How to use this Page

Heart of a Samurai. Margi Preus. 2010. [August 2010] Harry N. Abrams. 320 pages. 

Manjiro squinted across the expanse of glittering sea at the line of dark clouds forming on the horizon.

Historical fiction set in the 1840s-1850s. Manjiro may have dreamed about one day being a samurai, but, the truth is as a son of a fisherman, his "destiny" was to be a fisherman. Nothing more, nothing less. After a stormy beginning, Manjiro was lucky to be alive. For when he's out and about with a handful of other fisherman--all older, more experienced--their small boat becomes lost at sea. The young men (Manjiro's just fourteen) end up on a desolate rocky island. Their fate seems all too certain--starvation. But at the hand of "barbarians" (American whalers), they find new opportunities.

Unfortunately, these opportunities come at a heavy price. Because Japan's policies towards outsiders, if the men were to ever return they'd likely be killed because they've been "contaminated" by contact with the outside world. Manjiro accepts a special invitation from the Captain of the whaling vessel. He will--after several years aboard ship with the Captain--return with him to America, will become a part of the Captain's own family. He will be the first Japanese man in America. And the experience is something he never could have imagined! But will he ever get the chance to go home? For no matter how "lucky" he may be to have found a new life, a new family, he can't forget the family he left behind. He can't forget that he never told his mother goodbye--that he left without even telling her where he was going--fishing with friends. All these years, she had no way of knowing if her son was dead or alive. He has to find a way back to Japan if he can.

This historical fiction novel is based on a true story. It is historical adventure. Readers learn about his time at sea--on board a few whaling vessels. Readers learn about his time in America--his first experiences with school, with church,  with the community. Will he be accepted? Or will be seen as strange? as dangerous?

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Behemoth. Scott Westerfeld. 2010. October 2010. Simon & Schuster. 485 pages.

Alek raised his sword. "On guard, sir!"
Deryn hefted her own weapon, studying Alek's pose.
His feet were splayed at right angles, his left arm sticking out behind like the handle of a teacup. His fencing armor made him look like a walking quilt. Even with his sword pointed straight at her, he looked barking silly.

Behemoth is the sequel to Leviathan. It's a science fiction action-packed historical novel that presents an alternate what-if to the Great War. Its alternative world is fascinating. A world divided into two camps: Clankers (those who love machines and technology) and Darwinists (those who love splicing together 'incredible' new beings).

The books have two narrators: Alek, a young boy who is trying to hide his real identity, and Deryn, a young woman who is trying to keep her gender hidden so she can be in the British Air Service. She's living her new life as Dylan Sharp. In the first novel, these two begin an unpredictable friendship. After all, he's a Clanker, she's a Darwinist. Both have secrets--if his secret is revealed, he'd become a prisoner--if her secret is revealed, then her military career would be over. (She's guessed his secret. But he doesn't have a clue about hers.) Can they trust each other? Can they help each other?

The setting for Behemoth is interesting. It's set in Istanbul, the Ottoman Empire. It's a compelling novel. I enjoyed it more than the first novel.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

The Maze Runner. James Dashner. 2009. Random House. 384 pages.

He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air.

The Maze Runner is certainly compelling--very suspenseful. It's an action-packed dystopian novel. Thomas, our narrator, awakes to find his memory gone. He knows his first name. Nothing more. He's in a strange place. But he's not alone. There are others like him. Others his own age. Others whose memories have been erased--they call themselves the Gladers. They've got a system in place. A system that seems to be working. For the most part. Still there are plenty of creepy things about his new life. There are rules to learn. And while they are forthcoming with the rules--they're not always good at explaining to Thomas why these rules are in place. Can Thomas find the answers he so desperately wants?

I enjoyed The Maze Runner. It is very intense, very exciting, very mysterious. Readers--like Thomas--don't have all the answers by the end of the book. There is a second novel in this series, The Scorch Trials, which releases in October.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Only The Good Spy Young. Ally Carter. 2010. Hyperion. 272 pages.

"Targets acquired, ten o'clock."

Only The Good Spy Young is the fourth Gallagher Girl novel by Ally Carter. The first three are I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You, Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy, and Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover.

In Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover, Cammie learned that she is the target. That she is the one the bad guys are after. Why do they want her? She still doesn't know exactly. Though it seems it could have something to do with her father. So much about him remains a mystery to her.

Only the Good Spy Young begins with a London vacation over Christmas break. This time she's visiting another friend, "Bex" (Rebecca Baxter). And once again, Cammie's vacation doesn't go quite like planned. It seems the bad guys don't want Cammie to relax. In London, she gets a surprise...

What she learns in London changes things back at Gallagher Academy. Can Cammie solve the mystery? Can she stay safe?

I do like the series. I like the writing. I like the characters. I like how there is action and mystery, but there is also humor and romance.

It only took three weeks.
I know that sounds like a lot of time--and it is. But also it isn't. Because...well...in the clandestine services, nothing ever happens quickly (except when it does). Nothing is ever, ever easy (except when it is). And, most of all, nothing ever goes perfectly according to plan (except in the movies).
It's dirty work that is almost universally slow, tedious, repetitious, mundane, morose, and just in general boring (except for the parts when people might die).
We could have done it sooner and it still wouldn't have felt soon enough. We could have planned for years and we still wouldn't have felt ready. So, yeah. It took three weeks. (161)

Other reviews: Book Crumbs, Sassy Monkey Reads, Sarah's Random Musings.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Add a Comment

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover. Ally Carter. 2009. Hyperion. 272 pages.

"We're moving." The man beside me spoke into the microphone in his sleeve, and I knew the words weren't for me.

Cammie Morgan is a Gallagher girl. She attends the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. If you've read I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You or Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy, then you know just what that means: Cammie and the other girls are training to be spies. (Of course, it's all hush, hush. No outsider is supposed to know the true purpose of the school.)

This third novel opens with Cammie visiting her friend (and roommate), Macey, over summer vacation. Macey is the daughter of a senator who has just accepted the nomination for vice president. But that political convention doesn't go quite as planned. For Macey, Cammie, and Preston (the son of a presidential candidate) are stranded on the rooftop of the hotel. And Macey's and Cammie's skills are about to be put to the test--as a helicopter of hostile 'bad guys' are approaching. And the fight is not an easy one. Was this was a kidnapping attempt? Just who was their target? The girls survive--they are Gallagher girls after all--but this is disturbing to say the least. (Preston also survives, by the way.)

But soon it is time for school to start. Cammie is starting her junior year. And she's so happy to be back with her friends (Bex and Liz and Macey); happy to be back learning. But the semester isn't off to the best start. Because the mystery isn't quite over. They are used to training, to being tested. But can they handle it when the danger, the threat, is real? Can Ally and her friends help solve the mystery? Can they keep Macey safe?

I like Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover. I like the style, the narration. Cammie is a great heroine, with a great narrative voice. I like the blend of action and humor. I like how Ally can't help being interested in guys. How she just can't forget Zach. She's not sure she can trust him. She's not sure if he likes her likes her. But still...she can't help getting all fluttery when she bumps into him on one of her missions.

Time it took me to tell the whole story: twenty-two minutes and forty-seven seconds. Time it would have taken me to tell the story had I not been constantly interrupted: two minutes and forty-six seconds. Number of times Liz said, "No way!": thirty-three. Number of times Bex gave me her "You could have brought me with you" look: nine. (111)

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover is different from the first two books. As the danger and threats become real. Spying--fighting--isn't so much a game, a test, as it is a matter of life and death.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Add a Comment

Monsters of Men. Patrick Ness. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 608 pages.

"War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."
"Shut up," I say. "There ain't no at last about it. The only one who wants this is you."
"Nevertheless," he says, turning to me with a smile. "Here it comes."

Monsters of Men is the third in the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness. The first two are Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and The Answer. It continues the intense adventures of Todd and Viola as they risk everything to save everything.

Has there ever been a better villain than Mayor Prentiss? For better or worse, Todd feels that Prentiss is a necessary evil. Of course, Prentiss is now President--a title that he may or may not be able to hold onto much longer. Depending on who wins this war. And depending on Prentiss' other enemies. Is peace even possible so long as Prentiss still breathes?

Is this what war is?
Is this what men want so much?
Is this sposed to make them men?
Death coming at you with a roar and a scream so fast you can't do nothing about it-- (56)

I'm not sure how much it's even possible to say in a review of Monsters of Men. It goes ugly, dark places. It stays there. Through this intense journey--this dark, dangerous, ever twisting-and-turning journey--you've got two people who love each other so dearly. But is this love worth risking everything for? Can war become too personal? How well do you know yourself? How well do you know the person you love? Can anyone ever be trusted so completely? Can Todd and Viola (and friends) find a way to make peace? lasting peace? Or will this war lead to the end of the new colony...

Choices may be unbelievably hard but they're never impossible. (181)

It's been obvious since the beginning that wars make no sense. You kill people to tell them you want to stop killing them. Monsters of men, I think. And women. (287)

Monsters of Men is complex and compelling. The storytelling is incredible. Especially the way Ness has created these all-too-human, oh-so-flawed characters. The way Ness makes you care about everything so very deeply. Todd and Viola's story is so personal, so intense. He keeps you turning pages, that's for sure. And there are more than a few surprises.

I would definitely recommend reading this series. Not that I think it is for every single person. NO book is right for every reader. But this series is so well-written, so complex, so intense, so compelling. The second book restored my faith in reading. And this third did not disappoint.

Other reviews:

Things Mean a Lot, Stuff As Dreams Are Made On, Vulpes Libris, Bart's Bookshelf, Fluttering Butterflies, The Hungry Readers.

(Reviewed from an Advanced Reading Copy.)

© Becky Laney of

0 Comments on Monsters of Men (YA/Adult) as of 1/1/1900

Add a Comment

Sisters Red. Jackson Pearce. 2010. June 2010. Little, Brown. 328 pages.

He's following me.

Scarlett and Rosie are sisters with more than a few secrets. Sisters with a (relatively) unique mission in life. To fight, fight, fight. To rid the world--well, maybe not the whole world, but their community at least--of Fenris (werewolves). You might say their introduction to this real world--the world of monsters--was quite brutal, both girls witnessed the death of their grandmother--Oma March--and this attack left Scarlett scarred inside and out. Joining them in their mission is a young guy (one that Rosie finds oh-so-dreamy), Silas. He comes from a long line of woodsmen.

But though these three fight together as a team--and are quite close in many ways--some things are changing, for better or worse. Silas and Rosie, well, they are changing. And Scarlett may have to deal with that.

I liked having both Rosie and Scarlett as narrators. When I was reading Rosie's chapters, I felt connected with her. I loved her. I could completely sympathize with her. See things from her perspective, see her side of things. Her need for her life to be more than just fighting, to be more than just battling evil. Her love for Silas. When I was reading Scarlett's chapters, I felt connected with her. I could see things from her side. Her passion--her obsession--to do anything and everything to protect people from the Fenris threat. The world may not know it's in danger--but for Scarlett, it's all too real. She can't forget for a moment, for a day, that she has a responsibility to protect others. She's a driven young woman, strong and powerful in many ways. And I have to respect that. Scarlett's choices are her own. Rosie's choices are her own. These two sisters love each other deeply, need each other deeply. But they want (and need) different things from life.

I thought Sisters Red was well-written. I would definitely recommend this one.

What do you think of the cover? I really liked this one. Though I must admit (a bit sheepishly) that it took me a few days to see the wolf on the cover!

Other reviews: A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy, Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf, Sarah's Random Musings, Tales of the Ravenous Reader, I Just Wanna Sit Here And Read, Extreme Reader, Bookworming in the 21st Century,

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Peterson, A.S. 2009. The Fiddler's Gun. Rabbit Room Press. 293 pages.

The trouble with Phineas Michael Button began the moment she was born.

It continues,

"She had the expected two ears, two eyes, one nose, and dimpled cheeks, but in her father's mind there was a problem. He had twelve children, daughters all, and was convinced that number thirteen would be his long-awaited son. So on the twenty-fifth of September, 1755, when he drew another baby girl from the womb of his long-suffering wife, he declared the discovery of an unacceptable mistake."

Abandoned by her parents, left in an orphanage in Ebenezer, Georgia, Fin, our young heroine has no problem being tough and staying strong. She's needed to be her whole life. But she is not the person the Baab Sisters--especially Hilde--would have her to be. She's not ladylike enough. She's too manly, too strong, too wild in their minds. Maybe a little kitchen duty will do the trick...

At first Fin is angry that she's been thrust into the kitchen, and forced into apprenticing with the orphanage's cook, Bartimaeus. (She's jealous that her best friend, her would-be-could-be husband, Peter, gets the better deal, the better job. He gets apprenticed to a carpenter.) But she soon realizes that this may just be the best thing that ever happened to her. For Bartimaeus --though not a simple man or a perfect man--loves her like she's his own child, his own daughter. He's a man with a past, a history--a dark and tangled mess of a past. But he's a good man, a changed man*.

With increasing hostilities between the colonies and England, it's not an easy time for Fin to come of age. Not with Fin's temperament. Her quick temper leads to...well...a great big dangerous adventure**.

Historical fiction. Action. Adventure. Pirates. Orphans. And a little old war.

What did I enjoy about this one? So very much! I love historical fiction. Usually. And this was no exception. A bit violent at times, yes, but what else would you expect in a sea-adventure filled with pirates?! It was exciting, compelling, hard to put down. It's anything but boring! I cared about Fin from the start. And her companions--especially Jack, Knut, and Tan--became important to me as well. The characters definitely felt human--felt flawed--which is a good thing. I would definitely recommend this one. (Especially if you enjoyed The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.)

The story will conclude in a second book, Fiddler's Green. (I want it now!)

You can order a copy of The Fiddler's Gun book through Rabbit Room Press.

*I will say this part of the story was just awesome for me. Peterson was able to connect the story with George Whitefield. True, it's a very small--very tiny--part of the overall story. But still, it made me happy.
**It probably helped that I love films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk. I think having this background helped me visualize the fighting-at-sea scenes.

© Becky Laney of

4 Comments on The Fiddler's Gun (YA), last added: 12/30/2009

Display Comments Add a Comment

Pratchett, Terry. 2008. Nation. HarperCollins. 370 pages.

Imo set out one day to catch some fish, but there was no sea.

Because the prologue didn't hook me, I put off reading this one. Despite the fact that oh-so-many were blogging about it and singing its praises, I wasn't sure this would be my kind of book. I knew I wanted to read it one day, sometimes I felt even one day soon. But it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I made reading this one a top priority.

Mau is a young boy whose strength and courage is challenged above and beyond when tragedy strikes. A giant wave--a tsunami--has destroyed his island village. He is the only survivor. But not for long. Soon others begin to arrive. A young white girl renaming herself Daphne, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, is the first one he meets. A new mother and her starving babe, an old priest, arrive soon after. More and more come. Can a young boy restore a nation?

This one is not only beautifully and brilliantly written, it's also incredibly suspenseful and action-packed. I should also mention it's amazingly thought-provoking. It's hard to put this one down.

"I thought you saved her life."
"Yes, but the first time I saved her life, I saved mine, too. Do you understand? If she hadn't been here, I'd have held the biggest rock I could find and gone into the dark current. One person is nothing. Two people are a nation." (252)

I definitely recommend this one. There was just so much I loved about it. Great characters. Great storytelling. Great pace.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Owen, James A. 2009. The Shadow Dragons. (Book #4 in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica.) Simon & Schuster. 417 pages.

"We are definitely lost," John said with decisive authority. "I haven't the faintest idea where we are."

The fourth in the series. (The first book: Here There Be Dragons; The second book: The Search for the Red Dragon; The third book: The Indigo King). How do you review a book that's fourth in a fantasy series? I want to just say read this book if you like fantasy and time travel and Arthurian legends. Or read this book if you like action and adventure. Or read this book if you like reading literature. Because there is nothing I can say that will do this one (or any of the others) justice.

Even though these are marketed as young adult, I think they are just as much for adults as anyone else. They're long, complex fantasy novels. Our three heroes aren't young teens on a quest. They are all older men. They get older with every book. (So far we've spanned from around World War I through World War II in these four books.) These books are rich in detail. The more fantasy you've read, the more you'll appreciate everything. That's not to say you have to be well-read to appreciate the action and adventure. I'm just trying to say that this one has enough to offer a variety of readers.

This fantasy stars three Inklings: C.S. Lewis (Jack), J.R.R. Tolkien (John), and Charles Williams. These three are caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica. And in this fourth book, we meet even more caretakers.

The book begins in the late 1930s. But there is so much time travel involved, that much of the action takes places in their future. (World War II.) We've got wars on both sides--in the Archipelago of Dreams and the real world. And of course, these wars are connected. To win the world war, these three caretakers (and friends) will need to battle the real enemy in the Archipelago, and that enemy is not a new enemy.

I really loved this one.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Marsden, John. 1995. A Killing Frost. 275 pages.

Sometimes I think I'd rather be frightened than bored. At least when you're frightened you know you're alive.

This is the third in the series. (The first being Tomorrow, When the War Began and the second being The Dead of Night.) What can I really say about this one? Is it just as action-packed and intense as the others? Yes. Is Ellie's world still crumbling around her? Mostly. The fact that Ellie and her friends are adapting doesn't mean that things aren't still changing. That new dangers aren't always popping up. And emotionally speaking, some things are just now being absorbed. Does it go places the other two didn't? I'd say yes to that as well. As Ellie, our narrator, and her remaining friends increase in determination and strength, so do their tactics for sabotage. What they pull off in this one is their biggest effort yet. Danger. Risks. Consequences. Everything is still life-or-death in this series.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Marsden, John. 1994. The Dead of Night. 278 pages.

Damn this writing. I'd rather sleep. God how I'd love to sleep. But I can't. It's been a long time since I had a peaceful night's sleep. Not since I went to Hell. Since I went to that complicated place called Hell.

Yes, my friends, Hell is complicated. But maybe not for the reasons you're thinking. Because Ellie and her friends (well, some of her friends at least) are hiding out and surviving in the Australian bush. And 'Hell' is their nickname at least for their hideaway. This uninhabitable region is associated with an urban-legend type of legend about being the 'home' of a murderer hermit. (As I said, it's complicated.) Really, before the holiday, Ellie and her friends (and everyone else) would have told you that it is inhabitable. It's impossible to reach this place. You can see it from afar, yes, but there's no way down.

The Dead of Night is the sequel to Tomorrow When the War Began. And it continues the adventures of Ellie and her friends. There are some new dangers in these adventures. And as always, life proves challenging as they battle to stay alive. Sometimes the enemies you fight inside your own mind (your own shadows) prove harder to fight than any 'real' enemy. Perhaps because you can't outrun them. War is NOT pretty. And it's not a game. Can these teens manage on their own to survive in an invaded country?

I'm enjoying this series if 'enjoy' is the right word. They're a bit intense really. But that can be a very good thing.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Marsden, John. 1993. Tomorrow When the War Began. 277 pages.

It's only half an hour since someone--Robyn I think--said we should write everything down, and it's only twenty-nine minutes since I got chosen, and for those twenty-nine minutes I've had everyone crowded around me gazing at the blank page and yelling ideas and advice.

Meet Ellie, our narrator. Ellie and seven of her friends (Corrie, Kevin, Homer, Fi, Lee, Robyn, Chris) are in for quite a journey. It all starts on holiday. These teens have the brilliant notion to "go bush" that is camping in the outback. (Yes, I should probably mention that this one is set in Australia.) Some parents are okay with their kids heading off on their own for a week, others need some convincing. But when all is said and done, this casual trip turns out to be a blessing in disguise. You see, when they return, they discover that life as they knew it...simply isn't anymore. Their homes are deserted. Their pets and animals are dead and rotting. Their parents (and/or siblings) have vanished. What happened to everyone? Who did this? Why?

Intense doesn't even begin to describe this one. It's full of danger and adventure--and that's just the start. These teens have to come together to survive, something that isn't always easy with so many personality conflicts going on not to mention the emotional roller coaster they are on.

If you enjoyed How I Live Now, I think you'll really, really love this one. Honestly, I enjoyed this one so much more than How I Live Now.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Avi. 1990. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. 278 pages.

Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago. Be warned, however, this is no Story of a Bad Boy, no What Katy Did. If strong ideas and action offend you, read no more. Find another companion to share your idle hours. For my part I intend to tell the truth as I lived it.

Set in 1832, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is an exciting adventure--a sea adventure, I might add--starring a young girl, Charlotte, as she learns some of the harsher facts of life aboard The Sea Hawk. She seeks passage home to America. Her father has made all the arrangements. But something unusual, something dangerous is happening aboard ship. The problem is, can Charlotte discover the truth about the dangers before it's too late? Who should she trust? The captain? Or the crew? One thing is for certain, her life will never be the same again! For better or worse...

What did you think of the opening? Did it grab your attention like it grabbed mine? I don't know what I was expecting with this one, but I don't think I expected this one to be quite so exciting. Don't get me wrong, it's still historical fiction. And I know that historical fiction isn't for every reader. But there is action and adventure and some mystery as well. It's not about being prim and proper and dressing up to have tea.

This one received a Newbery Honor.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Turner, Max. 2009. Night Runner. St. Martin's Press. 288 pages.

My name is Daniel Zachariah Thomson. Everyone calls me Zack. I live in the Nicholls Ward of the Peterborough Civic Hospital, and this is the story of how I died, twice.

Zach is an orphan living in a mental institution. And he's got issues. As in allergic to the sun, and being intolerant to almost all food. He lives on "strawberry flavored" shakes. (I had issues with his naivety there.) One of the night nurses, Ophelia, takes care of him--treats him almost like a son. The only other person Zach would consider a friend--a good friend--is Charlie. (Remember that Zach sleeps all day. He doesn't even get out of bed until the sun goes down. So he doesn't get around to making many friends.)

The premise to this one is simple, Zach is a vampire and doesn't know it. Until one night when an old man riding a motorcycle crashes into the lobby and gives Zach a strange message or warning. Suddenly Zach finds himself hunted and not knowing who to trust. He's not even able to trust his memories because apparently his dear old dad was keeping some big secrets from him.

I had some problems with this one. And I'm not sure if it's me or if it's the book. I know a few things are just me.

I had a hard time connecting with Zach. I felt a little disconnected from him, from the action. I felt there was some distance--perhaps intentional distance???--or maybe I felt it was more tell and not enough show? Another problem I had with the book, and I think this is unavoidable in some ways, is that I found it very predictable. There were things that I was able to pick up very early on that poor old Zach remained clueless about for almost the entire book--minus the last chapter or two. I think it is this that despite the "action" that happened along the way kept the pacing off for me. The action didn't feel like action. So even though he was being chased and he was off running and fighting and killing, I felt bored. UNTIL the last fifty or sixty pages.

One reason I didn't like the book--and this is all me--is that it was a bit too bloody for me. Yes, he's a vampire. Yes, vampires drink blood. But the descriptions of him killing and feeding were too graphic for me. (I can't go into the specifics, but there are TWO scenes that really pushed me over. That made me know once and for all that Zach was a character I could never like.)

I'm not the ideal reader for Night Runner. It's not my type of book. But it could be your type of book. If you want to read about non-sparkling vampires, if you want vampires that do more than write lullabies and stare at young girls while they sleep, then this might be the one for you.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Display Comments Add a Comment

Sanderson, Brandon. 2007. Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians. Scholastic. 307 pages.

So, there I was, tied to an altar made from outdated encyclopedias, about to get sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of Evil Librarians. As you might imagine, that sort of situation can be quite disturbing. It does funny things to the brain to be in such danger -- in fact, it often makes a person pause and reflect upon his life. If you've never faced such a situation, then you'll simply have to take my word. If, on the other hand, you have faced such a situation, then you are probably dead and aren't likely to be reading this.

Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians is one of those rare gems of a book where you could open it to practically any page and find treasure. It's funny. It's fun. It's exciting. It's clever. Take for instance, this little treasure found at the beginning of chapter four:

Hushlanders, I'd like to take this opportunity to commend you for reading this book. I realize the difficulty you must have gone through to obtain it -- after all, no Librarian is likely to recommend it, considering the secrets it exposes about their kind.

Actually, my experience has been that people generally don't recommend this kind of book at all. It is far too interesting. Perhaps you have had other kinds of books recommended to you. Perhaps, even, you have been given books by friends, parents, or teachers, then told that these books are the type you "have to read." Those books are invariably described as "important" -- which in my experience, pretty much means that they're boring. (Words like meaningful and thoughtful are other good clues.)

If there is a boy in these kinds of books, he will not go on an adventure to fight against Librarians, paper monsters, and one-eyed Dark Oculators. In fact, the lad will not go on an adventure or fight against anything at all. Instead, his dog will die. Or, in some cases, his mother will die. If it's a really meaningful book, both his dog and his mother will die. (Apparently most writers have something against dogs and mothers.)

Neither my mother nor my dog dies in this book. I'm rather tired of those types of stories. In my opinion, such fantastical, unrealistic books -- books in which boys live on mountains, families work on farms, or anyone has anything to do with the Great Depression -- have a tendency to rot the brain. To combat such silliness, I've written the volume you now hold -- a solid, true account. Hopefully, it will help anchor you in reality.

So, when people try to give you some book with a shiny round award on the cover, be kind and gracious, but tell them that you don't read "fantasy," because you prefer stories that are real. Then come back here and continue your research on the cult of evil Librarians who secretly rule the world.

I think everyone should read this book. Seriously. It's the story of a boy--Alcatraz Smedry--who receives his inheritance--a bag of sand--on his thirteenth birthday. His parents are dead, and he's been in the foster care system for years. He has difficulties in settling down with families--he's been moved from foster home to foster home--because he has a way of breaking things just by touching them. When we first meet Alcatraz, he accidentally has broken a stove and set the kitchen on fire. Most would say this 'gift' makes Alcatraz extremely unlucky. But, it may just be his saving grace. When a mysterious old man claiming to be his Grandpa Smedry appears the day after his birthday, the boy is in for a shock or two. Fortunately for us readers, we're along for the ride! What follows is one exciting adventure. Grandpa Smedry claims this world is controlled by a cult: a cult of evil Librarians. Evil librarians that have stolen Alcatraz's inheritance: the bag of sand is missing! Can these two team up and reclaim what is rightfully theirs?


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Subscribe to receive updates in your favorite reader.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Riordan, Rick. 2009. The Last Olympian. (Percy Jackson & The Olympians #5) Disney/Hyperion. 381 pages.

The end of the world started when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car. Up until then, I was having a great afternoon.

Percy Jackson's sixteenth birthday is approaching--and fast--soon the Great Prophecy will be fulfilled. Not understanding just what his destiny holds, Percy and his friends are fighting with all their might to save the world as they know it. To save Olympus--a.k.a. Manhattan--from the Titans--led by Kronus--who would destroy it. Percy, in case you're just getting caught up, is a demi-god. He's got an all-too-mortal mother and a god of a father--Poseidon. He's not alone. There are plenty of other demi-gods (on both sides of the war I might add) with various gods (and goddesses) as parents. All with different strengths and weaknesses. Different temptations. Percy and his closest friends--Annabeth especially--face some difficult choices in this final book of the series.

For those that need a refresher course, the first four books are The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, and The Battle of the Labyrinth.

Why I love this series:

They're funny.
They're clever.
They're action-and-adventure packed.
They're also packed with mythology. In a fun way. An inviting way.
They're addictive.
They're unputdownable.
They're just as fun to reread as they are the first time around. (How many books can you really and truly say that about?!)


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
If you're reading this post on another site, or another feed, the content has been stolen.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Ford, Michael. 2008. The Fire of Ares. Walker. 245 pages.

'That's fifty. Stop now!' Lysander heard from behind.

Set in Ancient Greece, The Fire of Ares is the often-ruthless story of a young boy (former slave) named Lysander who discovers--quite by chance--his true parentage (he's half-Spartan) and that discovery leads him down a different path. He begins training (though the typical age to begin is seven and he is already twelve or thirteen) to become a Spartan warrior. Lysander's most precious possession--and it's "illegal" for him to "own" anything by the way--is a jewel, a pendant necklace. The so-called Fire of Ares. This gem has been passed from father-to-son for many generations--if the legend is to be believed--since before the fall of Troy. This necklace is legendary for protecting its wearer and giving strength and courage as well. And then there is the ever-mysterious prophecy.

Though Lysander has inherited this necklace from his mother--his father died in battle before he was born--the necklace soon is lost to him. A few chapters into the book, the reader witnesses the theft of the gem and the brutal beating of the boy.

This is an action-oriented novel full of adventure and mystery and above all else violence. It was a bit too violent for my liking. But I suppose it's true to the culture. They are Spartans after all. So if you can get past the brutality of it--the blood and gore of it--then you'll find yourself an interesting story about a boy with a few choices to make about his Destiny.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
If you're reading this post on another site, or another feed, the content has been stolen.

Display Comments Add a Comment