Me on Books I Never Reviewed (1)

Books I Never Reviewed is a new segment (for lack of a better word, maybe a series of some sort) all about those books I've read that I never got around to reviewing for any number of reasons. I'm thinking of making it a once every couple of months kind of thing.

So, what's going to happen is something like flash reviews. I'll mention a few books, give a few thoughts, and that's it. This sort of came from me trying to write reviews in the past for books I've bought or borrowed and couldn't think of enough to say for a normal Me on Books style of review. I've written/posted 282 reviews here over the past few years, but I've read almost 650 books since the start of 2011.

Sweet Legacy by Tera Lynn Childs. I reviewed both Sweet Venom and Sweet Shadows, but after reading this I felt I'd be repeating myself again (possibly because my review of Sweet Shadows went up in July). This is the conclusion to a series filled with action, mythology, and three teen girls discovering what fate has in store for them. The sisters are coming into their own. Gretchen, Grace, and Greer all have different skills, and together they make a team. This is like the end of their journey in discovering who they are and what they can do, and whether or not they can defeat those who are trying to kill them. They also have their three different and curious boys. Not counterparts, necessarily; the girls are their own counterparts. But the boys aren't just there for romance, they have their own skills, their own secrets and regrets, and at the end they all come together. A big part of why I've enjoyed this series is how the author has re-imagined the myth of the Gorgon and made it something new. I'd love to see more Greek mythology re-tellings that are more than Persephone/Hades or Cassandra and her seeing into the future (Antigoddess by Kendare Blake is, currently, my only exception to the Cassandra rule because of its vast range of characters).

Stolen by Lucy Christopher. This is certainly an extremely powerful book, very moving but also very dark and twisted. It's a rather intriguing sort of book, and definitely one I wouldn't have picked up if it weren't for other bloggers reading it and reviewing it. Again, not the sort of cutting deep contemporary YA that I normally read, if I happen to want to read contemporary YA, but I still liked it.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. This has to be one of the most heart-wrenching and emotional YA novels of the year according to most bloggers. But I wasn't as interested in it and I'm not totally sure why. Maybe it's because it's very much one of those contemporary (although because of its 80's setting it could be historical) YA novels that cut deep, and I'm not as into those as other readers and bloggers. From my non-review on Goodreads (that I wrote not long after reading this): A sweet and sad book about two misfits who find a place to belong when they're together. Not my cup of tea when it comes to contemporary romance, but I'm sure those who enjoy contemporary YA will enjoy it more than I did. I did love the author's second contemporary YA novel of 2013, Fangirl (even with it being on the YA/NA border), but I think that's because I could see part of me being a fangirl in Cath.

So, did you like this? Which books have you read that you never reviewed but always thought about it? Post #2 will be up at the end of November. :)

Me on Flash Reviews (3)

More quick reviews, this time of books I recently checked out from my local library. That might've sounded too much like a PSA. ;)

Title: Awaken
Author: Katie Kacvinsky
Release Date: May 23, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Intriguing, very realistic, which made it compelling. What if all our lives was spent in front of a screen? What if we went on dates and runs and walks and saw movies all from the comfort of our home? I spend a lot of my time online, reading or on social media, and this book hit a little close to home. While reading I had that slightly uncomfortable 'our lives could really be like this' one day feeling.

Maddie was very conflicted, torn between the physical and actual make-contact-with-the-world-without-a-screen environment Justin brings her into and the comfortable and familiar computer screen inside her room. She's torn between conforming and investigating. What stops her are the repercussions, the consequences, the possible banishment, the anger of her parents.

A very much enjoyed semi-dystopian, a recommended read for fans of Lauren Oliver's Delirium and Elana Johnson's Possession. A little easier on the soul, perhaps. Delirium almost brought me to tears.

Quick note: I read this book as a stand alone and enjoyed it, it worked. Recently I learned the author is working on a second book, but I'm not sure if it's a sequel or a companion novel. I'm not sure how I feel, but I will read it.

Title: Magic Under Glass
Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Release Date: December 22, 2009
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Sweet, magical, and fantastical, this debut novel will enchant fantasy readers and introduce them to a brand new re-tweak of Jane Eyre, plus faeries and magic and singing.

Nimira is innocent but strong, knowing what is right, willing to act and save those who need saving. She sees the automaton more than those around them do, as more than a machine, because she is willing to look deeper. Things are not always as they seem in her new home.

Discovering the truth behind her clockwork man changes Nim, gives her ideas, gives her a purpose. She would do anything to save him, to help him, to keep him away from those who would dismantle him like so many broken machines.

A must-read for fans of fantasy and magic, of clockwork and faeries, of spells and romance. Fans of Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken will devour this book.

Me on Flash Reviews (2)

I have a lot of e-galleys to review and I figured I'd read a couple and give a quick review instead of a longer one like I usually write, mostly because these were books I was only mildly interested in (no offense). It's possible that in the future, I'll come back and write longer reviews, but I don't know when that'll be. So, here are two quick reviews on Witchlanders by Lena Coakley and Fury by Elizabeth Miles.

Title: Witchlanders
Author: Lena Coakley
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (S&S imprint)

Not my usual cup of tea but still an enjoyable read. Refreshing to find a YA fantasy novel with a male protagonist. Should appeal to fans of fantasy novels with magic and witches and two sides to every story but always connected.

The book summary is a bit misleading, less of the strange girl and more magic and Ryder needing to figure things out, but still an interesting book.

Characters were interesting, action scenes moved smoothly enough, and the twists and surprises kept me reading.

No rating this time (on Goodreads) because while I enjoyed it, I don't often read high fantasy like this book is and so I don't think the rating I would honestly give it would be fair. I will say that I enjoyed it, that I liked the world-building and the legends that the author has created, that I liked the characters and the struggles they had, how it was never easy for Ryder. Struggle builds character.

Title: Fury
Author: Elizabeth Miles
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse (S&S imprint)

It has an interesting premise, I'll give it that. Two teens make some mistakes and so the Furies of Greek mythology are there to teach them a lesson. It is a fresh twist on something old and makes it more than a little dark and mysterious.

I'm still unsure of Emily, and of any character who has a crush on her best friend's boyfriend and doesn't try harder to stay away from him. Cheating happens, situations like this happen, but it rarely ends with everyone all smiles and sunshine. Em knows it's wrong, clearly, but where's the resistance?

People make mistakes all the time, some that can be fixed easily and some that can ruin a person's life. What if there was someone who went around righting wrongs, punishing the liars and the criminals and the bullies? What if learning a lesson was deadly? What if karma was real, that we get what we give?

This book is right. Sometimes sorry isn't enough.

Me on Flash Reviews (1)

Last night I was all torn on what book to review that I read recently. Mostly because there's weren't any I totally loved. I really need to review Ally Condie's Matched because I really enjoyed it and thought it was interesting and can't wait for books 2 and 3 (this November and next November).

These are some quick reviews of books I've read in the past week or so, mostly because they averaged about 3 out of 5 stars for me, which is still good. 2's and 1's are garbage. 3's are good. 4's are really good/great. 5's are awesome. Most of these books were a 3 for me. :)

So, these are reviews of books I read in the past week and a half, all YA, some I bought on giant discount ($4 for a $17 book) and some borrowed from the library downtown.

Sucks to be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire by Kimberly Pauley: Funny. I liked how personal it was, the journal aspect. Mina's confusion and anger at the beginning and then her struggles and secret-keeping throughout the book were believable. So funny, too. This is a vampire YA book that's not gory and bloody but very funny, like a teen comedy movie. Hey, it probably would make a good teen comedy movie. Can someone get on this?? ;)

Secret Society by Tom Dolby: A blog reader/follower asked if I could review this, so this might be a little longer. This book was on my list for a little while. Secret society with secret meetings and rituals and stuff? Sure, why not? Then I finally found this book and cringed at some of the reviews I saw online. I liked it, but not totally loved it. It was very secret society in New York City involving teens and their rich parents and all their money and power and entitled opinions. I liked Phoebe the most, she was new and artsy and not mega rich or jaded or snooty. The twists were interesting, the end wasn't one of those 'I saw this coming a mile away' ends (not to me). I thought it was good. :)

The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block: A werewolf YA first person teen girl so confused at what she's become book. It was a different take on werewolves, but I just thought it was okay. I'm not sure what bothered me or what didn't pull me in. I don't want to be mean, but this was why it was a good library borrow. I didn't hate it. I thought it was okay.

Dust City by Robert Paul Weston: An interesting plot premise. Henry, a werewolf/wolf, is living in a halfway house type place cause his dad is the wolf that killed Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. It's not a cutesy fairy tale book, more like a vaguely fairy tale-related book about this guy doing some weird and dangerous stuff in a dingy town book for teen guys kind of book. Try this book out on teen guys. They might like it.

Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus: This book has been on my list for months and the library finally got it on the shelves. The summary drew me in, then turned into a book I didn't quite expect. I thought it would be more about Phe and her sister and secret ghost messages and less the paranormal-ish abilities of some of the townspeople and the instantly drawn to Phe cute guy. I think I'll reread this book one day.

If any of these quick blurby reviews make you want to read any of these books, visit your local library. If you really enjoy the book, then consider buying it. :)