Review: C. Y. A.: Covert Youth Agency: The Sext Crime by Jason Ancona

by First Mate Keira on January 27, 2012 · 0 comments

in 3.5-4 Treasure Chests, A-C, Advance Reader Copy Review, Friends, Humorous, Mystery, School Situations, Social Issues

by First Mate Keira

Title: The Sext Crime: C.Y.A.: Covert Youth Agency (Volume 2)
Author: Jason Ancona
Format: Digital ebook
Page Count: 280 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 8-14

Summary: When senior class presidential candidate, Meredith, is blackmailed into quitting the election race, she gets her best friend and campaign manager to contact the C.Y.A. (Covert Youth Angency). Peter "Pi" Samuels and his friends (Delilah Lightman and Ben "Tollhouse" Gaw), run the C.Y.A. and in this second installment face challenges they’re unprepared to handle. Trenton High School is a hotbed of trouble just waiting to explode at the least sign of disturbance.

Why I started this book:

I was given a copy by the author.

Likes:

  • Ancona took a real issue (sexting) amongst teens today and plugged it successfully into his story without being pious (which would turn off kids) or flippant (which would turn off adults). He uses humor to keep things light, but points out the seriousness and consequences of participating in the act.
  • Lightman going shopping with the girls and finding out undercover isn’t always fun. Haha.
  • Pi going to the dance and playing it cool with Vera and her friends.

Dislikes:

  • I miss the opening from Case of Tangled Love where the characters are introduced in a stylized “Case File” summary like way. I thought that was very clever and quickly brought readers into the C.Y.A as if they were agents too.
  • Tollhouse is a good agent for the C.Y.A. but I’m concerned by his chameleon behavior. He caves easily to situations and suggestions to blend into the group. I hope one day he’ll join a group and change them for the better, because essentially he’s a good kid.

Last Minute Thoughts: You should read The Case of Tangled Love before starting The Sext Crime as they follow each other sequentially and The Sext Crime makes references periodically to The Case of Tangled Love. Can’t wait for round three!

Buy: The Sext Crime (C.Y.A. : Covert Youth Agency)

Rating: 3.5 Treasure Chests

Online Stores

{ 0 comments }

Review: Rapacia (The Second Circle of Heck) by Dale E. Basye

by First Mate Keira on January 27, 2012 · 0 comments

in 1-2 Treasure Chests, A-C, Action & Adventure, Book Review, Fantasy, Humorous, Social Issues, Sociology

Reviewed by First Mate Keira

Title: Rapacia (The Second Circle of Heck)
Author: Dale E. Basye
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 384 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 5-8

Summary: Milton is back on the surface, but is having troubles maintaining the energy that keeps him together and in the present. A science experiment with a bug zapper gets him the energy he needs but also makes him jittery and edgy. He’s trying to figure out if Heck was a dream or a reality of the afterlife and is attempting to reach Damian, the bully who got him killed in the first place. Meanwhile Marlo has been transferred out of the first circle of Heck into the second known as Rapacia for all the girls and boys who like to steal. Speaking of stealing, Marlo desperately wants to please this metallic bunny and grab the Hopeless Diamonds as they’re being transferred. Can she do it? Should she do it?

Why I started this book:

I wanted to know what happened next to Milton!

Likes:

  • Instead of Nirvana its Mallvana – the perfect place for shoppers in the afterlife!
  • The Dante approach to Heck is well done.
  • It’s got a good balance of humor to gothic.

Toss Up:

  • Many witticisms reference pop culture but are bound make more sense to older readers than they do for younger readers. Some even went over my head.

Dislikes:

  • The Grabbit. Creepy bugger isn’t he? I don’t like his rhyming.
  • The beginning was exceptionally hard to get through and I’ve read the first book. I’m not sure exactly what made it difficult, but I kept putting it down until I finally got passed the opening and got to the meat of the story.

Buy: Rapacia: The Second Circle of Heck

Rating: 2 Treasure Chests

Online Stores

{ 0 comments }

Review: Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis

by CaptainYarr January 26, 2012

by Captain Lyaf Yarr Title: Boys are Dogs Author: Leslie Margolis Page Count: 195 Format: Hardback Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Summary: Annabelle is going into 6th grade at her first coed (boys and girls) school. She and her mom move in with her mom’s boyfriend (a.k.a. Dweeble), and because of the big move they [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

Have You Ever Read a Book on a Field Trip?

by First Mate Keira January 25, 2012

I’ve always been the kid on the field trip with a hefty sized book on her person. If the book was too big though, I usually stowed it away on the bus. I love to read and usually on field trips, even noisy, fun, rowdy ones, there’s going to be down time. It’s normally on [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Movie Review: Beastly starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer

by First Mate Keira January 25, 2012

by First Mate Keira Title: Beastly Director: Daniel Barnz Duration: 86 minutes Rating: PG-13 Summary: Kyle Kingsbury is a vain and arrogant young boy. He really steps in it when he unknowingly meets and antagonizes a witch at school going by Kendra. On the night of a school dance he’s bewitched to appear as ugly [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

5 Ways to Set and Meet Reading Goals

by CaptainYarr January 24, 2012

by Captain Lyaf Yarr and First Mate Keira Most kids need motivation to start let alone finish a book. I’m going to share tips with on how to set and reach reading goals. I hope they help you! Required Reading for School: When you get a new book divide that book into how many days [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries