Review: 'Stravaganza: City of Swords' by Mary Hoffman

Title: Stravaganza: City of Swords 
Author: Mary Hoffman 
Genre: YA, Juvi, fantasy, coming of age, friendship, 6th in series 
Star Rating: 3/5 stars 

 Borrowed from Goodreads, "Desperately unhappy, Laura has resorted to secretly self-harming. But Laura is a Stravagante, somebody who can travel in time and space. When she finds her talisman, a small silver dagger, she stravagates with it to sixteenth-century Fortezza, a town similar to Lucca in Italy, where she meets her Stravagante, who is a swordsmith. But Laura also meets the charming and attractive Ludo, and falls for him. Their love for each other is tested when Ludo lays claim to the crown of Fortezza, and Laura finds herself fighting on the side of the Stravaganti opposing him." 

'City of Swords', what to say... Let me start with this: I really do love the Stravaganza series as a whole. Everything from the characters to the settings to the overall concept-- I love it. 'City of Swords' is the sixth and final book in this under appreciated series by Mary Hoffman. I'll miss jumping into Talia with the Stravaganti for many reasons, most of all because every time I opened a Stravaganza book, it felt like I was back in Italy!

On to 'City of Swords'... Is it my favorite of the series? No. Is it as engaging and entertaining as other Stravaganza books? No. Is it a good read for those who have read the books before it? Yes. Is it a fitting close to a fantastic series? Minus a few loose ends, I think so. The writing style used in '...Swords' seemed different to me than the books before it.

The downsides of the novel? The majority of the story was spent in the real world, rather than Talia. Also, we learned what was going on through long paragraphs of explanation, as opposed to seeing the action or learning it through dialogue. I didn't find Laura's character to be as fleshed out as the rest and her story, strangely enough, didn't hold as much as importance as I would have expected. The romance was between Laura and a certain someone was a nice addition to the story, but we, as readers, didn't get to see it develop enough to care as much as we should about it, I think.

Besides those concerns (that mostly had to do with Laura's plotline), I loved the interaction between the past stravaganti and loved, loved, loved everything that had to do with Luciano! His parts made me smile! Do I wish this had been a more solid read? Of course. However, I'm glad I've taken these trips to Talia, seeing such wonderful places and meeting fun, interesting characters. While the future of the series is uncertain at the moment, one thing is for sure; I'll truly miss following new Stavaganti into the beautiful cities of Talia.

Review: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Title: Keeper of the Lost Cities
Author: Shannon Messenger
Genre: Juvi, fantasy, coming of age, first in series
Star Rating: 5/5 stars

'Fablehaven' by Brandon Mull. 'The Emerald Atlas' by John Stephens. 'Vampirates' by Justin Somper. 'Harry Potter' by JK Rowling. 'Knightley Academy' by Violet Haberdasher. These are all great juvi (middle grade) titles that entertain kids 8 to 108. After sailing through this amazing read, I must add 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' to that list!

'Keeper of the Lost Cities' by Shannon Messenger is a fantastic book. You don't want to miss out on the pure enjoyment found in this debut novel.  'Keeper of the Lost Cities' follows Sophie, a 12 year old girl with incredible smarts and the ability to hear peoples thoughts. She's a bit of an outsider, being a 12 year old high school senior and never really feeling like she fit in completely with her family, either. Until, that is, she meets a mysterious boy who tells her that she is far more than an ordinary human.

I won't lie-- I loved reading 'Keeper of the Lost Cities'. It was the most enjoyable read I've had in a long time. Everything from beginning to end was perfect. 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' literally had a little of everything-- awesome characters, a well paced plot, inklings of future romance, a very cool world and an addicting writing style.

The plot's pacing was perfect. I've found since starting this blog that one of my biggest pet peeves is when the plot is uneven (fast here, slow here, etc), but 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' was perfectly paced.

Another great thing about pacing? There is a complete story told in 'Keeper of the Lost Cities', even though it is the first of three novels. While there are still unanswered questions and there is clearly something happening in Sophie's new world we don't know about, there are other ideas and themes that do come full circle within the 500 pages of this debut novel.

The characters? Love them. Sophie was a 12 year old lead with a voice that was completely readable to readers of all ages. The secondary characters are equally as fantatic as Sophie. Fitz and Keefe, two of the three guys who may or may not find love in future volumes, made my favorite characters list almost instantly after they were introduced. And the good doctor (whose name I am forgetting at the moment)? I found myself looking forward to Sophie getting hurt just so we could have some of that quick witted dialogue between her and him. He might just be one of my favorite adult characters in a juvi novel!

I have no complaints about 'Keeper of the Lost Cities'. It deserves high honors.  I guarantee you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love, and you'll have a blast while reading.  It's a fantastic read!

'Keeper of the Lost Cities' gets five stars from me (surprise, surprise!).  If you like contemporary fantasy tales with heartfelt characters and great plots, you need to add 'Keeper of the Lost Cities' to your 'to read' list. You won't regret it!

Review: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

Title: Angel Eyes
Author: Shannon Dittemore
Genre: YA, Supernatural, Romance, Coming of Age, Religious undertones
Star Rating: 2/5

Taken from Goodreads, "Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake. Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption. 


Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start. A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive."

'Angel Eyes' by Shannon Dittemore is a supernatural, angel themed YA read with religious undertones.  While I didn't love this novel, there were some aspects I really did enjoy.  Jumping right to the point, I liked that Brielle wasn't your typical heroine.  Normally, our female leads are in a 'fish out of water' position.  In this case, Brielle was coming back from her 'fish out of water' experience.  She had lived and grown before the novel even started.  We are introduced to her when she's at a bit of a low point in her life, coming back from this big, life changing event.  I loved that.

Brielle, as a character, was a solid main character.  Her reactions and thoughts seemed natural and she was a pretty relatable character.  The other characters were also engaging.  Jake, the love interest, seemed to have more of a role in the story than most male leads in past angel themed novels.

The reason I didn't rate this novel higher mostly falls on pacing. The beginning and end were fine, but the middle dragged a bit.  I had to push through it, because I didn't want to give up on 'Angel Eyes' when I liked the characters and the overall storyline.  That being said, it took some skimming through the middle bits to get back to a point where I felt I should read word for word, page by page.

This novel isn't for everyone.  If you don't like books with slight religious undertones, 'Angel Eyes' might not be your cup of tea.  However, the characters and the overall storyline are worth giving this a looksie otherwise!  'Angel Eyes' gets 2 out of 5 stars and is available wherever books are sold.

Review: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Title: Wonderstruck
Author: Brian Selznick
Genre: Juvi, Graphic Novel, Contemporary
Format: ARC
Star Rating: 5/5 stars

Taken from 'goodreads', "Set fifty years apart, two independent stories—Ben's told in words and Rose's in pictures—weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

Ever since his mom died, Ben feels lost.
At home with her father, Rose feels alone.

He is searching for someone, but he is not sure who.
She is searching for something, but she is not sure what.

When Ben finds a mysterious clue hidden in his mom's room,
When a tempting opportunity presents itself to Rose

Both children risk everything to find what's missing.

With over 460 pages of original drawings and playing with the form he invented in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey."


What a fantastic read! Right off the bat, let me tell you that I've given this title 5 out of 5 stars. Having never read 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret', I wasn't sure what to expect with this Brian Sleznick book. The hefty 600 pages intimidated me a bit, too. 


All I can say is thank goodness I decided to pick up 'Wonderstruck'. It's very, very good. Part graphic novel, part narrative, 'Wonderstruck' is actually two stories set in very different times that somehow come together to create a perfect story.


The art is beautifully done and it's amazing how well Rose's story comes across in pictures alone. In the same respect, the narrative is just as well done. This is truly a great story that is hard to put down. While the page count is staggering, I completed this book in about an hour.


There's not much more I can say, but this book about friendship, adversity, and loving connections is a winner and is something that should be on everyone's 'to read' list. 'Wonderstruck' hits store shelves September 2011.

Review: Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Title: Steel
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Genre: YA, Juvi, fantasy, action, adventure, coming of age with a twinge of romance
Perfect for: both younger and older readers who are in need of a welcome stand-alone novel
Star Rating: 4/5 stars

Taken from 'Goodreads', "Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure.

The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home—one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain."


'Steel' is a little under rated. Stand-alone's are so rare now a days that 'Steel' was a bit of fresh air! It is hard to classify 'Steel'. On one hand, it was great fun reading it, but on the other, I don't feel that I'll need to read it again. The best way to describe this novel? Beach reading! At 304 pages, it's a quick read, perfect for when you need a read that will kill time on a lazy day. Even better, as a stand-alone, you won't find it ending in the middle of any angsty action sequence, but on a very complete note that will leave you (or at least it left me) feeling satisfied!


'Steel's pirate storyline was surprisingly easy to jump into and this is coming from a girl whose only history with pirate novels is 'Vampirates'. Don't expect this to read like a dark dystopian or angsty supernatural read because it won't. 'Steel' definitely falls into the 'light/action/adventure/coming of age' category. The romance is that of young love and is present, but the heart of the story comes from the coming of age elements.  Because of that, this read is suitable for both young and old YA readers.


Why should you read 'Steel'? All in all, Vaughn has crafted an easy to read, entertaining story. I love the sword play elements, as well as the characters. 'Steel' is something you'll want to check out at your local library.  'Steel' gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Genre: YA, Romance, Coming of Age
Perfect for: those in the mood for a cute romance
Star Rating: 4/5 Stars

Taken from Goodreads, "Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?"


If there was one book that I picked up because of the buzz on blogs, 'Anna and the French Kiss' would be that book. If I passed this book in the bookstore, which I did many times due to work, I would probably take a peek at the back, give it a read, and then put it back because I don't do strict YA romance's. I usually prefer my romance with a dash of supernatural/sci-fi/dystopian mixed in. So, as you can imagine, 'Anna and the French Kiss' was quite a departure from my usual reads!


I enjoyed 'Anna and the French Kiss'. It was a quick, addictive read with good characters, a fun setting, and a realistic, well thought out plot. One of my favorite things about 'Anna and the French Kiss' was author Stephanie Perkins writing style. Main character Anna's voice was entertaining and often times, quite humorous. Having been in a foreign environment before with no family or friends to turn to, I could relate to Anna. Her 'culture shock' read as realistic to me. She wasn't annoy, clingy, or too mary jane of a main character, which are often the traits that come to my head when I think of strict ya romances and their characters.


I loved the location of this novel. Honesty alert: I've never had much of an inkling to go to France before. England, Italy, Wales, of course, but not so much France. Reading this book peaked my interested in the country and made me a twinge more interested in visiting one day.


St. Claire was darling. Yes, I fell for him, too. With the English accent, quick witted personality, and just awesome vibe he encompassed, he turned out to be a great male lead. The story of him and Anna was told sweetly, realistically, and really, really well. The romance wasn't over the top or bloated. It was just right.


This book gets 4 out of 5 stars from me. I loved reading it, but had to deduct a point.  Looking back at it, it's not a book I need to buy or re-read. It was a good one off romance that had heart and likable characters. Even if you don't like strict YA romance, give this a shot. I think you'll like it.

Review: Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin

Title: Kristy's Great Idea
Author: Ann M. Martin
Release Date: April 2010
Genre: pre-teen, juvi, friendship, self esteem, coming of age
Perfect for: kids 8 and up who like more 'school' or 'general life' titles and less fantasy/sci-fi themes

Set after 'The Summer Before', 'Kristy's Great Idea' follows pre-teens Kristy (tom boy), Claudia (artist), Mary Anne (quiet and studious), and Stacey (fashion/boy expert) as they decide to start a club based around baby-sitting-- The Baby-Sitters Club.

Short description for this title, as I think that one sentence pretty much says all you need to know about the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club series.  Edited for todays generation, 'Kristy's Great Idea' should have no trouble catching the interest of pre-teen girls, as well as those us who just want to 'catch up' with the gang after years of being out of print!

Since the boom of fantasy and sci-fi titles in juvi fiction, it's been hard for me to really find titles for the younger set that have a good story and lots of heart.  'Kristy's Great Idea' has both of those qualities and more.  'Kristy's Great Idea' is a quick read with interesting characters and a great premise.  Girls will find it easy to relate to any one of the four main characters featured in this novel as they are all unique and likable.  The story is equally great as it has a definite girl power theme to it.  Also, in this day and age where most kids get huge allowances (or on the opposite end, no allowance at all), 'Kristy's Great Idea' might just inspire kids to work on something like this in real life.

As mentioned above, this is officially the first book in the Baby-Sitters Club series, not to be confused with the recently released prequel, 'The Summer Before'.  There are pro's and cons to reading one before the other.  'The Summer Before' gives you a nice introduction to the characters, but 'Kristy's Great Idea' has a bit more action.

'Kristy's Great Idea' is a great book for any pre-teen girl interested in a more 'real life' storyline.  Even though it was originally published in the late 80's, it reads (thanks to small edits) like it was written for todays audience.  Highly recommended for those looking for a good girl power, coming of age series!

Review: The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin

Title: The Summer Before- A BSC Prequel
Author: Ann M. Martin
Release: April 1st, 2010
Genre: Juvi, pre-teen, friendship, coming of age
Perfect for: 8 and up, kids looking for fun, friendship reads, and those twenty somethings who loved the series as kids

It's the summer before 7th grade and Kristy, Claudia, and Mary Anne are psyched.  Set before 'Kristy's Great Idea', 'The Summer Before' shows us the trio transitioning into teens, or at least pre-teens.  Kristy is dealing with her moms growing attachment to boyfriend Watson, Claudia feels she is 'growing out' of her friends, and Mary Anne is trying to break out of her shell while dealing with an over protective father.  Meanwhile, Stacey is getting ready for a big move from New York City to Suburban Stoneybrook, CT after recently being diagnosed with Diabetes.

It was fun revisiting the Baby-Sitters Club (BSC) gang-- at least the four featured in this book.  It's been years since I've read this Ann M. Martin series but I am pleased to say it read (felt) like revisiting an old friend.  The style and rhythm felt natural and the story was quick and entertaining.  It's a short, light story, so those who want to read it out of nostalgia should have no problem.

Off all four story lines, Stacey's was the most interesting to me.  I don't remember the original series going much into the reason for her move other than a quick sentence or two (though it's been a while-- I could be wrong). In pure BSC fashion, the message that you shouldn't be scared of friends with health issues came across very clear due to Stacey's story.

While I would have preferred a sequel, a prequel makes more sense when it comes to re-branding this story for this generation.  'The Summer Before' gives us a good look at how the members of the (soon to be formed) BSC stay friends, even though they are all maturing in different ways.  'The Summer Before' is available now online or at your local bookstore!