Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Starters: Don't start

Starters (Starters #1)
By Lissa Price
Hardcover, 336 pages
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, March 2012

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . 


This is the eighth book in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren. Yippee! Four more to go!!

Review:
I went into Starters thinking it would be like a YA version of Grisham's The Firm but with a sci-fi twist to it. Maybe that was my first problem...

****Spoilers were included to make sense of the review.*********

The World:
For a story that's supposed to take place in the future, it felt very bland and unimaginative. Most of the futuristic technology was similar to what we have today except for its name: text = zing, taser = zip taser, helicopter = heli, answering service = voiceZing, a large cookie = supertruffle, starters = young citizens, enders = old citizens. So why not just set the story in current time instead of trying to fake another world?

The Vaccine:
Callie's parents are dead when "Spores" are sent to Los Angeles from an attacking nation. What the situation was, I'm not told except that it set the stage for those not vaccinated to die. Now I'm assuming these spores are some kind of biological warfare agent, maybe a virus or bacteria...But according to Price's FAQ's, these spores are NOT viruses. So. Then...uh... what are they? If they are not viruses, then what kind of vaccine were the scientists creating? Price compares this vaccine to a flu vaccine that's given to the young, old, and infirm. But here's the thing I don't get: if the government knew that our immunity system could not defeat these "spores" (like a typical flu) then why would it even matter who they gave it to? Anyone non-vaccinated dies from exposure to the spore; it doesn't matter who they are. So looking at it in a purely LOGICAL sense, wouldn't you want to keep the middle-aged and younger generation alive to populate humanity and contribute to society? Why keep the OLDER generation-even if "modern medicine" could help them live to be two-hundred? AND if "modern medicine" could keep the old alive and well-functioning, then why would they need to rent a "younger body?"

Callie's Parents:
Of course, Callie's parents didn't get the vaccine (since they are in the middle age group: 20-60). Also her dad did not want to use his "position" to acquire it. This made no sense to me at all: you're telling me that her dad would rather put his ethics before the welfare of his children? He KNOWS that if he and his wife are gone, Callie and her brother would be left on the streets (according to the rules of the government). Sorry, but I don't buy it: first, a parent would do anything to live and protect his/her children. second, you're telling me that the government did away with estate planning as well?

A poor choice of character: Callie
She could've been such a great character. In the beginning, she's in a difficult situation and makes the choice to become a DONOR (a rented body for the Elders to use) to earn money to take care of her brother. But after she went to the  Body Bank, I think her brain got switched because she acts so confusing. Through a malfunction to her brain chip she discovers that her renter wants to assassinate the Senator to prevent him from making a deal with Prime Destinations that will allow renters to permanently occupy donors.

First, she doesn't want to be involved in killing anyone but then later on, she has a change of heart, and decides she can kill. What!!!??? And then there's the romance insta-love with the Senator's grandson Blake who she keeps thinking about. Which is somewhat understandable since she misses this fancy lifestyle but then later on she finds out he was actually a rented body occupied by the evil mastermind (Old Man) of Prime Destinations. And what do you think she thinks about that?

"I wasn't going to let the Old Man win. I wasn't going to let him strip away my sweet memories of the time with the boy I had thought was Blake. (But those memories weren't even about Blake, it was about the Old Man!!!!)

His touch transported me back to the times we'd spent together in his car. I'd missed all this so much.

It wasn't the Blake I knew. But it looked like him; it felt like him." (But again, it's NOT! Are you infatuated with his looks because obviously it WASN'T him in this body! Arghhhhh!!!!)

Then when she gets caught and sent to a prison/institution, she tries to prevent a girl from going to Prime Destinations WITHOUT telling her it's because they will do awful things.

"You're going to go with him [them], aren't you? I can't talk you out of it? (Of course you can't talk her out of it because you haven't said ANYTHING! Why would anyone believe you if you don't tell them the reason!!!!)

Oh, and then that poor girl DIES so Callie can escape. Now why would any girl that you've only known for a few days DIE for you?

Sci-Fi/Dystopia Fluff:
What could have been an interesting premise (old people renting bodies from the young) was so poorly executed with weak details, unimaginative descriptions of sci/fi elements, and a senseless dystopic world. All this fluff didn't impact the plot of the story. It could have easily evolved the same way if Callie was orphaned by some other means, living on the streets without a war. It didn't add anything to the story. It was a confusing and left me irritated and frustrated.
Rated: 2 Bites

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Insurgent: How to avoid housework, childcare, and everything else...

Insurgent (Divergent Trilogy #2)
Veronica Roth
Hardcover, 525 pages
Harper Teen, May 2012

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.


Below are some spoilers for Divergent. If you have read Divergent, but need a recap, check out Veronica Roth's post: "But I read Divergent a YEAR ago!"

Now, give me a moment to catch my breath. 

Insurgent took me on a roller coaster ride filled with terrifying dips, twisty corners, and an end that left me hanging on for more. Needless to say, I didn't want to get off.

For me, this trilogy has been a study of humanity: what persuades us to survive and how we view human nature. Insurgent is dystopia at its best. At the heart of this story is conflict and turmoil; more specifically, Tris's personal conflicts. As Tris tries to make sense of her decisions and choices from that last scene in Divergent, her sanity and worth are put into question.

In this war among factions is a sixteen-year-old girl who has shot one of her friends dead, watched both parents sacrifice their life for her, and is now expected to survive in world that is crumbling. And she deals with that grief in ways that made me want to scream and pull my hair out...but at the same time, I got it. Because don't we sometimes try to avoid pain with pain? Don't we sometimes just want it to all END? And sometimes don't we punish ourselves from guilt?

The hardest part for me was to watch Tris make decisions that I suspected would turn out badly. I couldn't believe some of the situations she put herself in as punishment or compensation for what happened.

I watched secrets and mistrust tear people apart. I watched betrayal and lies. But I also saw love and forgiveness heal. It was a journey that Tris HAD to take, and it made for a more realistic and deeper character.

I love love love Roth's writing. I fell right in with Tris's emotions. I was kept on my toes the entire time. I couldn't read fast enough. And the haunting surprise at the end?! Why oh why to have to wait another year!!

One of my favorite series. Ever. I hope it's yours too. Plus, Tobias is hot.

5 lip-smacking Bites

Divergent: Which faction are you?

Divergent (Divergent Trilogy #1)
Veronica Roth
Hardcover, 487 pages
Harper Teen, May 2011

In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

With the arrival of Insurgent (the second part in the Divergent Trilogy), I thought I should post my review about the series that started it all.

I read Divergent about a year ago: July 2011 to be exact. First, you know you have finally found a goodread when you're willing to sacrifice almost anything and everything to sit down and keep turning the pages....

Veronica Roth makes an amazing debut. I love her writing style. It's filled with just enough description, personal thought, and subtle hints to keep you wanting for more. She knows how to make a touch on the cheek seem like the most romantic thing in the world. And while at first the "idea" of her "factions" seem so simple, it's really filled with complexity and intrigue. The five factions of the society are: Dauntless (courage), Amity (peace), Abnegation (selfless), Candor (truth), and Erudite (Intelligence). And then there's the Factionless and the Divergent. The reason these factions worked for me is that it didn't seem too far from the truth. Our current society is built on groups of people that seem to hold "cultural" values such as the Eastern view of "dependency" or the Western view of "individuality." Divergent seemed to be an extension of that ideology. So what happens when you're mandated to be part of a faction and feel out of sorts in your own culture?

Tris's courage and daring and insight make this story a heart pounding read. It's been 2 hours since I've finished and my mind is still racing from the plot, my emotions still euphoric. Also, being the first of a trilogy, I am so glad she "wrapped" up all the major lose ends but left enough suspense to leave you wanting for more. So basically, stop whatever you are doing, and get your hands on a copy.

Plus...I think I found my next fictional boyfriend to add to the list. For that, thank you Veronica.

P.S. I just finished Insurgent. Check out my next review post. Roth does not disappoint!

5 voracious Bites
Purchase a copy of Divergent on Amazon here.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Immortal City: At least the cover is hot...

Immortal City
By Scott Speer
Hardcover, 336 pages
Razorbill, April 2012

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them.

He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.



This is the seventh book in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren.

...so I confess. I didn't even get half-way. Not even 40%. Yep, I stopped at 34%. Even did the math.

First, it's a little hard for me to take an author seriously who is shirtless on the beach for his "goodreads" photo, but I digress...

After being bombarded page after page with a glamorized angel celebrity guide consisting of too many "Hollywood" spin-offs (Angel News Network or ANN, Angels Weekly, Angel Television or A!) and too many references to Designer Brands, I felt like I needed my own personal bodyguard just to make it to the next chapter.

While the concept of the story seemed interesting at first, the writing appeared amateurish and the dialogue filled with cliched teen talk: "OMG, Perf!, totally". It was too over the top for me to take the writing seriously. Plus, how can I take something serious when every reference was a spin-off of some "Hollywood" term (see above paragraph). Not only that but Maddy and Jackson were annoying and unlikable. In one scene, Jackson returns to apologize to Maddy and instead of hearing him out, she makes accusations which end with Jackson responding "...you're impossible!" (...as if they've known each other longer than 24 hours).

Sadly, one of the most disappointing debuts...and I was so looking forward to an Angel story. But I have to say... I do love that cover!
Rated 1 Bite

Read an excerpt of the book here.
Interested in trying it out for yourself? Purchase Immortal City on Amazon here.

Replication: Would you clone yourself?


Replication: The Jason Experiment
By Jill Williamson
Hardcover, 294 pages
Zondevan, December 2011

When Your Life Is Not Your Own 

Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky. Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars. As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

Are all cloning stories based on the same idea? If I hadn't already read Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion or watched Ewan McGregor in The Island, I may have been more impressed by a story of spoiler (harvesting organs from human clones). Granted this one was about 1 individual being cloned multiple times...but, wait...isn't that like The House of the Scorpion?

But--as the character Abby would so often point out: there are pros and cons to everything so here's my list for Replication:

Pros:
  • I felt like I really knew Martyr; As a clone, we learn of his perceptions and views while living on the farm and then see his lack of knowledge of the "real world" when he escapes. What he thinks about colors, sky, clothing. What he calls a "dog" or a "house." It makes me think about when and what we learn about the world.
  • Abby's train of thought and sarcasm were funny.
  • Williamson did a good job of balancing the themes of Christianity in a Sci-fi novel. I didn't feel like she trying to preach to me. It just felt like a story about a girl who just happens to believe in God. There are definite Christian principles in the novel such as prayer, creation, and the Bible which may be a little overwhelming if you are not interested in those topics.
  • A discussion guide was included! Yay!
Cons:
  • I had hoped for a more interesting concept/plot line and the story was fairly predictable--which is probably why I wasn't on the edge of my seat and began to get a little bored closer to the end. (But if you haven't read many human cloning stories, you may enjoy this one.)
  • Some answers weren't good enough for me. Why do clones need to be educated if the doctors are just going to take out their body parts? Just to keep them civilized? What if you just kept them in a vegetative state?
Even with the cons, I think it's well worth the read. It's considered a "Clean Teen Read" and written well enough to entertain a teen. As a parent, I would feel completely comfortable having a teen read it. But as a reviewer, it didn't grab me as much as some other reads I've read...
Rated 3.5 Bites.

Click here to purchase Replication: The Jason Experiment on Amazon.com.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

$10 Giveaway Winner

Congrats Rebecca Hipworth! Check your email for your $10 Amazon Gift Code!

Ditched (A Love Story): with a Hangover...

Ditched: A Love Story
By Robin Mellon
Hardcover, 273 pages
Hyperion, January 2012

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. And then ditched her.

This is the sixth book in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren. (Whoohooo! half-way there!)

Ditched is one night at prom filled with quirky characters, some hilarious lines...and a hangover.

While the first few chapters were entertaining: funny one liners and an interesting premise, sometime after that, my attention drifted elsewhere. The flashbacks of the night told to two 7-eleven strangers got tiresome. The partying and high school behavior wore me down: a drunk teen taking vodka-jello shots at his parent's house (and his parents have NO clue!), dog swapping pranks, discussing the male anatomy, smoking marijuana...It was a little too much drama...And I guess I was expecting Ian to play a bigger part in the story than off stage.

Most of all, Justina-which by the way is such an awkward name for a character-did not deliver. At first, I was cheering her on with Ian. But then her behavior just spirals out of control. From the moment Ian picks her up for the pre-party, it was a domino effect just waiting to happen: her jealous side seems to have affected her ability to think straight. She draws some pretty big erroneous conclusions about Ian when they are supposed to be BEST friends. Aren't you supposed to know your BFF pretty well? Or maybe love/heartache blinds you in a way that you can't see clearly? Or maybe she was just insecure? Or maybe it's like what Gilda, the 7-eleven worker, tells her "Couldn't you have waited until you had some questions answered?"

Yes, Justina, couldn't you have just waited? Then I wouldn't have this hangover.

Rated 2.5 Bites

Content Advisory: drug usage, partying, language, sexual references

Now available on Amazon: Ditched: A Love Story.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Everneath: If you win free tickets to the Underworld, you may just want to pass...


Everneath
By Brodi Ashton
Hardcover, 370 pages
Balzer + Bray, January 24, 2012


Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.


This is the fifth book in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren.

If you've been to the Underworld, then you already know there's no easy way out. Most likely, it's the end of all happy endings. And if you survive, the journey back is a painful one.    But somehow Nikki manages it.


Beneath the surface of the Greek Persephone myth, lies a story of pain and redemption. Told in alternating time periods between the past and the present, Ashton delivers a heartbreaking tale of Nikki's path to make things right.

In many ways, because of that, it was painful to read: Nikki's mistakes, her lack of self-worth, her emotions numb. I wanted to scream: "Snap out of it! Get a spine. Go fix it." Because most of the time, she behaved like...well, a zombie, actually.

But maybe that was the whole point: Take away the pain, we become numb. Like a drug addict, it takes time and courage to recover. And sometimes it takes someone else to give us the strength to pull out of it.

My emotions went a bit schizophrenic on this one: from annoyance to empathy, sadness to anger, confusion to understanding. The theme of pain and redemption was well played and the modern Greek mythology intriguing. But I never found out why Nikki was allowed to return to the surface, in the first place. And I don't particularly like spoiler (sad endings). And it didn't compel me to turn the pages like other stories I've read. But I'm curious to see where this story goes and if you like modern-day Greek, I think you'll like this one.
Rated 3.5 Bites

Monday, May 7, 2012

Fracture: A case for group therapy...

Fracture
By Megan Miranda
Hardcover, 262 pages
Walker & Company, January 17, 2012

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.


This is the fourth book reviewed in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren.

I'm not sure if Fracture was about Delaney's "paranormal" talent or a case study on dysfunctional relationships.

First, there's Delaney: a girl who wakes up from a coma and experiences weird pulling sensations and discovers she can sense impending death in people. Which would have been interesting if her ability was a little more climatic and exciting. What's so unique about sensing the dying if she's only drawn to those who are already sick (or would be sick)? Even I can tell you they wouldn't live. Why not have her sense those who might die in a car crash or get murdered? ...And then save them?

If it were me, I would be less concerned about her "sensations" and more about her obsessiveness over her schoolwork. She died, came back to life, and is worried about her chance at valedictorian?! (Okay, okay, maybe I can kind of understand that being a little Type A myself...but still...that's what you worry about after dying?!) Well, that and apparently her weight. 

Then there's her rescuer, Decker (oh look, they both begin with "D"), who she likes but can't seem to say what she means to him and begins keeping secrets from him. And still keeps secrets from him even though he drops everything and to come to her spoiler (rescue AGAIN! from the psycho killer). 

Decker, who is a love sick puppy who keeps sticking around, keeps asking her to clue him in (but she doesn't), and so devoted that it's making me sick. 

Should we talk about the mom now? The mom, who seems more worried that her child isn't fixed than the fact that she's alive. The mom, who has her own skeletons in the closet. 

But nothing compares to Delaney's relationship with Troy, the mysterious stranger. Troy, who has spoiler (a similar ability) and happens to know just a little too much about Delaney. Yet she's perfectly fine hanging out with him. Troy, who almost spoiler (KILLED HER--to end her "suffering" while comatose). And Troy, who turns spoiler (crazy, as in chase-you-down-in-a-car-in-a-sing-song-voice, crazy after Delaney finds out he almost murdered her). And yep, you guessed it! She's fine with looking for him afterwards and trying talk sense to him. Look-you can't talk sense to a psycho.

Now I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she's acting like this because her brain is damaged: some psycho boy tries to spoiler (kill you), bruises your arm, and you're okay with that?

All in all, four case studies, but that's not even counting the one with the boy she doesn't like but still kissed. Unfortunately, I was looking for a paranormal story, not a dysfunctional one.

Rated: 2 Bites

Fracture is now available at booksellers everywhere.

But maybe you'll have a different opinion: Check out the first 2 chapters below.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

$10 Amazon Gift Code Giveaway

Dear PaperBooks,

It breaks my heart to even say so but I've been pushed into getting an eReader. If I want to review the latest titles and netgalleys, I'll need a device to read electronic copies on. And if I ever travel anywhere, I won't have to pay extra for my case of books. Although I'll probably still pack my hardbacks to visit Rebot...

I feel I'm betraying you but you know I'll always be a paper lover. Nothing can replace the feel of the pages in my hands, the smell of those now rare bookstores, an author's signature on the title page...and all the pretty colors...
I think I'm having an panic attack right now.
       I can't do it.
             sniff. sniff.
                   Just don't think I'm replacing you okay...

Forever yours,
   Midnite

So eReaders! Help! I need your advice on which eReader to purchase!
I'm thinking a Kindle, but there are so many kinds!
And for your input, we're offering a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Code for you.
If you don't own one, tell us which one you'd want.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Slayers: Where has my author gone?

                                       
C.J. Hill (Author incognito for Janette Rallison)
Hardcover, 373 pages
Feiwel and Friends, September 27, 2011

Dragons  exist. They’re ferocious. And they’re smart: Before they were killed  off by slayer-knights, they rendered a select group of eggs dormant, so  their offspring would survive. Only a handful of people know about this,  let alone believe it – these “Slayers” are descended from the original  knights, and are now a diverse group of teens that includes Tori, a  smart but spoiled senator’s daughter who didn’t sign up to save the  world.

The  dragon eggs have fallen into the wrong hands. The Slayers must work  together to stop the eggs from hatching. They will fight; they will fall  in love. But will they survive?

A few things first
1. The cover looks silly to me.
2. I am a big fan of Janette Rallison.
3. I was not too interested in this book-see # 4.
4. I usually do not prefer dragon books.
5. I don't really like romance books--chicklits yes, but not romance (and my sister and I do disagree on what a romance is. I guess it is difficult to figure out...maybe this is a chicklit and I just found it the writing of the chicklit parts excessive).
6. My sister loved this book so I tried it out.

My take-
All the romance.....TOO gushy for me. "Oh he is so cute. Does he think I'm cute. Has he checked out my figure too?"  It didn't seem so strong in JR's other books...perhaps because they're more middle grade appropriate.

As for the story- I enjoyed it. But found myself skipping/skimming to the end. Some parts I found were too detailed and I wasn't patient or willing to read every word. I think I prefer her other stuff. Which I guess it makes sense that she's going "author incognito" with her other YA stuff she may be planning. I guess I'm more a fan of JR than CJ Hill. =(

But Slayers is a fantasy novel in which the slayers have these super powers. And who doesn't wish they had a superpower? I want to fly, thank you!

Also, some of the chapters change from the main character to other character's 3rd POV if that makes sense.

Sadly, not  a favorite of Janette Rallison's, but I would highly suggest Just One  Wish, My Fair Godmother, and My Double Life. For those who like middle  grade/Jr High reads: Fame Glory & Other Things on My To Do List and It's a Mall World After All are great ones too.                  

Rated: 3.5 Bites 

See Midnite's opinon at http://www.zombiemommies.net/2012/04/slayers-why-dragons-dont-make-good-pets.html

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

How to Sharpen Pencils: Wait, are you for reals?

By David Rees
Hardcover, 144 Pages
Melville House, April 2012

No, I didn't read this. I saw it today online and couldn't figure out if this was a serious book or not at first! Then I went to Amazon and realized YES, this is supposed to be funny. It's not YA or Children's. But I thought it was interesting enough to post here! I'll have to recommend it to my library if they haven't already purchased this because I think I'll have to check it out!

Rated Un-bitten.  For now.