Year in Review: My Favorite and Best

1:59 PM Nikki

Just how much did I read in 2010? I read 812 books in 2010. (July was the month I read most, December was the month I read least.) Review copies made up 58.2% of my reading (470). Library books were 30% of my reading (242). Borrowed books were 7.9% of my reading (64). Bought-books made up 3% (24). Gift-books made up  .9% (7). I am pleased to see that 42% of what I read came from sources other than review copies. In total, I read 143,766 pages this year.

My Favorite Board Books: I read 71 board books. (8.7%) My top ten:

My Favorite Picture Books: I read 164 picture books. (20.2%) My top twenty:

My Favorite Children's Books: I read 79 children's books. (9.7%) My top ten:

My Favorite Middle Grade Books: I read 81 middle grade books. (10%). My top ten:

My Favorite YA Books: I read 116 YA books. (14.3%) My top fifteen:
  • Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. 2010. [March 2010]. HarperCollins. 480 pages. 
  • Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney. 2009. Chronicle Books. 366 pages.
  • For Keeps. Natasha Friend. 2010. [April 2010] Penguin. 272 pages. [YA Realistic Fiction/YA Romance]
  • Scarlett Fever. Maureen Johnson. 2010. February 2010. Scholastic. 352 pages.
  • Airhead. Meg Cabot. 2008. Scholastic. 340 pages.
  • The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle. 2010. September 2010. Henry Holt. 160 pages.
  • Ship Breaker. Paolo Bacigalupi. 2010. May 2010. Little Brown. 326 pages.
  • Grace. Elizabeth Scott. 2010. September 2010. Penguin. 208 pages.
  • Monsters of Men. Patrick Ness. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 608 pages.
  • Real Live Boyfriends. E. Lockhart. 2010. December 2010. Random House. 240 pages.
  • The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett. 2003. HarperCollins. 400 pages.
  • Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett. 2006. HarperCollins. 325 pages.
  • Prom & Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 288 pages.
  • Jane. April Lindner. 2010. Little Brown. 373 pages.
  • Perfect Chemistry. Simone Elkeles. 2008. [December 2008] Walker & Company (Bloomsbury). 368 pages.

My Favorite Adult Books: I read 92 adult books (11.3%). My top twelve:


My Favorite Christian Books: I read 95 Christian books. (11.7%) My top ten:

Five favorite Christian nonfiction:

Five favorite Christian fiction:
My Favorite Nonfiction Books: I read 56 nonfiction books. (6.9%)

 Top five for younger readers:

Top five for older readers:
My Favorite Graphic Novels: I read 30 graphic novels. (3.7%) My top five:

My Favorite Poetry Books: I read 22 books poetry books. (2.7%) My top three:
My Favorite Short Story Collections/Novellas: I read 6 short story/novella collections. (.7%) I've got two short story collections I'd like to highlight:
 

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


December Accomplishments

8:30 AM Nikki

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in December 2010.

She spoke to him before the world fell apart.
 
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date.

Why I feel the sudden urge to relate, in pen and ink, a relationship of the most personal nature, which I have never before acknowledged, I cannot say. 


Less than a year into the marriage that made her mistress of one of England's finest houses, Elizabeth Darcy knew she still had much to learn about the place she now called home. Of one thing, however, she was certain. A ghost haunted Pemberley.

Sometimes there are these bizarre people who actually like physical education class.


December's Top Five:

He Knew He Was Right. Anthony Trollope. 
Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope.
The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. (Flavia de Luce #2). Alan Bradley. 
The Butler Gets A Break. A Bellweather Tale. Kristin Clark Venuti.
Prom & Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg.

Number of Board Books: 4

Baby Nose to Baby Toes. Vicky Ceelen. 2009. Random House. 24 pages.
Farm Parade! Thom Wiley. Illustrated by Benji Davies. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 12 pages.
What Am I? Salina Yoon. 2010. Scholastic. 12 pages.
Who am I? Salina Yoon. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 12 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 11

Let It Snow. Maryann Cocca-Leffler. 2010. Scholastic. 24 pages.
The Littlest Christmas Star. Brandi Dougherty. Illustrated by Sanja Rescek. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
My Two Holidays. Danielle Novack. Illustrated by Phyllis Harris. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
It's Christmas, David! David Shannon. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Llama Llama Holiday Drama. Anna Dewdney. 2010. Penguin. 40 pages.
The Christmas Magic. Lauren Thompson. Illustrated by Jon J. Muth. 2009. Scholastic. 40 pages.
All The Things I Love About You. LeUyen Pham. 2010. November 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages.
To Whom the Angel Spoke: A Story of the Christmas. Terry Kay. 2009. Peachtree. 32 pages.
The Gingerbread Pirates. Kristin Kladstrup. Illustrated by Matt Tavares. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale. Karen Henry Clark. Illustrated by Patrice Barton. 2010. November 2010. Random House. 32 pages.
The Christmas Giant. Steve Light. 2010. Candlewick. 32 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 7

Brand New Readers: Winter Fun! Various. 2010. Candlewick Press. 80 pages.
Turkey Day (School Reader Level 1) Grace Maccarone. Illustrated by John Manders. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
There's A Mouse in the House! (School Reader Level 1). Wendy Cheyette Lewison. Illustrated by Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Who Wears Glasses? (School Reader Level One) Ana Galan. Illustrated by Sebastian Burnett. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time. Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. 2010. Random House. 128 pages.
Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman. Francesca Simon. Illustrated by Tony Ross. 2010. Sourcebooks. 112 pages.
The Emperor's Code. (The 39 Clues #8). Gordon Korman. 2010. Scholastic. 176 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 1

The Butler Gets A Break. A Bellweather Tale. Kristin Clark Venuti. 2010. Egmont USA. 240 pages.

Number of YA: 7

Chasing Brooklyn. Lisa Schroeder. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 412 pages.
The Boy From Ilysies. Pearl North. 2010. Tom Doherty Associates. 320 pages.  
Jane. April Lindner. 2010. Little Brown. 373 pages.
Prom & Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 288 pages.
My Fair Godmother. Janette Rallison. 2009. Walker. 320 pages.  
The Scorch Trials. James Dashner. 2010. Random House. 368 pages.
Captivate. Carrie Jones. 2010. Bloomsbury. 276 pages. 

Number of Adult: 10

He Knew He Was Right. Anthony Trollope. 1869/2009. Oxford University Press. 992 pages.
Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope. 1874/2009. Oxford World's Classics. 560 pages.
The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. (Flavia de Luce #2). Alan Bradley. 2010. Random House. 364 pages.
A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens. 1843. 96 pages.
Pride and Prescience: Or A Truth Universally Acknowledged. A Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery. 2004. Tor. 288 pages.
North by Northanger: Or, The Shades of Pemberley. A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery. Carrie Bebris. 2006. Tor. 320 pages.
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James. 2007. HarperCollins. 352 pages.
What Happens in London. Julia Quinn. 2009. HarperCollins. 384 pages.
Ten Things I Love About You. Julia Quinn. 2010. HarperCollins. 384 pages.
Death of a Gossip. A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery. M.C. Beaton. 1985/2008. Robinson. 210 pages.

Number of Christian: 2

Mystery of the Holy Spirit. R.C. Sproul. 1990/1994. Tyndale. 191 pages.
Miracle of Christmas: God With Us. John MacArthur. 1993. Zondervan. 144 pages

Number of Nonfiction: 3

The Crossing: How George Washington Saved The American Revolution. Jim Murphy. 2010. Scholastic. 96 pages.
Your Baby Is Speaking To You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby. Dr. Kevin Nugent. Photographs by Abelardo Morell. 2011. January 2011. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 106 pages.
Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens. Magic Tree House Research Guide #22. Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce. 2010. Random House. 128 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels:
Number of Poetry:

Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 1

A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen. By Amanda Grange, Carolyn Eberhart, and Sharon Lathan. Sourcebooks. 304 pages.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Year in Review: 12 Book of the Months

3:01 PM Nikki


January: For Keeps. Natasha Friend.
February: Sweet Thursday. John Steinbeck.
March: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. Maryrose Wood.
April: Out of My Mind. Sharon M. Draper.
May: Countdown by Deborah Wiles.
June: Smells Like Dog. Suzanne Selfors.
July: Venetia. Georgette Heyer
August: A Tale Dark and Grimm. Adam Gidwitz.
September: The Disappeared. Kim Echlin.
October: Doomsday Book. Connie Willis.
November: Miss Hargreaves. Frank Baker.
December: The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. (Flavia de Luce #2). Alan Bradley

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


Book Review: Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness

2:04 PM mixagrip

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9780763647513
Source: Library

Monsters of Men: Chaos Walking: Book Three
Viola and Todd are both caught up in wars that seem to have no end and no good can come of them.  The Spackle have risen against them and Todd must make a dangerous choice between what he knows is right and what he feels like he must do to save Viola.  Viola is also being torn between her friends who just arrived and being able to bring peace for Todd.  The war is ugly and it changes how both Todd and Viola think - can they both survive together?

Things I Liked:
The book definitely packs a punch.  There is so much to think about and it will make you question what type of person you would be in a similar situation.  What choices would you make to save someone you loved?  Not to mention the story is action-packed with twists and turns that you don't see coming until it hits you right in the face.  The plot is so well done and the surprises just perfect that you won't be able to put it down.  Or stop thinking about it when you're done.  An awesome sci-fi/dystopia/futuristic story that still packs the punch of the first two books.

Things I Didn't Like:
The only thing I found bothersome was that the message seemed a little heavy-handed.  Every few pages, we would be reminded of the exceptionally hard choices Todd and Viola make.  It also explicitly asked several times how far would a person go to save someone they love?  I think we could have figured out the theme without having it spelled out for us.  Still quite powerful and thought-provoking.

Read-alikes:
Read the first two books in the Chaos Walking trilogy
Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
plenty

mrg-factor: X
nothing explicit

v-factor: ->->->->
there is a lot of fighting and gore (it's about war, remember?)

Overall rating: ****


What's your favorite really unique book?

Posted as part of the YA-D2 dystopian challenge

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Library Loot: Sixth Trip in December

12:53 PM Nikki

I *thought* I'd had my final trip to the library this year, but, a few more holds came in and I was able to pick them up this morning! 2010 was a great year for library visits. I had 54 library loot posts. I reviewed 242 library books in 2010, which accounts for 30% of my reading this year! I am very pleased with that number!

New Loot:

Four novels of the 1960s by Philip K. Dick* 
Lady of No Man's Land by Jeanne Williams**
Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
The War of the Worlds, Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies by H.G. Wells and Eric S. Brown
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Leftover Loot:

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
The Glass of Time: The Secret Life of Miss Esperanza Gorst by Michael Cox
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear
Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear
The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie
The Tuesday Club Murders: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie
Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie
The Body in the Library a Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie
Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers
Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Matters at Mansfield, or, The Crawford Affair by Carrie Bebris
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie


*I've read The Man in the High Castle, I have not read The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? or Ubik.

**This was COMPLETE impulse. It wasn't the cover that grabbed me--it didn't--but the description said read me. Here are the first two paragraphs of the jacket flap:
"Swedish orphan Kirsten Mordal, seventeen years old, crosses the ocean with her younger sister, Lucia, to seek the promise of a country so rich that it can give away fertile acres of land. But the long journey proves too arduous for Lucia; when her sister dies, Kirsten finds herself alone on the harsh American frontier. Determined to pursue her dream of claiming and cultivating her own homestead, Kirsten devises a plan that will enable her to explore the wild western plains, to choose a site for her future stake, and to save enough money to build a home. With a natural talent for dress design, Kirsten purchases a sewing machine and wagon, and travels through the countryside, stopping at isolated homesteads to sew wedding gowns and party dresses, baby togs and mourning clothes." 
Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries   

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Best First Lines

9:46 AM Nikki


These are the best of the best. The first lines that have stuck with me through the entire year (2010) and made a lasting impression:

 She spoke to him before the world fell apart.

When I wrote essays at school I was always told to begin at the beginning and end at the end. I'm not at all sure that this story has an end. As for a beginning - well, in my opinion, it really begins - as I began - with my father. Anyway, that's where I'm going to start.

Ask Paris if a phone call can be deadly. She'll tell you. She learned the truth of it last night. 

Owen Jester tiptoed across the gleaming linoleum floor and slipped the frog into the soup.

Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.

Strange things can happen at a crossroads.

Gramps, who was born in 1990, once told me that when he was my age the only way to wind up in prison in the USSA (back when it had only one S) was to steal something, kill somebody, or use illegal drugs.

That morning they were making paper boys.

Words. I'm surrounded by thousands of words. Maybe millions. Cathedral. Mayonnaise. Pomegranate. Mississippi. Neapolitan. Hippopotamus. Silky. Terrifying. Iridescent. Tickle. Sneeze. Wish. Worry. Words have swirled around me like snowflakes--each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands.

The story goes that even after the Return they tried to keep the roller coasters going. 

Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. 

Finn likes peaches. Usually.

First place: Ask Paris if a phone call can be deadly. She'll tell you. She learned the truth of it last night.
 
Second place: Words. I'm surrounded by thousands of words. Maybe millions. Cathedral. Mayonnaise. Pomegranate. Mississippi. Neapolitan. Hippopotamus. Silky. Terrifying. Iridescent. Tickle. Sneeze. Wish. Worry. Words have swirled around me like snowflakes--each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands.

Third place: Finn likes peaches. Usually.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


Year in Review: 52 Book of the Weeks

6:58 PM Nikki









What I've done is gone through my 'Sunday Salon' posts of the past year where I shared my week's reading. I picked my favorite-and-best from each week. These books may not have ended up in that month's top five, but these are the best books I read week by week by week. I chose to focus on middle grade through adult. (I excluded picture books from this list. I'll do a best-of-picture books feature at another time.)

1. The Fiddler's Gun. A.S. Peterson.
2. The Magician's Elephant. By Kate DiCamillo.
3. A Lady Like Sarah. By Margaret Brownley.
4. For Keeps. Natasha Friend.
5. Under the Dome by Stephen King.
6. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared To Dream. Tanya Lee Stone.
7. Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America. By Jim Murphy.
8. Sweet Thursday. John Steinbeck.
9. Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney.
10. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. By Jim Murphy.
11. Cosmic. Frank Cottrell Boyce.
12. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. Maryrose Wood.
13. Perfect Chemistry. Simone Elkeles.
14. Catching Fire. Suzanne Collins.
15. Scarlett Fever. Maureen Johnson.
16. Out of My Mind. Sharon M. Draper.
17.  Princess of Glass. Jessica Day George.
18. Countdown by Deborah Wiles.
19. The Bookends of the Christian Life. Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington.
20. North and South. Elizabeth Gaskell.
21. Ship Breaker. Paolo Bacigalupi.
22. Grace. Elizabeth Scott.
23. The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba. Margarita Engle.
24. Smells Like Dog. Suzanne Selfors
25. Monsters of Men. Patrick Ness.
26. Armadale. Wilkie Collins.
27. The Daughter of Time. Josephine Tey.
28. Real Live Boyfriends. E. Lockhart.
29. The Boneshaker. Kate Milford.
30. She Stoops to Conquer. Oliver Goldsmith.
31. Venetia. Georgette Heyer.
32. A Tale Dark and Grimm. Adam Gidwitz.
33. The Devil in Pew Number Seven: A True Story. Rebecca Nichols Alonzo with Bob DeMoss.
34. Crunch. Leslie Connor.
35. Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer L. Holm.
36. Jane Slayre. Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin.
37. Wench. Dolen Perins-Valdez.
38. The Disappeared. Kim Echlin.
39. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
40. Bleak House. Charles Dickens.
41. The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett.
42. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong.
43. Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett.
44. Doomsday Book. Connie Willis.
45. A Pleasure To Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories. Ray Bradbury.
46. Miss Hargreaves. Frank Baker.
47. The Haunting of Charles Dickens. Lewis Buzbee.
48. Bright Young Things. Anna Godbersen.
49. He Knew He Was Right. Anthony Trollope.
50. Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope.
51.  The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. (Flavia de Luce #2). Alan Bradley.
52. Prom & Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


Book Review: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

1:54 PM mixagrip

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication date: October 2010
ISBN: 9780385738750
Source: purchased

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner Trilogy, Book 2)
*This review and summary will contain spoilers for The Maze Runner, so read at your own risk*

Thomas and his friends are finally out of the Maze and safe.  Or so they think.  When they wake up the next morning, things are not as they expected.  They are thrown into a new test and must get across a wasteland, trying not to lose their heads, starve to death, get struck by lightening, or have their noses removed in the process.  Through it all, Thomas looks for Teresa, but he little expects their reunion to go the way it does.  Can he and his friends survive this next phase of this cruel and brutal test?

Things I Liked:
This second installment definitely doesn't lack for action.  You are sucked immediately into what happens next.  Dashner has a way of creating odd situations that inspire fear and dread in the reader, not to mention his characters.  They are put through many horrifying and painful experiences on this next part of their journey.  While we learn some things about why they are there, we certainly don't learn enough to satisfy our appetites and it definitely left me feeling bruised and aching for the next book.  Also, I think the book has some deeper things at work, looking at how people react in situations and what we will do to survive at the expense of others.  An intriguing and fast-paced book that will leave you desperate to know what happens next.

Things I Didn't Like:
It definitely played on my emotions.  You feel anger and frustration, not to mention pain and betrayal.  It will leave you feeling a bit raw by the end, wishing they could have some kind of reprieve. At times it was also very confusing, but I am assuming that's because the characters are supposed to be kept unaware of what is happening.
 
Read-alikes:
Read The Maze Runner first
The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
all of it is made-up cursing

mrg-factor: none
just some kissing

v-factor: ->->->->->
plenty of horrible things happen - some of it a bit gory

Overall rating: *****

Posted as part of the YA-D2 dystopian challenge (at the last minute, of course :)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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Library Loot: Fifth Trip in December

11:47 AM Nikki

New Loot:

The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
The Glass of Time: The Secret Life of Miss Esperanza Gorst by Michael Cox
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear
Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear
The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie

Leftover Loot:

The Tuesday Club Murders: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie
Murder at the Vicarage: A Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie
The Body in the Library a Miss Marple Mystery by Agatha Christie
Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers
Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Matters at Mansfield, or, The Crawford Affair by Carrie Bebris
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers
Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries  

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Captivate (YA)

8:59 AM Nikki

Captivate. Carrie Jones. 2010. Bloomsbury. 276 pages.  

Sometimes there are these bizarre people who actually like physical education class.

Captivate is the sequel to Need. Both Need and Captivate would be good for fans of Stephenie Meyer and Melissa Marr. (Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, and Fragile Eternity immediately come to mind.) It's YA fantasy with plenty of thrills--a dangerous romance. Zara, our heroine, is confused about many things. Her relationship with her father? Too complicated to fathom. Part of her hates the fact that she's had to lock him up so that the slaughtering of human boys would stop in her Maine town. But part of her realizes of course that while killing is never "good" it is sometimes necessary. She's also confused about pixies in general. After meeting--after rescuing--one pixie in particular, she's beginning to think for the first time that there may be a few good pixies out there. For this mysterious pixie--we don't learn his name (Astley) for quite a while--saves Zara time and time again. He seems to make it his business to keep her safe. (Which of course is threatening Nick's role in this drama.)

But there is one thing that Zara is NOT confused about. Her love for Nick. She loves him. Oh how she loves him. She needs him. She wants him. She can't stop thinking about him. He's her everything. He'd do anything to keep her safe. And she'd do anything to keep him safe.

Captivate is dramatic. For me, the highlight of this one was the introduction of Astley. I liked the scenes between Zara and Astley best.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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The Scorch Trials (YA)

5:03 AM Nikki

The Scorch Trials. James Dashner. 2010. Random House. 368 pages.

She spoke to him before the world fell apart.

The Scorch Trials is the sequel to The Maze Runner. Thomas and the other Gladers thought the game was over. They thought they had beat the system. They thought they had been rescued. They certainly celebrated that victory. But the opening chapters of The Scorch Trials reveal that the games have just begun. Thomas and his friends will have to survive a second phase of testing in order to be "cured" of the disease that they've just recently learned they have. (Confused? Well, it's meant to be mysterious.)

What is Thomas' role in all of this? What clues to the present danger can be revealed in his dreams--his memories--of the past? And what about Teresa? The woman whom he can communicate with telepathically? Is she to be trusted? Or is she a betrayer?

The Scorch Trials was certainly an intense read. Very suspenseful. Very mysterious. It kept me guessing. I certainly didn't predict where this one was going.

I would recommend these to fans of The Hunger Games trilogy and the Chaos Walking Trilogy.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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2011 Challenges: Chunkster

9:06 PM Nikki

Chunkster Blog
February 1, 2011 - January 31, 2012.
I am aiming for the "Mor-book-ly Obese" level. Eight or more chunksters. Three of the eight have to be over 750 pages. The rest have to be over 450 pages. Adult books only.

1. Our Mutual Friend. Charles Dickens. 1864/1865. 880 pages.
2. Little Dorrit. Charles Dickens. 1855-1857. 928 pages,
3. Framley Parsonage. Anthony Trollope. 1861. 576 pages.
4. The Small House at Allington. Anthony Trollope. 1864. 752 pages.
5. Jubilee. Margaret Walker. 1966. 512 pages.
6. The Pickwick Papers. Charles Dickens. 1836/1837/1999. Penguin Classics. 810 pages.
7. The Last Chronicle of Barset. Anthony Trollope. 1867.  928 pages.
8.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Our Mutual Friend Challenge Completed

9:13 AM Nikki


Our Mutual Read (Sign UP Post) The challenge blog link.
Level 2: 8 Books at least four written during 1837-1901.

1. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling. Maryrose Wood. (2010)
2. Emma Brown: A Novel From the Unfinished Manuscript by Charlotte Bronte. Clare Boylan. (2005)
3. She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell (2010)
4. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854-1855)
5. Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne. (1850)
6. Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope (1858)
7. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (1848)
8. Armadale by Wilkie Collins (1866)
9. Soulless by Gail Carriger (2009)
10. Bleak House by Charles Dickens (1852-1853)
11. Moonstone by Wilkie Collins (1868)
12. He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope (1869)
13. Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope. (1874)

Mini Challenge to watch Period Movies

1. North and South, the movie
2. Bleak House, the movie (2005)


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Graphic Novel Challenge Completed

9:09 AM Nikki


Graphic Novel 2010 Challenge
Level Intermediate
January - December 2010
I will be reviewing the books at Becky's Book Reviews

1. The First Escape by G.P. Taylor
2. Science Fiction Classics (Graphic Classics #17)
3. Julius Caesar (Manga Shakespeare) Mustashrik Mahbab (Illustrator). Richard Appignanesi (Text).
4. Calamity Jack. By Shannon and Dean Hale.
5. Manga Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing. William Shakespeare. 2009. Ill. Emma Vieceli. Adapted by Richard Appignanesi.
6. Manga Shakespeare: As You Like It. William Shakespeare.
7. Mary Anne Saves The Day. Raina Telgemeier and Ann M. Martin. 2007. Scholastic. 158 pages.
8. Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta. Jarrett J. Krosoczka.
9. Olympians: Zeus: King of the Gods. George O'Connor.
10. Olympians: Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess. George O'Connor
11. Mercury by Hope Larson
12. The Sons of Liberty by Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos
13. Babymouse Burns Rubber #12. Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm.
14. Babymouse Cupcake Tycoon (#13) Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm.
15. Ender's Game: Battle School. (Graphic Novel) Orson Scott Card.
16. Jane Eyre The Graphic Novel -- Original Text -- Charlotte Bronte
17. Frankenstein The Graphic Novel -- Original Text -- Mary Shelley
18. Koko Be Good. Jen Wang.
19. Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation. Ray Bradbury. Illustrated by Tim Hamilton.
20. The Odyssey. Gareth Hinds.
21. Muppet King Arthur. Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck.
22. Muppet Robin Hood. Tim Beedle.
23. Muppet Peter Pan. Grace Randolph
24. The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci
25. Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean. Sarah Stewart Taylor.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Book Review: The Lost Saint by Bree Despain and GIVEAWAY!

10:55 PM mixagrip

The Lost Saint: A Dark Divine Novel by Bree Despain
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Publication date: December 2010
ISBN: 9781606840580
Source: Review copy provided by publicist

The Lost Saint: A Dark Divine Novel

Grace Divine was sure that after saving her true love from the wolf, things would get better.  But, when her beloved brother runs away, her world seems to fall apart.  She wants to develop her own powers, but isn't quite sure if she can do it without giving in to the wolf within herself.  When a mysterious young man offers to help her find Jude, she jumps at the chance.  But, will he come between her and Daniel or will more than that separate them?

Things I Liked:
This book definitely helped me remember what it is that I love about paranormal YA.  I loved the excitement and the adventure that kept you on your toes and wondering what would happen next.  I enjoyed learning more about the mythology of the paranormal beasts in this series.  It had just the right amount of teenage drama and crazy fantasy stuff to make a good blend.  I was invested in the story and it didn't seem to follow exactly the way the romance does in these kinds of books.  I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.  Some favorite parts:
But then again, wasn't the superhero supposed to be the one who was always forgetting about plans last minute, or running off during important dinners?  If anyone was going to be standing someone up, shouldn't it be me? p258 of ARC
She pulled out my stake - or at least something that looked like my stake, only the hilt of it was now covered in bright blue crystals and diamond-like gems. 
"You bedazzled my stake?"
"Um...Surprise," April said. "Just because you're hunting nasty stuff doesn't mean you can't do it in style." p285 of ARC
Things I Didn't Like:
I would occasionally get annoyed at Grace for her constant need to save everyone.  She had a real hero complex.  She was also extremely stupid and blind throughout the book.  Doing stuff she knew she shouldn't and walking into dangerous situations.  Though, that seems to be a requirement for heroines in paranormal books.

Read-alikes:
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@ 
fairly regular throughout, nothing strong

mrg-factor: X  
some situations that were steamy, but really mild

v-factor: ->-> 
a bit of gore and blood

Overall rating: **** 

I happened to get an extra ARC which I'm offering up to one lucky reader.  Fill out the form below by next Monday, January 3, for your chance to win it!  (US only.) (Contest closed.)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage


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My Fair Godmother

9:48 AM Nikki

My Fair Godmother. Janette Rallison. 2009. Walker. 320 pages. 

Here's my definition of a bad day: your boyfriend of four months--who until twelve seconds ago, you thought was the most perfect guy to set foot on earth--breaks up with you. My definition of a truly horrible day: the aforementioned boy dumps you for none other than your sister. The definition of my life: he does all of this right after you inform him that you blew your last dollar buying your dream prom dress. He asks if you can get a refund. It turns out he'll be asking your sister. 

Chrysanthemum (Chrissy) Everstar, who is just a "fair" godmother, has been assigned to the Delano family. She's not exactly told which sister is her assignment, but after observing these sisters in crisis, she makes her decision. Savannah, the "cheated" younger sister, will get three wishes. But, as you can imagine, Savannah's three wishes do not go according to plan.

For her "fair" godmother, is a little too literal for the imprecise wishing of a confused teen girl. For Savannah does not truly want to be Cinderella. Or Snow White. She does not want to be in the Middle Ages at all. She soon learns that she's not the only one affected by her wishing. For Chrissy has sent Tristan, a guy who is semi-interested in Savannah, to the Middle Ages as well, in an attempt to make Savannah's prom date a prince. These wishes will test Savannah. Challenge her to examine herself, her choices, her priorities. By feeling responsible for Tristan, Savannah learns a little something about love and life. Can she "save" her would-be prince?
She lowered her wand and sent me a condescending look. "You know, even for a mortal, you're really ungrateful."
"Ungrateful for what? To be here? A cyclops tried to eat me not long ago."
She brushed off my comment with one perfectly manicured hand. "Did you think wishes were like kittens, that all they were going to do was purr and cuddle with you?" She shook her head benevolently. "Those types of wishes have no power. The only wishes that will ever change you are the kind that may, at any moment, eat you whole. But in the end, they are the only wishes that matter." (243)
I enjoyed My Fair Godmother. I enjoyed the light romance. I enjoyed the humor. (I loved the time Savannah spent as Snow White. I loved the seven dwarves.) Yes, some of it was at Savannah's expense. But still, even though these situations were painful for Savannah, they helped change her for the better.

See also: Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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Top Ten Library Reads of 2010

9:04 AM Nikki

I love my library. I just LOVE reading library books. And since I do keep track of 'where my books come from,' I thought I would highlight ten of my favorite books that I borrowed from the library this year. These are books that I wouldn't have had access to if I hadn't had such a great library.

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford. My review. What I said, "Read this book. Now. Why? Because this book is so very, very good. It's one of those books where the moment you finish it, you want to start it all over again. You don't want it to be over. You want to keep experiencing it. What did I love about this book? The characters, the story, the storytelling, the setting, the atmosphere, the descriptions. It was such an amazing blend of history, mystery, and fantasy."

Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. My review. What I said, "One of the reasons I loved The Daughter of Time was I thought it was unique. The book is about a man becoming fascinated with history, with a mystery within history. And how he goes about "solving" the case since he can't very well go about interviewing the witnesses and investigating the crime scene. Most of his research is done by reading. But he doesn't accept everything he reads. No, he questions everything. He thinks, really thinks, about everything closely. And I loved that. I loved how Inspector Grant pulls others in on this investigation. I loved how enthusiastic everyone becomes while 'working' on this case."

The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. Alan Bradley. My review. What I said, "I liked Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I did. But as much as I liked it, as charming as I found it, it wasn't quite love. I LOVED the second novel in the series, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag. I just LOVED it. Flavia is still Flavia. She's still eleven. She's still hating her sisters--but to be fair, they hated her first. She's still to be found in her chemistry lab doing experiments and uncovering the mysteries of poisons--that is when she's not out uncovering the town's secrets on Gladys, her bicycle, and breaking into the library's storage shed where old newspapers are kept. Alan Bradley is great at developing characters within a community. There are some eccentric people in this one! But it's got heart and soul too! I loved Flavia! I loved her spirit. I loved her intelligence, her curiosity. I would definitely recommend it!"

 Miss Hargreaves by Frank Baker. My review. What I said, "What did I like about this one? I loved so many things about it! The characters. The relationships. The premise. The story. It just worked really well for me! I found it very compelling! I found it difficult to put down. It's wonderfully quirky and deliciously sinister. Miss Hargreaves and Norman would definitely feel right at home in The Twilight Zone."

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. My review. What I said, "I loved Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog. I just LOVED it. But I think I loved Doomsday Book a little bit more. It was incredibly compelling. It was intense, emotional, and impossible to put down. Willis does a wonderful job with her characters. They feel very real--very human. The setting--the world building--is also amazing. She does a great job building the past--the fourteenth century--and the "present" which is a time-traveling future. (The story alternates between past and present.) She blends mystery, science fiction, and historical fiction--and blends them well! Readers meet dozens of characters in both centuries as this mystery unfolds. And while it is serious--dramatic--and emotional--people will die--it's not without its lighter moments of wit. I loved the narrative. I loved the way this story was told. This one I'll definitely be recommending!"


The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. My review. What I said, "I think I knew it was love from the very first page. I just fell in love with the first few chapters of The Wee Free Men. I loved Miss Tick. I loved our young heroine, Tiffany Aching. Even before the introduction of Nac Mac Feegle. Before we meet Rob Anybody. Before we meet No'-as-Big-As-Medium-Sized-Jock-But-Bigger-Than-Wee-Jock-Jock. Before the journey to fairy land. Though of course, my love just grew as the novel progressed. I loved the writing. I mean I LOVED the writing. It was so much fun to read this one!"



The Disappeared by Kim Echlin. My review. What I said, "When Anne Greves, our heroine, was sixteen she met the love of her life, Serey, a Cambodian student and musician. The relationship is intense from the start. The Disappeared is her story of how powerful and enduring love is. Of how heartbreaking it is. How the loss of it can overwhelm you, shape you. It's an emotional story--beautifully written. I found The Disappeared to be compelling. I didn't want to put it down. It was beautiful. It was powerful. It was haunting. I thought the writing was incredible. It gets ugly in some places--because war, terror, death, and hate are ugly."

 Jane Slayre by Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin. My review. What I said, "Jane Slayre is a paranormal retelling of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. I don't always love like paranormal fiction. Vampires, zombies, and werewolves don't typically thrill me. But. I really enjoyed Jane Slayre. I thought it was clever. I thought it worked well. It's not that I think the original needed improving. But the changes seem more natural than I ever would have thought possible. I liked Sherri Browning Erwin's Jane. She was strong and fearless. (She saw her slaying as a gift.) Yet she was tender too. She fell in love with a man with a past. And she had a few tough decisions to make. I definitely recommend this one!"

Armadale by Wilkie Collins. My review. What I said, "Is it possible to summarize Armadale in a sentence or two? In a paragraph or two? Probably not. Wilkie Collins is all about layers. Who else besides Collins would premise a novel with fifty-eight pages of prologue? A prologue that establishes the background of three of his main characters. A foreshadowing prologue that shapes and reshapes the novel. Two men. One name. One dark secret. Armadale is about the struggle of the human soul between good and evil. A novel that asks the question--should children suffer for the sins of their fathers? A novel that explores the idea of Fate and free will."

Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. My review.What I said, "I'm not sure I can say I loved this one. At least not love, love, love. But. I really liked this one. There were places that I just LOVED it--and other places where I began to have doubts. Frankenstein's Monster is a sequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. For the most part, it is set ten years after the original novel. Frankenstein's Monster is about the monster coming to terms with who he is. He's learning to accept the fact that he can make his own decisions, his own choices, that he doesn't have to be the 'monster' Frankenstein created him to be. He can choose to be better than that. He can choose to live with hope. It is definitely my favorite sequel/retelling of this classic."

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews


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