Review: The Kneebone Boy, By Ellen Potter

Title: The Kneebone Boy
Author: Ellen Potter
Publisher: Feiwel And Friends
Publishing Date: September 14, 2010
Length: 280 Pages
Summary: (From Book) The Hardscrabble children are weird.
Otto doesn't speak.
Lucia is shamelessly candid.
And Max likes to sit on the roof of their house.
Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt who’s away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where legend has it a monstrous creature lives who is half boy and half animal. . . .
My Thoughts: Quirky, odd, unpredictable and very much enjoyable. Like all children's fiction, the story is a lot deeper than it appears on the surface.

Review: Cinder, By Marrissa Meyer

Title: Cinder
Author: Marrissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel And Friends
Publishing Date: January 3, 2012
Length: 387 pages
Summary: (From book) Sixteen-year old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits though: Cinder's brain interface has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.
Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger step sister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating the Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.
But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.
My Thoughts: *Squee!* This book was brilliant! I loved it so much. I don't read a lot of YA fiction mainly because I am constantly disappointed by the lack of character depth, the kissing scenes and clichéd male characters...lack of plot, lack of values, blah, blah, blah...But this was amazing. Cinder is a strong willed character with deep, emotional interest and I found myself instantly sucked into her story. Prince Kai was dreamy in a real, believable sort of way and as always, I am a sucker for the chivalrous gentleman.
This book combined a lot of fabulous medical angst which, given my bizarre fascination with the medical field, was just the perfect dose for my obsession. The doctor/scientist guy was even a gruff old man with secrets and a Newsie cap. Can you say love?
The plot of this story was just beautiful. The way the author writes was so poetic without being flowery and I couldn't put the book down. I picked this novel up to read on a long flight across the country and was down to the final pages that I just had to read while walking through the airport. I'm afraid I was a little spacey for awhile being A) confused  on time zones and B) completely lost in Cinder's world.
I find myself endeared to the author as she is after my own heart in the fact that she is a fellow Fanfiction geek and lover of all things nerdy. And of course, I must thank her for writing such a clean, enjoyable novel when so much of the world focuses on the dirty. I seriously cannot wait for the rest of the Lunar books. I can't believe I have to wait until next year for the sequel.

Review: Chocolate, By Joanne Harris

Title: Chocolat
Author: Joanne Harris
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publishing Date: January 28, 2000
Length: 242 pages
Summary: (from book) In tiny little Lansquenet, where nothing much has changed in a hundred years, beautiful, unmarried newcomer Vianne Rocher and her young daughter sweep into the pinched little town on a wave of gossip. On the heels of the carnival, Vianne promptly opens a chocolate shop right across the square from the church, and thus begins to wreak havoc with the town's Lenten vows. Vianne finds herself embroiled in a battle for the town's souls with the local priest, Father Reynaud, who tries to cast Vianne-with her unconventional, gypsy-like ways-as the village Jezebel. Soon she has effected a civil war in the little country town between those who prefer the cold comforts of the church and those who revel in the warm delights of chocolate.
But each box of chocolates she sells comes with a free gift: Vianne's uncanny perception of its buyer's private discontents and a clever, caring cure for them. Is she a witch? Soon the parish no longer cares as it abandons itself to temptation, happiness and a dramatic confrontation between Easter solemnity and the pagan gaiety of a chocolate festival.
My Thoughts: This was a cute book. The way the author writes was absolutely breathtaking. I found myself sucked in and read this book in one sitting. The characters were instantly lovable and I feel like we have become fast friends. I couldn't possibly pick a favorite from among them, though I found Luc's story with his grandmother to be particularly touching. Vianne was a mysterious soul and while I would not classify her as a witch, she does have some peculiar habits. (Forking fingers, reading cards,)  I am not a fan of magic of any kind, but this felt like more gypsy superstition than black magic to me. The one thing I feel a little sketchy on was the obvious disapproval of the Catholic church, but it was still a fun story nonetheless. The story of the bells at Easter had to be my favorite part.
Things To Be Cautious Of: Sadly, there's a bit to be warned about. Had I known, I might not have read the book.
Language: Several uses of BI**, two BA***, the F word (which I found most shocking and very offensive) used about five times.
Awkward: Father Reynaud hints at a traumatic childhood experience and you find out that it has to do with him seeing people *making out*
A dirty man eyes Vianne; Vianne has a serious *make out* session in the garden with a character. No details, nothing graphic, but mentions lack of clothing. This is the first time I've ever encountered something like this in a story and I was a little disconcerted.
Violence: One man is abusive and beats his wife.

~o0o~
I will be watching the movie Chocolat and will give my opinion as well as compare it to the book later on.

The movie was adorable. I might have liked it better than the book. It was very different from the book, and I think that might be why I liked it. The preacher turned out to be an adorable young adult and the antagonist, if you will, was a character not even in the book-the mayor. This was made before Johnny Depp's career really took off and it's a little odd to see him in a serious role. His Irish accent was awful; not going to lie. He has grown leaps and bounds since then. I liked reading the book first and then seeing the movie- I felt like I had more of a psychological insight into the character's minds from reading the book and that gave me more a connection and understanding for the motives of their actions.

Review: Cankered Roots, G.G. Vandagriff

Title: Cankered Roots
Author: G.G Vandagriff
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Publishing Date: 1994
Length: 224 pages
Summary(from book):  Alexandra Campbell steels herself to face the disapproval and possible rejection by her parents as she tries to uncover the "family secret"-the truth about her grandfather, whose death seems to mark the beginning of everything that has gone wrong in her family. What does doesn't intend, however, is that her quest will lead to the murder of her father.
In spite of shock, guilt and grief, Alex quickly grasps the realities of the situation-the murder was the result of her genealogical detective work, and therefore the mystery is entwined with her family tree and the secrets no one would reveal. With the help of close friends, her own unique skills, and a touch of karate, Alex uncovers a seventy year old tale of deception, impersonation and blackmail.
By confronting the real truth about her heritage, she finally unmasks the murderer and faces her own worst fears. In doing so, she finds her way at last to understanding and then forgiveness. And in the wake of forgiveness comes the peace of an unexpected healing.
My Thoughts:
....Oy. Please forgive me, I skipped part of this and just read the last few pages. I got so bored.  The plot didn't move very quickly and was cluttered by lots of confusing plot threads and over used similes. (At least two a paragraph at times)  I forgave the author for the confusion in her other book after hearing about her incredible story, but now I'm just wondering if this is how she writes. I don't mean to be harsh, but it is seriously a chore to work through her novels. And they aren't even very lengthy.
Cankered Roots is the first in a series of genealogical mysteries; two subjects  that fascinate me, but with how much I struggled to connect to this one, I doubt I'll read further.
There also seems to be a lot of cliches' in her writing. The female main character marries a European and they die too soon and leave the widow heartbroken and defending on her own inner strength. Don't get me wrong, but when all of her novels have a similar theme, I'm going to lose interest.
Kudos to the author for overcoming her trial in life and for living her dream, but as for this book, I don't think it's my cup of tea.

Review: The Arthurian Omen, G.G. Vandagriff

Title: The Arthurian Omen
Author: G.G. Vandagriff
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publishing Date: April 2, 2008
Length: 322 pages
Summary: (from book)  Is the story of King Arthur history or myth?  A Celtic scholar is brutally murdered when she discovers a clue to a priceless fifth-century manuscript that could prove the identity of King Arthur. Determined to find the ancient relic and avenge her sister's death, Maren Southcott begins a quest that immediately puts her own life in danger.
In the tradition of Mary Higgins Clark, The Arthurian Omen weaves a tale of mystery and suspense as pursuit of the manuscript winds through the medieval castles and monasteries of Wales. 
Stalked by a psychopath with delusions of a Welsh revolution, Maren is shaken to the core when a new crisis threatens to destroy the one person s he loves most. Can she find the manuscript before the murderer strikes again? Or is the manuscript-and the legend- better left buried in the past?
My Thoughts: This book, to put it in Welsh, was bendigedig. The author's story even more so. She suffered a health problem that left her with no memories and lacking the ability to write. Due to a miraculous recovery, she gained her ability to write back, but her memories are still gone. Her husband found an old computer file that was the first few pages of this book and she finished the manuscript from there. It's nothing less than a miracle.
The writing was a bit confusing at times, due to the several character's involved, but understanding the author's background, I can let that one slide.
The story was fascinating. I have a deep love for mysteries and folklore and this one did not disappoint. The story weaved in and out with several plot twists and I honestly did not see the end of this one coming. I spent the entire novel believing the wrong character to be the culprit.  I love a story that surprises me.
This book made me want to speak Welsh, and I had to Google a sound recording of the language to hear how beautiful it is.
I enjoyed the depth of the characters and the emotional pull I felt along the storyline. The author has a love for genealogy and you can tell that in the importance laid on family ties. The book felt well researched and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
Things To Be Cautious Of: This was a suspense novel, and there is mention of several murders, and brief, non detailed violence.

Review: Edenbrooke, Julianne Donaldson

Title: Edenbrooke
Author: Julianne Donaldson
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publishing Date: March 27, 2012
Length: 255 pages
Summary: (From back of book) Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she'll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.
From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.
My Thoughts: This book was perfect. Even the cover and the name is perfect. I picked this one up searching for a cute love story after my last book got a little too heated for my taste. I had been expecting a pleasing, albeit, cliche romance so typical to this genre, but I was delightfully disappointed. This book grabbed my attention from the start and I read the entire thing in an afternoon. (The perfect thing to help cope with a head cold.)
Philip, the hero of the story is everything a girl should want in a guy, and Marianne is an independent and lovable narrator. The banter and wit was enjoyable and I loved watching the development and waiting for the next big twist. The mystery and adventure of the story was original and the setting a delight to fall into.
This is how a love story should be. I agree wholeheartedly with the author about wanting just a sweet love story without all the lust and desire that is so rampant among fiction these days.  I admire the character Philip for his gentleman like behavior and upright standards. It is an ageless trait you do not see very often anymore and I found it refreshing.
This was a wonderful book that I will recommend happily and take off my shelf to read again and again.

Review: Hourglass, Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass
Author: Myra McEntire
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publishing Date: June 14, 2011
Length: 390 pages
Summary: (From website) One hour to rewrite the past . . . 

 For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there; swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. 

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. 

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened? 

My Thoughts: First off, the cover is gorgeous. I was drawn to it immediately. I first saw this book when it came out, but didn't read it because it was filed under the paranormal genre. I stumbled across the book again on a book blog website and found out that it is a time slip book. Now, I confess, I have a soft spot for time travel books and love reading them. I figured that they were calling the time travel 'paranormal'  so I went and bought it yesterday and read it in an afternoon. 

Emerson, the female protagonist, is character with a very deep past and very independent. I admired her as a character and found her interesting.  She has a weird condition where she sees images. People think she's hallucinating, and it feels slightly paranormal as the images are people and mistaken for ghosts. I didn't like that part at all. But it turns out to be a pretty cool key to the whole time travel thing. 

Michael, the heart throb of the book, has a lot of history that I'm fascinated by and would love to learn more about. The plot line for the book was amazing, and the author (who looks just like Carrie Underwood) executed it beautifully. But there is always downside. I wish there was never a downside.

I try not to read a lot of YA; especially recently written, popular YA because of the content and I did research this book on a content review site to make sure it was clean before purchasing. I could handle the few swear words, nothing more than what you hear on TV, but the one main reason I hate YA fiction is because of the gag worthy, over the top, borderline uncomfortable, unrealistic romance. I mean, seriously.

Of course the first boy she meets is the one she falls in love with. Of course he totally loves her and has abs like Taylor Lautner. Because, heaven forbid he's built like a gawky, normal teenage guy. I have nothing wrong with romance, in fact, I am a sucker for well written love stories. But when two characters are defined as a couple not even half way though the book and kissing before the climax, I feel a lot of character development is lost.  Are all YA's this way?  And the emotion written into the scenes is way too intense. There are somethings I will never be old enough or want to read.  Granted, it wasn't too much detail, but it was like ignoring the elephant in the room. 

Michale's friend is an openly dirty person and has several remarks and scenes with Emerson that I found to be unnecessary and taking away from the beauty of the plot line. The sneak peek for the sequel in the back  of the book opens with a scene and this character and starts off dirty. Such writing has really made me lose all interest in ever reading the sequel to the book; which is a shame, considering how interesting the plotline.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  And this is the part where I wonder if the content review sight for literature is just blind or incredibly tolerant. Swearing. (several 'dang,' a few 'heck' one B_ and an unfinished Sh-)   Romance content: Feelings of physical tension between the two main characters, two kissing scenes, but without much detail. One of the characters has a shady life and hints suggestively at things to the female character.