Age Level: Teen
Format: Book
Every time I talk about SHIVER I get chills. Wait, was that sentence incredibly cheesy? Yes! Did I mean every word of it? Yes! Should you read SHIVER? Yes!!! Oh, you would like to know why other than the fact that I practically just begged you to.
SHIVER, the first in a planned trilogy, is Grace and Sam’s story. As a child Grace was attacked by a pack of wolves. Ever since then she has been enamored by the wolves residing in the woods beyond her backyard. One wolf, her wolf, the one with yellow eyes, in particular.
Sam, the boy with yellow eyes, is sensitive to the temperature. When the weather starts to change so does he. During the summer months he is human and in the winter a wolf. Yes, the same wolf that silently lingers at the edge of Grace’s yard. Until one day due to unusual circumstances Sam finds himself injured, human, and naked on Grace’s back porch... And no way am I going to spoil the rest for you by telling you what happens next.
Told from two alternating points of view SHIVER is a beautiful love story that will simply break your heart. Stiefvater’s writing is magically lyrical and wonderfully descriptive in a way that the characters and events feel real. Plus, the print is blue! Blue, people! Not every book black, but blue! If that’s not enough to spark your interest I’m not sure what will.
Gorgeous cover and fun print aside SHIVER is a novel you’ll want to read, reread, and recommend to all your friends. Not only is it one of my absolute favorites, but also a New York Times Bestseller. Go, read SHIVER, and join me in my great anticipation for its upcoming sequels LINGER and FOREVER!
I award SHIVER five plus snowflakes (instead of stars).
Reviewed by Kaila
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Illegal by Paul Levine
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Trial lawyer Jimmy Payne is known to break the rules, especially after a horrific tragedy that left him scarred physically and emotionally. So, when forced to be part of a sting operation to take down a corrupt judge, Payne has no problem taking some of the bribe money and running. Payne does not get far in his plan when he finds a Mexican boy, Tino Perez, who lost his mother while crossing the US border illegally. Payne and Tino join forces to search for Tino’s mother, and along the way, discover corruption and how far some people will go for greed.
From cover to cover, this novel takes readers on a non-stop thrill ride. While some of the situations are a bit predictable, there are a few occurrences in the book that did surprise me and made me keep reading. Despite his many flaws, Jimmy Payne is a likable character; you can’t help but root for him, because he does show compassion and has faced adversity and tragedy.
Levine also writes about a timely social issue from different perspectives, ranging from law enforcement in charge of keeping illegal immigrants from crossing the borders to those who do cross and the plight they face. Some of the more vivid scenes in the novel take place in stash houses for the illegal immigrants or descriptions of their working environments.
Fans of contemporary thrillers will enjoy reading this novel. I can’t wait to read the next Jimmy Payne thriller!
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
Trial lawyer Jimmy Payne is known to break the rules, especially after a horrific tragedy that left him scarred physically and emotionally. So, when forced to be part of a sting operation to take down a corrupt judge, Payne has no problem taking some of the bribe money and running. Payne does not get far in his plan when he finds a Mexican boy, Tino Perez, who lost his mother while crossing the US border illegally. Payne and Tino join forces to search for Tino’s mother, and along the way, discover corruption and how far some people will go for greed.
From cover to cover, this novel takes readers on a non-stop thrill ride. While some of the situations are a bit predictable, there are a few occurrences in the book that did surprise me and made me keep reading. Despite his many flaws, Jimmy Payne is a likable character; you can’t help but root for him, because he does show compassion and has faced adversity and tragedy.
Levine also writes about a timely social issue from different perspectives, ranging from law enforcement in charge of keeping illegal immigrants from crossing the borders to those who do cross and the plight they face. Some of the more vivid scenes in the novel take place in stash houses for the illegal immigrants or descriptions of their working environments.
Fans of contemporary thrillers will enjoy reading this novel. I can’t wait to read the next Jimmy Payne thriller!
Reviewed by Jessica
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
Carrie Fisher, you may know her as Princess Leia from Star Wars, dispenses small scenes from her life with wit, sarcasm and openness. Born to famous parents and suffering from bipolar disorder, Carrie sought solace in drugs and alcohol while pursuing her own career in show business. The absence of her father, the tabloid rumors surrounding the death of a close friend, even the fleeting joy of marriage - nothing is off limits. Everything is fodder for Carrie's delightful sense of humor.
I read this book in a matter of hours. I simply could not put it down. Laughing out loud, often to the point of tears, I repeatedly found myself reading portions aloud to my sister just to share the laughter. Read this book. It could very well be the funniest thing you read all summer.
Reviewed by Lisa
Format: Book
Carrie Fisher, you may know her as Princess Leia from Star Wars, dispenses small scenes from her life with wit, sarcasm and openness. Born to famous parents and suffering from bipolar disorder, Carrie sought solace in drugs and alcohol while pursuing her own career in show business. The absence of her father, the tabloid rumors surrounding the death of a close friend, even the fleeting joy of marriage - nothing is off limits. Everything is fodder for Carrie's delightful sense of humor.
I read this book in a matter of hours. I simply could not put it down. Laughing out loud, often to the point of tears, I repeatedly found myself reading portions aloud to my sister just to share the laughter. Read this book. It could very well be the funniest thing you read all summer.
Reviewed by Lisa
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Slamming Open the Door by Kathleen Sheeder Bonanno
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
After reading the first few poems in this book, I knew I would have to read them all before I would be able to set it down again. This is an amazingly, heartbreakingly honest glimpse into the pain of a mother grieving for her murdered daughter.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked up this book. The titles and the few lines that I read as I flipped through it caught my attention and drew me into an unforgettable experience. The author truly grabbed my heart as I lost myself in the raw emotion of her prose. Slamming Open the Door did just as the title suggests.
I was totally swept away by this book. I highly recommend it, even if you are not that interested in poetry. This was more that simply a book of poems. Slamming Open the Door is about pain, heartbreak, and loss; in short, this is a small volume of humanity.
Reviewed by Lisa
Format: Book
After reading the first few poems in this book, I knew I would have to read them all before I would be able to set it down again. This is an amazingly, heartbreakingly honest glimpse into the pain of a mother grieving for her murdered daughter.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked up this book. The titles and the few lines that I read as I flipped through it caught my attention and drew me into an unforgettable experience. The author truly grabbed my heart as I lost myself in the raw emotion of her prose. Slamming Open the Door did just as the title suggests.
I was totally swept away by this book. I highly recommend it, even if you are not that interested in poetry. This was more that simply a book of poems. Slamming Open the Door is about pain, heartbreak, and loss; in short, this is a small volume of humanity.
Reviewed by Lisa
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown
Age Level: Adult
Format: Book
When you hear the phrase the “Donner Party,” what is your first reaction? Way back in 1847, when stories began circulating about those who resorted to extreme measures to stave off hunger, people were outraged and horrified. Even today, the Donner Party is referenced in pop culture as a group of doom. Daniel James Brown takes a tragic event in American frontier history and presents modern day analysis on the reasons behind the party’s decisions and how these decisions affected those who survived the ordeal. Following the adventures of one member of the Donner Party, Sarah Graves Fosdick, Brown takes readers on the party’s journey, from leaving their homes behind, to being caught in a major snowstorm and reliving the pain and anguish the party faced as food and supplies depleted.
Using written accounts from survivors and from previously written histories, Brown puts together a nonfiction account that I found to be simply incredible and exceptional. One can tell that Brown wants to find the truths behind all the Donner Party myths, including myths stated by party survivors. At times, Brown interrupts his narration to provide psychological analysis or explain customs from the 1840s; many readers may be put off by this, but I felt it added to the telling of the story. I walked away from this with so much more knowledge about the Donner Party and their circumstances and also a better understanding as to the reasons why they resorted to, as Brown puts it, a major human taboo. The book does have several very graphic descriptions, which are not for readers with weak stomachs. Readers who love to read American history should read this book, as it provides not only a glimpse into frontier travel, but also provides a new perspective to a tragic chapter in American history.
Reviewed by Jessica
Format: Book
When you hear the phrase the “Donner Party,” what is your first reaction? Way back in 1847, when stories began circulating about those who resorted to extreme measures to stave off hunger, people were outraged and horrified. Even today, the Donner Party is referenced in pop culture as a group of doom. Daniel James Brown takes a tragic event in American frontier history and presents modern day analysis on the reasons behind the party’s decisions and how these decisions affected those who survived the ordeal. Following the adventures of one member of the Donner Party, Sarah Graves Fosdick, Brown takes readers on the party’s journey, from leaving their homes behind, to being caught in a major snowstorm and reliving the pain and anguish the party faced as food and supplies depleted.
Using written accounts from survivors and from previously written histories, Brown puts together a nonfiction account that I found to be simply incredible and exceptional. One can tell that Brown wants to find the truths behind all the Donner Party myths, including myths stated by party survivors. At times, Brown interrupts his narration to provide psychological analysis or explain customs from the 1840s; many readers may be put off by this, but I felt it added to the telling of the story. I walked away from this with so much more knowledge about the Donner Party and their circumstances and also a better understanding as to the reasons why they resorted to, as Brown puts it, a major human taboo. The book does have several very graphic descriptions, which are not for readers with weak stomachs. Readers who love to read American history should read this book, as it provides not only a glimpse into frontier travel, but also provides a new perspective to a tragic chapter in American history.
Reviewed by Jessica
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