Summertime Means Summer Challenges!

Hi everyone! So, as of yesterday, I am officially finished my exams (although Alex still has at least one to go :D). I started to think about what I wanted to do with my summer, blog-wise and reading-wise, and I decided that instead of reading my way through the teen section of the book store, I'm going to give myself a bit more of a challenge.

So my real inspiration for my Summer Challenges came about a couple weeks ago at work - I work in a bookstore - when I pulled Gone With the Wind off the shelving cart. It is a ginormous book. 1500 pages. But I had an immediate desire to read it, so I looked up some reviews (amazing), and was sold.

Along with reading this monstrous book, my first challenge is going to include watching the entire movie, start to finish. This is something I have failed to do on multiple occasions, and I am super excited to have the whole experience of reading the book first. It's such a classic, timeless movie that is such a part of our culture that I feel like it's about time I just sit myself down and watch the whole thing. Same goes for Casablanca.

So I've got a couple other ideas up my sleeve for the summer, including, of course, a Harry Potter marathon, so I'm definitely back, and hopefully I don't bore all of you to death with these crazy challenges. Just be grateful I gave up on Anna Karenina when I did :) So I'll be putting up a little section in the sidebar where you can follow my progress, if you're into that...

Oh! And look forward to some vlogs in the near future, along with some geocaching, seeing as I'm no longer juggling 10 different activites at once. The lack of stress is amazing.

Review by Alex- The Mysterious Benedict Society series

For the first, The Mysterious Benedict Society:
Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

First Impressions: Funny enough, I learned of this book through my brother. And I say funny enough because, well, usually I'm the one to tell him about books. But he learned of The Mysterious Benedict Society through my mom who had read about it through a knitting blog. Go figure. I didn't know much about the novel really, besides that it had a sequel and that my younger brother enjoyed it. The blurbs did say it was like Lemony Snicket and Roald Dalh, so I was intruiged.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and its sequel, in one word, are fun. But they're also quite detailed and well planned - the second in the series more so than the first - with young characters that continue to learn and to grow.

There are our four protagonists: Reynie, a particulary cunning and clever 11 year old (who is 12 in the sequel I suppose) who is extremely adept at riddles and reading people (how I'd love to have his skills!); George "Sticky" Washington, the same age as Reynie, who has an incredibly strong memory and extensive knowledge on everything but who is also a bit of a nervous fellow; Kate, a girl a year older than the two boys and who is extraordinarily talented athletically wise; and Constance, a girl who's extremely contrary (and in fact, her last name is Contraire).

What makes the novels so fun and delightful to read are not just the characters, but the plot, the riddles, and especially the witty humor that often pokes fun at everyday norms and roles of society. The humor is spot on- perfect for children, but also perfect for teens and adults alike.

I thought that in terms of planning, plot, and overall development, the second in the series was much better than the first. But the first was already very good to begin with. There's currently another in the series out, with a fourth to be released, I'm pretty sure.

Final Impressions: The Mysterious Benedict Society is an incredibly fun read that's not only entertaining and humoristic, but is also able to put some reflections and connections to everyday life. Really, a must read. Children's books are no longer for kids, just as YA books are not only for teens.

Review by Alex- Heist Society

Heist Society by Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

First Impressions: Having been interested in Heist Society, and having been finally lent a copy from a friend (who, for once, was not Lauren), I was excited to read it.

And I had good reason to be excited and interested. Heist Society does not disappoint. It's extremely fun and fast paced, with hardly a dull moment. The book opens up with a heist, and it ends with a heist. All in good fun.

I'd been in a bit of a reading slump before Heist Society, but zoomed through Heist Society quickly. It's not a hard read; it's easy, but the writing is smooth and flows nicely. The plot is, hands down, the best part of the novel, with all the tricks and turns, heists and hazards. The characters, if not fully developed, were all interesting and exciting, being crooks and all.

Definitely a must read for fans of Ally Carter's previous series, or anyone interested in themes of stealing, romance, heists, rollicking good fun, or all of the above (and more).

Final Impressions: Extremely entertaining, Heist Society has all the elements needed to entertain and imagine for an afternoon, or however long you read it for. I really enjoyed it, that's for sure.

Note This! I don't know if I'm incredibly blind or what, but for all the times I looked at the cover of Heist Society online, I never noticed the images in the sunglasses. And the cover looks a lot better in person.

Review by Lauren - 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?

Once again, LISA MANTCHEV has spun a tale like no other—full of romance, magic, adventure, and fairies, too—that readers won’t want to put down, even after the curtain has closed.

First Impressions: With a storyline as creative as Eyes Like Stars, I was really excited to find out where Bertie's story was going to go.

What I really liked about Perchance to Dream - along with Eyes Like Stars - is the creativity behind the storyline. Almost all the characters come from famous plays. The story is full of theatre references. I'm not ridiculously in love with the book, but it was so much fun with the fairies, the adventure, and the tormenting love triangle. Oh my goodness Nate or Ariel? I was so torn for most of the book and it absolutely tore me apart, although deep down, I think I'm on Ariel's side. Perchance to Dream definitely showed a completely different side of him than Eyes Like Stars.

Final Impressions: Lots of fun, great story, and I can't wait for the third book :)

Waiting On Wednesday (27)

Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Release Date: May 25, 2010
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Goodreads
Description:
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?

Once again, LISA MANTCHEV has spun a tale like no other—full of romance, magic, adventure, and fairies, too—that readers won’t want to put down, even after the curtain has closed.

I can't believe this is the first time for me learning of Perchance to Dream, the sequel to Eyes Like Stars! There isn't really much that needs to be said about Perchance to Dream. It's the sequel to Eyes Like Stars.

However, I'm a little torn on the cover. Do I like it? Yes. Though I like the cover of Eyes Like Stars more. This one seems so... New Moon poster-esque. But the artwork is beautiful. It's just the poses... And it comes out so soon! :D

So what are you all waiting on this Wednesday?

- Alex

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 Lauren: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

First Impressions: Alright. So I was looking forward to reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson (let's just call it WG, WG because let's face it, that's a long title), but I'm going to be honest here, neither John Green nor David Levithan have blown me away in the past. Alex is a huge fan of John Green, but I've never really gotten hooked on any of his stuff. As for David Levithan, I definitely enjoyed Nick & Nora and Naomi & Eli but once again, never a huge fan. So yes, I was looking forward to reading WG, WG, but I haven't been counting down the days to it's release.

I left WG, WG with the same outlook on it as I had going in. No, it did not blow my socks off, but I think I did enjoy it more than prior novels. The book definitely started out on a bit of an uncertain note, but things all seemed to click about fifty pages in and everything took off from there. It's a feel-good novel, great for contemporary, with characters that face some really difficult issues. One thing I really did like was how average a lot of the characters were, and I think that's something John Green does really well in his novels - so kudos for that :)

The multiple characters were definitely a plus for the novel (which is something David Levithan seems to do really well) and each Will Grayson brought a completely different outlook to the story. Having one gay character and one straight was also really interesting, and honestly, I didn't really have any issues with the story - it just didn't blow me away is all.

Final Impressions: Like I mentioned, if you are a fan of either of these authors, you'll love WG, WG, but I'm not going to fawn over it, because it's just not something that I really connect with on a different level and love to death.