Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

"Left on her own when her family dies in a terrible disaster, fifteen-year-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past. Struggling to survive physically and emotionally in a place where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden. But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she'd once been as she inks darkness into her skin. It is only through a series of mysterious encounters that Green can relearn the lessons of love and begin to heal enough to tell her story."

For being such a short book, the author was able to pack it full of emotion. I felt that it was more of a short story rather than a novel though. I was able to complete this book in one day, and if I had the time most likely could have done it in one sitting. With saying this I did enjoy it. 

When I was looking up the book on Amazon, I did find out that there are two more books that go along with this one. While I would not pay the full price for them, I will defiantly pick them up to see what else happens to Green along her journey of recovery. 

The only criticism that I have for the book, would be that I would want to know more about what happen that caused the "terrible disaster". It is mentioned briefly, but I felt like I was still in the dark about what happened and why it happened. 

It was a nice quick read, some mystery, and a little bit of magic. I gave the book a three out of five stars. 

                 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

"Christopher Boone, the autistic 15-year-old narrator of this revelatory novel, relaxes by groaning and doing math problems in his head, eats red-but not yellow or brown-foods and screams when he is touched. Strange as he may seem, other people are far more of a conundrum to him, for he lacks the intuitive "theory of mind" by which most of us sense what's going on in other people's heads. When his neighbor's poodle is killed and Christopher is falsely accused of the crime, he decides that he will take a page from Sherlock Holmes (one of his favorite characters) and track down the killer. As the mystery leads him to the secrets of his parents' broken marriage and then into an odyssey to find his place in the world, he must fall back on deductive logic to navigate the emotional complexities of a social world that remains a closed book to him. In the hands of first-time novelist Haddon, Christopher is a fascinating case study and, above all, a sympathetic boy: not closed off, as the stereotype would have it, but too open-overwhelmed by sensations, bereft of the filters through which normal people screen their surroundings. Christopher can only make sense of the chaos of stimuli by imposing arbitrary patterns ("4 yellow cars in a row made it a Black Day, which is a day when I don't speak to anyone and sit on my own reading books and don't eat my lunch and Take No Risks"). His literal-minded observations make for a kind of poetic sensibility and a poignant evocation of character. Though Christopher insists, "This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them," the novel brims with touching, ironic humor. The result is an eye-opening work in a unique and compelling literary voice. "

I was told about his book years ago, and came across it at a local thrift store and picked it up. And it has been sitting on my bookshelf ever since then. It wasn't until some of my students had to read it in their English class that I decided to also read it. I am so glad that I did. 
Going into the book I knew that the author had written it from a stand point of a boy who had autism.

 I am familiar with autism, so I was prepared for the some times odd handling of the writing. Being that I went to school for teaching and had many classes on students with special needs I was very impressed at how the author was able to portray what it is like to be someone with autism.

The story was also enjoyable and was a quick read for me. If you are looking for a book that has mystery that needs to be solved, told in an interesting point of view, and get a great view of what it is like to be someone with autism, pick this up! I think that everyone should read this book at some point. I give this a five out of five!

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle

"It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem."

I was recommended this book, by an acquaintance. I had heard of the book before and that it had been made into a movie a while ago. But it was the first time picking it up. I had always though that it was a children's book, and I think that it would be a good book for a middle schooler to start reading science fiction. But if you were to judge the book by the cover than I would not advise it. One of the reviews on the book said that it contained a "brooding horror", I did not find this in the book. While there was a mystery and a slight suspense it was no where near what I would call horror. 

While I did like the book, I was a little disappointed in the ending of the book. It felt rushed, and abrupt. I wanted there to me more conflict and more explanation of what had happened and why.

If you want a easy science fiction read this is a good book. I give the book a three out of five stars.

Grim edited by Christine Johnson

"Johnson’s anthology of retold fairy tales, most based on Grimm, should be wildly popular as the 17 authors include such well-known names as Ellen Hopkins, Julie Kagawa, Amanda Hocking, and Malinda Lo. Many authors bring the tone and focus back to the original Grimm tales, and graphic gore abounds. Sometimes the violence feels gratuitous, but often it’s completely appropriate. Rachel Hawkins’ opening story sets Bluebeard in a trailer park, with truly creepy foreshadowing from the heroine’s alcoholic mother. Jon Skovron’s “Raven Princess” has delightful contemporary touches, such as a same-sex giant couple rearing an infant, and a Shrek-like ending. Readers are bound to like some stories more than others, but the diversity of tone and treatment should please most fans of the genre. For many of the authors, the retold fairy tale is something new to their body of work. Hopefully, readers drawn by Ellen Hopkins’ novels on contemporary issues will discover the appeal and relevance of “tales as old as time,” such as Sarah Rees Brennan’s charming treatment of Beauty and the Beast."

If you may have noticed I love fairy tales, and the retelling of them. So as you may guess I really enjoyed this anthology. I have not read many books containing short stories, but after Grim I am going to be keeping my eye out for more of them. The authors that she chose to write did a great job retelling the Grimm fairy tales, so that you could still know which one you were reading. There was only one that was retold, that also happened to not be a fairy tale that the Grimm brothers wrote, Beauty and the beast. I did not mind this though, because it also happens to be my all time favorite fairy tale. 

Now to the stories themselves. While I enjoyed them all there were some that I liked more than others. Each had their own 'darkness' to them, but some did a better retelling them then others. While one story may be very similar to the original, even in the language they used to write it, others changed them so much that it was almost like reading a different story. I am not saying it was a bad thing, but I did need to look up which story they were trying to portray. There were even some stories that the author could easily take and turn it into a full novel if they wanted to , and I would defiantly go out and buy it.

So if you like reading a variety of different writing styles, and romances that are dark and a little twisted in some cases, then defiantly give this a read. I give this a four out of five stars. 

The Giver by Lois Lowry

"Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back."


I never read this book when I was in school. So now that I work in a school I thought it would be a good one to pick up. Also they just came out with the movie and the trailer looked awesome! I like the beginning of the book and it didn't feel rushed or dragged out. Lowry did a good job at giving all the information you needed to understand the world you were entering. I also liked her character development and you can relate to them in how they live their lives, even though they are different from how we live now.
As the story progressed, and you meet The Giver, the books feeling changed from one that was light and nice, to one that was somber and serious. You start to see what Lowry's message of the story is really about. I also found it interesting (even though the happy ending reader in me wanted more) how she ended the book. She almost leaves it up to you, to how it ends. If this book had been written a decade later it would be turned into a trilogy if not a series. 
I would not say that I enjoyed the book, but rather that I understood the message and agree that it is a book that everyone should read. It has a the feel of The Hunger Games, or should I say that The Hunger Games has the feel of The Giver. 
So If you like the distopian, controlled world, and fighting against the system then you will enjoy this book. It was an easy read, and I do suggest that everyone picks it up to read. 
I give this book a four out of five stars.

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

"As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past-- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone-- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen it's next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry."

I was so excited to get my hands on this book! I have read Pearce's other book Sister's Red and loved it, and when I saw this one at the local bookstore and I had the money to by it I was so pumped! Pearce has done it again, another retelling of the fairy tale, and does a great job at it. If you did not guess the story she chose to retell was Hansel and Gretel. While the original fairy tale is not one of my favorites, Sweetly has now become one of the books that I will not mind picking up again in the future. 

Again she writes about strong female leads, who have not choice but to save the day. With some help from the brooding town "rebel". She does a great job, not only having the characters fall in love, but also the reader falling in love with the characters. She also shows the love that is among siblings, and the ways that that love is tested. With saying that, it is not all mushy lovey, dovey and is open for many readers.

If you are looking for a read that has mystery, love, monsters, suspense, and action this is a great book for you. I give it a five out of five stars!

Thornyhold by Mary Stewart

"During Gilly Ramsey’s lonely childhood, the occasional brief visits of her mother’s cousin were a delight, seeming like visits of a fairy godmother. Years later, when Gilly inherits Thornyhold, her house, she discovers that her cousin, with her still room and herbalist practices—and her undoubted powers—had long been known to the locals as a witch. She is approached by neighbors, some innocent, some not so innocent, but all assuming that she, too, is a witch, and a possible addition to the local coven. Gilly finds there is some truth in this, for she discovers that she can call on a kind of power in difficult moments. This wonderful novel from bestselling author Mary Stewart is delicate in its perception of a young woman’s falling in love, delightful in its portrayal of the English countryside, and skilled in its creation of a world full of magic."

I was skeptical about this book when I first picked it up. I usually do not read older novels, but I liked the premise of this book and was ready to tackle it. It did start off sort of slowly, setting the scene for which make life for Gilly at Thornyhold so different than what she previously knew. As I reached half way through the book I still did not know which way the story was heading. Was it a mystery, a witch hunt, or something else. Mart Stewart did make me feel connected to the characters and I was able to sympathize with them. As for the romance of the book, it took awhile before you realize who was going to become an item. When you do finally figure it out, the book ends fairly quickly. And I do not mean in a good. Stewart took such a long time to lead up to this point and then ended it to short. There were many ways to end, but it felt rushed as though she had run out of time to write and just ended it. With saying this I did enjoy it, but wish I had more. 

I rate this book a three out of five stars.