As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth

Ever have one of those days where everything seems to go wrong?

Meet Ry.

He's had one of those days. And while this is a realistic fiction book, you have to suspend your belief in reality because the things that go wrong with Ry are unbelieveable in the book, As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth, by Newbery medal winner, Lynn Rae Perkins.

So what goes wrong? 

Ry gets off a stalled train to make a cellphone call when the train takes off leaving him stranded in the middle of Montana with no food or water. He hikes to a town and along the way loses a shoe, gets a bloody nose, and a black eye. He tries calling people with the phone but no one answers. His parents are on a trip and his grandpa is taking care of him.

In town, Ry meets a nice and stubborn man named Del who decides to help him by driving him to Wisconsin to find Grandpa. Ry calls Del the "ninja cowboy fix-it man" who can repair and build just about anything. Their adventures and castrophes continue like a steam engine on full power as they become friends on their unlikely road trip.

The character descriptions in this book are fantastic. The thoughts of Ry are funny and the prose beautiful:

Ry found himself looking at the tattos on Pete's arms. There were two, one per arm.

A colorful dragon was entwined like a magnificent 2-D pet around one arm. The tip of its tail pointed at Pete's shoulder. It breathed orange and yellow flames onto his wrist. On the other arm was a coiled snake and the words DON'T TREAD ON ME. Or was it - wait - there was a t missing. Whoever had done the tattoo had left out the second "t." It would be an easy mistake to make, you might be doing one t and your mind would go on to the next letter. The words on the scroll said, DON'T READ ON ME. (p 54)

I thought the plot was messy and Lloyd's story took away from the main story (even if it was written well - I love the description of Lloyd drinking coffee on the porch.) I also got exhausted by the descriptive prose. The author has so many beautiful sentences piled on top of each other that capture the essence of the passage it slows down the reading and the pacing. For a hyperactive person like myself , it was hard for me to stick with the story when reading the slow passages - I started to skim. I probably should have put the book down and picked it up rather than read it in two sittings. I might have enjoyed it more if I had savored it slowly. Or not. I might still have been impatient for the resolution.

The book has two near death experiences for Ry, but he is such an easy-going traveler and doesn't panic that they aren't presented in a frightening way. Also, the vocabulary is going to be high for a 5th grader. To wrap up, the characters are quirky and the descriptions are beautiful but the plot was unsatisfying for me in this book.

:-) :-) :-) 3 Smileys

The Last Book in the Universe

The Great Earthquake has destroyed most of the population on Earth except the "normals" who live in the violent Urbs and the "Proovs" who live in peaceful Eden. Spaez, a "normal",  is on a mission to save his sister who has leukemia. The problem is that only the "Proovs" who live in Eden have the technology to save her. It is forbidden for "normals" to enter Eden. Spaez gets help from Ryter, a "normal" old man, who remembers what it was like before the Earthquake; Little Face, a "normal" boy; and Lanaya, a "Proov." The three go through three gang-controlled territorities where they have to fight for their lives in order to make it to Eden.

The story is confusing at first because of the different names and made-up words used in their language. It is a page turner with plenty of action and violence.

Be aware that while it isn't graphic in describing what happened, some of the violence is disturbing. One of the gang leaders chops off the head of another gang leader. A mob tries to eat Ryter and one of the characters meets a violent ending at the hands of a mob.

This plot made me think of Uglies by Scott Westerfield with the "Proovs" and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury that has a world with no books.

Reading Level 6.0

:-) :-) :-) 3.5 Smileys

The Red Umbrella

Lucia's world is crumbling. Her school has been shut down. Her neighbors are being thrown into prison or killed for disagreeing with the Cuban revolutionists. Her best friend has joined the brigades and is leaving for military training.

Lucia's family faces danger when her  father becomes labeled a dissident. Lucia and her brother flee to the U.S. with other children to live in a foster home while her parents wait to get exit VISAs.

The pacing is fast and the characters well-developed  in this book. The author does  a nice job but it isn't loaded with historical facts. The story revolves mainly around characters and friendships. I thought the author could have captured more of the fear and overwhelming feelings of what it is like traveling to another country and living with different people. I kept thinking of how hard it is being illiterate in a different country: not being able to read signs, getting yelled at when you can't figure out the change in the grocery store, being passed over in line because of looking different, to helplessly stare at a form because you can't read the language to know how to fill it out. I think the author could have captured the tension and fear better in the part when Lucia and her brother, Frankie, entered the U.S. It is the little things that can be overwhelming; plus, Lucia had to look out for Frankie. The author does do a nice job with showing misunderstandings when learning a language and how funny slang can be.

While the language is easy-to-read and at a grade 4 or 5 level, this book has some adult themes in it which is why I put it under Young Adult. There is some violence such as when the prisoners are executed, but Lucia and Frankie don't actually see it, they just hear the gun shots. Lucia also sees a neighbor hanging from a tree in the park. He was murdered for organizing a protest against the revolutionaries. Lucia gets a letter from her best friend who gets raped at camp although the word "rape" is never used and some might just think she was attacked by a man. Lucia also has an unpleasant encounter with a boy at a dance that she likes but who is overly affectionate toward her.

Reading Level 4.5

:-) :-) :-) 3.75 Smileys

Reckless

Jacob Reckless is impulsive, fast, edgy and reckless. He travels between two worlds using a mirror looking for his father who disappeared mysteriously. In the real world he disappears for weeks at a time leaving his brother and mother to fend for themselves. In the alternate world Jacob finds a place where fairy tales come to life with fairies, witches, and Goyls (something of a cross between a gorgon and gargoyle).

Jacob's brother Will follows him into the alternate world and gets infected by a virus from a Goyl which slowly turns him into a jade stone. This color stone is so rare that the King of the Goyls wants Will. The Goyls are at war with humankind. They live underground, are filled with a vicious hatred of humans, and are made of stone. As Will transforms into a Goyl, Jacob fights to save his life.

This story is fast-paced with some romance. Jacob and Will are named after the Grimm's brothers and the plot includes many references to their fairy tales. The plot and characters are similar to those in Inkheart but the tone is darker. The theme of grief and loss is prevalent throughout. Jacob is grieving for his lost father. He seems to have abandoned his mother when she died but Will didn't and he grieves the loss of Jacob being absent when he needed him. Jacob escapes to this alternate world so that he doesn't have to face the reality of his parents dead or missing in the real world. Jacob is frantic when faced with losing Will as he turns into stone. The author's husband died a few years ago and I can't help but wonder if this novel is a way of showing that no matter what she did in the real world she couldn't save her husband and he died, but in the make believe world of fairy tales or stories she could save her husband.

The first few chapters give many names and can be confusing. I wasn't always sure who was speaking. It might help to know that Will and Clara are a couple and Fox has been by Jacob's side helping him for many years. Also, the Goyl are the stone men (in the color of jasper, onyx and moonstone) and are fighting the humans. The King of the Goyls is Kami'en and his faithful servants are the Dark Fairy and Hentzau. The Empress is human and Kami'en is at war with her.

This book sets-up for a sequel and doesn't have much of an ending. I had more questions than answers: Why did the daughter go with the king? Why did the Evil Fairy spare Jacob's life? What did she gain by letting him go? Did turning her into a tree teach her something? It seemed out of character that she wouldn't kill Jacob. All I could figure was that she was interested in Jacob because he loved his brother enough to sacrifice for him and the Evil Fairy is fascinated with human love. Also, what about the unresolved feelings Jacob has for Clara? Fox doesn't really address her feelings for Jacob. Although she seems to recognize she's jealous of Clara. How does Fox fit in this triangle?

Jacob sleeps around with different women but it is not explained except he spent the night with someone. There are violent parts with shootings, monsters attacking, and war.

Reading Level 5.3

:-) :-) :-) 3 Smileys

Quicksilver

Hermes is the wise-cracking messenger god in Greek mythology. He can make Zeus laugh as well as the people that he ferries to the dead in the underworld. He helps Perseus slay Medusa, Persephone spend time with her mom, is involved in the Trojan War, and gets Odysseus released from Calypso.

The author covers a lot of ground with all these stories. Some will like it and some will not. I didn't like it. Hermes never comes alive for me. It felt like the quick tour through Greek mythology. It was too many stories and not enough depth. I did read it, so it wasn't horrible.

The book has violent parts and some might be uncomfortable when the goddesses undress in front of Paris or when Andromeda is left nude to the sea serpent by unscrupulous parents.

:-) :-) 2.5 Smileys

Full Tilt

Blake, Quinn, and two friends are at a carnival when Quinn decides to scale the roller coaster scaffolding to get his hat. He puts himself right in the path of a roller coaster. Blake climbs after him and saves his life.

Blake is always saving his reckless brother, Quinn. Blake is cautious while Quinn is out-of-control. When Blake gets an invitation to a midnight carnival from the mysterious Cassandra, it is Quinn who steals the invite and enters the carnival on his own. Anyone who enters this amusement center never leaves again. Blake goes to save his brother and discovers that he has to go on 7 deadly rides that are life or death. No one has survived and gotten out of the park. Can Blake make it through?

Shusterman is a great writer with strong character development. However some readers might be confused with the surreal nature of the rides that are part nightmare, part fantasy, part realistic.

This book is catagorized in grades 5-8 but I would put it with Young Adult due to some content such as the brother being rebelous and suicidal, the violence of the rides, and the abuse suggested toward the boys by Mom's boyfriends.

Reading Level 5.5

:-) :-) :-) 3 Smileys

Dread Locks

Parker Baer is rich and bored. Until Tara, the new girl, moves in next door. Baer meets her when she shows up in his bed just like Goldilocks. Only this Goldilocks is not scared by anyone and she is not just hungry for porridge. Tara's blond curls seem to be alive and she wears dark glasses all the time because of an "eye condition." When students start becoming ill at the school Parker notices that Tara is involved somehow. When Parker's brother gets sick he is convinced Tara is behind it.

The plot is predictable at first and you know that Tara is Medusa or one of the Gorgons from Greek mythology. The author skillfully unfolds this with tension and suspense so it is not boring. Then the plot starts twisting in unique ways at the end that aren't predictable. There is a lot of violence and the ending is not happy although Parker acts like a true Greek hero.

:-) :-) :-) 3.5 Smileys.

I Am Number Four

John Smith is hiding from the Mogadorians in Paradise, Ohio anxiously waiting for his Legacies or super powers to develop. The Mogadorians, who destroyed John Smith's planet and people, are now on Earth tracking down and killing nine Loric youths in numerical order. One through three are dead. John is number four. Will they find him before he has the super powers needed to fight them?

A movie is being released based on this book and I think students will like the action and characters. The beginning of the book doesn't have strong dialogue. I found the conversations boring and too many sentences starting with "I". The writing felt monotonous until the end where it gets stronger and sentences start to vary and more senses are incorporated into the text.

The section with the bully at school is predictable and all of the characters swear a lot. John also gets a girlfriend and they kiss a lot.  On page 112 John says that his Grandfather is 50 years old which doesn't make sense because we learn earlier that people on Loric marry when they are 25. His parents would be 43 and Grandpa would have had a kid at the age of 7 when he had John's parents. Other lapses in plot are why would John go to the bully, Mark's, house for a party after the violent incident that happened between them. And why would Mark make a 180 degree turn and risk his life for John fighting the Mogadorians? Also, how can number six survive being stabbed by a 4 inch knife 3 times and shot in the leg? And what happened to the beast at the end that helped them?

If you can overlook the inconsistencies and get lost in the action, you should enjoy this book. The ending sets up the next book.

:-) :-) 2 Smileys

Pathfinder

I liked this book so much I walked to the car with my nose pressed between the pages, risked motion sickness reading it on the ride to Grandma Edith's place, and resented any interruptions that forced me to put it down. Of course, I'm an Orson Scott Card fan so it isn't surprising. He's a terrific writer.

Rigg is being raised by a man known only as Father. He has the unusual ability to see animals and peoples paths in the past as well as those alive. The two are fur trappers and Father tutors Rigg like a scholar. Rigg thinks it is a bunch of useless information until Father dies and sends Rigg on an adventure to find his sister that he didn't even know existed. Rigg is given a bag of jewels and journeys with his best friend, Umbro, whom he discovers has an unusual gift just like him except Umbro can travel through time. The two learn to control and use their gifts as they seek to free his sister and mother who are under house arrest when power shifted from Royalty to a Ruling Council.

Another story is interspersed with Rigg's about the first human-built spaceship that attempts to do a time-jump to cut down on its interstellar voyages. During the time-jump, it is divided into 19 colonies and it sets up a wall so those colonies can flourish separate from each other. Rigg's story takes place in one of those colonies.

The time-travel part is complicated and the characters discuss it in-depth. I can see students not being able to stick with this part of the story or be confused. I don't tend to mull over details and I thought it became clearer as the story progressed. I also didn't think the voice of Rigg sounded like a 14-year-old. He was too sophisticated and smart developmentally for that age. Perhaps if the author made him 17 or 18 years old it would have been more believeable. Still, it was easy to ignore that aspect and enjoy the book. The characters are well developed, funny and Card has some great plot twists.

The ending sets up for a sequel.

:-) :-) :-) :-) 4.5 Smileys

Runemarks

The villagers think Maddie is a witch because of the runemark on her palm. People and animals with runemarks are usually killed at birth but Maddie is not because  the midwife who delivered her is considered mad and no one took her seriously when she told of the runemark. 

After her birth, the villagers begin seeing goblins who are known to watch Maddie. She is ostracized and wild until she meets One-Eye, the man who tutors her in performing magic using her runemark.  For 7 years, One-Eye teaches her for a short period of time traveling from the World's End. He is late this year and when he does arrive he finds that Maddie's powers have grown and he wants her to help him open a gateway into the Red Horse Hill to retrieve the Whisperer. Thus begins Maddie's quest where she meets the Norse gods of old who wage a battle with the religious rulers of the world who want to rid themselves of the gods forever.

This book is going to be a difficult read without any knowledge of Norse mythology and the creation stories. Because I had read three Norse books prior, I didn't have too many problems following the story. There are quite a few references to the myths but not in-depth explanations which was good because I think it would have taken away from the main story. The reader should know the difference between the Aesir and Vanir and Order and Chaos. A knowledge of Mimir's story is necessary and I think they should have included that in the story (or had it in an appendix) because the Whisperer, Oracle, and Mimir are the same people.

I thought the author did a nice job of developing Loki as the lying trickster who incorporates both good and evil and order and chaos. The reader should be familiar with his story in Norse mythology in order to fully understand his contradictory behavior. While he is presented as charming, I wished he had been more playful. The story is heavy handed at times with religious aspects. The villagers who represent order are narrow-minded zealots and only Nan seems to be presented as a less extreme person. 

The ending has some interesting twists. I didn't really understand what the author meant with Adam running away with the golden key. Maybe she was referring to Grimm's fairytale that has no ending. A boy finds a golden key and unlocks a box but the reader doesn't know what happens after that. 

The book has violent parts and some might be uncomfortable with when the gods shift shapes into animals they come back to their human form with no clothes on. This creates some odd situations for them - some funny, some not. Fantasy lovers should find this an interesting read with plenty of action.

:-) :-) :-) 3 Smileys

The Spook's Nightmare (book 7)

This is the 7th book in the Last Apprentice series. The title is different than the U.S. title called, Rise of the Huntress. This is the U.K. title or version.

Tom, an apprentice, and Alice are bound together by a blood jar. Tom has not told this to his master, The Spook, because he knows he will be angry about the use of dark magic by Alice to make the blood jar. There is never a good reason to use dark magic in the Spook's opinion, even if it saves your life. He's quite black and white on the issue.

In this book, Alice's mom, Lizzy, a powerful witch has escaped from the Spook's house. A Civil War has begun in the county and the Spook, Alice and Tom flee to a safer place.

Which isn't safe at all.

Lizzy is there on the island and a nasty creature called a Buggane. The Buggane sucks the soul from a person and then eats their body. This book is by far the most violent of the books with innocent girls being murdered as witches, animals mistreated, and witches lips sewn shut so they can't say any spells out loud.

There were a couple of times I didn't really get what the author was explaining. For instance, when Alice used a talon spell on Lizzy. He didn't explain how it slowed Lizzy down - except it just surprised her.

 I like how the dark and light magic symbolizes good and evil in the books and how people carry some of both. There is plenty of action and tension in the story.

Reading Level 5.6

:-) :-) :-) 3.5 Smileys

The Exiled Queen

Princess Raisa has run away from an arranged marriage to a military academy with Amon and two other cadets who are meant to guard her. She's taking more than a full class schedule in order to gain knowledge that will help her be a better ruler. This is the start to The Exiled Queen, the sequel of The Demon King, by Cinda Williams Chima. Princess Raisa is too small and slight to be a soldier but she's tough and uses her brains to get out of difficult situations.

Han is at wizard school with Dancer. All he wants to be is a student but he is being recruited by all sorts of people who want to use his magical powers for selfish reasons. Han doesn't cross paths with Raisa until later in the story but he still doesn't know that she's a princess. Han and Raisa's school experiences are somewhat similar to Harry Potter with them having to deal with bullies and good and not so good professors. There are plenty of love triangles as people couple up or go their separate ways.

Nice pacing, quick read with plenty of action. Read the first book or it might be confusing in parts. Also, the ending is a setup for a third book.

:-) :-) :-) 3.5 Smileys

Incarceron

A sci-fi fairytale with a pinch of history?

This story is weird.

Really weird.

And it oozes with tension which is what kept me from putting it down.

That's it's strength.

Incarceron is a prison that Finn, the main character, is trying to escape. The prison has no sky or stars and no one has ever escaped except Sapphique who is a legend among the thousands of inhabitants of the prison. Finn is convinced that he is from the Outside but has only a few vague memories of a birthday party. He has visions where he sees stars, water and Sapphique. This makes him special among the people. 

The prison is alive and talks to Finn. Originally the prison was setup to be a paradise but instead it has become a living Hell. The prison preys on the fears of people and suggests that the evil in humans is what poisons the place and keeps people from being good. People and animals are recycled and many are born as half human; that is, part machine and part flesh. The prison is running out of organic matter. Even the prison wants to know what is on the Outside and takes interest in Finn.

When Finn finds a key in the prison he becomes connected with Claudia who has a matching key. Claudia helps Finn and his friends in their quest to escape the prison. She is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. She has been raised since birth to marry the spoiled prince of the current Queen. When she meets Finn she is convinced because of a tattoo on his arm that he is the prince she was originally betrothed to but who supposedly died in a riding accident. She wants him to escape Incarceron so she doesn't have to marry the current prince.

The plot is predictable in many ways and somewhat slow in the beginning but it takes off full speed at the end with all sorts of twists that setup for the sequel.

So don't peek ahead (like I did)! Or you'll spoil some of the surprises.

:-) :-) :-) 3 Smileys