Book Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Review by MaryAnne (guest teen blogger)

Fantastic!  I cannot even begin to describe this book.  Seraphina is an original take on the relationship between humans and dragons.  Seraphina, a sixteen-year-old girl, gets swept up into a political disaster that could tear the kingdom of Goredd apart.  Prince Rufus, Queen Lavonda's only son, is murdered, and the only plausible suspect is a dragon.  For the past forty years, dragons have taken human shape to keep peace.  With the help of Prince Lucian Kiggs and an interesting cast of characters, Seraphina investigates a potentially disastrous event.

From beginning to end, this book does not disappoint.  I could barely even put it down!  Seraphina is one of the best female heroines you'll ever come across.  She is real and develops as a person should.  The underlying plot of the book is self-acceptance, which I think adds something we can all relate to.  Serpahina is a strong female character who isn't close to perfect.  She is human and makes mistakes like the rest of us.  She learns from them and doesn't back down--the sign of true strength.  She is modest of her musical ability, and even shy.  Seraphina must deal with a dark lineage and a secret that could turn her world upside down.  When I was reading, I felt that her dialogue was real, as was every other character's.  Their personalities could make you love or hate them when hey wanted to.  Rachel Hartman brings such a solid plot filled with action, the hint of romance, and well-rounded characters.  I haven't read a book about dragons and humans as good as this in a long while.

Book Review: The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Book Review: The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement -Moore 
Review by MaryAnne (Teen Guest Blogger)

Slyvie Davis is a ballerina who can't dance.  A broken leg ended her career- but Slyvie's pain runs deeper.  What broke her heart was her father's death, and what's breaking her spirit is her mother's remarriage.  Uprooting her from their Manhattan apartment and shipping her off to Alabama is her mother's solution for Slyvie's unhappiness.  Her father's cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family's history.  As it turns out, the Davies have a richer history than Slyvie ever imagined.  More unnerving, though, are the two guys she can't stop thinking about.  Shaun Maddox, the resident golden boy, and Rhys, a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin.  Then Slyvie starts seeing things.  A girl by the lake, a man peering from the window, and a graveyard with an oddly placed headstone.
Like every other book I read, there are things I liked and didn't like about the book.  Slyvie's attitude at first, made me like and dislike her.  She wasn't the typical city girl, but her whining made it difficult to stand her at times.  She's sarcastic, witty, and doesn't mind the hard work.  Several characters seem to undermine Slyvie and her intelligence, which made me angry, but pleased when Slyvie fought back.  The book is well written, told from Slyvie's point of view. While It could have done without the constant interactions with Slyvie's dog Gigi, the story of magic and ghosts kept my interests peaked.

Book Review: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer 
Review by Maddie (Guest Teen Blogger)

In his debut novel, Foer writes with a freedom that most authors forget they have.  The dynamic tempo and constant change in point of view create potential for confusion if the reader doesn't pay attention.  But its vivaciousness and vibrance of emotion make it the best book I have read in years.
Foer's unconventional style sprouts in his first novel as he frankly confronts prejudice, cliches, and love.  He expresses himself via full paragraphs of capitalization, pages of the same phrase repeated over and over, and by his refusal to blindly follow the rules of conventional grammar.  Foer's hip outlook on writing assaults the reader at every angle, making it impossible to ignore his talent.
In Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer creates an unflinching plot that hits readers, like myself, who are unaccustomed to such profound writing.  Foer weaves together 3 stories: letters between a Ukrainian and American friendship, how the American came to visit the Ukrainian, and how the American became an American. But even thought this is only what is being told, in this novel so much is being said.

Book Review: Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

REVIEW BY MARYANNE (Guest Teen Blogger)

A "social outcast," Alexis, begins to experience strange occurrences with her thirteen-year-old sister, Kasey.  Kasey has always had a love for dolls, while Alexis has become and amateur photographer.  However, Kasey's love has become obsessive, and with Kasey's sudden "black outs," boiling water on the unlit stove, and out of wack air conditioning units, things are becoming borderline creepy within their home.

When this book was dropped into my lap, I was unsure about what I'd find.  The gorgeous cover drew me in, and I began reading it whenever I had time.  This book never left my hands if I could help it.  Alexis, witty and sarcastic, had me so in tuned to the story.  When the book came to a funny part, I giggled.  When it became intense, I couldn't put it down.  I loved that the romance was subtle, which was refreshing.  The book never strays from the plot.  The only thing I didn't like about Bad Girls Don't Die are the cliche, stereotypical, "popular" types that always hate the main character or want on her to-be boyfriend.  Overall, I think I'd like books to fall in my lap more often.  This was definitely a pleasant surprise!

Introducing Madison!

Introducing our first guest blogger: Maddie

My name is Madison, lovely to meet you!  I am 16 years old, but I'll be 17 soon.  Obviously, I enjoy reading, but other than that, I love fashion, writing, and good-looking men!  I plan on majoring in creative writing in some college in New York City (my one and only love).  My favorite color is pink, favorite band is the Four Season, and my favorite word is "scuttle."  It might also be important to note that Alexander Skarsgard is my future husband.  I don't know how that will work out, but if all else fails, I plan on being a wildly free Kerouac-style vagabond!

(Maddie will be reviewing books for us from time-to-time in order to give our blog a teen's perspective on YA lit!)