Pretties

A brief interruption of your regular reviews to ask a question.

Is it just me, or have all Scott Westerfelds Pretties run away? I mean it, every single time I have been in a bookstore since reading Uglies (almost a full year ago) I can't seem to find a single copy. I have even tried my library and finally I have accrued a copy and right after that I'm told of a magical place where there are NINE copies. NINE!

I mean, I'm happy that people are reading Westerfeld's work, but I'm at a loss as to why Uglies will be there, Specials will be there, even Extras will be there but never Pretties. Can somebody explain this paradox to me? It would be greatly appreciated.

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog.
-Chrissy

Pirates!

Okay I have to admit, I was at my local library with Tina, and she was on one side of the stacks and just pushed this book through. I looked at her and laughed because of the title. Pirates! bye Celia Rees was shockingly good for a book I has reservations about.

Nancy Kington is a daughter of a wealthy merchant. She grew up with two older brothers and no mother so she is more of a 'boy' in those times, wanting to swordplay and play with her best friend William, the son of a tavern mother and a sailor father. When she's fifteen, her brother who likes to gamble and drink, gambles the money away that was going to make the sugar ships come to port safetly. With these ships went their fortune. And with the fortune went their father. Shipped off to her family's plantation in Jamaica, she befriends the slaves and is shockingly naive about everything in her life at that point. Not long after she arrives, events shift so she joins the renegades and pirates. Her life of piracy wasn't what she expected it to be and not long she meets with her William again (for they are betrothed) but circumstances keep them apart. Her former slave, Minerva goes with her on this unintentinal adventure, and they are bonded in ways they never knew they could be.

This book is fast-paced once Nancy gets to Jamaica and before that you can really see how she has changed in the few years it spans. My one and only annoyance with the book is Rees made quite a few obvious foreshadowings, but they didn't hinder the story in anyway. It's mainly by the point-of-view of a fifteen turned sixteen girl but I think any age will like to know of Nancy Kington's story.

So just like I did, Check It Out

-Chrissy

Guyaholic

Oh Dear! It seems I have been neglecting my review duties, and I have'nt a good reason for the last month.

Just this morning (about 1 a.m.) I finished a most fabulous book. Now I know I have been hassled to read this for months, but I was just too busy and whenever I was in a bookstore or a library it was never there.

Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler is a true coming of.. well self story. With V (who you might have seen in her other book Vegan Virgin Valentine) is in her fairy tale romance, although she doesn't know it. When she gets hit by a hocky puck by her then boyfriend Amos she falls into the lap of wonderful and perfect Sam. Knowing it's getting about time when she needs to break up with the boy in her life, when Amos brings her the puck that gave her stitches she ends it. Who ever thinks a girl wants a hockey puck that gave them bodily harm, is beyond helping in that department.

Then Sam comes over to her house and life with each other beings. Now don't get me wrong, it's beyond perfect seeing as her Mom moves constantly and finally had V live with her grandparents in Brockport, after leaving the one boyfriend of her Mom's that she actually liked. After her Mom missed yet another big day in V's life, she gets back to her old ways of pushing everybody away and her favorite past time, drinking. With all of this she gets herself into trouble with Sam and sets off on a cross-country 'vacation'. In her car and with friends around the country she learns more about herself in a few days than she has in her seventeen years.

Mackler did a wonderful job of getting into V's head. You really got to understand why she acts like she does, with her meaningless hooksup and her relationship issues. I would definately recommend this for anyone who can understand the hardships of relationships and who has lost their first love. I got so wrapped up into it I didn't even notice the time until I finished, thinking only a hour had passed when two had. Definately Check It Out Worthy.

-Chrissy

Hawksong

Danica Shardae is an avian shapeshifter who takes on the form of a hawk. The princess of her people, she is reserved and disciplined. Yet, she is also passionate, and seeing her people die sickens and saddens her. Her people have been at war with the serpiente for so long that the reason for the start of the war is unknown and the word "peace" is a foreign term. After coming upon her own brother's dead body, the last of her family, save for her mother, Danica does not cry though she desperately wants to. Hearing a cry, Danica stumbles upon a dying member of the Cobriana, the ruling family of her enemies, about the age of her recently deceased brother. Ignoring her guards, Danica kneels down beside him in the bloodied battle field, holding his hand and singing to him so that he does not spend the last moments of life alone.

Danica's strong desire for peace is found to be echoed by Zane, who is to inherit the Cobriana throne. A neutral tribe, the Mistari, suggests Zane and Danica, as their tribes leaders, demonstrate to their people how strong they wish for peace--by marrying one another. Everyone is outraged, and the room soon is consumed by shouts, save for Danica's, as she seems to be lacking words. Though she and Zane both claim to be willing to risk anything and everything for peace, can they get over the revulsion, hate, and fear each has towards the other? And if they can, would their people accept their decision, and finally have peace?

I've had this book under a day and yet I've somehow managed to read it twice, I enjoyed it so much. It's like Romeo and Juliet, accept Romeo hates Juliet, and Juliet is afraid of Romeo. There's also a lot less suicide. I loved both Zane and Danica's characters, as well as many others. The story managed to be fast paced and leisurely at the same time, conflicts not completely solved until the very last page, but in a way that works (And that's one of my very biggest pet peeves, so that's saying a lot.) I loved the way that instead of being about how the characters dealt with the war, it was about bringing peace. I've just started it's sequel, and though a bit disappointed it's not from Danica's point of view, I have a feeling I might just love it as much as the first. So if you like shipeshifters, romance, and happy endings, check this one out.

-Tina