The Mockingbirds, Daisy Whitney

Themis Academy is a school for the exceptional students. Athletes, artists, academics, they're all brought in and placed in a setting where they can thrive. They're trusted to behave in an honourable manner, The Themis Way, and they do.

Which is why, when Alex makes the mistake of getting blackout drunk at a concert and is date raped, she feels she has nowhere to turn. Who can she tell who will believe her? She was drunk, after all.

But then her friends tell her about the Mockingbirds, a student organization formed to enforce the Themis Way the teachers pretend not to notice any infractions of, and the slow process towards healing begins.

This book made me really uncomfortable, and probably not for the reasons you're thinking of. I am an older sister of several voracious readers, and they're always pestering me for recommendations. And as this is obviously an "issue book," (Defined as the main motivating force for a book being written,) I was very concerned with how the issue was handled. On the actual issue of consent, why it is important, and how it is defined, (especially with the recent Sweden/Assange/Rape brouhahah,) I thought the book did an excellent job, especially since the court scenes allowed people to define their terms in ways which looks like tl;dr in most other cases.

But most of the book is spent in saying over and over that adults WILL NOT help you, in a case like this. Several times Alex says she won't go to the Police, because her parents will freak out. Ummmmmmm.

I hope it's clear why that makes me go all snaky. If it isn't, clearly we are approaching things from different angles, and you should disregard this review entirely.

Granted, by the end of the book Alex had come to trust the "cool" new piano teacher, and comes to talk to her when she has an issue, but so much of the book was spent setting up the idea that adults are all in their own worlds that it felt like an aberration, rather than a eureka moment. I mean, one of her teachers actually has her act out an attempted rape scene. So by the time it got to the reveal that maybe some adults are not finks, I had already written them off, along with much of my enjoyment of the book, regrettably. The way all the students rally behind her is good, but the fact that only, in this world, people within three years of her age are to be trusted not to go off the rails for no real reason, made me pull my hair.

And then: SPOILER ALERT: There's the issue of the boy she falls for over the course of the book. The romance is all very nice and healing, if it wasn't for the fact that he's on the board of the Mockingbirds, and is expressly mentioned as supposed to NOT be in any romantic setting with her. And then at the end: EVEN MORE SPOILERS: Alex is asked to be on the board of the Mockingbirds, who have helped her so much. And her first act is to give the boy an unconditional pardon and ask him to be her advisor. Because apparently the code of conduct when it expressly says, "no fraternizing with people under investigation," was a grey area. This would have made me go even MORE snaky, if I hadn't already marked the book up under "not very enjoyable to read." Maybe it's because I've grown up in a Christian, Military family, (you know those military sorts, so wrapped around the axel about codes of conduct,) but I just think that a.) that wasn't a grey area, and b.) would it be that hard to hold of the making out for a few months? and c.) if you break the rules you're very very aware of, shouldn't there be consequences? /END SPOILERS.

So I gave it three stars out of five. I actually didn't "like" it that much- if this was based on liking alone it should be two stars- but I do think it's a very useful teaching book, as long as I made sure to talk about it later. Unfortunately, I'm a very emotional reader and I'm coming from a certain culture and background, so parts of the story swelled WAY out of proportion and coloured my whole experience of reading it. 

With that said, I know the author is a date rape survivor, and that's why she wrote the book, and it was very well done. Alex's reactions and healing process was painfully honest, and it ends well. I would like someone I know to read it, and so they can tell me how I was reading it on a bad day and I totally misinterpreted it, and get my head together! Gosh, Jasmine!

Yes, erm, I'm unsure how to end this. Live long and prosper?

Empire of Ivory, Naomi Novik

So I go back to my May drafts, and LO AND BEHOLD. This one isn't written, much less published. Face, meet palm.

Now in the last book, a lot of spoilery stuff happened. Which I'm not going to tell you about. I'm saving my spoilery reviews for the next book. :D Heh. Heh. Heh.

Anyways, just about right after Temeraire and the crew left for China in book two, dragons in England started coughing and sneezing. Which fast acquires the tone of a national emergency when the dragons just don't get better. Instead they start drowning in their own lungs, and did I mention they have no medicine for dragons? Yeah. Bad times when your air force is all in-operational. That is, at least, how the powers that be see it. The dragon crews we've all come to know and love see it, naturally, in a bit more of a personal light. "Our friends are dying and we can't do anything about it."

 In pure desperation, Temeraire and some other dragons we know and love are sent to Africa. So that maybe they'll find medicine? Or maybe the climate will cure the cough? Or maybe- something. Quarantine?

There is a real sense of desperation behind this trip. And to my mind, it never really lifts off. There's barely a purpose, people are just eating things madly, running away, sailing endlessly, despairing and dying. You know. The general cheerful stuff. There is some nice things about Africa, but I didn't enjoy that as much as my friends. Possibly because I found it kinda super creepy. Ahem. Though on the other hand, telling the giant meat-eating-but-intelligent beast that he's related to you, and you don't eat your family,  DOES seem like a pretty good idea. However, Lawrence just tired me, and the girls were awkward, and Temeraire was painfully innocent, and the only ones who were awesome were the crews. And I read books like this for the awesome people! So I gave it three stars out of five.

Black Powder War, Naomi Novik

Note: I thought I had this reviewed in May. FAIL. TERRIBLE FAIL.

So in the last book, our jolly crew started heading home from Asia. Everyone is VERY happy to be free of the political machinations of the Chinese Court- BUT LOOK, over there in the hills! Yep, that is Ms. Political Machinations herself, Lien, the white dragon. How will they get home NOW?

Most of the book, at least the way I remember it, deals with decent people getting caught up in dishonourable politics, and what happens when technology changes. With Lien *Spoiler* teaming up with Napoleon *End!Spoiler* the game has shifted mightily. Now everyone is dealing with brilliant tacticians who just aren't thinking in ways they're used to. And if they're not prepared to change the way THEY deal? Well- there's the ocean. Armies are traditionally run into it right about now. Do you have your escape armada lined up?

While this book was interesting, and I enjoyed it... I gave it three stars out of five. It just didn't have the crackly magic of the first Temeraire book. It was better than the second, that's for sure! But not by a whole lot. Plus, it was just DEPRESSING. Hello, here's a war- I mean a rout. Sigh.

The Deadlies: Felix Takes The Stage, Kathryn Lasky

This is another book I read during the readathon. At the time that I read it I had already been reading for 21 hours and it was six in the morning. And now since then said sister has brought it back to the library. So i'm working from my (very fuzzy) memory.

Felix is one of a family of well mannered, loving Deadly Recluse spiders who happen to be super toxic, and they live in the symphony hall. He has an artistic soul! All he wants is to be accepted and to create! All he wants is to take a ride on the conductor's baton!

One quick attempt at a ride later, the conductor is being treated for a heart attack, Felix is regrowing a leg, and the Deadlies are looking for a new home, due to their previous home being the domain of exterminators now. Will they ever find a place where they can live without persecution? Will Felix ever find a place where he fits?

I was very confused by the book. I'll be honest. There was a mom spider, and two sisters I couldn't keep straight, and Felix. I think what Felix wanted was to not be an introvert, but that is so far outside of my comprehension that I was still going HUHHHH????? The whole time. Also, Mom was all worked up about kindergartens and her children being teased despite being super toxic? Like I said, I was confused. There was a lot of stuff about acceptance, but I just focused on the search for a house, since I could understand that. And that was rather fun, the dramatic cross-coutnry trip, including movies. ^_^

However, the book was fun, and it had fun pictures. :D It was exactly what I wanted at that hour. So I gave it three stars out of five.

Passages: Darien's Rise, Paul McCusker

So you're a city kid who've been sent out to an exile in a small town named Odyssey- obviously when you hear about an old abandoned mansion you go to explore it. And when you hear mysterious voices behind a closed door, you go to investigate those voices. Kyle thinks this is OBVIOUS. Anna thinks they should go home.

Kyle kinda gets his way. It's hard to tell, since he fell through the floor into a bright light, and Anna opened a door to find the same bright light swallowing her up. Now he's running across the country side with a dashing young officer, and she's been charged with spying and sold as a slave.

Those people who've read 1st Samuel will find the plot of the book to be rather familiar. That would be because it's the same plot, just in a different setting, with several added characters, and technology, and points. And stuff. *cough*

I have mixed feelings about this story.

There are several points against it. A Con would be that it's very sexist. Kyle is going on adventures and saving lives all around the country for most of the book, as said, while Anna gets rescued from the slave market and then does chores in the house of the Old Prophet. Then they send her on a mission- which is to go hang out in a convent. That doesn't go well, but the pattern continues. Kyle does stuff, Anna stays home. She's even the one with the natural mystical faith, which faithful-girl trope I am SO OVER. I was also quite bothered by the reaction the characters have to deaths of other characters. One "main" character dies, offscreen, and everyone is devastated. That's fine. I support devastation. The fact that some minor characters died, ON SCREEN, and they got one line about the (girl) character praying for them? That bothered me.

But on the Pro side, it's a very funny book. I laughed quite a lot, and not in a mocking way. Okay, a couple times it was mocking. Like when Darien is paying for his bride with enemy metals? In the original it was the foreskins of his enemies. Had to update that one a bit, did they? Though they didn't really have to update the one where Darien steals part of the king's clothes while he's sleeping, and it's hilarious all ways. :D The book is also a rollicking good adventure, at least on Kyle's part. And while Anna's story arc is less satisfying at the end, she gets to witness some good parts, and have the most human reactions to her situation.  (You know, like : I'm seeing things in the mirror that aren't there- I MUST BE CRAZY.)

Overall, it was a successful book, and I would feel quite sanguine about lending it to my smaller siblings. It's one of those that has nothing to pollute young minds in it- but even with that handicap it manages to land a solid "fun read." I gave it three stars out of five.

P.S. ONE MORE THING. Why does no one accuse them of being crazy when they say they're from another world? I feel strongly that there should have been more allegation of insanity. AUGGGGGGGGH.

Is Your Momma a Llama? Written by Deborah Guarino, Illustrated by Steven Kellogg

In this charming rhyming book, a baby Llama goes around asking all his friends who their mamas are. I'm not a great out-loud reader, (minimal acting skills or emotions,) but the meter was fun, and even I could fall into the rhythm of the question and answer.

Now as this is a picture book, the text is only one part of the story. Steven Kellogg illustrated this one, and I admit to being a fan of his super detailed drawings. :D After I read this one out loud, we went through the book again and picked out all the sets of Mamas and their babies.

(I liked the turtles and the owls best. Turtles are pro, and Owls are SO FLUFFY.)

I gave it three stars out of five. If I see it for sale, I will probably pick it up.

Daisy Miller, Henry James

I read this for book club- and it was rather an interesting experience. For one, I had a bit of difficulty finding a plot. It seems to revolve entirely around the stalking of a girl named Daisy Miller, by an American fop in Europe, Mr. Winterbourne.

He's indentured himself for social reasons to an Aunt of his, who he follows around Europe being useful to. All very respectable. And then in Switzerland he meets a very pretty, bland little girl named Daisy Miller. I admit to not being particularly impressed by Ms. Miller, especially since what Winterbourne is particularly enraptured by is her toneless prattle.

*pause for headdesking*

I LIKE PEOPLE WITH PERSONALITY, OKAY?

But despite being prone to prattling and vagueness, Daisy is also very used to getting her own way. She makes Winterbourne promise to take her on a trip to the castle across the lake, and it's all very charming and romantic. However, warning signs are seen on the horizon in the fact that W-'s Aunt refuses to be introduced to her, as she's not proper society. *gasp*

Yes, despite the reputation of Americans abroad, or probably because of it, all the USians in this book and hypersensitive of propriety. This becomes very obvious when the setting moves to Rome. There's a whole enclave of ex-pat Americans there, and they are shunning Daisy because of her insistence on going around with an Italian man unchaperoned. *double gasp*

The shunning continues, with Winterbourne weakly trying to tell Daisy that noooo, you're only hurting yourself! Pay attention to society!

And then she gets the fever and dies.

*puts ribbon on obvious happy ending*

Oh wait. No, that isn't a happy ending, is it? No, not really. Hmmm. What is it, then? It's not particularly tragic, cause everything was leading up to that from the very beginning and we meet doctors and mentions of night fevers. And there's the fact that Daisy is so bland a character as to resemble a bit of pretty fog in a dress. Her definite characteristics are prattling tonelessly, and doing whatever she isn't supposed to. But not in an interesting way, just in a stupid one. So what is this, if it's not a tragedy, or a happy story? Oh, I've got it! It's a morality play! Pay attention to your elders and don't hang around boys, or you will die of fever. Right-o.

From my description there, you might think I didn't like the book. That wouldn't be exactly accurate. See, I have a bit of a bloodthirsty streak, and as previously mentioned, I did NOT love Daisy. Maybe I thought she was too stupid to live? I'm sure I wouldn't tell you here...

And despite my dis-love of the actual content, I really liked Mr. James' style. I loved his dialogue, which actually sounded like people (delicious,) and I very much liked the his voice. I gave it three stars out of five.

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Books I've already pledged to read in 24 hours: 7

Radiant Shadows, Melissa Marr

This is the fourth book in the Faerie courts trilogy, and it mainly deals with the shrapnel that's still falling from the actions of Keenan, Irial, Seth and Ash. The Summer Court is weak because Keenan and Ash both have mixed focus due to Ash not being seduceable for Keenan, since she's still in love with Seth, who's left her. Seth is hanging out as a solitary Fae, and dealing mostly with the Dark Court. The Dark Court, on the other hand, is reeling because of the whole almost-starvation thing they just lived through, and change in leadership. The Winter court is probably building armies, they're not talking to anyone that much, which leaves the High Court. Where Sorcha, the Unchangeable, is obsessed with her new son to the point that her realm is turning to fog. Oh, and Bannach, Chaos Personified, is loving it. She's prowling around starting wars. Which, y'know, is always a GREAT sign. So that's the setting.

And the characters? Ani is the half-human daughter of Gabriel, leader of the wild hunt. Too faerie to survive in the mortal world, and too human to be allowed to run with the hunt, it's not a great position. Her father Gabe, brother Rabbit, friend Irial and sister Tish are trying to take care of her, but that's difficult when the person you're caring for is a.) fed by touch, but b.) not allowed to ravish the members of the wild hunt, because she's c.) Ani. Because being the kind of girl she is, it's more to protect the hunt than her that she's not allowed to get freaky in the stables. (Did I just write that? Oh my word. Imma go laugh with shame now.)

Devlin is the brother of both Bannach and Sorcha, and the liason between both. He's chosen to be as logical and Sorcha-like as possible, and she reacts by using him as her assassin.

Neither one is really loving life right now.

And then they meet, and the plot unreels in an entirely inevitable way.

I'm in the weird position now of really loving the characters, but not caring what happens to them. I especially love Rabbit. And Tish, and Irial, and Ani, and Devlin, and oh man do I love Gabriel. But the plot, I'm really not sure about. I liked the plot in Wicked Lovely, and LOVED it in Ink Exchange. Both times it seemed inexorable, but in a good way. I liked what happened for aesthetic reasons, if not liking the actual things that happened. But for two books now, I've just seen things happen to people I like, and I don't like what's happening on any level. It's because of the characters that I give it three stars, and because of the plot that it's not four or higher.

Cry Wolf, Patricia Briggs

Anna had no idea werewolves existed until three years ago, when she was attacked by one. She survived, more from innate stubbornness than from anything to look forward too. Since she healed from the attack, she's spent the intervening time learning that werewolves are monsters, and the more dominant a wolf is, the more she'll want to forget any encounter with him afterwards. Her pack spent the three years violently teaching her her place, and feminism has NOT hit them yet.

But last weekend there was a power change in her pack. A lot of people she isn't going to mourn died. The enforcer who did the killing, (who specifically was able to kill the alpha because he's even more dominant,) tells her their wolves have decided they're mated, and he asked her to come home with him. And she went, maybe not even for the usual keeping-her-head-down ways. Now Anna and Charles have to get to know each other, and also oh, btw, ancient evil is prowling around in the woods, maybe you should look into that before it eats your soul.

Okay, this is a romance, no denying. And I liked it. :D I could actually track emotional developments, and  I could identify with the characters' romantic interest. As I believe I've mentioned, this hardly ever happens. But I liked following along with Charles learning not to glare at his girl, and Anna learning she's allowed to be bossy when her man is gonna HURT himself cause he won't let himself HEAL. *exasperated sigh and pushes him around*

Within Patricia Briggs' world-building, werewolves deal with being basically two people in one changeable body. The human and the wolf. The wolf is generally not the peaceful one with the relationship. Which is why, given that they barely know each other, both the angry, defiant and damaged little girl and the super powerful hitman everyone's scared of are rather disconcerted by their wolves' interest in curling up and snuggling around the other person.

And in this book, the snuggling was what interested me. (Sigh, I really am a girl, aren't I? Drat.)  It was just sweet! :D And yes, this is a "sweet" romance, not "steamy." Which is possibly why I also liked it. I could enjoy following the emotional arc without having to go "AUGH, I"M TOO YOUNG," and there was more focus on building friendship, instead of half the book being depictions of body parts and how there's heightened blood flow. Which really, you know, I'm just not that interested.

There was an actual plot, beyond making friends with each other, and I did approve of how it ended. For me, it was more of a vehicle for the making-of-friends than a key player, so I'm not gonna deal with it. Because of my somewhat "meh" reaction to the plot, I gave it three stars out of five.

Lord Sunday, Garth Nix

Arthur Penhaligon has battled, snuck, fled, been chased, been carried, and fought his way through six levels of the House on his quest as the Heir to find and carry out the Will of the Architect. As a necessary byproduct of his quest, he's forfeited his humanity along the way. This isn't the normal "I'm not the same person I started as," thing. He is literally no longer human. He's given that up, along with seeing friends and family fall, because he believes that that's the only way to stop the tide of Nothing that's steadily destroying the House, and from there what we know as the world.

But everything that's been sacrificed might not be enough, now that he's fallen from the Incomparable Gardens.

I started this series because Kemendraugh (points accusingly to Kemendraugh) handed me the book and said read. And I am nothing if not obedient (okay I was obedient that day,) and so I read! I was so far into being obedient and not really looking at the book, that I thought it was a.) written 50 years ago, and b.) I had no idea who wrote the series. I only put "Garth Nix" together with "The Guy Who Wrote Those Sabriel Books" after reading Superior Saturday.

Yes, I am so observant.

ANYHOW, once I put those together, I was all going OOOOOOO, of COURSE! *headdesks repeatedly*  Nixian trademarks are all over. Like, say;

• The military not necessarily being the bad guys. 
• (How often does that happen in YA?)
• The power of words, and more specifically of writing.
• The physical and mental transformation of characters in the pursuit of something necessary.
• (And not necessarily in ways they would have liked.)
• The awesomeness of minor characters, who then die.
• Flawed and possibly dangerous characters who you're forced to trust.
• Fighting against impossible odds
• (Maybe winning, maybe not.)
• The necessity and cost of the fight.
• (Which is one of the reasons these books feel so old to me. It's not really a modern sentiment.)

I think everyone's very conscious of another series of war books that have been written recently. (You know, the ones with fire and birds and hunger in the titles?I will write more about them later.) I'd like to put forward the idea that these also are war books, and they quite possibly do a better job of communicating the aching decisions that must be made, and supported later. Like sometimes you have to take responsibility for being a pawn, say. And the enemy is made up of people, with hopes and dreams and families, and they will still kill you if given the chance.

I thought it was very well done, and a very inexorable, satisfying ending to the series. I didn't really emotionally connect with the characters, (other than Leaf,) but I would still like to look into possessing this series for myself, and I'd recommend it, for SURE. I gave it three stars out of five.

Mistwood, Leah Cypess

 

She has no memory of who she is, or what she is. They say she is the Shifter. They say her name is Isabel. This seems reasonable. They say she is immortal, and has protected the kings of the realm for centuries. Which she knows to be true.

They say she is to protect the King, who is named Rokan. His sister is Clarisse. They say she served the King until twenty years ago, when she left suddenly- no one knows why. This seems reasonable. They say the new king is in danger from an unknown foe, and she is the only one who can protect him. That's why they sought her out. Which she knows to not all be true.

They're lying. Everyone has their lies they are busily weaving- it is a royal court after all. But only some of the lies concern her, and no one trusts her. And when you can't remember the truth, how can you tell the minor lies from the ones that will split your loyalties along with your heart?

The plot on this book is TWISTED. It's one of those where you have to keep track of all the double POVs so you can remember who is lying to who about what, and who knows what about how much the other ones know. A lot like George R R Martin, or one of those POLITICAL INTRIGUE books. Because of that, some people will say that it's about choosing kings, or the rights of monarchy, or even feminism. I really DON'T think so. I thought it was more about family, and vengeance, and divided loyalties, and who you should trust. And how love will really twist you over. :P

Oh, and the twist at the end actually make me say- OUT LOUD- "Oh, that's brutal." I very rarely say that. But when you get to the twist, that's how very effectively twisted it is. I can't say that I loved it, because I like happy lots-of-hot-chocolate-and-a- big-turkey-dinner endings. But it was very well done. I gave it three stars out of five.

Brightly Woven, Alexandra Bracken

A drought has held Sydelle's village in a strangle-hold since she was seven. They've survived by selling sand to glass-makers, but sand will only buy so much water for a whole community. The government sent wizards to try and fix the drought- but nothing worked, so yeah, maybe they'll try again later. Maybe. One sand-producing village isn't of THAT much strategic importance. So when a wizard appears out of the hills and makes the heavens open, her family and neighbours are almost delirious with thanks. They promise him anything he wants in payment.

The wizard, whose name is North, wants Sydelle.

Understandably, the community is creeped out by this. But they don't have too much time to be creeped out, because North wasn't causing rain to help them. He was trying to bog down the army that's coming over that hill. Which is- y'know- of strategic importance to the kingdom. Panicing as the enemy approaches the town, her parents throw Sydelle's belongings into a pack and agree that she can go with North, as his assistant, as he heads for the capital to tell IMPORTANT PEOPLE that the surrounding kingdoms are occupying little towns and filling them with soldiers, ready for the big push for the capital.

And, before you start going WHAT IS THIS BOOK DOING IN THE YA SECTION, know that the Wizard/assistant relationship is a lot like the Dr/Companion relationship. (Yay for Dr. Who references!) At least that's how it starts. But this book at heart is a romance, and about two pretty messed up people too boot. One of the people is messed up BEFORE, and one GETS more messed up as situations progress.

However, as I think I've mentioned before, I'm picky about romances. I don't believe in all of them, and this was one where I just wasn't tracking the relationship progression. We were going along, working on stopping a war, and then all the sudden everything was VITALLY IMPORTANT and ROMANTIC and SERIOUS, and we're all but kissing each other's feet. Meanwhile, I'm still stuck up on the poisoner and rouge magicians, and the IMMINENT WAR. Um, over here? Shiny swords heading over the border? *points at army threatening to burn civilian villages*

So for me, the book was slightly lackluster. I couldn't really figure out the religious element, the romance gave me whiplash, and I was eternally confused by the lack of urgency on part of the MCs. I also was in a mood to argue theology when I read it, I am romantically impaired, and I both come from a military family and was raised on tales of spies sneaking information vital to the war effort into the capital. So I am guessing that all the things that made me go huh? wouldn't bother most people. And despite the wait, what moments, I did quite like it. I gave it three stars out of five. I would pass it to my sisters who were over the age of 12, if asked.

Nice And Mean, Jessica Leader

Marina just HAS to get into Video. She just HAS to. Why? Because her friends are ALL in the school play, and she has to have something ELSE to talk about, or they'll take the attention away from her, onto THEMSELVES. And that's just not acceptable. She's going to get IN, and she's going to make an AWESOME video, and she'll keep the attention and adoration on HER, where it BELONGS. Only problem is, she got paired with a total nerd girl, named Sachi. Ew?

Sachi absolotelytotallymust get into video. Because she has to. That's just it. she must get in, so she can make videos. Only her family says she has to be in Test Prep so that she can get into a good high school, so she's resorted to copying her mother's signature off of a credit card and blackmailing her sister to get in. She WANTS this. And then- she's paired with Marina. Who is popular, and- not exactly unused to getting her own way. If she's not careful, she's going to have betrayed her family honour for the right to be Marina's gopher for several weeks. Darn it.

Two very different girls, with very different motivations, and families, and problems, and ideas of what makes a good video.

Prepare for some DRAMA.

I started this book very dubiously. Because it's about 12 year old girls, and to my memory, I was never 12 years old. I have been an adult since I was five. Granted, sometimes I had height issues, but once I explained to people what was REALLY going on, they were fine with it, and they understood that I was really an adult. So I approached this book dubiously, as I said. I am FAR more familiar with and at home in fantasy worlds than I am public schooled girls at age 12.

But I'm in a read-a-thon, so I grimly started in. And my grim mood lasted about ten minutes. This is a fun and funny read, which does a marvellous job of actually showing you two points of view. AND without preaching about it. It just shows two circles of friends, who happen to overlap sometimes, and how they react to TEH DRAMA that is going on all around them. I enjoyed it, and I gave it three stars out of five. :P

Wintergirls, Laurie Halse Anderson

*I tried to write this prettily, but I just can't. It's too vicious a subject.*

Lia and Cassie are the wintergirls in the title. They both have eating disorders. Or rather, Cassie has an eating disorder- Bulimia. Lia has a not-eating disorder- Anorexia. It opens with Cassie's death. It closes with another death.

I couldn't finish this book. It just is too much like pulling my ribs out of my chest and stabbing myself in the gut with them. It's written brutally, because a long, intimate look inside the head of someone who honestly hates herself and her body can only ever be hard to deal with.

I've had this issue hit my family twice, and I just can't take visiting that place again for the amount of time required to finish the book. So I didn't finish it. But, I did give it three stars out of five, for the part I read. It appears to be very well written, so if you want a closer understanding of what it's like to measure your worth by how little you weight- no other indicators are valid- I'd recommend checking it out.

Skinner, Robin Wasserman

Lia Kahn just died. This is the story of how she continued.

Her world is not the one we know. It's in the future, after a war, with new technology. One of the newest technologies is one which allows a child's brain to be downloaded, and put into a robotic body. There is no organic part in this body, it is all metal and plastic. Adults can't be downloaded, it drives them insane. But the mind of a 16 year old could take it.

Lia was in a car accident, a terrible one. Her family is very rich, and her father paid for her to be downloaded, or "skinned."

So she wakes up in a robotic body, with her memories, and her life waiting for her. Or is it?

This story covers so many issues. Oh man. The rights of health care to the poor or disabled. What does compassion mean. What does it mean to be human? What makes you human? Is it your memories, your body, your ability to feel pain? Your ability to die? Because Lia and the other skinners are  immortal, effectively. Are there medical lines that should not be crossed? Does "quality of life" come into it? Does a robot have a soul?

You see, the war that ruined the world was about religion, which means that it's kind of a hot-button topic. Those who believe in God are adamant that it (the skinners) are an abomination. Sorry, Lia, but you're basically a demon now. Politically Correct people think that it's a wonder of technology, but they don't want to see it.

This book just tore my heart out and stomped on it. The scenes with her little sister were AWEFUL. I gave it three stars out of five. It probably deserves a higher score, I just- didn't like it. I mean, it was VERY Good, and the end was heartbreakingly inevitable. I just didn't like it. One of those books that makes my internal organs try to crawl away. Certain hypothetical situations are just not fun to ponder, and this is certainly one. Makes me glad I'm poor, because we couldn't afford this, and there's no way socialized medicine would spring for skinner children. *shudders*

Because I'm not so sure that the believers are wrong. If you make a machine to think that it is a person, is it really? Are we only our memories, or is there something more? I do think that there is something more, and I'm not sure that it can be copied. Of course, I'm not much of a believer in free will anyhow, so BLARRRRGLLLLLE. *incoherent waving*

This book needs a nice, heavy discussion with lots of philosophy. I just don't want to take part. :D

The Supernaturalist, Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer is incredibly adept at world-building, especially the technology. I mean, I'm not so sure how technically feasible his worlds are, but within the confines he lays down, they usually work (with the exception of the Lost Colony, that was just out to lunch,) and they are always COOL. However, I'm not always so amazed and delighted by his characters. They have some nice quirks, but I never really feel like I know them. That, sadly, is what happened here.

Cosmo Hill is an orphan- sorry- Parentally Challenged. He's an inmate- sorry- resident- of Clarissa Fraye School for Parentally Challenged Boys. It works on the capitalist model, which means they have to make money off of supporting a bunch of dumb boys while they learn to breath with their mouths closed. Which in turn means the boys are used as test subjects. Need to try out some perfumes? Gauge their toxicity on Parentally Challenged Boys! No one will complain except for the boys, and they're soon beaten silent. Need to test some biological weapons? Pop over to Clairssa Fraye! They have  targets in all shapes and sizes! Want to see how little your prisoners in the prison you're going to run can survive on? Test your starvation diet on Cosmo Hill first! No government agency is going to worry if HE runs a little too close to the edge of gnawing his own fingers off for sustenance.

So yeah, morale at CFSfPCB is low. So low that when the chance to possibly-escape-but-most-likely-die comes up, Cosmo and his friend Ziploc take their chances with death. And no, it's not a magical escape with pixies who save everyone. And yes, I teared up.

Sadly, given everything else that happened in the book, that was the last time I teared up. I mean, there was a LOT of possible mayhem and death. And my reaction to most of it was "meh, are we done yet?" But Ziploc. Ah, Ziploc. I'm possibly not remembering your name correctly, and I'm too lazy to rummage for my copy. But I remember your snarky remarks with fondness. I salute you. May you have found peace.

Notice how I'm not telling anyone else that I hope they found peace? That's because I DON"T CARE. Yeah, I'm in a harsh mood modivated by not enough sleep, but the fact remains that I remember more of the first two chapters than I do of the rest of the middle of the book. I think there was a race? And Cosmo blew someone up with his forehead? Or maybe he was told not to blow up someone with his forehead. I remember how it ended... Mostly. Though I can't remember who died. Did he kill the token girl? Or was it the tortured youth? I'm pretty sure the traitor/Messiah didn't kick it. Or maybe he just transcended us all and became a parasite.

I gave it three stars out of five. The world building was shiny! I liked the moving apartments.

Nikolsk, Nicolas Dickner

So I read this for a book club, and I'm really not sure how to describe it. I'm used to books with a plot, for starters. I really am not sure that this story had one. You'd think that a book that involves a mummified body and piracy would be plot-laden- but no.

So there are three Main Characters. Teenagers! One is in Montreal, two are not. Then for reasons including running away, running to, and staying in hiding, they are all in Montreal. One works in a book store, one works in a fish shop, and one lives over the fish shop. They do not meet.

Time passes. While studying subjects that one of the Main Characters does not want to study, he knocks up a girl. This is about the same time that another girl steals computers and acquires visa numbers by undefined means. She also steals books from another other main character, who watches adoringly and does not do anything. The guy who knocked up a girl runs away with the girl, who does not acknowledge that she was knocked up- or a guy was involved in the fact that she now has a son- in any way. (It's very french.)

Time passes. Computer-thief finds a mummified body and has a crisis of conscience. Student-guy lazily runs away from a flood. Bookseller invites the Thief over to get drunk, and she steals some things and leaves him on the floor with all his clothes on.

People think about their lives. FULL STOP OF STORY.

So, in terms of plot, I'm sure it's in there. Being french. And hiding. But I'm not very clever at finding it, seeing as I prefer my plots of be loudly present with lots of blood and explosions. But the characters were interesting, which is why I gave it three stars out of five.

(And oddly enough, my mom loved the book, which just goes to show. YOU might love it too!)

Here, There Be Dragons, James A. Owen

This starts with a murder. However, we're not really led to feel anything about the character who's being tortured to death, so it's really more of a footnote in the plot. I mean, it's the starting footnote, but it's not IMPORTANT. Except for the person who's being eaten. Probably he considers it important.

ANYWAYS. There is a murder. But we mainly HEAR about it because John is on the train to visit his tutor, and then when he gets OFF the train he's met by the police who want to talk to him about his dead tutor. One thing leads to another, and then he's stuck in a club in London with two new chaps, names of Charles and Jack. (Jack LEWIS and Charles WILLIAMS? Eh? Eh? And he's John TOLKIEN? Get it? Get it?*elbows*)

Then basically one of the Grimm brothers shows up to leak water all over the doorstep and tell them they need to flee town on a dragon, captained by his daughter the pirate queen, and she just so happens to be waiting down at the wharf did I mention the Wendigo who are waiting outside to eat you? Alive?

CSL, JRRT and CW decide to leave. Now. A dragon sounds like a great idea!

Then they go to Avalon and meet the green knight and some fates with a stew of doom. There is also a man. Boy. Is he the-lost-heir-to-the-throne, evil-traitor-in-waiting, or boy-on-the-verdge-of-becoming-a-man? Only time will tell!

Once leaving the Arthurian reference behind, we visit Narnian references, Wonderland, Jules Verne, and sundry greek myths. Also a faint biblical touch, mixing Lot and Noah together into a DELICIOUS STEW.

I liked it- I think? The literary references were lots of fun, I just usually like a book to contain more in the way of plot and less in the way of "I just included five books in one chapter, oh, the cleverness of me!"

...

Which was a literary reference. Why yes, I DO take hypocritical pills every morning, thank you for asking. But yeah, the plot just didn't impress me, tragically enough. I think the fact that I learned we were reading about the INKLINGS in the first chapter set my sights too high? I expected immense complexity and depth out the ying-yang. I didn't get it.

I gave it three stars out of five. However, I actually read this at one go, while standing in front of a rack of power cables, which just might have contributed to my mindset while reading. I was waiting for my sister, who was waiting for some exiling shop boy to look up information about her phone. (He didn't find anything.) And it was hot. I mean, whew, nothing like dusty cables for two hours to make you loosen your collar!

The Shifter, Janice Hardy

When this book opens Nya is stealing a chicken. On the scale of awesome thefts, this isn't too high up there, amirite? Imrite. She's living hand to mouth, and lately it's been taking rather a lot to get anything IN that hand that's going to her mouth.  (Okay, that was a painful turn of phrase, but I've been putting off reviewing this book, so just go with it. Times are hard, okay? Okay.)

Times are hard, and not just for penniless orphans. Her land was on the losing side of a war a couple of years ago- that's what happened to her parents- and the Duke has taken it upon himself to make sure the people know who is in charge now, and they are NOT first class citizens any more. Tensions would be high, if morale wasn't so low.

Anyhow, that's what going on while Nya is stealing a chicken to get by. But in escaping, she let a secret of hers escape too.

(Wow, I'm sorry for the way my mind is stringing words together today. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.)

You see, in this world there are Healers, also know as shifters, who can shift pain. They take it from the sick or injured person, and put it in a special ore, pynvium. While they're in there taking pain they are able to fix what is actually making the person ill, and everyone is happy and pain-free. Nya's sister is a healer, and she's in training, getting fed and clothed and taken care of for her skills. Nya would be a healer to, but she can't put the pain into pynvium. She can, however, put it into other people. As a peniless orphan who would be a second class citizen to begin with, that's not something you want powerful and moral-light people to hear about. But now this little piece of information is starting to circulate, and Nya is soon being pursued by two groups with motivation she really doesn't want to hear more about, thank you very much.

Also, cute and responsible boys in uniform. SQUEEEE! *cough*

This book dealt with a lot of moral issues, which is something I am really a fan of in YA literature. How far do you go for the people you love? How far do you have to go to correct things you've done wrong? When do you decide that someone is an enemy, and how should you treat your enemies?

(I do wish there was a mainstream story that dealt with spiritualtiy in a positive way- when the "gods" are not walking around eating people or sending purple-eyed kittens, for example- but so far I haven't found one. Agnostic and bitter teens ftw? *sigh*)

I really liked the plot, and the climatic scene was immensely satisfying. *pleased smile* I want the next book when it comes out. HOWEVER, I never really felt like I connected with the characters. That's probably a personal thing, though, so I gave it three stars out of five.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N. K. Jemison

(In the beginning)
Yeine Darr is named as a possible contender to a throne she has no interest in.

(Previously)
Her mother died. She doesn't know who killed her, or why.

(Also)

Her cousins want Yeine dead, but find it useful to keep her alive. This is probably a bad sign.

Remember to beware of the staff. 

They are 

1.) Family
2.) gods
3.) Slaves

4.) Very, very dangerous. 

(Including the children.)

Nothing is as it seems. To trust anyone is a surefire way to wind up dead- in extremely cruel ways.

Cruelty is the only way to survive;

if you want to become the kind of person who survives. 

I LOVED the voice of this book. It was a strange stream of consciousness type thing, changing viewpoints all over the place, and I adored it passionately.

Here, have a quote from the opening.

I am not as I once was. They have done this to me, broken me open and torn out my heart. I do not know who I am anymore.

I must try to remember.
...

My people tell stories of the night I was born. They say my mother crossed her legs in the middle of labor and fought with all her strength not to release me into the world. I was born anyhow, of course; nature cannot be denied. Yet it does not surprise me that she tried.
...

My mother was an heiress of the Arameri. There was a ball for the lesser nobility — the sort of thing that happens once a decade as a backhanded sop to their self-esteem. My father dared ask my mother to dance; she deigned to consent. I have often wondered what he said and did that night to make her fall in love with him so powerfully, for she eventually abdicated her position to be with him. It is the stuff of great tales, yes? Very romantic. In the tales, such a couple lives happily ever after. The tales do not say what happens when the most powerful family in the world is offended in the process.
...

But I forget myself. Who was I, again? Ah, yes.
...

My name is Yeine. In my people’s way I am Yeine dau she Kinneth tai wer Somem kanna Darre, which means that I am the daughter of Kinneth, and that my tribe within the Darre people is called Somem. Tribes mean little to us these days, though before the Gods’ War they were more important.

I am nineteen years old. I also am, or was, the chieftain of my people, called ennu. In the Arameri way, which is the way of the Amn race from whom they originated, I am the Baroness Yeine Darr.

One month after my mother died, I received a message from my grandfather, Dekarta Arameri, inviting me to visit the family seat. Because one does not refuse an invitation from the Arameri, I set forth. It took the better part of three months to travel from the High North continent to Senm, across the Repentance Sea. Despite Darr’s relative poverty, I traveled in style the whole way, first by palanquin and ocean vessel, and finally by chauffeured horse-coach. This was not my choice. The Darre warriors’ council, which rather desperately hoped that I might restore us to the Arameri’s good graces, thought that this extravagance would help. It is well known that Amn respect displays of wealth.

Thus arrayed, I arrived at my destination on the cusp of the winter solstice. And as the driver stopped the coach on a hill outside the city, ostensibly to water the horses but more likely because he was a local and liked to watch foreigners gawk, I got my first glimpse of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms’ heart.

There is a rose that is famous in High North. (This is not a digression.)

More...

So far, this is sounding like a book which is written expressly to delight me. The characters are lovely, complex and devious, the world building is expansive, and the plot is-

Well the plot is why the book didn't attach its self to my soul and make a nest there, the better to colour all my life choices afterwards. You see, you have about seven eighths of the book that are awesome, and then at the end, everything changes. Most of the characters literally change, the voice of the book changes, and the plot goes from Machiavellian intrigue (cruelty is the way to live, or of course you can die slowly if you want) to Love is all you need! *Happy, sultry music*

And the sultriness. (Uh, yeah. I guess I'm gonna have to put this under a spoiler cut...) So that little scene really freaked me out. Maybe I'm hopelessly provincial, but when the descriptions make me picture the MC being ravished by an octopus, that just spoils the mood entirely. Less Romance, more Ick. An amorphous cloud just doesn't seem attractive to me. In any way. I don't go for jellyfish, OR Ganesh, OR energy-beings. Srysly. OH, and the Free Love aspect. What, is it not possible to love someone WITHOUT sleeping with them? I notice that Parent/Child sex wasn't encouraged, or Brother/Sister, or even Woman/Woman. But as long as one or more of the participants was a (mostly) male god, we're all good?LolWHUT? Those things disturbed me. Just- there are ways to show someone that you trust them, OTHER than sleeping with them. Let's try rock climbing, I hear that's good and fun!

So I gave it three stars out of Five. I still want to read the next book in the series, but I might wait till it hits the library system.