The Dragon's Price

The Dragon's Price
by Bethany Wiggins

This book is a good choice for anyone out there who are fans of Julie Kagawa and her novels. This book starts off sounding like your typical, every-day "I don't want to be forced into marriage so I'm going to do whatever I can to save my individuality" quest-type story. The main character comes from royal blood (also a common book character trait) and has a long-standing peace treaty with another kingdom (again, as per usual). This, however, is where the similarities end. For one, this novel has DRAGONS. I love dragons (as I suspect some of you do as well). Dragons are something that has an allure to readers- if a book is about dragons, I will pick it up. If there is a dragon on the cover, I will pick it up. There is some kind of special draw to the magic of them, to their mystery and mythology. However, in The Dragon's Price, the first book in the new Transference trilogy, there is a bit of a twist. When you kill a dragon, you gain its treasure. Sure, normally this would mean gold or money. However, in this novel, "treasure" is shown to mean a whole lot more.

The Dragon's Price is a great read for fans like me of the dragon stories, but it also holds an appeal for multiple other genres of readers- romance is another biggie. If you like romance novels; doomed ones, prince/princess ones, and pretty much any other kind of romance, this is the book for you. Sorrow, the main character, goes into her unsure future trying to avoid a loveless (and disturbing) marriage arrangement. What she would least expect to do is fall in love, right? Well, gear up- this romance is one that will keep you enthralled in the characters and their story, and will keep you on your toes wondering and hoping about what will happen.


What? You say?
What will happen?
Well, I guess you'll just have to read it to find out! (Hint: the end had me surprised, slightly flabbergasted, and ready and eager for a sequel!)

If I have to give this book a traditional, "what would you rate it on a scale of 1-5" rating, I would probably give it somewhere between a 3 and a 4. The plot had DRAGONS (that is two automatic stars) and it had great twists- to the dragon mythology, to the character and her story, and to the romantic plot. However, it could use some improvement. It felt more like a trial-run for the author- like this was a test run at writing, but that she has a LOT of potential to improve. I look forwards to reading her work in the future!

This book is a lot like bread. If you eat (read) too much, it makes you feel kinda sick. On the other hand, there are so many kinds of bread that it appeals to so many people- some people like sourdough just as some people like romance. Some people like fantasies, just like some people like whole wheat. This book is like bread for that reason- it suits many people because it has many genres in it. Then, once you think that you've had so much and you've eaten all sorts of bread that it can never surprise you anymore, you discover a new type of bread that you love- and then you start eating breads all over again. This book is a lot like that- something happens that outrages you or annoys you and then makes you more invested in the story. Personally, I would say that this book is whole wheat- grainy with some rough patches that need smoothing out and with little bits of everything so that anyone can find something they like about it.

Enjoy reading, everyone! This one is a fun read, even if it is not quite a five-star novel, so give it a try! Chances are there is something you will like about it! If you are . interested in this author, you can check her out at http://bethanywiggins.com/.

    ~Lucy

The Winner's Curse

Written by: Marie Rutkoski

This book is like a tootsie roll lolly pop. You have to get through the boring outside before the delicious center, but the wait is definitely worth it.

Fair haired Valorian Kestrel is the daughter of a famous general who’s expectation of her is to join the military or marry. Kestrel is not encouraged to play her beloved piano, so when she accidentally overhears the auctioning of a Herrani slave who is a fellow musician, she uncharacteristically buys him from the market. She soon finds that he is a proud and unbeaten man, and she asks him for his complete honesty in all things. Kestrel learns from Arin many things about herself and his past, and she realizes that the conquered Herrani are not the helpless people she may have thought them to be. From their conversations, Kestrel begins to see the true nature of her society, her family, and of course, herself.

To be completely honest, the minute I opened this book I was ready to write a completely sub-par review. Oh no, I thought, another book about a badass princess. By chapter two, I was prepared for the general mediocrity that would be sure to come.

If I have ever pitched a book to a potential reader with the promise that it would “pick up near the end,” this is the book I was talking about. The beginning was typical and uninteresting. The second half though, is fast paced and absorbing. The plot is not boring at all, and it constantly is developing and moving into new territory. The characters don’t sit there mulling over one little snag the entire time. So that was good. I stress again, just get to the second half.

But what is really the best aspect of this book is the romance. Yay for romance lovers like me! In my opinion, the relationship between Kestrel and Arin is captivating. They are from two different worlds, and they are separated by their race and class. Neither wants to be in the position they are in, but both realize that they just have to suck it up and figure out a way to make it work. Kestrel is trapped under the expectant gaze of her military father, and Arin is a slave cast from his previously noble position. But don’t worry, this isn’t another princess-falls-in-love-with-the-stable-hand kind of novel. I think we’ve all had enough of those. This is a story about two people who are equal in every respect, except in the way that society perceives them.

The book also explores the nature of love of country; how loyalty to one’s people and heritage may not always be what is right.

Okay, yes, there is a certain amount of cheese, and yes, the names of some of the characters are less than creative. And yes, there is of course the obligatory dress scene, where the protagonist in question describes the every detail of her debut gown. Basically, if you are unwilling to read through the tea parties and debutante balls then this book is not for you. But what I think matters most in judging a book, is how you feel when you turn the last page (warning! It’s a cliffhanger!). What I was feeling when I finally reached the end, was that I wished I had the second book next to me so I could start reading immediately!

All in all, I would steer you away from this novel if you aren’t into the whole royalty and dresses thing. And if you had any doubts about the genre, it is one hundred percent a romance. If you hate romances, don’t even bother. If however, you are okay with a little cheese now and then and love this kind of novel, then I absolutely recommend it.

4/5 stars!

Under Shifting Glass

By: Nicky Singer

This book was like one scoop of vanilla ice cream.  It was simple, smooth, cold, and delicious.  The coolness of the ice cream penetrates more than the simple flavor which only adds to the experience.

Under Shifting Glass was about Jess.  Her mother is having babies that are conjoined, a word Jess prefers to Siamese twins.  However, the father is Jess's step father Si.  At about the same time her mother has these babies her Great Aunt Edie dies.  On top of that, Jess also feels like she is losing her best friend Zoe.  Jess always played piano at Aunt Edie's house and her grand piano is really the only thing that Jess want's of Edie's.  However, Jess receives a bureau instead.  In the bureau she finds a flask with something that creates light, a beautiful, natural, iridescent, breathing light that only Jess sees.  Jess is haunted by the statistics the Si gives her about the number of twins that die when they are being separated.  Jess starts seeing parallels all over her life.  The dying of her relationship with Zoe to the possibility of one of the twins dying is the most relevant in the book.  Jess feels that somehow she is connected to the twins and their survival depends on her acting with love and grace rather than the hatred and jealously she can't help but feel.

This book was very focused.  It didn't talk about much other than what Jess was thinking in just the small amount of time the book took place in.  However, this wasn't really a problem.  The book felt complete.  Jess's character was extremely thoughtful and she made the book meaningful.  One of my only problems with the book was figuring out how old Jess was supposed to be.  She could easily have been 6 or 7 or she could have easily been 14 or 15.  Her relationship with Zoe and other schoolmates made her seem young yet her family treated her like she was older.  However, that was really the only problem with the book.  Each word in the books has a meaning and purpose.  There isn't any superfluous description or meaningless characters.  This was refreshing because it made the book simple yet sincere.  This book is a 4.

The Song of the Quarkbeast

Jasper Fforde


     This is the second book of the Chronicles of Kazam.  Jennifer Strange is acting manager of Kazam Magical Arts Management, which is a company that provides magical services for its customers and manages general magic usage.  The main character, Jennifer Strange, is acting manager of Kazam while the real manager, the Great Zambini, is stuck in some sort of teleporting limbo.
     In this book, Conrad Blix, head of Kazam’s rival iMagic, hatches a plot to gain complete control over general magic management.  Although this is the main storyline, there’s still a lot of other stuff going on, mostly whimsical sorts of things.  There are all sorts of fun little things popping around, like the Transient Moose or the light ball that runs on sarcasm.  The ending ties everything up nicely, and Jennifer manages to pull things together in clever ways.
This is a 4 and like Funfetti cake.  It was fun to read, and there were all sorts of fun little bits stuck around the story.  The plot wasn’t the thickest, but it was engaging.  The book was a good length.  This is a good story for anyone looking for a light, fun read.  And it takes place in the Ununited Kingdoms, which is just fun to say.

Parched

Written by: Georgia Clark
Gulp down a tall glass of H2O and some water crackers for this one!

Yay for sci-fi/adventure/romance/dystopian original novels! Seriously, I really liked this book. Clark is a charismatic writer, and her characters are complex and fun to get to know.

Tessendra Rockwood is a spoiled rich girl who (for reasons initially unknown) leaves the protective dome of her city, Eden, to camp out in the Badlands. The contrast is horrifying; people in Eden live clean, happy lives and have an abundance of precious water, while in the Badlands children fight over the smallest sip of muddy liquid. Tessendra is eventually found by a member of the rebel group Kudzu, who are intent on ending the growing inequality. She returns home and lives with her uncle, who she thinks may be helping Eden keep the water in and the Badlanders out. She works undercover with the Kudzu, and eventually hatches a plan to help free the water, all while balancing her time studying at home with her Uncle's assistant, a handsome but odd boy who seems just a little off.

I can't say more without revealing too much, but I can say that this is a really good novel. To quote from the back of the book, "robots, renewable resources, and romance get tangled together in this thrilling futuristic adventure." It's true! The plot is just complicated enough to be interesting, and the setting is full of possibilities and a possible commentary on the current global situation. There is no stagnancy in this novel (in so many others I feel like I just want to get on with it already!), in fact the plot keeps twisting and turning so I was never bored. The villain is thoroughly evil, and the heroes are satisfyingly daring.

There are only two things that I wasn't quite happy with. First, I found it difficult to like the beginning of the book. It was a little confusing, and I wasn't sure what was going on. My advice is just to get through it, Chapter 3 is where it starts to pick up, and that's only page 26 so it's really not that hard. Second, occasionally Clark fell into the trap of making her main character a little too slow. I understood key plot points chapters before Tessendra did, which was fairly frustrating. This was my biggest qualm, and besides that, the book was awesome!

If you like futuristic adventure romances, I absolutely recommend this one.

4/5 stars!

SYLO

By: D.J. MacHale

When I was reading SYLO I decided it would make a terrific movie.  It is action packed, captivating, and well paced -- for the most part.  The beginning was well written and introduced an island off the coast of Maine, Pemberwick Island.  The town is very close and everyone knows just about everyone else.  Autumn is coming on but the warmth of winter is still holding on.  One evening during an intense football game the team's best player, Marty Wiggins, drops dead.  Tucker, a bench player on the football team, witnessed the whole thing and even heard Marty's last words.  To clear his mind he went on a midnight bike ride with his best friend Quinn.  On this bike ride a mysterious shadow flying over the water makes an elongated sound before exploding knocking both Tucker and Quinn off their bikes as well as someone else off their bike.  The only other witness was someone sitting in a pickup truck that disappeared before the police arrived.  The next day Tucker runs into someone he doesn't know, Mr. Feit, who offers him a mysterious red sea salt.  Tucker eats a tiny bit of it and becomes impossibly fast and strong until it wears off.  Once the island gets over Marty's death and how bad Tucker is at replacing his position on the football team life goes back to normal.  Until the lobster pot festival.  Near the end of the boat race one of the competitors runs off course, crashes, and is found dead, but not from the crash.  At this point a branch of the US army, SYLO, invades Pemberwick.  The person in charge of SYLO, Captain Granger, is steely and ruthless.  He tells them that they are barricading the island because there is a virus that they don't want to spread from the mainland.  Tucker and Quinn don't quite believe this but nothing is confirmed until Tucker and Tori, another girl from the island, see something that puts Tucker, Quinn, and Tori in danger for knowing too much.

Overall the book was very exciting but had a couple of flaws.  At the beginning of the book Tucker notices how his parents react oddly to the news of the invasion and seem to know something more.  Even though Tucker notices it he willingly decides not to care.  This bothered me for a long time because odd things were happening on the Island and Tucker didn't care that his parents might know something more.  But, this was mostly taken care of when Quinn yells at Tucker for not asking more questions.  Another problem was what happened to Quinn, it's too fishy.  The next problem was Olivia.  Olivia is a girl visiting the island and gets stuck on the Island without her family when SYLO invades.  On the day of the lobster pot festival Tucker over hears Olivia yelling into her cell phone saying she had already been on the island for too long and it wasn't what she agreed to.  Olivia comes up with a lame excuse and Tucker believes her.  This happened right before SYLO invaded and Tucker  does not even take notice.  From that point on I was always suspicious of Olivia.  She didn't do anything else odd until she seemed a little too handy with gun shot wounds and nothing more is discovered about Olivia.  This leads us to the last problem: the ending.  Just about nothing is wrapped up.  It ends with the worst words in the world "TO BE CONTINUED..." I was not happy.  The characters finished the first step of their journey but don't find any of the answers they were looking for.  Obviously there is going to be a second book but there needed to be a little but more of a conclusion.  Also, hopefully this will be fixed before it gets published, but, there were some very obvious typos.  A couple of times it would have two possessive adjectives in a row -- it would say things like Mr. Feits his.  And then another typo was the name of a sort of important place.  It started out as WCSH but on the next page it became WCHS.

This book was between a 3.5 and 4.5.  It's not really a 4 though.  Some of the book was very good but some of it seemed a little off.  As a whole it is probably around a 4 but some parts were clearly better than other parts.  The book was like a bag of chocolates.  Its a bag of chocolates, rather than a box, because you can't really tell how many  chocolates you have.  The chocolates are very good but then randomly they are filled with something you don't like.  A lot of the chocolates have original flavors that you've never tasted before but are very good.  Then when you think you should be a third of the way through someone grabs the bag from you and says you can have it back in a year.  That person is not very nice.

Precious Little

by Julie Hunt

I'm surprised no one else has reviewed a picture book yet. I can't be the only one following the new publications of children's books, right?

'Take the Hope or the Dream or the Song or the Dance.

You might choose the Joke. You might take the Chance.
Take the Risk or the Scare or the Stunt or the Rip.
What prize will you pick from today's lucky dip?'

Precious Little is a circus hand who wishes to be a trapeze artists. She usually sits "backstage" and sews spangled stars and roses on the leotards. She takes the circus's famous Lucky Dip - and it appears that she is shot off into the universe. It's hard to tell.

The summary calls it a " heart-stirring story about the rewards of perseverance, friendship and taking a chance." I saw no such thing while reading. I must make clear that this is not a children's book, by no means. This is certainly a young adult to adult book, cleverly disguised beneath fanciful illustrations. Precious Little is one of those rare profound books that have no ending - it's one of those books that one sits, slightly stunned, trying to think of what they just read.

Heart-stirring? Certainly. Perhaps not. Who knows.

Rewards? Not really.

Perseverance? Friendship? Taking a chance? Well, Precious Little is friends with two clowns (Fat Chance and Tough Luck) that shoot her in a cannon. If that's not Friendship and Taking a chance, I'm not sure what is.

The illustrations are perfectly gorgeous, almost baroque. They ride the line between delicate, childish, and creepy. There are embellishments and flourishes that perfectly suit the circus. In other words, I believe Gaye Chapman was the perfect illustrator.

I think the best word(s) to describe this book is whimsical and, perhaps ruminative.

I give this book a 4 in terms of books, but a 2.5 in terms of children's books. It's like dark chocolate - children will grab it based on it's appearance, and bite, and it won't be what they expected, and they won't like it. However, older people can fully enjoy this book - although, often times they'll not attempt this book because of the option of cheaper alternatives.

'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern, Spoilers labeled

This book is already published, and is pretty popular, but I read it as a galley. So it counts as a galley.

'The Night Circus' came off to a fantastic first impression. Kudos to you, Ms. Morgenstern! It's an enchanting book, dark and beautiful. It plays with words as an illusionist does: It's a dream-like book, full of metaphors and magic.

It begins with a scene, describing the arrival of Le Cirque des Rêves - the Circus of Dreams. It is mysterious, and it is only open at night. The crowd builds over the day, and when it finally opens, the circus turns out to be a world of its own. There is the tattooed contortionist, the acrobats that fly without a net underneath, a Garden of Ice, and, the female protagonist, an illusionist that works without props. I quote, “You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Reves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

The plot of the book is centered around a battle between two illusionists - people who work with real magic and make it look like illusions. Their battle is arranged by their teachers, and through the contract, they must fight, not knowing why they're fighting, what their goal is, and, in the beginning, who their opponent is. They fall in love, though, and their love is tangled and difficult, as love tends to be. There's madness, beauty, emotional instability, blood, twins, and tigers. It's basically the best circus in the world.

As I said, it came off to a wonderful start for me. After I read it the second time, though, it was more disappointing. The characters, other than the two illusionists, are too flat - they fit the stereotypes they are built into. The Japanese contortionist covered in tattoos is hiding an important secret, and **SPOILER** she has magic as well - surprise surprise! **/SPOILER** She... doesn't really have a personality, other than mysterious. The fortune-teller is also no more than mysterious, other than **SPOILER** tragically sad and angry when the male protagonist breaks up with her. **/SPOILER** To be honest, a lot of the characters seem to be no more than mysterious. There aren't enough... flaws, characteristics to build off of.

Then, there's the system of magic. I feel there isn't enough of the magic, which is pretty much one of the center points of the book. There are barely any processes, dangerous side effects, sacrifices - what makes a lot of magic books fun. No, there's just staring, and the blood seeps back into the cut, and it heals. The competitors never hurt each other, and there isn't any real magical fighting. Blah.

There are enchanting scenes, though, built through simple sentences and strangely described details.

Overall - 4, and a cheap dark chocolate bar. Delicious, because chocolate is just delicious, but a flavor that could definitely be better. Made too sweet, and less flavorful, through a bit of cliche, and hiding the flavors that really shine.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By Laini Taylor

      Karou is a girl with blue hair. Unusual in itself, but she didn't dye it that color; she wished it. Raised by demons, Karou has no family that she can remember other than Brimstone, the Wishmonger, Issa, Twiga, and Yasri, helpers in Brimstone's wish shop. She lives in Prague, a 17-year-old art student with her friend Zuzana and ex-boyfriend Kaz, while sometimes running off to run errands for Brimstone: to collect teeth. What started as a normal week quickly descended into chaos.
     Attacked by an angel, or a seraph, in Morocco, Karou went inside the shop, something permitted only because she was wounded badly. Once there, she went through the other door in Brimstone's shop, the one that has always been closed in her presence, never open, until now.  Once through, she found another world, one of constant war, of constant fear and fighting. The world of her family and the seraph that had attacked her.
    Thus unfolds the story of Karou, one with blue hair and wishes to use. She finds her origin and why she feels so attracted to Akiva, her angle.
     A interesting book where hope is more powerful than wishes, it is a 4, only because it reminded me of Twilight in the aspect of two races who aren't supposed to be together connected by the love of one pair. More like a piece of cake that has been promised to you, and has been drawn as the most delicious thing in the world by your friends, then it falls short of that taste that you created in you head. But it was still exceptional.

You Killed Wesley Payne

by Sean Beaudoin

This book has been available at Barns & Noble for a while now. It's also been a very long while since I read this book, but I'm a veteran procrastinator so I hope I'm forgiven. Anyway, this book is set in a world much like our own (but not quite) in a small-town high school. Dalton Rev, a teenage private investigator looking to earn some quick cash, came here to investigate the mysterious murder of Wesley Payne. This book ended up being one of my favorite books of the year. It is truly worthy of the YA category; it was sprinkled with humor and pop-culture phrases only widely known in the teenage realm. As it turns out, the entire school in the setting is seperated into distinct cliques and their followers, some being the 'Foxxes', 'Lee Harvies', and 'Populahs'. The superintendent is bribed frequently for late slips, and in the hallways, it's practically a jungle; bring your wits with you. The element of cliques and the casual, urban, teenage world of the school and writing style made it a memorable read and in a few ways close to my real teenage life. Some books I read are like they are written by my principal: adult-like, brimming with obvious metaphors and similes, and sometimes boring. This books was like it was written by a friend: they have a similar life to me, and uses these similar elements in their writing. It's quite chummy. Simply put, adults seem to have a hard time pinning down the exact elements that can relate to a teenager and make teen-oriented writing especially enjoyable. Well, Mr. Beaudoin, you did it pretty well. Being a damn good writer, of course, was nice too. This book was like a good batch of french fries: full of flavor, not over or under salted, pleasingly crispy edges, filling, and with a dollop of good ketchup to balance the flavor; a tasty high-calorie snack food. I give this a 4 out of 5.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

by Amy Chua
   This book has divided critics into two camps:

      

1. Amy Chua should be put behind bars for years and years and years without probation for child neglect and socially ostracized for painting a perhaps-offensive picture of "Chinese mothers" that applies to very few of them.
2. She should be praised for putting her own life up for the public to see and examine--her account, while perhaps a bit extreme, is heartfelt and funny. Her daughters eventually turned out all right, didn't they?

   I stumbled upon BHOTTM as I was searching for a biology-themed book for a summer project in the bookstore. Having found the text, I had some time to indulge my own summer reading needs. BHOTTM received, and is still receiving, a lot of buzz in the literary world. Considering the world's schism, I decided to give it a go. I also really liked the cover. Let's be honest- who doesn't judge a book by its cover?

   Here's my interpretation: while Chua's story is extreme and pushes the limits, her struggle is sincere and she really loves her children. BHOTTM chronicles her quest to raise her children as she was raised by her own strict Chinese immigrant parents. Chua theorizes that, while the first and second generation of a Chinese immigrant family will be perfect and strictly-raised, the third generation will experience problems of pampering and come out less than perfect. For this reason, she pushes her two daughters, Sophia and Lulu, to their limits. Everything she does, she says, is to prepare them for the future.
  So what, exactly, raised the ire of a parents worldwide and caused her to be viewed by some as unfit for parenting? For one thing, she forced her children to, at the ripe old age of three, take up the piano. Merely playing was not good enough, and Chua made them practice at times five hours per day. When the piano proved a bad fit for Lulu, she was made to take up the violin in addition. World-class teachers were hunted down to provide the very best musical educations for the two children--quitting was not an option.  Academics-wise, anything less than straight As were not acceptable. Play-dates and sleepovers were out-of-bounds, and sports and school plays forbidden.
  I actually really liked the book. Chua herself warns readers to take everything with a grain of salt, and says that the book is a memoir and not a parenting guide. She is a wicked wit; biting sarcasm coupled with a retrospectively charming naïveté makes for a delightful book. Not all is piano-practicin' fun and math games, though. Both Chua's mother-in-law and her sister deal with cancer at varying points in the book; Chua deals with this topic in an appropriate and tender way--she is a gifted writer. For this and other obvious reasons, this book is not for the faint of heart.
  While they were easy to ignore, this book did have some flaws and dragged a bit in the last third. It also lost a good bit of 'funny' as Chua documented her serious struggle with Lulu. The transition is a little jarring. Overall, though, I'd give it a 4. Nonfiction, by the way, is a fantastic way to take a break from the Spellsong Cycle long fantasy books.

  Here's one of my favorite bits--an incredible hook:

   Jed was at work... and Sophia was at kindergarten. I decided it would be a perfect time to introduce Lulu to the piano. Excited about working together--with her brown curls, round eyes, and china doll face, Lulu was deceptively cute--I put her on the piano bench, on top of some comfortable pillows. I then demonstrated how to play a single note with a single finger, evenly, three times, and asked her to do the same. A small request, but Lulu refused, preferring instead to smash at many notes at the same time with two open palms. When I asked her to stop, she smashed harder and faster. When I tried to pull her away from the piano, she started yelling, crying, and kicking furiously. 

   Fifteen minutes later, she was still yelling, crying, and kicking, and I'd had it. Dodging her blows, I dragged the screeching demon to our back porch door, and threw it open. The wind chill was twenty degrees, and my own face hurt from just a few seconds' exposure to the icy air. But I was determined to raise an obedient child--in the West, obedience is associated with dogs and the caste system, but in Chinese culture, it is considered among the highest of virtues--if it killed me. "You can't stay in the house if you don't listen to Mommy," I said sternly. "Now, are you ready to be a good girl? Or do you want to go outside?

   Lulu stepped outside. She faced me, defiant.

   A dull dread began seeping through my body. Lulu was wearing only a sweater, a ruffled skirt, and tights. She had stopped crying. Indeed, she was eerily still. 

   "Okay good--you've decided to behave," I said quickly. "You can come in now."

   Lulu shook her head.

   "Don't be silly, Lulu." I was panicking. "It's freezing. You're going to get sick. Come in now."

   Lulu's teeth were chattering, but she shook her head again. And right then I saw it all, as clear as day. I had underestimated Lulu, not understood what she was made of. She would sooner freeze to death than give in.

   I had to change tactics immediately; I couldn't win this one. Plus I might be locked up by Child Services. My mind racing, I reversed course, now begging, coddling, and bribing Lulu to come back into the house. When [my husband] and Sophia arrived home, they found Lulu contentedly soaking in a hot bath, dipping a brownie in a steaming cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

   But Lulu had underestimated me too. I was just rearming. The battle lines were drawn, and she didn't even know it.  

I'd be interested to hear what others thought of it. Was I the only one to think it was innocent and (mostly) funny?

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

This one is definitely the best of the first three books. Clary finds out how to heal her mother, and needs to travel to the City of Glass. However, Jace does not want her there and figures out how to leave her behind. He accidentally brings Simon, which is against the law because Simon does not have permission to enter. In a fit after being left behind, Clary figures out how to get herself there, though she does it illegally and brings Luke, who is also not allowed. By the end, Clary and Jace discover secrets from their past, and everyone is happy. It was supposed to be the end of a trilogy, so everything is resolved. The best thing about the book was that everyone's love life played a much less significant role in the story; it was much more like any other book in that respect. This one was more fun to read, though I figured everything out before it happened. This is actually one of the few books were I was able to do that accurately.

So it gets a 4. Better than the other two, a good book, fun to read. It was like sweet bread. It was better than I expected, it complemented the sandwich meat of the first one nicely, and it provided something to dip in the sauce of the second one.

Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

"The question then is, how much are you willing to give?"
And I answered, "Anything."
A breath later, Zane echoed my response with, "Everything."
— Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (Hawksong)

(Hello, Ms. Atwater-Rhodes! Are you reading this?)

I've always loved animal-human hybrids, no matter what I said in the Angel review. Edit - I like them when they aren't already overdone. I mean, werewolves are cool and all, but would it hurt so much to have a ferret-person? How about a platypus-person? Anyhow, bird and snake people are common enough on their own (not really), but Ms. Atwater-Rhodes takes it a step further by adding in different species of birds and snakes and creating a hierarchy and an entire society out of them, and even mentions other species of animal-human. What I also like is that she at least hints at the existance of humans within the book. Not that I think having a book with no people in them are bad, but I think they are hard to pull off well.

Onto the book itself. Hawksong is a masterpiece of setting, eternal wars, change, romance (ugh) and desire for peace. The bird-people (avians) and the snake-people (Serpiente - thanks Jelle!) have been in eternal war for oh-so-long, fueled by killing, revenge, and more killing - a vicious cycle. Finally, the two newly appointed leaders of the avians and Serpiente, having seen all close to them die in combat, decide to stop the war. The only deemed way for them to convincingly convince their people to stop fighting is to marry. The only thing is, they have to convince the Serpiente that they love each other, while the main character, Danica, is quite frightened by the leader of the Serpiente, Zane. There is love, but it's their job to fight through rivals and almost-assassinations to find it.

What I liked most about this book was its unorthodox plot and setting. I can see Danica and Zane marrying and being desperately in love, or Zane being pure evil and Danica killing him, but when I read the book, I was surprised and pleased by the turnout. Yes, there's a happy ending, but what Ms. Atwater-Rhodes does that most authors forget is that there is sacrifice. I feel, personally, that there can't just be a happy ending. I'd probably torment my characters if I ever wrote a book because I feel suffering and sadness are just something one should include; it's in real life, why leave it out of books? The setting was beautifully described - and not only the physical place, but the emotions of the time - the intense hatred and rivalry between the bird- and snake-people. Well done!

Overall, I'd think that this book would be a food sophisticated, yet simple enough for any palate, like sushi. Beautiful to look at, a little bit of doubt once you read the summary, or find out what the sushi is made of, namely raw fish and seaweed, and satisfaction once you actually bite down. I don't actually like sushi, but I liked this book, and the analogy worked perfectly.

Falling for Hamlet

by Michele Ray

This book is a modern day re-telling of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, but from Ophelia's point of view. This book contains everything you want in a novel: drama, wealth, royalty, betrayal, and intrigue. The story is told three different ways. The first is Ophelia's narration, which she claims is the complete truth. The second a description of a TV interview between Ophelia and a talk show host named Zara. The third is a transcript from when the DDI (Denmark Department of Investigation) questions Ophelia. I liked the way Ray uses the three different stories to relate the happenings in the castle as the King dies, Hamlet goes crazy, and Ophelia's life crumbles. From Ophelia's three versions of what happened the reader can see just how bendable the truth is. It left me wondering, with all of the madness going on among the royals, what really did happen. Falling for Hamlet was well written, and had a reasonably uplifting ending, considering that it is based in one of Shakespeare's tragedies.

I would describe this book as a hamburger. When I picked it up, it could have been really great, pretty awful, or anything in between. Like any burger, there was a lot of potential. Happily for me, it turned out to be very similar to a burger I had at the Q in Jackson Hole, WY. It was big and juicy, filled with crunchy lettuce, mildly spicy ketchup, and came with a large side of fries. It was filling, very good, and I couldn't put it down. However, it made my stomach ache for a while, because I was so full. Falling for Hamlet was the same way, I couldn't put it down, but at the end my insides were aching from the tragedies. I also felt a bit empty at the end, because there wasn't a character who I could hold on to, who was really fine at the end. The end lacked a catharsis.

I would rate this a 3.5 or maybe a 4. If you like a darker version of fluffy chick-lit, then this is for you, because it combines stupid teenage girls and their boyfriends with death and unbelievable heartbreak.

Spoiled

by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Spoiled is a great, quick read. It is Cocks and Morgan's first YA book. It follows the lives of stepsisters Molly and Brooke. Molly moves to her famous father's home in LA after the death of her mother. Brooke and Molly, counter to what their father Brick had hoped, are anything but fast friends or loving sisters. However, as Molly adjusts to celebrity life, a new school, and a distant father, the girls realize that not only is sabotaging each other not a good idea, but they may even have things in common!

I would describe this book as pink cotton candy. Not exactly filling, but it definitely satisfies a sweet tooth. And what could be sweeter then sisters hating on each other, boy drama, and lots of shopping? On the other hand, cotton candy is not really something you want all the time, more of a guilty pleasure, or a break from heavier literature.

If you're in the box I would put this as a 3.5 or 4. If you like Meg Cabot, this is a good choice.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Gayle Forman's If I Stay was easily one of my favorite books from 2009. Like The Lovely Bones, it takes place it is told from the point of view of a protagonist that is removed from the action. In this case it is teenage Mia, lying in a coma after an car accident that takes the lives of her two amazing parents and lovely little brother Teddy. In this in-between state, she tries to decide if life is worth living without the people she just lost. What would her life be like without her parents, and without Teddy? As she grapples with this, her boyfriend Adam comes to visit her in the hospital and tells her to stay.

I'm obviously not doing justice to the elegance of the storytelling by merely regurgitating the plot, but you need to know what happened in book one to understand Where She Went, which comes out in April 2011. Where She Went is told from Adam's point of view, and takes place a few years later. Mia, a brilliant cellist at the time of the accident, has just finished Julliard and is playing a concert in New York City. Meanwhile, Adam, the lead singer and lyricist of the alternative rock band Shooting Star, is about to head off on a worldwide tour, but is spending the night in New York City. On impulse, he goes to see Mia play. Because he is now a celebrity, she gets word that he's at her performance and has her "people" find him.

What follows is a middle of the night wandering through New York City that reminds me very much of the movie Before Sunset, where two people that used to be in love meet up sort of by chance and wander through Paris. In that movie, the couple is older (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in their late 30's), but the sentiments are the same. There's so much that Adam wants to know about the disintegration of his relationship with Mia, so many gaps to be filled in. Forman took just the right approach in filling in the gaps for the reader too, with chapters skipping between the past and the present, but never in a confusing way. I loved traveling through those circles, getting to understand and remember again why I loved Adam and Mia so much in If I Stay.

I don't want to give away any more of the book, but let it be known that I devoured this one on Sunday afternoon, after keeping it in my to-read pile expressly for that purpose. Gayle Forman is one of my favorite writers, and this book does not disappoint. She has such a keen ability to show love and all the ways it makes people behave irresponsibly and regrettably. On top of that, this is a story about the love of music and for once, the author actually understands what bands a musician would actually like! (Note, it is not necessarily the bands the author likes unless the author has some kind of indie music cred!)

Because I am an in-the-box person, I am giving this one a 4. It is quite good, but also not the absolutely best book I've ever read (I'm very choosy with my 5s).

Malice by Chris Wooding

Malice is a book about a comic book. With the right objects burned in the correct order and the right chant, it is possible to enter the world of the comic. The world is full of malice, hence the title, and once entered, it is almost impossible to leave before getting killed in some not-so-pleasant way. The story is about a boy and a girl who enter and their adventures and whatnot. Chris Wooding skillfully created a bizarre world into which I was absorbed. Included within the book were little bits of comic, so a couple chapters were told as a graphic novel would be. While this was an interesting concept, and a good ida for this book because it was about a comic book, I found it slightly confusing, probably because I am bad at reading graphic novel type books.

Overall, I would rate this book as a 4.