Review: Dragonhaven

Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Robin McKinley, but something about this didn't quite work. Still liked it. An original dystopian idea about how humans might discover the existence of dragons in our world and find a way to peacefully coexist. However, the format of the narration hampered the "storytelling" element, I think. It came across as one long journal entry, where you're mostly getting HINDSIGHT thoughts of the main character but without the chronology, the rise and fall of drama, the intensity of specific moments, the pacing and development of the story. McKinley's a good storyteller and kept me just interested enough. But I don't think anyone's ever going to be jazzed about the story.

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Review: The Prisoner of Cell 25

The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yes. I can see why this book is bestseller. Intriguing story and characters. The paranormal twist here is an electrical mutation that has affected a few rare, unsuspecting kids throughout the country.

What can these gifted kids do? Do they do more harm than good to other "normal" people? Who is the adult villain who wants to use them? How will the innocent enthusiasm of youth triumph over the cynicism of deadened adult minds???

It's just fun. A simple, easy read. And you can't stop till you reach the end. And even then you can't stop because the series goes on...

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Review: The Prisoner of Cell 25

The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yes. I can see why this book is bestseller. Intriguing story and characters. Simple, easy read. And you can't stop till you reach the end. And even then you can't stop because the series goes on...

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Review: The Infinite Sea

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh crap what have I done. I should have read this AFTER the 3rd book was out because now I have to do the unthinkable: wait.

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Review: The 5th Wave

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely riveting. A must read. I know the genres "a young adult surviving in a world after an apocalypse" has been done and "the earth invaded by a secret alien race" have both been done before...but this stands in its own space. I'm SO excited for the movie now! Such an enjoyable, not-put-downable read. The characters were real to me, the storytelling was gripping, the action non-stop.

I also love a young adult novel that gets you thinking about human nature, and about yourself. What makes us human. What choices would we make in survival situations. Is it really survival of the fittest here on earth. Do humans survive on more than just evolutionary advantages. Does love really matter.

This was good stuff.

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Review: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As someone who has thought something was "wrong with me" all my life because I'm shy, this book is very reaffirming. I'd recommend this to other introverts, but it's maybe even more important to extroverts or anyone who doesn't recognize the introverts around them. Lots of great insights, research, and even advice. It's about what it means to be introverted and how these personality types can actually be an asset in cultures and businesses (and families)) that seem so extrovert-driven. I wish this was a required textbook for business students, actually, because i'm sure it could solve a lot of workplace tension.

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Review: Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet story about a boy (and the family and friends around him) who believes his ticket to happiness is being "normal" like the other kids, but who finally realizes that it's pretty special being extraordinary, too.

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Review: Skybreaker

Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fantastic series! This is one book that comes second in a series and actually gets better and is memorable in its own rights. Skybreaker is all about a scavenging adventure for a lost ghost ship that is "shipwrecked" in the sky at nearly unattainable heights. Original and captivating! High hopes for book 3.

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Review: Love, Rosie

Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I usually like the books better than the movies based on said books. In this case, I actually prefer the movie. The book wouldn't let me put it down; it's true. However, there are a few reasons why I can't rate it higher.
1) The narrative of the story told entirely in the form of letters/emails/written communication was well done but still left me feeling like I was "left out" of the key moments. We read about these key moments after the fact but don't get to experience them with "all" our senses.
2) The two besties, Alex and Rosie, took way too long to figure out that they should be together and to confess their love. From the first hint of "something more than friends" at age 16, it took them to age 50 and several marriages/kids/divorces later. That's just way too long. They wasted the golden years they could have spent together and it was anticlimactic when he finally showed up at her door. Ahern's theme of "mistakes are doors to discovery" is all fine and good, but it took them 30+ years to learn from mistakes that they kept making over and over again.
All that said, the characters were all extremely well-written, it was a well-told story, and I couldn't put it down until I finally knew they were going to be together at last.

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Review: Starclimber

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, I just love these books. SUCH a great trilogy. Each novel an engaging read in its own right. Adventurous, creative, original, funny, romantic, and utterly likable. For the 3rd book, you must suspend your disbelief about what you know about outer space and enjoy Oppel's imagination and how he compares sailing the ocean to flying the skies. I still recommend reading books 1-3 in order.

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Review: Wyrms

Wyrms by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I can see why this book is polarizing. I fall on the side of those who think it's just weird. Card used a few intriguing story-telling ideas to decorate his soapbox on the subject of religion. I AM impressed at how he can disguise overt shallowness (characters named Patience, Will, and Ruin) as grand, philosophical, sci-fi lit. I didn't think the characters were compelling.

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Review: Monsters

Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A well-written YA series with plenty of drama and violence as a sort of "zombie" genre (though the author avoids that word). A good warm-up for my favorite season! I was satisfied with the ending but felt it could have delivered even more of a punch. As it was, Bick left one aspect of the plot as sort of a cliffhanger even though it's obvious how that particular plotline should resolve itself. Not that it wasn't a good ending - it was - but a really GREAT ending would have made a huge impression and possibly a 4th star.

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Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yep. Brilliant. This story has everything. Romance, friendship, family dysfunction, funny dialogue, depth. And it is refreshingly clean. If it was a movie, PG. Maybe even G. The romantic chase was so genuine and juicy I couldn't put it down. Wonderful. I just barely finished this book and I wish I could pick up another of her books to start reading right this instant.

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Review: On the Fence

On the Fence by Kasie West
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyed the tomboy heroine angle. A delightful, quick read.

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Review: Airborn

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love LOVE this. More of a 4.5. Think of pirate ships and brave cabin boys sailing through skies instead of ocean. Imagine if that world experienced an industrial revolution, and used mechanical airships that float on a new gas called hydreum. Picture an age where a cabin boy should not be seen speaking alone with an unchaperoned girl determined to continue her grandfather's research on undiscovered creatures on uncharted islands. That's exactly what this book does. And it was enthralling.

If you are one of the lucky few who saw and loved the overlooked gem by Disney, "Treasure Planet," it's kind of like that. Old-school swashbuckling crossed with new-school special effects.

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Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Began as a really intriguing twist on "The Beauty and the Beast" fairytale. Still think it was a worthwhile idea, just wish Maas could have left out the sex. If I recommended this to anyone because I was so excited about it during the first third...I'm sorry! Because I didn't get to the raunch until halfway through. I take back the recommendation, disappointed.

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Review: Pivot Point

Pivot Point by Kasie West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seriously loving this author. Wish I could give 4.5. Several things to love here: West's easy, to-the-point, never-dragging way of story-telling. A modern-day setting with an imagined "alternate" universe where some people can do magic with their minds. A romantic relationship where both people feel real and flawed, yet right for each other. A bubbly and slightly troublesome friend. A loving and somewhat troubled family trying to do their best. A murder mystery that fits in with everything! And, just the right amount of cliffhanging leading into Book 2. Been torture waiting for my copy at the library.

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Review: The Eye of Minds

The Eye of Minds by James Dashner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Original and intriguing take on life inside a virtual reality. Love the twist at the end. Not as astonishingly phenomenal as The Maze Runner series but a respectable cousin to it.

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Review: The Blood of Olympus

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Still loved this series even if book 5 felt almost anticlimactic after book 4 and the journey through Tartarus. I'm never gonna forget that one. The characters seemed to grow and stretch and struggle through more dramatic plot twists in book 4. But the final book is obviously worth it because it concludes such a great, riveting series. Pretty sad to see it end.

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Review: Prodigy

Prodigy by Marie Lu
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I still think these books are just OK, but I'll read #3 just so I can check it off my list. I think my main hang-up is that when Lu writes from the boy's perspective (as Day), she doesn't sound like a boy. The style of voice doesn't change when switching from June to Day. But also, the action is a little lagging or scattered. And I don't just mean just physical action. There's not something happening on each page that drives the plot. Read a good action/adventure/mystery and everything the characters go through is somehow tied up in the ultimate purpose or climax of the book in intriguing ways, even if you don't realize it at first. This series doesn't have that.

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Review: The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pretty good; not as great as the Percy Jackson series.

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Review: Curtsies & Conspiracies

Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, LOVE this series. I'm officially hooked to the steampunk genre. This is an addicting mix of genres. Finishing school meets assassinations meets old-world courtship. The characters are darling and the narration is just the right amount snarky. Wonderful.

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Review: Ghost Story

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Butcher always delivers a thrilling story and I find myself unable to put the book down, even for bed (which is saying a lot for me these days), especially once I reach the last 50-100 pages. It was a weird and interesting twist to see Dresden return as a "ghost" to try to solve his own murder. It was a bit weird when he went into Molly's mind and it was like Star Trek, but that's okay. I get why it worked in the story and it'll take a lot more than a bit of weirdness to turn me off to the series.

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Review: White Night

White Night by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars







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Review: Turn Coat

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Got a little bit darker in some disturbing ways but I'm always amazed at how 400 pages of small print can flick by - as fast and exciting and even terrifying as a really really good rollercoaster.



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Review: The Way of Kings

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars







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Review: Unravel Me

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Yeah, I'm still interested enough to reserve #3 at the library. But I agree with the person who told me about the series;) that there's just a lot of making out and it's unnecessary. It mostly makes me annoyed with the heroine, Juliette, even though I get that the chip on her shoulder is that she can't touch anyone without hurting them and so to have someone (or two) be immune to that deadly touch is a novelty to her. I still think she could show a little self possession. She IS rather self-absorbed and self-pitying, which makes me appreciate the firm beratings of a certain friend so much that those were probably my favorite parts of the whole book. Isn't that the mark of a true friend, who calls you out when they think you can be more than you are acting like you can be? Is it just me or is Kenji really the most interesting character here? Forget the love triangle. Give me Kenji.



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Review: If I Stay

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This felt like such a fresh story and I really liked it. I love that the young teenage girl heroine didn't seem like every other teenage heroine in books right now (rebellious, violent, fighting wars, dealing with love triangles, etc.). She was just more...real. I love that the story was really about HER FAMILY and not about having an adventure without parents or a family tying her down. She's a "good girl," but not boring. She's talented, she's in love, she loves her family, and she's at a crossroad where she has to make a REALLY hard decision. It just felt real and interesting and it made me cry a little - not too much; just enough.



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Review: The Actor and the Housewife

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I liked it. A little different than her typical novels and risky for Shannon Hale's usual audience but this woman knows how to pull off a good story. Great characters. Funny, sweet, charming, and heartbreaking at times. There's a good reason why she's one of my fave authors.



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Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



Ugh, I tried. It's an interesting idea and all that, and could have been a good story, but I just can't get into the main character. She's not believable. And neither are the other two corners of her love triangle (the prince and the captain). She's supposed to be this notorious assassin, but she doesn't have a hardened, dark, conflicted, or menacing bone in her body. She gets excited about candy and puppies for crying out loud. There are not nearly enough examples of cold calculation or searing flashbacks or nightmares or self-loathing struggles that you would expect a youngish girl to have if they've spent traumatic years training and earning a living as an assassin. Am I right? If Maas could make me believe that Celaena is the troubled and conflicted assassin that she claims to (and should) be, I might read on. But it just seems like she created the same old love triangle formula and then slapped the label "assassin" on it to make it more interesting. But didn't really follow-through.



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Review: Shatter Me

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I love that the author found a new narrative style with the "strike-out" phrases. That alone made the novel feel more unique. The story is well-told from the point of view of Juliette, whose "stream of consciousness"-like narration reflects her state of mind after going through some traumatizing experiences. It's more interesting than disorienting; not overdone. I'm just not sure why the novel decided to go all super-hero at the end with her in a skin-tight purple suit ready to take on the world. Uh, what? It felt abrupt and unnecessary; I just wanted a better idea of how Juliette's "disease" is going to serve a purpose moving forward. And it didn't really answer that question.



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Review: City of Heavenly Fire

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



As usual, a page turner. I'm kind of relieved that I'm done with this series. I'm getting a bit tired of YA books with all their teenager makeout scenes. What happened to the thrill of anticipation and the chase?



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Review: Thirteen Days to Midnight

Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars







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Review: Dangerous

Dangerous by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars







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Review: The Rithmatist

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars







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Review: Dead Beat

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars







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Review: The Rithmatist

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars







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Review: The Iron Trial

The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars







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