I said, too much effort into making the story magical and all. Another thing that irked me was that as the story started, I had no idea where the story was happening. In what country, what city? I only found out they were crossing a meadow 50 pages later. It really annoyed me, because I always need to know where everything is happening. I need to feel that I'm part of the story, and that I'm beside the characters throughout the entire book.

I was never really sure if the book took place in a magical world or in the real one, but I'm guessing it takes place around the Victorian Era with all the bodices Bertie has to wear but then again it was so faintly outlined I'm not sure.

The lack of reality as a base dimmed the effect the fantastical elements of the story should have had on the reader.

You know, when you read books such as Harry Potter and the Golden Compass, the reader isn't yet thrown into all the magic. Both worlds from those different stories have similarities to/are the real world, and when you're well anchored in the realism of the plot, you're more amazed and hooked by the magic and sparkles that comes afterward. In Perchance to Dreams, it's more like you're thrown in rainbow water and you're spinning around before reaching the shore and being like 'wait, what?'

I also didn't get any further explanations on Bertie's magic; where it came from/how it happened/why it happened and because the world is so badly defined most of the magic makes no sense.

Really, the major bad point of this book was the outline, the setting, the organization. The cover is beautiful, the characters entertaining, the writing fluid and rich. I loved the love triangle between Ariel and Nate, Berti was still a strong protagonist. I enjoyed all the theatrical elements that surely people interested in theater could have related to more than I did. There were nice metaphors, and beautiful imagery, even if the plot was a bit shallow (common rescue quest).

It's a fun read, overall, thought a bit confusing at times. I recommend it for those who love magic and crazy adventures in crazy-land. It's a light reading, good for summer, with moral squeezed in here and there. I was disappointed, though, that the story was so jumbled, similarly to the first volume.

-Beryl

Perchance to Dreams by Lisa Mantchev
Rating: 7,8/10

Splendor

2010-07-05T01:58:00.005-04:00

Read the review of The Luxe, the first installment in this serie, here.

A spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new role as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searches for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father's death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes.

Carolina Broad, society's newest darling, fans a flame from her past, oblivious to how it might burn her future. Penelope Schoonmaker is finally Manhattan royalty—but when a real prince visits the city, she covets a title that comes with a crown. Her husband, Henry, bravely went to war, only to discover that his father's rule extends well beyond New York's shores and that fighting for love may prove a losing battle.

In the dramatic conclusion to the bestselling Luxe series, New York's most dazzling socialites chase dreams, cling to promises, and tempt fate. As society watches what will become of the city's oldest families and newest fortunes, one question remains: Will its stars fade away or will they shine ever brighter?

It was a great serie. This book started out to be the best of the entire serie, but the horrendous ending is just horrendous.

If you've read the previous books, and read my review of Luxe, you'll understand I don't need to go on blabbering about the characters and all the bases of the books. Splendor was the ending of all the drama between the characters, and it was honestly very good. It pulled me in instantly. It was an easy ready, elegantly written, fluid, with entertaining characters. If you've liked the Luxe, and read further on, we understand each other.

Yet, I was so disappointed by the endings that each character meet! Elizabeth and Teddy are perhaps the only ones who actually finish well!

If you do not want spoilers, avert your eyes from the following.

I simply don't understand why Diana and Henry had to finish apart. I feel like ALL they've been through, the love they fought for during all this time was for nothing! I understand the morals behind the actions; the passage from boy to man and the take-on of responsibilities, the notion that love shouldn't be all and that living your life independently and taking care of yourself is important too, but it just seemed ridiculous in Diana's and Henry's situation. It isn't the kind of reasoning that I can accept. It's just a shift of luck, that suddenly Henry has to take care of his family's business and can't go to Paris with Diana. As if the author had said, "Well, that's just too bad, isn't it?" And then, for him, to have to end up with Penelope for the rest of his life. Come on... Talk about torture.

Well, we agree, I'm sure, that Penelope deserved what she got. Over-confidence blinded her, and that IS just too bad for her. I was really sad for Carolina, though. I mean, of course she did bad things and lied a lot, but who else in her situation could have done differently? What other girl holding a not so prestigious past that suddenly has the chance to live among the wealthy people and also be treated like one of them would have gone out and spilled all her ungraceful secrets to the first person? It's perfectly understandable, and to take away her love for natural fear and shame? I didn't like it, especially when she had the chance to atone for all her mistakes.

Elizabeth and Teddy ended well, and the Snowden drama took me really by surprise. I really hadn't expected it, and so it was a good twist. I never really liked Elizabeth that much, but I'm glad she ended well after all the tragedies she went through. I would have liked Diana to end well too, though.

You can go on reading now~

Well, it was a good serie. Didn't end too well, but I learned a lot about New York in the end of the 19th century, and I liked all the little pieces of anecdotes from journals and gazettes at the beginning of each chapter.

-Beryl

Splendor by Anna Godbersen

Rating: 9,5/10

Books gone Movies: Eclipse

2010-07-04T16:13:00.005-04:00

As I ain't a fan of Twilight, and frankly think this is one of the most ridiculous and stupidityfying series ever, I don't kow what I am doing even talking about this ha ha. Yet I did go to see this movie. 'For the lolz', as everyone says.

For the sake of everyone's sanity, I won't be posting any pictures here. Really, no one needs them, and I certainly don't want them on this blog. Anyway, back to the movie.

Nothing special, considering this is Twilight we're talking about. Kristen acted a bit more competently in this adaption, Patterson was as blank as he always has been, Jacob & co were without shirts as usual. Plot wise, there wasn't anything that advanced the story. Evil vampires comes, evil vampires fight, drama in between. At the end of New Moon, Edward asked Bella to marry him. At the end of Eclipse, Bella finally says yes. As you can see, nothing happened in between that thrust the story forward. The plot basically stayed at the same place, with some fighting and drama to mask the thing. But hey, Meyer did an awful job with the books, and even the movies cannot make better out of it.

There were, though, some funny replicas. The audience laughed multiple times, there were some face palms. There were more giggles than in the two previous movies. The only entertaining thing was probably the battles, yet there isn't lots of those. All the drama and talk between Edward/Jacob that fill the rest of the movie was boring, and so for few minutes I disconnected and stared at the ceiling of the theater room.

Meh, really, don't go see it if you hate Twilight to the core. Fangirls will fangirl, and if you want to see it for the laughs, go for it. Stephenie Meyer's books aren't meant for anything better anyway.

-Beryl

Unwind

2010-06-12T14:06:00.007-04:00

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them.

Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away. In Unwind, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award winner Neal Shusterman challenges readers' ideas about life -- not just where life begins, and where it ends, but what it truly means to be alive.

This book contains scenes that honestly hurt me inside, disgusted me with human nature and made me want to cry. I recommend you start this book with a specific mindset, open-minded and not awaiting cute little fluffy scenes. This is not a cute and fluffy book; it is harsh, it is raw, and unless you know what to expect, it can even be a painful read. That is mainly why I tagged it as horror, as well as science-fiction. Reading it all in one sitting can be too much. I know I had to stop sometimes, unable to read on without giving what I had just learned a little thought. Or a whole lot of thought.

This book sports one of the most nerve-racking scenes I ever read, one that made me cringe in my sleep and lose a little faith in humanity by its cruelty. It’s a hardly even a graphic scene; the little that is said, though, is sufficient to let my own mind create a horrible mental image. This and the final scenes of Feed by M. T. Anderson have the same effect on me: they leave me weeping.

In spite or because of this, Unwind manages to be one of the greatest books I’ve read in a long time. It has detailed, likeable characters who all sport different characteristics even though they are all, somewhere deep inside, the same. Shusterman even manages to make me feel sorry for some of the bad guys sometimes.

The world created in Unwind is terrifying. The very thought of being allowed to “unwind” your child, sell all his parts to people who want new ones, is chilling. Certainly one thinks one’s own parents would never do that to them, but what if they did? What if they sold your heart, lungs, legs, eyes, brain, your everything, because you’re getting on their nerves, making them mad? Personally, I could never do anything of the sort to my kin, but the very thought that some could makes me mad, and sad.

The ending made me very happy. It’s a good ending, and I like good endings. Bad ones are too painful; bad ones suggest there is no hope. Though I would love another book, I think this one finished very well and doesn’t necessarily need a sequel. In fact, I’m afraid a sequel would screw up the whole thing.

Sadly, the present-tense writing style sometimes got on my nerves and made me rather frustrated. It felt quite strange at times, and though I think it was used to create a feeling of urgency, it didn’t quite succeed with me.

Unwind is an amazing book, a definite must-read for everyone out there who has the guts to do so. If you do, brace yourself for this one. It has well-constructed characters that I was attached too. It has an original plot and story, and the whole Bill of Life concept is unforeseen. A terrifying book that manages to open our eyes a little more to the world around us and to what we might become.

-Aithen

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Rating: 9,6/10

P.-S.: My brother tells me there is going to be a movie about Unwind. I don’t know if this is the truth, or simply a rumour, but I will try to find out for you lot. If there is a movie, I will definitely go see it as soon as it comes out, if only to make sure it gives justice to this amazing book.

Beryl's review:

I won't repeat all Aithen said, because I loved Unwind equally. It perhaps didn't have the same effect on me as it did on Aithen; I didn't react as emotionally as she did. Nonetheless, it was a great book, great plot, a must read.

I think the only lack in this book are the descriptions. I know that this book was meant to open our eyes on feelings, actions, and consequences, but I disliked the fact none of the characters were described. I ended up imagining their looks by myself. This is only something that annoyed me. It's not a detail that should turn down people to read this book. There's way more attention on the feelings and personalities than on the physics, and that's good.

Read this book. That's all I can say.

-Beryl

Rating: 9,6/10

The Maze Runner

2010-06-08T13:43:00.007-04:00

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark.

The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl springs up—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable.

And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

AITHEN'S REVIEW:

This was a very fast read; I started it the day after I finished Boneshaker, and finished it two days later. It was absolutely impossible to set down, and is gifted with one the greatest science-fiction plots I’ve ever read.

The story starts with Thomas, who, one morning, wakes up to find he doesn’t remember anything about himself except his name. Also, he’s in a dark elevator, and he is quickly going up. The very first sentence seems to have a pull, wanting you to read more, and faster, in order to understand everything that is going on.

Sadly, I didn’t feel much attached to Thomas, because he was a rather typical hero. Courageous, fair, intelligent, though luckily not a beautiful and mysterious sue, he was a little too close to the perfect man to make me completely happy with his character. But the other characters were very good, and I liked them much more than I liked him. Newt was one of my favourite characters, and Minho wasn’t very far behind. I also really liked Gally, even though he was a “bad guy”. Honestly, I kind of thought Thomas was annoying, but I could pretty much ignore him most of the time and concentrate on the extraordinary plot.

The story was very original, one of the most original I’ve read in a long time. A bunch of boys are stuck in the middle of a maze, the Glade, and are trying to get out of it. They have a whole community going on, with farms and stuff, and their whole life revolves around solving the maze, and getting out of the maze before nightfall. Indeed, during the night, horrible creatures called Grievers roam the maze in search of lost boys to eat. The Grievers were disgusting things, seemingly unbeatable, and I hated them passionately and was rather afraid of them throughout the book.

The whole mystery and secret behind how the boys got to the Glade, and who put them there, and why, and why their memory was erased, was mesmerizing. I couldn’t wait to get explanations about everything, like all the characters in the book. Also, I loved the many little clues that were disseminated in the novel, and I was very glad to see my predictions were only half right.

Only one thing seriously irked me: the telepathic communication between Thomas and Teresa. It wasn’t even necessary to the story, and it added a touch of cliché to the novel. This is negligible, though, since it never occurred very much anyways.

Finally, I think this book was, in some aspects, a little similar to Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card. I really loved the whole Ender saga, and I’m certain anyone else who did will like this book too. Overall, this was a terrific piece of science-fiction. I think it deserves more recognition, and definitely more reads.

I find it quite hard to say as much about good books than about bad books; therefore I will end this short review now and tell you to go find The Maze Runner and read it. I just can’t wait for the sequel.

-Aithen

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Rating: 9,3/10

BERYL'S REVIEW:

Utterly disappointed. This book was just, so boring.

The characters were a joke. Thomas is your common gary-sue and hero that is there to save the day and that knows how to do everything and can deal with everything. His voice was weak and and made the entire story seem unoriginal. I didn't care for any of the other characters, perhaps maybe for Minho because he was actually entertaining, but really, I couldn't relate to anyone deeply enough to enjoy the read.

The plot seems very original, but I think it could have been better. There could have been more to the maze, more mystery, more SOLVING and more riddles. I don't know, but it wasn't enough. The resolution also wasn't amazing. And the Grievers, the evil creatures who eat the little kids? They didn't seem scary enough to me. Really, a lot of elements in this book were plain and flat.

Just as Aithen said, telepathy between the common guy and common girl; blah.

I browsed through the last 100 pages because I was so bored and couldn't take it on anymore. The story never did hook me up, picked up very slowly, and I was very annoyed at first when things were explained only, like, 200 pages after they were supposed to be explained. Aithen though it was mysterious and made you keep reading. I was just annoyed and irritated and it was no fun.

It could have been a great book if the characters were interesting and didn't speak some wannabe-cool slang ('shunk-face' and 'klunk') and if there was way more action and mystery and something to cling to in the story. No really, I disliked this to the point of not finishing it. I could have gladly just been told the spoilers and skipped this read.

For once, Aithen's and mine's reviews are very different. Consider this book wisely before picking it up. If you're more like Aithen, you'll like it. More like me, you won't. I'm not discouraging anyone to read it. I just think that this book is the kind of book you either like, or don't. In my opinion, it could have been much much better.

-Beryl

Rating: 6,4/10

Boneshaker

2010-06-07T19:47:00.005-04:00

In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born.

But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.

Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenaged boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history.

His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive.

This, my dear friends, this is what I call a great book. With its brand new take on the zombie apocalypse, amazing characters and a refreshingly original plotline, it has everything a book needs to be good, grand, a must read.

Do you think you ever encountered a kickass female character? Yeah, so have I. But Briar, one of the main characters, sets all new standards for “kickass”. She is the wife of the deceased, evil scientist who brought the zombie plague upon mankind, she lives in the slums of Seattle, she works all day in a disgusting factory, yet still somehow manages to raise her son alone and not go completely crazy from the stress. Then, when her son Zeke runs off to meet the zombies and she has to retrieve him, she does everything, and I mean everything, in her power to find him. She has an incredible background that is very detailed, and her character is extremely consistent throughout the book.

As my friend (the one who lent me this book) said so well, don’t mess with an angry mom looking for her boy.

The background story of Briar, her father and her husband was only very slowly explained, subtly revealing a few parcels of information every two chapters or so. It was detailed and added a whole lot of suspense to the novel, and contributed to keep me hooked. Sadly, I had more or less guessed rather important parts of the story in the first few pages of the book. I hate to admit it, but some parts of the subplots were immensely predictable, while other ones were so far-fetched I’d never have guessed it, since there weren’t any clues at all to let one even try to guess. This made for a somewhat irregular book at times, but overall, it was great.

Since the very first pages, I was hooked. It kept me reading almost constantly, to the detriment of my rather urgent schoolwork (unlike Beautiful Creatures, which was a slow and very painful read).

The whole concept of a gas that turns people into zombies (called rotters in this novel), and not the bite of a zombie, was excellent. I also liked how it was a very heavy gas, and could therefore be contained in a bowl-like city, with hundred-foot tall walls to keep the gas inside. The zombies themselves were always wonderfully described, and even I was ever so slightly disgusted by their appearance.

Also, the action scenes were memorable, and always realistic and very well written. I absolutely loved how well the weapons were described, too, and all the innovative ones that were created by characters of the book.

In my opinion, there was only one major drawback: historically speaking, the city of Seattle, with its buildings and numerous populations, where the story takes place, didn’t concord with what truly happened in our world. Though I understand the reasons for which the author did this, I would’ve preferred something more accurate.

Boneshaker is a remarkable book that all zombie-lovers out there should most certainly read. But liking zombies isn’t necessarily a must, since its rich characters, plot, and story can hook anyone. Its steam punk feel is also a definite plus. I recommend it for anyone looking for a fun and intelligent read, and anyone who likes action and adventure alike.

-Aithen

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
Rating: 8,8/10

Books gone Movies: Dear John

2010-05-29T11:26:00.007-04:00

Read the review of the book here!

I thought it would be interesting to be speak about the books that got turned into movies, and compare the adaptions to the originals. Yesterday I just saw Dear John, and so the opportunity came up. Consider it as a sort of movie review. :)

Well, I was very ecstatic on seeing this movie. I mean, who can resist live action drama? I sure can't.

I think that the movie was worst than the book, haha. But that isn't very surprising; most movies cannot cover the entire length of the story, and thus many details are left out. There were some strange changes in this adaption: Tim was way older, and was actually Alan's father, which confused me at first. It's not that much of a big change, also works along with the plot, but it's really strange to see Savannah married to a man way older than her. They didn't fit together as well as they did in the book.

John was beautiful and manly and so gorgeous when he cried. I really did drop a few tears when he received that final letter from Savannah. I think the actors played their roles very well and all. The soundtrack was beautiful. It's worth downloading it all.

In the end, I think it's way more fun to read a book and then see its adaption. You understand way more and can relate to all the scenes than when you're discovering the plot for the first time on the big screen. I recommend to see Dear John to all the book fans, and I'll go grab another Spark signed novel mean while.

-Beryl

Beautiful Creatures

2010-05-25T23:18:00.007-04:00

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Warning – Very long rant coming up. May contain spoilers, though I tried really hard not to spoil anything too important.

Which book sports these characteristics?

- Supernatural romance;
- A new girl in the local high school of a city in the middle of nowhere;
- Mysterious recluse families;
- Telepathy, or the lack of it;
- Supernatural powers, such as persuasion, the power to control hurricanes, and the EVERYTHING POWAH;
- Instant acceptance of the supernatural-ness of the protagonist’s partner.

If you answered Twilight, you’re wrong. Okay, fine, you’re right too. But I meant you to guess Beautiful Creatures.

Sure, I’ll give it to you, on many points it is very different from Twilight. The supernatural creature is the girl, not the guy, and she is a Caster, not a vampire. And, yes, there is a little bit more of a plot than in Twilight, but I have to admit Beautiful Creatures seems a whole lot like a remake of Stephenie Meyer’s (sadly) famous vampire romance series, minus the originality of having exploited the idea first. On the back cover of my French translation paperback of it, it was even written that it was similar to Twilight. No joke.

I have wanted to read this for awhile, but couldn’t decide whether or not to go out and actually read it. After checking out a couple of fantastic book reviews about it (that were all written by absolute Twilight fans), I decided against and went to read a nice little zombie book. But then Beryl found it at our school library, and dared me to read it in another of our little “Who will read the worst book?” contests. I forced Beryl into the House of Night series, while she made me read the first instalment of the Black Moon trilogy.

Alright, let’s get this over with.

Like I said previously, the whole supernatural-entity-who-falls-in-love-with-a-mere-mortal thing has been done one thousand times over, and Beautiful Creatures is one of these. Its concept is a little bit too similar to Twilight’s for my taste, to be quite honest, but I was quite happy to see there was an actual mystery. Alright, maybe I’m exaggerating a little by calling the plot a mystery, but Ethan and Lena – the protagonists – were actually trying to find stuff out and understand it. I didn’t like how they could just touch a medallion and have access granted to visions about the past: they didn’t have to work at all to learn stuff.

Also, this book was about the everlasting battle of good against evil, light against dark, nice against mean. This disappointed me a whole lot, because I had actually been half-enjoying my read before this whole aspect of the book came up. It’s actually written, somewhere in this book, that no one is gray. You have to be the nicest wizard out there and serve the light if you don’t want to be frowned upon. I really prefer more complex books, with betrayals, selfish characters, semi-nice characters and fake bad guys. Those kinds of books definitely have more depth than a bunch of good guys fighting the ultimate evil.

The characters were all right, I guess, if you call alright your typical emo witch who is the most powerful, liek, evar, and doesn’t know how to control her hurricane-summoning powers. Ethan had a little more depth, thankfully, but was really kind of boring too. He was such a nice guy, and a perfect, loving boyfriend, it made it impossible to think of him as an actual guy. Also, he loved Catcher in the Rye and to Kill a Mockingbird and talked like a love struck female teenager – wait, that’s exactly what he is. I’m 100% certain all teenage boys don’t act like he does. Sure, there are the odd guys who will love poetry, old plays and literature and sacrifice their friends for their girlfriend, but they aren’t also the star of the basketball team, aren’t super-popular and they didn’t just loose their mom. All in all, he was too much of a perfect little goody two shoes to feel anything near realistic, and I absolutely couldn’t feel attached to him.

Suspense-wise, this book had just enough of it to keep me alive until the end (though just barely). It did not sustain me, though, and there is so much more that could have been done! Authors these days don’t seem to explore the full potential of their ideas.

As said previously, To Kill a Mockingbird was one or Ethan’s favourite books. Sadly, I just so happened to read this book with my insanely incompetent English teacher a few months ago (this is the English Teacher who said “The fire caught the house” is correct grammar, and who takes her tests straight off the internet). She managed to make me hate this book a whole lot, so I was not pleased by the many, many comparisons between the two books. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic of literature, whether I like it or not, and this book can’t even begin compare to it.

Finally, the storyline itself doesn’t go anywhere new. Lena is oh-so-powerful; she will either become good or evil when she turns 16, her family is special, super-villains who turn out to be family, blablabla. I read about this one thousand times over, and in much better, more detailed, books, too.

I think I still do need to say at least something positive about this novel, though, so let me at least try.

I, um, liked... the front cover. Yeah. The cover art was beautiful! Check the one on the French version out, too:

Needless to say, I won’t be reading the next book in this series. Beautiful Creatures isn’t all bad, it just feels like it isn’t going anywhere new at all, just rehashing a bunch of ideas already exploited in every book ever written. It definitely lacks in originality, and doesn’t make up for this with good writing, interesting characters or interesting developments, since none of these were present.

I think I won this round, Beryl. (Beryl's inserted comment: Aw man D8) At least you were entertained, for the mere 200 pages of your book. I wasn’t, and Beautiful Creatures rambled on for 600 pages of boredom!

To conclude this rant, I’d like to apologize. To you, the reader who had to suffer through this book – I’m sorry I didn’t bring you the light before. To you, who read and loved Beautiful Creatures – I’m sorry; I don’t seem to like the same types of books as you, take no notice of this, and continue on reading similar mushy romance books for as long as you like, I won’t try to stop you.

-Aithen ;)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Rating: 5,6/10

The Various Flavors of Coffee

2010-05-23T14:35:00.004-04:00

It was a cup of coffee that changed Robert Wallis’s life—and a cup of very bad coffee at that. The impoverished poet is sitting in a London coffeehouse contemplating an uncertain future when he meets Samuel Pinker. The owner of Castle Coffee offers Wallace the very last thing a struggling young artiste in fin de siècle England could possibly want: a job. But the job Wallis accepts—employing his palate and talent for words to compose a “vocabulary of coffee” based on its many subtle and elusive flavors—is only the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in which Wallis will experience the dizzying heights of desire and the excruciating pain of loss. As Wallis finds himself falling hopelessly in love with his coworker, Pinker’s spirited suffragette daughter Emily, both will discover that you cannot awaken one set of senses without affecting all the others. Their love is tested when Wallis is dispatched on a journey to North Africa in search of the legendary Arab mocca. As he travels to coffee’s fabled birthplace—and learns the fiercely guarded secrets of the trade—Wallis meets Fikre, the defiant, seductive slave of a powerful coffee merchant, who serves him in the traditional Abyssinian coffee ceremony. And when Fikre dares to slip Wallis a single coffee bean, the mysteries of coffee and forbidden passion intermingle…and combine to change history and fate.

I was instantly charmed by the cover of this book, and by its promising resume. Not only was it cheap - which in my opinion quite doesn't typify the quality of the book - but it also was about the unconventional matter that is coffee. In the end it ended not being only about roasted beans, but also love and passion, women's suffrage, foreign travel, slavery and economics, all delivered in a nicely flavored Victorian London.

I think I could go on babbling about how good this book was, because I can't find anything grandly negative to state about it. I found the main character, Robert, eccentric and quite silly but lovable in the end. Then there was Emily who worked for her father as an employee and who portrayed the entire feminine strength in her role as a suffragette afterwards, and Fikre the exotic but fierce slave. All of the characters were really interesting and different, each having their own stories and plots and each them a big in influence in Robert's life.

I really liked how much odors and flavors were in the descriptions. It was as if you could smell everything the same way Robert did, and the writing was very rich and smooth.

I learned so much about coffee in this book. About all it's flavors, how it is grown in Africa and Brazil, about its trade back in London. I also got to learn more about the first big coffee brands. It made me want to taste all those types of coffee myself. It's really surprising to see how much these beans had an important role back in the XIX century. I would never had thought such a complex industry was related to them. In any case, this book was very instructive both on the matter of coffee but of London in this fin-de-siècle period.

So in conclusion this is a very good read. Some may not like Robert's foolish character but I enjoyed it quite. I think it's a book worth to read if you are interested in coffee and what to know everything about it. There's also a fair amount of drama, twists and surprises, and a very good amount of politics and suffrage in London.

I do warn younger readers; it is quite an erotic book, and there's a lot of love-making. ;)

-Beryl

The Various Flavors of Coffee by Anthony Capella
Rating: 9,4/10

Double Cross

2010-05-14T21:09:00.006-04:00

Everyone assumes the bomb that killed Callie Rose's grandmother was the work of a nought terrorist. But Callie Rose knows the truth - and her fear of the past leaves her afraid for her future. Her boyfriend Tobey is worried about his own future. A nought boy at an exclusive school Tobey hopes to keep out of trouble, go to university, get a good job and leave the dangerous streets of his childhood behind.

But Tobey is discovering that he can't keep clinging to some kind of no-man's land while the neighbourhood around him is carved up by rival gangs. Then he is offered the chance to earn some ready money just making a few 'deliveries'. He doesn't want a part of that world, the world of gangs. But maybe he could get away with it, just this once ...He little realizes how his decision will bring violence down on both himself and Callie and just how far he will go in fighting back...

So I was very happy when my friend came waving this book under my nose. I just adored the three previous books, and I adored this one also.

This time, the story's point of views are Callie's and Tobbie's. At some point it starts being only Tobbie's until at the end it picks up back with Callie's. First thing first, the characters. Malorie has had no trouble creating amazing, interesting and true characters. Callie is strongheaded and emotional, Tobbie brave and wise. Their point of views are strong ad captivating. It's was a true pleasure to follow their stories.

The book covers the issues of drugs and of scholarship inaccessible to students because of lack of money. Once again, Blackman portrays every character's emotions very well and defines all of their personalities so we can see them under every angle. A powerful dramatic story that illustrates the blunt truth in a wonderfully written fictional world.

The action was great. The drama was tearful, and the ending, sublime. Perhaps the subject -drugs and money- wasn't as interesting as the concept of black against white racism featured in the previous books, but it still stays excellent. I'm really sad this is the last book. I just loved the serie so much, I don't want it to end.

I don't know how I can prolong this any further. Malorie Blackman's serie is just amazing, and practically a must-read. I recommend it to everyone who loves drama, romance, mixed with society's truths and lies.

-Beryl

Double Cross by Malorie Blackman
Rating: 9,5/10

Shadow Magic

2010-05-09T15:31:00.005-04:00

Led to victory by its magic-fueled Dragon Corps, Volstov has sent a delegation to its conquered neighbors to work out the long-awaited terms of peace. Among those sent are the decorated war hero General Alcibiades and the formerly exiled magician Caius Greylace. But even this mismatched pair can’t help but notice that their defeated enemies aren’t being very cooperative.

The truth is even worse than they know. For the new emperor is harboring a secret even more treacherous—one that will take every trick in Alcibiades’ and Caius’ extensive arsenal to unveil. And once it is revealed, they may still be powerless to stop it.

With their only ally, an exiled prince, now fleeing his brother’s assassins, the countryside rife with treachery and terror, and Alcibiades and Caius all but prisoners, it will take the most powerful, most dangerous kind of magic to heal the rift between two strife-worn lands and unite two peoples against a common enemy…shadow magic.

As soon as I finish this one, I’ll be working on reading Beautiful Creatures. Why oh why does Beryl always have to dare me to read gigantic bricks that look like lame attempts at Twilight?

Shadow Magic starts exactly where Havemercy ended: the century-long war between the Volstov and Ke-Han Empires is finally over, and Volstovic diplomats are negotiating (what they are negotiating is beyond my knowledge, maybe the terms of surrender or something).

I had first started to read Havemercy, the first tome of this series, because of the awesomely cute gay couple, Royston and Hal. I picked this book up because I had like the plot, but especially because I thought there would be more Royston and Hal cuteness. When I noticed there wasn’t anything of the sort in Shadow Magic, I was slightly disappointed, but continued reading nevertheless.

After that, I was even more disappointed when I noticed the whole fantasy part present Havemercy disappeared in Shadow Magic. Granted, Havemercy already didn’t have very much, but the little it had was awesome. At least, there were dragons, magic, and magic dragons. But in Shadow Magic (Another ill-fitted book title!), nothing. Well, nothing in the first 300 pages of the book. This disappointed me even further, but I kept reading anyways.

Then, I realized that the Ke-Han Empire was really just Japan with another name. When reading about fantasy worlds, I like original people, strange new ways and special attributes. But the Ke-Han wore attire that looked an awful lot like kimonos, had customs much like those of feudal, imperial Japan, and even their names were Japanese-sounding! Mamoru, Aiko and Kouje were three noticeable ones (though I do admit Iseul doesn’t sound at all Japanese).

Next, there are still four protagonists, and two hardly related storylines: that of Mamoru and Kouje running away from the Emperor, and that of the Volstovic diplomats negociating the terms of surrender with the Ke-Han Emperor, Iseul. This second aspect is told by Caius Greylace (by far my favourite, though very cliché in his gayness and love for clothes) and General Alcibiades.

All four main characters are despairingly common, and I’m not even talking about the other ones. Mamoru, the fragile little prince. Kouje, Mamoru’s trusty bodyguard and friend. Caius Greylace, the happy little 17-year-old diplomat with an incredible taste for clothes and gossip. And finally, Alcibiades, the gruff general who did the war and is definitely not talented diplomatically.

I’d feel like I was failing this blog and myself if I couldn’t find anything positive to say about this novel, but this one is hard. I do admit the writing was beautiful and flowery, though I wish there were a little more physical descriptions of places and people. Once more, the authors managed to give distinctively different voices to their four characters, and I have to praise them for this. But, as I said earlier, story wise, this book is rather bland.

The first 300 pages were pretty boring, to be frank. But the ending actually quite made up for it action wise, even if it did feel rushed. I would’ve loved another hundred pages like the last 80! But instead, the rest of the book was just a big mob of diplomacy.

Honestly, though this book probably isn’t the worst one out there, it is a horrible disappointment. Though there is a third book in this series, I do not know whether or not I will read it, because it is about the two characters I loathed in Havemercy (the ones that were brothers, but didn’t know because they thought the other one was dead – woops, I just said a punch line from book 1).

I tried hard to like this book, I really did. But I most certainly didn’t. If you like diplomacy in fantasy worlds that look like feudal Japan, then you may appreciate this more than I did, though.

-Aithen

Shadow Magic by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett

Rating: 5,6/10

Marked

2010-05-07T19:36:00.014-04:00

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

I mean, my god, I need to explain how I got my hands on this...

Because I'm sadist like that, I dared Aithen to read Beautiful Creatures for the simple reason that it had 'Attempt # 1753 at being as good as Twilight and utterly failing at it' labeled on it. Of course, because there is no way she'd suffer a bad read without having me suffer beside her, she picked a book for me in return that had 'Yet another Vampire book that is so bad no one knows why it even got published in the first place!' labeled on it.

Here's the kind of book that makes me desperately sigh and rub my forehead. And to think I swore to myself never to read such a... thing... ever again! But a challenge is a challenge and I'm not one to deny especially when I'm sure I'll win yet again. Aithen always picks the worst for me ever since I made her read some crap called the 'Prophecy of the Stones'. Oh noooo, she'll never forgive me for that.

Anyway, I had forgotten how much a book can be filled with so much stereotypes. Here's the story, and no I won't skip over spoilers:

Random girl is marked as a vampyre (Can't even bother finding a more original name? Do you really need to mess up the word already?) but instead of being like everyone else and having her forehead crescent moon tattoo only outlined, she has it filled in because she's so special and on top of that, the Goddess of all the vamps chooses her for some cliche prophecy and foreshadows a super destiny! Yay!!!1 Then, random girl arrives at this super awesome perfect school where vampyres have a salad bar (drinking blood is so last decade!) and where all the teachers are nice and cool and where everyone is just simply amazingly gorgeous and has long flowy hair. Double yay!!!1 But you know what!? There's this evil gang of prigs who want our super special protagonist to join their Dark Daughters or Whatever club because she's so special like them, and because they are the evil prigs of the story and get to do what they want! And they are all total sluts. No wayyyy. But, oh, oh, this is not the end! Our protagonist, not only being somewhat of a full vampyre (when it is completely illogical because she was marked two hours ago and it takes about 3-4 years to become a full vampire!) because of her filled in mark, can also control the elements! And you know what else!? She's probably the first vampyr ever to control the five elements! How amazingly amazing! Oh and, she gets to hook up with the most beautiful guy in the school even if she has known him for a total of two days.

Right. This was as much of a laugh as Evermore, my previous challenge but at least this got me going till the end. (I just really wanted to see how cliche it could get).

Ok, first thing first. The authors here tried way too hard to put moral in their story and cover issues such as oral sex and getting drunk and what not, making Zoey, the protagonist, a super smart, alert and conscious teen who is supposed to be the role model for every teenager out there with her perfectness and innocence. You know, as much as I want the young society to get smarter and act smart, the way these issues were presented was just ridiculous.

I don't know what this deal about connecting with teenagers was all about, but I don't think the dialogues, interactions and overall voice of the book needed to sound so stupid. I mean, you had those parenthesis comments and monologues popping out every few pages, such as 'Speaking of boob, I was totally sounding like one. (Boob... hee hee).' or 'You scared the poo out of me!' I mean, hello? Is Zoey really supposed to be 16 years old!? This book was so just written in such a plain and primitive way. At first the bluntness of it all made me laugh, but really, this is not the kind of book that is worth being read again or that contains any passages that really draws you in, inspires you. The attempt at connecting with teenagers is a failure, because if they think we teenagers act like this in the real world, then we're all a horde of immature dorks.

The characters weren't as bad because at least they had personalities, but those personalities were your international cliche. Zoey was way too much your stereotypical good-girl and her friends were the way too stereotypical good-friends including the stereotypical gay boy that giggles like a girl and the bad guys were the way too stereotypical 'bia-tches' and the love interest was flat and there was as usual nothing stable and concrete and logical behind the relationship. Why can't authors take the time to develop their characters and relationships!? Yes here I am telling that some of them are pitiful writers and should go hide in shame!

I did like the whole marking and changing thing. It's a nice concept, though unattractive because vampires are included (even if there was as much of vampire-ism in this book as there is gold under your pillow) and vampires have been way too much overused during the past years to stand as a possible interest. This book was more like a Harry Potter reloaded in bad quality and involving vampire pagans doing sacrificial witchcraft instead of wizards who wear pointy hats and fly on brooms. Ugh, really. Where Twilight completely misunderstands the concept of vampires, The House of Night completely passes beside the point! At least they don't sparkle. Yet.

This is the kind of book that will make twelve year-old girls who know no better squeal and fangirl. It was an easy read, ok, funny at times ok, but in truth ridiculous and a big waste of my time. I just know I won this challenge.

Sorry if I sounded rude. Just blame the book for it.

-Beryl

Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Rating: 6,3/10

Daughters of Fire

2010-05-04T15:45:00.007-04:00

The Romans are landing in Britannia...

Cartimandua, the young woman destined to rule the great tribe of the Brigantes, watches the invaders come ever closer. From the start her world is a maelstrom of love and conflict, revenge and retribution. Cartimandua's life becomes more turbulent and complicated as her power grows, and her political skills are threatened by her personal choices. She has formidable enemies on all asides as she faces a decision which will change the future of all around her.

In the present day, historian Viv Lloyd Rees has immersed herself in the legends surroundings the Celtic queen. Viv struggles to hide her visions of Cartimandua and her conviction that they are real. But her obsession becomes ever more persistent as she takes possession of an ancient brooch that carries a curse. bitter rivalries and overwhelming passions are reawakened as past envelops present and Viv finds herself in the greatest danger of her life.

The first thing that surprised me while reading Daughters of Fire was how the plot didn't need to be amazing to pull me in. The story is basically about Viv having flash backs of Cartimandua's life and bringing lots of people around her in the unraveling dramatic events that follow. The resume didn't make me excited and all, just slightly curious, but i was already hooked ever since the first page.

I guess this is because of the beautiful, smooth and lyrical writing of Erskine. It's this kind of writing that inspires you automatically, that makes you want to go on with the story and that illustrates everything so well. Physical descriptions included too! It irks me so much when in books no descriptions of the characters are given, and you are just left to wonder how everyone and everything looks; I take authors who forget to describe their characters in such disdain! This time I was pleased. Good descriptions are good. Both of the characters and environment.

As I said, the plot wasn't amazing. It was a good read, a very interesting book that portrays well the Celts and that makes you learn a lot. It was long, though (not that I have anything against long books! The bigger the more I like them! It's just that when a plot isn't juicy enough, my interest falters..) and around the middle it started to slightly drag and you tell yourself 'ngngn hurry up...' because you want to get to the core of it all already. The last hundred pages are packed with drama and action and all and so the book ends pretty well. I actually liked the conclusion and the whole unraveling. It has a dramatic touch to it. You all know how much I love drama. :)

For the characters, just as the plot, I was content, but not amazed. They are very well developed, very different and each of them stand out with their own personality. And guess what. No silly teens have the spotlight! It's goodbye teen drama and hello adult drama! Indeed, most of the characters were over their thirties, and I liked that. It's a bit strange for me to think of fantasy and paranormal with adults involved, but it was good. I didn't get that attached to the characters as I usually do, perhaps because here we deal with ye old folks, but I didn't mind them either. They weren't bad, but neither were they amazing.

So, in conclusion, a good read. I have another book by Erskine in my possession, The Warrior's Princess, but I'll pick it up a bit later. I heard that all of Erskine's books are written in the present/past flashback style and even if it might be a bit repetitive, it's still an interesting trademark and a fun way to learn history slightly altered by fiction. Now I enjoy reading about Cartimandua on wikipedia and looking for pictures of her and reviving the character of the book in my head.

-Beryl

Daughter of Fire by Barbara Erskine
Rating: 8,6/10

Deadline

2010-05-01T17:13:00.003-04:00

Ben Wolf has big things planned for his senior year. Had big things planned. Now what he has is some very bad news and only one year left to make his mark on the world.

How can a pint-sized, smart-ass eighteen-year-old do anything significant in the nowheresville of Trout, Idaho?
First, Ben makes sure that no one else knows what is going on—not his superstar quarterback brother, Cody, not his parents, not his coach, no one. Next, he decides to become the best 127-pound football player Trout High has ever seen; to give his close-minded civics teacher a daily migraine; and to help the local drunk clean up his act.

And then there's Dallas Suzuki. Amazingly perfect, fascinating Dallas Suzuki, who may or may not give Ben the time of day. Really, she's first on the list. Living with a secret isn't easy, though, and Ben's resolve begins to crumble . . . especially when he realizes that he isn't the only person in Trout with secrets.

Apparently, I’ve laid my hands on a lot of really cute books this month. Deadline, though I’m pretty certain the author tried to make it sad or something, was yet another adorable and funny book. The problem is, it’s a novel about a teen dying.

Ben Wolf is dying, and he decided to ditch the treatment and live the best year he can. He always had a witty remark to everything that was said, always. Even though I’m glad he wasn’t constantly moping around, I think knowing the fact you’re dying would probably rouse a little more emotion than what was portrayed in this book.

There was also a rather lame attempt at spiritualism, in the person of Hey-Soos. Hey-Soos, which is, by the way, the Spanish pronunciation of Jesus, is Ben’s mental hallucination. He sees him in his dreams, and Hey-Soos gives him advice similar to that given by a psychiatrist. Whenever this ‘spiritual guide’ came up, I groaned. His dream land really bothered me. It broke the pace and didn’t really add anything relevant to the story. I definitely could’ve gone without it. Sure, Ben seems to be so thankful to Hey-Soos in the end, and Hey-Soos is really good at asking the right questions. But I would’ve preferred staying out of the more spiritual aspects of death.

I really loved Ben’s reading list, though, and I added a bunch of books to my pile after finishing Deadline. The characters were deep, for the amount of development they had. Since the book was rather short, considering it was only 300 pages and covered a whole entire school year, there wasn’t much space for lengthy descriptions of the characters.

The different subplots were so numerous that they all kind of ended short and undeveloped; I think it could’ve been good for the novel to have less happen, but develop everything a tad more. This book could’ve been so much longer and there is so much space for more information that I kind of felt stranded at the end.

All in all, this book was overloaded with a bunch of partly developed stories and themes ranging from death at a young age to football, with a little bit of incest, teen pregnancy and pedophiles. It was good, but I would’ve preferred a book with more development in a single theme instead of in twenty. If you like short books that pretend to be dramatic and sad but actually aren’t really, then this one is for you.

-Aithen

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Rating: 8,1/10

The Value of X

2010-04-26T20:30:00.009-04:00

From Amazon :

The Value of X tells the story of Ricky and Gary, who as best friends coming of age in 1990 New Orleans discover a mutual attraction. Ricky, who aspires to become a chef, secures them both occasional jobs in a diner so that he can indulge his passion for cooking and they can spend time together. Life is complete until their parents discover their true relationship and try to separate them by sending Ricky to a culinary institute in New York.

The main reason why I shouldn’t be reading romance novels is that, no matter what the story is, I absolutely hate it whenever the characters have communication issues. And since most romance books have an epic dosage of lack of communication, I am incapable of surviving and loving any romance.

The value of X, though it is absolutely adorable, is a romantic novel and therefore displayed a rather frustrating cast of characters that decided to keep all their emotions to themselves. This is a problem, especially when you are trying to maintain a relationship with someone who lives half a continent away. I felt like going to New York, kidnapping Rickey and dragging him back to Gary. Seriously, this book made me mad.

Apart from this, I really love the characters. Gary and Rickey (both boys, if you hadn’t already guessed) have been best friends since forever, and they have also begun experiencing love for each other. I loved how there was hardly any dawdling about ‘coming out’ and how the boys immediately went onto more serious matters, such as making out, and, well, eventually, sex.

The plot was cute too. Since Rickey and Gary’s parents are against homosexuality, when they guess what is going on between their sons, they decide to try and separate them. To do this, Rickey’s parents send their son to the CIA, a cooking institute in New York, miles away from New Orleans where Gary has to stay.

The boys slowly fall into a depression, each on their own side, and though Gary drowns it in liquor on his side, Rickey desperately tries to stay afloat. I have to admit that at times, Gary's utter helplessness without his beloved boyfriend made me cringe, but overall, both their characters were adorable and likeable, without being absolute Mary-Sues or Mr. Perfects. They had their flaws and they were human.

Though some say this was about cooking, I had a hard time seeing a lot of actual cooking going on. Sure, Rickey goes to a cooking school and Gary works as a cook, but that doesn't necessarily make it a book about food and fancy restauraunts. If you're looking for some sort of cooking novel, then this isn't one, though there are a couple (maybe one or two) rather tasty plates described.

This book got me wondering, though : do all gay romance books turn out to have cocaine use, liquor abuse and vulgar language? I've come to the point where I'm actually starting to think all gay men drink like mad, are drug addicts and swear like hell. I don't actually think that, that's just what the books I read tell me... Anyways, if someone knows of a good gay romance book that doesn't include drugs of any kind, I'll gladly pick it up.

This was a very cute book, but it wasn't much more. Sweet, even though the characters can be rather vulgar, and I can still hardly believe I actually enjoyed a romance novel. There is very little plot to speak of, and only a few truly entertaining parts. A very light read and only a little over a hundred and fifty pages, I skimmed through it in less than a day.

-Aithen

The Value of X by Poppy Z. Brite
Rating : 7,4/10

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

2010-04-25T00:25:00.009-04:00

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Ah, I was disappointed by this book. Here's a zombie romance apocalyptic book for you, that could actually have chilled me to the bone if it wasn't for the poor characterization and dialogues. It's so sad it wasn't better, because it had such a good feel to it, especially after having watched the book trailer. My appreciation for the book could actually be described like a roller coaster. It went up and down, up and down.

I loved the plot. Postapocalyptic times, where humans have to fend for themselves and protect their village from the zombies roaming in the surrounding forest while living in fear and death. Ye good old zombies that nom on you. The story picks up well, we're already pushed into Mary's terrifying world and we don't wait for drama and action. My mood just fell when I realized how flat all the characters were.

It's as if none of them were developed. Mary, the protagonist, is pretty much two dimensional and you don't know what to think about her. In the first part of the book, I was tired how the only thing Mary did was sulk around and do mindless things without actually using her head. Afterward, I was irritated how she could never be happy with what she got, and how she always complained, and how she sometimes acted simply stupid. At those moments, when she stood there doing nothing while something should obviously have been done, I felt like smacking her. It's really at the end of the book when she started decapitating all those zombies that I thought 'about time you did something!' I actually liked how she kept searching for the ocean, and how she pushed herself to go to the end of it all.

But then again, the rest of the characters aren't better. I never saw why Travis was the love interest. Except for his good looks, there isn't much to him, and you don't see why Mary even likes him. You can't properly frame his personality, and it irked me all along. I think that the most developed character was Cass, for at least you get to know her better, and she actually stands out. In the end, you don't really fall for any of the characters, and thus I didn't really care about how things ended for them.

After that comes the dialogues. Pages and pages can pass without words being exchanged, and when characters finally interact, it's to say something meager, something that doesn't help us define them better. It could have been endurable if we didn't get so much of Mary's inner sulking. I don't think I've ever read a book with such a low amount of interaction.

I also realized that the author left a lot of sub plots behind, without developing them. It's as if Ryan started up with and idea, and than forgot about it, letting it rot away.

On the good sides, the story was good. Lots of action, lots of feelings. With those pages filled with descriptions and Mary's thoughts, you really get into the horrid mood of the story. At the end, I was starting to feel all the pressure that the Unconsecrated (aka zombies) pushed upon the characters, I was starting to share their desperation.

I ended up liking the book at the end, seeing as how bad endings meet most of the characters, and how there is a lot of drama. The ending didn't quite satisfy me, and it made me want to know more, to know what happened with everybody at the end, and I guess that's a good thing.

I wonder if this is a debut novel, because it sure does look like one. It could have been such an amazing book without all those lacks. Too bad, I guess. But it would do a good movie.

-Beryl

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Rating: 7,8/10

The Knife of Never Letting Go

2010-04-21T19:52:00.005-04:00

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in Prentisstown.
But Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy. There are no secrets. Or are there?
Just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd unexpectedly stumbles upon a spot of complete silence.

Which is impossible.

Prentisstown has been lying to him.

And now he's going to have to run...

This is the first installment of the Chaos Walking series. Though at first I was slightly skeptical about this book's quality, I have to admit it is an undeniably good book and a plea for freedom like none other. It is comparable, in terms of themes and mood, to Feed by M. T. Anderson.

It took me some time, at first, to get used to the strange writing of certain words. It is said, later on, that the protagonist, Todd, doesn’t know how to read very well, but that isn’t a reason to confuse the reader with weird words, faltering grammar and impossibly long sentences. It kind of threw me off until I got used to it, though I have to admit it did serve its purpose well, and installed the mood very quickly.

Todd, being the youngest man on New World, is quite lonely at the beginning of the book. He annoyed me greatly, mainly because his swears were so strange and his way of speaking so... bizarre. It felt like he had a perpetual head ache clouding up his head, which, in a sense, he did. Since everyone hears everyone’s thoughts as soon as they are thought, it must get quite hellish inside one’s head. This phenomenon is called Noise.

Of course, the perpetual Noise brought many emotions, but I felt like there were too many at times, and this gave me a headache. It felt more or less saturated with feelings at every single moment. Therefore, when a truly sad or more emotional chapter came along, I didn’t quite feel any difference between it and a normal, non-emotional chapter, like when Todd was picking apples at the very beginning of the book. This truly disappointed me, seeing as some chapters really felt like they could be beautiful, and some gave me the feeling I should be crying. I just couldn’t bring myself to appreciate this feel.

I really liked, though, how nothing was ever explained. Since everything is seen from Todd’s point of view, he doesn’t unnecessarily say things he already knows. The reader has to deduce everything from snippets of information given from time to time. It keeps you on the edge and always craving for more.

It was a very harsh vision of a faraway world, and I like harsh visions of faraway worlds. This one was well built and furnished, though I did long for more information about it. Though, as I said earlier, explaining things raw would’ve broken the mood too much.

Overall, I was really impressed with this book, even though it took me about half the novel to actually get into it, and the emotional overload annoyed me. I recommend this to science-fiction and action lovers. When I find the second book, I will read it, even though the novel could be considered a stand alone with a really, really frustrating ending. . I need to know what happens next!

-Aithen

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ross
Rating : 8.2/10

Leviathan

2010-04-19T17:10:00.004-04:00

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

So, everyone was pretty excited to read this book. I was glad when I got my hands on it, but I must say I didn't find it as amazing as I thought I would.

This book has two points of views. Alek's and Deryn's. First good point is that you see very well the differences between the world of Clankers and Darwinists. The dialogues and the mannerism is well adapted, and so when you have interactions between Alek and Deryn you see Deryn's strong tendency to curse and use slang-talk, and Alek's polite and fine way of speaking. I personally preferred Alek's point view, maybe because I have a liking for nobles and their fanciness and I liked Alek's royalty drama better than Deryn's i'm-a-boy-not-a-girl acting. The one thing I disliked in the character crew is that both Deryn and Alek look like children. They also act like ones, look like ones on the illustrations, and the things they say make you imagine them as 12-year-olds. I don't mind younger protagonists that much, but in this context it was a bit queer, and not what I had expected from Westerfield.

Even if finely described and furnished with at least two illustrations per chapter, the story didn't pick up until half the book. Well, I can't say it didn't 'pick up', because from the beginning of the story to the end action is rolling on. I just mean that the story didn't hook me until about the 250th page, which is when Deryn and Alek finally meet.

I found the concept of the story very interesting, and I love this war between Darwinists and Clankers, but I didn't find much alternation between the real World War I and Leviathan. Except the main concept and the characters, there are no new governmental systems, no new countries, nor a new 'world' that acts differently from ours but that still relates to it. All those beasties and the way they work are fantastic though.

In the end, I enjoyed this book, but it didn't send me over-the-heels. I didn't mind putting it away to finish some other books. I'll gladly purchase the second book, or simply borrow it as I think I won't feel the need to re-read the first or the second. The cover illustration was really nice, though, and I loved the caricature map.

-Beryl

Leviathan by Scott Westerfield
Rating: 8,3/10

Havemercy

2010-04-12T21:45:00.003-04:00

Thanks to its elite Dragon Corps, the capital city of Volstov has all but won the hundred years' war with its neighboring enemy, the Ke-Han. The renegade airmen who fly the corps's mechanical, magic-fueled dragons are Volstov's greatest weapon. But now one of its more unruly members is at the center of the city's rumor mill, causing a distraction that may turn the tide of victory." "With Volstov immersed in a scandal that may have international repercussions, the Ke-Han devise an ingenious plan of attack. To counter the threat, four ill-assorted heroes must converge to save the kingdom they love: an exiled magician, a naive country boy, a young student - and the unpredictable ace airman who flies the city's fiercest dragon, Havemercy." But on the eve of battle, these courageous men will face something that could make the most formidable of warriors hesitate, the most powerful of magicians weak, and the most unlikely of men allies in their quest to rise against it.

The first sentences drew me into the book with an intensity I had not suspected. I thought this would be the book of the year, but it turned out rather plain, even if there are some quite good elements about it.

The four main characters were okay, I guess. They were quite lame at times, though they were very well characterized and acted as their character dictated. All four of them, sadly, lacked a background. The problem with having 4 different protagonist, and therefore 4 different points of view, that mingle in 2 completely different story arcs that take place in the same world, is that you inevitably prefer one story arc and one character. This happened to me, and all the switching around sometimes confused me, and always annoyed me. I’d be (almost) drooling over a page because it was so full of love and caring and beauty... and then I’d be brutally projected into the brutal Airman. More than once, this made me teary-eyed with frustration. Consequently, there were many, many cliff-hangers, though too often they fell at exactly the wrong time.

The premises themselves were rather classic, a century-old war between two countries over a strip of land. The way it progressed, though, was quite original. There were dragons (though they were only introduced rather late) and they were made of metal. The people who flew the dragons were pigs. The magic was tightly controlled, and the way it worked was original too. There was also a couple of interesting things that happened, but overall it was quite classic.

The authors wrote quite well. Each character had a very different way of thinking and speaking, and their individual parts were as different as can be. The vocabulary used, consequently, was relative to each of the man’s level of education.

Overall, this book was quite pleasing, though I have a very mixed opinion of it. At times I was in love with it, but at others I got so mad at it I wanted to throw it out the window. I suggest this book to everyone who likes dragons, fantasy and who don’t mind serious cussing or gay characters.

Seeing as I am trying to keep my posts a reasonable length, that will be it for this review. If you want to hear more, don’t hesitate to talk to me! I don’t bite, I promise!

-Aithen

Havemercy by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
Rating: 8,4/10

Dear John

2010-04-11T08:41:00.007-04:00

I'm back from Europe everybody! I brought only Dear John, thinking it would last for the two weeks, but it only did for 3 days. I finished it squeezed in a bus on my way back from Venice.

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life.

Savannah is your happy, intelligent, kind and gentle girl that everyone loves and that everyone wants to hook up with. Because of her near-perfect characterization, I didn't fall for her as much as I did for John. I liked the fact she wasn't completely mary-sue because of her naivety and her faults, and it somewhat saved my appreciation of her before she ditched John.

I really loved John, on the other hand. He is this big gentleman army grunt that is at the same time mature and collected. I even liked his father, with whom he doesn't have the best relationship, and how it got to grow through out the story, and their interactions were really interesting and sometimes brought me to tears.

To me, what really makes a book great, is how much emotions it can pull out from you. I'm really indecisive about Dear John. I could say I hated the book. I could also say I loved the book. I'm stuck between the two, and I don't know what to choose, and so I'll say I both loved it and hated it.

I hated it because it was tragic.

I couldn't believe it when Savannah broke up with John. I completely hadn't expected that from the book, as I hadn't read any reviews of it before, and I was just plain mad. I mean, I thought she loved him? If you love someone, truly, you'd be able to wait for his return, right? Even if it takes many years, you would wait, wouldn't you? It may be hard, and blah blah, but I would wait for my love to return. Well Savannah didn't, and I was just tired by how she was always depressed that John wasn't there and how she couldn't just make the best of what she had until the time came for John to return from war. Instead of that, she fell in love with someone else, and John didn't have a reason to quit the army anymore. I felt so sad for him too, especially when he returned to see Savannah married!

I guess I somehow liked his decision at the end, and the moral he deduced from it, but meh. In the end, he is left with nothing, while Savannah goes out in the sun happy with another man while she could have been even more happy if it was John. I don't know, I didn't feel satisfied with the ending.

But then again, I loved it because it was tragic.

This is the first Nicholas Sparks book I read, and I've read from other reviews that he likes giving his books tragic endings. Well I like tragic endings, even if it really tears me apart.

When I think about it in another way, falling out of love is normal, isn't it? It's possible for two people to love each other with passion, and then to loose this passion. In Dear John, it's more like Savannah lost this passion because John kept on loving her, but still. Sparks probably wanted to keep away the notion of 'perfect love', which made the book realistic, but still heartbreaking.

The worst is that Savannah still loves John at the end of the book, but she chooses another life. Somehow, I feel like she molds in better with the life she choose than with a life with John, and I guess that's the tragic point of the story, seeing how passionate her love was with John before.

In any case, I'll try to put away my emotions to rate this book and use the standard criteria. I think you can only love this book, or hate it.

It's a very emotional book, too. I don't know if its worth for some to embark on this roller coaster and crash at the end, but meh. If you like drama, I guess this is for you. I'd like to read some other books by Sparks, though.

-Beryl

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
Rating: 9,6/10

The Van Alen Legacy

2010-04-10T20:08:00.004-04:00

With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods. Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival. Not to worry, love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side. Or is it? Jack and Schuyler are over. Oliver's brokenhearted. And only the cunning Mimi seems to be happily engaged.

She did it again. A whole year has passed between Revelations and the Van Alen Legacy, and I was not amused when I read that. So much has happened since Schuyler and Oliver have been on the run, and yet the author skips this potentially interesting developpement?! I swear, I thought it would get even better what happened in the previous book, but I see now it can only get worse.

The whole novel feels like de la Cruz had an epic writer’s bloc but forced herself to write and never got around to rereading herself and make the book better. The whole story arc is slowly lagging along and I don’t think it’s going to get any faster anytime soon.

There is one major problem: this has become your typical GOTTA SAVE THE WORLD!!!11!!ONE!
Yeah.

First of all, the runaway half-vampire is supposedly chassed by dozens of Blue Bloods, and by the dangerous demons too. She is the one who will save the world, after all. Yet her own kind and her enemies are trying to kill her, so she has to run instead of helping them.

Secondly, Schuyler and Jack hook up together... again. To Oliver’s great demise, of course. I wanted to stop reading then and there, but I forced myself to continue.

Little is actually revealed about the plot, apart from the fact that Bliss has Lucifer himself in her body. That nice, sweet girl has the dark prince inside her and he takes over her body from time to time. She speaks with her (dead) boyfriend Dylan in her head, because since she killed him in Revelations, he lives there.

The ending is quite impressive, or could have been if it didn’t involve absolute idiocy on Schuyler’s part and a bonding between Mimi and Jack. Yes, the gown of the bride as well as the clothes of everyone else there was merrily described.

Not many cliffhangers in this book, too, and only my dedication to this blog actually kept me reading. My reading pile is stacking high, and I don’t have time for any bad books like this. Don’t expect me to read the fifth one when it comes out, that would be sheer torture.

-Aithen

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz
Rating: 6,7/10

Soulless

2010-04-01T22:00:00.004-04:00

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

I was drawn to this book because it was marked as a steampunk zombie book. Though I found no zombies in the traditional definition of them, it was indeed a steampunk book, and a good one at that. Sadly, sometimes it felt like the author hadn’t researched the Victorian era enough, and there were some things that happened that made me unsure that it could’ve happened in the actual Victorian era.

Even though the vampires and werewolves made me wary at first because of all the terrible vampire books I’ve been reading lately, this is actually a vey nice and refreshing way of viewing the supernatural. In order to turn someone into an immortal, the person must possess enough soul to survive the turn. Otherwise, death is what awaits the one who tried their hand at becoming one of the supernatural beings.

Alexia Tarabotti, on the other hand, is a preternatural, and therefore doesn’t possess any soul. This doesn’t make her a mindless, idiotic being, but rather some sort of... Actually, I’m not quite sure what this does, other than that her presence cancels out the powers of the supernatural. She is a Victorian spinster and a very lovable character. Maccon is quite the typical Alpha werewolf, gruff, huge and strong, but still unique in his own way. Two other characters I absolutely loved were Lyall, Maccon’s Beta and a respectable professor, and Lord Akedelma. The latter is a “shiny” vampire, but only in the sense that he has a very bright and gay personality. The sun does kill him. He is a rove, a vampire in no coven, yet knows all the secrets and loves to gossip. What is it with the supernatural beings in books these days always being so glittery?

Alexia’s love story with Maccon is just about the most adorable thing I’ve ever read. It isn’t all lovey-dovey, and that’s what makes it so great. Her relationship with him grows over the course of the story, evolving from a cute bickering type of thing to an intense romantic relationship.

The story itself was sadly slightly eclipsed by Alexia and Maccon’s relationship. What I grasped of the plot was that Alexia was in grave danger because of her soulless state, but not much more. This was something of a disappointment, but at least the plot wasn’t nonexistent. Even though Alexia herself cannot participate in any battles (she is a Victorian lady, after all), the author managed to make the fighting scenes just as interesting as if she were fighting too.

Sadly, as the book went on, the story went from adventurous and mysterious to a romantic comedy. This switch wouldn’t have been so bad if it hadn’t slowly but surely turned into an erotic fantasy. Not that I mind all that much, mind you, I was just disappointed because every part of the book seemed to be a scheme to get Maccon and Alexia into an overly sexual situation. That was not quite what I’d signed up for when I started this book, that’s for sure.

All in all, a cute and funny read, but if I’d known beforehand what to expect, I probably wouldn’t have been so eager to read it. I might review Changeless when it comes out, but it won’t be on top of my reading pile. I suggest it to those of you who like light stempunk romance and who don’t mind pretty explicit sex.

-Aithen

Soulless by Gail Carriger
Rating: 8,2/10

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