The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren by Wendy Toliver

author’s website: Wendy Toliver
release date: December 26, 2007
appeals to: YA (ok for younger teens)
genre: romance
length: 280 pages
publisher: Simon Pulse
overall rating: 3.5

*the back cover*
Geeky to gorgeous in sixty seconds . . .
Roxy’s about to turn sixteen, but life isn’t so sweet. As a band geek, roxy can barely get the cute guys to notice her, much less go out with her. Then, on her birthday, Roxy is transformed into a Siren: seductively beautiful with the power to control all men. She thought Sirens were an ancient myth, but suddenly Roxy can get any guy she wants with just a few notes on her flute.
There are only two rules: don’t tell anyone about being a Siren, and don’t fall in love. When she starts dating Zach, the guy everybody’s crushing on, Roxy realizes she could get used to this Siren thing . . . but how can she keep herself from falling in love?

*my review*
This book is lighthearted, cute, and fun to read. It is basically a romance novel, but with the twist that Roxy can’t fall in love because of Siren Rule Number Two! Roxy begins the book as a normal 15-year-old high school sophomore who is ready for her 16th birthday to come. She is a flute player in the band, accepts the fact that she isn’t gorgeous, but still has a huge crush on the school heartthrob, Zach Parker. Roxy and her best friend, Natalie, are self proclaimed BeeGees (band geeks), and are constantly frustrated, mocked, and lightly tormented by the snobby members of the Proud Crowd.
When Roxy’s grandmother comes for her sixteenth birthday, and explains the transformation into a Siren that takes place, Roxy changes from invisible to unforgettable in one evening. She has gets the things that she always thought she wanted: attention from boys, a place in the Proud Crowd, and a good looking boyfriend. But she also realizes that the “perks” don’t always outweigh the costs related to them.
While the book was slightly predictable, the story was cute and it was nice to see a story about how the unpopular kids can be much more fun than the divas of the Proud Crowd. It was also fun to read about a flute player, since I spent my high school years dealing with the same flute-player jokes (…especially after American Pie came out my junior year). This would be a great choice for a beach read (or a snow day read)!

*short and snappy*
writing: light and fun
plot: slightly predictable, but very fun to read
characters: realistic and likable (except for the Proud Crowd divas, but you’re supposed to hate them)
judging by the cover: the bright cover is actually what made me pick up the book :)
miscellaneous: there is a trailer for the book here (on Wendy's site)

Virals by Kathy Reichs

author’s website: author site / Virals website
release date: November 2, 2010
appeals to: YA
genre: Paranormal/SciFi
length: 464 pages
publisher: Razorbill
overall rating: 5 stars

*synopsis* (from Virals website)
Adventure has always been in fourteen-year-old Tory Brennan’s blood. After all, she is the niece of world-famous forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. So when she moves to middle of nowhere Morris Island, South Carolina, to live with a marine biologist dad she’s never known, Tory does the best she can to adjust to her new life.
There she meets a group of local kids who are just as “Sci-Phile” as she is—science geeks who’ve grown up exploring the backwoods marsh-lands of nearby Loggerhead Island. But there’s something strange going on at the Loggerhead Research Institute… maybe even something deadly. After rescuing a stray wolfdog pup from a top-secret lab, Tory and her friends are exposed to a rare strain of canine parvovirus, changing them—and their DNA—forever.
Now, with newly heightened senses and canine-quick reflexes, they’ll have to solve a cold-case murder that’s suddenly become very hot … that is, if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer’s scent.
Fortunately, they are now more than friends.
They are a pack.
They are VIRALS.

*my review*
I initially picked up Virals because I saw that it was written by Kathy Reichs. As an absolute addict to the show Bones (which is based on the life and books of Kathy Reichs), I thought that I’d like to try one of her books. Then, I read the inside flap and realized that it has a paranormal ingredient, and I was even more excited!
The first line of Virals is fabulous. It draws you in, and creates a great hook to keep you interested. From there, the story is filled with suspense, friendship, mystery-solving, crime fighting teenagers, and the science fiction/paranormal aspect that will intrigue fans of those genres. The plot if this story is pretty complex, but it never felt heavy. The action moves quickly and the actual writing is very easy to read. In fact, it’s difficult to put down.
The main character in this book - Tory - is only 14 years old, but she is definitely wise beyond her years. She (and her three cohorts in crime) are so much more mature than most fourteen year olds that I have met (no offense) that is was often easy to forget that they were so young. In addition to the increased maturity, the characters were incredibly intelligent. All four of the teens are the children of professors working at the Loggerhead Research Institute, which may account for the increased interest in science and learning. Even with the extreme intelligence, the characters were all pretty down to earth, and seemed easy to relate to.
While I really enjoyed this book, there is a lot of language used. Since the main character is fourteen, that may be offensive to some younger readers (or their parents). However, I thought it was a pretty realistic portrayal of teenagers. Even though there is a lot of language, it always felt realistic rather than excessive.

*short and snappy*
writing: Quick and easy to read, but it still provides a lot of detail!
plot: Fast moving, but with a lot of twists and turns that keep it quite suspenseful
characters: The four main characters are all well developed and easy to relate to, but it is the amount of detail given to the minor characters that adds to the story
memorable line: A gunshot is the loudest sound in the universe. Especially if the bullet is coming at you. (p. 1)
judging by the cover: a great cover with details that I didn’t understand until I read the book
miscellaneous: An excerpt of the prologue to Virals is available here (and it includes that memorable line).

2011 Challenges

Last year, I participated in two challenges the 100 book challenge from J. Kaye’s site & the Debut Author Challenge at The Story Siren’s site. I did manage to meet my debut author goal, but I missed my 100 book challenge by 4 books.

This year, I am going to be participating in a few challenges, but my main goal is to keep up on reviewing the books I read!

2011 YA Reading Challenge
Jamie at “For the Love of YA” is hosting the YA Reading Challenge this year. Since I read primarily YA books, I’m going to attempt the Mega Size challenge which is 50+ YA titles. The rules for this challenge and information about how to sign up are available here.

2011 Debut Author Challenge
The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Last year, I read 13 debut books, but only posted reviews for 8, so I’m not sure if I officially completed the challenge or not! :) This year, I hope to read 12 debut books. You can learn more about this challenge here and sign up for it here. My tentative list (which has far more than 12) is below, and I’ll be keeping track in a sidebar on my blog.
The False Princess - Eilis O'Neal
Darkness Becomes Her - Kelly Keaton
Blood Magic - Tessa Gratton
Entwined - Heather Dixon
Wither - Lauren DeStefano
Bumped - Megan McCafferty
The Goddess Test - Aimee Carter
Spellbound - Cara Lynn Shultz
Falling for Hamlet - Michelle Ray
Vanished - Sheela Chari
My Un-Fairy Tale Life - Anna Staniszewski
Flawless - Lara Chapman
The Princess Curse - Merrie Haskell
Dead Rules - Randy Russell
The Sweetest Thing - Christina Mandelski
Wildefire - Karsten Knight
Unearthly - Cynthia Hand
Moonglass - Jessi Kirby
Illegal - Bettina Restrepo
Across the Universe - Beth Revis
Vesper - Jeff Sampson
Haven - Kristi Cook
Rival- Sara Bennett-Wealer
So Shelly - Ty Roth
The Revenant - Sonia Gensler
The Lipstick Laws - Amy Holder
Also, I find the “Elevensies” website to be helpful in finding information about the debut authors and books. It is here.

100+ Book Challenge
Last year I attempted this challenge and came SO close! This year, I’m going to try again to reach the 100 book mark. You can learn more about this challenge here.

In My Mailbox (#17)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that talks about books that have been bought, swapped, received for review, or borrowed from the library. It is hosted by Kristy at The Story Siren. Kristy is taking a break from IMM, but will be bringing it back later this year.

This IMM is actually covering two weeks, so there is a lot to share!
I got a few things for Christmas: The big book in the background is probably the coolest present I’ve ever received from a student – especially because it shows that he really knows me! The book is an American History coloring big book. All of the pages are line drawings that can be colored in, but they depict different scenes from the very beginning of colonization through landing on the moon. I’m actually thinking about breaking the book apart and using them as posters in my classroom.
The other things are:
The Hunger Games boxed set (!!!) – Suzanne Collins
Linger – Maggie Stiefvater
Eclipse (the movie)
Bones Season 3 (this show is my new TV addiction)
The Presidents Little Instruction Book (I actually got 2 of these)

Then last week, I went to Half Price Books because they were having a 20% off of everything sale, and I left with 7 books for only $13! Two are for my collection, and five are for my classroom. Ballad – Maggie Stiefvater
Founding Brothers – Joseph Ellis
Pictures of Hollis Woods – Patricial Reilly Giff
The Best School Year Ever – Barbara Robinson
Bridge to Terabithia – Katherine Paterson
The Witches – Roald Dahl
Ginger Pye – Eleanor Estes

I also have to share a present that I got from my sister-in-law for Christmas. It’s called Things We Can Learn from a Dog. It has very cute advice and that is a picture of my puppy on her first Christmas (she’s three and a half now).

That sums up my week in books…what did you get?

Fallen by Lauren Kate

author’s website: Lauren Kate
release date: December 8, 2009
appeals to: Young Adult
genre: Contemporary Paranormal
length: 464 pages
publisher: Delacorte Press
overall rating: 5 stars

*the inside flap*
There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at Sword & Cross boarding school in Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are screwups, and security cameras watch every move.

Except Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce – he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page-turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

*my review*
Luce is a very strong character, but within the story, she is faced with a number of issues; beginning with the one that landed her at Sword and Cross - an issue that is hinted at and described in pieces throughout the book. There is also the problem (if you can call it that) of the two intriguing and good looking boys capturing Luce’s attention. Cam is the persistently interested and cute boy who oozes charm, but Luce can’t seem to get over Daniel – even though he shows zero interest. In fact, Daniel shows the opposite of interest, making every effort to push Luce away.
As the story progresses, the characters change and everything starts to fall into place. There is actually a lot of action in the story, with twists and turns happening when you least expect them to. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the sequel.
Overall, this is an intensely beautiful story that unfolds new surprises to the very last page. I would recommend it without question.

*short and snappy*
plot: intense – there are a lot of elements in this story and surprises literally happen until the last page
characters: incredibly developed! Even the “minor” characters have detailed backgrounds and personalities
judging by the cover: I absolutely LOVE the cover! Truthfully it is what drew me to the book. It reminds me of the cover of Evanescence’s “The Open Door” album & especially the Lithium video
miscellaneous: two book trailers for Fallen are available at Lauren Kate’s website. You have to scroll down and they’re on the right hand side.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

author’s website: Rick Riordan
series website: The Kane Chronicles
release date: May 4, 2010
appeals to: YA or MG
genre: Adventure/Urban Fantasy
length: 528 pages
publisher: Hyperion
overall rating: 5 stars

*the inside flap*
Since his mother’s death six years ago, Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the globe with his father, the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane. But while Carter’s been homeschooled, his younger sister, Sadie, has been living with their grandparents in London. Sadie has just what Carter wants – school friends and a chance at a “normal” life. But Carter has just what Sadie longs for – time with their father. After six years of living apart, the siblings have almost nothing in common. Until now.

On Christmas Eve, Sadie and Carter are reunited when their father brings them to the British Museum, with a promise that he’s going to “make things right.” But all does not go according to plan: Carter and Sadie watch as Julius summons a mysterious figure, who quickly banishes their father and causes a fiery explosion.

Soon, Carter and Sadie discover that the gods of Ancient Egypt are waking, and the worst of them – Set – has a frightening scheme. To save their father, they must embark on a dangerous journey – a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and its links to the House of Life, a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

*my review*
Wow! I absolutely loved this book. It is long, but it reads easily and has an action packed plot that could appeal to even middle grade readers!

“The Red Pyramid” has a great opening that draws you right in and makes you a part of the story. A “Warning” (kind of a forward) explains that the book is a transcript of a recording, and as you read, it feels like a story that is being told to you. The narration switches between Carter and Sadie and occasionally, they will talk to each other in a kind of brother-sister bickering that makes it even more realistic.

Even more interesting is the difference in personality and voice between the two characters. When Sadie is telling the story, she uses British sayings and words (she was raised in London), and she has a more no-nonsense approach to things than Carter. When Carter is narrating, the thoughts and words reflect his (mostly) American style of speaking, but also show that he has had an incredible upbringing while traveling worldwide with his father. Sometimes, it is easy to forget that Sadie and Carter are 12 and 14 because they are pretty sophisticated in their speaking and actions, and because they stay quite calm in extremely stressful situations.

This book has a lot of attention to detail and includes a lot of Egyptian mythology, much of which I’d never heard. However, Sadie wasn’t raised to know much about the Egyptian history or mythology, so there is a lot of explaining to her that also helps the reader understand the details. Many of the hieroglyphics that are mentioned in the story are actually printed into the book, which adds a lot for those of us who aren’t fluent in our hieroglyphic studies, but which also make for a fun way of tying details into the story. It is obvious that a TON of research went into this book, but it never gets dry from reading the details.

Overall, this story is action packed with a complex, twisty plot that is woven into an incredible story. I can’t wait for the next installment of the Kane Chronicles!

*short and snappy*
writing: conversational and funny – there is a complex plot, but the words are easy to read and the character’s personalities come through in a fun and entertaining way
plot: complex but still easy to follow – there are a LOT of twists and elements in this plot, but it is written in a way that is never overwhelming.
characters: fantastic – Sadie and Carter are obviously well developed, but the detail in the “minor” characters (like Lord Iskandar, Zia, and Bast) really comes through as well.
memorable line: “Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same,” Dad said. “Fairness means everyone gets what they need. And the only way to get what you need is to make it happen yourself.” (p. 67)
judging by the cover: I love the cover – I think it captures a lot of the important elements of the story without giving too much away
miscellaneous: There is a slight reference to the Percy Jackson series (on page 52) if you read carefully!
more miscellaneous info: (1) On the series website (The Kane Chronicles) there is an excerpt from the book, as well as information about Carter, Sadie, and a few other major characters. It’s a very cool site! (2) On his blog, Riordan wrote that the next installment of the Kane Chronicles should be out in May of 2011. He also shared information about the new Heroes of Olympus series in the same post (here).

The End of 2010

Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner has put together an end of 2010 Survey, and since I have had fun reading a few of them, I decided to put together a post of my own. You can find Jamie's post and links to other survey posts here.

1. Best book of 2010?
This is a really hard question, because I’ve read several fabulous books this year! I think that my favorites are probably The Hunger Games trilogy (Suzanne Collins), Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver), Willow (Julia Hoban), and If I Stay (Gayle Forman).

2. Worst book of 2010?
I hate to classify anything as the “worst” book, but my least favorite read this year was Skinny (Ibi Kaslik). My review is here but basically, I just wasn’t drawn to the story.

3. Most Disappointing Book of 2010?
I think that It’s Not Summer Without You (Jenny Han) would take this category. I loved the first book in the series (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and was expecting a continuation that would be just as good. While the story was ok, it just wasn’t as good as I had hoped it would be.

4. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2010?
The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead-Tossed Waves (both by Carrie Ryan) are an easy choice for this category! I had never read zombie books before and didn’t think that I would like that genre, but as soon as I started The Forest of Hands and Teeth, I couldn’t put it down! I also liked the way The Dead-Tossed Waves continued the story, but several years later and from a different perspective (which I usually don’t like).
Another book that really surprised me was Shark Girl (Kelly Bingham). I read the book as a part of Body Image and Self Perception month, and absolutely loved it. The book is written in free verse (which I usually hate), so I wouldn’t have picked it up if Jo (of Once Upon a Bookcase) hadn’t mentioned that it was one of the books that would suit the month, but I’m certainly glad I did! It’s a quick read, but well worth it!

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010?
I recommended The Hunger Games trilogy (Suzanne Collins) and the Uglies, Pretties, Specials series (Scott Westerfeld) to quite a few people, but technically I read both (except for Mockingjay) in 2009. The 2010 reads that I recommended frequently were Willow (Julia Hoban), Living Dead Girl (Elizabeth Scott), and Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver) more than any other books.

6. Best series you discovered in 2010?
I really liked The Hunger Games trilogy (obviously), but I also flew through the Vampire Kisses series (Ellen Schreiber), and enjoyed the Evernight series (Claudia Gray) as well.

7. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010?
SOOO many! Elizabeth Scott, Alex Flinn, Lauren Oliver, Lauren Henderson, Patrick Jones, Carrie Ryan, Stacey Jay, Deborah Lytton, Allen Zadoff, and Liz Rettig (in no preferential order)

8. Most hilarious read of 2010?
Stacey Jay’s books (You Are So Undead to Me, Undead Much, and My So Called Death) were all hilarious! I love her style of writing, because it is light and easy to read, but with plenty of snarky comments!

9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2010?
If I Stay (Gayle Forman), Willow (Julia Hoban), Living Dead Girl (Elizabeth Scott), Dirty Little Secrets (C.J. Omololu), and Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver) are all books that were just incredibly breathtaking. There were moments while reading each one, when a train could have driven through my living room and I wouldn’t have noticed because they were so captivating. All of the books dealt with difficult topics, but were just incredible to read!

10. Book you most anticipated in 2010?
I was super excited for Linger (Maggie Stiefvater) and Mockingjay (Suzanne Collins) before 2010 even started. As the year went on, I read Fallen (Lauren Kate) and looked forward to Torment, and I heard about and looked forward to Tell Me A Secret (Holly Cupola) and Paranormalcy (Kiersten White).

11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010?
I loved the covers of Willow (Julia Hoban), If I Stay (Gayle Forman), Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver), and The Tear Collector (Patrick Jones) for the way they capture the essence of the story, I loved the covers of Fallen and Torment (Lauren Kate) because of their gothic looks, and I liked the cover of Jumping to Confusions (Liz Rettig) because it’s fun, whimsical, and (though it doesn’t show in this picture) the blue is actually shiny!

12. Most memorable character in 2010?
I’m actually not sure. Megan Berry (You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay) was my favorite fun character, James (Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater) and Miles (Torment by Lauren Kate) were probably my literary crushes, and Peeta really grew on me in Mockingjay (Suzanne Collins).

13. Most beautifully written book in 2010?
If I Stay (Gayle Forman) and Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver)

14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010?
If I Stay (Gayle Forman) My review is here

15. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read?
This is more an author for me than a specific book, but I can’t believe that I didn’t read anything by Elizabeth Scott until this year. Once I read one of her books, I grabbed several more, and haven’t read one yet that I didn’t like!