Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Going Vintage

by Lindsey Leavitt  

 

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List:
1. Run for pep club secretary
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming
4. Find a steady
5. Do something dangerous
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

 

(summary from goodreads.com) 

 

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Super cute, though right on the edge of what I feel is too adolescent to enjoy. I really liked the sister relationship in this book, enjoyed the "social experiment" (and think maybe more teens and adults need to occasionally go a week without technology), and loved how the main plot was about a girl finding herself and weaning herself from depending on boys to give her self worth. I liked how it was revealed that her Grandma didn't have the idyllic high school experience she assumed she had. And funny, the last book I read with "vintage" in the title also talked about cupcake dresses. How fun if a high school had an early 60's themed prom.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: none; Profanity: no; Sex: lots of "making out", mention of grandmother's "love child"

 

 

Ruins by Orson Scott Card

Ruins

by Orson Scott Card

 

When Rigg and his friends crossed the Wall between the only world they knew and a world they could not imagine, he hoped he was leading them to safety. But the dangers in this new wallfold are more difficult to see. Rigg, Umbo, and Param know that they cannot trust the expendable, Vadesh ? a machine shaped like a human, created to deceive ? but they are no longer certain that they can even trust one another. But they will have little choice. Because although Rigg can decipher the paths of the past, he can't yet see the horror that lies ahead: A destructive force with deadly intentions is hurtling toward Garden. If Rigg, Umbo, and Param can't work together to alter the past, there will be no future.

 

(summary from goodreads.com) 

 

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It took me a long time to gear up the interest/stamina to read this book. I knew I would like it, I knew it would be interesting, but I also knew it would be more intellectually challenging than my normal fare. I am happy with cotton candy-esque books - sugar fluff for the brain. I read for entertainment and escape. Rather than a quickly-devoured-because-it's-mostly-air-book, Card writes books that are closer to Paninis. Hmm. No, not paninis, those are pretty scrumptious. Maybe more like steak. Yes! Card's books remind me of a good steak. Takes a while to tackle it, tougher to get through, meatier, which is a nice change of pace. Hmm, wonder why I'm hungry now …

Anyway, moving on. Ruins was a great continuation of his Pathfinder series, which he will hopefully bring to a nice happy close eventually, unlike many of his other series. (Card is an exceptionally poor closer.) The deeper I got into this book the more I thought it was designed to be a sci-fi writer's playground - Card gave himself 19 completely separate, 11,000 year old cultures to play with. The first two books only cover four of them, and each are wildly different. I have a feeling he will have way too much fun with the remaining 14 societies. There was a way too long episode of "Ron Weasley from the Goblet of Fire", but thankfully by at least the end of the book it was resolved. I still like Rigg, (hooray he's finally 16! I can only stay interested in a 13 year old boy for so long …) hopefully the surprise at the end of this book doesn't ruin him for me. There were some discrepancies between the epilogue of Pathfinder and this book, discrepancies that were never really resolved or even discussed, which was irritating, I'm not a huge fan of the "facemasks," I'm getting a little sick of all the miscommunication and falsehoods and manipulations, and just want to know WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON. But I liked the book and I'm hoping for a nice, neat, happy ending in the next book. HOPING. But not really expecting.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: moderate; Profanity: no; Sex: innuendos

 

 

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

A Corner of White

by Jaclyn Moriarty

 

Madeleine Tully lives in Cambridge, England, the World – a city of spires, Isaac Newton and Auntie’s Tea Shop.

Elliot Baranski lives in Bonfire, the Farms, the Kingdom of Cello – where seasons roam, the Butterfly Child sleeps in a glass jar, and bells warn of attacks from dangerous Colours.

They are worlds apart – until a crack opens up between them; a corner of white – the slim seam of a letter.

A mesmerising story of two worlds; the cracks between them, the science that binds them and the colours that infuse them.

 

 

(summary from goodreads.com) 

 

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A sometimes strange mix of whimsy and harsh reality, fantasy and contemporary. It worked sometimes but other times was just a little weird. It was like I was reading two books at the same time from completely different genres, but the main characters occasionally communicated. This is a hard book for me to review - I still don't know what I thought of it. I liked it, I will read the next one in what will inevitably be a series, and I liked the characters, but I wasn't completely caught up and enamored with the story.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: mild; Profanity: no; Sex: no

 

Gone by Lisa McMann

Gone

by Lisa McMann  

 

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she’d made her peace with it. But she can’t handle dragging Cabel down with her. She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He’s amazing. And she’s a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves—she has to disappear. And it’s going to kill them both.

Then a stranger enters her life--and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she’d ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out....

 

 

 

 

(summary from goodreads.com) 

 

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I read this book because I needed closure. Poor miserable Janie, poor loyal Cabel. This book gave me a little closure, at least they both ended in a good place, but the main problem was never solved. Irritating. I liked seeing more of Janie's background, I liked Cabel realistically trying to deal with the serious problems facing them, but the language was absolutely terrible and a huge turn off.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: mild, Profanity: YES YES YES, Sex: yes

 

 

Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

Dead Silence

by Kimberly Derting 

 

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

 

(summary from goodreads.com) 

 

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Hmm. I'm not actually sure what to think about this one - I've loved the previous three, a good mix of macabre and normal life, and I've always loved how she has excerpts from the killer before each chapter, and both held true for this book. I like how her parents knew (mostly) what is going on - too many YAs (especially paranormal) have the adults completely in the dark. But I think I wanted … more. I just felt like this book was more of the same. Yes, there was a little plot progression, but too little. And I also wanted less - less relationship drama (this is the FOURTH book, for goodness sake), less angst about what's going on (this is the FOURTH book, for goodness sake). Anyway, an entertaining series, but I'm starting to feel like it. will. never. end. I'm losing interest …

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: yes Profanity: yes Sex hard to say - some ambiguous "fade to blacks" 

 

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight

by Laini Taylor  

 

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

 

(summary from goodreads.com)

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If you liked the first book, just save yourself some anguish and wait until the 3rd book is out before you read this one. Seriously, I think I just might stop reading 2nd books all together. This was a heart wrenching book, even grittier than the first one, with characters you care about mostly miserable for all 500 pages. Unlike some 2nd books, this one at least goes somewhere and accomplishes something, but I yearned (pleaded, demanded) for a little more happiness. Zuzana and Mik were the lone bright plots of this book - they were fabulous and I loved every bit of them - without them it would have been 500 pages of darkness. I have a feeling this author could go either way with the romantic plot, I hope it's an ending I'm happy with. I'll let you know … when it's finally out … way far away in 2014.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: yes Profanity: yes Sex: yes

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

by Laini Taylor 

 

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

 

(summary from goodreads.com) 

 

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This author tells a completely different story each time I pick up one of her books! This tale is grittier and harder than the rest, but still intrigued me with it's amazing and fantastic world building. One of the most enjoyable "angel" books I've read. Much more intense and detailed than your standard YA book, I really liked it.

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: yes Profanity: yes Sex: yes