The Adoration of Jenna Fox

By Mary E. Pearson

Who is Jenna Fox?

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a year-long coma, and she’s still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. Her parents show her home movies of her life, her memories, but she has no recollection. Is she really the same girl she sees on the screen?  Little by little, Jenna begins to remember. Along with the memories come questions—questions no one wants to answer for her. What really happened after the accident?

 

Okay, wow. It’s been a while since I’ve been so engrossed in a story. The tone of this novel is mature and the questions of morality and what makes us human is fantastic. Jenna is an amazing character, as her memories return and she comes to understand what happened to her and the mysteries begin to unfold, we see her progress and become increasingly invested in her story and her future. This novel reminded me a lot of the sort of tone and message of novels like “The House of the Scorpion” by Nancy Farmer, and “The Giver” by Lois Lowry, both of which are incredible books. I was so impressed by the quality of the writing and the depth of the story and message, I eagerly await the next books and hope they are of the same caliber. I can’t recommend this book enough for those who have enjoyed the above books and enjoy science fiction books that focus on dystopian like futures with questionable morality. It’s wonderful, and while it is the first in a series, it can easily stand alone.

 

I give it a 4.25 out of 5

Shadow and Bone

By Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh.  Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

 

Oh how I loved reading this book. I was hooked from the first moment. It has elements of the most popular young adult books, but the creativity and the world that has been created is really something else. It was original enough to catch my attention while sticking close to good story-telling. It’s about a girl, average in just about everything except for the things she is less than average in. She’s got a best guy friend that she’s in love with, but he doesn’t see her in a romantic light at all. In a desperate situation she unlocks a power to save her best friend that propels her on a journey of self-discovery and danger.  It is a great and entertaining read along the lines of the best selling dystopians and paranormal romances in teen lit. The only thing that bothered me, and it was a large thing for me, was the references to sex and heated moments between certain characters. It’s not graphic, and there aren’t any actual sex scenes, but it was enough making out and almost-there scene to make me really uncomfortable. Sigh. If it weren’t for that, I’d be super gushy of this book.

 

I give it a 3.5 out of 5 because it’s better than average, but less than fantastic.

The Awakening

By Kate Chopin

Often hailed as the earliest work of Feminist literature, Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” is the story of mother and wife, Edna Pontillier and her summer in the deep south and her slow and steady awakening to her less than appealing life as a caged bird: a woman who is viewed as a possession by her husband and expected to sacrifice her very soul for her children…something she realizes she hates and cannot—will not—do.

 

So I would not call myself a ‘feminist’ and in true fashion, this book both impressed me and distressed me. Edna Pontillier’s story is a fantastic tragedy.  Basically her story begins with her being the typical housewise and mother to a husband who treats her as a possession rather than a person. She slowly comes to realize that she wants more as she receives the attentions of one of the men while vacationing. The book tells her subtle changes and gradual awakening—hence the title—and her eventual break from conventional norms of the time.  There are a lot of great moments in this book where Edna finds a freedom and independence that I think everyone can relate to; but I was so disconcerted with how she goes about seeking her freedom that I didn’t really care for this classic.  But again, I’m not really a feminist, so I guess that’s one reason why.

 

I give it a 3 out of 5- it would’ve been a 2 but for a few moments of beautiful writing and insight.

The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragon's Awakening

By Aya Knight

Kale Firehart is a young dragon, and the sole survivor of his race. As a tyrannical general and his massive bloodthirsty army close in on Kale, the most unexpected circumstance transpires. With time against him, Kale’s trusted friend, a veteran arcane sorcerer, transforms him into the one thing he despises most—a human. Kale must unwillingly live among human-kind as he embarks upon an extraordinary journey. With a band of unlikely friends by his side, can Kale overcome the obstacles before him and return to the life he once knew? The ages of dragons is all but over…

 

I have been itching for dragon stories lately for some unknown reason, and when I came across this one on my Kindle I thought it had potential. Well, as I started reading I was interested enough to keep going, but something kept niggling at me, and when I got about 30 pages in it became obvious with every word I read: this was terribly immature writing. I was appalled. I couldn’t believe that anyone would allow this book to be published in its current form. It was a classic case of ‘telling’ instead of ‘showing’ making me, as a reader, feel like the author thought I was a simpleton.  Telling me every little thing that Kale thought about everything and exactly how he felt made me bored and irritated. The characters were terribly flat. Kale, as the main character, was supposed to be a Dragon that hated humans, but suddenly without good reasons or explanation, becomes enamored of them and their lifestyle with inexplicable outbursts that he still hates them. Does this make sense? NO! The elf is also too easily sold, she immediately falls in love with Kale and tells him all her woes and life story. Sure, that’s believable.  And even through all this, what truly upset me the most was that the idea behind this story could’ve been something pretty good if done properly and thought out thoroughly.  But it’s probably the worst thing I’ve ever read that wasn’t fanfiction on the internet.  And there’s fanfiction 20 times better than this. 

 

I give it a 1 out of 5 and it only gets a one because it was a good idea, if poorly executed.

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars

By Katherine Marsh

Jepp has never lacked in confidence and wit, despite his diminutive size. For sixteen years, he has lived a comfortable life in the Dutch countryside, the son of a loving mother who protects him from the scorn of an unkind world. But this is no longer enough for Jepp. He longs to see the world, to seek his forune. Then a man arrives at his mother’s alehouse, promising Jepp a life of adventure he can’t refuse. Courtier to the Spanish infant, Don tells Jepp mesmerizing tales of the magnificent court. Before he knows it, Jepp has left behind all he knows to begin a new life. The Infanta’s court is not what Don made it out to be. Though he now lives in luxury, Jepp faces constant humiliation as a court dwarf, serving the whims of an all-powerful queen. The only joy in his life is his love for the beautiful Lia, who is small like him. But even this is soon taken from him, when an ill-fated escape from the castle leaves Lia dead and Jepp brokenhearted. As punishment for Jepp’s defiance, he is sent to the palace of Tycho Brahe where he faces the greatest challenge of all: can he defy the stars and his fate?

 

When I found this book I thought it was going to be a fantasy book and was surprised to learn it was based on history. I really enjoyed learning some things that I didn’t know about court dwarves (which was pretty surprising and horrible) and finding a character in Jepp that was deep and endearing. This book isn’t a fantasy at all, it’s a human story about a young boy’s coming of age and being thrown into the ‘real world’ and trying to keep his hope for his future alive in the midst of tragedy and pain. Jepp’s story is everyone’s story; and it’s a journey you’ll want to take, hardships and happiness alike. This book was heart-warming and often heart-wrenching.  All in all, it is a gem worth gazing at.

 

I give it a 4 out of 5

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll

Alice in Wonderland is a fantasy novel about a little girl who enters a magical world full of peculiar creatures. She enters this world through a rabbit hole.

As a kid, the cartoon Disney version of this classic tale always freaked me out. The Cheshire Cat was creepy and I couldn’t understand why my friends liked watching this crazy movie. As an adult, I’ve always told myself to read the book, give it a chance. So, here I am, full adult, and…well…it’s still weird.  I don’t think there was one part of that book that I liked.  It was just all random craziness to me. But, I did have a previous bias toward it, so I didn’t go in reading it with great expectations.  For me, this classic is just too confusing and lacks a point. If it’s supposed to be a dream then I can sorta understand that, but I’d like to know if there is a point. If anybody wants to enlighten me, please do!

I give it a 2.5 out of 5 because it’s a classic or it would’ve been lower.

Brotherband 3: The Hunters

By John Flanagan

They’d had him in their grasp. Hal and his fellow Herons had tracked Zavac across the ocean, intent on recovering the stolen Andomal, Skandia’s most prized treasure. But after a battle that left the pirate crew counting their dead, Zavac narrowly slipped through the skandian’s fingers. Now, with one of their own recovering from the fight, the Herons take to the seas. But to bring the pirate captain to justice and put an end to his reign of terror, Hal and his crew must bluff their way into the most dangerous stronghold of all—the infamous Pirate Haven of Raguza. In the dramatic climax to the first Brotherband story arc, one crew will lose its captain, and the other will never be the same.

 

I love John Flanagan’s feel-good adventures; these books are especially great for boys, as he started writing his other series for his son. These books have so much nautical information that it can be a little daunting to follow where exactly things are on the Heron. I’m not seafaring at all, and I was wishing for an intricate map of the Heron so I could follow what things looked like and where they were. Imagination is great, but it got a little fuzzy for me. That being said, it was great fun to read about the end of the first journey of the Heron Brotherband and I expect to be more and more entertained as more books emerge. I still prefer Ranger’s Apprentice over Brotherband, mostly because the ships and sea voyages don’t interest me as much and leave me a little fuddled. It really is a great new series with the same fun and adventure of the old. I especially like Ingvar, he is one of my favorite characters.  Content-wise there is a few instances of language and of course they fight and kill pirates, but it is tactfully done and not bloody at all. I would recommend this book for kids 5-6^th grade and above.

 I give it 3.5 out of 5 Because it’s nice to find a wholesome adventure.