Bibliophile

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Rating: 3

Description: Leslie has been dealing with a lot lately, and all she wants is to finally get the tattoo she's been dreaming of for years, to finally feel like she's in control of her own life and body again. She also has her eye on the mysterious Niall, a friend of her best friend Aislinn's, but one with whom Aislinn doesn't want her to become acquainted for reasons she won't reveal. Irial, king of Faery's Dark Court, wants Leslie for himself, and for his court. Faery is at peace, and the dark fae are dying without their required sustenance of chaos. The court needs a mortal of their own, one who can channel mortal chaos to the fae. When Leslie unknowingly chooses Irial's crest for her tattoo, she begins a process that will bind them together despite the watchful eye of Niall, who has been invisibly watching over Leslie and who has his own history with Irial and the Dark Court. If the ink exchange is completed, Leslie will be in danger, for no mortal has yet survived one for long.

Review: One thing I really admire about Ink Exchange is the way Melissa Marr has written her primary antagonist. Irial is the villain of the story, but even Leslie, his victim, can understand and sympathize with his motives. Irial is one of the most sympathetic antagonists I've ever seen, and I applaud Ms. Marr for the way she's constructed the story outside the box of good vs. evil. All of her characters are well-drawn, in fact, but Irial really stands out. That said, I found Ink Exchange to be very unsatisfying overall. The pacing was off, certain parts seeming to drag on and on for no real reason. The ending also left me at loose ends. In this respect, I was hoping for a traditional structure, and I didn't get it. With her ending, the author went too far in her deviation from the norm, alienating readers expecting a neat wrap-up. I really loved the prequel to this book, Wicked Lovely, which featured Leslie's friend Aislinn, and I'd advise readers to start with that one and only move on to Ink Exchange if they really enjoy the first book. Despite this not-very-good review, I think Melissa Marr has a lot of potential, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book in this series to see what she does next.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Rating: 4

Description: Tech-savvy teen Marcus and his friends are ditching school to play Harajuku Fun Madness, a real life quest/puzzle game, when San Francisco's Bay Bridge is bombed in the biggest act of terrorism on U.S. soil since 9/11. His best friend, Darryl, is stabbed in the mass panic following the event, and then all four of the teens are picked up by the Department of Homeland Security and taken away to a place where they are stripped of their rights and brutally interrogated for days. When they're finally released, Darryl isn't with them, and it's discovered that all four of them had all been presumed dead in the explosion. This ordeal enrages Marcus and inspires him to resist the rights-violating "security measures" the DHS takes following the bombing, becoming M1k3y, the leader of an anti-government network of hacker teens. As M1k3y's notoreity catapults and he becomes the DHS's most-wanted, Marcus struggles to maintain his secret identity while continuing the fight against the increasingly harsh DHS, dealing with strained friendships and budding romance, and confronting ethical issues he never imagined he'd be facing.

Review: This book could technically be called science fiction, but its "ten minutes in the future" setting makes it scarily close to what's already happening in the U.S. As Cory Doctorow explains in the preface to the book, all the technology in the novel is real--either already available, or close to it. So are the rights violations of U.S. citizens on the part of the government, though thankfully not yet to the extreme portrayed in the book. Little Brother is the most terrifying book I've ever read, because of just how realistic it actually is. If another terrorist attack were carried out on U.S. soil today, I could well believe that this would be the response. And that terrifies me. The characters aren't as vivid as they could be, sacrificed to the almost informational, how-to tone of the book, but they're well-written enough to hold the reader's interest until the end nevertheless. Despite a mediocre score on entertainment value, Little Brother is a must-read for teenagers--they need to be aware of the kind of extremes their government is capable of going to, and be prepared for the worst case scenario portrayed here. Cory Doctorow's bravery in publishing a book containing such blatant criticism of current government policy and encouragement of resistance is to be applauded.

BONUS: Little Brother is available to read free online at Cory Doctorow's website!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Rating: 3.5

Description: The first book in Kelley Armstrong's new young adult series (set in the same universe as her bestselling Women of the Otherworld series for adults), The Summoning follows Chloe, a would-be film director who suddenly starts seeing ghosts. After an understandable nervous breakdown, she's pronounced mentally ill and sent to Lyle House, a live-in home for mentally ill teens. At first, Chloe is determined to cure herself and get back to normal life, but soon it becomes apparent that Chloe isn't the only teen at Lyle House that strange things happen around, and Chloe is eventually convinced that her ghosts aren't hallucinations after all. As Chloe learns more about her powers and other supernatural talents from her housemates, she becomes convinced that Lyle House isn't what it seems. And if Chloe isn't crazy, then the teens may be in danger, as Chloe has been seeing the ghost of her former roommate, a girl who was supposedly transferred to another facility shortly after Chloe's arrival.

Review: I'm a big fan of Kelley Armstrong's adult series, Women of the Otherworld, so I was excited to pick up her new YA book. However, I ended up being a bit disappointed. I enjoyed most of the book--I found Chloe's reactions to her situation to be very realistic, and she didn't make any of the stereotypical dumb teen mistakes that many YA protagonists make, like not talking to her adult guardians about what's happening to her. Some of the other characters are more well-done than others, but they're all decently written. The reason I didn't much care for this book overall was the ending. As in, there wasn't one. The ending of the book is a fake-out coming off the climax--"It's over, they're safe...Wait, no! They're not! Oh no!" And then the book ends. Sure it's part of a series, but that doesn't mean each book in the series shouldn't have a conclusion. Considering that the books in the author's Women of the Otherworld series are pretty much all extremely strong as stand-alones, I was really disappointed that she didn't go the same route with her new YA series. The Summoning is still a good read for urban fantasy fans, if you don't mind feeling like you've read half a book and have a good, long wait ahead of you for the second half. It might be best to wait until the second book (The Awakening, scheduled for a May 2009 release) is out as well so the giant cliffhanger of The Summoning won't affect you as much.

"Looking For Alaska" by John Green

Rating: 4.5

Description: Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave "the Great Perhaps" even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything but boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. After. And nothing is ever the same.

Note: Description taken from bn.com

Review: "Looking For Alaska" is an amazing book from a new author; it's very deserving of all the awards it's won. Pudge is a great character: he's geeky and socially awkward in a way that most teens can relate to, and his collection of last words gives him a unique quirk that solidifies his character. Alaska is also relateable - in some ways she's the stereotypical bad girl, but her underlying vulnerability and her own geeky quirks make her a very real character. All of the other characters are well-defined and distinct as well, from Pudge's side romantic interest, Lara, to the dean of students, more commonly known as the Eagle. Culver Creek is exceedingly well-done - it's obvious throughout the writing that, as is revealed in the bio, the author attended a similar boarding school. The development of Pudge's relationships with Alaska and the others at Culver Creek are the driving force behind the book, and the changes that Pudge undergoes, both Before and After, is what makes "Looking For Alaska" the incredible young adult novel that it is.

"The Blue Girl" by Charles de Lint

Rating: 4.5

Description: Redding High School is filled with bullies and fairies and one lonely ghost. Imogene is a new girl in school. She has left her reputation and her switchblade behind and is making an effort to fit into her new setting. She makes friends with Maxine, a self-described smart kid who the popular kids love to hate. The popular kids also love to hate Imogene, so the two new friends work to stay out of the way of the bullies. Although small in stature, Imogene has a mouth and an attitude that allow her to maintain a survival mode, but Maxine is an easy target. The bullies are only half the problem at Redding High School. The other problem is that the school is home to faeries, not the pretty kind but the kind of troublesome creatures found in Irish legends. The faeries are living in the school with Adrian Dumbrell, the ghost of a student who fell to his death outside the building. Adrian was also bullied by students and he hangs out in the hallways, too afraid to move on to the next world. Imogene and her quick wit have attracted the notice of the ghost, the faeries and the anathimim, soul-stealing creatures of the darkness. It takes Maxine and Adrian along with Imogene's family members, boyfriend, and imaginary childhood friend to save Imogene from the supernatural bad guys.

Note: Description taken from bn.com

Review: "The Blue Girl" is an excellent urban fantasy that rather resembles Holly Black's Modern Tales of Faerie, only a bit less gritty. The characters are well-done and distinct. Maxine's quieter character could easily have fallen into the background, paling in comparison to the colorful personality of Imogene, but de Lint does an admirable job at keeping what could have been a boring character interesting and full of development. The only character I could never quite sympathize with is Adrian - he struck me as whiny and rather stupid. On the other hand, I loved the romantic interests of the story, Imogene's brother and her boyfriend, Thomas, and felt that they deserved a bit more stage time than they received. The plot was a bit simplistic - I thought there could have been more twists and turns - but what's there is vividly detailed and unique. "The Blue Girl" is a fantastic book for fantasy fans.

"Avalon High" by Meg Cabot

Rating: 4

Description: Elaine "Ellie" Harrison is fuming over her parents choice to take a sabbatical from their professor duties at the beginning of the school year, just in time to make Ellie's life take a complete 360. Not only is she forced to move to Washington, DC, but she has to leave behind her closest friends, and create a new identity for herself. Hopefully one that will leave an impression on her new classmates. But Avalon High is an exact replica of every other high school in America. It's students are classified in the same way: jocks, cheerleaders, class president...But suddenly Ellie finds herself mixed up with the cool crowd. Now she's hanging with Lance the jock, Jennifer the cheerleader, and Will, quarterback and senior class president. But the more Ellie spends time with her newfound friends, the more she realizes that their lives are mimicking history. History from centuries ago. Like the time when King Arthur ruled. Now, Ellie must figure out how to stop a chain of events that is destined to leave everyone around her in tears, or worse...dead.

Note: Description from Erika Sorocco on amazon.com

Review: Meg Cabot's teen books never seem to go wrong, and "Avalon High" is no exception. As always, Cabot's characterization is fantastic; Ellie is a great character with the perfect mix of wry smarts, hormonal crushing, and eye-rolling exasperation towards her parents, and Will is yet another drool-worthy hero. The modern-day-King-Arthur thing has been done, but not in quite this way, and the premise is excellent. The plot is good too; my only criticism is that it takes way too long for the magic element to be fully introduced in the story. I would've liked that to come earlier on, or for more plot to come after the realization that yes, they're really the reincarnations of people from the time of Camelot, which is obvious to the reader right from the start. Despite that though, the romance development makes up for the lack of magical development. "Avalon High" is a great read.

"Blue is for Nightmares" by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Rating: 2

Description: Years ago, Stacey had nightmares about a little girl she babysat for. Then the girl was murdered, exactly as Stacey's dreams had shown. Now, at boarding school, it's happening again. This time Stacy is dreaming about her roommate and best friend, Drea. And when Drea reveals that she's been getting mysterious phone calls, Stacey starts to worry for Drea's life. With the time until Drea's stalker plans to get her ticking down, Stacey must do all she can to figure out what her dreams are trying to tell her, before it's too late.

Review: I love the premise for this book, and had been trying to get ahold of a copy for quite some time (because I am too cheap to buy my own books). Well, I finally read it, and I have to say I was a little disappointed. The story is all angst and no plot. Nothing really happened to make me want to keep turning pages, except my desire for something to happen. "Maybe if I read another chapter, something interesting will occur." Stacey's character was nothing but angst and hormones, and her friends Drea and Amber never endeared themselves to me. Drea seems like a selfish brat, and Amber is just plain annoying. I couldn't stand having friends like those. I never noticed either of them doing anything very friend-like. Despite this, I still love the premise, and because of that I'll give the series another go. Hopefully the second installment will be more exciting than the first, and maybe there will actually be an interesting character.

"The Lioness and Her Knight" by Gerald Morris

Rating: 4

Description: Luneta is tired of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight of King Arthur's Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend's castle near Camelot. Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain - a young knight seeking adventure- arrives just in time to escort her to King Arthur's court.

Along the way they pick up a knight-turned-fool named Rhience, whose wit and audacity set many a puffed-up personality in its place. Before arriving at Lady Laudine's castle, the trio stops at Camelot, where they hear the story of the Storm Stone, a magical object deep in the forest that soon sweeps everyone into a web of love, betrayal, and more than a bit of magic.

Note: Description from the book jacket.

Review: "The Lioness and Her Knight" is a great addition to Gerald Morris's Squire's Tales series; as always, the book is laugh-out-loud hilarious with a great plot and a satisfying romance. Luneta is a little more passive than I would have liked, being dragged hither and yon by circumstances and not of her own volition, but she is still a good character, intelligent but with her own human foibles (she prizes her ability to manipulate people and loves to meddle in others' affairs). The character that really made the book for me was Rhience, whose amusing quips and sarcasm kept me giggling throughout the whole book, but whose more serious side was also apparent (but not to Luneta, unfortunately). As mentioned, I would have liked to see Luneta be more of a driving factor in the plot, but the story was decent nevertheless. One of the great things about the Squire's Tales series is that every book (except possibly the second one) can be read as a stand-alone; knowledge of the happenings of previous books is not necessary when reading a later book, though it can be amusing (for example, Luneta's parents were the stars of the third book in the series, and it was fun to see how they interact as a middle aged married couple). "The Lioness and Her Knight" is definitely worth the read, and if you like it, you'll love the rest of the series as well.

"Peeps" by Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 4

Description: A year ago, Cal Thompson was brand new to New York City and more interested in meeting girls than attending freshman biology. Then he spent the night with a mysterious woman named Morgan. Now, biology has become, literally, Cal's life.

Cal was infected by a parasite that has a horrifying effect on its host. When you're a parasite positive, a "peep," you start to hate sunlight. You develop superhuman strength and superhuman senses. You form a strange bond with rats. You crave blood - human blood.

Cal is not a full-blown peep, but a carrier, infected but still sane, still able to control his urges. His tragedy: He can never be with a girl again. Even one kiss could turn her into a peep. Instead, he spends his time and energy working for an underground organization that tracks down peeps in the dark places of the city. But when an investigation throws him together with a beautiful girl named Lace, Cal's resolve to live his life alone is put to the test.

Note: Description from the book jacket.

Review: "Peeps" is an intriguing new take on the vampire myth, turning it from mystic horror story to hard science fiction. Readers will be engrossed - and grossed out, as every other chapter is a look into the life of a different icky virus. The unique premise (hard to find when it comes to vampires) works well; the idea of an underground bureaucracy designed to monitor peeps is almost disturbingly believable. Cal is vampirey enough to be an exciting character, but human enough to be a relatable one, and Lace is a strong character who matches, if not surpasses, Cal in personality. Most of the plot moves at a good pace, but near the end the revelations come a bit too quickly for the reader to get a good grasp on one before the next is there to supercede it. Overall, however, the book is worth the read for the fresh take on the sometimes tired idea. Vampire afficionados and biology nerds alike will love "Peeps."

"Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 5

Description: Bella has always shared her mother's hatred of the small Washington town of Forks where her father lives, but now she's voluntarily choosing to move there to live with her dad while her mother pursues a more mobile lifestyle with her new husband. At the high school in Forks, Bella is an immediate success, befriended by one of the most popular girls in school and pursued by one of the most popular boys. Everyone loves Bella. Everyone except the movie-star perfect Edward, who seems to loathe Bella on sight. But when Edward saves Bella from being hit by a car despite having been on the other side of the parking lot mere seconds before, it seems that Edward must not hate her so much after all. Bella's quest to discover who (and what) Edward really is eventually leads to the realization that he is a vampire...and he craves Bella's blood more than any he's ever encountered before. While Edward and Bella endeavor to work out their relationship, another vampire scents a challenge, and soon Bella's life is at risk from more than just Edward's blood lust.

Review: "Twilight" is the best YA vampire novel I have ever read. Readers will be able to relate to clumsy but certainly not helpless Bella and will fall in love with the dark and mysterious, but cutely geeky Edward. Their relationship is very believable; Meyer explores difficulties of a vampire/human relationship that aren't usually addressed in vampire stories. Bella's quest to discover Edward's true identity and their subsequent tentative romance is a decent plot in itself, and the homocidal vampire plot near the end of the novel only adds to the excitement factor. The almost mundane events of life as a high school student serve to anchor the story in reality, making the paranormal aspects that much more believable. No one should miss out on this amazing piece of young adult literature.

"Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie" by Holly Black

Rating: 4

Description: When seventeen-year-old Valerie Russell runs away to New York City, she's trying to escape a life that has utterly betrayed her. Sporting a new identity, she takes up with a gang of squatters who live in the city's labyrinthine subway system. But there's something eerily beguiling about Val's new friends. Impulsive Lolli talks of monsters in the subway tunnels they call home and shoots up a shimmery amber-colored powder that makes the shadows around her dance. Severe Luis claims he can make deals with creatures that no one else can see. And then there's Luis's brother, timid and sensitive Dave, who makes the mistake of letting Val tag along as he makes a delivery to a woman who turns out to have goat hooves instead of feet. When a bewildered Val allows Lolli to talk her into tracking down the hidden lair of the creature for whom Luis and Dave have been dealing, Val finds herself bound into service by a troll named Ravus. He is as hideous as he is honorable. And as Val grows to know him, she finds herself torn between her affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.

Note: Description from the book jacket, copied from amazon.com

Review: Holly Black has yet another winning novel in her follow-up to "Tithe: A Modern Tale of Faerie". "Valiant" is very different from its predecessor (the characters from "Tithe" only appear briefly near the end of the book), but still retains its fantastic punk faerietale vibe. The NYC setting is perfection, and the faeries fit right in. Val wasn't a strong enough main character for me, but I liked the book anyway because of its unique premise and plot. The best thing about "Valiant", in my opinion, is Ravus. He's a troll, complete with green skin, claws, and fangs, yet Val still likes him (yes, likes likes him). I like that, for once, the love interest isn't traditionally beautiful. The mystery surrounding the faerie deaths made a good plot - full of exciting twists and turns, but not overwhelming with nonstop action. "Valiant" is sure to win over readers of all sorts.

"Far Traveler" by Rebecca Tingle

Rating: 3

Description: Aelfwyn has always considered herself drab and bookish next to her heroic mother, the Lady of Mercia, but she didn't mind too much. Then her mother dies suddenly and Wyn is thrown headfirst into the world of politics as her uncle, King Edward, struggles to retain control of Mercia after her mother's death and strangers begin asking for Wyn's support against him in a rebellion taking place to the north. When Edward tries to marry her to an old man as a reward for service, she runs away, cutting her hair and disguising herself as a young traveling musician/poet. It is in her disguise as the scop Wilfrid (meaning "far traveler") that she meets Wil, displaced king and leader of the rebellion, courting support in Mercia. Wil becomes Aelfwyn's friend, teaching her to become a better scop, never guessing that she is the very lady whose mysterious disappearance he is using as a reason for others to join him in fighting King Edward. When Wil is ready to move against the king, Wyn will play a major role in the fight's outcome.

Review: "Far Traveler" is very much a "what if" of history: Aelfwyn really did exist, and disappeared from all records after her mother's death. Tingle then took the events of the time and wove a story of what may have happened to the missing girl. Therefore the plot had to stick to historic possibilities and, in this case, that was a disadvantage to the book. The part that the writer was able to make up all on her own was good, but in the end, she couldn't make the hero win the day, because that's not how it actually turned out, and the fact that the book ends with a whimper rather than a bang made me, as a reader, feel very unsatisfied. Despite that, however, the middle section of the book is well-done and worth the read. Aelfwyn was a good character, though a little too passive. Wil was marvelous; I fell in love with him myself, though his and Wyn's romance didn't exactly make sense to me. "Far Traveler" could have been a medieval gem, but fell just short of greatness.

"The Secret Under My Skin" by Janet McNaughton

Rating: 4

Description: Blay lives in a work camp for homeless children, where they dig through a garbage dump to retrieve valuable items such as paper. There is not much technology left after the recent technocaust, when scientists were blamed for environmental disasters and taken to concentration camps. Due to her love of reading, Blay is chosen to help Marella, the new bio-indicator, with her studies. In the past, these individuals, whose bodies react to poisons in the environment, served as warning mechanisms for others, but now, as the Earth heals and the danger lessens, they are expected to collect and interpret scientific data. As she helps Marella pass a series of tests, Blay discovers that she has a natural talent for science. As she starts to live a more normal life, she realizes how misled she has been by the people in charge of her society.

Note: Description taken from amazon.com

Review: "The Secret Under My Skin" is an excellent teen sci-fi that contains parallels to things that are happening today. The futuristic society (the book is set in the year 2368) is well-done and definitely believable, nicely avoiding the usual science fiction pitfall of being too over-the-top. Blay is a good character who reacts realistically to her environment and to the things she finds out. The other characters can be slightly distant and unsympathetic, however. I think that the book's romantic aspect feels off, and the book would have been just as good, if not better, without it. But the plot makes up for character/relationship shortcomings and ensures that the book is definitely worth reading. Readers will love Blay and will want to keep reading to find out more about her past and what her future will ultimately be.

"Scrib" by David Ives

Rating: 2.5

Description: Scrib ran away from home the day before his thirteenth birthday, and has since become a letter-writer with his own circuit. His circuit includes a lot of interesting characters including love-struck rancher Romulus, writing to his sweetheart; Paiute Indian Pierre, who writes angry letters to President Lincoln; and the infamous outlaw Crazy James Kincaid, who just wants to let his family know he's all right. When Scrib senses he's being followed, bad things start to happen. Someone, it would seem, doesn't want Scrib to write any more letters. He makes a disastrous attempt at leading a normal, stationary life, changing his name to Billy (short for William, his given name), before discovering that he'll always be Scrib.

Review: Advertised as a humorous look at the Wild West, "Scrib" fell far short of my expecations. I hardly laughed throughout the entire book. Scrib is a boring main character without much to say; the other characters at least have a little personality to them. Scrib's narrative is comprised of slang and on-purpose spelling and grammatical errors that drove me crazy, though are supposedly part of the charm of the book. The plot is decent, but Scrib was too boring for me to really get into it. I skimmed through the entire middle section of the book, and don't feel that I really missed anything exciting. Despite its shortcomings, however, "Scrib" may find a fanbase among younger teens and fans of YA westerns, though I wouldn't recommend it as humor.

"Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment" by James Patterson

Rating: 4

Description: Max and her "flock" are the result of a scientific experiment involving the grafting of avian DNA onto a human. They have giant wings that can be used for flight, and some of them have strange psychic powers as well. For several years they have been living in a house in the mountains where a scientist took them after rescuing them from the "school", the lab where they were created and kept in dog cages. Jeb is gone now, and the responsibility of keeping her five-member flock out of trouble has fallen to Max. But trouble has found them. The Erasers were the school's other success, werewolf-like creatures who would like nothing better than to rip the flock to shreds. When they show up near the flock's home, none of them are prepared, and Angel, the flock's youngest member, is taken. The rest of the flock sets out on a rescue mission, but there will be plenty of bumps along the way. And Max will discover some things that will shake her worldview forever.

Review: There's not much about "Maximum Ride" that isn't enjoyable. The idea of mutant bird-children is a good one, and the actual characters are well-done. I found myself loving each and every member of the flock as I got to know their unique personality quirks. Max's character development as she explores the world is one of the best parts of the book. The plot is good, though the second half of the book gets a little confusing, and the ending, obviously leaving room for a sequel, is pretty unsatisfying. Still, the characters will win over readers and they'll want to keep turning pages to find out the fate of the children. "Maximum Ride" is well worth the read.