Review: Uncommon Criminals

I absolutely loved, loved, loved this sequel to Heist Society. These novels always make me think of To Catch a Thief, and if you have not seen this movie, you must do so immediately! It's Cary Grant and Grace Kelly - you cannot go wrong.

LOVE the cover

Summary (from Goodreads):

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

My thoughts:

Thievery, intrigue, and romance make up this sequel.

Kat has decided to give up the thieving business. Now she will only steal in order to restore something lost back to its owner. Her latest case? The Cleopatra Emerald. There is one slight problem. Her uncle has forbidden her to steal it – and not just because it is cursed. Kat wants to stay true to her new principles, but she does not want to let others down. There are decisions that have to be made, rules that must be broke, and new strategies that must be created.

Kat will be pushed to her limits in this latest novel, questioning everything about her life as well as those she calls family. With quite a few twists and turns, readers will remain engaged as we travel around the world in search of the ultimate heist.

And let’s not forget Hale – the hotty Mchotty friend of Kat’s who wants to be more than friends. Since Kat seems to not be “interested” he will settle on helping her in her latest adventure, no questions asked. It is his unconditional trust and faith in Kat that make him a suitable foil for her.

While reading I found myself thinking, more than once, “Are these two going to get together or what?!” I remember hearing Myra McEntire talk about editors asking authors to save the kissing for later in the book to keep readers wanting more. For this reason, I do not fault Carter for this plot device, but man I was ready for the kissing – and I wanted a lot of it.

The traipsing around the globe to obtain the Cleopatra Emerald was a wild ride. One thing I really enjoy about the Heist books is how Carter moves the audience through time within the plot with a countdown. It is on these pages that I could hear music and special effect sounds playing in my mind. This novel is no different. Think Mission Impossible meets James Bond meets Jason Bourne. These combinations create the soundtrack I hear when I read these novels.

The heist itself challenges Kat and all she knows about the thieving world, and her uncle, but it brings out the best in our young thief. She must step beyond the current bounds of heisting to find and create her own style, one that will leave fellow thieves in awe of her skills. After all, she is just a “child” who discovers that she is quite an uncommon criminal. I really enjoyed the twists with this part of the plot. On more than one occasion I found myself thinking, "Now that's clever."

This series will appeal to adventure readers, those looking for a bit of action, and for those who just love a solid story. Kat is a likeable thief with a heart of gold, and the minor characters help provide the perfect backdrop to an intriguing, page-turning story.

The plot is clever and well-developed, the characters are a riot, and the Cleopatra Emerald is worth the heist.

Review: Take a Bow

I love Elizabeth Eulberg. I have been a fan ever since I read The Lonely Hearts Club the week it came out. Her stories makes me feel good about life, like a John Hughes teen movie. Her latest novel, Take a Bow, is no exception. As a matter of fact, I would give it a standing ovation!

gorgeous cover!

Summary (from book jacket):

Chasing fame.

Chasing love.

Chasing a future.

Emme has long lived in her best friend Sophie’s shadow. She writes songs, and Sophie sings them. It’s always been like this, and feels like it always will be.

Sophie will stop at nothing to be a star. Even if it means using her best friend and picking up a trophy boyfriend, Carter.

Carter is a victim of a particular Hollywood curse: He’s a former child star. Now all he wants is a normal life. But being normal is about as hard for him as being famous.

Ethan has his own issues—a darkness in his head that he just can’t shake. He’s managed to sabotage every relationship he’s ever been in. Emme’s the only girl he’s ever respected…but he’s not sure what to do about that.

Emme, Sophie, Cater, and Ethan are all students at a performing arts school, where talent is the norm and fame is the goal. But sometimes, being in the spotlight isn’t as important as the people you’re sharing it with—as the four of them are going to find out in Elizabeth Eulberg’s excellent new novel, which is about the auditions life puts us through every day, both big and small.

My thoughts:

This novel is a throwback to the 1980s teen movies. As a matter of fact, the entire time I was reading it, I was seeing a movie in my head, starring the cast from The Breakfast Club.

The focus in this novel is simple: how do you balance life with your hopes and your dreams, and can you make those happen without hurting the ones you love? Through the abstract ideas of friendship, romance, jealously, and redemption, readers will have their answer.

Through the characters of Emme and Sophie readers will experience the true meaning of friendship, even if it is one-sided. One of these characters embodies all that it means to be frenemies, and the interplay is well-executed. Emme is, by far, my favorite character in the novel. Sophie is the resident "mean girl" full of insecurity, and this brings the worst out in her.

In the character of Carter readers will get self-doubt. While those around him seem to melt over everything he does, he knows deep down inside it is not his talent but his name to which they are attracted. He struggles with how to break out of the shadow of his “Hollywood” persona into his own person. I think readers will be surprised with the outcome.

And then there is Ethan. Every good YA novel needs a bad boy, right? Ethan fills that glass, and then some. In truth, Ethan is not really a bad boy. He is more of a lost soul searching for the truth in his own life, and in love.

This novel will appeal to all readers of YA, but especially those that enjoy Stephanie Perkins. Both authors have the same feel to their novels. If you’ve not read books by either author, I recommend you add them to your mound of reads. You will not be disappointed.

Review: Insurgent

I read Insurgent the week it came out, but I needed to chew on it before reviewing it. It was one of the novels I was most anticipating this year, but sometimes when I finish a book I need to step away and really think about it. 

This is what happened with this novel because I was unsure of how I felt. I really needed to reflect and think about what Roth was trying to accomplish. It is the AP Language teacher in me.

I also wanted to wait because it seemed like everyone was reading and reviewing this novel. But now that the "newness" has worn off, and now that I've had time to reflect, I have finally come to a conclusion: I loved this novel.

Summary (from Goodreads):

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

My thoughts:

I was so excited to finally have this book in my hands. I read Divergent the first week of June last year and loved it. I even want to do it for a school-wide read, if I ever find a librarian job. But the countdown to this sequel was making me squirm because I do not have a lot of patience when it comes to a series I adore—and I could not wait to dive into Insurgent.

If you’re looking for an action-packed read like the predecessor, you are going to be disappointed. Roth makes us earn it in this novel. The effect of making me wait for it caused my heart to beat that much faster when I finally got to it. And it was worth it.

Character development in this novel was slower than Divergent, but I feel it was necessary to allow readers to truly understand motive. We were on such a roller coaster with the first novel that we were not really given an opportunity to breathe. In this novel, we are allowed that much-needed breath, and the characters develop at a nice pace to allow us to truly savor who they really are instead of where we think Roth is taking them. This was a nice change of pace, especially in a series.

The one thing I was not prepared for in the novel was calling Four by his given name, Tobias. To me, he will always be Four, but in this novel Tobias fits because of the way Roth develops his character. We experience a different side of him, a more tender side, and we learn more of his family’s history.

As for Tris, well…she is Tris. I felt the first novel focused more on her character development than in this novel, but now we see how much more “reckless” she has become. I use the term “reckless” loosely here for a variety of reasons, none of which I will share because I do not want to spoil any of the major plot points.

As for the plot, I cannot say much without spoiling, but I believe the summary from Goodreads will give you a basic idea. I will say the highlight for me did not happen until the end of the book. A few weeks ago a friend of mine sent me a text and that read, “This novel is a lot slower than the other. Tell me it gets better.” I sent her a text that said, “The ending makes it worth every page.” I stick by that assessment.

If you loved Divergent, then you cannot miss this novel. I don’t know what Roth has in store for us with the third novel, but based on how she ended this one, I am convinced it will be awesome.

Cover Talk: The Archived

I first fell in love with Victoria Schwab via Twitter, and it is all Rachel Hawkins' fault. I follow Hawkins and noticed interesting conversations she was having with a soon-to-be-published-for-the-first-time author (aka Schwab). I quickly discovered that Schwab had written a witchy read, so I went to NetGalley to obtain a copy of The Near Witch to review. I could NOT put that book down - it was fantabulous!

With that said, I am especially elated with the prospects of her newest YA novel, The Archived. The cover was revealed yesterday, and I asked Schwab if I could post it on my blog. She graciously said yes because she is awesome. 

What I love about this cover is the promise it seems to hold. It beckons me, no - it dares me - to open the pages and become one with the story. Okay, that might be a bit dramatic, but you get my point. I love this cover and I love the premise of this book.

 

If this cover does not give you the chills, maybe the summary will.


Summary (from Goodreads):

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous—it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da's death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.


Squee! I cannot wait to read this!!! It is currently scheduled for a January 2013 release.


 

Review: Between the Lines

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan. When I learned she was going to step into the world of YA, there were certain expectations I had – a controversial topic, a court case, tears. This is not what happened with her new novel, written with her daughter, Samantha Van Leer, and it was a pleasant (and refreshing) surprise.  

My husband works for B&N and was able to secure an ARC for me - GO HUBBY!

Summary (from book jacket):

What happens when happily ever after…isn’t?

Delilah hates school as much as she loves books—one book in particular. In fact if anyone knew how many times she has read and reread the sweet little fairy tale she found in the library, especially her cooler classmates, she’d be sent into social Siberia…forever.

To Delilah, though, this fairy tale is more than just words on the page. Sure, there’s a handsome (well, okay, incredibly handsome) prince, and a castle, and an evil villain, but it feels as if there’s something deeper going on. And one day, Delilah finds out there is.

Turns out, this Prince Charming is real, and a certain fifteen-year-old loner has caught his eye. But they’re from two different worlds, and how can it ever possibly work?

My thoughts:

First, let me say that this is such an interesting concept for a YA novel – what if the story continues after the cover of a book is closed? I am surprised that we have not seen this story told a lot because we see this idea with toys.

There are three different stories in this novel: Delilah’s, Prince Charming, and the fairy tale Between the Lines. These three wrapped together create an intriguing story about longing, friendship, and teen angst.

What I loved about the novel: the plot concept and the illustrations.

The plot concept is intriguing – what happens when we close the cover to books we read? Does the action stop, or are the characters merely actors playing their parts? This element of the novel was one of my favorites because it was interesting to see some of the characters feel they were living their parts more than their lives. It reminded me of actors like Daniel Day-Lewis who stay in character while shooting movies. It was especially amusing to read the interaction between Prince Charming and the villain and to learn that in the end, the characters are more like a family on a film set.

To make the novel even more appealing, Picoult and Van Leer sprinkle illustrations throughout. I think this will appeal to tween and teen readers. My students especially discuss how much they love when writers include those illustrations. This is where Picoult and Van Leer are really playing to the audience.

What I struggled with while reading this novel: the changing writer’s voice.

With that said, let me say that writing a novel with her daughter was an interesting idea. The storytelling is true Picoult-style with alternating points-of-view, but there were parts that I found difficult to read because the writer’s voice would change, sometimes in the middle of a paragraph. I found myself saying in my head, “This part is all Picoult,” and then a few paragraphs later, “This is all her daughter.”

There is a note in the front of this novel where Picoult discusses how she and her daughter wrote this novel together. If that note is in the final copy, be sure to read it. If you’ve never read one of her books, you more than likely will not notice the difference. It is slight, but it is still there.

Overall, tween readers will especially enjoy this novel because the concept and execution will appeal to them.

I recommend this novel to all YA readers because of the interesting concept, and really, who does not enjoy a good fairy tale once in a while?

Between the Lines is on sale June 26, 2012 – add it to your summer reads!

Fake, Outrageous, Cupcakes!

Okay, I know the title of this post is a little odd, but it fits perfectly with three great tween reads I've read over that last couple of weeks. Two of the novels are from a series and the other is a fun read.

I love tween novels, and I really love when I find a series that makes me feel good about life. 

Enjoy! 

Summary (from the book):

Now that she is settling into eighth grade, the class she used to envy, Alice McKinley is discovering that it isn’t all that exciting. But maybe it’s up to her to make this year as thrilling as she thought it would be. Out with the old, plain-Jane Alice, in with the new, stylish, creative Alice. She’s sick of being boring. It’s time to be outrageous!

But what if outrageous isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be? What if Alice finds herself in situations that are more embarrassing than they are wild and fun? Is Alice destined to be the same boring girl forever?

My Thoughts:

Another Alice book bites the dust. My goal is to read all of them before the end of the year, and as always, I adored this one as much as the others.

Alice is growing up, page-by-page, allowing readers to experience it with her. This is why I love these books. I feel as if I am Alice – as if I am the one experiencing all the love, friendship, and laughter.

In this latest installment Alice decides that she is just too plain, and she wants to be a bit different. It seems everyone has something that makes them special, and she is just plain Alice. So…she experiments with ways to make herself more interesting. My favorite moment is when she shows up to school with her green Mohawk – well, her sort of green Mohawk. She doesn’t shave her hair or anything. She just tries to create the spikes with her hair.

And do you know what I love about Alice as a character? That she is willing to take chances, even wearing a crazy Mohawk to school, and doesn’t really care what others think. She understands that the key to life is loving one’s self, but it is her road of discovering her own self that makes these books worth every page.

Summary (from the book):

Emma is not thrilled with always needing to rearrange her schedule to babysit her younger brother, Jake, after school. But it’s summer, and Emma is free…or so she thinks. Emma’s parents have broken the news that really threatens to push Emma over the edge: Emma and Jake are going to the same day camp together. And Emma will have to babysit Jake on the bus. Every day.

My Thoughts:

I highly recommend The Cupcake Diaries series to all tween readers. These books bring to life what real friendship is all about, even if it is through the making of cupcakes. I feel that these books also empower girls to remember that tween life is meant to be clean-cut, wholesome. Who wants to grow up too fast anyway?

I also love that each book focuses on an individual member of the Cupcake Club.

In the latest installment, the focus is on Emma. It’s summer and it’s time for day camp. But, does her brother Jake really have to go to the same one? Of course he does. And not only that, but Emma has to “babysit” him on the bus to camp each day. This alone is a trial of her patience, but she meets new friends, has a great time, and learns that sacrifice for family can never lead her down the wrong path—even if she would rather ride with her best friend to camp each day instead.

With typical “one for all and all for one” attitudes, the Cupcake Club comes together to make it all work—even when Emma doesn’t think she can take her brother anymore.

Summary (from the book):

A novelty mustache pits two seventh-grade friends against each other in a battle for the fate of the U.S.A.

The mustache in question is no cheap costume prop but the Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven, a lip tickler so dazzlingly convincing, it can turn whole towns of people into mindless yes-men. Twelve-year-old Casper Bengue borrows ten dollars from his friend Lenny Flem Jr. to buy the mustache. So when a mysterious—and very short—mustachioed man goes on a bank-robbing spree, then launches a well-financed bid for the presidency, it doesn’t take Lenny long to realize that his buddy is up to no good. Too bad almost everyone else is completely under Casper’s spell.

With the amazing Jodie O’Rodeo, teen cowgirl queen, at his side and dozens of hypnotized townsfolk on his trail, Lenny will try to stop Casper—aka Fako Mustacho—on his seemingly inexorable march to the White House.

My Thoughts:

Be prepared to laugh! No seriously, I mean it.

Angleberger does it again with this hilarious take on what happens when a seven-year-old has enough money to purchase a “man about town” suit and a “Heidelberg Handlebar Number Seven” mustache.

The novel opens with Lenny Flem Jr.’s point of view, following him through the discovery that his best friend is actually a bank-robbing, governorship-stealing, president-wanting criminal mastermind…all because of a suit and mustache!

The narration is broken into two parts: Lenny and Jodie O’Rodeo. I prefer Lenny’s narration, and I felt as if Jodie’s took away from the overall novel. But, the chapter titles are clever, the chapter lengths are appropriate, and the overall effect = belly laughs.

While there are parts that will make adult readers go “As if…”, young readers will be delighted with the wit and charm of this novel.

This is a fast read, and it is appropriate for both male and female readers. 

Review: Between, a Haunting Ghost Tale

The first thing that caught my attention with this book is the combination of book jacket and title font. I picked it up at the bookstore, read the jacket, and then read the first chapter. I was hooked! I knew this was going to be right up my reading ally, and I was right.

Summary (from jacket):

Elizabeth Valchar—pretty, popular, and perfect—wakes up the morning after her eighteenth birthday party on her family’s yacht, where she’d been celebrating with her five closest friends. A persistent thumping noise has roused her. When she goes to investigate, what she discovers will change everything she thought she knew about her past, her future, and what lies in between.

As Liz begins to unravel the circumstances surrounding her birthday night, she finds that no one, least of all Liz herself, was perfect—or innocent. And that some memories never stop following you, no matter how hard you run.

From the very first chapter, Jessica Warman launches readers into a roller-coaster ride of a mystery, one that is also a heartbreaking character study, a tender romance, and ultimately a hopeful tale of redemption, love, and letting go.

My Thoughts:

An intriguing “ghost” mystery is what this YA novel truly is. It is difficult to review this novel without ruining plot points, so I will tiptoe lightly.

I loved this book!

I loved the story, I loved the characters, and I loved Liz. By the novel’s end I was praying that the circumstances would change because I was so vested in her as a character.

Here’s what I loved: the weaving of character development and plot development sprinkled with mystery throughout.

The character and plot development are weaved so tightly in this novel. A lot of YA novels tend to be either character-driven or plot-driven. For me, this novel brought the two together like a perfect marriage. One would not have succeeded without the other, period.

The characters themselves create the mystery haunting these pages (and Liz), and it not just one mystery that is in need of solving—but two.

Readers will find themselves caught up in Liz’s world of popularity, a world that even Liz will discover is not what she thought it was.

I recommend this novel to all lovers of YA, but especially to lovers of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. This novel has the same creep-factor without the side of crazy.

In My Mailbox (23)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme sponsored by The Story Siren.  This is a great way for bloggers to network and share what books they are reviewing, borrowing, and/or buying.

I am excited about several reads I've added to my mound. As a matter of fact, right now my mound is so overwhelming that I'm not too sure if I'll be able to read all of them...summer break, where are you?!

Purchased from Used Bookstore:

• Carrie (King) - this copy is from 1974! The author photo of King is priceless
• Wench (Perkins-Valdez) - so anxious to read this
• The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (Howe) - have an ARC and wanted to add a finished copy to my library

Purchased from B&N:

• Just Grace and the Terrible TuTu (Harper) - I love this children's series
• Cupcake Diaries: Emma All Stirred Up (Simon) - book 7; keep them coming
• Falling In (Dowell) - a little iffy about this one, but it looks cute
• Summer of the Gypsy Moths (Packer) - love the Clementine books and decided to give this a try
• Cinder (Meyer) - our latest pick for the YA Teacher Reader bookclub
• Insurgent (Roth) - do I really need to tell you why I bought this (awesomeness on paper)

Well, that's it for this week. Do you have any books you recommend for me to add to my mound of reads?

Happy Reading!