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Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) Robin LaFevers. 2013. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 387 pages.

 At first, I didn't know what to think of Dark Triumph. The opening chapters were so dark and creepy. What Sybella, our heroine, has had to live with her whole life is almost too horrible to describe. But her story, though dark, is necessary for the reader to know, to understand. Both Sybella and "the Beast" were characters first introduced in Robin LaFevers Grave Mercy. I thought they were interesting in the first novel, but after reading the second novel they were so much more than that. I LOVED them. I think I loved them even more than I loved Ismae and Duval.

Secrets. Lies. Betrayals. Murders. Sybella has seen and heard too much; she was born into one of the cruelest, darkest families in Brittany. Her escape to the convent to be trained as Death's handmaiden--an assassin--was too brief. For better or worse, Sybella's "purpose" is a dark one. She wants justice, justice for all the lives lost at her father's hand, all the lives lost because of her father's orders, all the lives lost on the battlefield because her father is a traitor to the duchess. She's a killer. She feels she kills justly, men who deserve to die, but she's a killer whether or not she's following her Lord's orders or not.

One of the orders she receives early in the novel is to rescue one of the men captured by her father. A man readers came to know as "the Beast." She knows it won't be easy, but, she knows it's right. For she knows that in saving his life, in giving him his freedom, she'll be doing good for the Duchess. The news he carries back to her may help her cause. But what Sybella never expected was to be "rescued" by the prisoner AS he makes his escape. The Beast and Sybella traveling together...as a team...to the Duchess...it's something!

And that's just the start, of course!

Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph might not be for every reader. There is so much darkness in the second book, mainly involving Sybella's past and present. While at first I was hesitant to visit those dark places and learn Sybella's truths, I soon cared too much to stop reading. If the first book focused on politics with the threat of war, the second novel focuses on politics and inevitable WAR.

I would definitely recommend reading the two books in order. And if you've got the time, it might be a good idea to reread the first novel. Dark Triumph and Grave Mercy overlap by a little bit. And the politics and war might make more sense if you've recently read Grave Mercy. 

Read Dark Triumph

• If you enjoyed Grave Mercy
• If you're a fan of Robin LaFevers
• If you enjoy dark historical novels focused on war and politics

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Grave Mercy. Robin LaFevers. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 560 pages.

Last summer, I reviewed Robin LaFevers' Grave Mercy. It was LOVE. To sum up Grave Mercy in many words: Politics. Romance. Drama. Dysfunctional Families. Poison. Murder. Betrayal. Mystery. Suspense. To sum it up in just two: assassin nuns. The novel is set in Brittany in the late 1480s.

Ismae, our heroine, is one of Death's handmaidens. She's a trained assassin, trained by a convent of nuns dedicating their lives to serving St. Mortain (Death). The nuns are loyal to the Duchess of Brittany, and the victims are often her political enemies--foreign or domestic--those that pose the greatest threat to Brittany's independence.

While we do see her first few jobs carried out, most of the novel focuses on one job in particular. The abbess wants her to team up with Duval, the Duchess' older brother and her most trusted friend and advisor. She's to pose as his mistress, and travel with him to the Duchess' household. There she will "help him" find any possible traitors...

I wanted to reread Grave Mercy because the second novel in the series, Dark Triumph, is releasing soon. I thought the second novel would read better if I took the time to reread the first novel. And I think this was very beneficial. Especially since this is a novel heavy in politics. While I read Grave Mercy in one night the first time, I took my time for the reread. I think I was better able to absorb the politics at a slower pace. I was able to focus more on the minor characters as well. The first time, it was ALL about the romance--that was the only thing I cared about. This time, I was able to appreciate the story as a whole.

Read Grave Mercy

• If you're a fan of Robin LaFevers
• If you're a fan of historical romance, with a fantasy feel to it (mythology/supernatural)
• Also if you're a fan of mystery/suspense/political thrillers

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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The Broken Lands. Kate Milford. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 455 pages.

I just loved, loved, loved Kate Milford's The Boneshaker. I can't say I loved The Broken Lands as much, but, I still really liked it. I think I loved the narration more in Boneshaker. With The Boneshaker, it was love almost from the first page, it definitely took me longer to connect with the characters and the story from this newest book. But. Once I started caring about Sam and Jin, I did care. Both books, of course, are about good versus evil, and being brave enough to make the right choices and stand up for good. And there were great scenes in both books. I continued to love the author's description and storytelling. I would recommend both books.

The Broken Lands is historical fantasy set in New York City in 1877.

Read The Broken Lands

• If you love great storytelling and unique characters
• If you love historical fantasy young adult fiction
• If you're looking for a 'magical' or 'supernatural' book set in New York City
• If you are looking for a little supernatural in your fantasy BUT you don't necessarily want werewolves or vampires or zombies

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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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

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The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle. 2010. September 2010. Henry Holt. 160 pages.

I was not the first girl she saw, nor the second, and as to why she chose me, I know that now: it was because she did not like me.

Our heroine, Tabby Aykroyd, has been chosen to be the new nursemaid at Seldom House. The young master has also been newly chosen. Something that Tabby finds odd indeed. Why adopt a young boy--a wild boy at that--to be the new master?

Of course, if Tabby were waiting for things to make sense at Seldom House, she'd be waiting forever. Everything she's seen, everyone she's met has been strange. Mr. Ketch and Miss Winter especially. And that would also include the ghost haunting her room. (There's something so familiar about that ghost...)

The boy Tabby cares for doesn't have a name exactly. Mr. Ketch, the one who brought him to Seldom House, just calls him his little heathen git. But Tabby chooses to think of the boy as Himself. He doesn't want a Christian name--so he says. Since this one is a mystery, I can't say much more about the plot. But I would definitely recommend this one!

The House of Dead Maids is a prequel to Wuthering Heights. And while I didn't love Wuthering Heights, I did love this one very much. Dunkle knows how to do gothic! The atmosphere of this one is just right. This one would be perfect for Carl's RIP challenge.

You can read the first two chapters at the author's website.
To view a slideshow of the interior illustrations, also visit the author's website.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Bleeding Violet. Dia Reeves. 2010. January 2010. Simon & Schuster. 454 pages.

The truck driver let me off on Lamartine, on the odd side of the street. I felt odd too, standing in the town where my mother lived. For the first seven years of my life, we hadn't even lived on the same continent, and now she waited only a few houses away.

Fleeing her Dallas home (where she lived with her aunt), Hanna didn't know what to expect from her middle-of-the-night confrontation with Rosalee, the mother who'd abandoned her. Will her mother let her stay? Would her aunt even take her back? (To say she left on bad terms is an understatement!)

Rosalee reluctantly agrees that she can stay. For two weeks. And two weeks only. Unless Hanna can prove that she belongs in this anything-but-sleepy small town. Hanna thinks it will be easy. It might take a little effort on her part to make friends, but surely there's someone worth being friends with. Like Wyatt.

What she doesn't expect is that those two weeks will be filled with danger. Sure danger can be exciting, thrilling, intoxicating. But it can also be deadly. Is Hanna willing to risk it all for a chance at a future with her mom?

Hanna's mental health is questionable, but there were certain things Hanna did that I couldn't excuse away.

For those looking for a good paranormal read, I think this one could work well. While, Hanna isn't perfect--far from it--she has a bit more gumption than other heroines I could mention. (Cough, cough, Bella). But this one probably won't be for everyone. I think the casual sex and violence might be a bit too much for some readers.

This one actually reminded me a bit of the Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld.

Other reviews: Kids Lit, TheHappyNappyBookseller, Pure Imagination, Frenetic Reader,

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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You Are So Undead To Me. Stacey Jay. 2009. [January 2009]. Penguin. 272 pages.

The cold wind swept across the hill, whistling through the headstones that poked from the ground like dozens of crooked baby teeth. In the sky, a sickly yellow-moon transformed the graveyard's bare trees into guardians made of old, white bone, and somewhere in the distance, an animal screamed.

Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler. Zombies come to her--usually at night--restless, seeking closure. By finding out what is making them so restless, so unhappy--you know, besides the fact that they're dead--she's able to give them peace and send them back to the grave. The grave is then sealed. And all is well with the world, right? Well. Megan's life is about to get messier than that. As if having zombies interrupt your date night wasn't bad enough. Someone is out to get Megan. Someone practicing black magic or black arts. Can Megan find out who this someone is in time? Or is the Homecoming Dance doomed to a bloody end?

For those interested in anything and everything supernatural. Especially those who can't get enough supernatural romances, You Are So Undead to Me is a good choice. It's a quick read, a light one.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Armstrong, Kelley. 2009. The Awakening. HarperCollins. 357 pages.

When the door to my cell clicked open, the first thought that flitted through my doped-up brain was that Liz had changed her mind and come back. But ghosts don't open doors. They will, on occasion, ask me to open one, so I can raise and interrogate the zombies of supernaturals killed by a mad scientist, but they never need one opened for themselves.

Will they or won't they...escape successfully...that is the question driving this book. Will our ghost-seeing heroine, Chloe, escape from the evil powers-that-be? Will her friends escape too? Will she ever feel "safe" again?

This is the second in a series. It is sequel to The Summoning a book that I enjoyed for the most part. It ended oh-so-dramatically with a "shock" of an ending. So it was a book begging for a sequel, and yet, for some odd reason I can't help wondering if I wouldn't have been happier off without picking the story back up. I didn't feel that way (obviously) before I picked this one up. I wanted to like this second one just as much as I liked the first. And yet, it just didn't capture my attention the way the first one did. Perhaps there wasn't enough tension and suspense? Or perhaps I just didn't care as much as I thought I did? I don't know for sure.

For a book containing a whole lot of chase scenes, I found it lacking in intensity. What I enjoyed most about the first one just wasn't there in this second one. It's not that nothing happened. It's just that I felt that I was waiting for something big to happen. And it really never did. Perhaps the difference between the two was this one focused more on character building and exploring the dynamics of the relationships between the characters. Mainly between Chloe and the two guys in her life, Simon and Derek.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Hahn, Mary Downing. 1995. Look For Me By Moonlight. Houghton Mifflin. 198 pages.

Sometimes you can pinpoint the exact moment in your life when things begin to go wrong.

Before Bella there was Cynda. Can Cynda out-Bella Bella? Read and see for yourself in Mary Downing Hahn's Look For Me By Moonlight.

Cynda is sixteen and going to live with her father. Her mother, you see, has remarried. And Cynda isn't all that fond of her new step-dad, Steve. Her father has remarried as well--in fact, he remarried first. Cynda will be meeting her stepmom, Susan, and her half-brother, Todd, for the first time. Where will she be living? In an out-of-the-way corner of the globe, at least in the middle of winter, an old, historic (reputedly haunted) inn in Maine. The winter is typically slow for the family business--the summer being the busier season for tourists. But their inn is about to have an unexpected guest, a strangely handsome (and silver-car-driving) one at that. His name... (Get ready for it...) is Vincent Morthanos. He's 30ish. But to Cynda, he's perfect. Just listen to her...

A stranger stood on the porch. The light shone full on his face, shadowing his eyes but accentuating his pale skin and high cheekbones. Sparkles of windblown snow clung to his dark hair and black overcoat. Even though he was at least thirty, he was the handsomest man I'd ever seen, the sort you stop and stare at in disbelief. (48)

His voice was deep and rich, colored with a faint accent. British, I thought. With that accent, anything he said, even the tritest phrase, would sound beautiful and fresh and new, as if no one had ever spoken it before*. (48)

The sound of his name was dark and sweet in my mouth, richer than the richest chocolate. (50)

And this one might just be my favorite of the bunch. Maybe.

Poetry--how perfect. It was just what I imagined Mr. Morthanos writing. Unlike Dad, he wouldn't depend on a word processor or even a typewriter. He'd use a fountain pen with a fine, gold point. Sepia ink on ivory parchment, the kind calligraphers buy. His handwriting would swirl gracefully across the page. (52)

She has quite an imagination doesn't she! I think she's living in her own little world. So naive. So innocent. So immature. So gullible.

More than once I'd caught him looking at me with an intensity I didn't understand. His eyes were dark, unreadable--did he find me attractive or simply amusing? It was hard to imagine a man his age being interested in me, yet I could have sworn something intangible quivered in the air between us, a knowledge, a familiarity, a scary sense of destiny fulfilled. When I fell asleep at last, Vincent followed me into my dreams... (59)

Those were his footsteps I heard, soft and deliberate, crisscrossing the floor overhead.
I sat still and listened, entranced by Vincent's nearness. The clock ticked, the wind blew, shadows shifted on the wall. Our guest continued to pace.
By noon I'd accomplished very little. Unless you counted the hundreds of times I'd written Vincent's name in my notebook. (63)

Are you cringing yet on her behalf??? Maybe this will get you...

Vincent took my hand and we walked on. "As you come to know me better," he said, "you'll discover I have a morbid streak which may not be to your liking."
I stared up at him, thrilled by his nearness and the touch of his hand. "I can't imagine disliking anything about you, Vincent."
His grip tightened. "You've just met me, Cynda. You have no idea what sort of man I am." He was smiling, teasing me, his voice full of humor.
"That's true," I said, trying to match his bantering tone. "I don't know where you were born, where you live, what sort of family you have. Why, I don't even known how old you are."
"I'm older than you think," Vincent said lightly.
"You can't be more than thirty."
He laughed. "Give or take a few centuries."
I laughed too, sharing the joke, and he gave my hand a squeeze. (75-76)

The title of this one comes from a line of poetry--from The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes, you may be familiar with it.

Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight,
though hell should bar the way.

And it's used thematically throughout the book. Which works for the most part. At one point, Vincent reads the poem aloud to her and says...

"What a girl Bess was. Can you imagine loving a man enough to die for him?" (80)

Can you guess her response?

There were so many things I enjoyed about this one. It's definitely a darker romance. A romance with consequences**. Hahn chose to go with the more traditional (hence infinitely more dangerous, and definitely less sparkly) vampire hero. So expect blood, blood, and more blood. Also expect some ego.*** I'd definitely recommend this one.

Big thanks go to Leila who reviewed this one for the R.I.P. IV Challenge. She really, really sold me on it :)

*I love the fact that Cynda thinks this at a time when she's only ever heard him say one sentence.
**(Something I found severely lacking in Meyer's works, by the way. Little Miss Bella always got everything she ever wanted without ever having to sacrifice anything. She was rewarded for being whiny and naive.)
***The scene where Vincent is telling his history to Cynda just made me giggle. It's in chapter 16.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Davis, Heather. 2009. Never Cry Werewolf. HarperCollins. 216 pages. (September 2009)

Moonlight has special powers. Even in Beverly Hills, where everything sparkles whether it's real or fake, there's something magic about that big full moon. It can make you act crazy, take a risk you'd never consider in the daylight, or even fall completely head over heels. Moonlight can totally change your life. And it all starts so simply.
You. Him. The moon. You're toast.

If you can't get enough of werewolves, then you'll probably enjoy this fun romance. (Or if you've finished all of the vampire books at your local library and now want to try your hand at werewolves.) Shelby's parents don't trust her. (Whether this is because her new step-mother just doesn't like her and is trying to turn her father against her or if Shelby really, truly isn't worthy of such trust, I can't say.) When her stepmother catches her almost kissing a boy, her parents decide she needs to go to a summer camp where she'll learn to be good and obedient and trustworthy. (In her stepmom's defense, the boy is at least several years older than Shelby. And as innocent as a goodnight kiss could be, it could also lead to trouble down the way.)

Who does she meet at camp? The son of a famous rock star, that's who (Austin Bridges III). And what's his secret? His big secret? You guessed it, he's a werewolf. Shelby's in on his secret--he confides in her because he needs her help. And then some. You see, the camp has confiscated his super-secret serum that prevents him from transforming into a wolf, and it's almost time for the full moon. Can Shelby save her new boyfriend in time? Will helping him cost her more than she's willing to give? How can Shelby be "new-and-improved-and-oh-so-obedient" if she's seen breaking all the rules?

It's not the most sophisticated of reads. It's light enough, fun enough, tame enough. The ending did leave me curious. Is there a sequel in the works? Was the author hinting about something-more*?

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. I'm curious to see what the response will be from younger readers--eleven, twelve, thirteen--if this book is satisfying for them.

S
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*Did anyone else find the ending suspicious when Austin finds puncture marks on Shelby? What exactly does that mean? What is the reader to think?

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Armstrong, Kelley. 2008. The Summoning. HarperCollins. 390 pages.

Mommy forgot to warn the new babysitter about the basement. (from the prologue)

I bolted up in bed, one hand clutching my pendant, the other wrapped in my sheets. (from the first chapter)

Chloe Saunders is having a bad day. Well, a series of bad days really. It all started when she sees a ghost. Of course, she doesn't know exactly what is happening. Just that a very scary looking, very-burned, very-persistent janitor is chasing her up and down the halls of the schools (and into empty classrooms) demanding to talk to her. Is it any wonder she freaks out? Wouldn't you? When teachers try to restrain her--they can't see why she's so hysterical--they assume she's mental and get her help immediately. Now, Chloe is spending time in a home for mentally disturbed teens--Lyle House. And her fellow inmates aren't all what they appear. She'll make a few friends, make a few enemies...

Chloe has a choice to make: accept the fact that she can see ghosts and commune with the dead...or accept the diagnosis she's been given and take her medications like a good patient. Which truth can she live with?

The Summoning is a dark and dangerous novel about secrets, lies, and a few undeniable truths...

My thoughts on the novel: I enjoyed this one. I wasn't sure that I would. I didn't know if it would be too scary for me. (I did read it during the day just in case!) But I liked it. The pace is exciting. And it is hard to put this one down. And there's an immediacy to it that makes you need the sequel...


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Anderson, M.T. 1997. Thirsty. Candlewick. 237 pages.

In the spring, there are vampires in the wind.

Is that not a great first line? It continues,

People see them scuffling along by the side of country roads. At night, they move through the empty forests. They do not wear black, of course, but things they have taken off bodies or bought on sale. The news says that they are mostly in the western part of the state, where it is lonely and rural. My father claims we have them this year because it was a mild winter, but he may be thinking of tent caterpillars.

Vampires are real, and they don't sparkle. So when our hero, Chris, begins his journey towards becoming a vampire, he's not happy about it. All he wants is for his life to go back to normal. Okay, he wishes it would be a little bit better than normal. He wishes he could get the girl, Rebecca, to notice him. To like him. He wishes he didn't stammer and act stupid around her. He wishes his friends were less weird and/or jerky. But he wants to be human.

The novel covers a few months. Months of torment for Chris as his body begins to change ever-so-gradually. Months of worry as he begins to fear what is to come. He has trouble sleeping. He's always thirsty. And water just isn't thick enough to satisfy. His reflection comes and goes. His fangs come and go. And he starts getting some really weird invites in the mail.

Is there any hope for Chris? Is there anyone who can save him from the horror his life is becoming? What choice will Chris make? Can he determine his own fate? And what led him to this place anyway? How did he become cursed?

This one is intense and exciting. It's masterfully written by an award-winning author. The style is sparse: each word counts. Except for the red-white-black cover, there is no comparison whatsoever to Twilight.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Grant, Michael. 2008. Gone. HarperCollins. 558 pages.

One minute the teacher was talking about the Civil War. And the next minute he was gone. There. Gone. No "poof." No flash of light. No explosion.

I have mixed feelings on Gone by Michael Grant. On the one hand, it's an exciting thriller. A book based on an interesting premise--what if all adults (at least all adults that we know about within this one county at least) vanished. What remains are young adults under the age of 15 on down to the wee little newborns. Gone as well are all phone lines and Internet connections. And television. Effectively, these people are shut off from the world. They have no way of knowing--and neither does the reader--how widespread this vanishing is. If there is an outside world that can be reached or connected. It's a mad scramble to find food...and babies. (It's not always a happy picture. There were young children--babies and toddlers and preschoolers--left too long with horribly tragic results. I want to scream at them: Why didn't you think to look for the babies right away??? Why wait, can't you imagine that every hour counts?!)

But on the other hand, while the premise is intense and thrilling, I wasn't that impressed by the characterization. The characters themselves, their stories, their narratives, didn't impress me. The reader learns that a handful of these characters--over half of the ones we meet up close and personal--have superpowers. They have enhanced abilities--the power of healing, the power to shoot flames out of their hands, the power to transport themselves from room to room, the power to read minds, etc. Some of these characters are the "good" guys, others are the "bad" guys. And from the very start, the reader knows we're counting down until the Big Confrontation.

I'm honestly not sure if it was a personal disconnect or a more general one. Have you read this one? Am I missing something? Is it just my mood? Am I only supposed to care about the premise?

While the premise was intriguing and the plot was action-packed with a few thrilling reveals thrown in, I didn't really connect with any of the main characters. And because I didn't care about the characters, I had a hard time genuinely connecting with this one. It's not that I didn't "like" it. There was nothing about it that I could point at and say exactly what it was that didn't work for me. I think it will work for many--if not most--readers.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Lockhart, E. 2006. Fly On the Wall. Random House. 182 pages.

It seems to be hit and miss with E. Lockhart. I'll clarify. For me. I either really really love her books. Or else not so much. I've loved two of her books. And the few others that I've read have left me disappointed or disgruntled or sometimes just whelmed. I will say this. The books that left me a little cold were the ones that others seemed to love the most. The ones I didn't gush over were the ones that were getting all the love from others. So chances are, you'll like them even if I didn't. So if you haven't read her before, don't be frightened away on my account.

I think I might have liked the book more if my copy had had that new cover. I think that is one of the best covers I've ever seen...in this respect...it perfectly matches the book's content. Our heroine is into drawing comic book super heroes. Specifically, she's into drawing Spider Man. (Never, ever will you catch her drawing Super Man.) Our heroine's name, by the way, is Gretchen Yee. And she is a bit of a loner. She has a friend here and there. But most of the time, she's on her own. On her own and drawing. She attends the Manhattan High School for the Arts. And with everyone trying so hard--perhaps too hard--to be different, Gretchen feels ever-ordinary.

This is in one way at least, a very WEIRD book. I mean how many books about teens turning into bugs have you read? Yet, that is just the fate that awaits Gretchen. She wakes up one day to discover that she is a fly. But not just any fly, no she's a fly in the boy's locker room. She can see and hear everything that goes on. She goes from being a complete innocent to quite the lusty voyeur. And there are chapters and chapters and chapters describing what she sees and hears in great detail. For a while, she looks at the guys and comes to objectify them. It's only towards the latter part of the week of her life as a fly that she begins to see them as human--vulnerable with strengths and weaknesses. The mystery of what makes guys so different having begun to fade just a bit.

Once she's learned a few lessons, she awakens as herself ready to make a few changes in her life. In a way, the book is about one girl's transformation--no, not that transformation--but the realization that she doesn't know it all, that she can be wrong about her quick judgments of people, that she should be more open to accepting people as they are, for who they are. For example, early on we learn that her parents are getting divorced. She's quick to judge and comes to some harsh and hasty conclusions about who's to blame. But by the end of the novel, she's beginning to see that her parents are human.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Mangum, Lisa. 2009. The Hourglass Door. Shadow Mountain. 416 pages.

It is the counting that saves him.

I love how this one starts. The prologue is intense, but in a good way. Full of promise. I'm not sure I can say it lives up to the prologue. Don't get me wrong, I really really enjoyed elements of The Hourglass Door. The last hundred (maybe hundred and fifty) pages were good. But in a four hundred page book, I wanted all of it to be good. I wanted to care about the characters sooner. I wanted to be swept up and away earlier. The heroine of this one is seventeen year old, Abby, (Abigail Beatrice). And Abby's life is fairly uninteresting. She has a drab-of-a-boyfriend, Jason, who lives across the street. He's perfect in that mundane, monotone way. (I think even the most novice of readers can guess by the second chapter that Jason is going to be history. Not that she breaks up with him then, but all the signs are there. His fate is sealed and he's clueless.) She's got a best friend, Valerie, who is mostly underdeveloped and more than a little annoying. But what saves Abby's life from being so helplessly boring is her connection with a new boy, a new "exchange" student named Dante. Dante whom we first met in the prologue is both Italian and mysterious. He disappears half the time. But when they're in the same room together--Abby is so feeling him--an awareness of his presence, the desire to know him better, to find out what makes him different. She doesn't know what it is about him, why it's so intense, but she knows that she is thinking about him way more than she should...you know, since she has a perfectly fine boyfriend, Jason.

Abby is assistant director of her school play, Much Ado about Nothing. Jason is on the stage crew, one of the builders of the sets. Dante is an extra who is anything but extra (he's so "essential" to her though they've just met.). The novel is set in the winter and spring of her senior year of high school. And for the parts set in high school, well, I hate to say this. But I had trouble caring. Is that awful of me? I knew Dante was the guy from the prologue. And I knew that eventually he'd make a big reveal about who he was and spill all his secrets in an oh-so-dramatic way that would make Abby swoon. And I cared enough about wanting to know Dante's secrets that I stayed with it. But quite honestly, until the climax starts really building there towards the end, I was bored with all the high school drama. All of the elements that grounded it in "realistic fiction" were boring. All of the elements that taunted me with it being fantasy kept me going. I wanted the fantasy. So as soon as Abby's reality begins shattering and splintering, once the good stuff starts happening, then I was there, I cared.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Fantaskey, Beth. 2009. Jessica's Guide to Dating on The Dark Side. Harcourt. 354 pages.

The first time I saw him, a heavy, gray fog clung to the cornfields, tails of mist slithering between the dying stalks.

Jessica, our heroine, never set out to fall in love with a vampire. It wasn't on her to do list. It wasn't a fantasy of hers--not by a long shot--but such is the case when a strange--but strangely handsome--guy appears in her life claiming to be an 'exchange' student. The truth? The two were betrothed back when they were infants back in Romania. Before Jessica (then named Antanasia) became an orphan. Before she was adopted by an American couple and taken to the states to live. Our hero, Lucius Vladescu, is here to remind her that not only are they supposed to be engaged...she is really, truly a vampire princess. But she's not a vampire yet*. Does she want to be a vampire princess? Not at first. No, her crush is the ever-adorable-but-oh-so-ordinary Jake Zinn. And she's more than thrilled that Jake seems to be crushing on her too. But Lucius is ever-lurking about. Watching. Protecting. Generally being creepy and in the way. But ever-so-slowly, Jessica starts liking her lurker-would-be-lover. Starts being tempted by his charms--craves his touch, his kiss, his bite. But as she starts falling for him, he begins having second thoughts. Does he really want to turn Jessica into a vampire? Isn't her American upbringing a major weakness in being a vampire? Isn't she unsuited to the task of ruling as a vampire? Why would he want to do this to her? The more he resists, the more she desires. It also helps things along that he begins dating another girl, Faith, that her desire (Jessica's desire) is magnified by jealousy. If he is going to be biting anyone's neck, it should be her neck. This is another will-he/won't-he vampire romance.

I liked this one. It was fun in a way. If I was annoyed with anything in this one, it was Lucius' voice. I'm not sure what century "old-fashionedness" he was trying to channel for being a proper vampire. But I didn't buy him as a modern hero, a modern vampire, a modern Romanian who just happens to be a vampire. True, it's not like there are any direct correlations between this and real life so you can say he should sound like this, not that. But still, he didn't come across as authentic anything. He sounded stereotypically speaking-English-in-a-weird-movie-supposed-to-be-European-accent vampire. That's not a big problem. I was able to get used to in during the course of the novel. But it did jolt me a few times in the narrative. But I was able to get right back into it. So no big deal.

*(A concept that takes some getting used to. Her parents were vampires, yes. But she's not a vampire until she's bitten by her vampire lover/husband? But as she grows up, matures, her body starts craving that vampire bite, that change? But does that mean Lucius was born a vampire and was raised that way? Raised on blood? Did he have to be bitten? Or was his being a vampire something that happened at puberty? And how are all these vampires having babies to begin with? How do the undead reproduce? Are these vampires even among the undead? Lucius acts like he's alive--growing, changing, maturing into an adult, BUT he does drink blood.)

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McMann, Lisa. 2009. (February Pub.) Fade. Simon & Schuster. 248 pages.

Janie sprints through the snowy yards from two streets away and slips quietly through the front door of her house.
And then.
Everything goes black.
She grips her head, cursing her mother under her breath as the whirling kaleidoscope of colors builds and throws her off balance. She bumps against the wall and holds on, and then slowly lowers herself blindly to the floor as her fingers go numb. The last thing she needs is to crack her head open. Again.

Thus begins Fade, the sequel to the widely popular--the bestseller, in fact--Wake. Janie is our dream-catching heroine with the "curse" of falling into other people's dreams. When other people fall asleep around her, she 'falls into' their dreams. Witnesses it all. This as you can imagine is very draining, very awkward, very icky at times. But now Janie is using her 'curse' for good; she's helping the police force out. Working undercover alongside her boyfriend, Cabel. Soon after the book opens, the two are told about a new case they'll be given. A case allegedly involving teachers from their high school having inappropriate relationships with students. There was a tip called into the crime hotline about teachers having sex with students. The lead sounds suspicious to me--as a reader--but this is something they are taking very seriously. Janie, as the young-and-beautiful-one will act as bait. Cabel, her boyfriend, is not happy about that. So a new year, a new semester begins.

Fade is fast-paced, no doubt about it. It's written that way--in present tense. And everywhere you turn, you'll find a fan (or two or three) that just love this series. This one is popular--and it deserves it, it's earned it. The book is all about combining danger and romance and suspense. And that sells.

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McMann, Lisa. 2008. Wake.

Janie has a problem. No, it’s not that she thinks she’s too fat. It’s not that her dream guy isn’t asking her to the prom. Her problem? She has been falling into other people’s dreams. She first discovered this ability as a child—on a subway I believe (or public transit of some sort)—but it’s been getting worse, a lot worse since she’s become a teen. At school, her classmates have a tendency of falling asleep. And that spells trouble for our heroine, Janie. It’s not that all the dreams she falls into are nightmares, but any dream can become tedious after awhile. After all, how many times has she lived through others dreams of falling, or of being naked in a crowd of people, or other people’s sex dreams. (Just imagine it! Having to face your friends, your classmates, your enemies on a day to day basis after witnessing their most embarrassing dreams!) Yes, Janie wish this ability, this power would disappear. Maybe then she could have a normal social life, normal dating life.

I enjoyed Wake. It is an interesting premise, and I am pleased there will be a follow-up novel called Fade. While it has an intriguing opening, Janie experiencing a dream during the study period at the library, the book perhaps spends too much time setting up the story through a series of flashbacks. The flashbacks were like vignettes. Loosely connected. As a reader, you don’t really realize their significance, their purpose, until later. It is through these flashbacks that Janie is revealed, her friends and enemies revealed, her home life revealed. Did I enjoy this one? Yes. I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it. I enjoyed it more once the ‘action’ was back to the present year of 2005 because the narrative flowed more smoothly then and read more like a traditional novel.

First sentence: Janie Hannagan’s math book slips from her fingers. She grips the edge of the table in the school library. Everything goes black and silent. She sighs and rests her head on the table. Tries to pull herself out of it, but fails miserably. She’s too tired today. Too hungry. She really doesn’t have time for this. (1)


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Perez, Marlene. 2008. Dead is the New Black.

Dead is the New Black is similar in premise to Zombie Blondes which I reviewed earlier this week. Both books feature teen girls hesitant to join cheer leading squads, but who eventually give in despite the fact that there are clues this might prove deadly. But they're very different books in style and tone and theme. I loved Zombie Blondes. But I enjoyed this one too. A lot.

First sentence: "Being dead became fashionable approximately forty-five minutes after Samantha "the Divine" Devereaux came back from summer break."

It continues, "Although stylish as ever, there was still something off about the Divine Deveareaux. She strolled down the hall wearing a cleavage-baring top, a miniskirt, and stiletto heels. Her long blond hair had been freshly highlighted." So far sounds pretty normal, right? Stay with me, "But unlike after previous summer vacations, Samantha didn't have that sun-kissed Cabo glow. Her skin was, forgive the phrase, dead white. A large silver pendant hung around her neck, but I couldn't get a close look at it. I wasn't the only one trying to sneak a peek, because heads turned mor than usual as she strutted down the hall. 'Get out of my way, Daisy,' she snapped at me as she passed by. She was only slightly hampered by the coffin she was dragging behind her."

I think the first page was effective (in my opinion) of drawing the reader in. Our narrator--our heroine--is a teen named Daisy. Daisy has an interesting family--all her family--mother and sisters--have special psychic powers. But Daisy, "poor" Daisy, has none. Her mom helps solve cases--homicide mostly. And when our novel opens, there is an ongoing mystery. Someone (or something) is preying on teen girls. And for some reason, her mother can't get a sense of who or how or why. But Daisy and her best friend, Ryan, will take on the case secretly to see if they can't puzzle this one out on their own.

Family drama. School drama. Light romance. Supernatural mysteries. It's a fun and playful book that entertains. The book is set in the obviously fictional town of Nightshade. And with a name like that, well, expect some supernatural residents. This is the first in a new series, the next book, Dead is a State of Mind, will be out in 2009.

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