Thursday, October 14, 2010

Passing Strange by Daniel Waters

Author:Daniel Waters
Reading level: Young Adult
Publisher: Hyperion

Rated 9/10

Karen DeSonne is used to pretending to be something she’s not. All her life, she’s passed as a normal all-American teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school. Passing cost her the love of her life. And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing - this time, as alive.



Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of anti-zombie regulations that have forced nearly all of Oakvale’s undead into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: betraying her love by becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is - because the consequences would be even worse than death.
MY REVIEW
This is the third book in the Generation Dead series. This has to be my favorite out of all three of the books, the other two weren't bad but this one was mostly from Karen's point of view, which happnes to be a little more interesting than the other characters because they were a little more predictable. I would have never guessed Karen's true love from the other two books.

Karen can pass as alive and uses it to her advantage to get information from Pete about the crimes blamed on her zombie friends. It's hard for her though because of her feelings of love for someone else. While dating Karen, Pete starts to give secrets to her that helps the truth get out, the truth that can destroy his anto zombie cause. Soon Pete realizes the truth about Karen and things start to go bad.



                                                                                      

Into the Cold Fire by Lynne Ewing

Author: Lynne Ewing
Reading level: Young Adult
Publisher: Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Rated 9/10

Serena is being targeted by the dark forces of the Atrox. Her power to read minds is the key they need in order to turn the Daughters of the Moon into Followers. Jimena has a premonition that Serena is going to betray the girls. And she has never been wrong before....
MY REVIEW
This is the second book in the Daughters of the Moon series. I happen to like this book better than Goddess of the Night, this one just flowed more easily and I really like Serena's character, she's different and not afraid to be either.

Serena seems to either be losing her memory or having strange dreams, she can't remember and it scares her. She can't grasp reality and she starts  to look for answers to her questions. She's falling for Zahi and is being followed by the Atrox and it's most dangerous Followers. Her friends all think deep down that she willbetray them and Serena doesn't know what to think.


                                                                                          

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Author:Gail Carson Levine
Reading level: Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Rated 8/10

A kingdom beset by monsters . . .
A disease that weakens and destroys . . .
An epic poem and a hero of long ago . . .
A story of danger and desperation.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre couldn't be more different. Princess Addie is fearful and shy. Her deepest wish is for safety. Princess Meryl is bold and brave. Her deepest wish is to save the kingdom of Bamarre. They are sisters, and they mean the world to each other.

Then disaster strikes, and Addie -- terrified and unprepared -- sets out on a perilous quest. In her path are monsters of Bamarre: ogres, specters, gryphons, and dragons. Addie must battle them, but time is running out, and the sister's lives -- and Barmarre's fate -- hang in the balance.
MY REVIEW
This is a great book to show us that we can accomplish things in life and defeat our fears, I've read a few books by Gail Carson Levine now and can say that she is an excellent author and I love her books, I definitely can't wait to read more books by her.

Princess Addie is afraid of monsters and the world outside of the castle. Princess Meryl dreams of the day she can defeat monsters and be like her hero Drualt, Bamarre's greatest hero. The only thing keeping her from her dream is Addie's happiness. Princess Addie soon starts to develop feelings for Rhys knowing it could probably never be and to make matters worseMeryl catches the Gray Death, something nobody has ever lived through because there's no cure, Addie decides she will go on a quest to find the cure, a quest full of dangerous monsters and all that she fears.
                                                                                       

Monday, October 4, 2010

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Author: Juliet Marillier
Reading level: Young Adult
Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Rated 9/10

High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.



But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he's there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena's sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom—an impossible union it's up to Jena to stop.


When Cezar's grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can't imagine—tests of trust, strength, and true love  
MY REVIEW
I really like this book and it's aspect of fairies and "vampires". It took me back to a time where I was young and imaginedbeing in a place like the Dancing Glade with it's many different creatures. I love the fact that Jenica's best friend is a frog, I would love to have a friend like Gogu. If you love fairies tales and love stories and all that come with them then this book is definitely for you, it's a fairytale more in the lines for an older audience. I love the cover, I absolutely think it's beautiful.
                                                                                         

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters

Author: Daniel Waters
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Rated 8/10


The phenomenon that’s been sweeping the country seems to be here to stay. Not only are the teenagers who have come back from their graves still here, but newlydeads are being unearthed all the time. While scientists look for answers and politicians take their stands, the undead population of Oakville have banded together in a group they’re calling the Sons of Romero, hoping to find solidarity in segregation.



Phoebe Kendall may be alive, but she feels just as lost and alone as her dead friends. Just when she reconciled herself to having feelings for a zombie -- her Homecoming date Tommy Williams -- her friend Adam is murdered taking a bullet that was meant for her. Things get even more confusing when Adam comes back from the grave. Now she has romantic interest in two dead boys; one who saved her life, and one she can't seem to live without

MY REVIEW
This book was a good sequel to Generation Dead and showed us that change just doesn't come overnight, sometimes you have to fight a long time before it. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like this as much as Generation Dead, there were some dull parts, but I still think it's worth reading.

Adam is leanring what being a zombie is really all about and is frustratedwith it all. He's gladhe risked his life for Phoebebut he wants her to livelife and not worry about him, he doesn't want to be the one to hold her back and have her feel sorry for him. Phoebe just wants to be there for Adam and is confused about the feelings she has for him and her former boyfriend Tommy. To make matters worse zombies are being framed for crimes they didn't commit. There is still fear and hatred towards zombies and everything seems to be going downhill.