The Poison Apples (book review)

The Poison Apples, by Lily Archer, is the story of three fifteen-year-old girls: Alice Bingley-Beckerman, Molly Miller, and Reena Paruchuri. They are all students at posh Putnam Mount McKinsey boarding school, and at first glance they have nothing in common. Alice is the shy, quiet one who gets along with everyone. Molly is the dorky one, who would rather sit and read the Oxford English Dictionary than go to a school dance. And Reena is the gorgous, rich one who lives in a mansion in Beverly Hills. However, they do have one thing in common: they are all the stepdaughters of very wicked stepmothers. But it is only once they all meet that they will be able to plot their revenge...

This was a very humorous read. It would be perfect if you wanted something light, funny, and quick. I often had a hard time putting this one down. I found it especially interesting how all the characters and their backgrounds were so different. This is a great book for fans of realistic fiction and modern fairy tale retellings.

This book was for the Random Reading Challenge.

Even Angels Fall (book review)

Even Angels Fall, by Sherry Mauro, is the thrilling story of sixteen-year-old Sabrina Devour. Sabrina is no normal teenage girl; she has the ability to see the dead and help them cross over. Upon returning to claim his family's estate after many years away, handsome Hunter Ravenwood begins to show interest in Sabrina. Sabrina is happy as their relationship blossoms, but she becomes unnerved by Hunter's enormous mansion, Rambling Rose. She feels as if something is in there, watching her. It's almost like the house is alive. Rumors claim that Rambling Rose sits on a Sheol, a gateway to Hell, and Sabrina can't help but believe it. She soon realizes that, like many families, the Ravenwoods have their own dark secrets. And as she tries to help the ghost of a mysterious woman whose past is tied in with that of Sabrina's own family, she discovers just how dangerous those secrets may be.

Even Angels Fall was exciting, engaging, and all-around fun to read. I found it nearly impossible to put down. Sabrina was witty and likable, if a bit dreamy, and the book had all the hooks of a good Gothic romance. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the genre.

*NOTE: As of 11/01/2009 the author offers a FREE PDF version to anyone who is interested in reading this book or others in the series. Just contact her with your email addy at her blog: http://sherryhallmauro.blogspot.com/

Wolf Tower (book review)

Warning: This review may contain spoilers.

Wolf Tower, by Tanith Lee, is the story of sixteen-year-old Claidi, who, all her life, has served the spoiled royalty of the House, a sparkling oasis in the midst of the barren Waste (or so she has been taught). She never expects that her life could change until a handsome stranger, Nemian, arrives from the Waste. Claidi risks everything to rescue him, leaveing behind the only life she has known and accompanying him to his city ruled over by the mysterious Wolf Tower. Together they journey across barren deserts, through toxic jungles, across vast rivers, and all the while Claidi begins to think she could come to love Nemian..until they reach the Wolf Tower, and an unexpected betrayal leaves her trapped and confused. Will her real Prince Charming come and rescue her? Or will she be stuck here forever?

This was a great book. Claidi was a likeable heroine, and I enjoyed reading about her journeys across the "Waste". The plot had a twist at the end that I would never have suspected!

This book is for the What's in a Name Challenge 2.

Random Reading Challenge

I am joining the Random Reading Challenge, hosted by Caribou's Mom. I'm joining at Level Three, which means I have to read twelve books. It runs from August 1st, 2009 to July 31, 2010. This is a great one for me because I always have trouble picking what books to read!

A Mango-Shaped Space (book review)

A Mango-Shaped Space, by Wendy Mass, is the story of a girl with a rare condition struggling to fit in. Thirteen-year-old Mia appears to be the most normal child in her family--after all, her brother keeps a chart of all the hamburgers he's ever eaten, and her sister dies her hair as often as she changes clothes. But Mia knows that she is anything but normal. Letters, numbers and sounds have colors for her. D is a pinkish purple, for example, and slamming the door causes her to see brown rings floating in the air. Difficulty at school forces her to reveal her secret, and now she feels like a freak. It will only be when Mia loses something incredibly special that she realizes just how much her colors mean to her.

This was an incredibly moving book. It was sad, humorous, and heartwarming all at different times. It was a great book for people of all ages. The heroine is someone whom people can relate to as she struggles with school problems, crushes, and the loss of a loved one.

Warriors (book review)

Warning: This review may contain spoilers.

This is a book review of the first mini-series in the Warriors saga by Erin Hunter. The series starts when the main character, then a house cat named Rusty, journeys into the forest behind his house for the first time. There he meets a forest cat named Graypaw, who tells him about life in ThunderClan, a group of feral cats living in the woods. Soon Rusty is faced with the biggest decision of his life...should he join ThunderClan and leave behind his soft life or stay with his "Twolegs" (the cats' word for humans)? When he decides to head into the forest, his life is changed forever. But clan life is not easy. There are three other clans in the forest--WindClan, ShadowClan, and RiverClan, and they often fight one another. Now known as Firepaw, he must handle his new duties as a warrior apprentice, a mysterious prophecy from StarClan (the "heaven" of the cat world, where good warriors go after their death), and the gnawing suspicion that ThunderClan is housing a murderous traitor...

In the next book, Bluestar, ThunderClan's leader, sends Fireheart and Graystripe (now full warriors with their own warrior names) well beyond the boundaries of the forest to retrieve WindClan, who has been driven out by ShadowClan's murderous leader, Brokenstar. The journey will be long and hard, and it will test the skills of both cats to the end. Fireheart must also deal with the evidence that one of the most trusted cats in ThunderClan is a traitor, and the fact that Graystripe is having an illegal romance with a she-cat from RiverClan, a romance which puts both cats in incredible danger.

In the third book, Fireheart decides he must uncover the truth. Is ThunderClan deputy Tigerclaw a murderer or not? While digging for clues, he discovers another fact, something quite unexpected...many years ago, two ThunderClan kits vanished without a trace. But two cats in RiverClan also have ThunderClan blood. Could these be the two missing kits? And if so, who is their mother?

By the time that the next book starts, murderous Tigerclaw has been exiled from ThunderClan...but Fireheart can't shake the feeling that he's lurking in the forest somewhere, waiting to strike. Meanwhile, Bluestar has not dealt well with Tigerclaw's treachery. She has become a shell of her former self, and Fireheart, now the new deputy, feels as if he is the one running the clan. And as ThunderClan struggles to deal with the aftermath of a raging forest fire that took three cats' lives, Fireheart begins to wonder if he can really handle the pressure of his new job.

The fifth is the most chilling book yet. Cinderpelt, ThunderClan's medicine cat, tells Fireheart of a warning she was given by StarClan of a dangerous new enemy, and a dream in which she heard the words, "Pack, pack," and "kill, kill". A mysterious force is sweeping through the forest, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Fireheart is not sure what it is, but he has a feeling that Tigerstar, now leader of ShadowClan, has something to do with it. But what can he do about it when ThunderClan's leader has begun to lose her mind and has decided to wage war on StarClan itself?

In the final book of the mini-series, Fireheart, or Firestar now, has become leader of ThunderClan after Bluestar gave her life to save the Clan from the mysterious threat lurking in the last book. But Fireheart must deal with an even bigger problem as Tigerstar brings another threat into the forest, and every cat must prepare themselves for the final battle, where the clans will fight side by side, heroes will be made, and one brave cat's destiny will be fulfilled.


These were some truly excellent books. I would recommend them to fans of animal fantasy or cat books. Although they are violent, they are recommended for 8-12 year olds, and are quite appropriate for children. Erin Hunter brought the cats to life and personified them in a unique way. It is sometimes easy to forget that they are cats at all!

Wildwood Dancing (book review)

Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marillier, is a fantasy story based on the fairy tale of the twelve dancing princesses. The story is told from the point of view of one of five sisters. Her name is Jenica, or Jena for short. A little, enchanted frog named Gogu, who can speak to Jena, is her constant companion. They live in a castle called Piscul Dracului, deep in the Transylvanian forests, and each Full Moon the five sisters open an enchanted portal and are whisked away to the Other Kingdom, an enchanted world filled with faeries, elves, and other fantasy creatures. However, Jena's world is quickly turned upside down as her father is sent away to a warmer climate to improve his ill-health, and their tyrannical cousin Cezar takes his place as head of the household. To make things worse, Night People, aka vampires, have arrived in the Other Kingdom, and Jena's older sister Tatiana has fallen in love with one of them. But is the mysterious, mournful Sorrow really a vampire? Or is he, as Tatiana claims, one of their slaves? Jena is deeply afraid for her sister. But as it becomes more and more clear that Tatiana may be willing to give up her humanity to live with Sorrow forever, and that despotic Cezar will never give up his grip on Pascul Dracului, and on the five sisters, Jena begins to realize that she must make a choice--or risk giving up everything that is dear to her.

This book was wonderful! I absolutely loved it! It combined true love, enchantment, fantastical journeys, wicked villains, and the strong bonds of sisterhood into a perfect plot. This book was nearly impossible to put down. An amazing read!

Ghostly Encounters (book review)

Ghostly Encounters, by Frances Kermeen, is a book about the haunted inns and hotels of America. Starting with what has been called the most haunted house in America, the Myrtles Plantation, the author brings us on a journey across the U.S., from California to Maine. Read about ghostly bears, stallions, and cats. Encounter evil dolls, floating candles, and lovers reunited after death. These stories are fascinating and will keep you up all night! There was a nice range of stories in this book. Some were scary, some were bittersweet, and some were funny. At the end of each story, Ms. Kermeen also provides detailed information about the hotel, including contact info, dining info, and the best rooms to check into if you want to have a ghostly encounter.

Saving Zoe (book review)

Saving Zoe, by Alyson Noel, is a moving story of sisterhood, secrets, and coming of age. Fifteen-year-old Echo is still struggling with the brutal murder of her older sister, Zoe. She misses her dearly, but also feels that she will never live up to her memory. Then, Zoe's former boyfriend Marc gives Echo Zoe's diary. At first she doesn't want it, convinced that she knows her sister like no one else does. But when her own life starts to take some unexpected turns, Echo begins reading. In the pages of her sister's diary, Echo finds a Zoe that nobody knew, not even her parents. But she also learns that one of her friends is in trouble from one of the same people who hurt Zoe. Can Echo save her friend, herself...and her sister?

I really enjoyed this book! It was reminiscent of Thirteen Reasons Why, and I would recommend it to fans of that novel. The plot moved so fast and the book was hard to put down. It kept me up way into the night. However, I should probably say here that this book is NOT for younger readers.

May Bird: Warrior Princess (book review)

May Bird: Warrior Princess, by Jodi Lynn Anderson, is the final installment in the May Bird trilogy. It has been three years since ten-year-old May Bird wandered into the land of the dead, a magical place called the Ever After. It was claimed that May and her cat, Somber Kitty, were the only ones who could save the Ever After from certain doom. But, when May found a chance to escape the Ever After and return home, she took it, leaving her friends behind. Now, at thirteen, May is ready to return to the afterlife. But she gets her wish in a most unexpected way...she dies. And the Ever After now is not what it once was. It has been turned into a vast wasteland ruled by the evil spirit Bo Cleevil. Can May find her friends and finally become the warrior princess she was always destined to be?

I think this was probably the best of all three books in the series, even though they were all great. The characters were interesting and dynamic, and the book was just the right mix of fantasy, horror, and humor.

Coraline Graphic Novel (book review)

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell, is the graphic adaption of Gaiman's bestselling children's novel. It is based on the book, not the movie. In the story, Coraline is exploring her flat one day when she discovers a door that leads her on a journey to a magical world quite like her own, but better. Except for the fact that there is an other mother and an other father there, with buttons instead of eyes, and they want to sew buttons into her eyes and make her stay with them forever. Coraline will have to use everything she's got if she wants to outwit them and return to her own world.


I really enjoyed this book. The pictures were beautiful, and they really added new life to the story. However, I would recommend reading the original novel before reading this book.

This book was for the Once Upon A Time Challenge III.

The Other Side of the Island (book review)

The Other Side of the Island, by Allegra Goodman, is a haunting vision of the future. Global warming has resulted in an enormous flood, and the only places left are small, isolated islands called Colonies. A mysterious figure named Earth Mother and her Corporation control all of these colonies. Everyone obeys the laws of Earth Mother, and no one questions the life that has been set up for them. But Honor knows her parents are different. They own books, they don't worship Earth Mother, and they stay out past curfew. Honor doesn't know what happens to those who don't obey Earth Mother, but she's sure its not good. And one day, when she returns home and her parents are gone, she must take care of herself and her brother Quintillian all alone. She knows she can't do this for long--she's got to find out the secret of Earth Mother--and get her parents back.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a frightening vision of what life might be like years from now. I always wanted to read more; it was so interesting. Honor was a well-rounded, dynamic heroine whom I felt I could relate to.

The Secret Life of Bees (book review)

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, is a heartwarming story about the importance of family. Set in South Carolina in 1964, the story revolves around 14-year-old heroine Lily's search for a mother. After a tragic accident killed her real mom when she was four, Lily has been taken care of by her cruel and unloving father, T. Ray, and his fiery-hearted black servant, Rosaleen. When Rosaleen insults three of their small town's biggest racists and lands herself in jail, Lily decides to set them both free. After she breaks Rosaleen out of jail, they run away to Tiburon, S.C., a town that holds the secret of Lily's mother. They are taken in by three black beekeeping sisters, and as Lily is introduced to their strange world of honey and bees, she realizes that she has discovered a family in a place that she would never have dreamed.

I really loved this book! It was funny at times and sad at others, but the whole book was incredibly interesting. I never wanted to put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone, really. It was written in beautiful prose that would grab anybody, even a reluctant reader.

Julie's Wolf Pack (book review)

I know I haven't written a book review for the last few books I've read, so I decided to write one for this book. It is the sequel to the bestselling book Julie of the Wolves. In the story, we follow a wolf pack in the Alaskan tundra through their daily life. The leader of the pack, Kapu, keeps the pack together, despite frequent challenges from an annoying wanna-be, Raw Bones. They face hardships and celebrate the birth of new pups. Although they lose many pups to the tundra, some grow and survive to become future hunters. The first big change comes when a newcomer, Ice Blink, joins the pack. Although none of the wolves know it, Ice Blink harbors the rabies virus. After her pack was destroyed by an epidemic, she moved on. Luckily, the virus is contained and none of the wolves (except for Ice Blink) die. But when Kapu suddenly disappears near the end of the book, his daughter Sweet Fur Amy must take the stage. Can she handle being the new alpha? And will Kapu return?

This was a great book for any wolf lover to read. It was written in beautiful but easy to read prose, and I thought it was interesting to look into the life of a wolf pack.

Lord of the Flies (book review)

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is the story of a group of schoolboys who are the only survivors of a plane crash. Stranded on a remote island, they decide that they must build a large fire so that they can be rescued. By day they frolic on golden beaches and swim in sparkling waters. But at night they dream of a hideous beast roaming the island. Soon, their fear brings out the worst in them and they begin to act like savage animals. More than one boy will be killed before they are rescued...

Okay, I apologize. I know this is really oversimplified, but I just didn't want to give anything away.

I really enjoyed this book. It was definitely creepy and not for the fainthearted, but it always had plenty of action and was never boring. I'd recommend it to almost anybody, but especially fans of the Island and Flight 29 Down series, because this book is reminiscent of those, but a bit more brutal.

Jane Eyre (book review)

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte, is a classic story of love and sacrifice. Jane, the main character, narrates the story. It begins when she is ten years old, living at her cruel Aunt Reed's house. Being an orphan, Jane has nowhere else to go. Two of her cousins, Eliza and Georgiana, treat her coldly, and their brother, John, is an outright bully. Jane suffers along until her aunt decides to send her to Lowood Institute, a school for orphaned children. She makes various friends and spends a total of eight years at the school--six as a student and two as a teacher. But finally Jane realizes she is not content and posts an ad in the paper looking for a job. She finds one as a governess for a little French girl at stately Thornfield Hall. However, something mysterious is going on there...could it be haunted by a ghost or something even more gruesome? The secret is finally revealed when Jane is about to be married to the master of Thornfield Hall, Mr. Rochester, and it prevents the two from getting married. Brokenhearted and wanting to avoid temptation, Jane sets off on her own, wandering for several days until she comes to a house inhabited by the Rivers family. The head of the house, St. John Rivers, offers Jane a position as schoolmistress for some poor village girls. She accepts the job, but soon after she starts she finds that she has been left with a huge inheritance by her uncle. Splitting it with the Rivers, she moves in with them again. However, something deep within her finally calls her back to Thornfield, and, telling her newfound family she is going on a short trip, she heads back, only to find that it has burned down at that Mr. Rochester, blind and crippled from the fire, has moved somewhere else. She tracks him down and finds that he still loves her like she loves him, and, freed from the obstacle that stopped them before, they marry.


I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was going to be kind of dry and hard to read, but that wasn't the case at all. I don't think there was a single boring part of this book, but the least interesting part was Jane's time at Lowood. I guess I think that because not much happened there, at least not compared to other parts of the book. The characters were dynamic and complex, and I felt like they were real people who could step off the page if they wanted to. I think fans of classics would really love this book, but even if you're not really into classics, I still think you might want to give it a try.

Thank You, Carl!

For my birthday this year, Carl sent me some wonderful gifts: a book called Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan, a beautiful blank book from Paperblanks with a copy of one of my poems in the front, and two beautiful postcards by Anne-Julie Aubry (one of my favorite artists!). Wasn't that really nice of him?!! I've started writing in the journal, but I haven't read the book yet. It sounds very good, though, and I can't wait to get to it! Thank you so much, Carl!!! I will be sending you a Thank-you card soon!

All Shook Up (book review)

All Shook Up, by Glenn Altschuler, is a nonfiction book chronicling the story of rock n roll through the lives of famous rock n rollers, critics of the music, and teenage fans. It discusses rock n roll's connections with race, sexuality, and the generation gap. This book gives an in-depth look at the people who were responsible for the rise of rock n roll, which was anything but an ordinary style of music at the time.

If you want an in-depth but easy-to-read approach to rock n roll, this is the book for you! I never tired of the topics that the author brought up, and I learned a lot about the conflicts facing America during the time of big rock n roll stars such as Elvis Presley. This was truly a fascinating book!

Warriors: Sunrise (book review)

Warriors: Sunrise, by Erin Hunter, is the final installment in Warriors: Power of Three. In this book, the three young warrior cats Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze will discover a shocking secret that they were never meant to know. Their very existence goes against every rule of the warrior code, and eventually the secret about their true identity will have to come out. But when it does, another cat's life will be lost and the clans will be thrown into chaos.

Meanwhile, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf must embark on a dangerous journey to find the strange loner Sol. Can he offer them advice in this time of darkness? But Sol has wicked plans in his mind, and he is willing to manipulate Thunderclan in order to carry them out.


I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was the best in the series, and it definitely had a shocking ending that I never would have expected. All fans of the Warriors series should read this book!

I am using this book for the Once Upon A Time Challenge III.

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (book review)

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague, the third installment in the renowned Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull, is a fantasy story filled with danger, excitement, and adventure. Fablehaven is one of five magical preserves, the last places on Earth where magical creatures can gather in safety. Fourteen-year-old Kendra and twelve-year-old Seth are staying with their grandparents, the caretakers, for the summer. For a while it seems that all is well, until Seth discovers a magical plague that turns good creatures into creatures of darkness. The plague is spreading faster than anyone can imagine, and it is doubtful that the plague can be stopped. Will Fablehaven have to be abandoned for good?

Meanwhile, Kendra and her friends are journeying deep into the heart of another magical preserve located in Arizona in order to recover a mystical artifact. It is a dangerous place, filled with dragons, zombies, and ancient Native American spirits, and not everyone will make it out alive...


I loved this book! I thought it was by far the best in the series. They just keep getting better! There was a wide and varied cast of characters and the plot was full of twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone out there looking for a unique twist on fantasy.

I am using this book for the Once Upon A Time Challenge III.