I'm very happy to again welcome Cassandra, from the Happy Book Lovers Blog, as this week's Guest Reviewer.
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Eyes Like Stars — Lisa Mantchev
From Amazon.com...
"All her world’s a stage.
Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater. She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents. She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own. That is, until now. Enter Stage Right." All her world's a stage.
Seventeen-year-old Beatrice (Bertie) Shakespeare Smith has spent her whole life within the walls of the Theatre Illuminata, a majestic and magical playhouse with thousands of players at the ready. Bertie was a foundling, discovered at the theater door, but management has now wearied of harboring the irreverent, unrestrained, occasionally downright destructive young woman she has become. She must prove-in four days-that she can make an invaluable contribution to the theater or be forever banished.
Mantchev seamlessly blends the chaotic with the traditional plays of the theatre, like molding Hamlet into an Egyptian setting, and morphing Bertie from a child into a cannon-firing tango-dancing girl ready to ward off the Stage Manager. She also expertly created a world in which I would die to live in, with sets constantly changing on stage to fit moods and topics of characters and their conversations.
It also held my interest, changing topics quickly but fluidly, so as not to confuse one too badly. I was lost at first, as there was minimal explaining that the players couldn't actually leave the theater, but once I found that out, I couldn't put the book down.
I also fell in love with the vividly striking Ariel, who played the villain for a while, always trying to manipulate Bertie into falling madly in love with him. I sure was. I adored his personality, and I felt as though when he stared at Bertie, his eyes penetrated me. It was eerie.
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Thank you so much Cassandra. You have been such an amazing resource to my mission for literacy.
Please make sure to visit Cassandra at Happy Book Lovers Blog.
If you're interested in becoming a Guest Reviewer — find out how..
"I can't deny how emotionally attached I was to the characters in so little time. I will definitely be keeping this book to have in my classroom and I hope to read the rest of Mia's adventures in the near future!" — Miss Remmers
From Amazon.com...
"After one summer at the Little Tykes Theatre, Mia Fullerton is meek no more, but that doesn't make her life any easier. Not in her sophomore year at St. Hilary's, when her best friend Lisa forces her into a dangerously big part in The Music Man. Not when her ex-boyfriend, Tim, is teaching her little brother Chris to treat women like objects. And not when she learns to drive with serious repercussions.
Who is Mia? Is she an independent girl like Zoe, her acerbic goth friend from Little Tykes? She'd like to be — that's why she's volunteering to be onstage for the first time, in a show populated by her first ex and childhood crush Jake, her arch-nemesis Cassie, and new girl in town Alyssa. That's why it's so important she overcome the bizarre driving instruction of St. Hilary's janitor Mr. Corrigan to earn her driver's license, and therefore her freedom. Or is she the girl who misses Tim, even after the way he betrayed her? Tim is smart, funny, and likeable in a distinctly obnoxious way, and he's determined to win Mia back even if he has a funny way of doing so, dating both Cassie and Alyssa at the same time, behind both their backs. Can Mia forgive Tim? Should she instead choose Eric, Zoe' s cousin, a nicer and more respectful choice in every way? Or would either choice defeat her goals of independence? And when the worst-case scenarios rear their heads when Mia is forced into the lead in The Music Man, when her first night out on the road goes horribly, when Chris appears headed entirely to the dark side does Mia on her own have what it takes to set things right?"
Mia sure has it rough. A school play, an over zealous best friend, busy parents, annoying little brother, and a whole "hot mess" of relationships with boys. I throughly enjoyed reading this novel and finished it in one in one sitting. It's a quick read that would be great for upper middle school students or underclassmen. But don't let this fool you, the characters are great and the plot keeps readers guessing.
I couldn't help but want to be Mia's friend and to witness her life unfold. Just when I thought I had the story down, a twist would appear at just the most opportune moment. I learned to love Lisa's quirkiness and the love/hate relationship between Mia and her brother Chris. The dialogue between Chris and Mia was great — it reminded my of the Gilmore Girls dialogue.
A few things did bother me though: I did not like Jake, all the "dudes" and similar jargon I thought was unneccessary and overdone. He was the stereotypical class idiot — it seemed over played. Along the same lines, Mia's friend Zoe also bugged me (a little — but not as much) in regards to being overly stereotyped. I will also add (I may be a prude) that when I was sixteen I definitely wasn't getting as much kissing in as Mia and her friends.
But other than those small things — I adored this book. The ending was great — so much emotion! While I didn't like how it ended particularly, I can't deny how emotionally attached I was to the characters in so little time. I will definitely be keeping this book to have in my classroom and I hope to read the rest of Mia's adventures in the near future!
Favorite Quotes: "What do you call a man on a beach? — A tan-gent!" (7). "I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce" (47). "If you ever fell down a well, Lassie would leave you there" (47). "You're about as optimistic as a weatherman calling for sunshine while holding an umbrella" (50).
To the FTC, with love: Review Book sent by publisher
1. I read that you worked in the theater before you started writing. What, if any, influence did this experience have on your writing and story ideas?
As an actor, I loved creating a characters and playing a role, telling a story, trying to make the audience connect with the character and root for her. I get to do the same thing as writer, but I don’t get to dress up in a costume. On the flip side, however, I don’t have to stay on a diet. I think that all had a lot of influence on my writing. Creating a character on the page is also roleplaying, only you get to live out extraordinary things, and be anyone. You’re not limited by your age, body type, gender, or even species. Plus, theatre gave me a sense of dramatic timing, an ear for natural sounding dialog and the natural act structure. But I don’t have to worry about a special effects budget, either.
2. In your book, The Splendor Falls, the heroine Sylvia has a few haunting encounters. Have you experienced any haunting or paranormal encounters? Nothing definite. I’ve been places that have given me the creeps, seen glimpses out of the corner of my eye, and scared myself pretty good after watching a spooky movie. (A overactive imagination is an occupation hazard, I guess.) 3. What is your favorite paranormal creature? Fairies, probably, just because they come in so many shapes and types. But I like the angel and demon types, too, possibly for the same reason. There are so many tales of spirits, good and evil, from so many different cultures, that there’s a lot, as a writer, to explore. 4. Texas Gothic is set to release May of next year; can you tell us a little about this book?
Like The Splendor Falls, Texas Gothic is a twist on the gothic novel, this time set in, um, Texas, obviously. It takes place on a ranch, but it’s not full of cows or stereotypes. It’s full of ghosts and mystery and magic. Amy Goodnight is house sitting for her witch of an aunt. A modern mystery mixes with an archaeological dig plus a healthy dose of spooky stuff and good bit of romance and humor.
The Spendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (August 22nd, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardback: 518 pages Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can’t dance. A broken leg ended her career, but Sylvie’s pain runs deeper. What broke her heart was her father’s death, and what’s breaking her spirit is her mother’s remarriage—a union that’s only driven an even deeper wedge into their already tenuous relationship.
Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment and shipping her to Alabama is her mother’s solution for Sylvie’s unhappiness. Her father’s cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family’s history. And that’s where things start to get shady. As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can’t stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, seems to be perfect in every way. But Rhys—a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin’s—has a hold on her that she doesn’t quite understand.
Then she starts seeing things. Sylvie’s lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?
This week I'd like to again welcome Meg, from Write Meg, as this week's guest reviewer! Check out the original review here!
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"Since turning 15, Scarlett Martin’s life has changed in an astounding rush: she’s now in charge of a suite at her family’s business, the charming but decaying Hopewell Hotel in New York City; her brother Spencer has finally landed an acting gig, introducing her Spence’s gorgeous fellow actor and Southern gentleman Eric; she’s making in-roads toward spending more time with little sister Marlene; and she’s been introduced to Amy Amberson, her suite’s dynamic, demanding and semi-famous resident. Under Mrs. Amberson’s guidance, the summer opens before Scarlett like a fan: full of unexpected turns, small adventures, money and new friendships. As the financial situation at the Hopewell seems to become more and more desperate, the Martin siblings — Scarlett, Lola, Spencer and Marlene — try to find new ways of chipping in and helping their worn-out parents drum up some new business. Ironically, Mrs. Amberson’s arrival starts to do wonders almost immediately." Above all, Maureen Johnson’s Suite Scarlett was a really fun, almost whimsical look at the bonds of one family. I have to say honestly how refreshing it was to read a story about a family that wasn’t fractured, difficult, divorced or not speaking to one another. While the Martins have their difficulties, they definitely love one another. Each character in the novel was fleshed-out and almost larger than life. While I could argue they were a bit “typecast” — Spencer is the funny one, the ambitious actor trying to make his way acting in the city; Lola is the type-A oldest sister, trying to keep everything afloat, etc. — I can’t honestly say this bugged me at all. Though Scarlett is our titular character, Johnson’s novel is in third person; we pop in and out of everyone’s heads, getting their take on the scene before them. Surprisingly, I loved that about it. The sense of place in this novel was awesome — I really felt like I’d stepped into the Hopewell’s lobby and was looking up at the sparkling (but dusty) chandelier as the Martin siblings scurried around. The mild romance that developed in the story was cute, and I loved all of the theatre references as Spencer’s play gets underway. Overall, a fast and fantastic read — and a really different, fun way to spend time in New York City. I could pack up my little suitcase and get to the Hopewell to share in family dinner and catch a performance myself! The book’s sequel, Scarlett Fever, is due out in February 2010. I’ll be waiting! ******************* Thank you so much Megan for an awesome review — I know I say this a lot, but I really can't wait to read this! If anyone else has a great book to recommend to high school students, please email me (my profile has the address). Check out this post for more information on how to become a guest reviewer. Please remember to check out Megan's blog, Write Meg, and share some book love. Thanks again, Megan!
The Biology of Scary by Chloe Jacobs I’m a huge fan of Halloween. I love everything scary, but for the longest time I couldn’t watch horror movies. It’s not that they were too scary. Just the opposite, in fact. Scary movies left me bored because the cinematography could never match up to the ambition of the storyline. It was always so obviously fake I was annoyed instead of scared, which feels like a rip-off when you’ve paid the money to go to the theatre and you want to come out of there on the adrenaline high from a really good scare. Granted, movies have gotten better as the ability to make them look and sound more real advances, but what really gets me is a good scary book! But what makes a story really scary, w hether it be a movie or a book? Of course, the answers can be found in human psychology and our own biology. The hormonal storm that trips through you just before, during and after a frightfully fun moment is like nothing else. It covers everything from anticipation to anxiety to experiencing the fear and having the adrenaline rush, to coming down afterward. Fear and hilarity are very close to each other. The same neurotransmitter is being engaged. That’s why a lot of times when you’re startled you’ll find that the very next reaction is to laugh to release that tension.
It also explains why so many of us love to be scared by movies/books/costumes/haunted houses/etc: It’s an internal roller coaster ride that delivers a safe, but chemical surge of controlled danger. Your body can’t discern between the intentional thrill you ignite by, say, parachuting for sport and the anxiety that grips you if you stumble into true peril. The old “fight or flight” reaction is a major building block of our evolution. Development and civilization might have calmed everybody down but we began to feel restless, missing the excitement of living on the edge.
In an alarming situation, your adrenal glands (which sit atop your kidneys) dump the hormone epinephrine into your blood stream. That gush triggers a series of bodily reactions including a burst in heart rate and breathing. The very exciting experiences, the anxious experiences, and the sexually stimulating experiences are so close as to be difficult to differentiate just on a physiological level. So if you’re going bungee jumping or you’re having a panic attack, being scared out of your skin, or having the best orgasm of your life, biologically speaking, it’s almost identical.
After the initial burst of adrenaline lifts, the body unleashes a wave of hormones to restore heart and breathing rates, giving you that peaceful, relaxed after-glow. People get addicted to that feeling as much as they get addicted to the excitement.
Horror is an emotion. An extreme one. And while we might lie and say we have an aversion to real violence, why does everyone crane their heads to stare at the scene of a car accident on the side of the highway? Because on some level we are drawn to it, attracted to it.
The great thing is that horror can be about reality-based situations (ie. serial killers), or it can be supernatural in theme (werewolves or aliens). It can be soft, psychological, weird, graphic, etc. There’s no limit, especially in books, because the reader isn’t hampered by limited technology and cinematography.
What do you think about scary movies v. scary books? Which is better? Do you have a favourite?
Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs Publisher: Entangled Pub ishing (November 13th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Pa perback: 400 pages Series: Mylen a Chr onicles, #1 While trying to save her brother from the witch three years ago, Greta was thrown into the fire herself, falling through a portal to a dangerous world where humans are the enemy, and every ogre, goblin, and ghoul has a dark side that comes out with the full moon. To survive, 17-year-old Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young Goblin King, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her determination to escape. But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. The full moon is mere days away, and an ancient evil being knows she’s the key to opening the portal. If Greta fails, she and the boys she finds stranded in the woods will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back..
Prize:
1 winner will receive a n ebook copy of Greta and the Goblin Kin g.
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