According to its cover, The Julian Game was supposed to be an intriguing tale about high school and modern-day life in the form of misrepresentation through the Internet. Yet the book itself was sorely misrepresented by the cover-summary.
Hence my main complaint: the author was trying REALLY HARD to make her characters relatable and interesting and, most of all, MODERN (aka, good at technology), but it's clearly been a while since the author was a teenager.
It's as if, having forgotten what it was like to be in high school, the author emphasized every awful thing she read about in other teen romances. Everything is taken to ridiculous extremes, particularly the characters.
The in-crowd (cleverly titled "the Group") includes a fashion model and four other psychopaths who refer to each other as "Loozer" (I can only assume the spelling is meant to reflect the mental capacities of the Group?), "Lardass," (self-explanatory) and "Nerbit" (which is supposed to mean something like "nerd" but instead sounds like a rather charming combination of "gerbil" and "armpit"). They also drink lots of Irish Whiskey, invent fake Facebook profiles in attempts to get guys (is this a common custom among high school girls? I wouldn't know...) and go to way too many parties. There is a significant lack of schoolwork involved.
The antagonist, naturally one of the in-crowd, is so obnoxious that she's actually unreal: her routine revenge scheme typically involves something along the lines of causing an entire family to go bankrupt. Oh, and of course she draws on body fat with gel pens at sleepovers and creates slanderous blogs demolishing others' reputations - but as Queen Bee of high school, those are in the job description.
On the other side of the equation, you have the main character, who is a nerd. Fairly typical: nerdy characters are in vogue for teen fiction these days! But the author, once again, decides she wants her hero to really stand out, so she emphasizes the nerdiness like none other and inadvertently creates a cliche that is more cliched than I have ever seen before. As a result, our main character, who is named after some freakishly obscure painter, is into Star Trek, Star Wars, video gaming, and Mandarin Chinese tutoring (I will admit that this is cool, while perhaps a bit unrealistic). She's unathletic and scrawny, and to complete the image, she wears XL hoodies and baggy pants all the time. (Naturally, though, when she dresses up, she's drop-dead gorgeous - how else would she attend a million parties?)
Speaking of character development: the novel includes numerous demented, forced character quirks that are JUST TOO WEIRD to be real. For example, the antagonist rehearses her password (out loud, in normal conversation) 94 times - precisely- the month before she changes it. It's not only ridiculous - it's also just bad computer-use policy in general. I never knew that there was such a thing as "too unique," but this book has convinced me that there is.
While the characters are definitely pushing the far bounds of believable with their quirkiness, the plot does anything but. As per usual, our nerdling hero pines after the in-crowd. Violently so. She'd do anything to talk to them - even offer to tutor antagonist master in Mandarin Chinese! She simply yearns to be addressed by those offensive, derogatory, but somehow oh-so-wonderful nicknames!
So she invents this fake online profile and then shares it with Evil Antagonist from the in-crowd so that they can talk to gorgeous, unattainable, athletic, bit-of-a-player, most-popular-guy-at-the-nearby-boy's-school Julian. Well, except evil antagonist doesn't want to talk... she wants to get back at hot-jock! With her typical overblown MO, she invites hot-jock, through an incredibly convoluted scheme, to a party where he gets both beaten up AND arrested! Because that totally happens all the time in high school!
Through yet another convolution (after all the directions it's been twisted in, the plot looks like a balloon animal!) hot-jock and main character nerd make out!
And then decide they don't like each other.
Thank goodness, the end.
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Thanks for the total honesty, Emily! We appreciate it when people tell us how they REALLY feel in their reviews.
Want to check out The Julian Game and decide for yourself? Click here to check our catalog to see if The Julian Game is on the shelves.
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Saga of Larten Crepsley: Birth of A Killer by Darren Shan (reviewed by Zach Fields)
An interesting mixture of action and suspense. it lives up to the rest of the Cirque du Freak series. There should be more to the story though, in my opinion. This book has a great opening line which keeps the reader wanting to find out how the it happens. And it just keeps you interested. Truly a hard book to put down. Shan did an excellent job with this book. I hope to read more!
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Zach reviewed an ADVANCE READER'S COPY (ARC) of this book, meaning he got a chance to read it before it was published and then he had a chance to let the library know if it he thought we should purchase it for our shelves or not.
Do YOU want a chance to read and review books before they're published? Do YOU think you could give your opinion on if the library/other people should buy these books? If so, you can ask at youth services or send us an e-mail for more information on how you can get a chance to be an advance reviewer.
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Zach reviewed an ADVANCE READER'S COPY (ARC) of this book, meaning he got a chance to read it before it was published and then he had a chance to let the library know if it he thought we should purchase it for our shelves or not.
Do YOU want a chance to read and review books before they're published? Do YOU think you could give your opinion on if the library/other people should buy these books? If so, you can ask at youth services or send us an e-mail for more information on how you can get a chance to be an advance reviewer.
Worldshaker by Richard Harland (reviewed by Bear Schacht)
Yay Steampunk!
Length: 3,956.9 meters (12,982 feet)
Width: 1,170.4 meters (3,840 feet)
Weight: 3,110,776.4 metric tons (3,429,044 tons)
Upper decks population: 10,040 approx.
Filthies: 2,130 approx.
Worldshaker is a steam powered juggernaut as big as a city. Col Porpentine is the grand son of the supreme commander of Worldshaker, destined to take over the position. He has known nothing but the easy life, and as he is a member of the most important family, he has the best of everything. Then he meets riff, a Filthy girl from below decks, and his world is turned upside down.
I enjoyed reading this book. The world/ship and the politics between families were detailed and interesting. I also enjoyed the development of the main character, his gradual realization that what he had been brought up to believe was wrong and the people around him, people he trusted, were living lies.
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YAY, STEAMPUNK! I couldn't have said it better myself, Bear. Who doesn't love a good dirigible every now and then? ^___^
Click here to check our catalog to see if Worldshaker is on our shelves.
Length: 3,956.9 meters (12,982 feet)
Width: 1,170.4 meters (3,840 feet)
Weight: 3,110,776.4 metric tons (3,429,044 tons)
Upper decks population: 10,040 approx.
Filthies: 2,130 approx.
Worldshaker is a steam powered juggernaut as big as a city. Col Porpentine is the grand son of the supreme commander of Worldshaker, destined to take over the position. He has known nothing but the easy life, and as he is a member of the most important family, he has the best of everything. Then he meets riff, a Filthy girl from below decks, and his world is turned upside down.
I enjoyed reading this book. The world/ship and the politics between families were detailed and interesting. I also enjoyed the development of the main character, his gradual realization that what he had been brought up to believe was wrong and the people around him, people he trusted, were living lies.
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YAY, STEAMPUNK! I couldn't have said it better myself, Bear. Who doesn't love a good dirigible every now and then? ^___^
Click here to check our catalog to see if Worldshaker is on our shelves.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Huntress by Malinda Lo (reviewed by SoYoung Choi)
With the winters prolonged, the whole nation is greatly disturbed; no one knows when the winters will cease. The people are starving and begging on the streets for food. Many have deserted their beloved homelands and have sought refuge.
Huntress by Malinda Lo is an epic tale about true love and self-battles. The book centers around Kaede and Taisin who are destined to go on a journey that will not only change the fate of their kingdom, but will also bring about a transformation within themselves.
Kaede who is valiant and strong is at the academy to become a sage, but to her dismay, she can ever be one for she lacks the talents. Taisin is quiet and calculating; as a Farmer’s daughter she has been offered a great opportunity to attend the academy. She is one of the academy’s greatest pupils.
Kaede and Taisin are both pulled in by the oracle stones. In the King’s stead, they are to journey to the Fairy Queen in Taninli where sunshine and evergreen are undisturbed. Their journey will be harsh and seemingly endless. Will Kaede and Taisin prevail? Or will they fall into the very depths of despair?
Not only are they destined to go on this quest, but they are also having conflicts of their own. Taisin has had a vision and is struggling with its true meaning: will she eventually love this Kaede? Or will she obey the law of abstinence and become a sage? Kaede’s father, the King’s chancellor has made an engagement for her to marry a lord from the South in order to end a war; will she do what is best for her country? Or will she engrave her own path? They both struggle to find their true selves.
Only one huntress is needed for this mission. Is Taisin or Kaede willing to part with one another forever?
This incredible tale of love and suspense will put you on your toes till the end. The bond between Taisin and Kaede will make your heart thump for more. I really enjoyed this novel because it showed me that true love could be displayed in many ways: through sacrifice, through glances, through smiles. Not only that but the novel made my heart jump at times because Taisin and Kaede’s bond is so intertwining that nothing can pass through between them. I really hope you enjoy this novel. Because I sure did!
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YAY, another first-time reviewer! Thanks for submitting and joining the ranks of the amazingly super-cool people who review things, SoYoung!!! Huntress won't be released until April 2011 but you can click here to check our catalog to see if Ash, the companion novel to Huntress, is on our shelves.
SoYoung reviewed an ADVANCE READER'S COPY (ARC) of this book, meaning she got a chance to read it before it was published (five months before it was published!!) and then she had a chance to let the library know if it she thought we should purchase it for our shelves or not.
Do YOU want a chance to read and review books before they're published? Do YOU think you could give your opinion on if the library/other people should buy these books? If so, you can ask at youth services or send us an e-mail for more information on how you can get a chance to be an advance reviewer.
Huntress by Malinda Lo is an epic tale about true love and self-battles. The book centers around Kaede and Taisin who are destined to go on a journey that will not only change the fate of their kingdom, but will also bring about a transformation within themselves.
Kaede who is valiant and strong is at the academy to become a sage, but to her dismay, she can ever be one for she lacks the talents. Taisin is quiet and calculating; as a Farmer’s daughter she has been offered a great opportunity to attend the academy. She is one of the academy’s greatest pupils.
Kaede and Taisin are both pulled in by the oracle stones. In the King’s stead, they are to journey to the Fairy Queen in Taninli where sunshine and evergreen are undisturbed. Their journey will be harsh and seemingly endless. Will Kaede and Taisin prevail? Or will they fall into the very depths of despair?
Not only are they destined to go on this quest, but they are also having conflicts of their own. Taisin has had a vision and is struggling with its true meaning: will she eventually love this Kaede? Or will she obey the law of abstinence and become a sage? Kaede’s father, the King’s chancellor has made an engagement for her to marry a lord from the South in order to end a war; will she do what is best for her country? Or will she engrave her own path? They both struggle to find their true selves.
Only one huntress is needed for this mission. Is Taisin or Kaede willing to part with one another forever?
This incredible tale of love and suspense will put you on your toes till the end. The bond between Taisin and Kaede will make your heart thump for more. I really enjoyed this novel because it showed me that true love could be displayed in many ways: through sacrifice, through glances, through smiles. Not only that but the novel made my heart jump at times because Taisin and Kaede’s bond is so intertwining that nothing can pass through between them. I really hope you enjoy this novel. Because I sure did!
--
YAY, another first-time reviewer! Thanks for submitting and joining the ranks of the amazingly super-cool people who review things, SoYoung!!! Huntress won't be released until April 2011 but you can click here to check our catalog to see if Ash, the companion novel to Huntress, is on our shelves.
SoYoung reviewed an ADVANCE READER'S COPY (ARC) of this book, meaning she got a chance to read it before it was published (five months before it was published!!) and then she had a chance to let the library know if it she thought we should purchase it for our shelves or not.
Do YOU want a chance to read and review books before they're published? Do YOU think you could give your opinion on if the library/other people should buy these books? If so, you can ask at youth services or send us an e-mail for more information on how you can get a chance to be an advance reviewer.
The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith (reviewed by Amethyst Collins)
Katie used to be a normal girl. That is, until her mother died. Now she has a secret, a secret that comes out through her drawings; she sees ghosts. And until she meets Law, everyone just thinks she’s crazy, including herself. But one person can make a difference.
This story is very intriguing. From the very first line the reader starts to get sucked in, “The man is hanging from the stairs again, which means it’s going to be another bad day.” And the vivid detail does not stop there. Smith does not hold back in her descriptions, both bad and good.
Smith also does an awesome job at a history lesson. This may seem weird when describing a book, but it’s true. Nerdy Law is a black boy, and his chapters are filled with info and arguments about slavery. He talks a lot about “reparations,” a lesson passed along from his father, who is also black. (I mention that because his mother is white, which adds another facet to Law’s character; his personal dilemma of not belonging to either race.)
At first the reader may be lost, because switching between Katie’s point of view to Law’s is quite a change, but it quickly sorts out, which shows the skill of the author. Each character has a very distinct personality, and since the book is written in present tense, the reader will feel as if he/she is experiencing it right along with the character. There is mystery, too, especially when Law’s knowledge and Katie’s ability combine to reveal a HIDDEN TREASURE! This treasure isn’t exactly gold and jewels (though there is some of that), but it IS within a house that many people want to tear down, destroying the mystery within. And since when do adults listen to teenagers?
For those of you who like romance, this book has that, too.
The romance here is very real. There is confusion, there is angst, and there is conflict. Nothing is simple, and Smith doesn’t try to make it that way. What else are you going to get when a black boy likes a white girl who everyone thinks is crazy? And disapproving parents makes it much worse. (Yes, his father is very hypocritical at first.)
Unfortunately, I was forced to put the book down several times due to school and lack of time, but if I had had the opportunity I would have read it all in one go – it’s that good. I definitely recommend this book to everyone ages 13 and up (some of the ghosts are rather… disturbing).
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YES, a first-time reviewer (whoo, Amethyst!) and a great review too. I know we are going to be seeing many more reviews from Amethyst ^___^ so I can't wait! You, too, can review for this blog. Send us your reviews via e-mail or drop them off at the library today and next thing you know, they'll be up here on the blog.
Amethyst reviewed a book that wasn't yet added to the library's collection to let us know if she thought it was worth adding to the shelves. Do YOU think you could give your opinion on if the library/other people should buy or add books? If so, you can ask at youth services or send us an e-mail for more information on how you can get a chance to be a pre-reviewer for certain titles! (and yes, we're definitely adding this title, so keep your eyes on the shelves for your chance to check it out!)
This story is very intriguing. From the very first line the reader starts to get sucked in, “The man is hanging from the stairs again, which means it’s going to be another bad day.” And the vivid detail does not stop there. Smith does not hold back in her descriptions, both bad and good.
Smith also does an awesome job at a history lesson. This may seem weird when describing a book, but it’s true. Nerdy Law is a black boy, and his chapters are filled with info and arguments about slavery. He talks a lot about “reparations,” a lesson passed along from his father, who is also black. (I mention that because his mother is white, which adds another facet to Law’s character; his personal dilemma of not belonging to either race.)
At first the reader may be lost, because switching between Katie’s point of view to Law’s is quite a change, but it quickly sorts out, which shows the skill of the author. Each character has a very distinct personality, and since the book is written in present tense, the reader will feel as if he/she is experiencing it right along with the character. There is mystery, too, especially when Law’s knowledge and Katie’s ability combine to reveal a HIDDEN TREASURE! This treasure isn’t exactly gold and jewels (though there is some of that), but it IS within a house that many people want to tear down, destroying the mystery within. And since when do adults listen to teenagers?
For those of you who like romance, this book has that, too.
The romance here is very real. There is confusion, there is angst, and there is conflict. Nothing is simple, and Smith doesn’t try to make it that way. What else are you going to get when a black boy likes a white girl who everyone thinks is crazy? And disapproving parents makes it much worse. (Yes, his father is very hypocritical at first.)
Unfortunately, I was forced to put the book down several times due to school and lack of time, but if I had had the opportunity I would have read it all in one go – it’s that good. I definitely recommend this book to everyone ages 13 and up (some of the ghosts are rather… disturbing).
--
YES, a first-time reviewer (whoo, Amethyst!) and a great review too. I know we are going to be seeing many more reviews from Amethyst ^___^ so I can't wait! You, too, can review for this blog. Send us your reviews via e-mail or drop them off at the library today and next thing you know, they'll be up here on the blog.
Amethyst reviewed a book that wasn't yet added to the library's collection to let us know if she thought it was worth adding to the shelves. Do YOU think you could give your opinion on if the library/other people should buy or add books? If so, you can ask at youth services or send us an e-mail for more information on how you can get a chance to be a pre-reviewer for certain titles! (and yes, we're definitely adding this title, so keep your eyes on the shelves for your chance to check it out!)
For the Win by Cory Doctorow (reviewed by Bear Schacht)
For The Win is an extremely powerful and moving story about the capacity that the younger generation has to change the world.
The world in this book is not much different from our own, the biggest difference is the games. These video games are so big and so popular that they contain several of the worlds largest economies.
They are virtual economies, but that doesn't make them any less real.
you can but stocks in items like you can in companies, and if you are good at it you can sell game things for real money (it is kind of interesting, there bits of economics lessons sprinkled throughout the book. Don't worry though, they are very interesting). There are black markets where you can buy everything from pre-leveled characters to gold to items.
I won't try to give a summary of the plot, that would take too long, but the story is basically about a group of young people who use their talent with the games to fight the government that is oppressing them.
It is a story about courage and sacrifice and standing up for what is right. You won't want to put it down.
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YES, this book itself is totally FOR! THE! WIN! Thanks, Bear! Click here to check our catalog to see if For the Win is on our shelves.
Bear reviewed an ADVANCE READER'S copy of this book through a give-away at Cory Doctorow's website. (it is my shame-face fault that this has not been posted before. Boo, me!) Do you want to know about cool give-aways (and so much more?) like this? All you have to do is get on the library's teen e-mail list, so you'll gets to hear about all the latest news, promotions, programs, and events first. You get a chance to participate in give-aways like this and are reminded to write reviews for the blog! ^____^ Want to be on the list? Send us an e-mail at ysweb @ lacnm dot us to get added!
The world in this book is not much different from our own, the biggest difference is the games. These video games are so big and so popular that they contain several of the worlds largest economies.
They are virtual economies, but that doesn't make them any less real.
you can but stocks in items like you can in companies, and if you are good at it you can sell game things for real money (it is kind of interesting, there bits of economics lessons sprinkled throughout the book. Don't worry though, they are very interesting). There are black markets where you can buy everything from pre-leveled characters to gold to items.
I won't try to give a summary of the plot, that would take too long, but the story is basically about a group of young people who use their talent with the games to fight the government that is oppressing them.
It is a story about courage and sacrifice and standing up for what is right. You won't want to put it down.
--
YES, this book itself is totally FOR! THE! WIN! Thanks, Bear! Click here to check our catalog to see if For the Win is on our shelves.
Bear reviewed an ADVANCE READER'S copy of this book through a give-away at Cory Doctorow's website. (it is my shame-face fault that this has not been posted before. Boo, me!) Do you want to know about cool give-aways (and so much more?) like this? All you have to do is get on the library's teen e-mail list, so you'll gets to hear about all the latest news, promotions, programs, and events first. You get a chance to participate in give-aways like this and are reminded to write reviews for the blog! ^____^ Want to be on the list? Send us an e-mail at ysweb @ lacnm dot us to get added!
Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix (reviewed by Kristi Davis)
I liked this book because the main character Cecilia is very brave. She goes out on a journey to reclaim her position as the true princess. Some of the things in the book confused me, like the other girks who think they are the true princess and the story Cecilia believes. But Cecilia braves a music competition and taunting on her journey. She still carries on when she finds out some awful truths about the advisors and knights. Harper, (her best friend) Ella, (the queen of the land they are fighting) and Desmia (the girl who has been on the throne) help her find the truth of herself and her whole kingdom.
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Thanks for the review, Kristi. I LOVE this book and all of Margaret Peterson Haddix's books. She writes so many different types of books SO well!
Click here to check our catalog to see if Palace of Mirrors is on our shelves.
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Thanks for the review, Kristi. I LOVE this book and all of Margaret Peterson Haddix's books. She writes so many different types of books SO well!
Click here to check our catalog to see if Palace of Mirrors is on our shelves.
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