"In Search of Mockingbird," by Loretta Ellsworth

Took me just a few hours to read the entire book, which is a sweet story about a girl trying to feel close to the mother she never knew. The day before her 16th birthday, Erin's father announces his engagement to a woman he's been dating. To soften the blow, he hands over Erin's mother's diary from when she was 16. This only serves to upset her more since her father never talks about his late wife and all Erin has had is her mother's beloved and well-read copy of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

When she reads in the diary that her mother once wrote to author Harper Lee, Erin decides she needs to meet Lee herself. She sneaks out of the house and takes a Greyhound bus to the reclusive author's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama.

This road-trip story of a teen girl finding her way in the world was cute and would be a good book for young readers. However, I think the dangers of running away from home and interacting with strangers was really glossed over. The setting is 1986 in Minnesota, so I'm sure it's meant to show that it was more of an innocent time. Still ...

Not a terribly thought-provoking or engaging book, but it was cute.

3.5 stars

"Beauty Queens," by Libba Bray

I've given up on Libba Bray. Maybe I should consider her Gemma Doyle trilogy a beautiful exception to an otherwise clunker of a catalog. This book and her "Going Bovine" were absolutely terrible. And yet, she had a really great story in the "Zombies Vs. Unicorn" anthology. So what is going on, Ms. Bray?

I thought the premise of this book was fun and interesting: a plane bearing 50 Teen Dream beauty pageant queens and their TV crew crashes on an island. The surviving girls have to fend for themselves. What's not to like with this idea? Plenty of room for character growth, plot twists, and so on.

Instead, "Beauty Queens" tries so hard to be funny that it's painfully UNfunny. Every page has at least one footnote to "hilariously" explain the reference to some beauty product, reality TV show, celebrity, etc. The girls are hideously vapid, completely unfazed by the deaths of their fellow passengers, more worried about how they'll shave their legs than how they'll survive the jungle.

Except Bray wants to show that underneath all that, the girls are very intelligent, feeling, suffering from labels society has placed on them. The middle of the book was actually quite good (the only reason I gave the book the two stars), delving into the lives of each teen queen. These sections were written tenderly, each girl's personal story shared with respect and without the cheesy product placements or like, the, you know, like, speech impediments.

Despite their ballgown upbringing, we're expected to accept that they knew how to build huts, filter rainwater, dig an irrigation system and know which jungle goods were okay to eat.

Bray wants the reader to take her characters seriously, but *she* didn't take them seriously. The middle, like I said, was rather lovely. There's no reason that the entire book couldn't have had that tone and still use subtle humor. Instead of making fun of the teens, we could have been rooting them on. However, I had to cheer myself on just to finish the book.

2 stars

"Allison Hewitt Is Trapped: A Zombie Novel," by Madeleine Roux

There's no warning for Allison Hewitt when The Infected crash through the window of her bookstore. In seconds, customers are dead, then reanimating and coming for her. She and a few co-workers manage to lock themselves inside the breakroom--just a reinforced steel door separating them from flesh-eating zombies.

What's a girl to do in the midst of the apocalypse? Why, start a blog, of course!

Allison has found a mysterious, wireless internet connection called SNet, and she writes down everything that happens in the days, weeks, months ahead. Friends are made and lost, love complicates survival, and the living are outnumbered by the dead.

This was a great look at what it means to be on the brink of extinction and how it can either bring out the best or the worst in people. I wasn't sure in the first few pages if it was going to be worth continuing as it just didn't pull me in immediately. I'm glad I stuck with it, though; it was intense, action-packed, humorous, and thought-provoking. No, I wouldn't have made all the same choices that Allison made, but she was likeable, smart, funny, brave, and genuine.

Interesting note: Author Madeleine Roux began this novel as an experimental fiction blog, and it quickly spread in popularity online. Also, she's from Wisconsin. How could I not love her? Can't wait for her next book, out in 2012, "Sadie Walker is Stranded."

5 stars

"Bossypants," by Tina Fey

Let me just say one thing first: I loved Tina Fey long before "30 Rock."

I love funny women, and my favorite sketches from SNL have featured Tina, Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri and Amy Poehler.

But reading Tina's memoir really awakened for me the sense that there are people out there who think women aren't funny. Which, honestly, is just coconuts. The behind-the-scenes look at her making it as an improv actor, a comedy writer and a sitcom actor/boss was a real eye-opener. Acerbic wit combined with an awkward honesty made for laugh-out-loud reading.

I kind of want to transcribe here all of the hilarious parts that made me spit on myself, but I'm pretty sure that would be copyright infringement. And, also, you'd have no reason to go get the book yourself. One excerpt has already made the rounds, "The Mother's Prayer for its Daughter," so I'll share just my favorite part from that:

"And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it."

Seriously, what the hell are you waiting for? Go get this book!

5 stars

"Immoral," by Brian Freeman

Brian Freeman is a hell of a writer. The setting, Duluth, Minn., is such an important factor in the book that it's like one of the main characters. The reader can almost feel the bite of the fierce wind blowing off of Lake Superior, can see that hill littered with old houses battered by harsh northern winters.

Another thing Freeman does well is he creates back stories for characters even if we only see that character for one chapter. I loved how he just fills in these blanks and really fleshes out moments that can be as beautiful as they are disgusting.

Detective Jonathan Stride and partner Maggie Bei search for a missing teenage girl, the second to disappear in about 15 months. With the press and public hounding them, they seem to catch the bad guy despite producing any bodies. But not all is as it seems. In fact, just when we think the story has wrapped, we get a flash forward of three years, when everything has changed. Truths are revealed as lies; what was thought to be lies were truths. And the repercussions are great.

I have read one of Freeman's books that is actually fourth in the series before I read this, the first of the series. I had absolutely no problem reading them out of order, and at a recent signing, Freeman encouraged readers to enjoy them in any order. I will most definitely be reaching for the next Stride book.

5 stars

"Graceling," by Kristin Cashore

Katsa, niece to a king, is a Graceling, a person born with an extreme skill. In her case, she is capable of fighting an army of grown men without any harm to herself. This makes her invaluable to the king, who uses her as a thug to hurt people and keep them in line. She believes herself a monster, and it isn't until meeting a young man, Po, who appears to also be Graced with a fighting skill, that she realizes she may not be a bad person after all.

At 471 pages, this book was entirely t...more 
Katsa, niece to a king, is a Graceling, a person born with an extreme skill. In her case, she is capable of fighting an army of grown men without any harm to herself. This makes her invaluable to the king, who uses her as a thug to hurt people and keep them in line. She believes herself a monster, and it isn't until meeting a young man, Po, who appears to also be Graced with a fighting skill, that she realizes she may not be a bad person after all.

At 471 pages, this book was entirely too long. It's a book about journeys--physical, emotional, mental. There isn't much action at all, which made the plot drag a bit. My interest was kept by the characters and their growth through the novel, but it really wasn't the most exciting story I've ever read. It's not one that I could recommend to others because what could I say about it? "They travel here, then they travel there, then they go there, then back again ..." Still, I cared to find out what happened next. I just feel this could have used some direction from an editor.

3 stars

"Zombies Vs. Unicorns," by Holly Black, ed., and Justine Larbalestier, ed.

YA authors Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier engaged in a heated debate online about which was better: zombies or unicorns. So many people added to the argument that they rounded up other well-known YA authors to write stories for a collection to end the debate.

Frankly, I don't know why it's even up for discussion. Hands-down, zombies win. This collection only underscored that fact with the zombie stories being clever, funny, frightening, and vastly memorable to the pallid unicorn stories.

One of my faves was from Carrie Ryan, who took readers back to the same world as her "Forest of Hands and Teeth" takes place, not long after the infection raged across the earth. Her story, "Bougainvilla," was well-crafted and could very well have been molded into its own novel.

I also quite enjoyed "Love Will Tear Us Apart," by Alaya Dawn Johnson. A male zombie looking just for sex and brains falls for a young man who has been trained in weaponry to kill monsters. The language is graphic, the band references excellent, the nature of the story unapologetic.

Some of these stories definitely made me want to check out the authors' novels. Fun read.

4 stars

"Desires of the Dead," by Kimberly Derting

Follow-up to “The Body Finder,” this second offering by Kimberly Derting finds Violet still afraid to let anyone in on her secret: she can sense dead bodies, animal and human. These bodies call to her in various ways—smells, sounds, flashes of light—and can wreak havoc on her senses. Only when the body is found and given a proper burial can Violet find peace from the calling. These imprints, as she calls them, even remain with the person who has done the killing. This was what got her in trouble in the first book.

This time around, Violet anonymously calls in a tip for authorities to locate a body and finds herself under the watchful eye of an FBI consultant, Sarah Priest. She avoids contact with the woman as much as possible, pretending not to know anything about having a special gift. But Sarah Priest has a secret, too, that has to do with a cute, intense boy named Rafe.

Meanwhile, Violet is navigating new territory with best friend and new boyfriend Jay. And someone else is very unhappy with their relationship, someone willing to try to scare Violet away from Jay.

It’s been a while since I read “The Body Finder,” but I recall enjoying it a lot. Though I did like “Desires of the Dead,” I found myself getting annoyed by Violet. She came off controlling at times, even emasculating boyfriend Jay. Whenever their “homework” sessions (i.e. making out) got too serious and Jay pulled back, Violet would taunt him with “you’re such a girl” or make comments about he was the girl and she was the guy. It was like because Violet is female, she can get away with putting pressure on her boyfriend for sex. Not just that, but calling him names at times. I’m sure the author thought this was harmless, something to add levity to serious situations, but it put me off the character immensely.

However, Violet wasn’t consistently acting like this, so it didn’t pull me away from the story completely. I still enjoyed the book and would read the next Body Finder novel. I just hope the author takes into consideration the message she’s sending via her character. Strong female voices are important, especially in young adult fiction, and Derting has an opportunity and a responsibility to present the kind of heroine to which other young women can aspire.

I Solemnly Swear ...

... to do a better job of updating this blog.

As a punishment, I spent the last three hours posting reviews of all the books I've read so far in 2011. Hope you can find some good suggestions for yourself amongst them.

~April

"The Enemy We Know," by Donna White Glaser

Letty is a fantastic character, a therapist struggling to keep her professional life professional and her personal life sober.

New to AA, Letty is on a path of regaining control of her addiction to alcohol, but a stalker aims to trip her up at every step. The strength of this character is that she relies on her humor to make the best of the situation, to get her through hard times. It's also a double-edged sword because it helps her deflect from the very real danger she is in.

...moreLetty is a fantastic character, a therapist struggling to keep her professional life professional and her personal life sober.

New to AA, Letty is on a path of regaining control of her addiction to alcohol, but a stalker aims to trip her up at every step. The strength of this character is that she relies on her humor to make the best of the situation, to get her through hard times. It's also a double-edged sword because it helps her deflect from the very real danger she is in.

Author Glaser kept me chuckling throughout, even out-right guffawing in parts. To be completely honest, I was hired to proofread this book, so any mechanical errors to be found are completely my fault. You see, the book was so compelling that I sometimes found myself not working, but racing through pages to see what happens next.

Great first book, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next Letty Whittaker mystery! Visit Donna's website here and sign up to win a free copy of "The Enemy We Know."

5 stars

"The Dark & Hollow Places," by Carrie Ryan

Let me tell you something. Carrie Ryan knows how to write a book. Her writing is so fine-tuned, there isn't a single sentence that should be cut. She knows how to build and break tension, how to amp up horror, how to give moments of utter peace, and how to create a world so unique, terrible, and lonely that it breaks your heart. Yet you cheer on the characters, your heart races along with theirs, your muscles tense as if to join their fight, you hope against hope for a happy ending.

Carrie Ryan knows how to write a book.

In this third offering, a companion to "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" and "The Dead-Tossed Waves," Annah survives in a world that is nearly completely overcome by plague rats--Mudo, Unconsecrated. Zombies. Left on her own for nearly three years as Elias (first seen in "Dead-Tossed Waves") joined up with the Recruiters, Annah has learned to take care of herself. She blends in with crowds, keeps to herself, and lives with the guilt for having once left her bleeding, frightened twin sister, Abigail, in the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

As she's about to set off to finally find her sister, convinced Elias will never return, Annah sees her sister in the Dark City as she is taken prisoner by the Recruiters. Meeting up with Catcher (also from DTW), they find Elias just as a horde of the Mudo break down the barriers to the Dark City. In order to save themselves, Catcher, who is infected but immune to the disease, making him unnoticed by Mudo, turns himself in to the Recruiters in exchange for the safety of the others. Catcher uses his ability to walk among the Mudo unscathed to scavenge for supplies and is kept in line by the threat of harm against Annah, Elias and Gabry (Abigail).

The backdrop of millions of undead clamoring for their blood serves only to highlight the cruelty of the Recruiters as they kill other humans for sport and try to use Annah and Gabry for their own sick pleasures. Annah and the others are left to wonder what kind of world they are trying to survive for if what's left is so poisoned.

5 stars

"The Dead-Tossed Waves," by Carrie Ryan

This book wasn't as wonderful as "The Forest of Hands and Teeth," but it was still pretty excellent.

A companion to "Forest," this novel is told from the point of Gabry, daughter of the first book's main character. Unlike her mother Mary, Gabry is frightened of almost everything. She wants to keep her safe life at the lighthouse where she's grown up, but a single decision puts in motion a world of changes.

When a Mudo attack leaves a few friends dead, he...moreThis book wasn't as wonderful as "The Forest of Hands and Teeth," but it was still pretty excellent.

A companion to "Forest," this novel is told from the point of Gabry, daughter of the first book's main character. Unlike her mother Mary, Gabry is frightened of almost everything. She wants to keep her safe life at the lighthouse where she's grown up, but a single decision puts in motion a world of changes.

When a Mudo attack leaves a few friends dead, her best friend captured for punishment, and her crush Catcher infected, Gabry tries to make sense of it all. When her mother leaves the city to return to the Forest of Hands and Teeth in order to search for those she left behind so long ago, Gabry feels abandoned and seeks help from Elias, a young man beyond the barrier who is on a mission of his own.

Catcher realizes he is immune to the infection and can move among the Mudo undetected. He uses this ability to stage a fake breach of Mudo to create a diversion among the militia in order to rescue his sister from her imprisonment. When the militia, called Recruiters, realize Catcher is immune, they stop at nothing to capture him and use him. Catcher, Gabry, Elias and Cira escape to the Forest to find Gabry's mother and to try to elude the Recruiters.

Like Carrie Ryan's first book, "The Dead-Tossed Waves" has a great love triangle, intense heartache, and a terrifying and lonely world that is difficult to forget.

4 stars

"City of Fallen Angels," by Cassandra Clare

This book was a major letdown. It's mostly a lot of lead-up to the ending with nothing happening through the rest of it. I'm glad Simon and Isabelle were featured more, but the Jace and Clary drama was just ridiculous. Granted, most teenagers are ridiculous in their angst and hormones and their feelings of "no one will ever understand me!" But characters should rise above that, not wallow in it.

Jace tortures himself over and over again about his upbringing, his father Valentine versus his real father Stephen Herondale, his feelings about his feelings (I know, right? Annoying much?), how he doesn't really deserve happiness with Clary.

Clary doesn't understand why Jace is pulling away from her, so she decides to stay away from him. More drama and doubt and zero communication.

And then there's the sickly sweet reunion between them before, shocker, Jace turns dark inside again.

Basically, the whole book is like a place-holder for Clare's next book. If the first three in the series weren't so darn good, I'd be severely annoyed at having wasted my time reading this one. The only saving grace was that we get more involved in the lives of Simon, Isabelle, Maia, Jordan, Alec and Magnus.

Sorry, Cassandra Clare. I love this series and your writing talent, but this falls far short of what you're capable of.

2 stars

"City of Glass," by Cassandra Clare

Second time around reading this book in preparation for "City of Fallen Angels."

There was plenty of action in this third installment of the Mortal Instruments series, as well as tension for Jace and Clary as they struggle with their feelings for each other. Valentine's diabolical plans are clear: to infiltrate the City of Glass and take down the Clave. How he hopes to accomplish this isn't so clear, at least until the end.

The introduction of possible new love interests for Jace and Clary serve as a way they can rid themselves of inappropriate feelings toward each other. Simon is also given a chance to become more of the story, proving to the Shadowhunters that he is strong and trustworthy.

I felt this was a strong book and would have made a great end to a great series. Unfortunately, Clare's "City of Fallen Angels" prolonged the storyline, and not in a good way. I can only hope the fifth book brings back the action and amazing level of writing talent I know that Clare possesses.

5 stars

"Sh*t My Dad Says," by Justin Halpern

I followed "Sh*t My Dad Says" on Twitter for a while before Justin Halpern got his book deal, so I knew I had to eventually read the book. It was really nice to get some back story on Justin and his 73-year-old father, Sam Halpern. Between his dad's profanity-laced quotes on everything from life and girls to pets and sports, young Halpern chronicles his relationship with his straight-talking, tough-love-style father.

This book isn't for the easily offended or for those who have no sense of humor. Sam Halpern, like it or not, doesn't mince words. And it's not always easy to take. It's definitely hard to imagine liking someone so blunt and who thinks nothing of dropping f-bombs when speaking to his 6-year-old. There's a lot more to the elder Halpern, though; his love for his family is evident.

Fave quote:
On Getting an Internship at Quentin Tarantino's Production Company
"That is one ugly son of a bitch ... Oh, yeah, no, congratulations. If you see him, try not to stare at his face if you've eaten anything."

4 stars

"City of Ashes," by Cassandra Clare

**Spoiler alert** Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book yet.



Book 2 in the series finds Clary dealing with the emotional fallout of learning Jace is her brother. She turns to best friend Simon to lose herself in something resembling love, but pretending does neither of them well. Her mother is still in a comatose state and her father, Valentine, is still perpetrating horrific acts of violence and destruction in the attempt to collect all three Mortal Instruments.

Clary and Jace each begin to realize the special gifts Valentine has given them while negotiating the minefield of their feelings for each other. Adding to their difficulties is the conviction of the Clave's Inquisitor that Jace is secretly helping Valentine.

Lots of action in this book. Kept me up until 2 a.m. to finish, even though I've already read it once before. That's good writing, folks.

5 stars

"City of Bones," by Casssandra Clare

Re-reading series since the fourth book just came out. Still love this as much as the first time I read it.

After her mother suddenly disappears, Clary discovers the world is inhabited by demons, vampires, werewolves and other Downworlders and that she, herself, comes from a line of Shadowhunters. Created by an angel, Shadowhunters protect humans by dispatching demons back to their own worlds. But one dark Shadowhunter long thought dead has come back with a new plan to rule the world as...moreRe-reading series since the fourth book just came out. Still love this as much as the first time I read it.

After her mother suddenly disappears, Clary discovers the world is inhabited by demons, vampires, werewolves and other Downworlders and that she, herself, comes from a line of Shadowhunters. Created by an angel, Shadowhunters protect humans by dispatching demons back to their own worlds. But one dark Shadowhunter long thought dead has come back with a new plan to rule the world as he sees fit.

Clary must search for and find the Mortal Cup before it ends up in the wrong hands. She joins Shadowhunters Alec, Isabel and Jace, along with her best friend Simon, as they battle vamps, a Greater Demon, and each other in their quest.

Complicating things is the attraction Clary and Jace have for each other, while poor Simon has been in love with Clary for years. An additional complication involves Valentine, but I won't spoil it for new readers.

Very "Harry Potter" meets "Twilight." Except with all the great writing of HP and none of the constant damsel in distress of "Twilight."

5 stars

"To Kill A Mockingbird," by Harper Lee

I'm glad I reread this as an adult because I can appreciate the social commentary and message better. The story incorporates class struggles as much as racism, told by a young girl trying to figure out what keeps everyone separated. What a clever way to explore these themes without being preachy. After all, who can blame a child for her innocence and questioning?

Just as compelling is the mystery of Arthur "Boo" Radley. We meet him only once, at the end, yet his presence is missed throughout the novel.

It was difficult to read the "N" word at all, let alone as frequently as it was used in the book. But I stand by the author's use to show the times, the location, and the ugliness of those using it.

These admirable characters--Atticus, Jem, Scout, Boo, Calpurnia, Tom Robinson, etc.--will stick with me. Already I wonder what lives they led after the book's closing. That's the mark of fine craftsmanship.

5 stars

"Cloaked," by Alex Finn

Takes on several old fairy tales: the shoemaker and elves; princess and the frog; the tailor who kills the giants; the old man and the magic fish; the six swans, etc.

This is more of a juvenile book than YA. Not a lot of substance, dependent mostly on magic to move the plot along.

A princess asks Johnny, who fixes shoes at a fancy Miami hotel, to find her brother-turned-frog. In exchange, Johnny gets money (his family is poor, so he desperately needs it) and her hand in marriage. He accepts and goes off on a journey filled with witches, magic cloaks, talking animals, murderous giants and paparazzi. Best friend Meg helps him and reveals some magic powers of her own.

Cute book for preteens. No swearing, harmless kissing scenes, moral wrap-up.

2 stars

"Beastly," by Alex Flinn

I thought it would be fun to read the book before seeing the movie "Beastly." Major difference, though, is that in the book, Kyle is literally turned into a beast. Hair covering his whole body, clawed hands, long snout. But he walked upright and talked like a human. From everything I've seen of the movie trailer, the curse just turns him into a tattooed version of Powder. (Yup, I just rocked a 1995 reference. Old school.)

Also, Lindy, the girl Kyle, who renames himself Adria...moreI thought it would be fun to read the book before seeing the movie "Beastly." Major difference, though, is that in the book, Kyle is literally turned into a beast. Hair covering his whole body, clawed hands, long snout. But he walked upright and talked like a human. From everything I've seen of the movie trailer, the curse just turns him into a tattooed version of Powder. (Yup, I just rocked a 1995 reference. Old school.)

Also, Lindy, the girl Kyle, who renames himself Adrian, falls for, is supposed to be very plain looking, with crooked teeth. Of course, not the movie version.

This was just an okay book. Entertaining, sure, but not likely to stay with me or to be something I'd recommend. I found it irritating that the more Adrian changed to a better person, the more he talked like a proper gentleman in British novels.

Meh.

3 stars