The Sunday Salon - Halloween 2010

Happy Halloween, everyone! Hopefully, trick-or-treating was a great success for you all. I know the kids managed to break records in the number of houses visited and the amount of candy obtained. The dogs even got in on the Halloween spirit and went around as Bumbledog and Hot Dog. I'll try to post pictures later. Other than being rather chilly, and Holly fighting a cold, everyone had a blast.

This week on the blog was rather busy. Getting in the spirit of Halloween early, and ensuring I got in all my reviews for the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril challenge, I posted reviews for Heather Brewster's Tenth Grade Bleeds as well as Eleventh Grade Burns. I gushed over Lisi Harrison's Monster High and admitted my appreciation for the vampires of Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Fall. Connor even got into the Halloween act by reviewing R. L. Stine's The Haunted Mask on this week's Connor's Corner. I rounded out the week by revisiting a high school read, Black Boy by Richard Wright, and even found time to write a guest post at Devourer of Books about Richard Wright in honor of Chicago Author Month.

Monday has us attending the first band concert of the year. Hopefully, it won't be as painful as it was last year. Gretchen turns seven this Monday, and Jim turns 36 on Friday. Soccer and cheerleading are winding down, thank goodness. We are down to one more practice each, two more soccer games and one more football game. We still have ballet and piano with which to keep us somewhat busy, but at least our evenings are going to be much calmer than they've been since August. It has been a fun fall but even the kids were getting exhausted; when they started anxiously awaiting our "free nights", you know they are tired of all the running around! I think we will all enjoy the freedom starting next week!

Enjoy the rest of your evening! Have a great week and happy reading!

Connor's Corner - The Haunted Mask

Halloween. A time for goblins and zombies and ghouls, oh my! But in this girl's case, it's a time for a mask - a haunted mask. Carly Beth is a normal 11-year-old girl with a problem. She is scared way too easily. But all that's about to change starting with a trip to a weird mask shop. All Carly Beth wants to do is to scare her friends. But her sudden attachment to her mask starts to scare even her. How will Carly Beth ever be able to get out of the mask? Is she doomed forever? Are you going to read The Haunted Mask by R. L. Stine? I hope so.

I thought that maybe there could have been a little more explanation to Carly Beth's reaction but other than that it was fun to read. This book definitely was a cliffhanger, not to mention "spook-tacular!"

REVIEW - Black Boy by Richard Wright

Title: Black Boy

Author: Richard Wright

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Richard Wright grew up in the woods of Mississippi, with poverty, hunger, fear, and hatred. He lied, stole, and raged at those around him; at six he was a "drunkard," hanging about taverns. Surly, brutal, cold, suspicious, and self-pitying, he was surrounded on one side by whites who were either indifferent to him, pitying, or cruel, and on the other by blacks who resented anyone trying to rise above the common lot.

Black Boy is Richard Wright's powerful account of his journey from innocence to experience in the Jim Crow South. It is at once an unashamed confession and a profound indictment—a poignant and disturbing record of social injustice and human suffering."

Thoughts: Black Boy is one that I read in high school without ever truly appreciating it. This re-read definitely corrected my ignorance and failure at respect, for Mr. Wright is more than worthy of a reader's respect. Surrounded by ignorance, abject poverty, and an entire society that considered him less than human, Mr. Wright was able to overcome all odds and escaped to the North without ever allowing the Jim Crow South to beat him. Even more worthy of accolades is the fact that Black Boy was first published in 1945, a time when racial relations were still not discussed and were not going to improve for another twenty-plus years. The fact that he took a chance at sharing his poignant, painful and shocking story, and that Harper was willing to publish it, shows a level of bravery most people can only dream of obtaining.

Any bibliophile can appreciate the power of the written word. As expressed by Mr. Wright, one can understand why education is such an important experience for the poverty-stricken. Without the written word, one could even argue that Mr. Wright would have never gathered the courage to leave the South.

"Yes, this man was fighting, fighting with words. He was using words as weapons, using them as one would use a club. Could words be weapons? Well, yes, for here they were. Then, maybe, perhaps, I could use them as a weapon?" (pg. 272)

Without this exposure to novels that he obtains through his illegal library card, he very literally would not become the man that he did. He very literally uses novels as a method of obtaining hope. What makes his story all the more special, as if it needs any further reason, is the sheer reverence he expresses towards the written word. Any fellow reader can appreciate the otherworldly awareness that Mr. Wright experiences when hearing his first real novel:

"The tale made the world around me be, throb, live. As she spoke, reality changed, the look of things altered, and the world became peopled with magical presences. My sense of life deepened and the feel of things was different, somehow." (pg. 47)

Mr. Wright shares his story with a forthrightness that a reader can appreciate, even when his story is painful or just downright uncomfortable. He confronts the truth directly, not shying away from sharing the hard lessons he faced. A reader is left both shocked and awed by his prose, as well as his story.

As I was reading, I could not help but consider the lessons of Black Boy and the lessons to be learned by today's children. While racial inequalities still exist, they are no where as severe as they were in the 1930s. Would today's younger generations understand? Would they get the importance of the novel? Would they appreciate the struggles depicted? Can they glean an understanding of today's racial divide just by looking to the past? When put into this perspective, it becomes clear just how little time separates Mr. Wright's South from Rosa Parks' South from the South of today. Has enough really been accomplished?

"Whenever I thought of the essential bleakness of black life in America, I knew that Negroes had never been allowed to catch the full spirit of Western civilization, that they lived somehow in it but not of it. And when I brooded upon the cultural barrenness of black life, I wondered if clean, positive tenderness, love, honor, loyalty, and the capacity to remember were native with man. I asked myself if these human qualities were not fostered, won, struggled and suffered for, preserved in ritual from one generation to another." (pg. 45)

These are great questions that still have relevance today.

Mr. Wright's story is remarkable in his depictions of his struggles. He fought not only to survive but to be an individual at a time and in a society where individuality was a deadly trait. His family tried to beat this individuality out of him; society tried to scare it out of him. Yet, he prevailed. Mr Wright could have easily succumbed to the pressures of society, but he stood firm. This is a lesson people of all ages and races can learn.

REVIEW - Eleventh Grade Burns by Heather Brewer

Title: Eleventh Grade Burns: Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #04

Author: Heather Brewer

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Eleventh grade at Bathory High is draining Vladimir Tod. Joss, a professional vampire slayer and Vlad's former friend, has moved back to town. The powerful vampire Dorian has an overwhelming desire to drink Vlad's blood. And his arch enemy, D'Ablo, has brought Vlad's Uncle Otis to trial for crimes against vampires. So much for dating. When the tables turn on Vlad, he has just enough time to return to Bathory for his final good-byes..."

Thoughts: This is my last read for Carl's R.I.P. Challenge, and I have to say I picked a good one. I've enjoyed the entire series from the very first page of the first book and feel that it has definitely picked up speed through the next three books. With one book left in the series, Eleventh Grade Burns lives up to its predecessors and remains a breathless read.

There has been a not-so-gradual descent into darkness that is only natural as Vlad matures and as the Pravus prophecy becomes closer to coming true. This is an especially description for this fourth book. The comic relief provided by Henry is paltry at best this time, only because of the seriousness of Vlad's situation. Much of the novel is spent with Vlad coming to grips with balancing his vampire and human natures, which is necessary to set up the final installment.

Having spent so much time over the past few weeks raving about the Vlad Tod series, there isn't much more I can say. Eleventh Grade Burns leaves the reader with one amazing cliffhanger and definitely sets up the last book quite nicely. The lack of hormone-fueled drama is a refreshing change from other young adult novels. The result is a novel that continues to answer questions about Vlad's potential future, setting up the final showdown quite nicely. I can hardly wait to see how it all ends!

REVIEW - The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogen

Title: The Fall (Strain Trilogy #2)

Author: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogen

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "The vampiric virus unleashed in The Strain has taken over New York City. It is spreading across the country and soon, the world. Amid the chaos, Eph Goodweather — head of the Center for Disease Control’s team — leads a small band out to stop these bloodthirsty monsters. But it may be too late.

Ignited by the Master’s horrific plan, a war erupts between Old and New World vampires, each vying for total control. Caught between these warring forces, humans — powerless and vulnerable — are no longer the consumers, but the consumed.

Though Eph understands the vampiric plague better than anyone, even he cannot protect those he loves from the invading evil. His ex-wife, Kelly, has been turned by the Master, and now she stalks the city, in the darkness, looking for her chance to reclaim Zack, Eph’s young son.

With the future of the world in the balance, Eph and his courageous team, guided by the brilliant former professor and Holocaust survivor Abraham Setrakian and exterminator Vasiliy Fet, must combat a terror whose ultimate plan is more terrible than anyone first imagined — a fate worse than annihilation."

Thoughts: Picking up only a day or two after The Strain ends, The Fall segues away from the traditional horror, as established in The Strain, and moves towards a more psychological thriller. Instead of who and what, The Fall presents readers with the master plan - what it is, who is involved, and why. Given my reaction to the focus on the vampire virus and the vampires themselves in the first novel, this switch was a welcome change and definitely renewed my interest in the series.

For those not familiar with the series, The Fall does an excellent job of recapping the previous story without completely rehashing every detail. The end result is a novel that will not bore fans who read the first book but will bring new readers up-to-speed quickly. This allows more time for the real action of the story to develop.

Given its focus on the whys and hows behind the Master's plan and its more psychological nature, one might assume that the book is less scary, less horrific. This is definitely not true. Rather than focusing on horror of the vampires, readers are introduced to the horrors of humans and the depths to which they are willing to descend for power. This is a much more horrifying aspect of the story because it is the one element of the series that could come true - humans selling out other humans for power and money. It is definitely nightmare-worthy.

Not being quite a fan of The Strain, I do think the series redeemed itself with The Fall. There are quite a few untied story lines and certain cliffhangers that make it clear that the third book is going to be just as different from the first two, as The Fall is from the first book. It definitely lost its humor and became a truly scary story.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishing for my advanced reading copy!

REVIEW - Monster High by Lisi Harrison

Title: Monster High

Author: Lisi Harrison

Narrator: Rebecca Soler

Audio Length: 6 hours, 8 minutes

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "The monster community has kept a low profile at the local high school, but when two new girls enroll, the town will never be the same. Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father's formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and prom.

But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters stalking the halls, Frankie learns that high school can be rough for a chic freak like her. She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver-but can a "normie" be trusted with her big secret?"

Thoughts: A random win on Twitter, I was completely unprepared for Lisi Harrison's entrance into the world of the supernatural. Yet, Monster High is a welcome addition. The tongue-in-cheek nod to monsters from the Hollywood past enhances the reader's interaction with the story, trying to discern normies from RADs and then enjoying how the RADs have adapted their lives to fit into modern society. Frankie is a refreshing blend of innocence and twenty-first century activism. Melody drives home the message that beauty is more than skin-deep. The result is a cute and thoroughly enjoyable novel about the importance of tolerance.

There is an interesting recurring theme in YA novels regarding communication. As teens, most protagonists do not want to adopt a habit of full disclosure to their parents, which is completely understandable. Monster High is no different in this regard; yet, as a reader, it becomes quite frustrating to know that telling the whole truth the first chance possible would go a long way towards avoiding misunderstandings and damage to relationships. Would this idea of teenage sullenness and inability to talk with parents desist a bit if YA authors adopted more open relationships and frank discussions between their teen protagonists and their parents? It is an interesting idea.

Another issue to note is the breaking of another YA tradition: the absent parents. In Monster High, parents are definitely in the picture. In fact, all of the kids come from two-parent homes, or if there is only one parent, it is not because of divorce. It is a surprising, yet refreshing twist to YA and does set an entirely different, but very welcome, tone for the story itself.

The largest issue of note for Monster High is the focus on labels and material goods. Frankie decks out her "fab" in top-of-the-line home decor, while Candace prances around in designer clothes. The brand of clothing each girl wears is constantly mentioned, as well as the name brand of each purse or shoe. In addition, one entire scene takes place in a posh spa. For a novel about tolerance and the idea of internal beauty, the focus on material goods seems a bit contradictory and proved to be one of the few negatives of the book.

The narrator, Rebecca Soler, did a fantastic job capturing Frankie's mirth and gaiety as well as Melody's cautiousness. The listener can easily distinguish between DJ and Jackson, Frankie, Candace and Melody and the entire cast. There are sound effects which, at times, definitely add to the narration while at other times seem forced and are just a distraction. There is a strong visual imagery in the language itself, which lends very well to the audio format. At six hours and eight minutes, the audio is quick and engaging.

Not knowing what to expect, I found I enjoyed my time in Salem, Oregon. Monster High is definitely lighter fare, heavily skewed towards the teen crowd, but there is plenty for adults to enjoy as well. What may be construed as a fluffy read in reality is a novel that packs a fairly powerful message, one that appeals to all ages. Monster High is definitely "Voltage!"

REVIEW - Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer

Title: Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #03: Tenth Grade Bleeds

Author: Heather Brewer

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "It's another awful year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D'Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis, and D'Ablo shows up demanding Vlad's father's journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won't save him this time."

Thoughts: If you can't tell, I am a huge fan of this series. I received the first three books thanks to my son's Scholastic Book Club order and read all three in three days. (I love Scholastic Book Club too, but that is an entirely different article.) There is something so refreshing about Vlad, his troubles, and his growing maturity in the face of ever darker problems. Tenth Grade Bleeds is no different.

This time around, Vlad hits vampire puberty, if you will, with a growing blood lust that is getting harder and harder to satiate. His reaction to it impacts his relationships with everyone around him and adds another layer of complexity to an already complex life. Throughout it all, Vlad remains his typical teen self, trying to remain true to his vampire side without compromising his humanity.

After three books into the series, the overarching story remains as fascinating and blurry as the reader uncovers yet more details about his status as the Pravus and what it means for his future. There is a not-so-subtle building of suspense that ties the stories together while the individual storyline continues to remain fresh and fun. Tenth Grade Bleeds continues the trend of a great story while whetting the appetite of the reader for more of Vlad's story.

The Sunday Salon - October 24, 2010

Happy Sunday! I'm sitting here surrounded by my family reveling in the fact that we have nowhere to go today and nothing to do. I just might actually get caught up on my paperwork today as well as still have time to nap. The possibilities are so exciting, and I'm reveling in them. It has been too long since we have had this amount of freedom in our schedule.

Speaking of schedules, this week was like all of the others, meaning it was busy, busy, busy. We had the culmination of our two-week United Way campaign, for which both Jim and I were extremely active. It was a lot of hard work and time, more than I ever considered as a possibility, but hopefully it was worth it in the end. Combined with that, we had our quarterly business meeting this week as well. The end result was too much time out of the office and too much left undone. I really hope that I can get caught up with everything one of these days.

Because of all of the extra activities this week, I kept things pretty light this week as far as reviews went. I've been on a huge YA kick lately, and this was reflected in my reviews of both book one and two of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series - Eighth Grade Bites and Ninth Grade Slays. Actually, this was series week because I also reviewed M. J. Rose's third novel in The Reincarnationist series, The Hypnotist, while Connor's Corner spotlighted Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series with Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident. I also made sure to throw a little publicity to Jen's new business, Booklicity. In all, not my most in-depth, intellectual week but hopefully that will change as the fall sports start to end, and our schedule slows down a bit. Now, if only I can see something similar happen at work.

Speaking of schedules, time to go enjoy the freedom of mine! Happy Sunday and happy reading!

Connor's Corner - Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident

The world's youngest criminal mastermind is back. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer is about Fowl on a journey to save one of the few people he loves - his father. Now, I realize that I haven't done a review on the first book yet, but that's yet to come. Anyway, Artemis believes he sees his father on a video. Naturally, the first thing to do is rescue him. Along the way, he runs into his old enemy, Captain Holly Short. It turns out the fairy population of Haven City needs his help. Now, instead of fighting them, he is going to have to help them if he is ever going to save his dad.

Two Thumbs Up! - Connor's Corner

Four Stars! - Connor

Mesmerizing! - A guy named Connor

Adventurous! - Connor S.

Fantastic! - C.G.S.

Edge-of-your-seat Entertainment! - C

Introducing Booklicity!

Have you heard the news? Jen from Devourer of Books has started a new business!

Booklicity exists to help authors and publicists maximize their books' exposure by pairing the correct book with the correct book reviewer. Using her knowledge of bloggers and reviewers based on years of personal experience, Jen will take the pain out making these connections. If you have not done so yet, check out her website and see what Jen can do for your book!

REVIEW - Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer

Title: Ninth Grade Slays (Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)

Author: Heather Brewer

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Freshman year stinks for Vlad Tod. Bullies still harass him. The photographer from the school newspaper is tailing him. And failing his studies could be deadly. A trip to Siberia gives a study abroad a a whole new meaning as Vlad connects with other vampires and advances his mind-control abilities, but will he return home with the skills to recognize a vampire slayer when he sees one? In this thrilling sequel to Eighth Grade Bites, Vlad must confront the secrets of the past and battle forces that once again threaten his life."

Thoughts: When it comes to vampire novels, I admit I am rather easy to please. Give me a plausible back story as well as a creative twist on the vampire myth, and I am happy. So, to say that I enjoyed a vampire story is not a surprise to anyone. Yet, when I can gush about a vampire story, now you know the story is special. I gushed about Eighth Grade Bites several days ago, and Ninth Grade Slays is just as deserving of any praise I may bestow.

Dark but fun, with enough Buffy references to make a Buffy fan like me happy, Ninth Grade Slays picks up where the other left off. This time, Vlad delves a little deeper into his vampire nature, understanding why others feel he is so special and why he is in danger all the time. As denotes most sequels, especially in middle grade novels, the story itself is rather formulaic, but it is still fun because of all the new information we get about Vlad's father, about his vampire family, and about his emerging powers. While more information is held back in the interest of the series, Ninth Grade Slays is the first book where the reader actually is made privy to this information. It definitely helps flesh out Vlad and Otis and the entire vampire society, making them more life-like and dangerous as only full disclosure can.

Any book that references Buffy, the TV show and NOT the movie, gets a special recommendation, and Ninth Grade Slays is full of references. There is something particularly hilarious about any story that references such a campy, but excellent cult hit because you know the author is not taking him/herself too seriously. I could spend an paragraph or two making comparisons between Buffy and Vlad, but then I would be doing a disservice to both because it means taking them both too seriously. Vlad is supposed to be fun, and it succeeds quite well.

Ninth Grade Slays leaves the reader wanting more, which is exactly what you want in a series. Vlad is vulnerable in his loneliness but shows remarkable growth as he learns more about his destiny. Otis, Nelly and Henry compliment Vlad's teenage angst. The end result is a novel that is a quick read but extremely charming and utterly addicting.

REVIEW - The Hypnotist by M. J. Rose

Title: The Hypnotist (The Reincarnationist #03)

Author: M. J. Rose

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "An FBI agent, tormented by a death he wasn't able to prevent, a crime he's never been able to solve and a love he's never forgotten, discovers that his true conflict resides not in his past, but in a...Past Life.

Haunted by a twenty-year-old murder of a beautiful young painter, Lucian Glass keeps his demons at bay through his fascinating work as a Special Agent with the FBI's Art Crime Team. Currently investigating a crazed art collector who has begun destroying prized masterworks, Glass is thrust into a bizarre hostage negotiation that takes him undercover at the Phoenix Foundation — dedicated to the science of past life study — where, in order to maintain his cover, he agrees to submit to the treatment of a hypnotist.

Under hypnosis, Glass travels from ancient Greece to 19th century Persia, while the case takes him from New York to Paris and the movie capital of world. These journeys will change his very understanding of reality, lead him to question his own sanity and land him at the center of perhaps the most audacious art heist in history: the theft of a 1,500-year-old sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art."


Thoughts: In the interest of full disclosure, I did read this book without having read any of the previous books in the Reincarnationist series. While I know that there were some parts of the entire story that may have been more clear had I read the first two books, I do not think that my lack of knowledge in any way influenced my opinion of The Hypnotist.

I did enjoy The Hypnotist. It was the second reincarnation book I read within a week, and I remain fascinated by this idea of past lives coming back to haunt us and the very literal idea of history repeating itself. The interconnections and the story drove me to read, while the building tension throughout the novel was intense at times. Add to that the fact that the story is complex enough to leave the reader guessing, and The Hypnotist becomes a clever but quirky thriller.

Unfortunately, the multiple characters became difficult to follow, especially when added to the characters in the past. Three different stories/mysteries occurring at the same time became quite confusing. In addition, the resolution of all three was somewhat anti-climatic. There was great build-up, but the end of each story line fizzled. In a similar vein, the characters were rather one-dimensional, almost caricatures of their real-life counterparts: the tortured, passionate, artistic good guy, the evil entrepreneur who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, the mysterious love interest with a shady past, a shadow government getting involved where it should not. As a result, the reader is unable to generate a vested interest in any one character, which greatly detracts from the story.

In the end, The Hypnotist was enjoyable but left me wanting more. I'm left confused why anyone would want to know more about his or her past lives. What is to gain by the knowledge? Still, as with any reincarnation story, the possibilities behind this idea are intriguing. It was these possibilities that kept me interested and allowed me to take pleasure from the story rather than become bogged down with the more obfuscating aspects of The Hypnotist.

I'm curious; if you have read either the first or the second novel, do you think my enjoyment of the story would have been even greater? Should this really have been a stand-alone novel? What do you think?

Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy!

REVIEW - Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Title: Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

Author: Heather Brewer

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod really hates junior high. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: He's being hunted by a vampire killer."

Thoughts: Middle grade novels can be rather scary for adults; sometimes, they allow for no crossover among readership. Thankfully, Eighth Grade Bites is not one of those novels. In Vlad Tod, Ms. Brewer has created a hero with whom readers of all ages can relate. The end result is a thoroughly enjoyable, completely adorable new vampire series that is worthy of reading.

Eighth Grade Bites also has the welcome advantage of not only being from a male point-of-view, but it also eliminates the "romance" from "paranormal romance". It does contain the standard coming-of-age fare: the main character is an orphan with an understanding best friend who is just trying to fit in with his peers and survive. Yet, Vlad himself is just adorable. He is self-deprecating in a way that is utterly endearing. He is surrounded by loving, supportive and yet hilarious supporting characters that each pop in their own right. Nelly is practical but loving and quite inventive on her ability to incorporate blood into each of Vlad's meals. Henry is an awesome best friend, completely cool with Vlad's "special needs"; their banter alone is worth reading.

What makes Eighth Grade Bites so successful as a novel is the writing. Ms. Brewer makes Vlad come alive, making it easy for the reader to feel the pain of his loss with which he continues to struggle. Sympathy becomes empathy as the reader truly understands Vlad's struggles to fit in and to discover himself. The reader knows what it is to struggle with a thirst for blood, to discover new powers, and to fear shadows.

With mysterious vampires and entire unknown vampire society about which Vlad has no idea, Eighth Grade Bites ends with a satisfactory note while leaving much of the story open for future additions to the series. This is definitely a good thing because Ms. Brewer's series is quite addicting!

The Sunday Salon - October 17, 2010

Happy Sunday! It's just another weekend filled with soccer, piano and other activities that prevent us from being able to nap relax. Thankfully, though, the sun is shining, and the heat from last weekend seems to have left us (hopefully for the rest of the season). Also on the positive side, the number of weekends that are packed are quickly dwindling. The soccer/cheerleading season is almost over, and I can't wait to some time back from the kids!

This week started out with a bang with my return from GLiBA. That was quickly followed by a magical night with my favorite, Muse. I managed to finish two books this week, one via audio. I also recapped my thoughts on Joe Hill's Horns and Becca Fitzpatrick's Crescendo. Connor let his inner geek shine through when he reviewed The Strange Case of Origami Yoda during Connor's Corner.

This week is our quarterly sales meeting, so unless I am amazingly productive today, I'm uncertain I will finish any book this week. It will be a challenge getting posts up as it is! In addition, I still need to log in and put away all of the books I brought into the house last week. Given the sheer number of them, this is going to take some time. In other words, no rest for the weary this week!

Speaking of rest, my time is up! Off to go spend the afternoon watching another soccer game. I hope everyone had an excellent weekend and has an even better week to come. Happy reading!

Connor's Corner - Origami Yoda Time!

"Yoda, I am."

That's not all that you'll hear from a familiar green friend. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is about a geeky kid named Dwight. Now, he's not exactly the coolest kid in school, but he does one thing that's cool: he makes origami. One day, he makes an origami Yoda, which makes a lot of predictions that come true. What's going on? A kid named Tommy is going to find out.

This book was very good, but the book's case file setup kind of confused me. Still, Mr. Angleberger made me laugh. Packed with comedy, and instructions on how to make your own origami Yoda, you're sure to love this book.

Read this book you must!

REVIEW - Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title: Crescendo

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?"


Thoughts:  Reviewing my thoughts on last year's hit, Hush, Hush, it appears that everything I enjoyed about Ms. Fitzpatrick's first novel remains true with her second, while unfortunately everything I did not enjoy also remains true. As with her first introduction to Nora and Patch, Crescendo is quite enjoyable but left me wanting more. It remains poised on the edge of brilliancy but not quite ready to make the leap.

Thankfully, Patch remains Patch: mysterious, sexy and undeniably dangerous. He continues to be just as fascinating a character in his unpredictability and his complete inability to share secrets until the very last second. It is an endearing quality, this overprotectiveness of others. Granted, it could be construed as a severe lack of trust, but the end result is the same. Our hapless heroine is so grossly ill-informed that she stumbles onto the truth only after exposing herself to mortal danger, whereas full disclosure could have prevented the whole misadventure. Still, Patch is the shining beacon of this entire story line. The reader wants to uncover all his darkest secrets and will read through anything to find their unveiling.

Nora takes Vee's place in this book as one of the most annoying characters ever. Vee was actually the voice of reason between the two best friends, which is a complete turnaround from the first novel. In Crescendo, Nora is too emotional, too irrational, too quick to judge, and too quick to find fault with everyone but herself. Her snap judgments and overly dramatic teenage hormones created the dangerous situations in which she found herself. After a while, a reader can only handle so much self-created drama. Nora remains a disappointment because at least she was somewhat responsible and cautious in Hush, Hush. In this novel, it is almost as if she has consciencely opted to ignore any modicum of reason she previously exhibited and chose to become a crazily obsessed teen. The end result is a complete disregard for any semblance of normalcy and a main character that is your stereotypically immature teenager. This change in the main character is made all the more upsetting by the fact that Nora, in Hush, Hush, was the mature teenager - the one who did everything right and never got into trouble. With one year separating the release dates of each novel, the inconsistency between the two is surprising and contributes heavily to one's disappointment in Nora's change.

If I wasn't a huge fan of Ms. Fitzpatrick's first novel, why was I anxious to read the second one? In spite of the weak characters and inconsistencies between the two novels, Patch and his back story make for one compelling story. Patch overcomes all, or at least almost all, of Nora's weaknesses, and the story itself remains immensely enjoyable. Crescendo does suffer a bit of the sophomore slump, but fans everywhere will continue to devour the series. Combined with an absolutely gorgeous cover that begs to be read and the fascinating mythology of the nephilim, archangels and fallen angels, the series continues to fascinate and engage the reader.

Thank you to Ms. Rettino and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for an advanced reader's copy!

REVIEW - Horns by Joe Hill

Title: Horns

Author: Joe Hill

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books): "Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with a thunderous hangover, a raging headache...and a pair of horns growing from his temples.

At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it "all," and more — he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin's death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside...

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look — a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It's time for a little revenge...

It's time the devil had his due..."

Thoughts: For those readers who enjoyed Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, Horns is just as enjoyable, although it evokes an entirely different form of fear than his first novel. Make no mistake, it remains an intense psychological thriller, but the ghosts going bump in the night are different, more realistic and frankly, more interesting than scary. Rather than facing murderous ghosts, this time around the bad guys are more mental, more personal.

Make no mistake, Ig is not presented in the most sympathetic of lights. Yet, given everything he has faced and everything he discovers, the reader cannot help but cheer him on as he discovers his strength of character and finally faces his torturers. For, tortured Ig definitely is. He not only faces the withdrawal of friends and family members, he faces his own self-disgust at his own inaction after Merrin's death.

In a cruel twist of fate, Ig's new horns and attached powers inform Ig that he is not the only one suffering on the inside. Everyone has a demon or two (or three) inside that s/he keeps hidden or negates through self-control. Frankly put, one never knows what is truly going on inside someone else. The question then remains, just what is supposed to happen if or when those secrets are learned by someone else?

Ig's fall from grace, if you will, presents an intense theological debate on suffering and the different degrees and/or forms of evil. Does one's thoughts make them evil? If a person never acts on evil intentions, does that make him or her evil by default? Why does a Higher Power, no matter what form it takes, allow us to suffer such depths of despair? Questions of this ilk abound throughout the novel, with Mr. Hill presenting his opinions while leaving room for each reader to form his or her own.

As Ig discovers through the learning curve associated with using his new powers, what happens when one discovers a person's true nature? Horns is a fascinating answer to that question, while raising many additional questions the reader must answer. The result is a novel that scares with the possibilities of truth rather than from spooky creatures or other, more conventional scare tactics.

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for my review copy of this novel!