Rating: 
Tessa Scott is dying, and there’s some things she’d really like to get to before she does. Ideas scribbled everywhere around her room. On the wall. On scraps of paper. Her best friend, Zoey, thinks she should gather them together, make a real list, get on with it. Anything’s better than lying about in bed all day. And as much as Tess would like to disagree, she eventually comes to realize she has two choices. Get on with living or get on with death. And since her life has already been cut short, isn’t making the most of the rest of it the best plan?
The list is not necessarily the kind of thing a parent would love. In fact, Tessa’s pretty sure that her dad will hate most of it. But it’s her life. And she wants to get to experience it. After all, what’s the worst that can happen?
Of course, making up one’s mind to go through with something so big and actually doing it are different stories. And when Zoey comes to collect her for their night out, where they intend to take care of number uno–sex–Tess isn’t so keen to leave the house. Nor is her dad keen to have her out late. Zoey cares about neither objection, and off they go. It’s not exactly everything Tessa was hoping for. In fact it might be nothing she was hoping for. But it’s still one off the list. And it’s a start. Which might make it easier to keep going. But nothing can make it easy.
Her relationships are strained at best. Her father is at wit’s end. Zoey comes and goes. She meets the neighbor boy, after a long stretch of watching him through the window, only to get close, push him away, get close, push him away.
The day she decides to say yes to everything lands her in a river, and afterwards in hospital. Her wish for fame leads to a radio interview where she divulges some details her father could have done with out. But once she’s really made up her mind to go out on her own terms, there’s certainly no stopping her.
Not the easiest story to read, in terms of sunshine and happy times, but it’s certainly well worth the read. Tessa is someone to aspire to, when all is said and done.
Rating: 
Brit Hemphill’s life takes a turn from somewhat manageable to hellish under the guise of a family trip to the Grand Canyon, which in actuality turns out to be a one-way trip for Brit to Red Rock, a Behavioral Modifcation Boot Camp masquerading as a Residential Treatment Facility. Clueless as to why she’s been sent away, and to this place of all places, Brit is not eager to comply to the rules or be easy for the people now holding her captive. Only after some friendly, if biting advice from a Level Six she doesn’t know, does she relent, and earn the beginning of her freedom by achieving Level Two.
Therapy with Dr. Clayton is a sham, at best, and Brit has nothing to say. She doesn’t know why she’s there, doesn’t consider being a teen to be a disorder, and doesn’t want to talk about her mother, who went Schizophrenic a few years ago, at which point her and her father’s lives fell apart. She’s had three years to deal with that, and doesn’t see the relevance. And she certainly doesn’t see what Dr. Clayton could have to say about it, especially since she isn’t even a Doctor.
And so it goes. Group Therapy consists of hurling insults until the victim breaks down, exercise is manual labor, the food is horrible, and a catch-22 for those with eating disorders. The overweight will never achieve any sort of progress while eating the food provided, and will be reprimanded if they don’t. The one highlight, the hikes, aren’t, as they’re really more like death marches. If not for her friendship with some of the other inmates, Brit would have been lost long ago. Even with the Divinely Fabulous Ultra-Exclusive Club of the Cuckoos behind her, Red Rock is still sometimes too much to take. And when their group gets disbanded, assigned new roommates, put under surveillance, Brit isn’t sure she’s going to make it. Not until Martha goes missing, and a girl named Pam gives Brit the true story, which the counselors will cover up, is she galvanized into action.
Brit, together with her sisters, and on the outside, Jed, and two ex-Red Rock employees, begins to build her case. At first she thought it was as easy as finding someone to tell their story. But he wouldn’t listen. So they get all the proof they can. And even then, when she shows up in person to deliver it to him, he writes her off as a spoiled kid. It seems like all is lost. Red Rock will continue on, breaking girls and calling them healed, sending home those without money, and milking those with it for all that they’ve got.
Or maybe not.
Dedicated to misunderstood girls everywhere, this is a harsh but beautiful look at how wrong we can go with the best of intentions, and how even the most backward situations can bring us to the realizations we’ve been needing to make.
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Rating:
For Alex, the fun ended when his brilliant plan went awry and landed him on a neighbor’s lawn, crushed lawn gnome under tire, puking his guts out on an officer’s shoes. Though if you asked him, it’s nothing to get in a tizzy over. Just a lawn gnome. So what if he intended to drive across down and didn’t make it to the end of the road? No way does he need to pay for it by spending his time with someone as old, unpleasant, and abusive as Sol Lewis. No way. Too bad Judge Trent and his mother don’t agree.
With no choice but to persist, Alex does eventually learn to handle Sol, eventually developing a rapport with him, if an uneasy one. Not until he arrives late one day, an occupies himself with guitar, thus accidentally discovering Sol’s love for music, do they really begin to bond. And at this point, Alex has another brilliant idea. But this time it really is good. He’s going to hold a concert at the home, with two of his insanely musically talented classmates, who he likes to call the Cha-KINGS.
Soon Alex is in it deep. After school practicing, trying to learn to keep up with two musical gods. Off-days, visiting Sol, trying to make the most of their time together, hard as that may sometimes be. In fact, he’s begun thinking of staying on after his time is up. Even after Sol finds out he’s not been there of his own accord and they have a falling out on New Year’s Eve. Even after Sol shows him up at his own gig.
With the arrival of Valentine’s Day, the situation gets more dire. Sol, who has emphysema, has been hospitalized with pneumonia. Alex gets the news as he’s about to leave, and has no option but to go pick up his date, explain the situation, and head to the hospital. After enduring the visit, during which Sol does nothing but call her Laurie, Alex sets his date up with Laurie’s date at the dance, after arriving, filling her in, and being directed to take her to the hospital right now.
By his return visit, Sol is looking better, but Alex is beginning to be forced to face the hard truth. He won’t be around forever.
Back at the home, Sol and Alex continue their lessons, and Alex learns that Sol and the Cha-KING’s have scheduled another show for April. Alex isn’t entirely interested, but agrees on the condition that Sol will take part.
Though she didn’t attend the first time, Alex takes the chance to invite Judge Trent to the concert, and this time she accepts. A fact that is even more surprising than Alex knows.
This was a really, really fun read, and exceptionally quick. You could add it to your pile and it would be gone again before you knew it.
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Rating:
The wait is over, and another begun. Like its predecessors before it, Eclipse will please, and leave readers wanting more.
Picking up with life in Forks racing towards graduation, Bella is under house arrest, she and Jacob still aren’t speaking, Charlie is barely tolerating Edward, who himself is more polite than Bella thinks Charlie deserves, and her plans to become a vampire are solid as ever. If only that were the end of the list of worries.
There’s still Victoria, forever hunting Bella to avenge her mate’s death. And the Volturi, displeased with a human knowing their secret. And, after winning her freedom, and going to see Jake, Jake and Edwards’ mutual dislike. Edward, of course, is the first to get a grip. And in Bella, the werewolves and the vampires find common ground. After a break-in at her house, Jake and Edward realize Bella, and everyone else involved, would be better protected if the sides worked together. For a long time, that leaves Jacob on his own, largely lacking in sleep, but he won’t hear of not doing his part.
Then there’s the matter of the murders in Seattle. Eventually, the Cullens suspect vampires. Newborns. An area with which Jasper has a great deal of experience.
A plan begins to form, and after some more insightful thought on Bella’s part, changes, as the plot thickens. For her part, she can’t stand any of it. Knowing that her friends are putting themselves in danger for her. Regardless of their claims that it will all work out, she can’t relax. And after hearing in detail what newborns can do, she starts to worry after herself, and what she’ll become when she changes. Whether she’ll still be herself.
A lot of big questions get asked, and answered, in this installment of the series, which is sure to please. For my part, I’m now eagerly, and rather impatiently, awaiting Breaking Dawn.
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Rating:
Having just recovered his father from a years-long enchantment, Charlie is on his own again—his parents have gone off for a second honeymoon. But there’s plenty to look forward to. Once they’re back, the family will be moving into its old home. Which, as Charlie and Uncle Paton find out while visiting, has been recently vandalized. By something not quite human, if the glimpse Charlie gets of two figures scurrying away is right.
At school, things aren’t going so well either. The appearance of a boy called Dagbert Endless has everyone ill at ease. Cook, because she knew his father. Charlie, because Dagbert has attached himself to him and is insulting all his friends. Charlie’s friends because…they’re being insulted. But the boy’s plot fails. He can’t actually break up Charlie and his gang, since they know it’s what he’s up to, and they aren’t falling for it.
Charlie’s aunt has also remarried, and is now step-mother to a sweet girl, and rather questionable boy, who happens to be under Manfred Bloor’s control.
But the real key to the story is the beast. Asa, after helping Charlie save his father, hasn’t been seen since. But mournful howls can be heard filling the air every night. The townspeople get themselves into a panic and go out on a hunt, after which Charlie knows he just has to find Asa. And thanks to Mr. Ominous, he has a plan.
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Rating:
Aggie Cotter has mixed feelings about her new job at Murkmere. Though she was loathing the idea of wasting her life in the village as a spinner, upon her arrival at Murkmere’s imposing gates, her future there seems somewhat less exotic and a little more frightening.
Even though the handsome Silas Seed is the one to open said gates for here, she finds herself unable to enter, for fear of the rooks nesting on the grounds. Silas reminds her that rooks nesting near a place are an omen of good luck, and while pondering the contradictions within the Table of Significance, Aggie enters the estate and follows him to the house.
Immediately, she sense that life here will not be overly pleasant. The housekeeper seems to have taken an immediate dislike to her, and most of the rest of the household staff have the same air about them. All but the little girl Scuff.
As for Miss Leah, whom she has been employed to be companion to, their first encounter involved Leah telling Aggie to pack her things and get out.
The Master of course disagrees, setting Leah into even more of a huff, but she manages to tolerate Aggie, and eventually they even form a friendship. Sadly, when Aggie takes drastic measures to protect Leah from dangers she can’t see, she loses her hard-won friendship. Life at Murkmere then becomes desolate indeed.
Aggie continues to try to watch over Leah as best she can, even though the girl wants little to do with her. With the Master’s health failing and Leah’s birthday ball upcoming, there is much to be done around the manner. With her hard work, Aggie seems to work her way slowly back into Leah’s good graces. Still, for all their hard work an planning, the big day ends in disaster. And not only for Aggie and Leah–much ill also befalls those who had been plotting against them.
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March 15th, 2007
8:37 am
Book Review, Staff Favorites
california, death/loss, faeries, fantasy, francesca lia block, friendship, high school, motion pictures, realistic, ya fiction
Rating:
This is the book that started my obsession with Francesca Lia Block. After I read it, on a friend’s recommendation, I went out and bought all the rest of her books out at the time.
Violet wants to make movies. She views all of her life through eyes trained to this purpose. And while she’s had episodes that would add to a script, she finds her life mostly lacking in the requisite conflict and love interest categories. She also has no one to work with.
And then she spots Claire. Blonde, unknowingly pretty, surrounded by jerks. Violet comes to her rescue, and they become immediate friends. A new sensation for both of them. Violet is generally misunderstood, disliked and feared. Claire has never fit in.
While she doesn’t see life the way Violet does, she’s eager to try to help with the movie. And so the adventures begin. A trip to a transvestite bar, an underground concert, where Violet makes off with the lead singer, who spurns her, though she manages to turn it to her advantage.
She takes a job as a receptionist with an agent, who agrees in turn to help her with her script. Instead, he gives her a new story, and in the end, her movie becomes something much different than her original intent.
Claire, cut out of much of Violet’s life and time, is feeling lost. She has her poetry class–originally a joint venture with Claire, and her poetry teacher, but it isn’t the same. She’s worried about her friend, but doesn’t know what to do.
When her teacher also abandons her, and for another student, Claire is overcome. Violet, having had enough of her lot, is also at a tipping point. But there make-up goes awry when Claire spies Violet with Peter. An event innocent enough, but how would she know that from the shadows?
Her night takes many dangerous turns, and ends with another daring rescue by Violet. But the damage is still too great.
In the end, friendship triumphs, and a new and brighter life awaits the pair.
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As the teen services librarian, I rarely venture into the world of adult books, but when I heard about this book, I knew I had to read this.
Margaret Lea lives her life for books. Growing up in an antiquarian bookshop, she spends her life reading. As she fine tunes her tastes, she learns that she has an insatiable hunger for biographies and to bring people’s stories alive.
Given a chance opportunity, Margaret is commissioned by a famous author named Vida Winter to write her biography. Vida’s most famous work is a collection of short stories, originally set to have thirteen tales, though only twelve were published. No one has ever found the thirteenth tale.
Vida is known for being a difficult subject, often lying to those around her about her past. Despite this, Margaret is determined to get to the truth–the truth about Vida’s life, her past, and the secret behind the thirteenth tale. What Margaret finds is a deep and tangled web of family secrets, intrigue and scandal.
Run–don’t walk–to the library to get this book. Setterfield has concocted a delicious mystery that will leave people talking about it, long after they’ve finished the book.
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Rating:
In this sequel to Faerie Wars, we pick up right where we left off. Mr Fogarty has settled into his duties as Gatekeeper of the Realm, Pyrgus is acclimating to his position as Emperor Elect, and Henry is back at home missing the Faerie Realm. So when he finds out he’s been invited to Pyrgus’ Coronation Ceremony, he’s perfectly happy to except. On top of that, he finds out he’ll be receiving some magical help in sneaking away–even better!
But not for long.
In the Realm, Lord Hairstreak has struck a deal with the now resurrected Purple Emperor, putting Comma on the throne, with himself as Regent. Comma then releases his crazy mother from the West Wing, after banishing Pyrgus, Blue and Fogarty. Henry lost his original portal maker and had to make himself a new one, and isn’t at all sure he got it right, though he does eventually realize what’s actually going on.
Much more action in this one, since the plots are thicker and the twists more numerous. Very enjoyable and quick read. Can’t wait for the next one!
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August 24th, 2006
10:32 am
Book Review, Harry Potter Read-Alikes, Series, Staff Favorites
friendship, greek mythology, juvenile fiction, monsters, olympians, percy jackson, voyages, ya fiction
Percy Jackson has finally done the impossible–he made it through the school year. If he can just get through the last day. When he gets to gym class, and realizes there is something very wrong with the members of the opposing team, he knows he’s in trouble. When they begin to grow in size, and throw balls of fire, he’s sure he’s sunk. And if not for his friend Tyson’s bulk and immunity to fire, he would have been. But somehow, with Tyson’s help, and the sudden appearance of Annabeth, he manages to escape. Leaving the school on fire, Percy heads towards camp, where things are even worse.
Camp is under attack, its borders weakened. The tree which normally strengthens their protection has been poisoned and is dying. The more times passes, the more the danger grows. Chiron the Centaur has been dismissed, and the replacement Activities Director is a bad seed. Percy feels he has to do something. When he shares his recent dreams with Annabeth, they think they’ve found a way to save them all. But Tantalus will have none of it, and offers the quest instead to Clarisse, who has no love of Percy or his friends.
Hope seems lost, but when Percy sneaks out to the ocean to clear his head, he finds some very unexpected help awaiting him. Annabeth and Tyson manage to arrive just in time for the three of them to take off on their unapproved quest, and just miss being eating by the patrol harpies.
Along the way there are many mishaps, and of course a few surprises. And while Percy and his friends do manage to save their camp, the outcome, as has to be expected with the evil Kronos involved, is not what any of them expected.
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