A Did Not Finish

I really wanted to like More Than This; it came very highly recommended to me by someone whose opinion I respect greatly. After the first few pages, wherein the main character, Seth, drowns, I was thinking...well, this has possibilities, even if I wasn't too keen on the writing style. Unfortunately, as soon as Seth "wakes up" wherever it is that he's gone after dying, I quickly lost interest. It's not that the story isn't well-written; I suspect Ness is a genius in many ways as his use of words and his slow descriptive style are certainly intelligent enough. It's just that...I didn't care. I at first felt badly for Seth, a young man with a troubled family, dying much too young; and then, I just didn't care at all because the story was taking so long to get going and was so cryptic that it was just...uninteresting, at least to me.

Full disclosure: This book was, unfortunately, a Did Not Finish for me. Like I said, I wanted to love it but there are just way too many books out there that capture me quickly for me to spend so long struggling to pay attention to one that just doesn't. Realizing it may just be me and my moodiness as a reader, I am still giving this novel 3/5 stars out of a sense of fairness. And who knows? I may try it again at some point and find myself completely enthralled. But for now...it's a definite pass for this reader.

~taminator40

If You Like YA Fiction...Read This Book. Now.

Well, if you are expecting anything less than a glowing review for Tandem by Anna Jarzab, you're going to be very, very disappointed. I totally loved it: the world building, the characters, the action...all of it adds up to page-turning excitement and fun. Let me explain.

Jarzab's novel opens with Sasha being asked to the prom by good-looking Grant, a boy who has never shown an interest in her before. Sasha's puzzled but intrigued enough to accept, not realizing that Grant isn't who he has always been, and this date is going to be life-changing in more ways than one. For a girl who grew up listening to her grandfather's stories of multiple universes and princesses in other realms, Sasha's about to get first-hand knowledge of just how parallel worlds actually work when she is forced to slip into the life of her analog (the person who looks just like her). Is she able to pull it off? Why should she? What follows is complicated in more ways than one, and Sasha's very life could depend upon what she does...or doesn't do.

This novel had me trapped almost from the start with its rather unique premise and Sasha's honest storytelling. Of course there's a bit of a romance, but it's a slow build and not at all certain; Sasha's rebellious in more ways than one. Jarzab uses just enough science to lend credibility to her story, but it's the idea of everyone having a double out there somewhere that really brings this story alive. I actually made myself put this novel down before I went to bed last night just so I wouldn't finish it too fast; it was that enjoyable and that enthralling. Now of course I'm mad that I have to wait until next July for the second book, but you better believe I'll be acquiring the sequel on the day of release. Not truly a dystopian, not really a teen romance, Tandem is so much more...it's a book that you'll find yourself absorbed into. What are you waiting for? Go read it now. Highly recommended!

~taminator40

Emerald Green

Emerald Green is the final book in Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red Trilogy, bringing this delightful series to a close and tying up loose threads along the way. Gwyneth and Gideon are, once again, preparing to travel back in time to meet with Count Saint-Germain, and to close the Circle of Twelve. The closing is supposed to bring about a great good for mankind, but Gwyneth and Gideon begin to have their doubts, and these are only reinforced the more they interact with the Guardians. The presence of a second chronograph will allow them to time travel independently of the Guardians, but it brings its own dangers; will they find the mysterious substance the count is seeking? And what will happen if they do? Along the way, Gwyneth struggles with Gideon's wish to be friends, her uppity cousin Charlotte, and the presence of the friendly demon Xemerius.

Lots of nice twists populate this novel, and Gwyneth's voice is perfectly written with her angst and cleverness. I did get a little frustrated with the Gwyneth/Gideon relationship at times; I had trouble buying into it until perhaps the last third of the novel. The mystery that surrounds the chronograph moves along well, and the revelations make good sense in the course of the plot. I do feel that I'm left hanging just a bit after the close; I want full, complete answers to everything!

Emerald Green is just as much fun as the first two books in the series, and I was happily engaged throughout the storyline. Nothing too deep, but definitely lots of fun. Even the presence of the annoying little demon doesn't distract from the overall enjoyment, and I'm not one who normally enjoys that sort of thing. I'll be looking for more by this author!

~taminator40

And...I'm BACK! With a REVIEW! Of a terrific book, no less! And another really good one!

I AM BACK!

Actually, I haven't really been anywhere...other than reading some books for review for the Historical Novel Society and trying to keep my head above water at school and with a bunch of volunteering for the high school band. I know, I know, everyone tells me I will miss volunteering for band once K graduates this spring, but somehow I doubt it. It's so time-consuming and I just don't have it in me to want to continue. Plus, my reading mojo has been lacking; I've allowed other things to keep me from finishing books, so this looks to be one of my worst reading years EVER. That sucks.  Big Time.

But anyway, I have finished a few books, and one that I can share here is Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis. If anyone is looking for a GREAT dystopian YA, look no further. This is a good one that doesn't focus on romance or saving a nation. It's about...well, here's my review:

The only life Lynn has ever known is one of desperation and defense; in a world where water is at a premium, she and her mother must protect their pond from anyone and everyone. That means Lynn has learned to shoot a rifle at a very young age, and at sixteen, spends much of her time either purifying the water or sitting on her rooftop, waiting to pick off anyone who comes near. Off in the distance lives a neighbor man, Stebbs, but Lynn has been taught that everything is about survival, and that means trusting no one. Until her mother is killed and Lynn finds that there's more to life than protecting the water; what good is it when there is no one else around?

So much emotion in a dystopian book that brings us heartbreak and hope in equal measures. The loss of Lynn's mother is both tragic and yet freeing; Lynn has to rely on Stebbs, which opens her closed world to the possibility of friendship and even love. The rescue of young Lucy further stretches Lynn's world view, and the introduction of Lucy's young uncle, Eli, brings the possibility of closeness cautiously, perilously close. As the story progresses, I can feel the edges being pulled back, though there's still danger as a band of evil thieves survive the harsh winter and pose a threat to both the water and the small group of friends. Though I could feel where this story was headed, it still had me turning the pages rapidly, hoping against hope that Lynn would be able to protect what was hers.

I absolutely loved how the layers to Lynn's heart were revealed slowly and subtly, and the characterizations of the people involved in her small world were vivid and believable. This story is as much about survival of spirit as it is about a dystopian world where water is everything. McGinnis has written a story of change that makes this a much different take on the dystopian novels which are so popular; it focuses not on a love story, or trying to right a wrong in an entire world, but instead is about real people who have much to learn and much to give. Excellent and highly recommended.



And also, I read another fun one by J. Maarten Troost:  Headhunters On My Doorstep. Seriously, this guy is the bomb when it comes to travelogues. Here's my review:

I love J. Maarten Troost. Seriously, he seems to be someone I'd really love to hang out with: smart alecky, observant, witty, and skeptical. Plus he seems to know where all the coolest spots are in the South Pacific, and he always seems to have some sort of adventure that defies believability. And nowhere is this more apparent than in Headhunters On My Doorstep, his newest travelogue entry wherein he retraces the journeys of Robert Louis Stevenson in the late 1800s.

Troost begins his latest book by sharing his own personal journey through alcoholism; recently sprung from the land of rehab, he realizes it's time to get back on track in lots of ways. This time he uses maps and other sources to follow RLS's life-changing trek through the South Pacific (a story I knew nothing about). Going off the beaten track, Troost, in his trademark style, swims with sharks (and also avoids them when necessary), runs across islands, and basically explores anything and everything that will take him closer to Stevenson's journey. I'm ever amazed at the places he stays and the people he encounters, all while describing worlds that I'm sure can only be truly experienced first-hand. A bonus for this reader was Troost's return to Kirabati, the island where his first book, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, took place. Like all things, time has moved the island forward and yet some of it is still the same. I would have liked him to spend more time there, revisiting with sites and people, but his time on Kirabati is only a short stop along the way.

Though this is a short read, I did labor over it as I pictured the places being visited and tried to absorb the mini-history lessons and the cultures. Troost does spend quite a good bit of time sharing his feelings about addiction and his need to not relapse; while I understand how much this impacts his daily life, I did wish there was less time spent recounting that portion of Troost's life (to the detriment of more details of the islands). But overall this book shows Troost's deep, abiding respect for the islands he called home for a time, and it only reinforces my own wish to visit them myself some day. Until I can, I'll continue to enjoy Troost's trademark humor and attention to detail as he gives me a glimpse of lives I can only imagine.

~taminator40

28 Signs...

And, yes, I know this is about English majors, but for reals, this could apply to readers...


28 Signs You Were An English Major

~taminator40

Rogue(ish)

Hey, notice my title? Ha Ha...I can be clever and funny, too. Unfortunately, Rogue is over-packed/padded with this sort of humor, and it doesn't necessarily stand up any better than my feeble attempt.

Don't get me wrong...I loved the first two books in this series and was sorry to see it end. But when I got to this one, it just felt...off. From the very first pages, it felt like it was missing something. Yes, it still had the snarky humor that is a hallmark of the series, and yes, the setting is unique and smart. But this entire entry just felt padded with way too much extra stuff, most of which could have been whittled down into a book about half its size. There's lots of anguish over what's happening to the Afterlife, what's happening to Lex and Driggs, what needs to happen. There's a bunch of "we've got to get through this obstacle to get to the next obstacle" action, and surprises that really weren't all that surprising. I just grew weary of the forced funniness about halfway through; a book that should have the excitement of protecting the Afterlife and the fun of teenaged hormones just didn't. And while the ending was not what I expected, I do have to say that it was actually different enough that I am left feeling bittersweet and bizarrely hopeful.

Still, there's a good deal to like in Rogue, including Lex coming to terms with herself and the bonds of friendship becoming stronger. I wasn't offended by anything, even the rough language and the sexual situations, but none of it hit an emotional chord with me, either. I just felt that the ultimate solution really didn't resolve anything fully, and there was way too much filler action. I liked Rogue, but didn't love it. And that's my Grim diagnosis.

~taminator40

The Outside

The Outside follows The Hallowed Ones, a tale of rampant vampirism overtaking the world and even amid the land of the Amish. While The Hallowed Ones was one of my favorite reads so far this year, I was a bit skeptical that its follow-up could be as good. Color me happily surprised and deliriously engaged with the equally eerie sequel, which opens as Amish Katie, her Englisher sort of boyfriend, Alex, and her Englisher friend Ginger are cast into the vampire-filled world Outside, either to live or to die.

First, I'll say that my creeptastic monitor hit a solid ten early on with the appearance of the nasty vampires and the race to find secure ground every day as the night closed in. With just a vague plan to head north to Alex's family, the three outcasts head out, hoping to find food and shelter along the way. Time after time, Katie follows her heart rather than her head, almost getting herself and her friends killed; time after time, her instincts prove her to be correct. Not wanting to give any major plot points away, I will say that eventually a surviving group is encountered that might possibly offer hope for the future, but naturally major obstacles exist. Lots of action, lots of emotion.

It's Katie's struggles between how she was raised and what the world is now that held me glued to the pages; her evolving relationship with Alex rings very true, but it's Katie's growth personally and emotionally that is the heart of the story. I loved the symbolism of the water throughout, and I loved that Katie grew to be someone who decided to take chances, despite of her beliefs. I loved that Katie felt as strongly about animals as she did about humans, and I loved that she was ready to take on forces bigger than herself for what she felt was right. Most of all, I loved the creepy scenarios, with their dark spaces and terrifying moments.

The Outside is the final book of this two book series, and it's a well-written, unique sort of young adult book. Sure, it's post-apocalyptic, but the settings are different and the characters attach themselves to you. Definitely recommended for those with a strong stomach and eager for a good read.

~taminator40

Letters From Skye

Letters From Skye is set during both World War I and World War II, tied together with a love story told entirely in epistolary form. A young American sends a fan letter to an author of poetry as he prepares to leave college; far away, on the Isle of Skye, the poetess receives his letter and begins a 5 year correspondence that results in a love affair. As time progresses, the two meet and fall deeply in love, but the war is not their only obstacle: Elspeth, the poetry writer, is already married to a childhood friend who is gone off to fight in the first War. When he disappears, it would seem that the way to happiness is cleared, but the family issues Elspeth faces draws her away from David, who has volunteered to drive ambulances in France. Interspersed throughout their letters are letters written by her daughter Margaret at the beginning of the Second World War as Margaret struggles to unravel the mystery of her mother's "first chapter".

This is a delightful book, one that flows well and can easily be read in one sitting. The ease with which Elspeth and David converse through their writings is both engaging and believable, and the mystery of what happened so long ago is revealed slowly, building to twists of fate and time. I loved seeing the evolution of the relationship as time went on, and the family issues Elspeth experiences adds well to the overall story. If things do tend to go rather predictably at times, it didn't detract from the sweet story set against the turbulence of World Wars. An excellent first entry by Ms. Brockmole. Recommended.

~taminator40

One More Series Book...The Evolution of Mara Dyer

There's just enough doubt laid out in this book...is Mara Dyer actually crazy? Or is she really seeing the boy she thinks she killed when an abandoned asylum collapsed? I went back and forth at times--I so wanted to believe there was nothing wrong with Mara, yet she seems unstable at times. And that's just one part of this sequel that had me gripped as I wove my way through the darkness.

The second book in Michelle Hodkin's series which began with The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer picks up almost immediately after Mara's breakdown in the first; Mara is convinced she has seen Jude, the boy who she believes died in the collapse. Mara's receiving treatment for her "breakdown", and that includes going to Horizons, a sort of day camp that will work on her issues. Still at her side is her boyfriend, Noah; both he and Mara seem to have some sort of superpower but neither knows why. Much of this book is spent in their attempts to discover the reasons behind what they can do. It's harder for them in this second book, with Mara's parents (and Noah) determined not to leave her alone for any time at all, and the creepiness factor is upped substantially: Jude somehow invades Mara's bedroom while she is sleeping, leaving her scary messages and moving things around. Delicious and intriguing: How is he getting in? And why won't anyone believe Mara when she says he's still alive?

The mystery is revealed only a bit at a time, and it includes flashbacks to a time long ago, somewhere in India; it is definitely becoming apparent that whatever is going on, it's genetic. But even when we get an answer, it seems as though there's another one in its place. Hodkin is a master of making the reader doubt what's going on; even her characters show distrust and skepticism. I love Mara's voice; she's definitely a teen, first and foremost, but it's easy to see how lost she feels.

My biggest issues with this book aren't too overwhelming, but they did bother me as I read. First is pacing; at times I felt I was spinning my wheels, waiting to move forward, then at others, it was whiplash as events flew by. I also am still on the fence about the relationship between Mara and Noah; I want to feel the depth and the tension, but somehow, it's just eluding me. I want them to be together, but I need some sparks, not just random outbursts of "I need you!" followed by distance.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer is filled with interesting characters and a highly atmospheric creepiness that keeps the pages turning. It's a long read (around 500 pages) but it's a fairly quick one. I'm definitely invested and can't wait for the third in the series to see how all is revealed.

~taminator40

Two Very Different Books

I finished two very different books over the weekend, both enjoyable for very different reasons. First up is The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.

I am such a Gaiman Fangirl that I suspected I would love The Ocean at the End of the Lane, but what I ended up feeling after closing this novel was something beyond that emotion. Enraptured, entranced, enthralled...yes, all of those, and complete, total adoration. The Ocean at the End of the Lane exceeded my expectations on every level.

I always expect something different and otherworldly when reading a Gaiman young adult novel, and this one is no exception. Told from the viewpoint of a seven-year-old boy (whose name we never learn), it's the story of a summer when a houseguest commits suicide on the farm of a mysterious trio of females. The young man becomes involved with the eleven-year-old girl who lives on the farm, and together they embark on an adventure that leads to an odd creature escaping its confines through the boy, and the desperate fight to get rid of the creature as it wreaks havoc on the boy's home life. All of this plays out in a magical fantasy filled with lovely descriptions and colorful environments that are as creepy as they are intriguing. The ending is perfection; heck, the whole book is!

If you've never read a novel by Neil Gaiman, definitely take the time to search out The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It's true that it's a fantasy, but underneath are the common feelings we all experience and the characters we all recognize. This is a slim book that packs a wonderful, fantastic tale that I will want to revisit time and again.

The second one is Holy Ghosts, written by Gary Jansen:


Holy Ghosts is a very quick read; it's the non-fiction tale of Gary Jansen and his family, whose home is invaded by ghosts. Jansen had lived in the home growing up, and his mother even told him once that there was a ghost living there, but it's once he is older and has purchased the house for himself and his growing family that the odd incidents began to increase. After his wife's miscarriage, Jansen experiences electric sensations, sounds, toys going off randomly, and lots of unexplained shadows. Through his work in the publishing industry, he is able to contact Mary Ann Winkowski (the lady on whom the tv show The Ghost Whisperer is based) and she advises him of details of the two ghosts and also how to rid his home of them. Along the way, Jansen, a spiritual Catholic, discusses how the presence of the ghosts affected him on religious levels, doing research and leading him to a stronger faith.

This book is quite engaging, even if there is a good deal about Jansen's personal upbringing; this is understandable due to the fact that he's spent much of his life living in the same place. I liked that much of his research and experiences were backed up by the facts, and his interactions with Winkowski are particularly amazing. If Jansen is to be believed, (and I feel strongly that he is telling the truth), then this story is fairly solid proof that there is something more out there. This is an enjoyable read and definitely one to get you thinking, particularly if you have any interest at all in the paranormal.

~taminator40