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August 29th, 2010
 Rating/Conclusion: Buy It
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: Sept 2010
Pages: 192 pgs. (ARC)
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Avery Hood is now an orphan. Her parents were brutally murdered at their home; a murder that Avery witnessed. But all she can remember is flashes of silver moving inhumanly fast, and lots of blood. What exactly happened and who did it remains out of her grasp.
While nothing will ever be the same again, Avery tries to keep things semi-together by returning to school. A place where she is completely friendless–that is until Ben arrives. The new boy in town–one with a dark secret and one that she is utterly drawn to. But when she learns that Ben is a werewolf with inhuman silver eyes and no memory of the night her parents died, she doubts everything she knows about him. Could he be the mysterious killer they’re looking for? Or is it all just a case of odd coincidences? Avery holds the key to the truth…if she could just unlock her memories before time runs out.
The Short of It: So, I kind of knew I’d love this one before even starting. The author has rarely let me down and definitely did not disappoint this time. The only thing I wish is that it has been a little longer.
Plot: I’m trying to be careful about the plot without ruining anything. As far as paranormals go, this was something I hadn’t really seen before. Okay, yes, werewolves are nothing new, but it was the additional elements that Devlin added in that I enjoyed. For example, the connection that Avery has to the forest? Kind of love it. And I can say that I kept switching my vote on who killed her parents. I will admit that I didn’t guess the right person, but I was so very close! There is still a lot of unanswered questions by the end of the book, especially about her grandma. I certainly hope that a sequel is in the works because I would love to see where the story leads.
Characters: Avery. I’m not sure what to really say about her. Her upbringing made her a bit different from any other YA character I’ve read before. I mean, after all, you don’t see too many main characters who have grown up secluded. Yes, I know they did go into town, but she didn’t have many friends. And being home-schooled just made her seem more isolated from her peers. However, she really acted like a normal teenager would. She was kind of down to earth and had her head on straight. And considering her parents were just murdered, that is saying quite a lot. I just wish she would have been a bit more cautious at certain times and had learned to trust the right people a little more.
Romance: This is the one spot I felt was a little weak. I would have liked to see a bit more relationship building when it came to Ben and Avery. I know that Devlin explains why they have an instant connection–especially Ben, but I would have liked to see more. I know I’m being kind of vague, but I don’t want to ruin the paranormal parts of their relationship. I will say that it has been done before, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
Writing: No complaints here. Devlin’s story kept me entertained throughout. I will say there were a couple of spots that I would have liked to be fleshed out more. I don’t mind being kept in the dark sometimes, and I get that’s where the mystery/suspense part comes in, but there were some parts I just wanted to know MORE. Again, I assume there is to be a sequel, but I really wish there had been just a little bit more answered in this book.
Librarian-Mode: This one will go easily with the paranormal lovers. It can be grouped easily with Shiver, Dark Divine, and the like. Although, I think those who like mystery/suspense will eat this one up as well, as long as they’re not totally turned off by paranormal.
So, now it’s your turn…have you read Low Red Moon? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.
August 9th, 2010
 Rating/Conclusion: Borrow it
Things I Know about Love by Kate Le Vann
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: June 2010
Pages: 160 pgs.
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Livia Stowe hasn’t had the best luck when it comes to boys. She’s come across those who have lied and those who have left her broken hearted when she needed them the most. But this is the summer where she hopes everything will change. After finally beating her battle with cancer, she has convinced her mom to let her spend the summer with her brother in the States. This was to be the summer about inner reflection and figuring out the things she has known about love through her private blog. And while she is endlessly talking about love, she never thought that a holiday love would happen to her. Not until Adam that is. If she can just grab his attention, this may become the best holiday ever. If only Livia can move beyond writing about love and risk the chance to experience it…
The Short of It: I adored this book…until the end. Really, honestly, until the last 20 pages or so. I kind of suspected it was going to end the way it did, but I had high hopes that I was wrong. When I figured out I was right, I literally threw the book across the room and left it there for a while. I did end up finishing it, but the ending really did disappoint me. And although I didn’t cry, I would recommend having some tissues close on hand.
Plot: I liked the plot. Really I did. Or at least I did until the last 20 pages or so. I love the idea of a girl truly reflecting on love and taking it seriously. It’s not about bad boys or quick, unrealistic or unhealthy love. It was still a bit quick, but she had met him before and sometimes first impressions can be very strong. She learned from her past mistakes, no matter how small they were, and took them into account as she moved forward. I will admit, that most seventeen girls do not think this way, but I wish they would! This book has one of the more healthier messages I’ve seen in YA in regards to romance.
Now, I really wish she had been wiser when it came to the rest of her life. She should have ignored the things that she did. As a cancer survivor, I think she would have planned things just a bit more safe. However, I do understand as a young girl tasting her first chance at freedom in years would get carried away. I only wish Le Vann wouldn’t have felt it necessary to end it as she had. I’m sure some of my opinion on this area is that I’m a sap for happily-ever-afters, but the larger part of me felt like it was a ill-fit. She could have done so many other things and the ending just felt too fast, a tad forced, and unrealistic.
Characters: Livia is a very likable character. I was reminded of my own seventeen year old self and could easy relate to her. (Ok, so my twenty-something self can as well.) I was right with her as she tried to figure out something that is completely illogical and irrational…love. Her stories were ones that any normal girl could see herself in. Haven’t we all had a boy twist the truth to make himself look more favorable? Or leave us when we least expected it? Even her lists and final conclusions were honest and raw. Her view on a possible holiday romance was refreshing and I truly enjoyed my journey with her.
Romance: The moment Adam entered the picture, I knew he would be perfect for Livia. Normally, I’m not sure I would approve of the age gap for someone that young, but it really didn’t bother me in this case. Perhaps it was because I was excited to see a truly realistic boy for once. One that was incredibly sweet and kind, but that wasn’t sure of his footing. It was refreshing to see a boy’s doubts as he worries about missed chances, perfect dates, and falling in love. It was cute how their thoughts echoed each other almost perfectly. And even if the romance didn’t last forever, it was a nice reminder that love can hit without any warning when you least expect it.
Writing: I really enjoyed the blog style that Le Vann chose to use. It gave it a more personal, story-telling effect without feeling overwhelming. Yes, there wasn’t necessarily a lot of dialogue, but it worked well in this case. After all, the story was more about Livia and what she has learned about love than an actual love story. It’s her personal thoughts and reflections on the things she has already experienced in order to help with what she will someday experience. This book was her facts and no one else’s, so a blog seemed the perfect way to go. I am glad, though, that Le Vann decided to have Adam do a blog as well. It was nice to see his perspective and his voice added quite a bit to the story, in more ways than one. His thoughts truly made the story richer and may just be the reason that the blog style really worked in this book. I never felt like I needed more or that I was missing pieces of the story/inner thoughts of someone else. And while I may have hated the ending of this book, I would love to read something else by her.
Librarian-Mode: Hands down I think this book will fit the best with those who love Lurlene McDaniel. You may also try recommending it to those who enjoyed Sing Me To Sleep as well. Simply put, those who love those sappy, tear-jerker endings will adore this one.
So, now it’s your turn…have you read Things I Know About Love? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.
June 11th, 2010
 Rating:  
The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: July 2010
Pages: 281 pgs.
Source: ALA
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Will has one goal each day: don’t talk back to the dead. Burden with an unwanted gift to see and communicate with the dead, Will does everything he can to avoid their notice. Most don’t even know he can see them. But everything changes when Miss Popularity Alona Dare is hit by a bus. One smirk and sarcastic comment later and Will finds that he is no longer ghost free. Alona is desperate for those bright white lights and is certain Will can help; after all why else would he be the only one who can see her? And while Will’s life has just gone from bad to worse, he may be surprised that Alona is the answer to his prayers. Can they look past their mutual hate to work together? Or will they be stuck in their nightmares forever?
The Short of It: Interesting concept that held my attention throughout the entire book. There were times that it moved a little slow, but this was mainly when Kade was getting important/relevant background info in. I was pretty excited to learn there will be more books with these two and cannot wait to see their story develop more.
Plot: So, this brings “I see dead people” to a whole new level. Poor Will. While I love to go “ghost hunting”, I can safely say that I would never want his ability. I mean, to hear all those people talking around you whenever you’re in public. How could you honestly NOT go crazy? And of course, he can’t really tell anyone for fear they’ll think he really should be in a mental ward. I have no idea how he made it as long as he did and still stayed reasonably sane. Like I understand his little tricks worked, but how was he ever able to concentrate on school and not hear what was being said? I enjoyed how Alona was able to come in and basically save the day. I figured she would be important, but I never guessed how important she would be. Of course, I don’t think they knew either. After all, Will had spent his whole life avoiding the dead and all Alona wanted was the bright lights. I’m anxious to see how their roles will continue to develop as the series progresses.
Characters: Poor, poor Will. I really did feel sorry for him. Most people thought he was a freak of nature, well, ok maybe he is a little. After all, he can see dead people. However, he isn’t just some goth kid who enjoys wearing black and talking about death. Honestly, he’s just misunderstood. Yes, he’s sarcastic and aloof, but that’s his defense mechanism. As long as people generally leave him alone, he doesn’t care what they think. His main goal is to survive high school and move to where there are less people and less of the dead. It was heartwarming to see how he cared and his few friends and his mom, especially his mom. He would bend over backwards to make his mom happy and on several occasions resisted a fight because he can see how much it wears on his mom. And once you got down to who Will really was, he was a pretty cool guy, one I would easily love to have in my life.
Oh, Alona. Make way for another misunderstood character. Yes, she may be miss popular and look like everything is perfect, but it truly isn’t. Once you learn what her life is really like, you can’t help but have a little sympathy for her. After all, no teen should have to deal with the home life she had. But that’s when she was alive. I’m not sure that death has been all that much kinder to her. I mean, being hit by a bus…ouch! Not to mention, she got to see people’s true colors once they thought she was gone. And the comments she heard and actions she witnessed were probably things that no one would want to hear or see. However, death and Will acted as a small wake-up for her. She was used to being blunt and even mean, but the problem was she didn’t see it that way. When she told someone their sweater was ugly, she was trying to help by getting them to care more. Good intentions, but totally wrong way to do it. In death, she has to learn to say nicer things. (There is a reason but I won’t say why.) She learns how to be honest in more gentle fashion. I also enjoyed that she wasn’t just some dumb blonde. Alona proved time and time again how strong and intelligent she was. It was fun to see Alona grow into someone with much more character and I am excited to see how she continues to transform as their story continues.
Romance: This one is a little…odd. I don’t know how else to describe it. After all, Alona is dead. And while the dead do have a solid substance when they’re near Will so that they can touch and what not, but um still dead. Yet, despite all that I still kind of rooted for something to develop between them. After all, Will has been crushing on her since they were in the sixth grade and, well, being the only living being to see her kind of gives him the advantage. In all seriousness, while there are some sparks flying, at this point it was more about a friendship and getting beyond their old stereotypes to the point of actually caring about each other.
Writing: Another alternating view point book. I’ve read TONS of these lately and I’m discovering that I really like them. I enjoy being able to step into both main characters’ points of view. Adds a whole new depth to what is happening, especially when they’re not together. And the alternating chapters keeps the story from jumping all over the place. Of course, it does annoy me a little. There were times I had wanted to stay with Alona or Will a bit longer and was instead thrown into the other POV.
On the story telling front, Kade does an excellent job. I had this book for months before reading it because initially hadn’t caught my attention. And, honestly, I may have passed it up all together had it not been for some of the buzz going around. I was pulled into the story within the first few chapters and had a hard time putting it down on occasion. In fact, I had a temptation to skip an author event to finish up the book…or at the very least read the whole way there and ignore the person driving. (I promise I did neither!) All in all, this one ended up a very pleasant surprise indeed.
Librarian-Mode: Hmmm, I think one is going to go well with the paranormal readers. Yes, it’s not your typical werewolves or vampires, but ghosts are just as much fun! I would say that those who liked Once Dead, Twice Shy or Shiver would enjoy this one as well. There are still romantic undertones in this one (as with any good paranormal read), but it isn’t your straight out romance. I think the romance-crazed readers will like it as well, but it may be a harder sell for them.
So, now it’s your turn…have you read The Ghost and the Goth? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought.
May 5th, 2010
Mini-review time! I’ve never been much of a vampire girl, but my friends kept insisting I needed to read the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer and I finally broke down and picked them up. Boy, am I ever glad I do. Vlad is unlike any vamp (well, half vampire) I have ever meet. In fact, I almost hate lumping into the whole Twlight-vampire craze; he really belongs more with someone like Harry Potty. And honesty, if Harry Potter turned into a vampire you would have Vladimir Tod. Needless to say, I devoured these books as fast as I could get them from the library. And since I read them all back-to-back I figured doing a mini-review for each book would be the best way to go…and then when the final book comes out I’ll do a normal one!
The Short of It: If you can’t tell from my intro, I loved these books. They’ve become one of my top recommendations and I’m even trying to get it on the middle-school reading program for next year! I can’t believe I missed these books and simply cannot wait for the next/last book!
Series Rating:
 Eighth Grade Bites
Publisher: Dutton Juv
Release Date: Aug. 2007
Pages: 182 pgs
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Vladimir Tod is unlike any teenage boy you’ll ever meet. Yes, he’s a little gothy, sarcastic, and likes to play video games with his best friend (Henry), but, well, he also has fangs and craves blood. That’s right, Vlad is a vampire, but he’s not ordinary vampire. In fact, he’s really only half-vampire (his mother was human) and he’s sure he’s the only one left of his kind. Since his parents’ death three years ago, he’s been living with his “Aunt” Nelly and living as normal of a life as possible. That, however, becomes impossible as a new teacher joins Vlad’s middle school and begins to pay a little too much attention to Vlad. The questions Mr. Otis asks are too close to comfort and Vlad is terrified he’ll figure out his secret. Not to mention, things only get worse when he realizes there’s a vampire killer out to get him! Can Vlad manage to keep his secret under wraps and remain alive?
Eighth Grade Bites is a wonderful first book. Brewer pulls you fast into the world she has created and doesn’t let you go. Even though it was relatively short, I felt like I knew all the characters fairly well. I adore Vlad and his sarcastic wit. I mean all the jokes about vampire and the whole “Vampires Suck” t-shirt were a lot of fun. Of course, Nelly and Henry are wonderful characters as well. I wish I could have seen a little more of them, but there’s still lots of time for that! There were a couple of things I would have liked to have explained more, like the whole drudge thing, but I assumed that Brewer would flesh out the vampire rules/ways as the series progressed. The books wraps up well, but I was very anxious to see what the next book would bring Vlad.
 Ninth Grade Slays
Publisher: Dutton Juv
Release Date: Apr. 2008
Pages: 278 pgs
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Vlad must say good-bye to summer and his uncle Otis and hello to freshman year. Hello to the same old bullies, the wanna-be journalist nerd with a camera who tails him, and Henry’s cousin, Joss. Basically, it’s life as usually for Vlad. The only bright spot is a trip to Siberia that helps him learn new vampire abilities such as mind reading and mind control. But will these new powers be enough to conquer the newest threat in his life? Will he really be strong enough to recognize and defeat a vampire hunter? Or will he be just another vampire who finds a stake in his heart?
Ninth Grade Slays is a nice continuation to the series. I really enjoyed the new character, Joss, and was sad to see he wouldn’t be sticking around after this book. Of course, maybe I liked Joss because it reminded me of Joss Whedon (Buffy!) and felt like a total homage to him/Buffy! (No idea if is actually is though.) I also had fun seeing Vlad’s power expand and his relationship with Meredith edging into the next stage. I’m not sure how I feel about the whole prophecy/Harry Potter vibe. While I may grow tired of it fast, I’m willing to overlook it because I like Vlad so much! And, yes, the same bad guy is in the background, but it’s fun to see what other evil do-ers he can pull into his grasp. Although, in this case, I felt sorry for the slayer. He was sort of tricked into the role he played and things got way more mixed up than they should have. It’ll be interesting to see if it plays a part in the future books (which I knew it would). Again, a very nice wrap-up, but couldn’t wait to move on to the next one!
 Tenth Grade Bleeds
Publisher: Dutton Juv
Release Date: June 2009
Pages: 292 pgs
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Another year at Bathory High for Vlad, but things have yet to really look up for him. Yes, his long-time crush, Meredith, is now his girlfriend, but now he’s on the edge of losing his best friend. Henry has been acting distant and hanging out with the popular crowd more and more. Vlad knows that this may be the end for him and Henry, especially when he learns there is a way to release drudges. Without Henry to hang out with, Vlad finds himself spending his free time with the goth kids. He’s introduced to a new world called the Crypt where being a “vampire” is cool, but the overwhelming urge to feed makes his time there limited. Add in the chilling nightmares that D’Ablo is sending about him being tortured and bled to death and anyone can see why Vlad is having a rough time. Without his uncle or faithful friend, Vlad may be facing this latest threat all alone. Will Vlad’s nightmares become reality or will he manage to escape yet again?
Tenth Grade Bleeds may have been my least favorite of the four, but that’s not to say it wasn’t good. This is the book were the whole prophecy thing started to annoy me a bit. I was tired of D’Ablo and his schemes and I was ready for one of them to burst into flames already. (And by one of them, I mean D’Ablo.) I understand not wanting to bring in a whole new bad guy every single book, but I do go weary of him. And while I wish he were gone for gone, I’m pretty sure that’s not the case. (Are we sure Vlad is the only one who can’t die?) It really is a lot like Voldemort where I just wish he’d GO AWAY. But, eh, what I can I do; every book needs its villain. I was glad Brewer spent some time developing the Vlad-Henry relationship some more. I adore both boys and it broke my heart to see them growing distant. I was pretty worried that this would be the end of these two, something I don’t think I could have handled! And can I also just say how sweet Vlad & Meredith were? I won’t give it away, but I was sad to see what happened to them. They really were a cute couple! And the whole Crypt events could either be a big mess or a big leg up for Vlad; something I was anxious to see how it would all play out. So, while not my favorite book, still good and had enough appeal where I was ready to continue on right away.
 Eleventh Grade Burns
Publisher: Dutton Juv
Release Date: Feb. 2010
Pages: 309 pgs
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Life has hit a new all time low for Vladimir. Not only has Joss moved back to Bathory for good, but his uncle is to be tried and probably executed by the vampire council. Add in a weird vampire, love sick drudge, and dealing with the memories of his dead parents as they renovate his old home and Vlad’s hands are truly fully. The only bright spot is that with the upcoming trial, Otis no longer has to run and can spend more time with Vlad. While things look bleak, there is always some hope that they will be able to free Otis of all the accusations against him. Surely the council will see be able to see the truth, right? Or will Vlad be saying goodbye to the only family he has left?
Ok, hold on a moment while I scream. AHHH! So, Eleventh Grade Burns is really, really good. I enjoyed seeing Vlad and Otis’ relationship grow more than it had now that he was around a lot more. And how Vlad’s powers are developing, almost super-vampiric, is fun, too. Vlad is developing powers more and more that no one else has seen before. It all keeps leading the reader toward the fact that he is the one from the prophecy. And it was nice to see him repair his friendship with their nightly “practices” even if it is a little dangerous. And risk of spoiling anything, I’ll stop right after I say one more thing. I.Hate.Cliffhangers. And this is the MOTHER of all cliffhangers. Brewer’s only saving grace is that the last book will be out this fall, so the wait won’t be that long. (And may all the book god/goddesses hear my plea and let there be an ARC @ BEA!)
So, now it’s your turn…have you read the Vlad books? If so, be sure to let me know what you thought!
April 22nd, 2010
 Rating:
The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams by Rhonda Hayter
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: April 2010
Pages: 242 pgs.
Source: Traveling ARC Tours
Buy from (affil. links): Amazon, Powell’s, Indie Bound
Abbie Adams appears to be your typical fifth grader unless you learn she’s a witch. She may be able to time travel and do spells, but no one but other witches are to know. This means fixing her little brother’s mishaps and doing homework the normal way. All in all, your every day typical life. That is until her father brings home a tiny little black cat as a gift for Abbie. Like Abbie he may seem normal, but he is anything but normal! I mean, who has ever heard of a cat that likes to read books, especially science ones? However, when they discover that the cat is really Thomas Edison under an evil enchantment everything becomes clear. Now if only they can turn him back into a thirteen year old boy and get him back to where he belongs. Can Abbie and her family accomplish this difficult task in time? Or will history change right before her eyes?
The Short of It: I can’t say enough good things about this book. I don’t often dip into the Middle Grade books, but boy am I ever glad I did. Abbie and her family are so much fun and I enjoyed every minute with them. My only complaint is that I wanted more; I certainly hope Hayter brings Abbie back for future books.
Plot: To me, this is what really sold the book. When I first picked it up, I was a little uncertain what I would think, but Hayter’s plot is what made me fall in love with the book. Who would have ever thought that a simple, small black cat would have been one of the most famous inventors in history? And the ramifications of taking him out of the correct time line was something fun to explore as well. I mean, what would happen if the light bulb or audio player or anything else he thought of had never been invented? Where would we be today? I kind of shudder at the possibility. I don’t know about you but I’m kind of fond of my lamps and MP3 player! It’s an interesting topic to think of at any age. Of course, all their little witchy skills and abilities simply added icing to the story and made a topic could have easily been boring or serious into something very light hearted and fun.
Characters: Abbie may be a witch, but in every other way she is your average every day girl. She is so easy to relate to. After all, who doesn’t worry about their friends not liking them or trying to get their annoying little brother out of trouble? Of course, she also had other typical fifth grader moments in ignoring homework/spells, hating her teacher, and occasionally doing things she shouldn’t do. But she also proved she had a good heart. No matter what her little brother did she never stayed mad and didn’t seem to hold any grudges against him. She also did everything she could to keep Tom comfortable and entertained while he was trapped in his cat form. She made sure he had lots of books, calmed him when he was upset, and even risked taking him to school so he wouldn’t be bored. It was fun seeing her grow both as a person and witch during the book as she focused and faced new and dangerous situations. I have no doubt that Abbie will become a great witch as time goes by.
Romance: No romance here. After all, Abbie is only in fifth grade! She better not be thinking about dating! I will note that there is a small connection between Abbie and Tom, but it’s more friendship than anything else. And besides, he belongs in a whole different time from her!
Writing: Hayter has a nice writing style. I adore how she weaved the historical facts into the story in a fun way. Yes, she was throwing a lot of information at a reader, but it felt like it was part of the story rather than just stuck in there. After all, how else was Abbie or Tom going to learn more about his life if they didn’t do a little web searching? Beyond that, Hayter’s writing has an easy flow to it. I wouldn’t say it was so much simplistic, but it is easily approachable by kids in grade 4 and up. (Maybe even 3rd if they’re good readers.) The short chapters go fast and will be good for those readers who have a short attention span.
Librarian-Mode: So, I’ve already admitted that I don’t read much in the Middle Grade area making recommendations very hard. I’ve been trying to figure out what else to pair this with, but there is nothing else that I’ve read that fits. My gut tells me that lovers of Allie Finkle or Judy Moody would enjoy this one as well, but I’ve never read them so I’m not positive. The safest thing I can say is that this book will be perfect for those looking for a fun, light-hearted read, especially those interested in magic or history.
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