Looks all kinds of fierce. I love this poster. It's so poetic and beautiful. Definitely makes me want to see the movie.

HOLY CRAP SPAZZY RANT ABOUT A NEW MARKUS ZUSAK BOOK!

It's coming out next month!

Bridge of Clay is a teen novel by Australian author Markus Zusak, to be published by Picador in November 2009. The book primarily focuses on family and bridges, both physical and emotional. The main character, Clay, attempts to build a bridge over a river before it floods. Zusak has been planning the book for over ten years.

In an interview with The Guardian, Zusak made the following comments:

"I'm writing a book called Bridge of Clay - about a boy building a bridge and wanting it to be perfect. He wants to achieve greatness with this bridge, and the question is whether it will survive when the river floods. That's all I can say about it for now - not out of secrecy, but you just don't know what direction a book is going to take, no matter how well you've planned."

_{--from Wikipedia}

If there is one author in the world whose talent I could steal, it would be Markus's. He is an absolute brilliant mad genius. I've been waiting for a new book, but it takes him so long to craft them together. (It pays off, trust me.)

So I'm not sure if the publication date is the same in both Australia and the US, but... OMG. OMG. I actually remember reading that he was working on this book during an interview, but that was two years ago or something.

*SPAZ*

It's Banned Books Week, a week-long celebration of books that have been challenged, banned, and censored in the United States. I look forward to it every year.

On the eve of Banned Books Week, a senior college student in my dorm came by my room and said, "You're an English major, right?" He promptly handed me five slightly used books: Moby Dick, The Grapes of Wrath, Beloved, The Great Gatsby, and The Awakening. This was a pleasant and unexpected gesture, which was made even more meaningful when I realized that four of the five are on the banned books list. So while I won't be participating in the events by reading a banned book, I at least added quite a few to my collection.

While Banned Books Week is always interesting, this year, it seems particularly relevant. Throughout the past two weeks, several controversial challenges have occurred, with parents petitioning schools to ban young adult books from being taught in the classroom or placed on the shelves. ( It started when Laurie Halse Anderson's Twisted was challenged... )

Title: Boomsday
Author: Christopher Buckley
Genre: Political Satire/Fiction
Pages: 318
First Line: "Cassandra Devine was not yet thirty, but she was already tired."

Summary: Cassandra Devine is the voice of the blogger generation, and she's angry. Indignant about the mounting cost of Social Security, dreading the approaching retirement of 77 million "baby boomers," Cassandra calls America's young people to action: resist Boomsday. What starts out as a typical violent nationwide protest escalates when Cassandra is struck with her inspiration: Voluntary Transitioning. What if America could slash its Social Security spending by encouraging baby boomers to kill themselves early? The nation rallies around her, and along with the charismatic Senator of the great state of Massachusetts, Randolph K. Jepperson, Cassandra presses the issue all the way to the White House, where she is resisted by a foul-mouthed president, a pro-life preacher from the South, and her own billionaire father...

Review: Quite simply, this book was wonderful. Christopher Buckley, the acclaimed author of Thank You for Smoking, is a master of political satire. I heard about this book when it came out a few years ago, and it definitely piqued my interest. Buckley does a fantastic job of zeroing in on the ludicrous political system of America. In Boomsday, nothing is safe: the war on terrorism, the Catholic Church, Congress, the Presidency, the Bible Belt. Buckley blends all of it together in a biting commentary on the corruption of the Capitol.

While Buckley's world is utterly ridiculous, what makes it so effective is that it really isn't all that far from the truth. One could easily imagine a few steps in the wrong direction could lead America into a debate just as farfetched as the book's debate on Voluntary Transitioning. Buckley treats his serious subject matter with flippancy, which certainly manages to reduce the moral tension but also imagines a rather chilling world where people frequently joke about committing suicide.

But don't let that scare you. Yes, Boomsday draws on some serious, shocking issues, but it is a comedy at heart. The characters who bring Voluntary Transitioning to the forefront are just as ridiculous as the idea itself. The characters are definitely the most enjoyable part of the book. They are all complete caricatures--the bitter, hard-edged feminist blogger; the self-promoting senator; the hypocritical, self-righteous minister; the underhanded, scheming White House aides. But although they are extremely exaggerated, all the characters become fully realized. At first glance, they seem callous, unlikeable, and flat, but Buckley shapes them in such a way that you find yourself rooting for them. Even the most seemingly vile characters were fascinating to read about. Senator Randy Jepperson was a special favorite of mine. I absolutely loved him. His sense of humor (along with most every character's) was absolutely side-splitting.

Of course, most of the humor came from the ridiculous situations. Politics is a three-ring circus, and Buckley took advantage of that. Political outrages that we're familiar with--scandals, PR disasters, associations with terrorists--they all show up in Boomsday. My absolute favorite bit was when Montefeltro Massimo, Catholic priest, gets bribed by Russian pimps. OH THE HILARITY.

The only problem I had with the book was the abrupt "rocks fall, everyone dies--or gets elected President" ending. The book builds only a little in terms of the ridiculousness and scale of the events. It maintains the plot all the way to the end, and just when it seems ready to take a new turn, it just... ends. I felt like such a brilliant book deserved a better ending. I suppose, to an extent, it works since political careers can go on forever, avoiding pitfall after pitfall, so why bother detailing everything that happens to the characters? But it seemed like Buckley picked an odd spot to drop the narrative, and I can't help feeling that just a chapter or two more might have given it the closure I anticipated. This book had almost had no closure at all.

Still, the rest of it is worth it, and I was only mildly disappointed by the ending. Fair warning: the book is very much an adult book and deals with drugs, sex, language, violence, pretty much anything you could think of. But for anyone interested in politics or just a good laugh, I'd definitely recommend it.

Rating: 5/5

Title: A Mercy
Author: Toni Morrison
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 196
First Line: "Don't be afraid. My telling can't hurt you in spite of what I have done and I promise to lie quietly in the dark--weeping perhaps or occasionally seeing the blood once more--but I will never again unfold my limbs to rise up and bare teeth."

Summary: Jacob Vaark is a humble trader from New York in the 1680s, when slavery in the New World is becoming more and more widespread. In order to absolve a debt, he agrees to take Florens, a slave girl from Maryland, back to his small farm in New England. Florens struggles with her mother's rejection but finds solace and belonging in her blossoming relationship with a free African American blacksmith who frequents Vaark's farm. The other women in Vaark's life also struggle with forging ties to one another: the Native American servant who practices her own blend of religion, the wife learning to cope with the loss of her children, and the orphan girl who seems to have no control of her senses. Through their stories, Morrison delivers a powerful snapshot of slavery and gender in this beautiful new novel.

Review: Beautiful it is.

This is the first Toni Morrison book I've read. Of course, I've heard of her--who hasn't? Her famous work, Beloved, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993, and she has established herself as one of America's greatest writers.

But is that reputation deserved? I had no idea, and at first, I thought perhaps Morrison was overhyped. The first chapter was written in such a startling style, using broken English to establish one of the novel's many narrators, Florens, that I began to wonder if maybe Morrison would just be too obtuse and pretentious for laypeople to understand.

I forced myself to plunge into the next chapter with a new narrator, Jacob Vaark. Almost immediately I was swept away into a richly layered world. The first thing that stood out for me was how wonderfully accurate the historical facts are. In a world polluted with lazy research like Philippa Gregory's, I was astonished to find that truthful historical fiction still existed. Morrison does a beautiful job of dealing with seventeenth century American society. The story manages to touch on nearly all of the early colonies and all the levels of social class. And all of the details are spot-on.

Beyond that, I found myself marveling at the absolutely human characters. A Mercy is a very short book, and often, Morrison opts for direct characterization, using other characters or the narrators themselves to quickly give an assessment of how each character views the world. This is generally considered a no-no for stories, but Morrison's characters are so complex that even short character sketches are fascinating. Each one offers a new perspective on colonial life, and each one granted me brief moments of revelation.

Which brings me to the writing. It was absolutely gorgeous. Yes, it took me a while to get into the rhythm of Florens' voice, but the way Morrison shaped each character's narration was fantastic. I was struck by beautiful phrases on nearly every page: "sun fired," "clouds cut by rainbow." Morrison has a gift of language, never overdoing her stunning metaphors, weaving her themes throughout the novel effortlessly. I was struck by the beauty of the writing but also by the journeys of each character. While the novel is short, I think that only adds to its impact. I definitely felt floored reading it.

So, yeah. Morrison deserves every ounce of praise she receives. I can't wait to read more of her books.

Rating: 5/5

Melissa Marr's 'Wicked Lovely' Will Be a Movie.

Another film about faeries is on its way to the big screen. Following this summer’s announcement that Miley Cyrus is to star in Disney’s adaptation of Aprilynne Pike’s teenage faerie tale “Wings," Variety reports that Universal is working on a movie based on “Wicked Lovely,” the first in a series of young adult books by Melissa Marr.

The projects aren’t very similar, however. Disney’s film, which is being produced by "Twilight" producers Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, involves a seemingly normal girl who sprouts wings, making her a human-sized faerie. “Wicked,” on the other hand, features a teenage girl who can merely see the creatures — though she is offered the chance to join that world by a faerie suitor who takes human form in order to pursue her.

A female high school student being romanced by a mythological creature? Why does that seem so familiar? Oh, right. On the surface, “Wicked” sounds a bit like another popular franchise that features vampires instead of faeries. And that makes me wonder if faeries are the latest trend for the fantasy genre, after vampires and werewolves.

To that, I would like to simply add: Faeries aren't the next vampires. They just wish they were.

I'm unsure how I feel about this adaptation. I love seeing pretty much any book I've read become a movie. No matter how I feel about the book, there's something extremely personal about consuming a person's words for 200+ pages, something that's certainly more emotionally investing than a movie. So, if I've even heard of a book, I get excited when I see its movie trailer. In that sense, I suppose I'm excited for Wicked Lovely.

On the other hand, it is certainly not one of my favorite books. (If I had reviewed it here, it would be a 3/5. And that might be a bit generous.) The world of the novel was good, but the plot and central characters left me confused. Still, I was fascinated enough by a few of the secondary characters to at least want to read Ink Exchange. (I haven't yet, but fully intend to.)

So, how do you think the movie adaptation will reflect the book? Will they possibly improve upon it? Will this just be another sad attempt for Hollywood to cash in on young adult sales? The one thing that encourages me is that the scriptwriter also worked on Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Maybe the world can be made just wonky enough to be entertaining.

Title: Lock and Key
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 432
First Line: "And finally," Jamie said as he pushed the door open, "we come to the main event. Your room."

I was braced for pink.

Summary: Ruby Cooper has been living on her own, abandoned by her mother, trying to meet the bills and put food on the table, for months before she's busted by social services. She's quickly relocated to her estranged sister's home, who has (surprise!) been married for five years and lives in a posh neighborhood. Ruby resists any help her new family offers. She's gotten by so far on her own, and why should she trust someone who broke off all contact with her and her mother years ago? But when Ruby meets Nate, her next-door neighbor and unflappably loyal friend, Ruby finds herself wanting to open up...

Review: This has got to be my favorite Dessen novel. I've steadily collected them all (although I have yet to read her newest work, Along for the Ride), and for the longest time, I still called The Truth About Forever my favorite. But I fell in love with Lock and Key because of the wildly lovable characters and how fascinating Ruby was as a narrator.

Most of Dessen's books follow the same lazily wonderful arc: girl deals with tough times in high school, girl meets boy, boy turns out to be very complicated, tough times get worse, and then everything settles out to a perfect bow-on-top ending. For me, Dessen excels at making normal life interesting. Not just interesting, but superbly accurate, charming, and imaginative. While her endings might be a little too sugar-coated for some, the characters never fail to deliver. In Lock and Key, all the characters shine, from Ruby's frantic boss, Harriet, to the adorkably sweet child prodigy, Gervais. I loved every single character in this book (well, with the notable exception of the resident "villain"), especially Jamie. And Nate. Nate, Nate, Nate.

Another thing that sets this Dessen book apart is the story of the heroine, Ruby. The story of her abandonment was markedly different from anything I've seen from her before, and I quite enjoyed it. It gave me a real understanding of where Ruby was coming from. Similarly, Nate's predicament was heartbreaking, and gave the book so many touching, poignant moments.

All in all, this is a sure hit for Sarah Dessen fans, and anyone who's looking for a great summer read.

Rating: 5/5

I always keep a running tab of books I'd like to buy, despite the massive pile of unread ones I have at home. Still, I'm very choosy about which books I get. I like researching them first, and hearing good recommendations by word-of-mouth is my favorite way to get new suggestions.

So, I'd like people to post some book recommendations, of either books you've read recently and loved, or some of your classic favorites.

As for books I'm already thinking about buying, I've got a few:

1.) Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater. I actually just found this one a few minutes ago. The girls on the Twilight Series Facebook Group mentioned it, and I immediately looked it up on Amazon. The premise sounds interesting (supernatural romance, my favorite kind), the brief snippet of writing on the back is gorgeous, and the book has a very high Amazon rating. Apparently, it's very new. Just came out. But there's already a sequel in the works, so... here's hoping I enjoy it.

2.) The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan. The title alone has interested me for a while. I love mysteries like this one. It sounds like a great concept, and I really can't get enough of romantic zombie stories of late. I'll definitely give it a chance. (Although I'd love to find it in paperback.)

3.) In This Way I Was Saved - Brian DeLeeuw. I rarely venture into the adult fiction section, simply because I don't keep tabs on it, but when I do, it's usually because I like the writing style rather than the actual story. In this case, the first line was kind of a hook: "I enter the lobby of Claire Nightingale’s apartment building, here to tell her I have murdered her only son." I'm not quite sold on this one yet, but I'm thinking about reading it.

4.) Eyes Like Stars - Lisa Mantchev. Just read another great review for this book. The product discription makes me want to scoop it up and read it until dawn. And this is coming from a girl who loathes faerie stories. But this one sets the faeries as secondary characters, it seems, and it seems to have tons of Shakespeare references and awesomesauce original fantasy. YES, PLEASE.

Jellicoe Road

The Ghost Map

Boneshaker

Going Bovine

Bridge of Clay

So... any more suggestions? Oh, I mustn't forget Jellicoe Road, but I haven't researched that one yet. :) I've heard other great reviews, though.

The theatrical trailer for The Lovely Bones, directed by Peter Jackson and based on the original novel by Alice Sebold, has just been released at the official website. As far as book adaptations go, this one looks to be following the book very closely. I'll probably reread the book before I go see it. It was a certainly an interesting, bizarre read. Certainly the movie adaptation will be worth seeing just for Saoirse Ronan's performance as Susie. She's a wonderful actress, having already appeared in two book adaptations, Atonement and City of Ember. While The Lovely Bones will be a hard movie to watch due to its content, I'm hoping it will do the book justice.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters Next to Be Adapted.

On the heels of the success of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (click for review), Quirk Classics, which promises to be a series of warped classics, will be releasing a new title, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. The co-author of the original "PPZ," Seth Grahame-Greene, will not be returning; instead, Ben H. Winters will adapt Jane Austen's classic works for a hipper, more bloodthirsty audience.



I was a little underwhelmed by the first Quirk Classic, but it did manage to provide a few laughs. A second installment could be either redundant or a much-needed refresher. The author, Ben H. Winters, promises more added material than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which could be for the better. The first one didn't seem to have enough new material to warrant purchase. Perhaps a new author would get the balance right. I haven't actually read Sense and Sensibility, but perhaps other Austen fans will be eager to pick this one up. Or, you know, maybe they're still offended about the assault on classic literature.

What do you think? Have you read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Does the second title in the series interest you?

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 485
First Line: "You've got to be kidding me," the bouncer said, folding his arms across his massive chest. He stared down at the boy in the red zip-up jacket and shook his shaved head. "You can't bring that thing in here." 

Summary: Clary Fray has always lived an astoundingly normal life with her artsy mother, father-figure Luke, and best friend Simon. However, when she witnesses a strange murder at a local club, her whole world is turned upside down. Apparently, she was the only one who saw it happen, and worse, the body vanished as soon as the knife sunk in. Visible to only her eyes, the murderers look like regular teenagers, only covered in tattoos and wielding strange weapons. Unable to explain what she has seen, Clary tries to forget about it.

But then Clary's mother turns up missing, and Clary is once again thrust into a world she never knew existed. She meets the strange teenagers again -- known as Shadowhunters -- and they agree to help her locate her mother. It seems that Clary's mother knew much more about magical beings than she let on, and in fact, her mother may have been in possession of one of the most powerful magical artifacts in existence: the Mortal Cup. And unless Clary and the Shadowhunters can find it in time, it could fall into the wrong hands, possibly upsetting the balance between the unseen world and hers...

Review: People have been telling me to read this book for a very long time. It's the first in The Mortal Instruments Trilogy by Cassandra Clare. I'll admit, there was a reason it took me forever to finally pick it up. I have a deep-rooted prejudice against the new popular string of "urban fantasies." The few I have read have been a bit disappointing (Wicked Lovely), and I've just generally found that I prefer high fantasy to half-in-half worlds. (There are exceptions: most notably, the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud, which may be one of my favorite book series of all time.)

Finally, though, after hearing rave reviews from quite a few people, I bought it... and then it sat on my shelf for months. With the release of the last book in the trilogy, City of Glass, though, I finally decided it was time to get acquainted with it.

At first, I wasn't quite sure what the appeal was. There were a few things about Clare's writing that bugged me (mainly an overuse of similes), but as I got into the rhythm of the story and the characters, I got hooked. I nearly consumed the book, readings hundreds of pages in a day, something that I haven't really done in quite some time. In fact, City of Bones may be one of the few books that I've been completely engrossed in.

The secret lies in the characters. Clare has chosen a small palette of characters, but each one is fully alive, interesting, complex, and fantastic. In fact, I really couldn't even tell you a least favorite character. Each one intrigued me, even a few of the villains. The main character, Clary, is realistic and, though she has only just become acquainted with the world of Shadowhunters, demons, and Downworlders, she contributes valiantly to the overall plot. The story moved briskly from the very beginning, allowing the readers to delve deeper into the lore and the characters. There's a rich backstory, too, which I always find entertaining in a book.

I'd also heard a lot about this book's ending. It's a huge, completely crazy twist, one that completely throws a wrench into where you think the plot is going. Also from what I've heard, this twist gets resolved in the next book? ... For my sake, it better, because by the end, I was so into the characters, I couldn't help but start screaming into a pillow. Yeah, it's that kind of book. Completely entertaining, thrilling, and endearing. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

And, for what it's worth, the romance is AWESOME. I have a huge soft spot for love triangles, and this one is superb.

Rating: 4/5 (A tad too many similes and a slightly rushed denouement sort of marred my reading experience, but the book is overall sensational.)

There are many notable book-to-movie adaptations coming to the big screen. Part of that is probably due to the built-in audience adaptations draw in, and as we all know, the one thing Hollywood hates is originality. Nevertheless, it's always enjoyable to watch a book be transformed into a movie. Most of these adaptations will probably meet with varying degrees of success, on a fiscal and emotional level. How true will these movies stick to the books, and how will general audiences respond to characters already beloved by readers? Here's some information on upcoming projects.


( Wings - Aprilynne Pike )

( The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger )

( Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak )

( A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens )

( New Moon - Stephenie Meyer )

( The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold )

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Genre: Classic/Romance/Horror/Parody
First Line: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." 

Summary: In this retelling of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice, the humble home of the Sisters Bennet is turned into a grim post-apocalyptic setting. For decades, England has been plagued by zombies, the dead coming to life to slaughter innocent townsfolk. To protect his daughters, Mr. Bennet trained them in the ancient arts of self-defense. Everything goes swimmingly until some new neighbors come to town: the Bingleys and their rather moody friend, Mr. Darcy. A famed zombie hunter himself, he soon takes note of Elizabeth Bennet's obvious skill in combat, but pride and prejudice prevent them from being together.

Review: I was greatly excited to finally read this book. I'm a huge fan of the original Pride and Prejudice, and I was definitely interested to see how this parody would turn out. Certainly, there are some incredibly humorous moments in the book. These mainly come from any unexpected breaches of decorum the characters make; after all, in this alternate universe where zombies run rampant, the ladies of Longbourn are hardly exemplary models of civility. (Clearly, I've been reading too much Austen.) All the characters slip easily into harsh, gore-laden brutality at a moment's notice, all the while maintaining their polished manners. That alone is enough for a good chuckle... but it's not worth much more than that.

I did appreciate some of the unexpected turns the novel took, particularly in the new storylines given to Charlotte Lucas, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Wickham. There's a certain satisfaction to be had from seeing unlikable characters getting their just desserts in this new version. But the new spins are few and far between, and ultimately, there's not enough new material to really make an impact.

That said, I did rather enjoy this book. It's good for a quick, light read, but don't expect to be laughing all the way through. If anything, this book reminded me more of how much I loved the original, without the embellishments. But it's hard not to laugh at lines like, "his trousers clung to the most English parts of him." And the Reader's Guide Questions in the back of the book are absolutely hilarious. If only the whole book had been that great.

Rating: 3/5

There's an interesting conversation going on at John Green's blog. John Green is the author of many acclaimed Young Adult books, such as Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns. Recently, he has posted several entries on the publishing industry. Along with several other concerned authors and readers, John Green is worried that there is a dire flaw in the way the publishing industry is set up.

Certainly, this is something that we all should be aware of, particularly those who hope to someday enter the business as writers or editors. The current trend for editors is to offer very high advances (basically, payment for a book in a lump sum) to authors. These advances don't always even out, especially when the authors are paid six-digit sums for their books. While this would seem like a very good deal for the author, nine times out of ten, the publisher loses money. However, it's a risk that most publishing houses are willing to take, considering all they need is one "blockbuster" book (think Harry Potter or Twilight) to make up for the other losses.

The problem that many see is that these high advances limit the amount of money an author can make on royalties. Royalties depend entirely on how many books are sold, not how much the editor/publisher thinks it will sell. An author is not paid royalties until they make more than their advance. So higher advances prevent many authors from seeing any royalties.

Of course, in some cases, gratuitous advances reward authors more than they would have been if their salary were based solely on how many books they sold. However, if their advance were relatively small, and the book was successful, the royalties would actually allow authors to make more money. Not something that publishers are really keen on hearing.

John Green argues that higher royalties (authors generally get paid about 10% per book) and lower advances would help stabilize the publishing industry, allowing it to steadily grow rather than losing money on all but their uber-successful books. It's certainly an interesting conversation, and one that could potentially revolutionize the publishing industry.

Title: The Fetch
Author: Laura Whitcomb
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/History
Pages: 379
First Line: "Calder was a Fetch, a death escort, and had been since his own death at the age of nineteen. He had been a Fetch for three hundred and thirty years, and so had seen many women in the Death Scenes to which he had been sent. He'd watched women drowning, one with seaweed twisting her gown into a mermaid tail, another in a pond surrounded by lilies that glowed like funeral offerings about her floating hair." 

Summary: Calder is a Fetch, a spirit who guides souls through the Aisle and to the gates of Heaven. He's never understood why he was chosen for this responsibility, and frequently, he feels unworthy of his immortal status. Everything changes when he meets Glory, a vibrant mortal whom he feels is destined to be his Star Fetch, his chosen apprentice. In order to get closer to her, Calder breaks his Fetch Vows and enters the mortal world. His rash actions throw earth and the spirit world into chaos, and Calder must help set both worlds right again, while protecting the humans he has come to love...

Review: I saw this book on the top shelf at Books-a-Million several weeks ago, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw it. Laura Whitcomb is an author I have come to admire from her previous YA novel, A Certain Slant of Light, and I was thrilled that she had written a new book. As I found out more about the plot, I became even more excited; not only did The Fetch promise to have just as much supernatural mythology as A Certain Slant of Light did, but the plot also centered around the last of the Romanov family and their tragic fate during the Russian Revolution. I've read several fiction and non-fiction books on the subject, and Laura Whitcomb seemed like she was going to marry two fantastic ideas together.

Certainly, Whitcomb proves that she is an insane genius when it comes to supernatural tales. All the elements I loved so much in A Certain Slant of Light are present: souls longing for Heaven, body-snatching, atonement, an inventive, imaginative take on death.

However, the book soon began to drag. The pacing seemed a bit rushed at first, and it may take some readers a little while to get used to Whitcomb's writing style.

Another concern I have is how easily the story (at least the first half of the book) can be followed by people not familiar with the story of the last Romanovs. I know I quite enjoyed Whitcomb's explanations for many of the bizarre circumstances surrounding the family, but whether fresh readers will get all the historical nods, I'm not sure.

Once the plot freed itself of the historical barriers, though, it became an immensely enjoyable, decidedly Whitcomb-esque read. Whitcomb doesn't try too hard to explain every uncertainty in her spiritual lore; after all, much of Heaven and souls is open to interpretation, and she builds a beautiful story. As a result, there may be some unanswered questions or confusion, but nothing that wasn't present in her previous works. Yes, the book is a bit long, and the plot may seem kind of slow to some readers, but anyone who's a fan of her other novels should be quite pleased. I don't believe this book is quite as poignant as A Certain Slant of Light, simply because her last novel dealt with many heavy issues, while The Fetch is only slightly thought-provoking. I really, really enjoyed it, though, and I hope others will give it a chance.

Rating: 4/5

Title: Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Pages: 288
Genre: Young Adult
First Line: "So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked in her coffee. She tells me in four sentences. No, five. I can't let me hear this, but it's too late. The facts sneak in and stab me. When she gets to the worst part (...body found in a motel room, alone...) my walls go up and my doors lock. I nod like I'm listening, like we're communicating, and she never knows the difference.

It's not nice when girls die."

Summary: Lia and Cassie swore an oath to be the skinniest girls in school. They have different methods: Cassie purges and Lia just doesn't eat, but the end result should be the same: skinny, perfect, strong. Watching the pounds drop off is a high, and everything is going well... until Cassie winds up dead. Now Lia is caught in her own horrifying desire to lose weight, and she doesn't know how to stop, or even if she wants to...

Review: This book was absolutely, mindblowingly fantastic. Laurie Halse Anderson, the acclaimed author of Speak has always delivered fantastic works, but I think this is probably her most daring book since Speak. It is certainly the most heartbreaking. Lia personifies many teens who struggle with anorexia, and Anderson does a brilliant job of capturing the complex emotions and logic that come with the disease. The reader stays engaged right up until the last page, cheering for Lia and delving into her inner mind. In addition, the book is an absolute joy to read, simply because Anderson's prose is magical. Absolutely brilliant, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Rating: 5/5

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Pages: 374
Genre: Young Adult/Adventure/Survival
First Line: "When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping."

Summary: Katniss Everdeen always dreads the annual day of reaping, when two children are selected as candidates for the Hunger Games out of their district. Ever since the rebellion that threatened the power of the Capitol decades ago, the Games have been put on as a way of establishing control. Twenty-four contestants, or tributes, are thrown into an arena where they must fight to the death, all on live television. But when her younger sister is selected to be a tribute, Katniss jumps to her defense, volunteering for almost certain death. Katniss can only hope to scrape by on her own survival skills, but how far will she go to win?

Review: I had heard a lot about this book, and nearly all the reviews had been absolutely raving. I think I was expecting a searing psychological piece of brilliance, and while The Hunger Games certainly offers many compromising situations for the characters, it is definitely more of a wildly entertaining read. I've always been a complete sucker for survival stories, and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. Katniss and her fellow contenders not only have to deal with familiar struggles like acquiring water and shelter, but also lethal traps set up by the Gamemakers to keep things interesting. There were a lot of incredibly original concepts in this book. I really enjoyed the whole idea of the Hunger Games and the society that was based around them.

The characters in it were all entertaining. Katniss was certainly likeable, if a little strangely named. I had a hard time determining a favorite between Peeta and Gale, but since the novel definitely seems to promise a sequel, hopefully I will have much more time to get to know them. The book, for me, offered almost no closure at all, and I'm definitely eager to explore more of the world. Especially since The Hunger Games was pretty much exactly what you'd expect. I'm hoping the author throws in lots more twists and turns in future novels. (Another rebellion, anyone?) The writing style was very simplistic and easy to follow. Use of fragments was abundant and effective.

Rating: 4/5

Title: Maximum Ride (Manga Volume 1)
Author: James Patterson (story), NaRae Lee (art)
Genre: Young Adult/Manga/Action/Science Fiction
Pages: 256
Sample Page:
 

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Max Ride has a lot of responsibilities. She's been taking care of her "flock" -- a motley assortment of winged mutants: Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman, and Angel -- since their caretaker, Jeb Batchelder disappeared two years ago. By staying isolated, they can exist outside the laboratory that created them, a sinister place called the School. Luckily, they've been getting along just fine... until a pack of Erasers (the School's personal police force) descends on the flock, abducting their youngest member, Angel. Max has to pull the rest of the flock together and rescue Angel before it's too late...

Review: I've read the first three Maximum Ride books, and I've always been impressed by the wonderful characters created by James Patterson. While reading the books, I soon became weary of the plot, which sometimes felt very, very contrived. Even so, I couldn't help but get excited when I heard there was going to be a manga version. Reading the story through a different medium brought me back to why I fell in love with the series in the first place. NaRae Lee, an extremely talented artist from South Korea, brings a fantastic vision to the characters and their world. Her illustrations are gorgeous throughout. This first manga volume follows the plotline of the first Maximum Ride novel, The Angel Experiment, but as it only gets through half the story, many more volumes are guaranteed before the series ends. (There are currently five novels, and there are more on the way.) I may not be keeping up with the novels like I used to, but I know I'll definitely spend money on these gorgeous mangas. Even people who haven't read the books will surely fall in love with the characters.

Also, a note for life in general: NaRae Lee's design for Fang is really, really hot. :)

Rating: 5/5

Title: Coraline
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Children's Lit/Supernatural
Pages: 192
First Line: "Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house." 

Summary: Nine-year-old Coraline is rather underwhelmed by her family's new house. It's rather old and creepy, and the neighbors are even older and creepier. Still, Coraline tries to make the best of it by exploring... Soon she discovers a mysterious door that lets her enter a magical, parallel world where everything is better. Her Other Parents may attention to her, the food is better, and her neighbors are fascinatingly talented. Coraline can't wait to enter the door again and again... until things start feeling not right. Coraline will have to escape from the fake, woven world of her Other Mother or be forced to stay there forever.

Review: This was actually my first Neil Gaiman book. I watched the movie version of Coraline in theaters, and I was so impressed that I had to read the original novel. I certainly wasn't disappointed. Although this is a book for much younger readers, it's still creepy enough to give adults chills. Neil Gaiman's simplistic storytelling actually is a great contrast to the darkness of the book. I did notice a few key differences from the movie, but the original story is positively wonderful on its own. Definitely recommended if you have a spare afternoon.

Rating: 5/5

Title: The Morning Gift
Author: Eva Ibbotson
Genre: Young Adult/Romance/Historical Fiction
Pages: 410
First Line: "Vienna has always been a city of myths."

Summary: Ruth Berger thought she would get out of Vienna before the Nazis came, but now her family is safely in England and she is trapped in Austria. Things look bleak until she runs into an old colleague of her father's, the illustrious professor of paleontology, Quin Somerville, who agrees to help her escape. The two of them decide to perform a hasty marriage, one that will guarantee Ruth citizenship in Britain, but will be dissolved as soon as possible once she is safely in England. However, annulling the marriage becomes a complicated process. In an attempt to keep things moving quickly, Quin decides it would be best for he and Ruth not to see each other again... but Ruth ends up being enrolled in his classes at Thameside College in London. As Quin and Ruth spend more time together, it becomes increasingly obvious that they care for one another, perhaps more than they even know. But if the annulment doesn't go through, how will Ruth be able to marry her long-time fiance, Heini Radek?

Review: This is my third Eva Ibbotson book, and I always sort of forget how very brilliant her books are. Her style is very old-fashioned, full of Austenesque turns of phrase that are both delightfully complex and humorous, once the reader gets used to them. Ibbotson also excels at creating dramatic irony that keeps the plot moving forward. At the center of the story is the deliciously drawn-out romance, but her stories always come alive with a beautiful cast of secondary characters, some deeply endearing, others hilariously neurotic. The Morning Gift was no exception... Quin is probably my favorite male protagonist of her books, and I thoroughly enjoyed not only Ruth's journey, but those of her friends and family. Of course, sometimes Ibbotson's phrasing can get a little obtuse... She puts a lot of confidence in the reader to infer correctly, which could lead to brief moments of confusion. And her heroines can come across as too perfect, at least at first. But on the whole, her books are masterful romances, perfect for anyone who enjoys ill-fated love stories and historical fiction.

Rating: 4/5