Book: The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Published September 2009|Published by Disney Publishing

E-book|Borrowed from the library|208 pages

Series? No

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|E. Lockhart’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:
Debate Club.
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.” 
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:
A knockout figure. 
A sharp tongue.
A chip on her shoulder.
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Landau-Banks. 
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer. 
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society.
Not when her ex-boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places.
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them.
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her. 
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:
Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

So…The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks…that’s quite the title!  But I liked it, and I certainly wasn’t expecting to, because I’ve tried to read a couple of her other books and couldn’t get through them.  Upon finishing, I really liked it, but now I just have mixed feelings.

I liked seeing how much Frankie changed but I especially liked seeing all of the trouble she got into.  The pranks and the secret societies and boarding schools are a great combination.  She’s definitely clever, and I really liked that about her.

But…

I get why she infiltrated her boyfriend’s secret society- she wanted to be included and for him to trust her with it and she just wanted people to notice her.  But I think I would have preferred her to start her own secret society instead of infiltrating the one her boyfriend’s in.  I just couldn’t connect with Frankie and she seemed a little self-absorbed at times.  I get she wanted people to notice her- who doesn’t?  But the way she went on and on about it just irritating.

It’s just, the hint of girl power combined with people wanting to notice combined with infiltrating her popular boyfriend’s secret society didn’t really work for me.  I think it’s because they seem to be such different things that I couldn’t completely believe it.  Plus, the pranks, as clever and fun as they were, seemed a bit too adult.  At least in terms of what Frankie wanted people to get out of them.  Like, she’s all upset that her boyfriend didn’t get the political meaning behind them.  At 16, she seemed a little too aware of gender and political issues- her thoughts seemed more adult than 16-year-old girl.

Other characters!  I didn’t care for any of them, and to be honest, they didn’t really stand out.  I didn’t like Matthew and Frankie as a couple, and it really felt they were together just so Frankie could complain about how no one noticed her.

Final Thoughts:

An evil genius at a boarding school with a secret society and pranks is such a good combination!  I think Frankie taking over the Bassett  Hounds was supposed to be empowering, but I didn’t really get that at all…I mean, how is taking over a boys-only secret society supposed to be all girl-power-ish?  Assuming that’s what Lockhart wanted to get across.  Overall, the things I did like far outweighed the things that annoyed me, so The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks gets 3 stars.

Book: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Published April 2012|Published by Harlequin Teen

E-book|Borrowed from the library|351 pages

Series? Yes, Blood Of Eden #1

Genre: YA/Paranormal- Vampires

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Julie Kagawa

Goodreads Summary: In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked–and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend–a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what–and who–is worth dying for.

I have no idea why it took me so long to read The Immortal Rules!  I loved The Iron Fey series by Kagawa, so it makes sense I’d pick up The Immortal Rules at some point.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but The Iron Fey and The Immortal Rules are very, very different.  Julie Kagawa is just so amazing at putting her own twist on things!  The vampires are definitely in charge, and treat humans as cattle.  There’s just something about her vampires that are super-interesting.  And while I love a good vampire story, Kagawa gave them new life.  I was so fascinated by the idea of being Registered and the Rabids and a disease that killed off a lot of the human population.  It’s all futuristic and dark and not what I was expecting.  She did a great job creating this world and creating characters who are interesting and start to question everything they’ve believed in.

I’m not completely sure about Allison as a character.  It took me a while to warm up to her, and while I didn’t completely love her, I did sort of like her and understand where she was coming from.  Zeke was just okay but it was nice to see a potential love interest who shows up half-way through the novel.  Actually, the romance was set-up really well, and there are going to be quite a few problems they have to work through.  But I liked that we get an idea of what this world is like and how people see vampires.  It really wasn’t easy for Allison to be a vampire, and I liked seeing how people treated her before knowing she was a vampire and how they treated her after finding out.

Back to characters, Kanin was really interesting, and it’s too bad we don’t see more of him!  I think I like him better with Allison, but I have the feeling it’s not going to go that way.  There’s a lot of mystery as far as Kanin is concerned so hopefully, we see more of him.

It did start off a little slow for me, but once things got going, I found myself enjoying it more and wanting to know what happened!

Final Thoughts:

I really liked The Immortal Rules.  I don’t love it the way I loved The Iron Fey, but I love the way Kagawa takes vampires or fairies and makes them really interesting.  And I really need to mention the cover, which is really interesting and a nice change from the covers with the typical pretty girl in a pretty dress.  While I normally don’t pay attention to the cover and whether it goes with the book, I have to say that this cover really does go hand-in-hand with things that happen!  The Immortal Rules gets 4 stars.

Book: Eon by Allison Goodman

Published June 2011|Published by Penguin Group

E-book|From The Library|337 pages

Series?  Yes, Eon #1

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Allison Goodman’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he’s been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. 

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured. 

When Eon’s secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic…and her life.

I so enjoyed Eon!  I loved the dragons and the dragon mythology Goodman used.  I was really reminded of the Chinese Zodiac, especially at the beginning.  Actually, I would say that it’s Chinese Zodiac meets dragons.  I  could imagine everything so clearly, and I loved how everything was described.  Plus, Eon’s ability to see all 12 dragons was interesting and definitely unique, but sadly, it was something that wasn’t really explored in the book.  It kind of seemed really important, but sadly, it wasn’t as important as I was expecting.

I just loved the setting!  It’s refreshing to see a a fantasy setting that’s not medieval European-esque.  It’s so imaginative and while I cannot remember the name of the place where Eon lives, it’s still such a great setting.  I could picture everything so clearly, and it really felt like Goodman spent a lot of time working on this imaginative world!  There’s definitely a whole history there, so it’s a little sad we don’t get more of that history.  Like, the Mirror Dragon randomly disappears, and does so for hundreds of years, only to return.  Why did the Mirror Dragon disappear for so long?  And why can Eon see all 12 dragons?  Perhaps that will be answered in the sequel, which I definitely want to read.

So…Eon.  I’m actually pretty neutral about girls disguising themselves as boys, and considering my frustration with girls wanting to be all warrior woman in fantasy novels, I was surprised to find that I actually liked Eon!  She’s definitely an interesting character, and her journey to communicate with her dragon was cliche, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest.  There’s a lot of potential, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.  There are a lot of characters, who weren’t what I was expecting!  Sure, there is some predictability there, but for the most part, they were all really interesting characters.  There are a lot of really interesting relationships between all the characters, and I can’t wait to see how some of them play out in the sequel.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked Eon.  I loved the dragons, the setting sounds amazing, and the characters are interesting.  I have some unanswered questions, but I am looking forward to reading the sequel.  It’s also nice to see a fantasy setting that’s NOT in medieval Europe and the twist on the Chinese zodiac worked really well!  Eon gets 4 stars.

Book: Etiquette And Espionage by Gail Carriger

Expected Publication is February 5, 2013|Published by Little, Brown And Company

Paperback|ARC that I borrowed from a friend|307 pages

Series? Yes, Finishing School #1

Genre: YA/Steampunk

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Gail Carriger’s Website

Goodreads Summary: It’s one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It’s quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners–and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine’s, young ladies learn to finish…everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but the also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage–in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year’s education.

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail’s legions of fans have come to adore.

Steampunk is one of the those genres I haven’t read…and realized I needed to after reading this book!  Seriously, this was a fun book to read.

There’s something really charming about Etiquette and Espionage, and there were quite a few times where I couldn’t help but laugh…mostly at the really creative but amusing names.  But Sophronia going to a finishing school (in the sky!) and learning how to curtsy and throw knives at the same time?  Seriously cool!  Seriously, her mother sends her away to finishing school, and her family has no clue

So…steampunk!  Steampunk is pretty cool, and reading a novel that’s steampunk is even better.  There’s just something about steampunk that makes so great for a novel!

The characters are a lot of fun, and Sophronia was an especially great character.  Monique definitely is her nemesis, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for their relationship!  There are so many interesting characters- vampires, werewolves, and the assorted people Sophronia comes across while going to finishing school, as well as her teachers and classmates.  I did feel like I didn’t really get to know the characters very well, but I honestly didn’t mind, and it didn’t occur to me until after finishing the book.  But it’s also the first book in the series, and I am (surprisingly) willing to overlook it.

And a spy school attached to an evil genius school?  I absolutely loved that part.  What would an evil genius school be like?  I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out more.

Carriger created a really interesting world, and even though it was set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any important info.

Final Thoughts:

Etiquette And Espionage was definitely a fun read, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.  The characters were really delightful, and I’m sure hijinks will ensue.  Etiquette And Espionage gets 4.5 stars.

Book: If I Stay by Gayle Forman|Narrated by Kirsten Potter

Published April 2009|Published by Listening Library

Audio Book|Borrowed from the library|4 hours 58 minutes

Series? Yes, If I Stay #1

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Gayle Foreman’s Website

Goodreads Summary: The last thing Mia remembers is the music. After the accident, she can still hear it. And she can see her damaged body being taken from the wreck of her parents’ car – even though she doesn’t feel a thing. 

All she can do is watch as doctors rush to save her life, as her friends and relatives gather outside her room, as the boy she loves struggles to be near her. 

As the next twenty-four hours unfold, Mia must come to terms with what came before the crash – and what would come after. And she knows she must make the most difficult choice of all. If she stays…

When I saw If I Stay available at the library, I knew I had to check it out!  And I pretty much checked it out because I’ve heard a lot of really good things, and wanted to know why people loved it so much.

At first, I wasn’t sure about If I Stay.  You get a little bit of Mia’s life and then the accident happens.  You do get a lot of flashbacks, so you get a great picture of what her life was like before the accident.

I was reminded of The Lovely Bones while listening to If I Stay.  So if you liked The Lovely Bones, you will probably like If I Stay.  I think it’s that Mia and Susie are watching things happen- Susie from heaven, and Mia wandering around the hospital.  But while Susie has already died, Mia has to make the decision of whether she wants to live or die.  I didn’t get a huge sense of it being a hard decision to make, because it mostly felt like Mia was reliving life before the accident.  Yes, her parents and younger brother died, and maybe she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do because of that, but it didn’t really come through for me.  But her grandpa giving her permission to die- if that’s what she wanted- was touching, in it’s own weird way.  Although, you do see how memories play a role in her decision, so maybe her decision came through…just not in a way I would have expected.

I was trying so hard to not cry at the end- which is what you get when you listen to an audiobook in public, and don’t want people to think you’re crazy by crying out of nowhere.  Still, I did get pretty teary-eyed.

Speaking of the audio, Kirsten Potter did a wonderful job narrating.  She really brought things to life, and there was definitely a lot of emotion throughout the book.  The book worked really well as an audiobook, so I’m glad I listened to it.

If I Stay was fairly short, and I do think it could have been a little longer.  I get why the book ended the way it did, and anything past the ending really wouldn’t have fit.  I really am looking forward to reading the sequel, Where She Went, because I really want to know how things work out for Mia and what life is like for her!  Seriously, I NEED TO KNOW!

Final Thoughts:

Okay, I love how simple the cover is!  And it actually…kind of makes sense.  Plus, the title is absolutely perfect for the book!  So, I really liked If I Stay, which was narrated so well!  Plus, Mia making the decision she does…so sad at times.  Seriously, choosing to live or die?  If I Stay gets 4 stars.

Book: City Of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

Published November 2012|Published by Penguin Books|448 pages|Borrowed the paperback from a friend

Series? Nope!  I read a stand-alone for once

Genre: Adult: Mystery/Time Travel/Something about it feels like a fantasy and paranormal novel…so that too!

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Magnus Flyte’s Website

Goodreads.com Summary: Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it’s whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.

Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved,” she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

City of Dark Magic could be called a rom-com paranormal suspense novel—or it could simply be called one of the most entertaining novels of the year.

This was a really entertaining read.  For reals, I wasn’t sure about it for most of the book, but by the end…I was definitely interested.  I love the back-drop of Prague, and the places were described so well!  Plus, I like that there were a lot of different scholars working on different parts of the museum, and that we got to saw bits and pieces of that.

I love that it’s a mash-up, and that I had trouble exactly pin-pointing which genre (or genres, as it would be) this book falls into.  And there’s so much going on that any kind of synopsis I could come up with will not fully describe the entertainment that is City Of Dark Magic.  I was definitely intrigued by the toenail-induced time travel.  Yes, I just said toenail-induced time travel.  And if you’re wondering, it actually makes sense…in a totally weird way.  I loved the focus on Beethoven and his connection to, well, a lot of different things in the book.

There was lot going on, with quite a few characters, and while it was irritating at times, it really did make sense and come together at the end.  Sometimes, it almost felt like too many things were going on.  And I was expecting something involving magic…but perhaps that is in the music and the places and the people.  Because there is something magical about the book in general.  Sarah was interesting, but Nico was a lot of fun.

I was kept guessing, and I liked that I wasn’t completely sure what was going on until I was pretty much finished with the book.

Final Thoughts:

If you liked The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, you’ll like City Of Dark Magic.  It was fun, full of mystery and adventure, and well-worth the hours I spent reading it.  I didn’t completely love it, but it was still enjoyable.  It gets 4 stars.

Book: Endlessly by Kiersten White

Published July 2012|Published by HarperCollins

E-book|Purchased from the Nook store|400 pages

Series: Paranormalcy #3

Genre: YA/Paranormal

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Kiersten White’s Website

Summary: Evie’s paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie’s hands.

So much for normal. 

I finally read Endlessly, the last book in the Paranormalcy trilogy.  I just love this trilogy, and I was definitely surprised by how the series ended.

Evie is one of my favorite characters ever, and it’s because she’s so funny!  Well, also because she’s pretty girly for a pretty kick-ass character, which makes her stand out.  But even when things were bad, she still managed to get a laugh out of me!

I love the world that White built, with an assortment of paranormal characters and the agency that is supposed to keep tabs on things.  It’s nice to see a series where you learn that a lot of the paranormal characters got sucked into our world because of fairies, and how they went back home before this world could destroy them.  Evie had a hard choice to make, and it was great to see her make the right decision- even when she struggled with it and she felt like she was forced into it.

I was really surprised by Reth, who was sort of likeable.  I wasn’t completely sold on him- not even in this one- but he really did surprise me.  I definitely understood him a lot more by the end of the book.  And the characters are really memorable and have their own personalities.  Which can be difficult with a such an interesting ensemble of characters.  But White does it, and does it really well.

I love that all of the characters and events of previous books come back, even when it’s been a few months since reading the previous book.

I loved the Faerie Realms, and they were described so well.  They sounded so pretty, and how they came to be was great.  Everything tied together so well, and while Endlessly didn’t seem long enough, I’m glad Evie and Lend had their happily ever after.  It’s a shame we didn’t get some sort of epilogue, but the series ended on a great note.

Final Thoughts:

Endlessly wrapped up this series really well.  It was fun, hilarious, action-packed and dramatic.  Evie really is a great character…well, a lot of the characters are great.  Endlessly gets 5 stars.

Book: The Things A Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt

Published September 2010|Published by Wendy Lamb Books

E-book|Borrowed from the library|166 pages

Series Or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Dana Reinhardt’s Website

Summary: The story of a young marine’s return from war in the Middle East and the psychological effects it has on his family.

Finally, Levi Katznelson’s older brother, Boaz, has returned. Boaz was a high school star who had it all and gave it up to serve in a war Levi can’t understand. Things have been on hold since Boaz left. With the help of his two best friends Levi has fumbled his way through high school, weary of his role as little brother to the hero.

But when Boaz walks through the front door after his tour of duty is over, Levi knows there’s something wrong. Boaz is home, safe. But Levi knows that his brother is not the same.

Maybe things will never return to normal. Then Boaz leaves again, and this time Levi follows him, determined to understand who his brother was, who he has become, and how to bring him home again.

Award-winning author Dana Reinhardt introduces readers to Levi, who has never known what he believes, and whose journey reveals truths only a brother knows.

There are so many things I liked about The Things A Brother Knows!  I liked that it focused on the relationship between two brothers, and how Boaz joining the military has affected his family.  You definitely hear about how war can and does affect soldiers, but I kinda feel like you don’t really hear about their families and how their loved one going off to war affects them.  Growing up in a navy town- but with no connections to the Navy, other than knowing my grandpa was in the Navy- you do hear about navy ships being deployed and their families seeing them off and welcoming them home.

I liked that you saw things through Levi’s eyes, and how he struggled with his own feelings about his brother joining the marines and how that compared to what other people thought.  That other people thought Boaz was a hero, while Levi sometimes seemed to wonder what was so great about his brother joining the marines.  It wasn’t what I was expecting from Levi, but I can imagine that there are people out there, who just want their loved ones, home and safe.

I loved how Levi followed his brother on his journey to D.C., and how Boaz’s family wasn’t quite sure how to help him.  They definitely have an interesting relationship, which has changed over the years.  It even changes a bit throughout the book, but I wish we got to see a little more of their relationship before the start of the book.  You get enough to see the difference, but a little more would have been nice.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked The Things A Brother Knows.  It’s a great look at how families deal with a relative going off to war, and a really great look at the relationship between 2 brothers.  It wasn’t completely amazing, but I still thought it was a great book.  It gets 4 stars.

Book: Faking Faith by Josie Bloss

Published September 2011|Published by Llewellyn Worldwide|164 pages|E-book via the library

Series? No

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Josie Bloss’ Website

Goodreads.com Summary: Dylann Mahoney is living one big unholy lie.

Thanks to a humiliating and painfully public sexting incident, Dylan has become the social pariah at her suburban Chicago high school. She’s ignored by everyone–when she’s not being taunted–and estranged from her two best friends. So when Dylan discovers the blogs of homeschooled fundamentalist Christian girls, she’s immediately drawn into their fascinating world of hope chests, chaperoned courtships, and wifely submission.

Blogging as Faith, her devout and wholesome alter ego, Dylan befriends Abigail, the online group’s queen bee. After staying with Abigail and her family for a few days, Dylan begins to grow closer to Abigail (and her intriguingly complicated older brother). Soon, Dylan is forced to choose: keep living a lie . . . or come clean and face the consequences.

I was intrigued by Faking Faith.  I mean, Dylan goes from sexting to pretending to be a fundamentalist Christian.  I get why she’s initially drawn in, and how she was able to take the good from Abigail’s life.  You sort of see her appreciate her own life after visiting Abigail.

I was definitely intrigued by Abigail and her family and their beliefs.  I’m fairly certain there are more than a few people out there who think families like Abigail’s are strange and maybe even a little crazy.  I would say Faking Faith falls somewhere between a super-positive portrayal of Abigail’s family and a really negative one.  You see both, but there were times when I felt like Bloss leaned more towards portraying them in a negative way, which was kind of irritating.  That being said, I was glad to see Dylan’s appreciation of her own life.

At the risk of being repetitive, I’m going to move on to something else.  Abigail and Dylan are so very different, but both are interesting characters who are just trying to make it through life.  I definitely connected more with Abigail, which is probably because I felt like we’re a lot more alike than myself and Dylan.  Although I do understand Dylan getting really into those blogs.  The internet is a fun and slightly scary time-waster.  You only mean to spend a few minutes looking at something…and hours later you realize you just need to stop.  I did like the contrast between the two girls and thought it was pretty well-done.  I would have liked more contrast to Abigail’s dad, because that would have been more interesting to me.  Then again, it’s not about Abigail’s dad, it’s about Dylan.

Final Thoughts:

I’m not really sure what to say about Faking Faith.  I liked, and while I didn’t completely love the portrayal of the Dean family, they are a nice contrast to Dylan and her family.  It gets 3 stars.