Tag: YA

Posted on

The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood

Now this was an interesting book.

It’s all about what would happen if the extreme, religious right took over the country and for the “woman’s own good” began to strip away her rights to where within 10 years or so we were basically back in the Puritan era.
But then mix it up with the fact that because of all the pesticides, nuclear power plant explosions, etc the majority of Americans can’t conceive and 3 out of 4 babies are born with abnormalities, it’s just does not bode well for women.

This is a story, sort of like an oral diary, of a “Handmaid” which is just a nice way of saying birthing slave.
Also her personal tragedy is just heart breaking. I totally mourned for the loss of her life and her loves.

I enjoyed the book, although it has some mature content in it.

It was the kind of book that really got you thinking.

recommend it.

Summary:
In a startling departure from her previous novels ( Lady Oracle , Surfacing ), respected Canadian poet and novelist Atwood presents here a fable of the near future. In the Republic of Gilead, formerly the United States, far-right Schlafly/Falwell-type ideals have been carried to extremes in the monotheocratic government. The resulting society is a feminist’s nightmare: women are strictly controlled, unable to have jobs or money and assigned to various classes: the chaste, childless Wives; the housekeeping Marthas; and the reproductive Handmaids, who turn their offspring over to the “morally fit” Wives. The tale is told by Offred (read: “of Fred”), a Handmaid who recalls the past and tells how the chilling society came to be.

  • Hardcover: 392 pages
  • Publisher: Everyman’s Library (October 17, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307264602
Posted on

Beautiful Creatures: Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Here was a nice, easy read that has lots of unrequited love and fantasy all mixed in.
I’m a little torn because although I found myself thinking about this book when I was not reading it, I also was not entirely in love with the book. It captured me, but didn’t grip me.

I think it was because I just felt the main characters were too young. I wished it would be have been centered around turning 18 instead of 16. They just felt too young for me to truly believe their devoted love. Does that betray my age/cynicism? 🙂

I did like the fact that the main narrator was a guy and not a girl. That’s pretty unusual in YA books, and I enjoyed reading from the guy’s perspective for a change.

The next one in the series comes out in October and I’m planning on reading that one too. I’m thinking the series may evolve and at least the characters won’t be jail-bate. 😉

Anyways, I really did like it though!

Summary: Ethan Wate is struggling to hide his apathy for his high school “in” crowd in small town Gatlin, South Carolina, until he meets the determinedly “out” Lena Duchannes, the girl of his dreams (literally–she has been in his nightmares for months). What follows is a smart, modern fantasy–a tale of star-crossed lovers and a dark, dangerous secret. Beautiful Creatures is a delicious southern Gothic that charms you from the first page, drawing you into a dark world of magic and mystery until you emerge gasping and blinking, wondering what happened to the last few hours (and how many more you’re willing to give up). To tell too much of the plot would spoil the thrill of discovery, and believe me, you will want to uncover the secrets of this richly imagined dark fantasy on your own

  • Hardcover: 576 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (December 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
Posted on

The Forest of Hands and Teeth: Carrie Ryan

Okay, LOVED this book!

It was all end of the world meets 28 days later, but with less gore and a lot more tragic love.

I really enjoyed this book and was totally into it and didn’t want to put it down. I actually will always have fond memories of this book because I read it on our road trip to Tuscany and my husband kept getting irritated that I had my nose in my book -er- Kindle instead of staring at the majesty of the Alps! 🙂

Anyways, the book was fantastic and totally recommend it with 5 stars!

Summary:
Mary knows little about the past and why the world now contains two types of people: those in her village and the undead outside the fence, who prey upon the flesh of the living. The Sisters protect their village and provide for the continuance of the human race. After her mother is bitten and joins the Unconsecrated, Mary is sent to the Sisters to be prepared for marriage to her friend Harry. But then the fences are breached and the life she has known is gone forever. Mary; Harry; Travis, whom Mary loves but who is betrothed to her best friend; her brother and his wife; and an orphaned boy set out into the unknown to search for safety, answers to their questions, and a reason to go on living. In this sci-fi/horror novel, the suspense that Ryan has created from the very first page on entices and tempts readers so that putting the book down is not an option. The author skillfully conceals and reveals just enough information to pique curiosity while also maintaining an atmosphere of creepiness that is expected in a zombie story. Some of the descriptions of death and mutilation of both the Unconsecrated and the living are graphic. The story is riveting, even though it leaves a lot of questions to be explained in the sequel.

Posted on

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: Stephenie Meyer

Obviously any Twilight Series reader knows the ending of this book.

It’s no mystery.

When I was reading the author’s reasons for writing this short novella and her thoughts on it, I was struck by her saying that in the end, she so desperately wanted Bree to live. She wished more than anything that she could keep her alive, but that was impossible. Her story had already been told in Eclipse, the ending written years ago.

I doubted that in such a short book, I would feel the same. I figured her attachment came from personally writing the character. Yet I read the book with an open mine and in the end – I did indeed feel that same rush of desire for her to live. As I neared the end of the book, I was sad because I know how her story ended. (I was also quite attached to Diego as well)

Was it the best book I’ve ever read? Nope. But it was a nice afternoon read (it’s less than 200 pages – a novella)

It also got me wanting to re-read Eclipse, which I guess was the entire point!

Here is an awesome thing, from now until July 7, 2010 you can read the book for free at www.breetanner.com

Pretty awesome 🙂

Amazon Description:
Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

I’m a little iffy on what star rating. I’m biased because I love the series… soooo… what to give it….

okay, I’m going to give it 4 stars just in honor of the series (make sure to read after Eclipse) and recommend it.

Posted on

Fire: Kristin Cashore

So I started Fire after reading Graceling (which I loved).
When I read the quick excerpt (have I mentioned how I HATE to read excerpts or reviews of books? I just like to see customer ratings), I saw that it was a contination of Graceling, so I was all like, “woohoo”.

But then the book started and there were these “monsters” and strange flying raptor/dinosaur type creatures and I was all like, “huh?”

Reading about Fire (the lead character), it took me a bit to come to grasp with who she was.

But there is something about Kristin Cashore. Her books tend to develop kind of slowly, but in that slow development something magical happens. You connect with the characters. It happened in Graceling and before I was half way done with Fire, it happened with this book too.

I was confused at how it was a sequal to Graceling, until the very end as things started to come into alignment and I realized how intertwined the two stories were.

REALLY liked this book!

This fantasy, shot through with romance and suspense, is set in the same world as Graceling (Dial, 2008), but on the far side of the mountain barrier in the kingdom of the Dells. Here there are monsters, enhanced and exceptionally beautiful versions of various animal species. Fire is a human monster, so beautiful that she has to hide her hair for fear of attack by both raptor monsters and human men. She is able to enter other people’s minds and exert power over them. It is a tumultuous time in the kingdom, as various lords are preparing to overthrow the king, and Fire is drawn into the fray. With a larger cast and a more complex canvas than Graceling, the story begins slowly and takes its time establishing itself. Fire’s path is not immediately clear, and although full of action, her quest is largely internal. While the plotting is well done, there are a few quibbles about Cashore’s world-building and about the role of a major character from Graceling, Leck. But, this is Fire’s story, and readers will fall in love with her as she struggles with her pivotal role in the war effort as well as her complex relationships with her oldest friend and lover, Archer; with Prince Brigan, whose mind is closed to her and who becomes central to her life; and with her monster father’s fearsome legacy. More adult in tone than Graceling, this marvelous prequel will appeal to older teens, who will not only devour it, but will also love talking about it.

So go out and get Graceling and Fire. You won’t be disappointed. Or at least I wasn’t disappointed.

5 stars, recommend.