Audiobook Review: Chomp by Carl Hiaasen, Narrated by James Van Der Beek

Publisher: Random House Audio/Listening Library/Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 27th, 2012

Wahoo Cray lives in a zoo. His father is an animal wrangler, so he's grown up with all manner of gators, snakes, parrots, rats, monkeys, snappers, and more in his backyard. The critters he can handle.  His father is the unpredictable one. 

When his dad takes a job with a reality TV show called "Expedition Survival!", Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself—to keep his dad from killing Derek Badger, the show's boneheaded star, before the shoot is over. But the job keeps getting more complicated. Derek Badger seems to actually believe his PR and insists on using wild animals for his stunts. And Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna—a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her old man and needs a place to hide out. 

They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm. Search parties head out and promptly get lost themselves. And then Tuna's dad shows up with a gun . . .

It's anyone's guess who will actually survive "Expedition Survival". . . 

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

With grand plans of doing a joint guest review, my husband actually buddy-read this with our (then) ten year old daughter in late 2011.  When he started animatedly telling me about it, gushing about the humor and wit, I told him that he didn't have to do the review... He got me excited for it, and being the selfish girl that I am, I wanted to review it myself.  But, as it usually does, time slipped by and I got more and more backed up on my review reading.  Well, imagine my excitement when I found Chomp in Audible's library (AND that it was read by Mr. Dawson's Creek himself, James Van Der Beek!)!  I promptly downloaded it and gave it a listen.

I am a fan of Carl Hiaasen.  Back in the day when I read books written for adults, I read quite a few of his adult novels (Skinny Dip, Sick Puppy, Nature Girl, Skin Tight, Star Island, etc.).  I've also read all of his MG novels as well (Flush, Hoot, Scat).  Between the facts I am already a fan, and that they show up on just about every summer reading list known to man, reading them was really a no-brainer.  It just stands to reason that I would like Chomp, right?  Right.  I did like it.  It was typical Carl Hiaasen; great characters, enticing plot and pacing, funny, adventurous, well-researched and informational, with smatterings of intelligent sarcasm throughout.  Just like every other book I've read by him, it takes place in Florida, and is heavily laced with eco-speak.  It is obvious that Mr. Hiaasen cares tremendously about our natural world, particularly the piece of it that we call Florida (and he calls home).  As a avid bird-nerd and conservationist myself, I applaud him for lacing his books with thought-provoking dialogue related to the damage we do, as humans, to our environment.  If his books open the eyes of even a small percentage of the people who read them to these facts, he has done a great service to our planet, and has entertained the masses at the same time!  Bravo!

But enough about my general feelings toward Carl Hiaasen, and on to this particular book...  I liked Chomp.  It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't my favorite of his books, but I probably laughed most reading this one.  I think the characters, or rather (for the most part), the caricatures, were the best part of the book.  There were too many great ones to list here, but each one was done so well, even the most minor of them.  The characterizations were spot-on; from the ratings-obsessed Hollywood producer, to the over-indulged TV star, to the bubba Everglades airboat tour guide, to the trailer-trash drunk, each added an element of entertainment and enjoyment to the story.  I don't know if everyone will get the same vibe off the characters that I did because I'm a bit biased.  I'm sure part of my enjoyment came from having lived in Florida for four years, and the fact that I encountered some of the latter type regularly.  For me, they were what made this story great.   

Told mostly from the POV of Wahoo Cray (How's that for a name? And yes, that's his REAL name!), Chomp takes us on a crazy adventure that takes us deep into the Florida Everglades, with a cast of characters that doesn't get any more bizarre.  Wahoo is great, and probably the most level headed and "adult" of the entire bunch.  He's the son of a renowned animal wrangler, and although his dad, Mickey, is great with the animals, he's rather flaky about the other facts of life.  When Wahoo's dad is hired by the TV show, Expedition Survival, to do a show in the Everglades, the adventures kick off and just keep getting nuttier.  The star of the show, Derek Badger, is a real piece of work.  He is supposed to be a cross between Steve Irwin and Bear Grylls, but he is really anything but.  The world sees him is this hard-core survivalist, but he is actually a pampered, spoiled, Hollywood creation (and former Irish Folk Dancer), who couldn't survive the county park without help.  He is the source of a great number of the laughs, and for me, played a huge part in making this story as good as it was. Added to Derek and his drama, was Wahoo's friend, Tuna, who they accidentally rescued from her abusive father (and the trailer they lived in, in the local Walmart parking lot).   While her whole situation added a bit of austerity to the story, it also provided a bunch of laughs as well, taking the story in a rather unexpected direction.  Along with the laughs, I really enjoyed being a casual observer to both the way Wahoo matured throughout the book, and how his sweet, unexpected relationship with Tuna evolved.  Carl Hiaasen wrote these parts so well, in in such a way that they didn't get lost beneath the laughs and adventure, and I think that takes a lot of talent.

As for the audio experience, I thought James Van Der Beek did a great job with it.  I thought his voice added a nice touch, breathing life into Wahoo's character, in particular.  I think I liked this book better this way, than I would have if I had just read the text version.  If you are considering reading this book, and enjoy audiobooks, you should definitely give this one a shot.

Overall, I think this was a good story.  Like I mentioned before, it wasn't my favorite by Carl Hiaasen, but it was well worth the listen/read.  This would be a great addition to any upper elementary or middle school classroom/library.  This book has appeal for not only the MG readers it was written for, but teens and adults as well.  In fact, I think my husband loved it even more than my daughter did.  It would be a great choice as a read-aloud for parents who still read to their older kids because both would enjoy it.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  Carl Hiaasen's MG books are not squeaky clean.  There are usually a few swears and almost always a bit of violence, although none of it graphic or gratuitous.  This book was no different.  Considering this, I think Chomp is appropriate for the average 4th grader and up.  (Ages 9+)

Audiobook Review: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date:  February 21st, 2012

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I will star this review of Fever by reminding everyone that I absolutely LOVED its predecessor, Wither.  I was initially drawn to Wither because of its stunningly beautiful cover, and when that happens, I often find that they story doesn't measure up.  In this case, not only did the story measure up, but it far, far surpassed it.  If you are interested, read my full REVIEW of Wither, and check out where it ended up placing on my Top 25 Books of 2011 list.  If you haven't begun this beautifully written trilogy, you need to get started...

Now, for my actual review of Fever (book #2 in The Chemical Garden trilogy)...  Even though I have a print copy of this book (I had to have the almost-as-gorgeous cover to match my copy of Wither), I decided to listen to audio of this one.  I listened to the sample on Audible, and really liked the narrator, Angela Lin's, voice and interpretation of Rhine.  Her intonations and manner of speech were perfect- she sounded exactly as I imagined Rhine would sound if she were reading her own journal to me,  Her voice bleeds emotion and I felt the sadness of Rhine's situation on a much deeper and profound level than I would have, had I read this book to myself.  If you loved Wither, and want to feel a different level of connection while reading Fever, I would highly recommend the audio version (if you haven't read either, Angela Lin is the narrator of Wither as well, so I would give that one a go too).  As for the non-audio vs. print points, I am going to bullet point this review, like I did Wither...

• The Cover~ I already mentioned this briefly, but it deserves mention again.  Almost as gorgeous as the cover of Wither, this is one of those books that I would have purchased even if it were made of suck, because I would want the cover in my collection.
• The Writing~ Lauren DeStefano took a story that had many layers, and added many more to it, without anything becoming muddled.  She is amazingly adept at weaving plot points together, and her style is descriptive without being overly verbose.  I can't say that I liked the cliffhanger ending as well in this book as I did in Wither, but I still felt like it left off in the perfect place.  The pacing ebbed and flowed, and for this story, that kind of pacing is perfect.  The sadness of this story could never have been properly expressed if the pacing didn't slow from time to time.  I slow-read this one because I wanted to savor it.
• The Characters~ In addition to a few characters from Wither, there are several new characters.  In every case, my feelings toward the characters were intense and sometimes, erratic; love, hate, empathy, fear, sometimes all of these at once for the same character.  I will say that I now look at both Gabriel and Rhine differently than I did in the first book.
• The Story~ I never in a million years expected this story to go in the direction it went in!  It picks up exactly where Wither leaves off, and WOW!  It just knocked my socks off.  I can't even begin to go into it without totally spoiling, so it will have to suffice when I say that it brilliantly went places I could never have predicted.
• The World Building~ This was one of my favorite parts of Wither, and nothing has changed here.  For me, some of the most vivid pictures from Fever were the flawless descriptions of the world surrounding Rhine and Gabriel.  I think the image of the ferris wheel at the beginning will stay with me for a long time.

Overall, I thought Fever was just as good as Wither.  Was it better?  Honestly, I can't say.  It depends on how the 3rd book plays out.  I really need to know how the story ends before I can say for sure; if it goes one way, then I think Fever was better, if it goes another way, then I kind of hate Fever's guts.   I will let you know in April of 2013!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★+ 

Grade Level Recommendation: This book has some pretty graphic, adult themes, including forced prostitution, the murder of malformed children, and opiate abuse (some of it forced).  I recommended Wither for 9th grade and up, but said that content-wise, it was fine for 6th and up.  For this book I have to stick with the 9th+ recommendation, but this time on content as well. (ages 14 and up)

Audiobook Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Publisher: HarperTeen/Brilliance Audio

Publication Date: September 7th, 2010 

A hidden truth. 

Mortal enemies. 

Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I've been wanting to read this book for a REALLY long time.  When I first heard of it about a year ago, I was like, "Wow! That sounds like it has the potential to be a really kick-ass book!", and then I just never got the time to read it.  When my library got the audio version, I was really excited because now I could "read" it during those hours I spend in the car shuttling kids to and from school, sports, etc. (Yes, I'm the horrible mom who puts ear buds in while driving with her three children, instead of talking to them.  They fight too much and I can't deal...)  So... I got it, put it on my ipod and here we are.

I will start by saying that the audio is very well done.  The narrator, Therese Plummer, is a fantastic reader.  She seamlessly switches tonality and voice when reading dialogue between two characters, so that it almost seems as if it is being read by two different people.  She also puts forth the right emotions, breathing lots of life into the story.  Because of her adaptation, I think I liked it more than I would have if I had read the text version to myself.  That all being said...

I wanted to love this book.  Like I mentioned before, the story has TONS of potential.  A race of creatures (Draki) who descend from dragons who can morph into to human form, each with his or her own special ability?  Hunters who specialize in capturing these creatures, only to sell their parts on the black market?  A female Draki who falls for a hunter? Intriguing, right?  I thought so too, and I had high expectations...  I liked it, but I didn't love it like I thought I would.  The main characters were pretty well rendered, but the supporting ones could have used a bit more development.  I especially would have liked to know more about Jacinda's mom and Will's family. As for plot and pacing, it started out really strong, pulling me in for about the first 20%, then it just kind of fizzled for me.  It did pick up in the end, but there was too long a stretch in the middle that I struggled with.   You see, I really loved Sophie Jordan's account of the land that the Draki inhabit; mountainous, with lakes, and lush, green valleys.  I also loved her physical descriptions of the Draki; they sounded like astoundingly beautiful creatures, and found myself yearning to know more about them.  It was beyond exciting when Jacinda was pursued by hunters and nearly captured, and  I thought this book was going to be a thrill.  She lost me when Jacinda's mom moved the family to a human town, away from their pride, to protect her.  Without the beautiful world and fantastic creatures, it became just another YA Paranormal Romance with a different fantastical being...  They move to a new town, Jacinda meets Will, the unattainable, hot guy who every girl in her new HS drools over, and they are inexplicably drawn to one another, but are trying not to be, each for a different reason.  Sound familiar?  The book goes along in this vein until about the final 15%, and then it picks up; secrets are revealed, the action picks up, and new questions arise.  Will I read the next book in the series, Vanish?  Probably, but I don't feel compelled to rush right out and buy it.

Overall, I have to say that this book was a solid start to the series.  It definitely had a few flaws, but that is to be expected from any author's debut novel.  Although, it isn't my favorite story, it was well written, and I can see why it has legions of fans.  Any fan of of angsty teen love stories like Twilight will love this book.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Grade Level Recommendation:  There's the same types intense feelings of attraction between Will and Jacinda as there are between Edward and Bella (Twilight).  There are a couple of pretty heavy make-out sessions as well, including one where Will spends the night (no sex).  Because of that, I would recommend this be read by ages 12 and up (7th grade+).

Audiobook Review: Paper Towns by John Green

Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile/Brilliance Audio

Publication Date: October 16th, 2008

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night - dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows her. Margo's always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she's always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they're for Q. Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This is one of my favorite John Green books.  I read it a few years ago, and I thought it was really great.  The characters were multi-dimensional and had a lot of depth.  By the end of the book, I felt like I was a part of their group- like I knew them.  Of course, that is how I always feel after reading anything by John Green.  He is a master at capturing the human spirit and translating it to the page, and I haven't come across anyone who does it as well.  As for the story, it's got John Green all over it.  Love, adventure, hilarity, and the plight of the any-teenager...

I recently read the audio of John Green's latest book, The Fault in Our Stars, and enjoyed it immensely.  It made me want to go and listen to the audio versions of all of his books, so here I am...  Because John's books are so human and dialogue heavy, they make for great audiobooks if read by the right voice.  My first of his audios was Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  I was blown away.  I liked the book, I LOVED the audio.  The same was true with Paper Towns.  What was a great coming-of-age story, became an epic tale of friendship and devotion.  As with many audiobooks, listening to someone else read it just brings it to life in a way that reading it silently to yourself can't.  The narrator, Dan John Miller, does that beautifully in this case.  Paper Towns became a new book for me.  Q was that much more real, and Ben and Radar became even more beloved than they already were. Q's complicated feelings for Margo became almost tangible, and I understood more about her.  I really didn't care much for her when I read the book, but she grew on me to the point of mild affection while listening to the audio.  The ending was still the ending, and although I expected this time around, I still felt that same sense of satisfaction.  If you've read and loved this book like I did, you should definitely give the audio a go.  You won't be sorry that you did!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation:  I think the bulk of John Green's books are HS and up because they ARE high school.  This one had some teen drinking, language, and some talk of sex, as well as some dumb, and sometimes dangerous pranks, but in the end, it isn't the content that makes me put it at 9th grade and up (ages 14+), it's the fact that no MS age kid would ever GET it.

Audiobook Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry/Simon & Schuster Audio

Publication Date: June 7th, 2011

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I've made several attempts to read the print version of this book to no avail.  The main character, Saba, has a strange manner of speaking, using odd variations of English words, almost like a different dialect, that I had a hard time staying with.  It isn't like reading a book where the characters are speaking proper English or using Brit or Irish slang; I don't usually find them difficult to follow because I've become fairly used to it over the years.  Saba's manner is almost like a version of uneducated Southern US English with a touch of made-up slang.  I often had to re-read words to get what their meaning and I often grew frustrated with the way things were spelled.  At any rate, I started this book several times and couldn't make it further in than the first 100 pages, but I really wanted to experience this book that I had heard so many great things about, so I got the audio version.  I was absolutely blown away!  This book is everything fans say it is.  It's exciting, well-written, action-packed, thought-provoking, tender, and unpredictable.  I'm so glad I didn't give up on it, because I would have been missing out.  So, what was the difference?  The narrator, Heather Lind.  She did a fabulous job breathing life and reality into this story.  She has a Southern accent, and she manages to read the odd words and their different contexts in ways that I couldn't in my head.  She took the one element of this book that turned me off, and made it not only work really well, but made it relevant and crucial to the story.  She gave Saba a voice that I couldn't give her, making me enjoy Saba's character like I could never manage to do when reading it.  The audio version of this book reads like a movie.  Honestly, if you haven't read Blood Red Road yet, give the audio a try because it so amazingly done.  It is probably one of the best audio versions of a book that I have ever read.

As for the story itself...  It was so well plotted and paced.  Moira Young did a fantastic job answering every question and adding the right elements of surprise and action at the right times.  The writing was so flawless that I have to believe she had this outlined to the very last detail before she wrote the first word.  If she didn't, then my awe of her talent goes even further.  She built a desolate and oppressive world that I cannot even fathom being a part of.  I'm am so intrigued by it and can't wait to continue the series, where I will hopefully find out more about how it came to be so.  The characters were awesome as well.  Saba is a smart (but uneducated), kick-ass, determined, fight-to-the-death female heroine.  She is up there on my list with the likes of Katsa from Graceling and Katniss from The Hunger Games.  Jack was also great, and I was glad that his relationship with Saba wasn't insta-love.  I also liked Saba's annoying little sister, Emmi.  She was surprisingly intuitive for a girl so young.  I loved the Free Hawks and the fact that they were a strong bunch of girls, much like Saba, who stuck by each other.  With so many bestselling YA books out there glorifying mean-girl behavior, I love that Moira Young chose to go in the other direction.

Overall, I consider this book a must-listen.  I can't bring myself to recommend you read it, though.  This is the type of story that is so much better when you let someone else tell it to you.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book is very violent, but otherwise pretty clean.  I would liken it to The Hunger Games as far as grade level recommendation, which for me is 5th grade and up (ages 10+).

Audiobook Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile/Brilliance Audio

Publication Date: January 10th, 2012

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2012.  John Green is an amazing writer, who knows the intricacies and simplicities of the teen mind better than anyone I can think of.  When I heard about The Fault in Our Stars, my first thought was, "How is John Green going to pull off making cancer funny?".  It's not that I wanted him to make cancer funny, but I've grown to expect a certain amount of his particular brand of humor from all his books, and cancer or not, I was expecting it here.  Well, I'm pleased to say that John Green did it; he wrote about about kids with cancer that was not only humorous, but tastefully so.  It was full of the one-liners and observations that John Green is known for, but it also had it's share of very poignant statements, which he is also known for.  An example of one of the one-liners that made me laugh out loud was early on when, after support group, the kids were talking about how the moderator said that they were literally living in Jesus's heart, and Hazel responded, "Someone should tell Jesus. It's gotta be dangerous storing children with cancer in your heart."  I laughed so hard at that comment, but then later on, we get one of those statements that makes you cry, when someone (I won't say who or why because I don't want to give spoilers) says, "Grief does not change you, it reveals you."  How true is that?  I loved the characters and the story was both gut-wrenching and uplifting, often in the same sentence.  This book is a book that everyone should read; not just fans of John Green, not just teens or adult YA fans like myself, EVERYONE!  I think anyone could benefit from reading this book, and I dare anyone to say that it sucks.

This book is by far, John Green's best book yet, and I think the audio experience made it even better.  The narrator, Kate Rudd, was the perfect voice for Hazel and she did a great job of adding emotion and life to the story and characters.  The best part of the audio version though, had to be the pretty lengthy interview with John Green at the end of it.  I always enjoy hearing him speak and this case was no different; for such a young guy, he is very wise.  If you can get your hands on a copy, do yourself a favor and give it a listen.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ +++

Grade Level Recommendation:  Usually, with John Green's books, I say they are definite HS, minimum 8th grade+ reads because he so accurately portrays teens, and quite frankly, older tweens and young teens don't necessarily need exposure to the fact that a lot of behavior parents would never want to believe of their "good" kid would partake in is extremely typical of "good" kids.  They will find out soon enough... This book, though, is different.  First off, the characters, as much as they want to be, are NOT typical teens; they are teens with cancer and struggles that take away much of the joy of being a kid.  Also, this book is pretty tame content-wise, compared to his other books.  There is sex, but it is not at all graphic and is portrayed as a beautiful thing between two people who love each other and who know they don't have time to wait until they are married, or even "adults".  I think the benefits of a 6th or 7th grader reading this book well outweighs some content that some parents might find objectionable.  I would be more than willing to allow my 5th grader to read this, knowing that she would get a tremendous amount of the right kind of insight out of it.  Grades 6 and up (ages 11+). 

Audiobook Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Publisher:  Putnam Juvenile/Penguin Audio

Publication Date:  November 29th, 2011

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book was fantastic- I can't believe it too me over a month to get around to reading it!  To be honest, I put off reading it because I didn't like the cover.  I know, I know... But I can't help it.  Bad cover equals bottom of the TBR pile until someone convinces me to read it.  (I know I'm not alone in this, so publishers take note!)  Anyway, this book got so much love and so many rave reviews from bloggers, that I had no choice but to grab it when my library got the audio...  I'm so glad it did!  I was right when I mentioned on my Top 25 YA Books of 2011 post that I thought this would have made the list if I had gotten to read it in time; not only would it have made it, it would have been UP there on the list- like possibly top ten.

There are many reasons why I loved Legend, but I would have to say that first would be the characters.  This story is told from the POVs of two very different people, from very different backgrounds, thrown together in an impossible situation.  As their affection grows for one another and truths are revealed, confusion ensues, their relationships with other people evolve, and their characters grow.  They both have complicated histories, making them more alike than you would initially think based on their vastly different upbringings and opportunities.  I also enjoyed the supporting characters; I didn't necessarily like them all all, but I liked how they fit with the story, and the fact that Lu took the time to develop them, despite their rather minor roles.  The book would still have been good, had she not done that, but it was so much better because she did.

The plot and pacing were also great.  By telling the story from alternating POVs, Lu was able to reveal things about each character without the other knowing about them, which helped me, as the reader, better understand what was going on, while still keeping the mystery alive.  I thought there was a nice balance of action, emotion, and intrigue in this story; I think the mass appeal of this book has everything to do with that.  The story was original and well thought out, and the world was convincing and well rendered.  The only small issue I had was that it was a bit predictable at times, but I really don't think that it mattered much in the end.  I still give it a 5-star rating, and am still looking forward to reading its sequel on release day (or sooner, should I be lucky enough to get an advance copy), even if it also has an ugly cover...

I really enjoyed the audio.  Narrators Mariel Stern (June) and Steven Kaplan (Day) did a wonderful job with the voices of their characters.  They both had nice tone and read at the perfect pace for the story.  They breathed life into their characters and made them very human to me.  The casting could not have been better!  I highly recommend giving this book a try in audio format.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book is pretty benign as far as YA goes.  No sex.  It is graphically violent in a few places, so I wouldn't indiscriminately hand it to a 4th grader, and there are a few swears, but overall, it is pretty clean.  I would say that it is fine for 5th grade and up (ages 10+) and a good option for a pretty advanced younger reader (3rd-4th grade) who has been exposed to some YA already; I would have let my advanced 5th grader read this in 3rd or 4th grade.  Anyone who has read The Hunger Games or watched Star Wars will be fine with the level of violence, which is really the only "issue" in this book.  This book is  a GREAT read for both genders, but I think boys, in particular, would really like it.

Audiobook Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Publisher:  Fiewel & Friends/Macmillan Audio

Publication Date:  January 3rd, 2012

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

If you had asked me three months ago if I had any interest in reading this book, I would have said "No!", with absolute certainty.  While I always love a good Fairy Tale Retelling, the whole android/cyborg-meets-Cinderella thing didn't really sound feasible to me.  I don't ever like to admit this, but I was beyond wrong!  Not only does it work, but I dare say that this is my favorite retelling EVER!  Now that I know the story, I think the concept is genius, and cannot wait for the subsequent three books in this series (based on Snow White, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood).  I can't wait to see what is in store for Cinder, Prince Kai, evil Queen Levana, wicked stepmother Adri, and (my favorite character besides Cinder) Dr. Erland!

This book was so well done on so many levels.  The world building was top notch!  Everything fit together, made sense, and I could picture the setting perfectly.  Honestly, it's really difficult for me to believe that Marissa Meyer is a debut author; she writes like a seasoned pro.  As you probably ascertained from the previous paragraph, I also connected well with the characters.  They were really well developed, with just enough mystery surrounding each to keep me coming back for more.  The story itself was the best part.  It was fresh, action-packed, and intriguing. It was well organized and it stuck to the original tale just enough to be a true retelling, while at the same time being completely unique.  I see an extremely bright future for Marissa Meyer!

I listened to the audio version of this book, and it was fantastic.  Read by the very talented Rebecca Soler, this audio brings the story to life.  Rebecca does different accents for different characters, and really captures Cinder's essence with her reading; her pacing was excellent and I found myself thoroughly absorbed in the story while listening, which is sometimes troublesome for me with audiobooks.  I was very impressed!  If you are thinking about picking Cinder up, I highly recommend the audio version.  It was so good, I found myself looking for chores to do so that I would have a reason to put my earbuds in and tune everything else out.

Overall, it doesn't matter what format you experience this book in.  The important part is that you do.  I am certain that next December you will see this book on my Top 25 YA Books of 2012.  Other 2012 debuts have a very tough act to follow!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:   Totally clean.  Fine for 5th grade and up (ages 10+).  In fact, I can't wait for my 10 year old daughter to read it!

Audiobook Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan Audio

Publication Date: January 17th, 2012

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Initially, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book.  The synopsis didn't grab me and the cover looked a bit juvenile for my taste.  Then I started reading early reviews, and well... I got  an audio ARC from Macmillan Audio, and it was so much better than I expected.  I've had a few rather disappointing audio experiences lately where I had to actually just read the book instead, and this was a refreshing change.  The reader was great; I really enjoyed his voice and style of reading.  I wish I knew what his name is!  Now for my review of the actual book...

Like I mentioned, I wasn't really into this at first.  Even when I requested it, after several early rave reviews, I wasn't sure I was going to love it, but I was curious.  It pretty much starts out with a bang, and doesn't slow down.  It's action packed, but the action isn't filler.  It's relevant to the story, and despite the rather unbelievable storyline, somehow quite believable.  The timeline could very well have been confusing with all the time travel (especially in audio format), but it wasn't.  It was well documented and I almost always knew where the protagonist was in time.  As for the story itself, it was phenomenal; well plotted, with superior organization.  The characters were very well rendered, and I LOVE that the story is told from the male protagonist's POV.  I feel like there is such a shortage of YA books told from a male perspective.  Jackson is a great character who you really can't help but like. A lot.  The other characters are pretty great too.  The villains aren't all that well developed, but this is only the first book, and I have a feeling we'll learn lots more about them in subsequent books.  I do highly recommend the audio version.  I think it brings the story to life because the narrator brings some emotion into Jackson's story.  Whether you listen to the audio or read the print version, do read this book.  It was time well spent.

I think Tempest is a solid start to what promises to be an excellent series.  Julie Cross had written a stellar debut.  I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a great year for debut authors and their readers!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book has a bit of sexual content.  If it were a movie, it would definitely be PG-13.  I would put this at grades 8 and up (ages 13+)

Review: Red Glove by Holly Black

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Publication Date: April 5th, 2011

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Don't you love it when the second book in a series is better than the first?  I do.  I always find it frustrating when I have high expectations for a 2nd book, and they aren't met.  In this book, Holly Black not only met, but exceeded my expectations!  If you've read my review of White Cat (you can do that HERE if you haven't), you'll know that I love this series.  Holly Black went outside of her normal realm (ahem- pun totally intended- get it? realm? as in faery realm? ha, ha.) with it, and did a great job!  As I mentioned in that review, I listened to the audio of this one and, let me tell you, Jesse Eisenberg nails it.  He IS Cassel Sharpe to me now.  At first, I was like, "Seriously? Facebook movie dude? No way is that going to work!".  Well, (I hope my husband reads this as evidence) I. Was. Wrong.  He totally pulled it off!  He nailed it, and if they don't get him for book #3, I will be devastated!  Now that I've gushed about the audio version, let's get down to the book review...

As I mentioned, Red Glove was even better than White Cat.  Most of the cliffhanger-ending questions I had were answered, and I am no longer mad at Holly Black for the ending.  Where White Cat was quite plot driven, Red Glove was more character driven, and it was done so well.  I thought I had a decent grasp on who is good and who is bad, but I'm not so sure anymore.  While many of the lingering questions from White Cat were answered, Red Glove served up plenty of new ones.  The biggest of which is, "Who is Cassel Sharpe?"... I am so eager to know what path he is going to take, and Holly Black has done such at great job writing his character, that I don't even have a solid opinion on which one I WANT him to take.  As for the other characters, I think it's quite clear what direction Lila is going with family obligations and all (also there is the cover and title of Black Heart, if you have any doubts), but what about Sam, Daneca?  And let's not forget Cassel's Mommy Dearest and her little side show?  There were some major twists in this book that open up some serious questions about certain characters and I for one, cannot wait to find out the answers...

As for the story itself, I thought it was a bit predictable at first, but I was dead wrong.  Everything I thought I knew was thrown out the window.  There are twists involving every single major character in this book, and not only that, we learn things about certain characters from White Cat whose stories we thought had already been told.  There was so much action!  It was a good thing I was listening to this; if I had been reading it, my house would have ended up looking like a bomb hit it - at least I could listen and clean at the same time.  So many doors were opened to pave the way for a very exciting final installment of this fabulous series.  I cannot wait until April 3rd when Black Heart is released.  Hopefully Jesse Eisenberg will continue to be the audio narrator, because he breathes such life into Cassel.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation:  This one is a little more sexy than White Cat, so I have to go to a recommendation of grades 8 and up (ages 13+).  

Review: Dreamland by Alyson Noel, Read by Kathleen McInerney (Audio)

Publisher: Square Fish/Macmillan Audio

Publication Date: September 13th, 2011

Riley’s finding that the afterlife can be a lonely place when all you do is focus on work. So she goes to the place where dreams happen, hoping to find a way to contact her sister, Ever. She meets the director, who tells her about the two ways to send dreams. As a Dream Jumper, a person can jump into a dreamer’s dream, share a message, and participate. As a Dreamweaver, an entire dream can be created in a studio and sent to the dreamer. But Dreamweaving was outlawed decades ago, and the studio was boarded up. Thinking it’s her only way to reach out to her sister, Riley goes in search of the old studio. There she finds a ghost boy, who’s been creating and sending nightmares to people for years. In order to stop him and reach out to Ever, Riley is going to have to confront and overcome her own fears.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

If you have been following my blog long, you know that I really enjoy the Riley Bloom series (read my reviews of books one and two, Radiance and Shimmer, HERE).  This is funny, because I really didn't care for the companion series, The Immortals, which is about Riley's sister Ever.  It took me weeks to get into and finally finish the first book, Evermore.  In contrast, I was immediately drawn into to Riley's world and finished Radiance in one day.  I enjoyed Shimmer even more, and was anxiously awaiting the September 13th release of book #3, Dreamland.  Imagine my surprise and delight when I opened my mailbox last week to find the audio ARC of Dreamland for review (Thank you, Esther Bochner and Macmillan Audio)!  

I love the idea of audiobooks because I spend a lot of time in the car.  I drive 70 miles each day just driving my oldest daughter back and forth to school, not to mention everything else.  In Atlanta traffic, that equals a minimum of 2.5 hours a day in the car...  That said, I'm not always thrilled with the audio version of a book.  Sometimes I dislike the reader or the reader's accent/intonation, sometimes I just feel like I could have done a better job with my own voice inside my own head, and sometimes the reader just annoys me.  Sometimes it's so perfect, it gives me chills (the audio of Beth Revis's Across the Universe is a perfect example).  I wasn't sure what direction Dreamland would go considering the protagonist is a 12 year old girl and the reader is an adult; I was a bit apprehensive.  Well, there was no need for my concern!  The reader, Kathleen McInerney, was great.  Although her voice didn't necessarily sound like that of a 12 year old, she nailed the intonation and the emotion behind the words.  It was extremely believable and I had no trouble picturing Riley as the narrator of the story.

As for the story itself...  It was very different from the first two books.  Radiance and Shimmer both focused on Riley's vocation as a "Soulcatcher", and her developing relationship with her "Guide", Bodhi.  Dreamland focused more on Riley's personal growth in the afterlife.  She is given a "vacation" from her job after she went on a rogue soulcatching mission in Shimmer, and has to find something else to do with her time, which is difficult because she had been a workaholic of sorts.   She's lonely and seeking companionship, and very much wants the advice that she would have sought from her older sister, Ever, had she still been alive.  She finds a way to contact Ever through Dreamland, but as always with Riley, things don't go quite as planned...  Through the course of the story, Riley learns many truths about the afterlife and who she is as a person; some of these truths are not pretty.

While I enjoyed the action that was such a large part of the first two books, I really found that I liked this book best even though it wasn't as action-packed and scary-ghost focused.  We meet several fabulous new characters who I believe (hope!) we will see much more of  in future books.  We also find out a great deal more about Here & Now.    Riley grows as a person in each book, but she becomes much more mature in this book.  She finds out that some of the things she was told early on were not entirely true and that she has a great deal more power than she originally thought she had.  Emotionally, 12 year old Riley ages a lot!  As with the other two books, Alyson Noel conveys a subtle message; a lesson that most tween readers would not even notice they are learning, and that is one of the truly great things about this book.

As with the other two books, it is a quick read.  If you are listening to the audio, it clocks in at just 5 hours; if you're reading the book, it is a mere 192 pages.  Great for anyone; ideal for the reluctant reader.

My Rating:  ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  As with the first two books, I would put this solidly in the "Middle Grade+" category.   Fans of The Immortals will enjoy it because it's Ever's sister and Ever makes more than one appearance, but it may be a bit innocent for their taste. Completely appropriate for advanced reading 3rd graders+ (ages 8+).