Review by Alex- Perchance to Dream

Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev
The stuff that dreams are made on.

Act Two, Scene One

Growing up in the enchanted Thèâtre Illuminata, Beatrice Shakespeare Smith learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts, but she didn’t know that she, too, had magic. Now, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales, and determined to follow her stars. She is ready for the outside world.

Enter BERTIE AND COMPANY

But the outside world soon proves more topsy-turvy than any stage production. Bertie can make things happen by writing them, but outside the protective walls of the Thèâtre, nothing goes as planned. And her magic cannot help her make a decision between—

Nate: Her suave and swashbuckling pirate, now in mortal peril.
Ariel: A brooding, yet seductive, air spirit whose true motives remain unclear.
When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

First Impressions: Having just reread Eyes Like Stars before delving into Perchance to Dream, I thought I was prepped for Bertie's world. A world full of magic and love and craziness.

Unfortunately... maybe I wasn't. I still did really like Perchance to Dream. It has all of Eyes Like Stars' imagination and creativity and full-on fun. This time, the story takes place not inside the theater, but outside as Bertie tries to get Nate back from Sedna and meets a whole new cast of characters. Each character brings something new.

The whole plot is wild and strange- in a good way. But it was nonetheless a way that I couldn't fully understand. It breaks my heart to say it- but maybe I just wasn't imaginative enough to read Perchance to Dream. I was constantly wondering how in the world all of this was happening until I just had to shut my brain off and stop my wondering. (Which is really, really hard.) However, after doing so, Perchance to Dream became a lot more enjoyable. Yeah, it's crazy, but it's a type of crazy one falls in love with, as many bloggers and readers can attest.

I do love the magical elements of the story. That Bertie is the Mistress of Revels and has the power over words is amazing. The idea that one can have power over words is doubly so.

And then of course we have our love triangle. To be honest, for the most part, Bertie's lack of doing anything to decide between her two men for the better part of the novel annoyed me. But then... I'm firmly on Ariel's side and really don't see why there should be a love triangle.

Final Impressions: I wish Perchance to Dream would have been something I could be fully wrapped into, but it took a while for me to realize that unless I stopped thinking of the whats, hows, and whys of the novel, I'd never get anywhere. But I'm sure others will easily devour Perchance to Dream with all of its beauty and wonder.

4.5 shelves.

Oh, and want another point of view? Lauren's review.

Review by Alex- Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path—just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

First Impressions: Having read Perfect Chemistry (actually, it was one of the first books I bought because of a blog’s review and I gave it as a present to Lauren) I knew what to expect from Rules of Attraction. It seemed like perfect car trip material, which is where I read a good portion of it.

While Rules of Attraction is pure cheesiness, it’s a cheese that’s done extremely well. It’s addicting and absorbing. A guilty read that’s utterly fantastic for what it is.

Kiera and Carlos’ relationship is interesting to see unfold and, while it’s ending is certainly not unexpected, it retains that perfect quality throughout. It’s never dull. It’s rocky at best at first, and goes through its ups and downs, at one point sweet, another hot, another in confusion. Their relationship is the base of the novel and makes Rules of Attraction what it is.

Kiera and Carlos tell the story in alternating perspectives, as like Perfect Chemistry. This lets us have two perspectives, which I love, and to get to know both personalities really well. Carlos is similar enough to Alex that readers get what they expected from the sequel to Perfect Chemistry, and Kiera is strong enough and well rounded to make an interesting female character.

Final Impressions: Much like Perfect Chemistry, Rules of Attraction is a quick read that feels a little guilty, but extremely pleasurable. Time well spent.

Review by Lauren: The Uninvited

The Uninvited by Tim Wynne-Jones

Mimi Shapiro had a disturbing freshman year at NYU, thanks to a foolish affair with a professor who still haunts her caller ID. So when her artist father, Marc, offers the use of his remote Canadian cottage, she’s glad to hop in her Mini Cooper and drive up north.

The house is fairy-tale quaint, and the key is hidden right where her dad said it would be, so she’s shocked to fi nd someone already living there — Jay, a young musician, who is equally startled to meet Mimi and immediately accuses her of leaving strange and threatening tokens inside: a dead bird, a snakeskin, a cricket sound track embedded in his latest composition.

But Mimi has just arrived, so who is responsible? And more alarmingly, what does the intruder want?

Part gripping thriller, part family drama, this fast-paced novel plays out in alternating viewpoints, in a pastoral setting that is evocative and eerie — a mysterious character in its own right.

First Impressions: Not too thrilled, to be honest. I bought it on a whim after seeing a "Staff Picks" sticker on it at the book store, and it's been sitting in my closet since November.

The Uninvited definitely exceeded my expectations :) I wouldn't exactly refer to it as a thriller, but it did have a lot of different components -mystery, action, a somewhat romance, drama. I read it in a day, completely unable to put it down, and although I did find the writing to be a little awkward at first, I quickly bypassed it and just let myself get into the story.

I really liked the characters and how Tim Wynne-Jones managed to connect you to even the creepiest of them... I found myself shipping characters I definitely should not have been shipping... But no matter what I tried to tell myself, I still saw the humanity and reasoning in every one of them, and couldn't help siding with the bad guys :p The book switches between 3 different perspectives, which I also liked because I got a little extra insight into everything. Two sides (or three I guess at some points) to the story.

Final Impressions: Great book, interesting, well written, and, as a little side note, it's a canadian read, taking place about an hour from where I live :)

Check out Alex's review of The Uninvited here.

This is also our 100th review! :D :D

Review by Alex- The Dead Tossed Waves

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living.

She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse.

But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead.

Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry.

And suddenly, everything is changing.

One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

First Impression: The Forest of Hands and Teeth didn't really impress me, but I figured I'd try The Dead-Tossed Waves since I'd heard from Lauren it was better, and I needed something to read.

The Dead-Tossed Waves was quite a bit better than The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but it still wasn't really for me. The writing's a lot better in this one. It's quite lyrical and descriptive- but it's also not all that captivating.

I did like the characters from this novel a lot better than it's companion. Gabry is quite likeable, as confused and scared as she is. Elias and Catcher are good as the two main love potentials, though perhaps both of them could have used a little more background information. But the interactions between all the characters was a lot more enjoyable in The Dead-Tossed Waves in general.

A high point in the novel is the plot. It's hard to make zombies dull. There are some good plot twists and details, along with exciting moments and a climax that is interesting, even if some parts fall short.

Final Impressions: Overall, The Dead-Tossed Waves is pretty good. But it's not really for me- it didn't keep my interest very well, and so that's why it took longer to read; because I could easily put it down and not think about it for a while. It's interesting, but it's not entrancing and impressionable.

Review by Lauren - Genesis

Genesis by Bernard Beckett

‘Explain to us why you wish to enter The Academy.’ Anaximander, a young Academy candidate, is put through a gruelling exam. Her special subject: the life of Adam Forde, her long-dead hero.

It’s late in the 21st century and the island Republic has emerged from a ruined, plague-ridden world, its citizens safe, but not free, and living in complete isolation from outside contact. Approaching planes are gunned down, refugees shot on sight. Until a man named Adam Forde rescued a girl from the sea.

“Anaximander, we have asked you to consider why it is you would like to join the Academy. Is your answer ready?” To answer that question, Anaximander must struggle with everything she has ever known about herself and her beloved Republic’s history, the nature of being human, of being conscious, and even what it means to have a soul. And when everything has been laid bare, she must confront the Republic’s last great secret, her own surprising link to Adam Forde, and the horrifying truth about her world.

First Impressions: Both my boss and Alex (whose review from our first blogging days can be found here) recommended this book to me. Its pretty small in size - only 185 pages - and I knew it was dystopian so it seemed like a pretty good read.

I finished Genesis about an hour ago and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. There is so much compacted into those 185 pages, it's ridiculous. As short as the book was, I would not say it's a light read... There are two plots to the story - Anax's four hour retelling of Adam Forde's story - and the information is really the main focus of the novel. It's a pretty philosophical book, full of messages and rethinking what makes us human basically. Really interesting, and definitely not overdone - the length was perfect.

So don't expect to fall in love with these characters - there are basically 3 in the entire novel - but there is definitely an experience to be had while reading Genesis. It was incredibly powerful and gripping with a couple unexpected twists to it.

Final Impressions: It's a fast read, but not a light one. I definitely feel like I've achieved a new outlook on things after finishing it, but I wouldn't actually buy the book. It's more of a one-time read.

Review by Lauren - Finnikin of the Rock

Finnikin of the Rock - Melina Marchetta

At the age on nine, Finnkin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered uring the five days of the unspeakable, when the kings and queen an their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock - to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

First Impressions: As some of you may be aware, Alex did post a review of this book 2 days ago and I swear I haven't read it - all I did was look at the rating. Hopefully this will give you two completely objective perspectives on the book. But yes, the fact that she gave it 6/6 shelves was enough to send me right off the buy the book. I loved Jellicoe Road and the fact that this was fantasy was even more exciting. I was a little apprehensive, I will admit, considering Marchetta hadn't written a fantasy novel before.

Finnikin has everything you could want from a fantasy novel - and if you've been avoiding fantasy all this time, I strongly suggest you take a stab at it because honestly, there is nothing I love more than fantasy novels. There is something incredible about an entire world and culture being created by someone's creativity. And after only a couple pages, my apprehensiveness disappeared. I loved this book. So much. There is so much passion and dimension to it - you feel such a connection to the characters and the world. It takes you on a journey and I am ridiculously sad to be finished - I want it to go on :(

Similar Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore, Melina Marchetta has also incorporated a strong female character into her story. Although a secondary character, Evanjalin never falls behind Finnikin for a moment. She amazed me throughout the novel - of course Finnikin is amazing too, but that's a guarantee :p

Final Impressions: Oh my goodness this book is just too good not to be read. Go pick it up, whether you enjoy fantasy or not. Melina Marchetta is a genius.

Add to Shelf? I've already bought it :) And I definitely do not regret the decision.

Review by Alex- Finnikin of the Rock

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh in order to save the royal house of his homeland, Lumatere.

And so he stands on the rock of three wonders with his childhood friend Prince Balthazar and the prince's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood. And Lumatere is safe.

Until the 'five days of the unspeakable', when the King and Queen and their children are slaughtered in the palace. And an imposter king takes the throne.
And a curse is put on Lumatere, which traps those caught inside and forces thousands of others to roam the land as exiles, dying of fever and persecution in foreign camps.

But ten years later Finnikin is led to another rock to meet the young novice, Evanjalin. A girl plagued by dark dreams, who holds the key to their return to the Land of light.

First Impressions: Having read Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta, I knew I was in for a treat with Finnikin of the Rock. I'm quite the fan of epic fantasies set in a political world, and Finnikin of the Rock fits that bill perfectly, promising quite a bit.

Finnikin's world is set in a wonderful fantasy place, where swords are the mode of fighting, and political feuds and unbalance abound. You know, typical fantasy world, but entrancing nonetheless. 10 years after Finnikin's homeland was taken by an imposter king, when many of his people died, many others trapped by a curse inside a broken Lumatere, Finnikin is still trying to help his country and people by going to other lands with him mentor, trying to find a place for his people to live on, instead of in desperate camps where people die, or even worse, lose their Lumatere selves.

Finnikin is incredibly strong, for losing so much and he's highly intelligent, cocky enough to be swoon-worthy, and reckless enough to be cool. Evangalin is well matched in that way; she does what she thinks she should. Her past is a dark thing, as we lean as the story unfolds. All the characters of Finnikin of the Rock are incredibly likeable and dynamic, though I do wish some of the secondary characters would have more of their history explained.

The writing's beautiful and fitting for this type of novel, and the plot is never slow, though sometimes it's a little thick to get through. But I was never bored, and honestly never wanted to put the book down.

Final Impressions: Melina Marchetta is a genius. (I also read Saving Francesca soon after Finnikin, and woah. Different genre, but Melina Marchetta cements herself as one of my favourite authors) Finnikin of the Rock has it all, and for fans of Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, or Cinda Williams Chima, this novel is the next must-read.

Favourite Character: Finnikin. I mean, come on, his name alone is awesome! Finnikin! Which reminds me of Finnick from Catching Fire, actually.

Review by Alex- Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

First Impressions: With a slew of praises from many prominent YA authors and reviewers, Beautiful Creatures seemed like a good book to read. However, following Lauren's review, I decided to proceed cautiously and not get my hopes up.

Perhaps it was good that I didn't.

While Beautiful Creatures is no where near a terrible book - it's actually reallyreally good- I'm a little undecided on how much praise it can receive from me. Yes, I did like it a lot. It's interesting, and a nice break from vampires. A teen witch is nothing new, but this clan is different and diverse, strange but likeable.

One of the downfalls for me, are the main characters. Lena seems like a fascinating character on the outside, and she is, but her constant confusion and the way she expressed it- staying away from Ethan- was awfully annoying at times. Ethan, while not a bad guy, isn't that exciting. And he throws away his whole life for Lena. I like my relationships with a little less obsessiveness, a little more independance. Not quiting the basketball team, where he could be great, not skipping school constantly, not caring about anyone else. This may be my own personal quarrel though, and getting over that, it could be considered sweet, how attached the young lovers are.

Not coming from the south, or even from the US, I have almost no back history on the South or the Civil war, so that atmosphere of the novel didn't have as much of an impact on me that it might have on others. It was interesting, yes, but I don't care for reinactments enough, or know much about them, to appreciate it. I did like how the “popular” girls are the ones who wear big old-fashioned poofy dresses that I imagine as a cross between a peach and Bo Peep. The town itself, Gatlin, is beautifully created though, to make it so that the setting comes alive.

It has a great plot. While not super original, it flows well and packs quite an amount of suspense. The point of view from Ethan's perspective, the male and the outsider, is wonderfully different, though a switch at the end throws the pace off.

Final Impressions: Though maybe not worthy enough in my mind, Beautiful Creatures is nonetheless an excellent supernatural novel that has all the elements to please YA fans.

Favourite character: Going with Lauren and saying Uncle Macon. I do like Sarafine and some of the bad guys too though. I'm hoping they'll get a little more attention and personality in the next novel.

Add to Shelf: Well, I did. It's a nice big book too, so if you like this sort of book, definitely worth the buck, even though it's a hardcover.

4.5/6

Review by Alex- Candor

Lauren's away for the day, so no Tech Tuesday this week either. Sorry folks! To make it up to you, I give you a review!

Candor by Pam Bachorz


Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles.

First Impressions: Veeeery interesting. There's a reason why I featured it in a WoW post, after all.

Candor is the seemingly perfect utopian town. Families are on a list for ages, to to be able to get a house there. With the Messages, everyone can become perfect. A former gangster can be turned into a staight-A student. Yaay brainwashing. Let's lose ourselves and our differences that make us special, all to become 'perfect' little clones.

The concept of Candor is so interesting. I guess it's not the first brainwashing novel ever, but for me it is. It's mind blowing and different. And, as Lauren said in her review, very saddening. To read about all these poor teens, who could very well be you or me, have their desires and wants erased and replaced with Messages... Heart breaking.

That idea is so powerful. Sadly, I found that Candor didn't delve into it and the science behind the Messages as much as I'd like. I mean, it's done well, but I'd have loved to found out still more. The reasons for Candor, Oscar's past, are explained nicely, but I wish there was more meat on the Messages themselves.

The writing is short, precise. It's not superfluous or needlessly long-winded. It's military, and probably how a boy would think. I'm assuming. The clear writing makes the novel read quickly and makes it easy.

Oscar is an interesting character, as is Nia. Their 'love' happens awfully quickly though. I'm not really sure that it is love, but it's true that Oscar believes that he loves Nia, and so will do anything for her. This, perhaps, is his problem.

I loved the ending. It's surprising and different. It's -spoiler- like the ending of Genesis to me. A huge twist that left me shocked. When I finished Candor, I had to sit for a couple minutes to process it all.

Final Impressions: A really fascinating look into what society would be like if we were all brainwashed. However, I wish some things were more delved into. Candor is a unique and different novel to interest both girls and boys.

Add to Shelf: Yes. And actually, Candor just came out on the 22nd, so I'd suggest checking it out!

Note This! Nia is an artist, and so was Oscar's mom. But Oscar's dad has made it so art isn't appreciated in Candor. Art pretty much is illegal- grafiti is a huge no-no. Can you imagine a world without art?

Review by Alex- Catching Fire

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

First Impressions: Catching Fire has got to be amazing. It's the sequel to the Hunger Games, for god sakes. It's pretty much THE most anticipated YA book of 2009.

Catching Fire does not let down. I wouldn't say it's better than The Hunger Games, because I prefer the latter more, but Catching Fire is indeed amazing.

There are many twists, turns, and of course suspense and action. I won't go into details in case some of you (losers is too harsh, but really, if you haven't read this series, you are seriously missing out) haven't read this.

Katniss shows just how strong she is. While she wavers at the beginning on who's "side" to be on, she ultimately is determined and tough. I am now a Katniss fan. She can be naive and as Peeta, says, pure, in a sense, but she's made of awesome strength. She doesn't seem very decisive with the big stuff (meaning who to side with and which boy to pick) but she's good at surviving and doing what she must.

Going onto the aforementioned boys.... Gale and Peeta. Personally, teams Peeta. I can see the attraction to Gale, him being strong and brooding and all that manliness, but Peeta is adorable. Sweet and loyal, protecting and good. He's easy to be with and easy to talk to. He has a way with words. He's just.... aaaaw.

I found Catching Fire less powerful than The Hunger Games. While Catching Fire is much broader in range, and deals with bigger issues, I thought that it had less of an impact. This is my personal opinion, of course. The Hunger Games was so horrible in that 24 kids were forced to kill to the death. Catching Fire is also horrific, but it isn't quite so focused like THG. Catching Fire deals mostly with the revolt and Katniss's love triangle. There's lots of other stuff in between, but it seemed to pale in comparison.

I hate not being able to say the huge twist in the middle. Maybe others were able to see it coming, but I sure wasn't. Complete surprise. I had to reread the passage, just in case I misread it. But even that huge event didn't quite have as much an impact as The Hunger Games. While amazing and brain-exploding, it just seemed less powerful.

I did love the new addition to characters. Finnick, a previous Games winner, is devastatingly handsome and charming. Katniss's stylists come back and are as usual their silly and trivial selves. There are lots of new additions to characters, and we learn a lot about older characters.

Final Impressions: I compare this a lot to The Hunger Games and how it just doesn't quite live up to it, but Catching Fire is still wonderful. It was able to make me stay up all night to read. And, I need the third book NOW.

Add to Shelf: YES! Of course!

Note This! Have you wondered about the names? The book's mentioned how Katniss is a weed that can survive and thrive. Peeta = pita bread. Bread, being the baker's son. Gale, I was actually able to find on a name meaning site. Gale means "a stranger", which seems pretty accurate, as the reader still doesn't find out much on Gale. Maybe in the next installment. And Finnick reminds me of water... maybe?

- Alex :D

Review by Alex- The ABCs of Kissing Boys

Parker Stanhope has played soccer practically since she could walk. And now that she’s a high school junior, everything she’s worked for is finally coming together. She’s paid her dues on the field, and as an upperclassman, she’s a shoo-in for the varsity team. But that’s not what happens.

This year, Coach Hartley moved up every JV player but two—and one of those two was Parker. Now, she’s stuck with the freshmen, her friends are cutting her loose, and her love of the game is seriously beginning to fail. But Parker is determined to get her life back. She has to get on the varsity team, and she has the perfect plan. All she needs now is the right kind of coach.

First Impressions: Seems a little weird, but fun and cute and light, which was in the mood for when I read it. And at only a little over 200 pages, it would be nice and fast.

So The ABC's of Kissing Boys has a really confusing premise. Lauren explained it here, in her review, although there's still perhaps a lack of clarity.

Parker loses all her friends when she doesn't get moved up to varsity. Awesome friends right? So to get her friends back and to get on the varsity team, instead of staying on the JV with -gasp- freshman, she hatches this plan. This involves kissing a graduated hottie from the school to impress her soccer coach. Somehow, Parker enlists the help of her younger neighbor, Tristan, who's dad is in some big dramatic fight with Parker's dad. Tristan is going to teach her how to kiss.

Parker plans for this to just be learning and nothing more. No feelings or strings attached. But somehow... this doesn't go exactly like she thought.

I have to say, Tristan is adorable, and oddly mature for his age. He's definitely years ahead of Parker, although to be fair, Parker does grow up in the end. She learns a lot about friendship, about leadership, about hurting and healing others, and of course, how to kiss.

People find out about Parker and Tristan's agreement though, and as an attempt to smooth things over, they decide to pretend they're dating and in love. And so Parker and Tristan are perceived as a pair of star-crossed lovers, like Romeo and Juliet. a) their dads hate each others guts and b) that huge significant age difference; a freshman is a huge no-no, even if he is pretty good-looking. I thought this was a fun angle to it. And everyone knows star-crossed lovers are the best kind of lovers. (We all know what a huge hit Twilight is.)

Final Impressions: Pretty much the same as my first impressions. The ABCs of Kissing Boys isn't a groundbreaking novel in any means, but it's perfect for a light predictable read to make you feel good and happy no matter what.

Add To Shelf: If you have the extra bucks, then why not. I wouldn't say rush out and buy this one, but it's worth it. And it's softcover! :)

Note This!* Each chapter starts with a kissing tip for each letter of the alphabet. So the second chapter has "Butterfly Kisses" for B, and the third chapter has "Caterpillar Kisses" for C, etc. I didn't actually notice this until the very end, but it's really neat. And must have been difficult to think of words/phrases for those little used letters like Q and X!

*Note This! is a new addition to the review system. It won't be there for every review, but if there's some interesting little fact that we think is worth mentioning, it will be in there. :)

Review by Alex- Fire

Fire by Kristin Cashore
Fire, Graceling's prequel-ish companion book, takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells. Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...

Gee, another book Lauren's already reviewed! I actually did read Fire first though- Lauren's just faster at posting reviews than me. :/

First Impressions: Prequel! To Graceling! By Kristin Cashore! You can probably tell by my exclamation marks that I knew it was going to be amazing. I'd previously read reviews that said Fire is even better than Graceling, and I loved the latter, so Fire had to be wonderful. Plus, we got the wonderful UK cover which I'm absolutely in love with. (Lauren prefers US which is why she put the US cover on her review. She's weird. BUT this means I get to keep the UK version, so whatever.)

Ah, but Fire. It's indeed wonderful.

Fire starts out with a bang, with lots of action and excitement. I found the middle to be slower, but no less thrilling. Fire as a book is completely enthralling; I couldn't bear to put it down for anything. I devoured it, which recently, I haven't done to any book. (Darn school.)

Fire as the character is a monster. But she doesn't use her powers needlessly, she isn't cruel about it like her father, who amused himself by torturing and manipulating others. No, Fire feels and cares for other people. For a human monster, she's a lot more human than quite a few of the actual human characters in the novel. Fire is strong, brave, fiery like her hair, and just an overall amazing main character! Really, she should be the role model for girls all over, instead of... certain others.

Fire is the best type of fantasy out there. Hugely entertaining to read, while thought-provoking and easily relate able to modern life. There's many subtle messages on strength, belief, loving others, etc.

The only that disappointed me in the novel was the lack of relationship to Graceling. Fire isn't even set in the same world as Graceling! There's one character cross-over, but he doesn't play as much of a role as I thought he would. Still. That doesn't make Fire any less of the novel it is.

My heart broke and soared with Fire. Seriously. When Fire was heart-broken, I was devastated. When she was happy and in love, I couldn't feel anything else at all but cheerfulness. That's how deep Fire will pull you in.

Final Impressions: The writing is stunning. The characters are fabulous. The plot's well paced and always interesting. Really, you need to read Fire, especially if you're one of the many to love Graceling.

Add to Shelf: Of course! I'd say, pre-order it. Fire is worth it.

Review by Lauren - Fire

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire, Graceling's prequel-ish companion book, takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells. Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...

First Impression: Not crazy of the whole prequel thing. I wanted Katsa & Po and all that cute stuff.

I'm pretty sure I enjoyed Fire like 10 times more than Graceling. And I loved Graceling. The main reason I think were the characters. Kristin's writing has developed even more in this novel and as much as I loved her first set of characters, I adored the ones in Fire. Fire & Brigen were adorable and their relationship so powerful. It was very similar to Katsa and Po and I love the strong female character that is present in both novels. I enjoyed Fire's strength more than Katsa's though and her beauty as well as her powers :) I also enjoyed Hanna as a child more than Bitterblue. I don't remember perticularily liking her but I'm definitely going to have to reread Graceling now.

The idea that Fire is a prequel to Graceling is pretty general. It's even in a completely different world. There are no Gracelings, no mention of previous characters (except one) so it stands completely on it's own, in it's own world. There are really no connections whatsoever to Graceling besides the one character. I also enjoyed this world more than the first with its magical creatures and whatnot.

Either way, Fire is coming out October 6th, so look for it!

Final Impression: As I mentioned, better than Graceling although there was a brief slow period but I easily overlooked it. If you liked Graceling, you will LOVE Fire. Strong characters, gorgeous world, adorable romance etc. I'm still basking in this story.

Add to the Shelf?: Psh, do you even have to ask? This book is gold.

6/6 for sure

♥ Lauren