Guitar Notes

By Mary Amato

On odd days, Tripp uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar. Eyes closed, strumming that beat-up instrument, Tripp escapes to a world where only the music matters.

On even days, Lyla Marks uses the same practice room. To Tripp, she’s trying to become even more perfect—she’s already a straight-A student and an award-winning cellist. But when Lyla begins leaving notes for him in between the strings of the guitar, his life intersects with hers in a way he never expected.

What starts as a series of snippy notes quickly blossoms into the sharing of interests and secrets and dreams, and the forging of a very unlikely friendship.

Challenging each other to write songs, they begin to connect, even though circumstances threaten to tear them apart.

From beloved author Mary Amato comes a YA novel of wit and wisdom, both heartfelt and heartbreaking, about the power of music and the unexpected chords that draw us together.

This was a surprise. A good surprise. I enjoyed the story, and found myself smiling at the notes these two teens left each other, which started out snotty, then sarcastic, then teasing, then just friendly. I loved how music was what both brought them into each other’s radar, and also healed both of them from their own problems. Being a music lover this was great and made me wish my small hands could play the guitar. Best part of the book: They did not fall in love. This may be a negative to a lot of people, but for me it was perfect. They really love each other, but it’s because they made a connection that could turn into something more, but for this book, it’s that fierce love that comes with true friendship. I was also excited to find out after I read the book that you can go online and download the songs that Lyla and Tripp write! I spent at least 2 weeks listening to the songs. I loved them all, but the Pomegranate waltz and Tripp’s last song were my favorites.  This was a coming of age story, a friendship story, and a story about being who you are and doing what you love.

I give it a 4.25 out of 5

The Book Thief

By Marcus Zusak

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery…

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist—books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

“I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be se ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.”

That is my consensus as well. This book was uncomfortable and strange, but beautiful and meaningful. It is the story of Liesel Meminger, a young girl in Nazi Germany who comes to hate Hitler, and has a Jewish man hiding in her basement. She is poor and almost always hungry, though not as much as her best friend Rudy, who has four brothers and sisters. She is tired of “everyone” (meaning Hitler) taking things away from her, so she decides to take something back. The words. The words that she hates and loves in the end. This book is more than just a story really, it’s art and poetry and humanity and depravity. Like any book about the atrocities of Nazi Germany, it has its horror, but it shows life from the perspective of a brave girl who has lost all she knew and tries to rise from the ashes in the midst of hatred and war. Zusak’s writing is gorgeous and haunting. And, what is more, narrated, not by Liesel, but by Death. Every part of this book is fantastic, telling, and remarkable. I was upset by the amount of swearing (a lot in German, but always translated) and a scene of nudity. It was difficult for me to read, but thanks to a YA class I had to, and I’m glad. I can say that I will most likely never read this in its entirety again, but there are parts that I will gladly go back to; specifically Max, the Jewish fist-fighter’s words. This book should be handled with care when giving it to young people, because it is upsetting at times and has mature content. I would wait until they are at least 15-16, preferably a little later. Again, content-wise there is a lot of language, nudity, death, murder, suicide, war, etc. It’s not for just anybody.

With that said, I give it a 4.8 out of 5- because of its ugly glory.

The Cloak Society

By Jeramey Kraatz

The Cloak Society: An elite organization of supervillains graced with extraordinary powers.

Ten years ago they were defeated by the Rangers of Justice and vanished without a trace. But the villains of Cloak have been biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to resurface. And twelve-year-old Alex Knight wants to be one of them.

Alex is already a junior member, and his entire universe is Cloak’s underground headquarters, hidden beneath an abandoned drive-in theater in Sterling City, Texas. While other kids his age are studying math and history, Alex is mastering his telekinetic powers and learning how to break into bank vaults. His only dream is to follow in his parents’ footsteps as one of the most feared supervillains in the world. Cloak is everything he believes in.

But on the day of his debut mission, Alex does the unthinkable: he saves the life of a young Ranger named Kirbie. Even worse…she becomes his friend. And the more time he spends with her, the more Alex wonders about the world outside of Cloak—and what, exactly, he’s been fighting for.

 

I admit, I’m partial to superhero books because you can potentially get some really awesome character stuff going on, and who doesn’t like a little superpower here and there? I mean, look at Hollywood making their millions on Marvel and DC characters! Well, this book is told from the eyes of young villain-in-training Alex Knight (if that name isn’t a giveaway I don’t know what is) that slowly comes to the realization that he really isn’t villain material, because, well, he saved the life of a hero and they become friends. He’s unwilling at first to listen to her, but becomes uneasy about the way he is treated and the plans that the Cloak has for the future…and the countless people who will die for them to achieve their plans. This is really more a coming-of-age for Alex than a story of good vs. evil, though it is that. What I liked is that, knowing this is a series, the setup was pretty good, and I was interested to see where the plot takes the young group of would-be heroes toward the end in their attempt to save the world. I really can’t give a complete review of this first book without reading the next book, but I think that it will get better as it goes and this book will be fun for kids who enjoy comic book heroes and like to read novels.

 

I give it a 3.5 for potential and fun.

Mortal Engines

By Phillip Reeve

 

Welcome to the astounding world of Mortal Engines! London is hunting again. Emerging from its hiding place in the hills, the great Traction City is chasing a terrified little town across the wastelands. Soon, London will feed. In the attack, Tom Natsworthy is flung from the speeding city with a murderous scar-faced girl. They must run for their lives through the wreckage—and face a terrifying new weapon that threatens the future of the world.



Cool beans. That is how I feel about this book by Phillip Reeve. I've been meaning to pick up something by Mr. Reeve for a few years now, and I'm glad I grabbed this one. It was awesome. I loved his world that was full of Traction Cities; cities built on huge moving parts that roved around eating smaller cities and towns. His story was great; a story about friendship, revenge, murder, love, freedom, and truth. It has everything! Action, adventure, great characters that I could immediately love or hate then change my mind when I found out more about them. Tom was a great main character, a sort of everyman for the reader to latch onto. Hester was a kind of pitiable tragic character, but by no means weak or damsel in distress material. I loved their relationship and how it goes from her trying to kill him, to them needing each other, to them liking each other, to wanting each other. It was great and very natural. Love love love it! Can't wait until the library gets the next book in the series so I can check it out! It's never there when I go. :(

I give it a solid 4 out of 5  great science fiction/steam punk feel.

Dragon's Bait

By Vivian Vande Velde


Fifteen-year-old Alys is not a witch. But that doesn’t matter—the villagers think she is and have staked her out on a hillside as a sacrifice to the local dragon. It’s late, it’s cold, and it’s raining, and Alys can only think of one thing—revenge. But first she’s got to escape, and even if she does, how can one girl possibly take on an entire town alone? Then the dragon arrives—a dragon that could quite possibly be the perfect ally…


This story is short and pretty interesting and fun. At first I was hoping, 'please don't let this be a revenge book' but it didin't disappoint me. Alys is a good character and the dragon is pretty cool and while being portrayed as exceptionally handsome, is still at heart a reptile. It's an interesting story and I really wish it would go on, but I also like the fact that it stopped where it did and doesn't have a chance to fall short of my expectations. Kinda half-glass-empty attitude, but there you have it. Fun story.  Only warning is this: There is some reference to nudity though nothing is described.

3 1/2 out of 5

Pegasus

By Robin McKinley


Princess Sylvianel is anxious about her upcoming binding ceremony, which will formally connect her with her very own Pegasus. The Pegasus are a beautiful and mysterious race to the people of Balsinland, for who it is forbidden to touch them or expected to have contact with…but Sylvi can’t help but wonder.
When she first sees the gleaming black Pegasus that is to be her bondmate, she is shocked to discover that they have perfect communication. For the first time a human and a Pegasus can speak, and barriers start coming down all around the pair. Ebon, Sylvi’s Pegasus, becomes her best friend and their attachment becomes the intrigue of the royal court and kingdom. But the union is not sanctioned by everyone, and Sylvi and Ebon will have to fight to keep their friendship from being torn apart.


Warning: This is a two-part book! I was shocked because Robin McKinley has never written a series so I wasn't really prepared for the 'to be continued' cliff hanger at the end. And let me tell you, it is a mean cliff-hanger. It seems to end in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a thought!
Now that that is out of the way, I'll say. Wow. Love it. This was lyrical and poetry to read. There was a beauty in the world that McKinley created, reminiscent of her fairy-tale books, but brand new. This book is about friendship, being yourself, responsibility, and duty. While I was reading this I was eager every night when I had the time to turn to it and read about Sylvi and Ebon, their struggles and their growing friendship. The things they face aren't simple, they aren't black and white, and this book is more than just a simplistic story of right and wrong. It's about life and doing what is right and worrying that you did it wrong. I really loved it and can't wait to read the other half of the book.

3 1/2 out of 5