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Category young adult

2009: #98 – Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins)

4 comments By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, fantasy, futuristic, young adult; Tagged with ; October 3rd, 2009

catchfire Book #98 was Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy.  The back of the book reads:

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.

This was a highly anticipated book, and it definitely did not disappoint. I actually pre-ordered this, something I haven’t done since Harry Potter #5. The story picks up almost a year after the Hunger Games ended, with Katniss and Peeta now living in the winner’s village and trying to recover some semblance of a normal life. Katniss still isn’t sure how to deal with Peeta and Gale and definitely isn’t sure how she truly feels about either of them. And worse of all, it will soon be time for another Games, and no one knows what the Capitol has planned for the Quarter Quell, the 75th anniversary of the games. Katniss knows she is still on the President’s naughty list, and there’s no way she can feel safe.

I refuse to post any spoilers, but I assure you that it’s not what you expect. This book is a lot more political, as we learn more about the districts and how life truly is throughout Panem.  There’s not quite as much suspense or heavy violence here as in The Hunger Games, but the ending will leave you breathless and dying for the next book. 

Other reviews:

CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins – REVIEW « Karin’s Book Nook
Devourer of Books » Catching Fire – *spoiler free* Book Review
Wands and Worlds: Book Review: Catching Fire
Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Persnickety Snark: Review – Catching Fire / Suzanne Collins

Page count: 400 | Approximate word count: 80,000

2008: Any Given Doomsday (Lori Handeland)
2007: A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)
2006: A Dangerous Fortune (Ken Follett)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 2nds Challenge; Read Your Own Books Challenge; Countdown Challenge 2010;

2009: #59 – The Secret Life of Prince Charming (Deb Caletti)

2 comments By Jaime Filed in coming of age, featured reviews, young adult; Tagged with ; June 4th, 2009

princecharming Book #59 was The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti.  The back of the book read:

Maybe it was wrong, or maybe impossible, but I wanted the truth to be one thing. One solid thing.

Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts broken. Between her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother, Quinn hears nothing but cautionary tales. She tries to be an optimist — after all, she’s the dependable one, the girl who never makes foolish choices. But when she is abruptly and unceremoniously dumped, Quinn starts to think maybe there really are no good men.

It doesn’t help that she’s gingerly handling a renewed relationship with her formerly absent father. He’s a little bit of a lot of things: charming, selfish, eccentric, lazy…but he’s her dad, and Quinn’s just happy to have him around again. Until she realizes how horribly he’s treated the many women in his life, how he’s stolen more than just their hearts. Determined to, for once, take action in her life, Quinn joins forces with the half sister she’s never met and the little sister she’ll do anything to protect. Together, they set out to right her father’s wrongs…and in doing so, begin to uncover what they’re really looking for: the truth.

Once again, Deb Caletti has created a motley crew of lovably flawed characters who bond over the shared experiences of fear, love, pain, and joy — in other words, real life.

In many ways, The Secret Life of Prince Charming is a book every young girl should read, before we fall in love (or "love") for the first time.  There’s actually a lot of good advice in this book about character traits that maybe one should be wary of when choosing a mate – and really, they’re not traits that are exclusive to men. And along the way, there’s a sweet story about a teenaged girl who’s trying to figure out her (mostly absent) dad, and maybe finds a little love of her own along the way.  I enjoyed the story, especially Quinn’s and Sprout’s reunion with the half-sister they’ve never had the chance to know, Frances Lee. What I didn’t enjoy was the way little vignettes (I suppose is a good way to describe them) from the older women in the story would show up randomly in the middle of a chapter.  They really interrupted the narrative without adding anything to what was currently happening. I feel they would have been much better placed at the beginning of chapters or in-between them.  But overall, I enjoyed this read.

Page count: 336 | Approximate word count: 67,200

2008: Driving Force (Dick Francis)
2007: Strange Candy (Laurell K. Hamilton)
2006: The Forgotten (Faye Kellerman)
2005: Eleven on Top (Janet Evanovich)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 2009 Pub Challenge;

2009: #51 – The BFG (Roald Dahl)

3 comments By Jaime Filed in audio, featured reviews, young adult; Tagged with ; May 18th, 2009

bfg Book #51 was The BFG by Roald Dahl.  The back of the book reads:

The BFG is one of Dahl’s most loveable character creations. Whether galloping off with Sophie nestled into the soft skin of his ear to capture dreams as though they were exotic butterflies; speaking his delightful, jumbled, squib-fangled patois; or whizzpopping for the Queen, he leaves an indelible impression of bigheartedness.

I liked this quite a bit more than Matilda, maybe because it is obviously fanciful from the start.  It’s hard to fault its “nice guys win” message. I loved the language in this… the whimsy instantly brings Dr. Seuss to mind.  In fact, I may have to add “whizzpopper” to my own vocabulary (what a fun word to introduce to my niece and nephew!).

As a side note, this audio book was narrated by the tragically departed Natasha Richardson, and she did a wonderful job.

Audiobook length: 3 hrs 55 min | Word count: 36,323

2008: Heartbreaker (Julie Garwood)
2007: Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Jeff Lindsay)
2006: The Carnivorous Carnival (Lemony Snicket)
2005: Three to Get Deadly (Janet Evanovich)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; The 999 Challenge; Daring Book Challenge: Tract 4;

2009: #36 – Matilda (Roald Dahl)

4 comments By Jaime Filed in audio, featured reviews, young adult; Tagged with ; April 3rd, 2009

matilda Book #36 was Matilda by Roald Dahl.  The back of the book reads:

Poor, misunderstood Matilda fights back against an unappreciative world through a hidden talent: Matilda is the world’s greatest practical joker! Little effort is needed to put one over on her obnoxious parents, but can shy little Matilda handle the formidable headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and win the respect of every kid in school? Yes!

I missed this book the first time around because I was 10 when it was published and I was a bit precocious and never one to read at my grade level. I wish I hadn’t missed it! I’m a big Lemony Snicket fan, and it’s easy to see that he’s been influenced by Dahl. This is a little dark and violent, but quite enjoyable.  Unfortunately, I enjoyed it more *before* Matilda develops her magical powers, when she was just a really smart child – though Miss Honey’s explanation at the end mitigates some of that. I’m looking forward to reading some more of Dahl’s works.

Audiobook length: 4hrs 3min | Word count: 39,919

2008: The Unlikely Spy (Daniel Silva)
2007: Trouble in High Heels (Christina Dodd)
2006: The Mummy Case (Elizabeth Peters)
2005: North and South (John Jakes)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; The 999 Challenge; A-Z 2009 Challenge; Daring Book Challenge: Tract 2; Daring Book Challenge: Tract 4

2009: #35 – The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

8 comments By Jaime Filed in audio, featured reviews, futuristic, young adult; Tagged with ; March 27th, 2009

hungergames Book #35 was The Hunger Games, the first book in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy.  The back of the book reads:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival.

There is so much in this book to make you say “Wow”. Sure, there’s a lot here that’s been done before… a post-apocalyptic world where the people are oppressed and forced to take part in some winner-takes-all contest to the death is nothing new, but here it is done so well. Katniss is everything you would expect from a girl that’s had to take care of herself and her family most of her life.  She’s simple, straight to the point, does what needs to be done however she has to, and yes, a little cold. But she’s also stunted.  She’s so busy being a grown-up that she’s never had time to be a teenage girl, and her people skills are certainly lacking.  When she throws herself into the Games in order to save her much younger sister, she’s forced to come to terms with her weaknesses.

The Games themselves are a horrifying construction.  24 children (yes, children — they’re all 18 or younger) are forced into an arena of unknown makeup (will it be a forest? a desert? a frozen wasteland? will there be water? wildlife? edible plants?) and are left there to kill or be killed until there is one victor. As if that alone isn’t enough, the games makers are there to shake things up and encourage battle, and the entire thing is televised, 24 hours a day.  Katniss’s fight for survival is not only a physical one, but an emotional one, as she struggles with her feelings for fellow tribute, Peeta.

Since there is a second book (and supposedly a third), I’m going to assume that you realize that Katniss makes it through this alive.  However, all is not necessarily well, and the way the book ends makes you wish there was just one more chapter. The abruptness of the ending has upset some people, but I think it’s appropriate.  It leaves you wondering and a little bit confused, much like Katniss is herself.  Because remember, despite what she’s done and what she’s been through, she’s still just a 16 year old girl.

As a side note, if you’re considering this for your young adult reader, there’s no sex or bad language here, but there is a *lot* of violence, some of it quite gruesome.

Can’t wait for book 2.

Audiobook length: 11hrs 10min | Approximate word count: 76,800

2008: A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini)
2007: Iceberg (Clive Cussler)
2006: Seeing a Large Cat (Elizabeth Peters)
2005: A Secret Splendor (Sandra Brown)

Used in these Challenges: The Genre Challenge; 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 1st in a Series Challenge; The 999 Challenge; A-Z 2009 Challenge;

2009: #27 – Vampire Academy (Richelle Mead)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in audio, featured reviews, paranormal, vampires, young adult; Tagged with ; March 12th, 2009

vampireacademy Book #27 was Vampire Academy, the first book in Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series.  The back of the book reads:

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to! The action starts right from the beginning, as Rose and Lissa are captured and brought back to St. Vladimir’s, the school they’ve run away from.  The vampire myth here has been twisted around, with there being more than one “flavor”;  the Strigoi are probably closest to the traditional vampire. I liked the changes and the extra hierarchy it brought to the vampire society. This is a YA book, so there are a lot of teen-related issues — bullies, gossip, depression, dating, etc — and a fair amount of angst, but I thought it was all done rather well. And I had absolutely no clue who the bad guy was going to be before it was revealed. All in all, I will definitely continue this series.

Audiobook length: 8hrs 55min | Approximate word count: 67,200

2008: Ice Trap (Kitty Sewell)
2007: The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
2006: Betrayal in Death (J.D. Robb)
2005: Open Season (Linda Howard)

Used in these Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 1st in a Series Challenge; 2009 Audiobook Challenge; The 999 Challenge; A-Z Challenge 2009

2009: #5 – Five on a Treasure Island (Enid Blyton)

1 comment By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, audio, featured reviews, young adult; Tagged with ; January 15th, 2009

fivetreasureisland Book #5 was Five on a Treasure Island, the first book in Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series.  The back of the book reads:

The very first “Famous Five” adventure, featuring Julian, Dick, Anne, not forgetting tomboy George and her beloved dog, Timmy! There’s a shipwreck off Kirrin Island! But where is the treasure? The Famous Five are on the trail – looking for clues – but they’re not alone! Someone else has got the same idea. Time is running out for the Famous Five, who will follow the clues and get to the treasure first?

This is a YA/children’s series I’ll be working on for the Daring Book Challenge. It’s the first I’ve heard of this series, and I wish I’d known about it as a child.  I quite enjoyed it! In this first book, you are introduced to siblings Julian, Dick, and Anne, their cousin George (the ultimate tomboy), and her dog Timmy.  I wasn’t expecting the fifth of the five to be a dog, but he turns out to be a pretty important part of the team.  I thought this was a great little adventure story with some twists I didn’t expect, and it holds up well nearly 70 years after it was written.  I’ll have no problem listening to/reading more of these.

Audiobook Length: 6hrs 30m| Approximate word count: 30,000

2008 – I Heard That Song Before (Mary Higgins Clark)
2007 – Up Island (Anne Rivers Siddons)
2006 – The Big Love (Sarah Dunn)
2005 – The Reptile Room (Lemony Snicket)

Used in these Challenges: The Genre Challenge; 100+ Reading Challenge 2009; 1st in a Series Challenge; 2009 Audiobook Challenge; The 999 Challenge; A-Z 2009 Challenge; Daring Book Challenge – Tract 4

2008: #97 – The Book of Three (Lloyd Alexander)

2 comments By Jaime Filed in audio, fantasy, featured reviews, young adult; ; November 17th, 2008

three Book #97 was The Book of Three, the first book in Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain.  The back of the book reads:

Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli—all of whom have become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander’s beautifully written tales not only captured children’s imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise.

I thought this was a great story that actually made me quite nostalgic.  One of the first computer games I played extensively was Sierra’s The Black Cauldron, which actually uses some of the events from this book as well as the later books in the series. Reading about Taran and Hen Wen was like reuniting with old friends.  This is your classic quest story with a struggle between good and evil and a fair amount of comic relief, between Fflewddur Fflam’s lie detecting harp and Eilonwy’s penchant for similies. It was a very pleasant read, and I look forward to more adventures of Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper.

Page count: 224 | Word count: 46,881

2007: Three Act Tragedy (Agatha Christie)
2006: The Kill Artist (Daniel Silva)

2008: #84 – From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (E.L. Konigsburg)

2 comments By Jaime Filed in young adult; Tagged with ; October 5th, 2008

files Book #84 was From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg.  The back of the book reads:

When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn’t just want to run from somewhere she wants to run to somewhere–to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother, Jamie, has money and thus can help her with the serious cash flow problem she invites him along.

Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie, find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at an auction for a bargain price of $250. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn’t it? Claudia is determined to find out. This quest leads Claudia to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.

I won’t be really reviewing these books I read for the Daring Book Challenge, because I feel funny reviewing books that are older than I am (this was published in 1967).  But I will share what I thought.  I thought this was a cute story, and I don’t know how I missed this one when I was young… it seems like it would have been just my style!  And, except for a few details (such as how much things cost and the fact that Claudia wears a petticoat), it doesn’t feel like it’s outdated.  I thought a couple of parts were particularly funny, like when Claudia and Jamie find an unopened candy bar on the ground, and Jamie wants to eat it. Claudia says “You better not touch it. It’s probably poisoned or filled with marijuana, so you’ll eat it and become either dead or a dope addict.”  How funny!

Page count: 162 | Word count: 32,640

2007: In This Mountain (Jan Karon)
2006: N is for Noose (Sue Grafton)

2008: #77 – New Moon (Stephenie Meyer)

3 comments By Jaime Filed in paranormal, vampires, young adult; Tagged with ; September 7th, 2008

23654621 Book #77 was New Moon, the second book in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.  The back of the book reads:

Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won’t be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The “star-crossed” lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy’s reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

I enjoyed this sequel to Twilight, maybe a little more than Twilight itself.  I find myself preferring Jacob to Edward, and feeling pretty bad for him by the end of this book.  And though I do like this series, I don’t particularly like Bella much — I find her quite selfish. I’m curious to see where the series goes.  Bella’s not a vampire yet, but she sure wants to be. Will she get her wish? Or will Edward get his way?

Page count: 608 | Word count: 129,910

2007: Evil Under the Sun (Agatha Christie)
2006: Indigo Slam (Robert Crais)

2008: #64 – A Living Nightmare (Darren Shan)

3 comments By Jaime Filed in horror, vampires, young adult; Tagged with ; July 21st, 2008

13959312 Book #64 was A Living Nightmare, the first book in the Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan.  The back of the book reads:

Darren Shan is just an ordinary schoolboy who enjoys hanging out with his three best friends. Then one day they stumble across as invitation to visit the Cirque du Freak, a mysterious freak show. Only two tickets are available, so they draw straws to see who will go. As if by destiny, Darren wins one, and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires. This is Darren’s story.

This is a YA story, so it’s not going to be the vampire horror story you expect.  There’s no vampire lust and limited blood here. Darren is a young boy who does young boy things… he plays soccer at lunch-time, he gets into trouble with his best friend, he covets a pet more than anything else… Until he has to make a more adult decision.  His life, or his friend’s?  I thought it was a good story (despite being a little heavy with exclamation points), and I’m going to read at least the next couple of books in the series to see where it goes.

Page count: 257 | Word count: 48,548

2007: The End (Lemony Snicket)
2006: Narcissus in Chains (Laurell K. Hamilton)
2005: Nora, Nora (Anne Rivers Siddons)

2008: #56 – How I Live Now (Meg Rosoff)

4 comments By Jaime Filed in coming of age, young adult; Tagged with ; June 26th, 2008

13963422 Book #56 was How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff.  The back of the book reads:

“Every war has turning points and every person too.”

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

A riveting and astonishing story.

This YA story of children left to fend for themselves after the outbreak of a war has a distinct post-apocalyptic feel to it. I think this is mostly due to the rural countryside setting, lack of adults, and the “faceless” enemy. You never find out what really happens here other than The Occupation, but that’s secondary to the story of Daisy and her cousins and their struggle to survive.

Daisy is the narrator here, and the writing style is true to the uncertain voice of a teenager — the slightly rambling, run-on sentences and narrow worldview are spot on. I liked Daisy, even though she starts out pretty selfish and more than slightly screwed-up. By the end of the story she is a completely different person, but the world is also a completely different place.

I think this story had the potential to be too much — too horrific, too gory, too heroic, too sad, too uncomfortable, too unbelievable. Instead, it was just right.

Page count: 194 | Word count: 40,739

2007: Basket Case (Carl Hiaasen)
2006: Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
2005: Hard Eight (Janet Evanovich)

2008: #26 – Twilight (Stephenie Meyer)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in paranormal, vampires, young adult; Tagged with ; March 16th, 2008

136973271.JPGBook #26 was Twilight, the first book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. The back of the book reads:

“I’D NEVER GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO HOW I WOULD DIE– I’d had reason enough in the last few months –but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. . . . Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of something else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.”

When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.

What Bella doesn’t realize is the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back. . . .

Deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight will have readers riveted right until the very last page is turned.

This was one of those great YA novels that’s tame enough to be appropriate for the YA audience but mature enough to appeal to adult readers. I really liked this and found it unique, even for a vampire story. After all, with all the vampire sagas and series out there, how many of the vampires can be out in the daytime? I believed in Bella’s maturity and in her love with Edward, because no one falls in love faster than a pair of teenagers (even if one is really over 100 years old). I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Page count: 498 | Word count: 115,362

2007: Full House (Janet Evanovich)
2006: Judgement in Death (J.D. Robb)
2005: The Sigma Protocol (Robert Ludlum)

2007: #79 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in fantasy, young adult; Tagged with ; July 23rd, 2007

Book #79 was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the 7th and final book in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The back of the book reads (in an extremely unrevealing way):

Released on July 21, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the most anticipated book of 2007, marks the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling’s magical Harry Potter series. In an announcement from the book’s publisher, Lisa Holton, president of Scholastic Children’s Books, said, “We join J.K. Rowling’s millions of readers–young and old, veterans and newcomers–in anticipating what lies ahead.”

An extremely fitting end to a wonderful series! No spoilers here, but I don’t think fans will be disappointed. Truthfully, the ending was more satisfying than I expected. More answers than I found at the end of the Unfortunate Events series. I’d like to kiss J.K. Rowling’s feet for what she’s done to interest children in reading.

I feel a little let down now that I’m done — but I always feel that way at the end of a series. I think I’ll have to read the last couple of chapters again!

Page count: 759 | Approximate word count: 195,822

2006 – The Mermaid Chair (Sue Monk Kidd)

2007: #64 – The End (Lemony Snicket)

0 comments By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, young adult; Tagged with ; June 17th, 2007

Book #64 was The End, the 13th and final book in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. The back of the book reads:

Dear Reader,

You are presumably looking at the back of this book, or the end of the end. The end of the end is the best place to begin the end, because if you read the end from the beginning of the beginning of the end to the end of the end of the end, you will arrive at the end of the end of your rope.

This book is the last in A Series of Unfortunate Events, and even if you braved the previous twelve volumes, you probably can’t stand such unpleasantries as a fearsome storm, a suspicious beverage, a herd of wild sheep, an enormous bird cage, and a truly haunting secret about the Baudelaire parents.

It has been my solemn occupation to complete the history of the Baudelaire orphans, and at last I am finished. You likely have some other occupation, so if I were you I would drop this book at once, so the end does not finish you.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

This was an interesting end to the series. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but I don’t think it would fit in with the rest of the series if everything was explained. While I can’t say it was a completely happy ending for the Baudelaires, I think they’ve reached a happy medium.

As a whole, I adored this series. It was intelligent and creative and unique and gloriously dark for something meant for 9-12 year olds. I can’t wait to some day read it to my children.

Page count: 335 | Approximate word count: 52,582

2006 – Narcissus in Chains (Laurell K. Hamilton)
2005 – Nora, Nora (Anne Rivers Siddons)

2006: #73 – The Penultimate Peril (Lemony Snicket)

By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, audio, young adult; Tagged with ; August 31st, 2006

peril.gifBook #73 was The Penultimate Peril, the 12th book in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. The back of the book reads:

Dear Reader,

If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next-to-last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the penultimate chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and the first thing you should know about this next-to-last book is that it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness.

Probably the next-to-last things you would like to read about are the first things you would encounter in this next-to-last book, including a harpoon gun, a rooftop sunbathing salon, two mysterious initials, three unidentified triplets, a notorious villain, an unsavory curry, and several people you might find distressingly familiar and familiarly distressing.

Next-to-last things are the first thing to be avoided, and so allow me to recommend that you put this next-to-last book down first, and find something else to read next at last, such as the next-to-last book in another chronicle, or a chronicle containing other next-to-last things, so that this next-to-last book does not become the next-to-last book you will read.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

I don’t think I’ve properly expressed how great I think these books are. They are books meant for 9 year old and up, and they use words like penultimate! Correctly! They are interesting, exciting, deliciously dark, and so so so intelligent. I’m a bit sad that there’s only one book left in the series, but I’m enjoying how everything is starting to wrap up.

Book count: 73
Pages in book: 368
Page count: 29,705
Words in book: 50,731
Word count: 8,654,359

1,000,000 words surpassed — 2/2/06
2,000,000 words surpassed — 2/14/06
10,000 pages surpassed — 3/10/06
3,000,000 words surpassed — 3/16/06
4,000,000 words surpassed — 4/3/06
5,000,000 words surpassed — 5/30/06
50 books surpassed – 6/12/06
20,000 pages surpassed — 6/29/06
6,000,000 words surpassed — 6/29/06
7,000,000 words surpassed — 7/21/06
8,000,000 words surpassed — 8/18/06

2006: #67 – The Grim Grotto (Lemony Snicket); #68 – Letters from an Age of Reason (Nora Hague); #69 – The Deep (Peter Benchley)

By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, audio, historical - 1800s, suspense, young adult; Tagged with , , ; August 25th, 2006

grotto.gifBook #67 was The Grim Grotto, book the eleventh in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. The back of the book reads:

Dear Reader,

Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater.

In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn’t want me to even mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing.

As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans’ lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

These books just keep getting better. The Baudelaire children are even getting love interests! There was even very near death in this one. The storyline is really starting to come together. I’m almost sad that there are only 2 books left.

Book count: 67
Pages in book: 323
Page count: 27,231
Words in book: 48,526
Word count: 7,910,789

reason.gifBook #68 was Letters from an Age of Reason, by Nora Hague. The back of the book reads:

n eloquent debut novel set amid two historical hotbeds of racial tension, moral hypocrisy, and shifting sexual convention

Miss Arabella Leeds, the high-spirited teenage daughter of a prominent New York family, and Aubrey “Brie” Paxton, the “high yellow” pampered house servant of wealthy French-American slave-holders, are destined to fall in love.

They are each bound for London, where their chance meeting will transform both of their lives. But before their paths can cross, they will experience high adventure, erotic awakening, and the discovery of long-buried family secrets amid the salacious underpinnings of corseted Victorian society. And as the Civil War drenches America in blood, it will be their passion, unstoppable and forbidden, that will challenge both Arabella and Brie to rethink what freedom means and what love costs . . . as their bond places them forever outside the mores and conventions of their time.

This was a very good book. The writing style was interesting — everything was in the form of letters and journal entries. Different fonts were used to indicate different authors. I got so wrapped up in the characters that I was dismayed when the story ended just as I felt it was beginning! I’m hoping her second book is a continuation.

Book count: 68
Pages in book: 656
Page count: 27,887
Words in book: 300,014
Word count: 8,210,803

deep.gifBook #69 was The Deep, by Peter Benchley. The back of the book reads:

On a perfect day in Bermuda a honeymooning couple dives into the offshore reefs. They are looking for the wreck of a sunken ship. What they find is surprising. It lures them into a mysterious and increasingly dangerous encounter, a relentless struggle for survival. Now, open this book. Discover for yourself the action, the meance–the hidden underwater world of the Deep.

This was different from other Benchley books I’ve read. If you don’t recognize the name, this is the guy who wrote Jaws. His other books that I’ve read have all involved some sort of creature. The only evil creature in this book is man. Not a bad read — nice and quick. My only complaint is that I liked the main character better before any of his background was explained. Really, the guy was kind of a jerk.

Book count: 69
Pages in book: 291
Page count: 28,178
Words in book: 82,062
Word count: 8,292,865

1,000,000 words surpassed — 2/2/06
2,000,000 words surpassed — 2/14/06
10,000 pages surpassed — 3/10/06
3,000,000 words surpassed — 3/16/06
4,000,000 words surpassed — 4/3/06
5,000,000 words surpassed — 5/30/06
50 books surpassed – 6/12/06
20,000 pages surpassed — 6/29/06
6,000,000 words surpassed — 6/29/06
7,000,000 words surpassed — 7/21/06
8,000,000 words surpassed — 8/18/06

2006: #60 – The Slippery Slope (Lemony Snicket)

By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, audio, young adult; Tagged with ; July 19th, 2006

slope.gifBook #60 was The Slippery Slope, book the tenth in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. The back of the book reads:

Dear Reader,Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up — and down — a range of strange and distressing mountains.In order to spare you any further repulsion, it would be best not to mention any of the unpleasant details of this story, particularly a secret message, a toboggan, a deceitful trap, a swarm of snow gnats, a scheming villain, a troupe of organized youngsters, a covered casserole dish, and a surprising survivor of a terrible fire.

Unfortunately, I have dedicated my life to researching and recording the sad tale of the Baudelaire Orphans. There is no reason for you to dedicate yourself to such things, and you might instead dedicate yourself to letting this slippery book slip from your hands into a nearby trash receptacle, or deep pit.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Still great! There were a few great surprises in this one. Sunny continues to grow up, and the Baudelaires find a new(ish) friend. I even thought that things were going to be looking up for the orphans, but I should have known better.

Book count: 60
Pages in book: 337
Page count: 24,8166
Words in book: 53,611
Word count: 6,937,105

1,000,000 words surpassed — 2/2/06
2,000,000 words surpassed — 2/14/06
10,000 pages surpassed — 3/10/06
3,000,000 words surpassed — 3/16/06
4,000,000 words surpassed — 4/3/06
5,000,000 words surpassed — 5/30/06
50 books surpassed – 6/12/06
20,000 pages surpassed — 6/29/06
6,000,000 words surpassed — 6/29/06

2006: #51 – The Carnivorous Carnival (Lemony Snicket)

By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, audio, young adult; Tagged with ; June 30th, 2006

carnival.gifBook #51 was The Carnivorous Carnival, book the ninth in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. The back of the book reads:

Everybody loves a carnival! Who can fail to delight in the colorful people, the unworldly spectacle, the fabulous freaks? A carnival is a place for good family fun, as long as one has a family, that is. For the Baudelaire orphans, their time at a carnival turns out to be yet another episode in a now unbearable series of unfortunate events. In fact, in this appalling ninth installment in Lemony Snicket’s serial, the siblings must confront a terrible lie, an ambidextrous person, a caravan, and Chabo the wolf baby.

I’m still enjoying these. They’re great for listening to in the car. And I like how the Baudelaires are growing. Sonny no longer has to be translated every time she speaks! Plus, the mystery is getting more mysterious, and the endings are getting more unexpected! I’ll probably start the next one after I get back from vacation.

Book count: 51
Pages in book: 304
Page count: 19,842
Words in book: 44,242
Word count: 5,675,271

1,000,000 words surpassed — 2/2/06
2,000,000 words surpassed — 2/14/06
10,000 pages surpassed — 3/10/06
3,000,000 words surpassed — 3/16/06
4,000,000 words surpassed — 4/3/06
5,000,000 words surpassed — 5/30/06
50 books surpassed – 6/12/06

2006: #50 – The Hostile Hospital (Lemony Snicket)

By Jaime Filed in action/adventure, audio, young adult; Tagged with ; June 13th, 2006

hospital.gifBook #50 was The Hostile Hospital, the 8th book in Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. The back of the book reads:

Dear Reader,

Before you throw this awful book to the ground and run as far away from it as possible, you should probably know why. This book is the only one which describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children’s miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful books in the world.

There are many pleasant things to read about, but this books contains none of them. Within its pages are such burdensome details as misleading newspaper headlines, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about such things.

I have sworn to research this story, and to write it down as best I can, so I should know that this book is something best left on the ground, where you undoubtedly found it.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

I *finally* finished listening to this in the car last night. I’m glad he’s continued to shake up the pattern of events in the book. The end of this one was the best cliffhanger yet. I think this may have been the longest book so far.

Book count: 50
Pages in book: 255
Page count: 19,538
Words in book: 38,131
Word count: 5,631,029

1,000,000 words surpassed — 2/2/06
2,000,000 words surpassed — 2/14/06
10,000 pages surpassed — 3/10/06
3,000,000 words surpassed — 3/16/06
4,000,000 words surpassed — 4/3/06
5,000,000 words surpassed — 5/30/06
50 books surpassed – 6/12/06

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