Dangerous by Shannon Hale

Hale, Shannon. Dangerous. Bloomsbury Publishing, 4/2014. 416p. $17.99. 9781599901688.

Affilitate Links Amazon
| Indiebound

Genre: Science Fiction (aliens taking over, superheroes created)
Cover Appeal: Nothing sets this apart from any other science fiction title out now. I do like the purple and gray though. I also like the font used for the title.

Maisie Danger Brown is tired of her boring life. She's homeschooled with her best friend, Luther and both her parents work from home.  They never go any where or do anything exciting.  She figures it's because they don't have enough money.  Along comes a sweepstakes to win a trip to astronaut camp. Now Maisie has a chance to live up to her middle name. She becomes part of an elite team who isn't sure what their purpose is but are sure they need to work together.

For the most part  the book is all about the science of space travel and gadget building with moments of romance and intrigue thrown in.  I was happy to see Maisie pull herself from the brink of losing her sense of self over a boy though she was aware that it could happen and she fought it. She was a strong character who thought carefully about how her actions affect others. I enjoyed seeing her thought process. The aliens were bit underwhelming and the rest of the characters, Jacques, Mi-sun, and Ruth, could have used a bit more depth. Luther, even though he was only in the book a short time, was one of my favorite characters.

I recommend this one for 7th Gr and above.

Beyond The Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning - #bookaday 12

Beyond the Highland Mist (Highlanders, 1)
Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Historical Fantasy

I was looking for a book similar to Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, but shorter. The description of this one sounded like it would work - girl goes back in time and meets a ruggedly handsome Highlander.  This was included the Fae so I thought, yeah, this could work.

The writing just wasn't the same. The take just wasn't the same. I guess I wasn't looking for a similar book, but the same book! I do own Dragonfly in Amber, the second book in Gabaldon's series, so I will just go with that one instead.

Mistwood by Leah Cypess - #bookaday 11

Mistwood
Leah Cypess
Genre: Paranormal

I'd read this one a few year ago. It was long enough ago that I'd forgotten much of it outside of vague notions and ideas.

It's time for Rokan to be king and he's afraid for his life. Many years ago the crown was protected by a Shifter but there was a tragedy involving the last royal family. This creature was said to be born of mist and fog and could shift into any animal including a human being. Rokan travels to Mistwood to find his Shifter and binds her to him using a special bracelet.

The Shifter, Isabel, is finding it hard to shift and doesn't really understand who or what she is though she feels it's her duty to protect Rokan. She just has to figure out who exactly is threatening the crown.  She is finding it more and more difficult to do her Shifter job due to emotions clouding her judgement. Though the Shifter is supposed to be less than human.

I liked this one because it's more of a character study instead of the relentless action you find in many books of this genre.  I would have liked to see more romance but I enjoyed what was there.

Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer - #bookaday 10

Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy
Kate Hattemer
Genre: Realistic

I've been trying to get back into our Goodreads Mock Printz which I co-moderate. Honestly, Whitney has been running the board alone since last year when I stepped down to be on the Excellence in Nonfiction Committee. She has diligently scoured reviews, posted polls, e-gathered books on the shelf, and started numerous discussions. There would not be a group without her.

The group is currently reading We Were Liars, which I read back in February, and The Vigilante Poets.

The poets, led by Luke, though story is told by Ethan, take offense at the continued presence of the For Art's Sake reality show. They feel the corporate greed actually hampers the art and using the work of Ezra Pound, take a stand to get the show ousted.

Throughout the book, I loved the voice of Ethan, though I times I questioned a teenaged male would spout those words. This was based purely on the brothers I grew up with and the teenagers present in my daughter's life. I enjoyed all the lit talk as the daughter just finished an AP Lit class. There were several instances where I thought about looking things up but was too lazy. Despite the cop-out ending, I thought this was fun. Which also means, I don't see it winning the Printz. Also, not a fan of that cover.

True Love by Jude Deveraux - #bookaday 9

True Love (Nantucket Bride, 1)
Jude Deveraux
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Not my usual fare. It's been a billion years since I read any Jude Deveraux. I'd been looking for a romance and I also wanted to read about Nantucket (never been but makes me think of summer) and someone on Goodreads had just finished this one. Luckily, they had it at the public library - on Overdrive.

Alix is an architect student who gets sent to live in the Kingsley House on Nantucket as part of the will of one of her mom's closest friends.  She can live there for a year and work on her culminating project for architecture school.

Kingsley House happens to belong to Jared Kinglsey Montgomery - a famous architect whom Alix admires and would love to have look at her drawings. (snicker). Jared would rather not, especially since he knows a great deal about Alix that he needs to keep secret.

Another resident of the Kingsley house is Jared's grandfather, Caleb. His five-times great, dead grandfather.  Caleb can only be seen by certain family members and he is hoping that somehow, he can connect with Alix and she can help him move on.

Despite the contrived storyline of past and present overlapping, this was fun.  I will actually read the second book.

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo - #bookaday 6

Ruin and Rising (The Grisha, 3)
Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy

The end of a trilogy is always sad. This one had me tossing aside my chores (kidding, that's all books really) and glued to the pages. Last year, I re-read Shadow and Bone before Siege and Storm came out but I neglected to re-read Siege and Storm this year.  No matter.

Bardugo helped us pick up pretty much where we left off. This installment had more of the Lantsov Prince, thankfully. I love his character. The wit and cunning, oh how I wish he and I were friends. And he was real, of course.

There was a moment when I had to put the book aside when I could NOT believe what happened.  My heart stopped.

This was a (mostly) satisfying end. I would love to read a follow-up but it will not be necessary to the story - just to my heart.

Angel Experiment by James Patterson - #bookaday 5

The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, 1)
James Patterson
Genre: Paranormal

The Angel Experiment has been suggested for One Book consideration by students for the past 4 years. I've always said no way.  This year, I decided to put it in front of the committee, in the hopes that they would see it my way.

I started this one on audio.  Usually I go back and forth between the audio and the physical book if I have lots of books to read. Unfortunately my audio version was not only abridged but the narrator was not that great.

Not the best book I've read but I can see students enjoying this one. Lots of action and moves quickly. The writing style isn't my favorite and I can't see myself reading beyond this first one, though.  Also, a little concerned about the random violence even though it doesn't seem to keep anyone down. Maybe that's it - the violence doesn't seem to matter and that's my issue.

Girl With the Windup Heart by Kady Cross - #bookaday 4

The Girl With the Windup Heart (Steampunk Chronicles, 4)
Kady Cross
Genre: Science Fiction

I've been waiting for this book for a year. I loved The Strange Case of Finley Jayne, The Girl in the Steel Corset and The Girl In the Clockwork Collar. I thought the Girl With the Iron Touch was good, but not as good as the others.  I wanted to know more about Mila. I was happy to hear Windup Heart would be about Mila!

But, it wasn't. Not really. Mila's story was interspersed with Griffin's story but I felt his took precedence. There seemed to be much repetition and things moved pretty slowly. I felt as if I was reading what was intended to be two short e-novellas.

I did like seeing Jack in action and seeing how much he'd grown to care for Mila. The introduction Finley's father was also a welcome addition. I would recommend reading at least the first two but not necessary to read the rest to feel satisfied.

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout - #bookaday 3

Obsidian (Lux, 1)
Jennifer Armentrout
Genre: Paranormal

This was a recommendation to me from a friend. Weirdly, I have a hard time taking recommendations even though that's part of my job. Sometimes it's because I have a lot to read already and sometimes I wonder what I will say if I don't like the book. I encourage students to tell me when they don't like something because it helps me advise them better the next time. I always try to get particulars so I can refine their choices.  I wish there was a way to add notes to their records instead of trying to keep track of it in my head.  If only there was an easy way for them to add reviews to our system.

Let's start with the cover.  I don't think the guy is attractive and he looks to old to be in high school. The author tells us over and over how hot he is and what a jerk he is. And yet ?, the main character, still liked him. I probably wouldn't have so much of a problem with it if she hadn't kept harping on it - like you can't be attractive and not be a jerk. Though of course, he has his reasons for being a jerk.

I never connected with any of the characters in this. I didn't feel an of the urgency or have a sense of foreboding. I did like the sense of humor and that Katy was a blogger. I enjoyed hearing her talk about doing her Waiting on Wednesday posts and other blogger memes. Other than that, not for me.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - #bookaday 2

The 5th Wave (1)
Rick Yancey
Genre: Science Fiction

Our goal for our One Book, One School program is to encourage students to choose reading as one of their recreational activities.  We look for books that make students want to turn the page and read on, and if there is a second book, to want to read that book also.

In the 5th Wave, aliens are invading the earth and killing off the population. They are doing it in waves and four waves have passed already. The few people who are left are trying to survive and plan for the 5th wave.  Cassie is hiding out in the woods, trying to make her way to Wright-Patterson where she believes her little brother, Sammy, has been taken.

Although Cassie's is the main story, we also hear from Evan, another survivor who helps Cassie out, and Ben Parrish, a soldier. Their stories overlapped in a way I predicted but the outcome is not one I suspected.

One criteria we have is the book we choose should hook you within the first 75 pages.  This is not that book. No matter how much I enjoyed reading The 5th Wave once I got hooked, it won't work for our purposes.  Though, I can't wait to pick up The Infinite Sea in September and this time I won't wait a year to read it!

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson - #bookaday 1

Mistborn: The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)
Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Science Fiction

Amazon

| IndieBound

As a fan of Brandon Sanderson and his extensive world-building (see my attempt to catalog The Way of Kings here, here, here, and here) I was eager to find out how his earlier writing compares to his more recent work. Mistborn is his second published work after Elantris, which I have around here somewhere too.

As much as I can tell, there are two major types of magic in Mistborn, Allomancy and Feruchemy.

Allomancers gain power by downing metals.  They can increase their vision by burning tin or their strentght by burning pewter.  Some Allomancers can only use one type of metals (there are at least 10, possibly 11) but Mistborns can use them all. Feruchemists use their own bodies to gain power, which they store in metals until needed. They can store up youth when they want to appear younger or strenghth when they need muscle power.

Mistborn follows Vin, a street thief, as she is caught up into a new thieving crew whose goal is to take down the Lord Ruler.  The crew is led by the legendary Kelsier, the only known survivor of the Halthisn Pits.  Vin doesn't trust anyone on the crew.  She goes along with them because she's interested in learning more about the gift of Luck that she has.  It turns out she is a true Mistborn and what she calls luck is a form of changing peoples emotions.  She can Soothe or Riot them. She also has many other powers.

What follows is Vin's take on Kelsier's plan. It introduces us to lots of cool magic, including traveling by pushing off metals, which reminds me of the Lashings in Sanderson's The Way Of Kings. They also read a logbook about The Hero of Ages which is the third book in the series. Can't wait to see how that connects!

So far I've enjoyed Mistborn, Warbreaker, Alcatraz Vs. Evil Librarians, The Way of Kings, The Rithmatist, and Steelheart. Hope to hit Elantris this summer and revisit Way of Kings next summer so I can read the sequel, Words of Radiance.

I am an Amazon and Indiebound Associate.