Fallen by Lauren Kate (Tween and Teen romance novel)

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (Lorian Legacies)

Wow!  This book was great.  Another teen book, and I know my son saw the movie but I'm not sure what made me purchase the book and read it.  I guess maybe it was the blurb on the back.  This is a book about nine aliens who look human who have to leave their planet and come to earth.  They each have one person with them to help care for them and keep them safe.  They are children when they reach Earth and go their separate ways.  They have to survive and sooner or later they will start to get their "gifts' when they become teenagers...which are some sort of powers...and they have no idea what their powers might be.  The book focuses on Number Four of the nine.  The reason the number is so important is that the bad aliens who are after these nine have to kill them in order.  The first chapter in the book is very short and basically lets us know that number three is now dead.

So our story starts with Number Four...he and his guardian are leaving (again) and moving to a new location to try and fit in and hide.  So this boy is an alien who has to fit in with humans...he makes friends but can never stay long in any place and he is waiting for some unknown powers to make themselves known to him at any given time.  He has to stay alive...so they can never go after Number Five.

I am going to do something I didn't really want to do in this blog but I have to because it is something I feel people should be aware of always.  My son saw this movie...he is not a reader (which drives me nuts).  He liked the movie a lot and I thought maybe if I tried to put the book around, he would pick it up...but much to my chagrin, he wanted nothing to do with it.  I read the book and absolutely loved it.  I cried and sobbed and could not believe it was filled with such emotion.  I was so attached to John's guardian Henri that I thought my heart would break at the end of the book (can't tell you why, of course).  Character development was great, the fact that these were aliens living among us was believable because they weren't coming in with hostility and tactile warfare.  They are humble and cute.  I grew very attached to these characters.

You have your typical high school issues with bullies and ex-girlfriend/boyfriend anger issues, and there's also a lesson in there about taking the high road and not following the crowd.

I like this book and give it a high five. 

This book is a hidden gem.  It looks like the book a tween would read for action and destruction but it has so much more.  Spread the word!

                                

What are YOU reading????

UP AND COMING REVIEWS AND READS.....

Hi, I just wanted to apologize for sometimes taking so long in between posts and then dumping a bunch on you at once.  Life just gets in the way.  Oh to spend all my time on updating things on the computer, right?

But no, there's parenting and working full time and then, of course, there is the actual reading of the books that I am reviewing.  But that, my friends, is my favorite part!!!!

Currently, I am reading or I have on my list to read, or I am finished reading but have yet to review::::::

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (read...review almost finished)
Salem's Lot by Stephen King (read...review next in line...an oldie but a goodie!!!!)
The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (the next in line to the above)
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier (hoping to read it soon)
Tara Road by Maeve Binchy (Just started reading...was in Oprah's Book Club)
Pirate Latitudes and Air Frame and Congo all by Michael Crichton


I will also be picking back up with a few Janet Evanovich's as she is in the high teens with Stephanie Plum and I am on #7 or 8 so I have to catch up!!!!  I also plan on reading a few children's books and I'll get as many teen books in there as I can.  Feel free to read along and also to send suggestions!

For my personal enjoyment, I am rereading some classics like The Swiss Family Robinson (my favorite when I was just a child).  I have no business rating any of the classics of course and will not do so but I will let you know that I am reading them and what I liked and didn't like about them.  Charles Dickens is always a favorite.

I'd love to hear what you are reading as well.

Happy Reading!!!!

Best,
Karen

Kiss the Girls by James Patterson

Kiss The Girls by James Patterson




I got this book at The Salvation Army thrift store in Portsmouth, NH.  Oh and by the way, that place is incredible.  There is an entire media room filled with books.  It's like heaven!!!


But because I got this second hand, I read this one first even though I was supposed to read Along Came a Spider (I think that is the name of the first).  There is a detective, Alex Cross, who lives with his mother and two little girls in Washington, DC.  He is a widower and his whole life and everything he does is overshadowed by the fact that he did lose his wife and he has to ensure he is around to raise those little girls who mean the world to him.


Suddenly his whole family is around because his own niece has been kidnapped from school in North Carolina.  Someone is kidnapping beautiful, smart, talented women.  Someone is collecting these women.  There's another case going on in Los Angeles.  Are the two cases related?  Hmmmmm.


This book is well written.  We know what the kidnapper is doing.  We know that he will kill and has killed.  We know what he is saying to these women.  We are basically in the room with the two of them and witnessing the kidnap victims fear and horror at what they are being forced to succumb to.  But we have no idea who it is...and I don't know about you, but when I was reading this book, I was suspicious of everyone that Alex Cross was in contact with.  Everyone he talked to, everyone he visited, every one who crossed his path.  THAT is the sign of a VERY well written suspense thriller.


Alex Cross is a very likable character.  We feel for him...we want to marry him...and be the mother to his children...so therefore, we do not want anything to happen to him.  That gives the novels a new twist.  We actually feel a heart felt warm kind of attraction to this character.  I think I even wanted Alex Cross to succeed in finding the kidnapper/murderer more than I wanted to save the women.  I guess that is because we know Alex and didn't really get a lot of character building with the victims except for Kate, a special victim in the life of Alex, of course.


So I guess we know the characters we need to know...we actually feel for the main characters and want everything to be okay for them...so as far as character building...I give this book a 4.  Storyline, susapense, thrill ride, it was a pretty good ride...so I give the book a 4.5.  As far as the ending...well I like the fact that you know there's going to be another book.  I did not like the ending as far as what happened between Alex and Kate.  They both seemed to understand why they couldn't be together...but for some reason, I never understood...and still don't.  So I was left feeling like I was missing something.  For that little piece of discomfort/bad taste I was left with, I give it a 3.  The book did translate well into a movie with Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman.  I may have to watch that again now that I've read the book.


Overall the book is good, worth reading...it's an older book so most of us have seen the movie and know how it ends...but lucky me, I fill my head with so many books and movies, I typically do not retain the info for long so the thrill was not lost on me.


I give Kiss the Girls a four out of five star rating.


Happy Reading!!!


Best, 
The Critical Librarian

The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone

http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Mile-Allan-Leverone/dp/0615547117/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323737715&sr=1-1

The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone

This book was quite a ride.  It definitely makes you question yet again, getting involved when you see a crime in progress.  Our hero, Bill Ferguson, has no choice but to get involved.

This is a great suspense thriller based on three of the scariest encounters one could have, a serial killer, kidnapped by a human trafficker and someone you should be able to trust turning on you causing the floor to fall out from under your feet at the worst moment in your life.


This book was a ride and a half and I seriously enjoyed every moment of it. Besides the plot, the story, the writing, I also really loved that the chapters are short...and the way that you hear from everyone's point of view. So one chapter from the killer's point of view, one from the captor's point of view, one from the savior's point of view, etc. There are also some mystery points of views in there that leave you guessing throughout the book. I kept saying...okay, this chapter is only a few pages, I'll just read THIS one and then go to the bathroom...or I'll just read this next one and then I'll go do the laundry. LOL.


I also loved the basis for the title "The Lonely Mile". It reminded me a little bit about the speech that Tom Hanks gives in Cast Away after he is rescued and after he see's his girlfriend and realizes she is going to go on with her life the way she has been living it during the four years he has been gone. And he realizes that he has to keep going...no matter what and shares this with his best friend right before he takes off on his road trip to find the Angel Wings woman. The moment that Bill Ferguson discusses his lonely mile with his ex happens before the book takes place but it reminds me of life going on...no matter what...whether you want it to or not.


I cannot give you anymore information on this book because...it's a suspenseful thriller and I am not going to ruin it.  i will say this, I will be purchasing Allan's other books on a regular basis and will follow him as I do Stephen King.  I am not just saying that because I work with his Sister in Law and her kids used to babysit mine either.  LOLOL.


Seriously though, I do rate this book five out of five stars.  I am usually generous because I feel badly rating something badly.  But I am asking myself as I write this if I feel in any way that this book or writing style or anything about it deserves less and I honestly can say no.  


The fact that the chapters are short....wow, that is my favorite writing style.  LOVE LOVE LOVE that...because you can always "just read one more chapter before I go to bed"  LOLOL.


So five stars.  Read it...if you like thrillers...James Patterson, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc? Do not hesitate to purchase, borrow, take out from the library, order, download, steal, whatever,  this book.


Okay, I am going to say that I thought I had already posted this review...but when I looked back tonight it seemed to have gone missing so I am posting it again....so I apologize if it's somewhere on my site that I am not seeing.  But the good ones, You have to ensure that the good ones are getting posted




Best,


Critical Librarian

Switched by Amanda Hocking

  Switched by Amanda Hocking


This is going to be a shorter review because it's not a book that needs a real literary review.  The age group for this particular book is probably anywhere from young tween to late teen depending on what genre you enjoy.  I enjoyed it but then again, I would read ANYTHING including Dr. Suess at my age (42)...so you can't go by me. I will also say, I enjoyed it but nothing like Harry Potter or Twilight.  I will never read this series twice and I'm not sure I will even get to the second and third book except for a slight very mild curiosity to find out what the heck happens to this girl and the human boy.

This story follows the typical Harry Potter story line where a "normal" girl who has had somewhat of an unhappy life thus far, finds out she is not really who she thought she was.  The difference in Switched, however, is that I'm not so sure that the new life is better.  She leaves behind people she loves and has to live with some that she doesn't really love.  It is interesting...and oh, she finds out she is...NO, not a Wizard...but a TROLL but a Troll princess which if you have to be a troll you might as well be top of the bloodline, right?...lol...but good thing for her trolls aren't the ugly creatures listening to those billy goats gruff trip trip trapping across that bridge.

Wendy is our main character and she has trouble fitting in anywhere..and she learns about love (Finn)...and this book was developed as part of a Trilogy.  The other two books already had release dates when this one was being advertised at B&N.  You can check out the series at www.trylleseries.com
Trylle is the World of the trolls...but they are Trylle...not troll.


I am not going to rate this one as I do the others because this is more of a fun read.  I don't think parents really need to read it before their child does...I don't think the first book has anything a parent wouldn't want his or her tween exposed to in it.

There's a bit of violence...but nothing very descriptive.  There is your typical prejudice (against humans) but Wendy doesn't fall into the trap because she grew up thinking she was human and was raised by humans...so no big deal.  If you are concerned about violence, you can read the end of the book, the battle scene is at the very end of this book.

This is a book I would let my kids read without worry.  Nothing to take too seriously.  If I had to rate it for adult enjoyment, I might give it a 2.8...I would have given it a higher rating, had I been left on the edge of my seat and was running out to the bookstore today as the second book was released at the end of February.

So I guess that is all I have to say about Switched.  It would probably be a good gift to get the teen who has everything...the first two books and maybe a gift card to purchase the third?

Best,
The Critical Librarian

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

 Wintergirls  by Laurie Halse Anderson

Images provided by Amazon.com (the place to buy books)!!!

Wintergirls was more of a young adult, maybe mid to late teen novel but can also be appreciated by anyone who lived through those years and still recall the hurts and joys and deep heartfelt feelings that every little thing seemed to bring on.

Every one of us remembers high school and how we all made sure we were either perfectly dressed like everyone else, or perfectly dressed like no one else, we all had our body image issues, our hair issues, our clothing issues.  But most of us were lucky to make it through unscathed.  Most of us managed to make it to the point where we became fully functioning adults in the real world and we stopped caring so much about what others thought or about what our bodies were doing.

This book is the story about Lia...whose body image issues and friendship with someone who had similar issues  fed her mind until she became diseases with anorexia.  I won't give too much of the story away but unfortunately, Lia is now alone and has even more to deal with on top of her body image issues and anorexia.  Lia is fresh out of a hospital and living with her Dad and stepmom and half sister.  She is superficially functioning.  She is lying about eating, lying about her weight and fooling her family...but the truth may be that most of them would like to be fooled because this isn't an issue that anyone really wants to deal with.

Here's an excerpt of Laurie Halse Anderson's writing:

         "I pee out the extra water inside me and strip.  I stand five feet, five inches tall, a little shorter than freshman year.  That's when my periods stopped, too.  I pretend to be a fat, healthy teenager.  They pretend to be my parents.  Everything is just fine."  (in the book 'everything just fine' has a line through it as if it was a mistake).
     "I close my eyes.
      As I step on the scale, Jennifer warns Emma about ice cream.
     As I step on the scale, Emma fears vanilla.
     As I step on the scale, Dad swings his racket and scores.
     As I step on the scale, Mom slices open a stranger.
     As I step on the scale, shadows edge closer.
     As I step on the scale, Cassie dreams.
     I open my eyes.  099.00 pounds.  I am officially standing on Goal Number One.
     Ha.
     If my docs knew, they'd bodyslam me back into treatment.  There would be consequences and repercussions because (once again) I broke the rules about the perfect sized Lia.  I am supposed to be as big as they want.  I am supposed to repeat my affirmations like incantations to drive the nasty voices out of my head.  I am supposed to commit to recovery like a nun pledging body and soul in a convent.
     They are morons.  This body has a different metabolism.  This body hates dragging around the chains they warp around it.  Proof?  At 099.00, I think clearer, look better, feel stronger.  When I reach the next goal, it will be all that and more.
     Goal Number Two is 095.00, the perfect point of balance.  At 095.00, I will be pure.  Light enough to walk with my head up, meaty enough to fool everyone.  At 095.00, I will have the strength to stay in control.  I'll stand on the blocks hidden in the toes of my satin ballet slippers, pink ribbons sewn into my calves, and rise above up in the air:  magical.
     At 090.00, I will soar.  that's Goal Number Three.

     Cassie watches, half hidden in the shower curtain.
     "Give it up, " she whispers."

Okay...so great writing technique.  You spend the entire book inside Lia's head which is a scary place to be when you are a person of sound judgement.  It's scary to me as a grown women because so many of our teens today DO think this way and Ms. Anderson does a very good job at giving us the experience of reliving those very scary mixed up teenage hormonal years where our sense of self was mostly in the toilet and was definitely never good enough.

Writing technique, I definitely give this four stars.  I would go with five but there are times when you are in someone else's head that you can become confused and therefore you have to reread what you just read to understand it.  Not a bad thing...just different and some might not enjoy that type of book as it's not an easy breezy read.  Story gets a four, simply because it's sad and tragic...I won't tell you the ending...but the ending is why it is getting a four. :)   I love the story, I love the characters.  I feel Lia's discomfort at being around her Mom.  I feel her aloneness in the book when she is in the house with her stepmom.  Wow, that was a scary place to be as I was there so many years ago.

I will give this only a 3.5 rating for the character development.  Because we are in Lia's head we don't really know what is going on with the other characters.  I guess because of the way the story is told, we really shouldn't know...but I was curious.

Overall, a good read.  I think teenage girls should read this with their Moms reading it as well.  Everyone should know what their daughters may be going through.  So as a reference tool for mother's of teenage girls, I give this a 4 as well.  Obviously not everyone is developing anorexia...but they could be thinking about cutting, or taking drugs, or any number of crutches that are available to today's teens.  Today they are even picking up guns before going to school...

Overall this book gets about a 3.5 - 4.0 star rating.  I go with the lower rating because it's not a book for everyone.  You probably have to ensure your teenager is strong enough to handle a story such as this one.

Best,
the Critical Librarian :)