Wicked - Gregory Maguire

· Paperback: 519 pages
· Publisher: Harper
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 0061350966
· ISBN-13: 978-0061350962

About the Book:

When Dorthy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum’s classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so Wicked?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West – a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

My Review:

Gregory Maguire has taken away all of your assumptions about the famous Wicked Witch. He introduces Elphaba, the once-nameless Witch, as a baby. You read about her life growing up, the trials she faced being different, and her loves lost and friendships betrayed. He also explores her relationship with Glenda the Good Witch in a way that will leave you wondering if the house did indeed fall on the right Witch!

This book left me with a new, more sympathetic view for Elphaba, and a fresh dislike for Glenda. Gregory Maguire shapes an in-depth person from the flat, evil-tempered character originally created by Baum. She laughs, cries, loves, and even protests causes she feels strongly about. The story is written in Maguire’s unique style, which gives an old-fashioned feel without being boring. Most of his humor is the dry sarcastic type, which mirrors Elphaba’s personality, but it makes for a pleasant read.

I have yet to read “Son of a Witch”, the sequel to “Wicked”, but I do plan on it. Gregory Maguire also re-tells a few other classic stories, which I also intend to read.

Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

· Hardcover: 336 pages
· Publisher: Ace Hardcover 2010
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 0441019277
· ISBN-13: 978-0441019274

About the Book:

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they’ll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I’m not human. I know them when I meet the, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson’s sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She’s tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself… and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

My Review:

Mercedes Thompson is a walker, meaning she can shift from human to coyote at will. She is not, however, a werewolf, although she was raised by them. She is a mechanic, and lives next door to the Adam, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack. When a newly-changed lone wolf shows up on the doorstep of her mechanic shop, and is attacked for apparently no reason, she calls in Adam. She knows how the packs politics work, and that the lone wolf will not likely survive without the interference of the pack. But as she and Adam investigate the origins of the new wolf, they find there is much more going on than a rogue creating new wolves without permission. When Adam’s daughter, Jesse, is kidnapped Mercy jumps in to help.

I actually read the fifth book in this series first, Silver Borne, and it sent me looking for the first in the series. Her books are well written, drawing you into a strange world, without giving up all of the secrets of how it works. Each book has it’s own pieces of the puzzle, but you never fully understand the fae, or the vampires involved.

Nightshade - Andrea Cremer

· Reading level: Young Adult
· Paperback: 480 pages
· Publisher: Speak 2011
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 014241980X
· ISBN-13: 978-0142419809

About the Book:

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she’ll
be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their
pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters’ laws by
saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence,
and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose
everything - including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

My Review:

Calla is a werewolf; technically a “Guardian”. The Guardians are the protectors of the Keepers, a race of witches charged with protecting the balance power in the human world, unbeknownst to the humans. The Guardians protect the Keepers from the Seekers, rebel witches out to destroy the Keepers. Calla’s life is pretty much laid out, she is an alpha female from the Nightshade pack, destined to mate with Ren, an alpha male from the Bane pack, thus creating a new third pack. But then she breaks the rules. For reasons even she doesn’t understand, she rescues a human boy from a bear attack in the woods. When he shows up as a new student at the Mountain School, she knows there will be problems. When she becomes friends with him, he helps her uncover secrets about the history of the Guardians and Keepers that will change her perception of the world around her. As she realizes the Guardians are no more than glamorized slaves to the Keepers, her alliances are tested, and her life changed forever.

Nightshade is different than other books in its genre. Although Calla is torn between Shay and Ren, she doesn’t change as a person because of either boy. Her attraction to each boy is for reasons other than just physical beauty or unexplained obsession. She does make some poor decisions, but isn’t offered many choices either, so you don’t find yourself wanting to smack her upside the head for being stupid. The book is the first in a trilogy, but I see it more as a part one of three, because it doesn’t really stand alone. It is well written, with no rushing or jumping around from idea to idea, but there is no real ending to the story; it might as well have had a “to be continued” at the end. Either way, I am anxiously awaiting the second book “Wolfsbane” so I can continue the story.

Die For Me - Amy Plum

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062004018
ISBN-13: 978-0062004017

About the Book:

When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life—and memories—behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant—an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Review:

Die For Me is the first book in Amy Plum’s “Revenant’s” series. In this first book, she introduces Kate, a teenage American girl who has moved to France with her sister to live with their grandparents after their parent’s death. Once there, she begins to fall for the mysterious Vincent, an incredibly handsome boy who seems strangely drawn to her as well. Things are not easy, however, because Vincent is a ‘Revenant’; an immortal being who continually sacrifices his own ‘life’ repeatedly in order to save others.

What I liked about this book was that it was unique. I had never heard of a ‘Revenant’ before; some type of semi-human guardian angels that live among mortals. I have read over reviews that compare this series to Twilight, saying that it is a ‘watered down knock-off’. I disagree. Yes, the Protagonist is an independent, albeit mopey, teenage girl who is mature for her age. Yes, her love interest is constantly described as beautiful and her feelings for him border on obsessive. But none of these are things I would attribute directly to Twilight, but rather to the young-adult genre in general.

Overall, Die For Me was a great introduction to a series I definitely intend to read! Amy Plum has added a unique twist to the genre normally taken up by vampires and werewolves.

Before I Fall by: Lauren Oliver

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen 2010
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006172680X
ISBN-13: 978-0061726804

About the Book:

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

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My Review:

Before I Fall was by far one of the most thought-provoking books I have read in a long time. I was reminded very much of the movie “Butterfly Effect”, as Sam learns how one small act can affect so many of those around her; and yet because she is the only one that knows she is reliving the same day over and over, she has nothing to show for her efforts each morning. The idea that you will be reading the same day seven times may sound boring and repetitive, but it is far from it! Each day, as Sam reacts to the same situations differently, her world shifts around her and she learns more about herself and her friends in one week than she has in years. Lauren Oliver has successfully written a book that is both entertaining and thought provoking, encouraging the reader to not only examine the life of the main character, but perhaps take some of the story to heart and examine their own life as well.

Hereafter by: Tara Hudson

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen 2011
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062026771
ISBN-13: 978-0062026774

About the Book:

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, hereafter is a sensation you won’t want to miss.

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My Review:

Hereafter is a haunting story of a teenage girl stuck in a nightmare of an afterlife where she doesn’t know who she is, and can’t be seen or heard to ask anyone to help her. It isn’t until she meets Joshua that she finally starts to remember, and piece together her memories of her past life, but another ghost (Eli) doesn’t want her to be happy, and will do anything to keep her to himself. Also standing between the two, is Joshua’s family heritage, and his supposed destiny as a ‘seer’. I loved the build-up of the book, and the momentum it gained throughout the first half or so, but was fairly disappointed with the flow of the second half. It seemed rushed, as though the author tried to cram to many ideas into a limited amount of pages (or a quickly approaching deadline). Several questions went unanswered, and things seemed to happen miraculously, just when needed, with no real explanation as to how or why. I did enjoy the book overall, and hope to see the story continue with another book; ideally with more answers than questions in the next one!