Literature Young Adult Fiction » Action & Adventure http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com YA Readers Reviewing Books. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:18:25 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Review: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com/review-the-red-pyramid-by-rick-riordan/ http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com/review-the-red-pyramid-by-rick-riordan/#comments Sun, 25 Jul 2010 09:27:55 +0000 First Mate Keira http://www.literatureyoungadultfiction.com/?p=1138

by First Mate Keira

Title: The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, Book 1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Format: Kindle ebook
Page Count: 528 pages (Hardcover version)
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: When Carter and Sadie’s father, Dr. Julius Kane, accidentally destroys the Rosetta Stone and sets five Egyptian gods loose their whole life changes as secrets begin to unravel. They almost immediately come into magical powers and have to run from forces of evil. Together they have to learn how to cope, rescue their father, and save the world all with just the help from their uncle, Sadie’s cat, and a few other misfits.

Why I started this book:

I have read the Percy Jackson series by Riordan and was interested in seeing what he did next.

Likes:

  • Riordan combined both worlds – Kane Chronicles and Percy Jackson with a few vague references that tickled me pink. One mention was by Uncle Amos referred to the gods on the other side of Manhattan (he was looking at the Empire State Building when he said it.) The second was by Thoth and referred to Hermes.
  • The multicultural aspect: the interracial parents and the siblings looking different from each other with Carter being dark like their father and Sadie being light like their mother. Riordan’s definition of fairness and equality was highlighted by several Kindle users both in its original location and when he echoed it later in the novel.
  • The Egyptian god setup was as carefully explained by Riordan as the Greek gods in Percy Jackson. He goes over the two different sets, how they combine, and explained inconsistencies using a well thought out bit of imagination. They are Set, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Nephthys to name the big five.
  • I liked the form of long distance travel – how Egyptian and Egyptian style monuments were turned into places of power and portals.
  • Anubis is hot!

Dislikes:

  • Carter was not as strong a hero as I am used to for a protagonist. It was odd for me to read again and again proof that his younger sister was stronger.
  • Sadie is far, far, far too young for Anubis. Twelve and boy crazy? I guess if he’s Justin Bieber.
  • Sadie and Carter’s grandparents. Ugh.

Buy: The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1)The Red Pyramid (Kindle Version)

Rating: 4 Treasure Chests

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by First Mate Keira

Title: Perchance to Dream [Théâtre Illuminata (Act 2)]
Author: Lisa Mantchev
Format: Kindle Ebook
Page Count: 352 (Hardback)
Grade Reading Level: Grade 7+

Summary: Act 1 was in the theater, Act 2 explores the world outside the theater. Don’t be fooled though, the world is a very different place than how you or I would see it. With a Teller of Tales in your pocket, and several sidekicks from Shakespeare’s plays, anything and everything changes. Bertie must rescue Nate from the sea witch’s clutches, a seemingly impossible task and Nate’s time is running short. Her dreams at night and her love for him keeps him alive, but the day belongs to Ariel and Bertie finds herself falling for him too.

Why I started this book:

I loved the first in the trilogy, Eyes Like Stars, and couldn’t wait to read it. I gave up on the library getting it anytime soon and purchased Perchance to Dream from Amazon for my Kindle. It turned out to be a good decision because Mantchev uses a lot of interesting words that I didn’t know or only sort of knew and looked up using Kindle’s dictionary definition feature while reading. I also used the Text-to-Speech aspect to hear how some words and character names were pronounced.

Likes:

  • The fairies: Cobweb, Peaseblossom, Moth and Mustardseed (from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream) are back and just as silly and over the top as before with their demands for pie and cake and pastries!
  • Ariel (from Shakespeare’s The Tempest) is my favorite character. I loved that he was challenged to do things without the power of his winds. It made him a stronger character and revealed a lot about him.
  • Beatrice (Bertie) Shakespeare Smith has more trouble with words than any girl I know. After that she has an even bigger conflict: choosing between her two loves: Nate and Ariel. The right boy for her will have to give her a lot of space because she’s very determined to keep a piece of herself for herself.
  • New character Waschbär the sneakthief, is a strong addition to the tale. I wonder what it is he seeks and if he too can complete his journey.
  • The writing is very vivid and much improved over Eyes Like Stars. The story itself is far more epic and expansive too than it’s predecessor. I have high expectations and hopes for the third and final act.

Dislikes:

  • I don’t feel like Ariel gets enough credit in the story. He had so many chances to turn his back on her, to sabotage the rescue efforts, and plentiful reasons to just give up and yet he doesn’t do any of those things. He tries but he can’t. Ariel’s by far my favorite of the two boys. Every time Bertie realized she gave in a little to him she did a 180 and pushed him away. It was exasperating (and for Ariel too no doubt) and I had a hard time believing she felt equally about both boys because of her actions.
  • The Mysterious Stranger aka the Scrimshander is a very important character and he’s well drawn, but I just don’t like him. I found him weak and pathetic compared to the strength, determination, and courage of Betrie.

Buy: Perchance to Dream: Theatre Illuminata #2 (Hardback), Perchance to Dream: Theatre Illuminata #2 (Kindle)

Rating: 4 Treasure Chests

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by First Mate Keira

Title: The Sixty-Eight Rooms
Author: Marianne Malone
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 265
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: Ruthie is drawn to the famous Thorne Rooms at the Chicago’s Art Institute during a class fieldtrip. On the same trip her best friend, Jack, finds a gorgeous key. When Ruthie holds the key she begins to shrink and the two kids put two-and-two together. The key provides a way into the miniature world depicted by the multiple rooms. When Ruthie figures out how to shrink Jack too, the exploring commences in earnest and the pair must figure out how to navigate the world in a new way.

Why I started this book:

I checked the book out from the library after I saw it in a bookstore and thought it looked interesting.

Likes:

  • The subplots were crafted fabulously and brought another dimension to the story. Jack’s mother worries about making a living as an artist. A security guard (previously famous photographer) mourns the loss of his best work. A shop owner reconnects to memories of her past. Historical figures find new endings.
  • How Jack and Ruthie constructed paths to get them around the museum and to different parts of the exhibit is both entertaining and clever.
  • I enjoyed the fight with the water bug/cockroach.
  • I liked that the two kids weren’t the first to explore the tiny world. That was very cool and also connected a lot of the subplots. I liked too how Jack and Ruthie saved some of the people they found in the world by remembering enough from history class to provide warnings.

Dislikes:

  • The necessary contrivance of tricking the parental units into thinking the kids were places they were not. I dislike clueless parents or parents willing to be hoodwinked. I find it hard to believe, mostly because my own parents would never in a million years ignore the signs of mischief Jack and Ruthie gave off like flashing beacons.

Buy: The Sixty-Eight Rooms

Rating: 4 Stars

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by Cook Cutlery, guest reviewer

Title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
Format: Papberback
Page Count: 497
Reading Grade Level: 7th-9th Grade

Summary: A normal farm boy was hunting in the forest and when he saw a huge flash of blue light. An invesitagtion led to a big sapphire stone which he brought home. But it wasn't a big sapphire gem at all. It was actually a dragon egg. When it hatched for him, Eragon became the last of the Dragon Riders. Many thought the Dragon Riders had been killed off and thought the eggs were gone and that the Age of the Dragons would never rise again. But word of a new Dragon Rider spread fast and soon the existence of Eragon and his dragon, Sapphira, had reached Galbatorix and the Elves, Varden, and the Dwarves. Now Eragon is in a race to stay alive and keep his dragon safe. He has only two choices to succeed and one is unacceptable. He won't serve Galbatorix so he must find the Varden.

Why I started this book:

I started Eragon because it was lying around. I bought it a few years back and hadn't gotten around to it before now. Plus, I had seen the movie and like it. So I thought why not?

Likes:

  • What I liked about this book was that it had a lot of action. Once you settled in to read, the world sucked you in from one thrilling chase to the next harrowing adventure. It was really hard to put the book down when you got to a really good part.
  • I really liked Sapphira a lot because she had a lot of wisdom when she spoke to him even though she was younger than him in physical years she was still wiser and older in her mind.

Dislikes:

  • I didn’t like that the author had a ton of made up words in the story even though it had a dictionary in the back of the book saying what they meant. It was very tedious looking back to see what they meant all the time.
  • I didn’t like the fact that Brom died. I thought he was a very good character and served as a really good mentor.

Differences between the book and the movie:

  • In the movie we don't know why Sapphira got her name. Eragon bestows it on her after he went to talk to Brom and got the history of the name from him.
  • In the movie it doesn’t tell how Eragon came to Palancar Valley. But when his mother was pregnant with him she was very poor and went to her brother Garrow (Eragon’s Uncle) asking if he would help her until the baby was born and then take care of it after it was born. Once she gave birth to Eragon a while later she left him with Garrow and never returned.

Buy: Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)

Rating: I give this book 4 out of 5 treasure chests.

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by First Mate Keira

Title: Malice
Author: Chris Wooding
Illustrator: Dan Chernett
Format: Hardback
Pages: 379
Grade Reading Level: 7th-9th Grade

Summary: In Britain all the children know the rumors of a comic book called
Malice. They also know that if a ritual is done and a chant said six times they could be taken into the world of that comic. Some do so on a dare. Others because they’re missing adventure. Others to prove it doesn’t exist. More still because they believed Malice was better than their normal lives. It doesn’t matter why you do it – you’re Tall Jake’s as soon as you invite him into your life. It’s only a matter of time before he comes to collect. There’s no going back and certain doom awaits you on the other side.

Why I started this book:

My librarian recommended it to me because I liked fantasy book series. This is the first book and the story is continued in Havoc.

Likes:

  • Malice is divided into several zones and this book takes you through two. The Clock Tower and the Oubliette. In the Clock Tower they face the Clockmaker and his metal inventions. In the Oubliette they face a hungry impenetrable darkness and blind ravenous gnawls.
  • Seth – he’s pretty foolhardy and he thrives on Malice which makes him feel a little guilty.
  • Justin – he’s the knowledgeable guide to the world, having actually read the comics before doing the ritual. He’s also a good friend despite what his life has taught him about how friends never stick around when trouble’s afoot.
  • Kady – she’s not a bad character either, I just don’t like the fact that she practices hypnosis. Of the three she’s the most practical and comes as prepared as one can be for a place like Malice.

Dislikes:

  • The use of hypnosis throughout the novel. People simply couldn’t have (partial) amnesia? It’s all false testimony on the senses doing more harm than good.
  • I had trouble with about half of the illustrations which were too stylized. I couldn’t make head or tails out of what I was seeing some of the time so I ended up just reading the bubbles. I figure somebody with more background in comics will manage with no problem. It just wasn’t the case with me.
  • The real victims are all the parents who have no idea what’s going on and only know that their children go mysteriously missing and if they’re lucky come back… but the kids never come back the way they were before the left and nobody knows why, not even the kids.

Last Minute Thoughts: The beginning is pretty scary (horror like scary), but once the kids make it to Malice is more like a thrilling adventure. I also sincerely hope that despite how it appears Justin is still alive. I can’t wait for the next book about the kid rebels known as Havoc.

Buy: Malice

Rating: 3.5 Treasure Chests

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by First Mate Keira

Title: Knightley Academy
Author: Violet Haberdasher (aka Robyn Schneider)
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 469
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: The Midsummer School for Boys is cursed. Not a single student has been accepted to Knightley Academy in years… and this year is no different as a servant boy is the one called to knighthood.

Knightley Academy explores social and national prejudices. The world has overtones of racism, classism, religious intolerance, and more. The world is stable for now but is on the cusp of change and I have a feeling Henry and his friends will be that change.

Why I started this book:

I came by this book in a completely random fashion. I saw this huge fat spine on the new YA releases bookshelves at the library while searching for something for my sisters. Picked it up, read the cover, said to self – sounds like Harry Potter without magic! Checked out. Consumed.

Likes:

  • The quartet: Henry Grim (first commoner ever allowed training to become a knight), Frankie Winter (a finishing school dropout), Roham Mehta (an Indian boy adopted into a wealthy ducal family), and Adam Beckerman (a Jewish boy skilled with a foil.)
  • Lord Havelock, the military professor and head teacher for the first years. He reminds me of Snape, but far more fair and willing to own his errors. I particularly enjoy his Havelook of Doom +2.*
  • The Victorian England Steampunk world filled with the odd combination of progress and backwardness.
  • Valmont: he’s a bully but he’s not a complete ninnyhead.
  • Knight classes! Military History is just the beginning --- one of my favorite classes next to Fencing and Languages.
  • The Inter-School Competition and Henry’s discovery of a super secret hidden room that spells out T-R-O-U-B-L-E and gives the trilogy its long plot arc.

(* Doom +2 is a card in the Munchkin card game.)

Last Minute Thoughts: If you’ve read Harry Potter and liked it, you will like this novel. The books have parallels but they are not the same story. Haberdasher will surprise you with her twists and turns. This is a perfect story for boys, but girls will like it just as much!

Buy: Knightley Academy

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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by First Mate Keira

Title: Dragon Spear
Author: Jessica Day George
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 246
Grade Reading Level: 5th-9th Grade

Summary: Love is in the air. Creel is designing her wedding dress and planning her marriage to Prince Luka. During their engagement, Shadras and some dragons swoop in to take Luka, Creel, and her brother to the new kingdom of the dragons. All seems to be going well until a very pregnant Velika gets kidnapped by a team of dragons and humans.

Why I started this book:

Dragon Spear is the sequel to Dragon Flight and is the third book of the Dragon Adventure trilogy.

Likes:

  • Just when you think Jessica George Day couldn’t expand more on dragon lore she does. What I think is neat is how well this idea fits into the first two books because she hadn’t planned on doing anything after Dragon Slippers.
  • The Temple of the First Queen – very cool place. I would love to see it translated into a movie set.
  • Creel’s kind and generous heart. She does something at the end of the book that would just kill me to do and I applaud her for it.
  • Fainting Goats! Jessica had this on her website:

Dislikes:

  • It’s over. Sniff.

Last Minute Thoughts: If you liked Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, you will love this trilogy.

Buy: Dragon Spear (Dragon Adventures)

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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by First Mate Keira

Title: Dragon Flight
Author: Jessica Day George
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 255
Grade Reading Level: 5th-9th Grade

Summary: Luka is in Citatie as an ambassador for Feravel on his father’s behalf when suddenly relations between Feravel and Citatie disintegrate without warning. This is very bad because Citatie has a huge trained dragon army and they’re going to use it to take out Feravel and all who stand in their way. Luckily Creel, the heroine of the First Dragon War, is on Feravel’s side.

Why I started this book:

I started Dragon Flight because I loved Dragon Slippers. It’s the second book in the trilogy and revisits all the same characters from the first novel.

Likes:

  • Dragon history is expanded and flushed out more as we learn of Shardas’ brother, the silver dragon known as Krashath.
  • For not imagining she would ever write a sequel, Jessica Day George is very consistent when it comes to her characters.
  • The romance between Creel and Luka is sweet and mature. They look out for each other and work well together.
  • Without giving too much away - I loved the setup for the Second Dragon War and I liked its conclusion. Too bad certain humans are a royal pain in the hinny, but I have a feeling this latest development will be expanded upon in the third book.

Dislikes:

  • I’m more or less indifferent to Marta, Creel’s friend and business partner in the dressmaker shop. It’s hard to back up as it’s really just a feeling as opposed to anything in the text.

Last Minute Thoughts: Can’t wait to read Dragon Spear, the last in the set.

Buy: Dragon Flight (Dragon Adventures)

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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by Bookwatch, guest reviewer

Title: A Girl Named Disaster
Author: Nancy Farmer
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 320 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: This is a story about an African girl whose mother was killed by a leopard, whose father had gone away, and who soon will be married to a cruel man who already has three wives. She is only 11 years old, but she posses an intelligence, curiosity, and intuition far beyond her years. She is protected by her grandmother who encourages her to escape from Mozambique to Zimbabwe, a journey alone on a river in a stolen boat that should take her only 2 days. She instead gets turned around and it takes her many months to reach her destination. Along the way she has to overcome incredible dangers and learn to survive alone.

Why I Started this book:

As you know I am a big fan of Newberry Honor books. I would like to recommend another Newberry Honor book for your Young Adult Fiction list.  It is called A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer. It was published in 1996 by Puffin Books.

Likes:

  • All along her journey she learns and communicates with the mystical spirits who guide and encourage her. I felt like these were symbols of her own courage, confidence, and intuition.
  • As she journeys, she finds her value, home, and freedom.
  • This book attributes her survival and triumph to spirit forces. I felt that her suvival was the result of her own intuition and the love of her grandmother, who, even though she wasn't with her, had given her a sense of who she was as a person, who her mother was, and why she was valued and should value herself.
  • Her own intelligence, imagination, and curiousity were sources of courage and strength, always with her, always taking her to the next step she should take.

Last Minute Thoughts: I give A Girl Named Disaster your highest ranking.

Buy: A Girl Named Disaster

Rating: 5 Treasure Chests

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by Cook Cutlery, guest reviewer

Title: The Bad Beginning (Book 1) Series of Unfortunate Events
Author: Lemony Snicket
Illustrator: Brett Helquist
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 162
Grade Reading Level: Ages 10+

Summary: Violet, Kluas and Sunny Bauldilair were at the beach when Mr. Poe comes and tell them that their parents had died in a fire. At their house all they find are ashes. Arrangements are made so that the kids live with Mr. Poe at his house while he tries to find them a relative to live with on a permanent basis. Mr. Poe finds them a place to live with Count Olaf. At Count Olaf's many bad things happen to them... in a series of unfortunate events!

Like:

  • I love Violet. She is always trying to invent something. For instance, later in the story Violet invents a grappling hook out of old clothes and old wire. How does she think of things like that so quickly? I would be hard pressed that is for sure.
  • Justice Starauss is very kind to the kids. He lets them use the library and helps them buy food so they can cook for Count Olaf and the troupe of people living with him.
  • Klaus and Violet are always taking care of Sunny and making sure she doesn’t get into trouble. I have a hard time with one sister that's closer to my age! So while it might not be very accurate in normal circumstances, the Bauldilair kids are a whole other ball of wax.

Dislike:

  • Mr. Poe doesn’t believe them when they are trying to tell him that Count Olaf is a terrible man and gives them way too many chores to do. Mr. Poe should know what sort of kids they are from when they lived with him and it's really important for adults to take kids seriously when it comes to stuff like that.
  • When Count Olaf puts on a play that is called the Marvelous Marriage. In actuality it is not a play but a real marriage ceremony. He wants to get the Bauldilair fortune that they were left with and does it through trickery. Plus, can you imagine being married to the guy? Gross!

Buy: The Bad Beginning (Hardback), The Complete Wreck (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-13), The Trouble Begins: Books 1-3, The Situation Worsens: Books 4-6, The Dilemma Deepens: Books 7-9 , The Gloom Looms: Books 10-12

Rating: I give this book 3 out of 5 treasure chests.

Originally posted 2010-01-05 03:55:33.

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