The Bottom Line, #6

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


Book Info:
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (October 13, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781416989417
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Friend's copy
Rating: 3.5/5

I've been reading a lot more YA lately and Hush, Hush was another hit with me. This one included a bad boy character that I couldn't help but be attracted to, a heroine that did some amazingly stupid things sometimes, and an ending that was apparently changed from the ARC to the final copy. Hush, Hush was entertaining, but didn't contain anything too deep.



Book Info:
Lost Girls by George D. Shuman
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star (June 30, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781416553045
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: My Shelves
Rating: 3.5/5

Lost Girls is the third book featuring blind psychic Sherry Moore. Moore can 'see' the last 18 seconds of a victims thoughts before the die. The first book in the series hooked me, the second was ok at best, but I enjoyed this installment. Lost Girls also included a storyline on human trafficking and I found it very interesting.



Book Info:
Wicked Prey by John Sandford
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Putnam Adult (May 12, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780399155673
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: My Shelves
Rating: 3.5/5

I think this series is my favorite one, and I follow a lot of them. It's one series that still holds my attention, had believable plots, and Sandford isn't turning out 3 books a year. This one wasn't my favorite as the Republican Convention was the backdrop and I don't really enjoy politics, but it was still another solid installment.

Review: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Book Info:
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (March 25, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0786838183
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Library (audio)
Rating: 4/5

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:

Debate Club.

Her father's "bunny rabbit."

A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:

A knockout figure.

A sharp tongue.

A chip on her shoulder.

And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:

Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

Sorry for the super long description (I even cut some of it out), but I loved the way it was written up and it gives a great example of the humor in this book. I first saw this one mentioned on a blog a while back. It looked good, but wasn't something I was rushing out to get. When the library had it on audio, though, I figured I'd give it a try.

Frankie is a great character. She's smart and opinionated, but she's also in that awkward stage where she's trying to find herself while also trying to fit in with her peers. Lockhart does a great job of keeping this balance believable. Frankie doesn't wake up one day and have all the answers. She's still insecure and that makes her very realistic.

I wasn't crazy about the narrator when I first started listening to this one. I thought her voice was a little whiny, but it grew on me after a bit. Lockhart's book was entertaining, without being full of over-the-top, unbelievable pranks. This was an enjoyable listen and I'll be watching for more of Lockhart's books. 4 stars

Review: Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Book Info:
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Dial (September 18, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0803730021

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Library

Rating: 4/5

Lucy has nine months to break an ancient curse in order to save both herself and her unborn daughter. Inspired by the ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this riveting novel combines suspense, fantasy, and romance for an intensely page-turning and masterfully original tale.

Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that the women of her family have been cursed through the generations, forced to attempt three seemingly impossible tasks or to fall into madness upon their child’s birth. But Lucy is the first girl who won’t be alone as she tackles the list. She has her fiercely protective foster parents and her childhood friend Zach beside her. Do they have love and strength enough to overcome an age-old evil?

I don't usually read fantasy and if I'd know the book included a faery I probably would have skipped it. This was another time when not reading the blurb ahead of time worked out well.

I thought Lucy was a great character. She was thoughtful and strong, even during an admittedly strange situation. I also liked how the book mostly focused on social situations with the fantasy side of things almost in the background at times. This may not work well for those who are looking for the fantasy aspect though.

I didn't really like the faery character. Maybe that's the realist me in me, but I thought everybody swooning around him was just annoying. I know he is supposed to be able to control human actions and thoughts, but that part of the story didn't really work for me.

While Werlin was a new author for me, I will definitely be checking out more of her books. 4 stars

The Bottom Line, #4

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


Deeper by Megan Hart
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Spice (July 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780373605323
Genre: Erotica
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Rating: 3.5/5

I don't usually read erotica so I didn't know quite what to expect with this book. It was a little tamer than I thought it would be but the storyline was decent. I could see myself picking up another one of Hart's books if I just wanted something different to read. I also read this one on a Kindle which was a fun change.


Blue Heaven by C.J. Box
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (June 23, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0312614836
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: Library, Audio
Rating: 2.5/5

Blue Heaven started out promising, but kind of fizzled by the end. I expected a little more from the story, but it wasn't bad. There were a few times I found myself rolling my eyes at the dialogue and a I found a couple of the narrators voices terribly annoying.


Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: HarperFestival; (October 28, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0061649691
Genre: Young Adult, Children's
Source: Library, Audio
Rating: 4/5

I'd heard great things about Gaiman, but hadn't had the chance to read him before. I really enjoyed this audio though. The story was a little predictable, but not to the point of being boring. What I enjoyed most though was Gaiman's narration. His voice was smooth and the inflections perfect. I'll listen to another one of his books for that fact alone.

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Book Info:

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (September 14, 2008)
ISBN-13: 978-0439023481

Genre: Young Adult

Source: Library

Rating: 4.5/5

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

I'm not going to do a full fledged review of The Hunger Games as it has been all over the blogland for months and months. I do want to mention that this book is completely out of my normal genre and because of that I held off on reading it even though bloggers everywhere were raving about it. What finally changed my mind was a trip to my library where The Hunger Games was just sitting on the front desk, waiting to be checked out. Now, I wish I hadn't waited so long to read it.

One question for those of you who first read this when it came out....Did you know how it was going to end? Obviously, we now all know that there will be two more books in the trilogy, and that alone gives a bit away. Not that I was disappointed, I loved the book, but I just wondered if the early readers knew at the beginning that there was more to the story...

Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Book Info:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers; (March 10, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780385736817

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 3.5/5

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future: between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is not my usual kind of book. I really enjoy YA books, but tend to gravitate more towards those that deal with social issues. I don't really get into the paranormal or sci/fi books. I'd seen The Forest of Hands and Teeth mentioned on a few blogs, saw the audio come though the library, but passed it up. But then I saw Beth mention how the narrator was amazing, and for that reason alone, I decided to give it a try.

And even though this wasn't my usual type of book I'm glad I listened to it. The narrator, Vane Millon, was wonderful. The story was compelling, but her narration really made the book stand out. She didn't really focus on character voices as much as some narrators do, and that worked fine for me. It was her inflection and emotion that really came through and made this book really stand out.

Mary was an interesting character. She's always led a sheltered life. She's been told this is your path in life and she followed that path right along with everyone else. It is once she starts questioning the status quo that the book gets interesting. I love seeing her struggle with the safety of what she knows against the draw of what might be.I started this audio not too long after I read The Chosen One (review), and even though the setting are very different, the characters went through many of the same struggles.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is the first book in a trilogy. The second, The Dead-Tossed Waves will be coming out in Spring 2010 and the third will be out Spring 2011. I will be on the look out for the audio versions of these for sure. 3.5 stars

Review: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Book Info:
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (May 12, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780312555115
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 4.5/5

Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated polygamous community without questioning her father's three wives and her twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them much -- if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her 60-year-old uncle -- who already has six wives -- Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.

The Chosen One has been all over lots of blogs lately and almost every one has posted posted a positive review. Not to be repetitive, my I am going to add my voice to the (seemingly) tons of bloggers who love this book.

The Chosen One is one of those books where I often found myself clenching my teeth and squeezing my hands into fists. I wanted to hug Kyra and make things better for her, while at the same time I wanted to slap most of the adults. I love it when I have such an emotional response to books. It really means that I've connected to the characters.

I found a few of the scenarios in the book a little extreme, far fetched even. It's not that I can't picture crazy things happening, but some of it seemed a little over the top. And while this was a little distracting, it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of this book. 4.5 stars

The Bottom Line, #2

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Publisher: Tor Teen (March 15, 2002)
ISBN-13: 9780765342300
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 3.5/5

I would never have thought of Sleeping Beauty in regards to the Holocaust, but it nicely done. I really enjoyed the first 2/3 of this book. Rebecca travels to Poland to figure out if there is any truth to her Grandmother's story of living in a castle. The final third of the book has a different narrator and I thought this was a little choppy. For parents reading with kids, there is some mention of homosexuality. ETA: Until I was writing this post I never noticed the face behind the barbed wire. I guess I'm not very observant...


The Plague by Joanne Dahme
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Running Press Kids (May 4, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780762433445
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 2.5/5

I was really excited to read a YA historical fiction as it seemed a bit different. I didn't find the story quite as smooth as I would have liked though. It seemed like there were characters randomly popping up and I found it a little hard to follow at times. There is a little bit of black magic in the book, which might appeal to some.


The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
Paperback: 624 pages
Publisher: Pocket Star (April 28, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9781416549987
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4/5

The Lincoln Rhyme books are one of my favorite mystery series. Deaver never fails to amaze me with the twists he includes, but they never seem contrived or too convenient. I have to admit, I can't even tell you want this book was about anymore (I read it in Feb), but if you haven't read this series, and you enjoy mysteries, definitely check it out. The Bone Collector, the first in the series, was also made into a movie starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, and it's worth watching.



**If any of you graphics wizards would be so kind as to help me out with a button for this feature I would be forever grateful!

Review: A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Book Info:
A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Graphia (September 21, 2005)
ISBN-13: 9780618585328

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4/5

In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: for the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen—terrified, but intrigued—is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess.

I don't usually like, or even pick up, ghost stories, but for some reason this one sounded interesting, and I was not disappointed. I would almost call this more of an afterlife story, than a ghost story...

I always thought the cover on this book was interesting. The bathtub is a shiny material so it really does catch and reflect the light. Now that I've read the book, I think the cover makes much more sense. I also think it's kind of creepy, but in a good way.

The characters in the book, Helen especially, grabbed my attention right from the start. I thought she was fascinating, and very worldly and well-read for a ghost. James was also interesting, but he didn't captivate me the way Helen did. Even the minor characters were colorful and believable.

The language in the book is descriptive without being sappy. There is also an amazing amount of tension in the book. I couldn't read fast enough to find out what was going to happen next. I wasn't completely thrilled with the ending though. Part of it I really liked, and part seemed all wrapped up a little too neatly. Even with that, I can't really think of another ending I'd rather have seen instead.

A Certain Slant of Light is Laura Whitcomb's first novel. Her second novel, The Fetch, was just released in February and I will definitely be checking it out. 4 stars

Review: Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

Book Info:
Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse (April 24, 2007)
ISBN-13: 9781416926832

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4/5

There's a difference between falling and letting go.

Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend every girl lusts after. So why is she so unhappy?

It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Lauren to figure out the answer: She's been holding back. She's been denying herself a bunch of things (like sex) because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyfriend, Dave, is the "right" thing to do. After all, who would give up the perfect boyfriend?

But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can't see herself in -- and as Lauren's craving for Evan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more fierce -- Lauren realizes she needs to make a choice...before one is made for her.



I've heard great things about Elizabeth Scott's book Living Dead Girl (which I still haven't read). I was excited to read Bloom because it sounded so different from Living Dead Girl. There were lots of things I liked about Bloom, but I didn't think it was amazing.

Lauren is a completely realistic character, and I can see a lot of me in her. She feels like she has to do the "right" thing whether or not that is what she wants. She is torn, and because of this makes some decisions that I didn't particularly like. While I may not have always liked Lauren actions, they were completely understandable and honest.

Dave, Lauren's boyfriend, is supposed to be the perfect guy. Handsome, popular, perfect...and incredibly boring. I found him to be very flat, one dimensional and completely uninteresting. Apparently his kind perfection just isn't for me. Evan was a much more interesting character as he had a bit of an edge.

I found all of the characters relationships with their parents interesting. Some parents were super involved and others basically non-existent. Bloom also shows that the side of your friends you see at school may not give you a good picture of what goes on at home. Overall, a good book, but nothing amazing. 3 stars

The Bottom Line, #1

The Bottom Line is a feature to designed to give quick and dirty reviews of books I've read, but I either don't have the time or the inspiration to write full reviews on them.


13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (September 26, 2006)
ISBN-13: 9780060541439
Genre: YA
Rating: 3.5/5

I enjoyed this fun finding yourself story. I am insanely jealous of the trip Ginny took in the book, but thought she was a little too rigid in following her aunts instructions. I think she missed out on experiencing the great places she got to go because she was so set on completing the next task. Still a fun book though.


Resistance by Anita Shreve
Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books; (January 1, 1997)
ISBN-13: 9780316789844
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3/5

I usually really enjoy Shreve's books but this one fell a little flat for me. I found myself more angry than sympathetic with the characters. I also wanted to know more about the Resistance movement and less about the forbidden relationship.



Defending Angels by Mary Stanton
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (December 2, 2008)
ISBN-13: 9780425224984
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 3.5/5

This book is a complete departure from what I usually read, but I found a fun change of pace. The characters are zany and very entertaining, and this is a great start to a new series. Check back tomorrow for my full review of the second book in the series, Angel's Advocate, and a giveaway!

Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Book Info:
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (June 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 9780316051590

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4/5

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."

"Okay."

"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"

"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

The cover of Twenty Boy Summer caught my eye right from the beginning. I love the colors, and the pieces of beach glass. I'm not usually one who likes hearts on things, but it really works well for the book, and I like the cover even more now that I've read it.

Anna is an incredibly likeable character, especially for a teenager. Sometimes likeable characters can seem too good to be true, but Anna doesn't come across that way at all. She is just a good kid dealing with some hard times and looking for a little fun.

Ockler does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into her character's lives. Her descriptions had me experiencing the butterflies of a new romance and the anger and disappointment that come along when you fight with friends.

My one complaint with the book was the reference to Anna's virginity as an albatross. Yes, it's been a while since I've been in high school, and maybe there were some kids who looked at virginity that way, but I don't think it is the normal view. Maybe things have changed though...

I don't know if anyone outgrows the allure of a summer romance and while Twenty Boy Summer would be a great beach read, it also touches on deeper, more emotional topics as well. 4 stars

Review: A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson

Book Info:
A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Puffin (May 10, 2007)
ISBN-13: 9780142408650

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 3/5

After the Russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young Russian countess, has no choice but to flee to England. Penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as servant in the household of the esteemed Westerholme family, armed only with an outdated housekeeping manual and sheer determination.

Desperate to keep her past a secret, Anna is nearly overwhelmed by her new duties—not to mention her instant attraction to Rupert, the handsome Earl of Westerholme. To make matters worse, Rupert appears to be falling for her as well. As their attraction grows stronger, Anna finds it more and more difficult to keep her most dearly held secrets from unraveling. And then there’s the small matter of Rupert’s beautiful and nasty fiancee. . . .

A Countess Below Stairs has a fairly typical fairy-tale plot and while I should have been expecting this, I wasn't. I don't often read the backs of books. I like to know just enough about them before I read them to interest me, but I still like to be surprised. If I had read the back of this one I may have skipped it. It wasn't bad, and I enjoyed it, but the fairy-tale, happily ever after stories aren't my favorite.

While the plot was predictable, there were some fun characters to help keep things interesting. Anna, our heroine, is feisty and outspoken. She added a bit of sunshine to otherwise mundane days in the household. Muriel, Rupert's fiancee, was wonderfully nasty. She is one of those great characters who I love to hate. Her nastiness was a nice balance to Anna's sweetness.

I'm a bit past my happily ever after stage, and think I would have enjoyed this one much more in my younger days. (That makes me sound old, doesn't it?) It's an ok story, but didn't have the extra something to make it stand out. 3 stars

Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Book Info:
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Audio Length: 7 hours and 11 min.
Publisher: Puffin (August 14, 2008)

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 4.5/5

Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole life has been one big non-event. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-butboring 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 pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

This is another one of those YA books that I had heard good things about, but didn't really know too much about the plot. Which, to be honest, is how I like a lot of my books. I want just enough info or recommendations to catch my attention, but I really like the story to unfold without too many preconcieved ideas.

I loved how the chapters were set up in this one. They were 121 Days Before...so you knew something was coming, and then 2 Days After...which is exactly how time is measured after something big happens.

I enjoyed Pudge's journey from a shy, uncertain kid to one who could hold his own with teachers, parents and friends. The other characters are fun, realistic, and people I could see myself being friends with. I've never been to boarding school, but some of the stuff they did seemed older than 16 or 17...or maybe it's just that I'm starting to forget what high school was really like!

I don't usually remember or write down quotes from books, but this one really spoke to me.

"If only we could see the endless string of consequences that result from our
smallest actions, but we can't know better, until knowing better is useless."

I really enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for some of Green's other books. I never thought about last words before listening to this book, but if you interested in more last words, check out the John Green's Blog. 4 stars

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Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jensen's first love records her last words.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker,his classmate and crush, who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice explains that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and learns the truth about himself, a truth he never wanted to face.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heart-rending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

When I picked up this audiobook from the library I knew it was a young adult book about suicide, but I didn't know that the format of the story included cassette tapes. Because the story revolves around these tapes of Hannah's, it makes for a very powerful audio book. You are hearing Hannah's words through the speakers, just as Clay would.

There was both a male and female narrator on the audio, and they both were very well done. The emotion of the story came through strongly, and throughout the story I would get goose bumps.

Sometimes as Clay was listening to Hannah's tapes his thoughts and reactions to her statements would break into her narrative. While these often clarified or added to the story they were also a little distracting. I would be so engrossed in Hannah's story that I didn't want any interruptions.

This is a powerful and well-written story. It is definitely not just for teens, as suicide is a subject that doesn't just affect them. I highly recommend this book, especially the unabridged audio version. This is a story that will stay with me. 5 stars

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