Osceola Library Teens

“Clockwork Prince” by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

This is the second book in the Infernal Devices series.

Charlotte and the rest of the Shadowhunters living at the Institue have been given two weeks to find and neutralize the mysterious Magister. Tessa is growing to like Jem, though she still has feelings for Will. Will’s curse has plagued him for more than five years – will he ever find a way to remove it? And when a traitor is revealed, it could mean the lives of everyone Tessa loves.

I think this was Clare’s weakest book to date. There was a lot of Tessa dithering about her feelings for Will and Jem, and there’s not much action. While I enjoyed some of the more subtle parts of Tessa’s role in this one, I mostly found it boring. I was frustrated with the lack of communication going on in this one, and can only give it a 5.5.

Read-A-Likes: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (#1), Supernaturally by Kiersten White, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

“There’s No Place Like Home” by Jen Calonita

2012-01-24T08:38:00.000-05:00

This is the sixth and final book in the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series.

Kaitlin is back in LA after succeeding on Broadway. Now it’s time to make some choices about her future – should she go to college or stick with her skyrocketing career? Will her mom overpower her forever? And when a public event goes horribly awry and puts Austin in danger, will he continue to love Kaitlin?

This was the most childish, contrived, and unrealistic book in the whole series – which was a bigger disappointment since the last one was so good. I found myself rolling my eyes and skimming a lot of this one. If you’re a fan of these books, you’ll probably still enjoy it, but I expected better from Calonita. This one only gets a 4 from me.

Read-A-Likes (but better): Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita (#1), The Daughters by Joanna Philbin, Airhead by Meg Cabot

“Tortall and Other Lands” by Tamora Pierce

2012-01-20T09:17:00.000-05:00

Tamora Pierce is one of my favorite authors. I read everything she writes.

This is a collection of short stories. Some are fantasy, some are more realistic, some are about characters we already know and love, like Daine and Kit, and Nawat and Aly. I definitely liked the stories that took place in Pierce’s already-rich world that included Tortall. The more contemporary stories weren’t as enjoyable for me because I was expecting fantasy.

This was a good collection. I liked nearly all of the stories in this one. My favorite was “The Dragon’s Tale”, told from Kitten’s point of view. Daine and Numair’s quartet of stories is still my favorite of all of Pierce’s stories, and Kit was one of my favorite characters in those stories, so it was really neat to read about them again. An 8 from me.

Read-A-Likes: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce, Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede, Young Warriors: Stories of Strength by Tamora Pierce

“Broadway Lights” by Jen Calonita

2012-01-17T08:56:00.000-05:00

This is the fifth book in the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series.

Megastar Kaitlin Burke is ready to tackle Broadway in her first ever production. It will be a change, moving to NYC for the summer and being away from Austin, but nothing can tear them apart – not even flirty girls at lacrosse camp or sexy costars, right?

This one felt the most realistic to me of all the books so far. Kaitlin deals with insecurities about her acting – she has to get it right the first time because it’s live theater. There are no re-shoots. Also the relationship drama with Austin is very realistic – long-distance relationships do take a lot more maintenance, and this is one area they struggled. I give this one a 9 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita (#1), The Daughters by Joanna Philbin, Airhead by Meg Cabot

“Prince of Dorkness: More notes from a Totally Lame Vampire” by Tim Collins

2012-01-13T09:04:00.000-05:00

This is the second book about Nigel, the Totally Lame Vampire.

Things are going well for Nigel – his dream girl Chloe is finally his and his vampire superpowers have kicked in. But Chloe keeps bugging him about making her immortal, a strange vampire is trying to become part of the family, and a weird new kid named Jason is suddenly stealing all the female attention from Nigel. When Chloe abandons Nigel and he loses his powers, how will he ever stand it?

This one was funny, just like the last one. I definitely like Nigel and hope there are more adventures to come. I give this one a 9 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Notes from a Totally Lame Vampire (Because the Undead have Feelings too!) by Tim Collins (the first one), Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

“Supernaturally” by Kiersten White

2012-01-10T08:13:00.000-05:00

This is the second book about paranormal Evie.

Evie finally has a normal life – she attends a real high school, her boyfriend takes her out on dates, and she even had a locker. But when elementals start attacking her, and Raquel comes back into her life, Evie knows she can never be normal. Will she be able to stay with Lend? Or will she be sucked back into the Faerie Realms for good?

This book had a lot more angst than the previous one. I felt like Evie was less of a character – in the last book, she was kicking butt, but now she’s just whining about her life. I also felt like Jack was way too obvious, and the ending was silly and unrealistic. I was kind of bored throughout the book. If you liked the first one, or if you like the romantic angst, you’ll probably like this one. A 6.5 from me.

Read-A-Likes: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (#1), The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong, Firelight by Sophie Jordan, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

“Woods Runner” by Gary Paulsen

2012-01-06T08:52:00.000-05:00

This is one of the Sunshine State Young Reader’s books for the middle schools this year.

Samuel is thirteen years old in 1776, living in the wilderness of Pennsylvania with his parents. Knowledge of the war has just started to trickle into their homestead, when it’s attacked. Samuel tracks his parents, meeting both helpful and hurtful people along the way. Will Samuel be able to rescue his parents before the British kill them?

I don’t really like wilderness/survival stories, so I never would have picked this one up to read on my own. Setting that aside, I didn’t like the explanations before each chapter – it really chopped the novel up, and I felt like the story never had a good rhythm. I think the information would have been better before just a few of the chapters, to help the story move along. That being said, there was nothing really wrong with this book, and if you like survival stories, or stories about young folks during war time (without too much graphic violence), you’ll like this one. Including my personal feeling about this genre, I give it a 6.5.

Read-A-Likes: Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier, The Fighting Ground by Avi

“Darkfall” by Janice Hardy

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

This is the third and final book in the Healing Wars series.

Nya is desperate to get Tali back, but with the Duke mobilizing his troops, she must flee to Geveg to warn the people of his incipient arrival. When she finds a surprise in Geveg, and friends start to fall, Nya must raise her own army to defeat the Duke if she ever hopes to find her true sister again.

Nya seemed a bit lost in this one, probably because of the overwhelming odds against her. The final battle was a little confusing, especially the scene with the Duke, and I guess readers are supposed to draw their own conclusions about what happened. A fitting end to Nya’s story, though, and an 8.5 from me.

Read-A-Likes: The Shifter by Janice Hardy (#1), Terrior by Tamora Pierce, The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins

“Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini

2011-12-29T15:08:00.000-05:00

This is the final book in the Inheritance cycle, about Eragon and the dragon Saphira.

It is finally time to take on Galbatorix. Eragon has learned all he can in the time he’s had, Saphira is ready, and Nasuada has mustered the largest free army in all of Alagaesia. Will Eragon be able to beat the most powerful man in the world? Or will all of Alagaesia fall slave to Galbatorix?

I have mixed feelings about this book. Most of it was pretty good, with the action moving along, and the focus on the more interesting characters. But there were pockets of s-l-o-w-n-e-s-s, where descriptions would go on for pages and pages. Certain plot elements were almost a direct copy of other high fantasy books, and the final battle finishes about 100 pages before the end of the book. (Though this may have been done so the reader feels Eragon’s loss of direction after the war). If you loved the other books, or are a big fan of high fantasy (like Tolkien), this one’s for you. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Eragon by Christopher Paolini (the first one), Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, The Fellowship of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Once and Future King by T. H. White

“Uncommon Criminals” by Ally Carter

2011-12-27T08:07:00.000-05:00

This is the sequel to Heist Society, which is a Florida Teens Read book for this school year.

Kat has decided to use her talents as a thief to right wrongs, to return stolen property to its rightful owners. So when an elderly lady approaches Kat with a story about the biggest gem in history being found by her parents, but then stolen by an unscrupulous character, Kat only hesitates a bit before deciding to steal the gem for her. But things don’t go as planned, and when the rumors of a curse associated with the gem seem to hit her team, Kat wonders if she’s in over her head.

I liked how this one spent more time focusing on Kat’s relationships, especially with Hale. I enjoy reading about the heists, but what makes Kat such a great character is her relationships. This one seemed to tie up a little too easily, but I suppose it’s a plausible solution. I hope there will be another book about Katarina Bishop. I give this one an 8.5.

Read-A-Likes: Heist Society by Ally Carter (#1), I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, Swindle by Gordon Korman

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever” by Jeff Kinney

2011-12-22T08:55:00.000-05:00

This is the sixth Diary of a Wimpy Kid book.

Greg is worried – it’s only a few weeks until Christmas, and he’s worried about Santa checking in on him at the wrong time. He gets some crazy ideas about how to raise some money, but of course it goes awry and now he’s a wanted criminal. As the police close in, a snowstorm blows in, granting Greg a reprieve – or is it? After a few days of being snowed in with his family, he’s starting to think jail doesn’t sound so bad!

As always, this DOAWK book is excellent. I love Greg and how even when he tries to do the right thing, it winds up backfiring on him. There seemed to be more drawings in this one, which was cool, and the situations Greg deals with are so true, and that’s what make them funny (it IS creepy that Santa can see you all the time, I never understood why grown-ups didn’t think that was weird!) A 9.5 from me for a wonderfully entertaining book.

Read-A-Likes: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (#1), American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

“Mastiff” by Tamora Pierce

2011-12-19T09:40:00.000-05:00

This is the third and final book in the Beka Cooper series.

Beka is on her biggest Hunt yet. The royal family is threatened, and Beka, Tunstall, Achoo, and new friend, the mage Farmer, must hunt down the bad guys. As the Hunt gets worse and worse, with more and more danger as each hour passes, Beka isn’t sure they will prevail, especially as the plot is slowly revealed to them. Can a few Dogs overcome some of the most powerful people they’ve even seen?

This one is a lot grittier than most of Pierce’s work, and I can’t help but think it’s a sign of the times. I miss the more gentle style of her previous work, but since I love Beka and had to finish her story, I made it through. There is a traitor in the midst of the Hunt, and when I found out who it was, I cried - I felt like I had been punched in the gut. The ending was not what I expected, and I’m still not sure if that made it better or worse. I give this one an 8 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Terrior by Tamora Pierce (#1), Alanna by Tamora Pierce, The Shifter by Janice Hardy, Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

“Goliath” by Scott Westerfeld

2011-12-15T08:02:00.000-05:00

This is the third and final book in the Leviathan trilogy.

Alek and Deryn are back aboard Leviathan, after the battle in Istanbul. They are flying over Siberia, where a mysterious man is picked up. Alek wants to believe his claims of being able to end the war, but Deryn isn’t so sure. And when Alek discovers Deryn’s real identity, things really become difficult as they try to end the war before the entire world is blown up.

This one takes off from page one. I thought Alek’s reaction to Deryn’s secret was realistic, the final battle was exciting and while I wasn’t so sure about Alek’s final act in the book, it made for a satisfying ending. Bovril was adorable and useful, as in the last book, and I give this one a 9 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (the first one), Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve

“Beauty Queens” by Libba Bray

2011-12-12T08:58:00.000-05:00

Since I loved the Great and Terrible Beauty series, I thought it would be fun to read this one.

The Miss Teen Dream contestants have crashed on a deserted island. But appearances are deceiving, as they discover a secret government compound on the other side of the island. With Miss Texas in charge, and a handful of survivors, can the girls break out of the pageant mold long enough to survive?

This book had some really crazy moments. The satire was taken too far in places – instead of making me laugh, I was confused. There were a lot of characters, and while they each had a defining characteristic (the deaf one, the lesbian, the one with a tray sticking out of her forehead), I had a hard time keeping most of them straight. If you like extremely wacky humor, or a bunch of teen beauty queens discovering their power as women, you’ll like this book. I give it a 6 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: This is a totally unique book. If you like the girl-power aspect, try The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. If you like the survival part, try My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. If you like beauty pageants, try The Beef Princess of Practical County by Michelle Houts.

“The Death Cure” by James Dashner

2011-12-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

This is the third and final book in the Maze Runner series.

WICKED has said that the time for lies is over – Thomas and his friend will have the mind Swipe removed so they can access all their memories. Thomas doesn’t want WICKED poking around in his head anymore, so he escapes to Denver, one of the few safe cities left. When someone from the past approaches Thomas for help, he’s not sure he can trust him. And when WICKED finds Thomas and tells him that he is the Final Candidate, he’s got some big decisions ahead. Can he trust WICKED to leave everyone else alone? Or should he work with the rebel group to take WICKED down?

This book was less graphic than the second one, for which I was grateful. I didn’t like that Thomas never got his memories back, and I didn’t like how he treated Teresa in this one. I also felt like the ending was pointless, kind of like in Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. If you’re dying to know what happens to Thomas, you’ll be caught up in the story. A 6 from me.

Read-A-Likes: The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (the first two), The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

“Bloodhound” by Tamora Pierce

2011-12-05T08:15:00.000-05:00

This is the second book in the Beka Cooper series.

Beka is a full Dog now, albeit one without a partner. When counterfeit coins start flowing into the money supply, Beka’s investigation leads her up the river to Port Caynn. Along with her mentor, Clary Goodwin, and her new scent hound, Achoo, Beka travels to Port Caynn to try to ferret out the counterfeiters. Beka and Goodwin are thrust deep into the gambling world, with new friends and enemies to watch out for. Beka solves the case just as Goodwin returns home to report on their first days of investigation. Will Beka be able to stay alive until Goodwin returns? Or is this the end of the Bloodhound?

This was another wonderful story from Pierce. Beka continues to be a character who is both relatable and someone to look up to. I loved the addition of Achoo, and I really liked Dale, though I think Beka and Rosto are meant for each other. If you liked the first book, Terrier, you’ll be panting (ha ha) to continue Beka’s adventures. I give this one a 9.5 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Terrier by Tamora Pierce (the first one), Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman, Fire by Kristin Cashore, Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

“Soul Enchilada” by David Macinnis Gill

2011-12-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

This is on the Florida Teens Read list for the 2011-12 school year.

Bug doesn’t have much in this world, but she does have a classic Cadillac handed down to her by her grandfather after his death. The story opens with Bug having to take her car in for a wash, due to what she thinks is egg splattered all over it. When a demonic repo agent, Beals, appears to inform her that unless she can produce her late grandfather, her soul will be taken to Hell in his place, Bug doesn’t believe him. Can she outsmart the devil?

There were a lot of mistakes in this book. The ones that bothered me the most were things like Bug telling us that her mother taught her to speak Spanish, yet she spends the whole book saying that she doesn’t. Her speech patterns are inconsistent and distracting (one sentence she’s speaking perfect English, the next she’s not), and based on the cute pictures on the front cover, I didn’t expect so much graphic grossness with the demons. Also, since she lived with her aunt who was a church-going lady, I thought it was incredibly dense of Bug to not think of looking to the church for help when she’s up against a real demon. The ending was unclear, and even Pesto, the love interest, is too good to be true so the romance felt unrealistic to me. While I normally love wacky, genre-bending books, I wouldn’t have even finished this one if it wasn’t on the FTR list. A 1 from me, my lowest score ever.

Read-A-Likes (but better): Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins, The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore, Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri

“Rage” by Jackie Morse Kessler

2011-11-28T08:12:00.000-05:00

This is the second book about the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Missy Miller is a cutter, even though she knows it’s not right – it’s just that sometimes she has to let the pain and bad stuff out before it suffocates her. But one night after a party, where she was completely humiliated, none of her usual cuts are bringing her comfort. So when the razor slips, hitting an artery, and Death appears, she takes him up on his offer to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – War. But will Missy learn how to control the blade of her office before it destroys her?

This book is definitely not for the faint-hearted. I almost passed out myself reading the scene where Missy is dying because Kessler describes it so well. That being said, it’s a great book for those who self-injure. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of the Horsemen books from Kessler. I give this one an 8.5.

Read-A-Likes: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler (#1), Willow by Julia Hoban, Cut by Patricia McCormick, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

“The Son of Neptune” by Rick Riordan

2011-11-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

This is the second book in The Heroes of Olympus series.

Percy can’t remember who he is or where he came from, so when he arrives at Camp Jupiter, no one is sure what to make of him. The only thing he can remember for sure is a name: Annabeth. Hazel has been given a second chance at life, but will she be able to defeat the monster from her past to save the world? Frank is descended from heroes, but he lumbers around like an ox. Can he figure out what his ancestral gift is before it’s too late?

This one grabbed you at the beginning and didn’t let go the entire way. Knowing Percy’s backstory from the previous is important, so if you haven’t read any of the others, it may be difficult for you to jump in the story here. I loved Ella, and I’m super excited for the next one, where both Greek and Roman demigods will have to work together and travel to Europe to have a hope of defeating Gaea. A nearly perfect 9.5 from me.

Read-A-Likes: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (the first one), The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy’s first story), I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore, The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

“Darkest Mercy” by Melissa Marr

2011-11-21T09:10:00.000-05:00

This is the final book in the Wicked Lovely series.

Keenan is missing, the Dark Court has been attacked, and Aislinn is trying to keep her court together. When a strange faery appears in Huntsdale, it seems nothing can stop Bananach. With the Summer King longing for the Winter Queen, and the son of Sorcha longing for the Summer Queen, will love be able to conquer anything? Or will Bananach kill everyone?

This was by far the weakest book in the series. The faery rules seemed to be thrown out the window for an unrealistic ending. I had trouble getting into this story, and once I saw where it was heading, I was incredibly disappointed that Marr took the easy way out. I can only give this one a 3 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes (but better): Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (the first one), Entice by Carrie Jones, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

“Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon” by Rick Yancy

2011-11-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

This is the second book in the Alfred Kropp series.

Alfred is trying to live a normal life, despite his adventures, but life will never be normal for Alfred Kropp. He is kidnapped and taken to the middle of the desert, where he is told that the demons of the world have been trapped in a vessel for thousands of years, but Mike has stolen it and let the demons loose on the world. It’s up to Alfred to figure out how to save the world (again).

I still love Alfred – he has all these things happen to him, and while he has extraordinary character, he doesn’t think he does, and that’s what makes him likeable. This one was more graphic than the first one, but I think it was necessary to the story. I will definitely be reading the third book in the series, and I give this one an 8.5.

Read-A-Likes: The extraordinary adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancy (the first one), The Seer of Shadows by Avi, Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins

“XVI” by Julia Karr

2011-11-14T09:09:00.000-05:00

This is a future dystopian novel.

Most girls can’t wait to be sixteen, to be legal. When a girl turns sixteen, she receives a government-mandated tattoo so men know that she is legal – to have sex, to have a boyfriend, even to be preyed upon or abused sexually without recriminations. Fifteen year old Nina isn’t one of the “sex-teen” crazed teenagers, but her birthday is fast approaching. And to make matters worse, a tragedy strikes her family and she must untangle the web of truth and lies and figure out who she can trust – before it’s too late.

I liked this book because it was about more than just the future world – there was a mystery to solve, sides to be chosen, questions to be asked. Nina is a likeable character who deals with the mysteries surrounding her new life the same way any other teen would. Some of the loose ends should have been tied up, but otherwise a thought-provoking read. I give it a 7.5.

Read-A-Likes: Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Matched by Ally Condie, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

“Alcatraz versus the Shattered Lens” by Brandon Sanderson

2011-11-10T09:27:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth Alcatraz book.

It’s time for the battle to win the kingdom of Mokia. Alcatraz comes up with a brave (or stupid, depending on how you look at it) plan to force the Knights to join in the fight. But with giant robots, Librarians who shatter all glass, and most of the kingdom in a coma, will Alcatraz be able to hold the kingdom?

More hilarious, action-packed goodness from Sanderson. The inside jacket says this is the final adventure of Alcatraz, but I really, really, really, really, really, really hope it’s not. The backwards logic, the unexpected ways of looking at things, and the Smedry Talents are so refreshing and wonderful to read about. I look forward to an Alcatraz book like most people look forward to a party – excited, ready to be surprised, and spending most of the time laughing. A 9.5 out of 10 from me for another great Alcatraz book.

Read-A-Likes: Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson (book 1). There aren’t really any other books exactly like these (which is sad), but more funny fantasy books include The Princess Bride by William Goldman or Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. Another funny book that has librarians in it is Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck.

“Paparazzi Princess: Secrets of my Hollywood Life” by Jen Calonita

2011-11-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth book in the Secrets of my Hollywood Life series.

Kaitlin is having trouble accepting that her long running show, Family Affairs, is coming to an end. Her family is pushing her to pick a new project and her BFF is nowhere to be found – so Kaitlin finds some new friends who seem to understand. But her new friends are two of Hollywood’s biggest party girls, and as time goes on, Kaitlin realizes that they may not be the best thing for her…

I so enjoy these books. Kaitlin is a really relatable character, and I love that she makes mistakes just like a normal teen would. I thought the ending was a little unrealistic (for the adults, anyway), but otherwise I enjoyed this one. An 8 from me.

Read-A-Likes: Secrets of my Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita (the first one), Privilege by Kate Brian, Reality Check by Jen Calonita

“Zombies vs. Unicorns” edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier

2011-11-03T09:44:00.000-04:00

With a name like this, who would be able to resist reading this book?

This is a collection of short stories about zombies or unicorns from some of the best young adult writers today, including Scott Westerfeld (author of the Uglies series), Cassandra Clare (author of the Mortal Instruments series), and Meg Cabot (author of the Princess Diaries). Each story is introduced by Black and Larbalestier, arguing about whether zombies or unicorns are cooler.

I really enjoyed this collection. There were a few stories I didn’t really like, but overall this was a great collection. I am both Team Zombie and Team Unicorn (though perhaps a bit more Team Unicorn), so I read all of them. If you like either zombies or unicorns, or like short stories, pick up this book. I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: None. This is a totally unique collection. If you like unicorn books, try Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville. If you like zombie books, try The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

“Bloodthirsty” by Flynn Meaney

2011-10-31T09:02:00.000-04:00

In honor of Halloween today, another vampire book – but not quite!

Finn is hopeless with girls – he’s brooding, awkward, and now actually allergic to the sun. When he sees a girl reading a vampire romance novel, he’s struck by a brilliant inspiration – he’ll pretend to be a vampire! All teen girls love vampires, and it will totally add to his popularity, especially since he’s starting at a new school without his perfect twin brother. Can Finn pull it off to win the girl of his dreams? Or will his lies all come crashing down around him?

While most of this book was really funny, the characterization had awkward moments that pulled me out of the story – why would gentle Finn suddenly start using the F word for a few pages? It didn’t feel right for his character. The start was a little slow, but overall Finn is a likable teenage guy with normal feelings and frustrations. This book is definitely for those who think the current vampire craze is old or boring. I give this book a 6.5 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer, Howliday Inn (Bunnicula) by James Howe, Vampire High by Douglas Rees

“Behemoth” by Scott Westerfeld

2011-10-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is the second book in the great steampunk trilogy by Westerfeld that started with Leviathian.

When a new weapon is unleashed at the Leviathian, Alek and his men are in trouble. They must escape the next time Leviathian lands or risk spending the war in jail somewhere in Britain. Meanwhile, Deryn wants Alek to see her for who she really is, but not at the cost of their friendship. When Alek realizes that he can end the war, he will do whatever it takes – even joining up with anarchists and revolutionaries.

A lot happens in this book, and while I still like Alek and Deryn, the perspicacious (per-spe-KAY-shus) loris Bovril is my new favorite character. I really wish creatures like him existed so I could have one! Many questions are answer in this book, but there’s still lots more story to tell in the third book, Goliath, out now. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Read-A-Likes: Leviathian (#1) by Scott Westerfeld, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (I LOVE this book!), Airborn by Kenneth Oppel