Llew's Reviews

This one would be a good one for younger Twilight fans. Vampire fun with out the intense slightly stalkerish creepy relationship.

“This compelling, page-turning futuristic novel takes readers into a world that pits teenagers against each other in a fight to the death for the glory and well-being of their district. But when Katniss discovers the young man from her district is in love her, she is faced with having to kill him to survive or sacrificing herself to save him.” Indie Bound Indie Kid’s Next List, Winter 2008

The above blip makes this one sound kind of boring when it’s really KIND OF AWESOME. It is like Lord of The Flies only enjoyable. Don’t get me wrong – it has its brutal moments but there’s a sense of humanity (brief glimpses of humanity) that make it a worthwhile riveting tale.

“Quentin has loved Margo Roth Spiegelman since they were both nine years old. Now it’s the spring of their senior year, and after a night of pranks, Margo disappears, leaving a solitary clue for Quentin. He and his friends use ingenuity and creativity to search for Margo and the search culminates in a mad dash road trip to upstate New York that must be read to be believed. Both poignant and hysterical, this book is a delightful celebration of smart guys.” Indie Bound Indie Kids Next List Winter 2008

John Green is my favorite current young adult author, and I’m a sucker for his stories which are usually coming of age tales of awkward witty boys . While I still love “Looking for Alaska” more this one is hilarious. It’s full of his normal acerbic style this time featured in LISTS which made me giddy.  For example,

“She may be hot, but she is also 1. aggressively vapid, and 2. an absolute, unadulterated raging bitch. Those of us who frequent the band room have long suspected that Becca maintains her lovely figure by eating nothing but the souls of kittens and the dreams of impoverished children.”

Yeah, I definitely loved this one.

Preparing For Christmas Season In The Harried Book World: Book #16

“Louisa — solid, steady, dependable. Clem — younger, rebellious, daring, and the favorite. This is a story, told over 25 years, of two sisters — opposite as night and day, oil and water, yin and yang — and how they remain connected. In my opinion, this is Julia Glass’ best book yet!” Indie Bound’s Indie Next List November, 2008

No, no, no, no. This book switches back and forth between sisters. One chapter will be by Louisa, the next is from Clem’s point of view. Then, back to Louisa. This is fine, except that the author then acts as if the reader has mental deficiencies and over-explains things that were just detailed in the previous chapter. Gah!

Glass and her editors had to purposefully choose this style and I just don’t know why. Why do you act as if your readers are stupid? Why are you explaining that X is your sister’s zen ex-boyfriend when we just spent the previous chapter with him as a main feature character?

This book showed real promise with a fantastic beginning, and I thought I was going to adore it. Thus, I feel doubly disappointed that by the middle I was rather annoyed by it all.

I don’t care how close it is to Christmas – my next three books are all going to be young adult titles. I’m burned out on these sad soul sucking novels. Yes, Songs For The Missing, I’m looking at you.

Preparing For Christmas Season In The Harried Book World: Book #15

“Popular high school student Kim Larsen disappears from her Midwestern home. Yes, it’s every parent’s nightmare. And, yes, this book pulls you in with its quiet power and alternating moods of hope and doom, as you are drawn into reading it long into the night. Highly recommended.” from Indie Bound’s Indie Next List, November 2008

Highly recommended? Sure, if you like being depressed and all hope slowly being seeped from your soul. That being said: once I started, I couldn’t stop reading this one.  It’s really well written.

Since HBO started a show (True Blood) based on this series, I haven’t been able to keep these books in stock… which led me to believe they were good, really good. That assumption was wrong, really wrong. Thankfully, the get better (as the first one is straight up BAD) but that doesn’t mean they actually become good books.

I read all of these so I could watch the show (which I’ve been Tivo-ing) only to discover that the show is JUST AS BAD only it includes really wretched accents. Le sigh!