Category Archives: By Age Range

Review: Marked (House of Night #1) by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Marked by PC CastMarked (House of Night Series #1)
PC Cast and Kristin Cast
St. Martin’s Griffin
Published May 1, 2007

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Zoe’s friends and family totally flip out when she’s marked as a vampire. An instant outcast, she retreats to her grandmother’s house for some much-needed advice and then turns herself over to the House of Night, a sort of boarding school for fledgling vampires. There she’ll be educated and wait to see if her body is strong enough to undergo the transformation into an adult vampire.
Even among other fledglings, Zoe is far from normal. Her vampirism seems to be developing at an advanced pace and her mentor has high hopes for what this might mean. Unfortunately, some other students see Zoe as a threat to the well-established hierarchy, and they will do whatever it takes to sabotage her.

Many things about this book disappointed me. Zoe’s attitude, for one. She started off angry and bitter at the world, smarter than everyone around her. I found it snobby and really off-putting. Her family and human friends were half-characters sort of slapped together without any deep thought to their own motivations or personalities. Why did Mom do that? Because she’s stupid and annoying. Really? I didn’t dig it.

Once she got to the House of Night, Zoe seemed a little easier to impress and her friends seemed a little more worthy. Her blossoming romantic feelings for her dream guy felt shallow. Why isn’t she concerned about his behavior with his apparent ex? She was kind of concerned for a minute but then pretty quick to dismiss it. And what virtues does Mr. Dreamboat have to offer? He’s hot. And he’s infatuated with her. Does a girl need more? (Yes!)

In fairness, this book had been on my reading list for a long time and I may have had unreasonable expectations for it. It’s definitely more the steamy-vampire-novel than the deep, introspective story of a young girl experiencing an unpredictable transformation. But alas.

Vampire-lit lovers: I recommend Julie Kagawa’s The Immortal Rules.

Profanity or Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity and crude sexual language used with moderate frequency. Also – despite the use of explicit sexual language in earlier scenes, Zoe refers to her responsibility cleaning a stable as shoveling “horse poopy.” She also refers to breasts as “boobies.” I’m not a fan of the explicit language, but the infantile words seemed equally out of place. Very strange.

Sexual Content
Brief description of a couple engaging in oral sex and several references back to that scene.

Spiritual Content
Zoe connects with her Cherokee spiritual heritage in a spiritual encounter. Vampires also worship a goddess. Along with the fledglings, they participate in elaborate rituals and ceremonies to honor the goddess.

Violence
Several references to blood lust. In one scene, a human boy is threatened by vampires.

Drug Content
Zoe attends a ritual at which marijuana is burned like incense. Former school friends also drink and use drugs, a behavior of which Zoe disapproves.

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Review: The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

The Hero and the Crown (Damar #2)
Robin McKinley
Open Road Integrated Media
Published November 18, 2014 (Orig. 1984)

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About The Hero and the Crown

Surrounded by royalty blessed with magical ability and rumors of her mother’s despised foreign ancestry, Aerin never felt at ease as the king’s daughter. Desperate to escape her loneliness, she befriends a retired war horse with a weak leg and stumbles onto an ancient recipe for a fireproof lotion. When rumor of a small dragon terrorizing pasture animals and children in a nearby village reaches Aerin’s ears, she decides to ride out from the castle alone and attack the beast herself.

Thus begins her reputation as a dragon-slayer, not a noble enterprise in her kingdom, but a place and an identity for Aerin. When a dragon emerges who is greater and more terrible than any she’s ever faced, Aerin bravely rides out to meet it. But the dragon proves to be only a small part of a grave evil which seeks to destroy her homeland forever. With a strange blond man from her dreams to guide her, Aerin begins another quest to save the people who do not love her from a threat they cannot understand.

My Review

I first read this story as a teenager and read it many times since. It’s been years since the last time I visited Damar and Aerin, so I was eager to see if the story was as great and engrossing as I remembered. It’s definitely still one of my favorites. I’d forgotten that there are some passages that leap from one point-of-view to another, causing some momentary confusion, but the characters are phenomenal. Aerin is the perfect misfit. Her horse, Talat, has enough character for three companions, and he doesn’t even speak! Great stuff.

As often happens in the way of fairy tale romances, Aerin has two admirers, one familiar and the other mysterious. For myself, I felt like there wasn’t enough virtue in the mysterious guy to make him worthy of her. He is powerful and handsome, but sort of aloof and selfish. I much preferred the other guy. The preference didn’t cheapen my experience reading the story, though.

Also – side note – I love the new cover!

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Aerin spends nights with her traveling companion and accepts his invitation to “not sleep” one night. Their intimacy is hinted at but not described in any way.

Spiritual Content
Brief mentions of religious icons or priests of Aerin’s people. Many people claim that Aerin’s mother was a witch. (She was indeed a student of a mage.) Trouble from the north is referred to as demon mischief. It’s not precisely described as to whether it’s a creature or more of a spiritual problem.

Violence
Brief descriptions of battles between men and beasts.

Drug Content
Aerin hallucinates and suffers physical ailment after eating leaves from a surka tree.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Everblue by Brenda Pandos

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Everblue (Mer Tales #1)
Brenda Pandos
Obsidian Mountain Publishing
Published March 22, 2012

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When Ashlynn’s best friend disappears with her family, she worries that it has something to do with a family secret. And it does. Only, Ash thinks the family secret is that Tatchi’s dad is an alcoholic… the real secret is: she’s a mermaid, one of the Mer people. So is her hot twin brother, Fin, whom Ash can’t help drooling over.

Just when he has a chance to connect with the beautiful and forbidden Ashlynn, Fin is forced to return to Natatoria, the home of the Mer people, with his family. What at first seems like a quick meeting quickly explodes into house arrest and disfavor with the king’s bratty son. Just great.

But even beneath the sea, Ashlynn’s cries for help reach Fin and nothing will stop him from saving her. If he saves her, he will creates a bond that only death can break.

In a refreshingly chaste but passionate romance, Pandos introduces a mermaid story with a sort of role-reversal: this time, the Mer man is hopelessly in love with a human girl. Some elements of the Mer world were clever – the fact that the Mer people transformed at night and could only be human during the day, for instance; the sealing of a lifelong commitment by a single kiss.

Some elements of the plot seemed a bit more contrived: the romance between Ash and Fin is a given from page one and doesn’t really deepen in a relationship sense. Why does she like him? Because he’s hot. Why does he like her? Because she’s innocent and forbidden. That’s as true at the beginning as it is at the end. There’s not a lot of growth there.

Fans of tales of mermaids will probably still enjoy this story for its exploration of undersea lore. New readers to this vein of fantasy may also be interested in the series The Syrena Legacy by Anna Banks.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
Ashlynn worries about going to a dance with a boy from school and what he’ll expect from her that night. He is a perfect gentleman.

Spiritual Content
Ashlynn’s family are church-going people and her mother prays with her when she’s upset.

Violence
Battles between Mer people. There’s very little description of injuries.

Drug Content
None.

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Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
Marissa Meyer
Feiwel & Friends
Published February 5, 2013

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When Scarlet’s grandmother goes missing, the police quickly dismiss her absence as a crazy old lady who has run away of her own free will. Scarlet knows different. Grandma would never just disappear like this. Following a trail of clues leads her to a mysterious street fighter called Wolf who claims to be a former member of an elite, deadly gang who may be responsible for Grandma’s disappearance. With Wolf’s reluctant help, Scarlet sets out to rescue her Grandma.

Cinder’s newly awakened Lunar powers enable her to escape from prison and the execution Queen Levana has planned for her. She should meet her friend and ally, Dr. Erland in Africa, but before she faces a future with no choices, she yearns to uncover the truth of her past.

Meyer continues the delightful dystopian fairytale world in this second book. This story features characters from the beloved tale of Red Riding Hood in addition the familiar favorites from the series opener, Cinder. Still every bit as imaginative and fun as its predecessor, Scarlet layers political intrigue upon wisps of romance. The story world remains strong and unique – a sort of sci-fi fairytale atmosphere seasoned with fabulous characters and snappy dialogue. Despite the complexity of the story, the language and romance are very clean. This would be a great series for kids who’ve outgrown fairytale retellings and are looking for something with a bit more bite.

Profanity or Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
A man participates in forbidden fight matches. It’s clear he could kill his opponent. Few graphic details. A man briefly describes being tortured. A girl examines wounds caused by torture. A wolf-like man attacks a young woman and another of his kind. Some graphic details.

Drug Content
A girl delivers groceries to a bar in which men are drinking beer.

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Review: The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Park Davis

Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

The Map to Everywhere
Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis
Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Published November 4, 2014

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Master Thief Fin is used to being forgettable. Moments after meeting him, no one remembers who he is. Until he meets Marrill, that is. Danger lurks around every turn when the two are swept up in a daring quest to find the missing pieces to assemble the Map to Everywhere. Fin hopes the key will lead him to his mother. Marrill simply wants to escape the fickle Pirate Stream and get back to her blessedly normal Arizona home. In order to find the map, they’ll have to outsmart a treacherous villain who sees the future and keep him from using it to end the world.

As a fan of an earlier series by Carrie Ryan, I looked forward to reading this book. Since her other book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth was more of a dystopian zombie story – super well-done, by the way – I wasn’t sure what to expect from this very different tale.

This novel is light and playful, full of mischief and warmth. The use of the Pirate Stream was particularly clever, I thought, and added a sense of unpredictability to the story but also made it feel connected to our own world. The unlikely friendship that develops between Fin and Marrill is really charming.

The wordplay is fun and quirky. Fans of Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga will enjoy this book. Because of the light content, it’s a great read for older elementary school-aged readers.

Profanity and Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Brief battle scenes. Nothing graphic or gross.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: A Different Me by Deborah Blumenthal

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

A Different Me
Deborah Blumenthal
Albert Whitman & Company
Published October 14, 2014

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Allie has only one wish for her birthday this year. She wants surgery to fix everything wrong with her. Specifically, to correct the huge problem in the middle of her face: her nose.

Through an online forum, she meets two girls also waiting for nose jobs. Together they form a sisterhood, sharing insecurities, secret hopes and dreams, and crossing off the days until their procedures.

Then a mentoring project challenges Allie to look past her initial perceptions of people. She learns that there’s more to a person than the way they look, how they dress. And she’s forced to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about herself – and everything she thought would make her happy.

Blumenthal explores the world of insecurities swirling through high school hallways, exposing them with surgical precision. Each character is presented in layers, complexities deepening as Allie gets to know him or her. She’s moved by compassion for the hurts and fears others face, and through them begins to face her own. In a world that prizes the perfect exterior, A Different Me is a breath of fresh air, a trumpeting voice bringing us back to the core truth that beauty is borne of kindness, compassion and sincerity. It’s a great story and a lesson we all need to hold dear.

Profanity or Crude Language Content
Moderate profanity, mild frequency.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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