Literature Young Adult Fiction » Social Issues

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

First Mate Keira — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:59:28 +0000

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

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Review: Debugging Tori Redding by Jason Ancona

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

First Mate Keira — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:29:45 +0000

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

RAPACIA - BOB DOB DALE E. BASYE (PAPERBACK) NEW

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Review: Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go (The Nine Circles of Heck, Book 1) by Dale E. Basye

Review: Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go (The Nine Circles of Heck, Book 1) by Dale E. Basye

First Mate Keira — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:37:32 +0000

Reviewed by First Mate Keira

Title: Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go (The Nine Circles of Heck, Book 1)
Author: Dale E. Basye
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 304 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: The afterlife isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. A bureaucratic error sends Milton down to Heck with his sister Marlo. There’s no way he deserves to be here – just look at his file – one measly little Post-It note saying he was duped by his kleptomaniac sister into stealing right before they died. But as Milton learns, it’s not your first impression that counts the most in the afterlife but your last.

Why I started this book:

They die in a marshmallow explosion! The humor of this book drew me in and I checked it out from the library.

Likes:

There is a lot of humor in the story from the infamous marshmallow explosion to acronym fun to a toad like principal named Bea Elsa Bubb and her three headed tiny canine.
Milton and Marlo’s sibling relationship – are they fighting each other or for each other? It’s typical but loving.
I like how it ends. I like that some characters were willing to sacrifice a chance of escape to ensure one got away. Surely that means they’re redeemable and/or redeemed right?
The bully reminds me a lot of Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter. Love it!

Dislikes:

Some of the world building didn’t sit right with me because it seemed like small infractions were being punished endlessly and I’m guessing that’s why Milton is down there to right these wrongs, but I don’t know for sure.
Also I think some references might be more for adults than younger readers when the author refers to certain famous dead people, but I could be wrong. I love that Nixon teaching ethics, but do kids know why it's so funny?

Buy: Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go

Rating: 3 Treasure Chests

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Review: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

First Mate Keira — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:40:33 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: A Little Princess
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 266 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Summary: Sara Crewe, a little girl who grew up in India is taken to London by her father to attend Miss Minchin’s Seminary for Girls. Sara must learn to live on her own and navigate the schoolroom and its students. Good thing she’s good at storytelling, playing pretend and supposing or life would be tough for this odd little heiress.

Why I started this book:

I have loved the 1995 movie for ages and ages. Heard it was a book (how did this escape me?) and decided to pick it up and read it.

Likes:

It’s surprisingly easy to read and while there are a few big words here and there that might slip the grasp of a younger child, it is a breeze to get through. A rarity I’ve found in classics.
There’s a more believable reason for Sara to become a beggar than in the movies where the government seems to have unfairly seized everything. In the book he loses it on speculation for diamond mines.
The sparrows outside her attic window and the rat family inside the walls.
Ermengarde as the friend and Lavinia as the enemy.

Toss-Up:

Sara is so immensely likeable because of how kind she is and how brave she is and how she handles herself in the face of adversity and tough situations. Sometimes she’s so strong you break for her. The book can be very sad at times. I cried once or twice wile reading her supposing about being a Princess when she was practically a beggar.
Sara’s relationship with Lottie as her “mother.” That didn’t gel so well with me.
Becky. Surprising.

Dislikes:

Miss Amelia is not nearly so likeable a character in the books as she’s in the movie versions of this story. I was sad about that.
The father is actually dead as opposed to the movies (Shirley Temple's The Little Princess and A Little Princess 1995) where he suffers amnesia from a war wound.

Last Minute Thoughts: This would be a great story to read at bedtime, a chapter or two at a time.

Buy: A Little Princess

Rating: 3 Treasure Chests (at least compared to the A Little Princess 1995 movie)

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Review: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

CaptainYarr — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 23:49:44 +0000

by Captain Lyaf Yarr

Title: Number the Stars
Author: Lois Lowry
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 156 Pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Summary: Two years into World War II, Nazis are hunting Jews. Annemarie Johansens is a 10 year old girl living in Copenhagen, Denmark. But everything changes once her best friend, Ellen Rosen has to hide from the Nazis for being a Jew. The Johansens decide to take her in and disguise her as Annemarie's dead older sister. After that EVERYTHING is chaos! Annmarie is forced to mature. Childhood is a thing of the past. Everyone has to be brave and courageous and somehow pull though.

Why I Started the Book:

I started this book because we read it in class for a project in language arts.

Likes:

Every chapter kept me on the edge of my seat, I had to keep reading and figure out what happen!
I can't help but feel sympathetic toward Annemarie. No ten year old should have to go through what she did!
Kirsti is defiantly my favorite character in this book! She's so adorable and oblivious to everyone! She's self-centered and is always craving pink frosted cupcakes. I love cupcakes and can relate to such cravings... but mine don't necessarily have to have pink frosting.
I love the chapter where Annmarie and Ellen are waiting for the soldiers to arrive in their bed and Papa acts like a barrier and acts like he will do anything to protect his loved one! So sweet and brave!

Dislikes:

I think that it is so sad to think about World War II and the horror involved!

Last minute thoughts: This was a really good book! I defiantly want to read more book by Louis Lowry! But I wonder if all of of her books are about historic events? This book is a Newberry Award winner.

Buy: Number the Stars

Book Rating: I give this book 4.5 Treasure chests!

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry NEWBERY 1990 PB

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Review: Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison by Lois Lenski

Review: 24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley

First Mate Keira — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:34:46 +0000

by Captain Lyaf Yarr

Title: 24 Girls in 7 Days
Author: Alex Bradley
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 265 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 7+

Summary: Jack Grammer is a dorky senior at City High School with no love life. With only a few weeks before prom he asks and gets rejected. Two friends, Natalie and Percy, post an ad on the school's website (that everyone sees) that asks all the girls in school to email him if they want to be his prom date (without Jack's permission!). After figuring this out Jack is upset, but is shocked that he received that he not only received a response, but more than 49 (and counting) responses! At LEAST 49 girls wanted to go to prom with Jack Grammer! How do you pick from all these girls? He and his friends narrow to 24 girls and then schedule for Jack to go on dates with them, and then at the end of the week he will choose who he's going to go to prom with!

Why I Read This Book:

I read this book because I had received it as a gift.

Likes:

I love Alex Bradly! His writing kept me on my toes and made me keep turning the page even when I was extremely exhausted! He's pretty funny too.
My favorite character is Jack. Not just because he's the main character, but because he seems like a funny, dorky guy who always stays with his few friends and has some pretty awkward moments! He's clueless about the "opposite sex" and still realizes what's going on around him and his life.
I love the situation. A boy in high school who's clueless how to get a girl then changes from a dorky nobody to a popular "player" who's been out with the cutest girls in school.
I like figuring out all the pieces to the puzzle. It's really complicated but when everything is spelled out it makes so much sense!

Dislikes:

I thought the ending of this book was pretty cheesy. I wasn't really upset about it but I thought that something better could have happened.

Last Minute Thoughts: Is there a second book? I want to find out what happens after Jack graduates and goes to college! What happens with him and Adrian Swift? I want to know!!!!!!

Buy: 24 Girls in 7 Days

Rating: I give this book 4 Treasure Chests!

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31 Days of Aries: The Book Tour and iPod Touch GIVEAWAY!

Review: Night by Elie Wiesel

cookcutlery — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:14:55 +0000

by Cook Cutlery, guest reviewer

Title: Night
Author: Elie Wiesel
Format: Hardcover
# of pages: 108 pages
Grade Reading Level: 8.7

Summary: Elie Wiesel is a young 14 year old Jewish Orthodox boy. He's 15 at the end. He lived during the time that Adolf Hitler rose to power. He was one of very few to survive the Holocaust. Night is his journey of how he and his father survive the different concentration camps, one of which was Auschwitz. During the journey they are evacuated from Buna and sent to Auschwitz’s concentration camp. Once they walk through the gate of Auschwitz it’s only the beginning of their rigorous journey to survive the horrors they are going to encounter and endure.

Why I Started This Book:

We read this book in language arts as part of our Holocaust unit. We read Night because he was the same age as many of us in class and this is the story of how he survived some truly awful terrible things.

Likes:

Elie Wiesel is a truly extraordinary human being. I'm glad he survived and I can only wish there had been more survivors.
I am grateful many of the descriptions were brief and that some things were condensed to a few sentences. It made it easier for me to read it.
I liked this book because it tells a tale of inner strength. If someone, especially a kid, survive all that, it really makes you think. It's sort of empowering because of that. It's a good lesson to teach kids. You can survive even the worst of troubles, fears, and experiences.

Dislikes:

This really isn't against the book so much as it's against human history. I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that anyone could think doing this to people is okay. Ethnic cleansing is not okay and it made me really uncomfortable to read about it from someone's personal experience. It's impossible to understand such evil.
On the trip to Auschwitz a woman has visions and starts to scream out “Fire! Can’t you see it? Fire!” Many people run to the edge of the cattle cart to see if there was a fire and there wasn’t one, but still she persisted in screaming “Fire!” until some men beat her up. How awful. Then they tie her up and gag her to silence her. Then when they arrive at the gate of Auschwitz they realized why the woman was screaming “Fire!” because when they looked up they saw a huge crematory and they looked at the chimney, coming out of it was huge flames. This is even worse. I can barely stand imagining such a scene let alone living through it in real life.
I also disliked the fact that his father didn’t survive when they got to the other camp. I wish Elie was able to say goodbye to his father before he was taken in the night. I wish I could rewrite the ending if not the whole story. The whole thing is so sad.

Last Minute Thoughts: Reading this book is like squeezing your heart until you feel all bruised and hallowed out. It isn't pleasure reading and despite the rating I probably wouldn't read it again, but it's definitely a book you should made a point of reading.

Buy: Night

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

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Review: The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

First Mate Keira — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:04:34 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: The Unwritten Rule
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 210
Grade Reading Level: 9^th Grade +

Summary: All girls grow up knowing the unwritten rule. That you don’t date your friend’s exes is pretty much a given… but what about wanting to be with the guy while your friend is still dating him?

Why I started this book:

Saw some hype of it in the YA blogosphere a few months or so ago, sadly I can’t remember which blog anymore as I got the book from the library only very recently.

Likes:

The protagonist’s parents had evidence of a real life. The mother was involved in cooking and culinary contests. The father was a professor. They also were good parents and were still together and happy to be that way.
Ryan had wanted to break off his relationship to the friend from practically the beginning. In fact he was unwittingly roped into the relationship and was too shy and good mannered to break it off.
Sarah’s voice was sweet and heartbreaking as she worried about her friendship, her parents, and her friend’s boyfriend.

Dislikes:

Brianna hates her mom but is exactly like her mom. She belittles Sarah under the guise of kindness. She cheats on Ryan and yet insists she loves him and wants to stay with him.
The fact that Brianna cheated does in no way excuse or really justify Sarah’s and Ryan’s behavior. Cheating is never the answer. However while I don’t condone such behavior in real life I was very much rooting for the two.

Final Thoughts: Greg and Brianna deserve each other and Elizabeth Scott does a great job exploring one of life’s social dating rules.

Buy: The Unwritten Rule

Rating: 3 Treasure Chests

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Review: Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney

First Mate Keira — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:11:19 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: Dark Mirror
Author: M.J. Putney
Format: Trade Paperback
Page Count: 320 pages
Grade Reading Level: 8^th Grade+

Summary: In a world where magic is shunned by the elite, Lady Victoria Mansfield finds herself flying after a particularly good dream. Shocked and horrified, she tries to hide it until an accident at a lawn party by the cliffs forces her to reveal the secret. Her life as she knew it is over. Exiled to Lackland Abbey, Tory will join others like her at the reform school… nobles hoping to return home clean of their magic. Soon though Tory will learn that status isn’t everything and sometimes there are things more important, things worth fighting for.

Why I read this book:

The publisher offered me a copy and I accepted because it the book sounded like the antithesis of Harry Potter. You don’t go to school to learn it. You go to school to get rid of it.

Likes:

The underground secret society of nobles forming to learn their magic with the very help of the professors who are at the school trying to rid them of it. Predictable? Yes. Fun anyway? Yes.
The mirror and what it does. I will admit it through me for a loop the first time it was found and used for time travel. It’s a bit jarring at first, and I wondered if Tory would get back to her past, but I liked the change of pace.
I like that Tory never made the easy choice. She did what was right even at cost to herself.

Toss-Up:

Magic doesn’t seem to have many rules. On one hand this is interesting because it allows for the unexpected results in the rules we know. On the other hand it makes for an all too convenient loop-hole to be accessed as needed.
Magic is being eradicated because a few aristocrats in the past didn’t like that they couldn’t do it themselves and that others in their peerage had powers and used them. That said, the commoners were still practicing and all wished they could have it and use it… with the exception of the upper middle class looking to get an in with the aristocrats. So how come it’s unknown so completely to the mages during WWII? They practically live down the street from the ruins of Lackland Abbey.

Last Minute Thoughts: My toss-ups are probably going to be explained in future books of the series. I am looking forward to figuring everything out!

Buy: Dark Mirror

Rating: 4 Treasure Chests

Want to learn more? Check out Walk the Plank with M.J. Putney (Author Interview)

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Review: C. Y. A.: Covert Youth Agency: The Case of Tangled Love by Jason Ancona

First Mate Keira — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:10:02 +0000

by First Mate Keira

Title: C.Y.A.: The Case of Tangled Love (A Covert Youth Agency Novel, Book 1)
Author: Jason Ancona
Format: Digital ebook
Page Count: 258 pages
Grade Reading Level: Ages 8-14

Summary: The Covert Youth Agency (C.Y.A.) is the brainchild of Peter "Pi" Samuels (sophomore), a kid born on March 14 (which explains the math nickname 3.14). He and his two friends, Delilah Lightman aka "Lightman" (a freshman) and Ben "Tollhouse" Gaw (sophomore), are the club’s only members. Together they use their skills to solve the problems of Trenton High School Students. Their newest case is one of tangled love, where Vera, Pi’s crush, wants to know if her boyfriend Jack "JackO" Orton cheated on her at a party.

Why I started this book:

The author offered a review copy.

Likes:

All three main characters are fun, quirky, and intelligently drawn. I don’t always agree with the vernacular used (on the rag) but I find their thoughts, narration, and communication funny.
Pi in particular is very noble. I am proud of his final decisions regarding The Case of Tangled Love and Operation Jack Attack.
Ancona’s updated high school stereotypes: PDAs – Prescription Drug Addicts, Duhs - Diligent Underachievers, Big Sticks – Jocks (lacrosse and hockey in particular), Noble Nerds – The Underdogs, Indies – Independents, Reality Show Wannabes – Popular Girls.
The C.Y.A. spy techniques and adventures. Super cute and occasionally filled with disasters that require some epic strategizing to pull off… I’m thinking of the golf cart here. Haha.

Dislikes:

The party crowd/scene. How are they getting access to that much alcohol? Or the PDAs and all those "legal drugs"? I was disappointed in Tollhouse for succumbing to peer pressure to fit in and drink to the point of vomiting. Gross.
Deeks and the jocks hazing of the nerds. Yikes! Here’s hoping the C.Y.A. nips that in the butt and soon. I smell a new case.

Final Thoughts: The use of pop culture will make the books accessible for kids now, but might limit and date the books in the future.

Buy: C. Y. A.: Covert Youth Agency: The Case of Tangled Love

Rating: 3.5 Treasure Chests

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