Book Review: The Summoning

The Summoning
Kelley Armstrong

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…



Star Rating:


Review:
I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this book. Frankly, in YA Fantasy Lit, anything that doesn't scream "vampire" is a nice respite. So right off the bat, this was a nice break from what is the usual voice in this genre right now. Then enter Chloe, protagonist. I actually liked Chloe, which is strange for me, since I am generally inclined to loathe protagonists (don't even get me started on Harry Potter...). She's quirky, but controlled. She's your typical teenage nerd girl - proud of who she is and dealing with the world in the way she best can all while pretending to be normal. And this is before anything weird happens. Armstrong gives the reader a chance to get to know Chloe a little bit before she changes, which builds a foundation... that is nice.

Even once Chloe is in Lyle House... she is not a dunderheaded protagnist. She makes choices, she doubts herself, she acts like a human. She is not helpless and while she is a little naive, it is not so much that you literally get angry at the book while she constantly makes the wrong choices. Because to the reader... she's not making the wrong choice. It is clear that Chloe has a process through which she makes her decisions, and when something goes wrong, it's because a piece of information is withheld, and the reader is as taken aback as the protagonist. That's awesome. Loved it.

These days, with a busy work schedule, I rarely finish a book in a day or two - I positively flew through this book. Besides work, I was in the middle of a performance when I read this book... and I almost missed a cue once while reading it because I was engrossed. Armstrong is fabulous at weaving a world that quickly snares the reader, and you've read fifty pages and lost nearly an hour when you were just sitting down to read a chapter.

I believe that young adults will eat in her Darkest Powers series, if this first book is any indication. Even as a book for adults... while it's not the most impressive read, it certainly was not a waste of time, and I know that I will read the next one. Chloe, although a teenager, was not entirely unrelatable as a character. And, if nothing else, the book is a quick read. But I enjoyed it, even as things were getting a little "out of hand" at the end. I liken the style of it to books like Blue Bloods and A Wrinkle in Time - it carries a similar charm mixed with strong female protagonists who have a fighting spirit and a storyline that doesn't always go where you want... or expect. In a good way.

Book Review: The Hitchhiker's Triolgy

The Hitchhiker's Triolgy (Books 1-5)
Douglas Adams

Suppose a good friend calmly told you over a round of drinks that the world was about to end? And suppose your friend went on to confess that he wasn't from around here at all, but rather from a small planet near Betelgeuse? And what if the world really did come to an end, but instead of being blown away, you found yourself hitching a ride on a spaceship with your buddy as a traveling companion?

It happens to Arthur Dent.

An ordinary guy from a small town in England, Arthur is one lucky sonofagun: his alien friend, Ford Prefect, is in fact a roving researcher for the universally bestselling Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ... and expert at seeing the cosmos on 30 Altairian dollars a day. Ford lives by the Guide's seminal bit of advice: Don't Panic. Which comes in handy when their first ride--on the very same vessel that demolished Earth to make way for a hyperspacial freeway--ends disastrously (they are booted out of an airlock). with 30 seconds of air in their lungs and the odd of being picked up by another ship 2^276,709 to 1 against, the pair are scooped up by the only ship in the universe powered by the Infinite Improbability Drive.

But this (and the idea that Bogart movies and McDonald's hamburgers now exist only in his mind) is just the beginning of the weird things Arthur will have to get used to. For, on his travels, he'll encounter Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-President of the Galaxy; Trillian, a sexy spacecadet he once tried to pick up at a cocktail party, now Zaphod's girlfriend; Marvin, a chronically depressed robot; and Slartibartfast, the award-winning engineer who built the Earth and travels in a spaceship disguised as a bistro.

Arthur's crazed wanderings will take him from the restaurant at the end of the Universe (where the main dish of the day introduces itself and the floor show is doomsday), to the planet Krikkit (locked in Slo-Time to punish its inhabitants for trying to end the Universe), to Earth (huh? wait! wasn't it destroyed?!) to the very offices of The Hitchhiker's Guide itself as he and his friends quest for the answer to the Question of Life, the Universe and Everything ... and search for a really good cup of tea.

Ready or not, Arthur Dent is in for one hell of a ride!



Star Rating:


Review:
The most important thing to know about the Hitchhiker's Trilogy (other than to know where your towel is), is to read one book at a time. When I was in high school, I had the good fortune to be gifted what I call my "Hitchhiker's Bible," a large book with paper-thin pages that contains all the first five books in one convenient edition. It seemed like a dream come true... the first time I read it.

Now, after the third time, I have to admit that not all the books are masterpieces. In fact, I am not at all fond of the third book, Life, the Universe, and Everything. Being, as it is, stuck in the middle of the trilogy, it's a sort of unfortunate buffer between the two interesting halves and makes it a drudge to get through... kind of like the Council of Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring. I love this series, and the only reason it gets four stars is because I'm daft and I read it all together and the third book throws me off and I end up skimming to get to the good parts.

You have to take Adams with a grain of salt. Keep in mind, he wrote four versions of this story: the books, the radio show, the BBC miniseries, and the movie. None of these editions are identical, and all of them were written by the same man. It is, therefore, useless to squabble over technicalities and we should simply assume that in one universe or another, they are all correct. His humor is a bit flat and he has a bad habit of introducing Super Important Characters that disappear after 60 pages as though they had never existed. It is all part of his charm.

The Hitchhiker's Trilogy is one of those books that people love, or hate... but not in-between. For those who are on the fence about the book and are not sure they want to commit the time to reading it (indeed, my tome-version looks pretty intimidating, even to me), I must emphasize that the best adjective to describe it is "ridiculous" and I advise you (get ready for this - it's practically sacrilegious) pick up the recent film version. The script is strikingly similar to the first book, which is, as a whole, the best of the six... and it requires less of a commitment.

Book Review: Wake

Wake
Lisa McMann

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can’t control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant.



Star Rating:


Review:
Wake was refreshing as a short book, but even then on some counts it failed to deliver. The characters remained rather flat and a little stereotyped, and really, how many of us are taking Cabel's sudden and magical transformation very seriously? But if you can get past the stories, McMann's got a very interesting concept. And Janie's best friend Carrie? She's the worst.

Getting past the intellectually shallow characters, McMann does have a very interesting concept. There are not a lot of books that delve into the dream world, and even fewer that do so without tying themselves to Alice in Wonderland. What Janie is, is a dream guide, and in dreams she encourages people to change their dreams. Unfortunately, that is all she does - watches, listens, and tells people to change. The concept could have been pulled a little further, but McMann seems to push for an entirely uncomplicated book, and that's what she succeeds in creating.

Although flat in many ways - including the above as well as sentence structure - Wake is still a charming, quick read. It's got enough paranormal elements that it doesn't feel like a regular YA novel, but it's also subtle enough that those who don't prefer fantasy do not feel ostracized by it. All in all a very quick, fun little read.

Book Review: Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods
Melissa De La Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen is confused about what is happening to her. Her veins are starting to turn blue, and she's starting to crave raw meat. Soon, her world is thrust into an intricate maze of secret societies and bitter intrigue. Schuyler has never been a part of the trendy crowd at her prestigious New York private school. Now, all of a sudden, Jack Force, the most popular guy in school, is showing an interest in her. And when one of the popular girls is found dead, Schuyler and Jack are determined to get to the bottom of it.

Schuyler wants to find out the secrets of the mysterious Blue Bloods. But is she putting herself in danger?



Star Rating:

Review:

I surprised myself by loving this book.

I find that the summary on the back of the book is a little misleading - Blue Bloods follows not only the story of Schuyler Van Allen, but also the stories of Bliss Llewellyn and Madeline Force ("Mimi"). There are enough cliches to make it familiar, but few enough so that the pieces of originality stood out well. At the beginning, I was afraid that De La Cruz was going to dive into intense descriptions of clothes (hey-lo upper class, teenage NYC!), but she only did so when was appropriate, and in the voice of the one character who would actually care about something like that - Mimi. There isn't a single mention of a name-brand that Schuyler is wearing (excepting, of course, her modelling campaign, but her discomfort is clear the whole time).

The summary on the back of the book implies that this is a paranormal mystery, but the story itself seems to be more coming-of-age... except it's not about growing up... it's about becoming a vampire.

There were enough unique aspects in this book to make it feel fresh in a world that is torn between sparkly emo vampires (Meyer), and vicious, cunning vampires (Rice). She uses enough of the traditional aspects to remain true to the folklore, but explains away everything that doesn't fit. Even if she doesn't use aspects like garlic, etc., then I appreciate the fact she finds a justification for not using them. New aspects, such as the flashbacks and reincarnation? That's just cool.

However, there are points that are a little cheesy - Gabriel and Michael, for starters. Also, Oliver felt too flat after revealing his secret, as though knowing that sucked his character dry for me, and that was a little disappointing.

This book is great for people who want to read a light vampire flick, who aren't forcefully invented in "vampire" as the word is defined by another author, and as always with YA... people who can dissociate themselves from an adult mindset and recognize that the main characters may have souls as old as time, but their bodies and maturity level aren't quite as old.

I will be picking up the next book in this series, and I hope it delivers.

Book Review: Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy
Kiersten White

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.



Star Rating:


Review:
This actually has nothing to do with the book itself, but as I was typing up the summary, I realized that Kiersten White spells it "faeries" and not "fairies" which makes me incredibly happy, as I've always done the same. ... Ahem. On to the review.

My approach to Paranormalcy, as a reader, has been different than any other book I have ever read. I bought it because I accidentally stumbled on to Kiersten White's blog and was immediately charmed by her vivacity and quirky sense of humor. I bought her book because I respected her as a person and enjoyed reading her posts everyday. This is the only book I've sought after "meeting" the author, as opposed to seeking the author after enjoying the book.

The first thing I latched on to was Evie, and her voice as the narrator. I am anything but a girly girl, and so, I didn't love her character (personal taste - no attack at all on the writing style). What I did love was her energy - Evie is full of life. High on life. Even in the darkest times, she's one of those people that seems to find a glimpse of hope to bring her happiness, to help her move forward. It's not the raw determination and vengeance sought by so many protagonists - it's innocence. I loved that about her.

However, despite the pleasure I found in the mood of the book, I did have to keep reminding myself - "This is YA Urban Fantasy. YA. Yes, the characters are going to be immature. They are written to appeal to a younger audience than myself." They were shallow and impulsive and downright silly at times, but I've worked with high schoolers long enough (and been one recently enough) to remember that level of innocence and the "drama llama" that comes with it. And adult reader cannot go into this book expecting a mature cast and serious story. This book is pure fun.

That said, there seems to be an underlying layer of seriousness - darkness - with the faeries. I very much enjoyed those characters, because of how mysterious they were. Even at the end of the book, you got the impression they were still hiding something, a clever trick to maintain interest for the next book.

White also gets brownie points for unique fantasy creatures, mixed among the usual choices (vampires, werewolves, mermaids). If I said what they were, though, I'd ruin the book.

Ultimately, I will be picking up Supernaturally at some point in the future. I think that even though the series is definitely intended for teenagers (and the young at heart), White accomplishes everything she intended to with the book.

book review past due: to kill a mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel; a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice; but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.



Star Rating:


Review:
I think every child in the American school system has read this book.  English teachers love it for its metaphors, and even the roughest students tolerate it for its charm.  I last read this book in my tenth grade English Honors class, sitting at a table with two friends.  Our teacher encouraged  us to draw pictures of the things that stood out to us, and in that way, the book was made more accesible to us.  I vividly remember my friends and I doodling Scout in her ham suit, and Dill with his duck-fluff hair (we were horrified that this failed to come through in the movie version).

What is there to say about To Kill a Mockingbird that hasn't been said before?  Being a classic, it has been torn about by people whose opinions feel so much more valid than mine.  It's historical importance has been touched upon time and again as Atticus' position as the lawyer of a "colored man" puts him in the position of an ethical dilemma, one in which he makes all the right decisions imaginable.  In fact, Atticus himself has been revered through time as one of the greatest literary characters in history.

What caught my attention in the reading of the book, though, was not the character of Atticus - it was the character of Boo Radley.  Boo was Scout's adventure, a mystery, an urban legend in his own way.  Perhaps his mysterious demeanor is what makes him so attractive to the inquisitive reader.  Certainly everybody has their own opinions about Boo, whereas in the case of the trial, the story in black-and-white.

I think that everyone has their own story about To Kill a Mockingbird.  Even in the technology era, the story has been embedded into our society.  There are too many important themes, memorable characters, and unraveled mysteries in the story for us to ever let it be forgotten.

book review: special topics in calamity physics

Special Topics in Calamity Physics
Marisha Pessl

Calamity Physics:  The resulting explosion of energy, light, heartbreak, and wonder as Blue van Meer enters a small, elite school in a sleepy mountain town.  Blue's highly unusual past draws her to a charismatic group of friends at St. Gallway (see page 2, "wild, wayward youths" Everyman Parenting) and their captivating teacher, Hannah Schneider.  A sudden drowning, a series of inexplicable events, and finally the shocking death of Hannah herself lead to a confluence of mysteries.  And Blue is left to make sense of it all with only her grimlet-eyed instinct and cultural lexicon to guide her.



Star Rating:


Review:
I'm still wrapping my head around this book.  It's very detailed, incredibly well-researched.  I'm impressed.  It's not the type of book where you feel good walking away from.  The ending didn't feel like an ending, more like an ending interrupted, but I think that is exactly what the writer (Marisha Pessl) intended.  In that way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the ending.  The reader is left thinking and wondering.  We can fill in the blanks for ourselves.

In some ways, it was difficult to read this book just because it was set up like an incredibly long MLA essay.  I found myself skimming over things when they got incredibly scientific.  Only once did I feel like I had missed something when I skipped sections, and the time that I did feel as though I missed something, going back and re-reading it twice, thoroughly didn't give me any more closure.  I think those who read this book very closely will have it figured out long before I did.

I found the writing to be very careful and very deliberate.  I think this book is an excellent example to aspiring writers about the importance of relevant information and careful editing - every word in this book was there for a reason.  Regardless of whether or not it was an enjoyable book, it was an excellent piece of writing.

As for the characters, they were remarkably real-to-life.  If you're looking for a happy ending or beautiful, romantic characters, there isn't a single one to be found.  All the characters are either depressingly shallow people (note:  I said people, not characters.  The characters are very round.) or else they are a lying caricature of themselves.  It's difficult to find a single character to sympathise with, to care about.  Mostly, as the reader, I found that I wanted answers.  That was why I kept reading.  But I didn't read the last chapter, which was in the format of a "final exam".  I had read enough, and I think that even without that supposedly knowing the deepest, darkest secret that chapter may reveal, I know enough.