Enchanting Review: Hate List

HATE LIST

JENNIFER BROWN

YA contemporary

Little, Brown

ISBN# 9780316041454

408 pages

$8.99

Paperback available now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Valerie Leftman didn’t mean for anyone to die. Her hate list was her way of venting back at those who bullied her. Her boyfriend Nick though had other plans. Five months ago, Nick opened fire at their high school killing and wounding people. Valerie never thought he’d actually use the hate list. In her attempt to stop him, she’s shot in the leg protecting one of those she hated.

Now the town can’t make out if Valerie is a villain or hero. She decides to go back to school to confront those who did survive. Valerie must come to terms on what happened that tragic day in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Wow. One image kept coming to me when I read Valerie’s tale. My sister’s funeral. Her ex boyfriend murdered her then turned the gun on himself. At the funeral the father of the guy who killed my sister showed up. I was furious. How dare he? But my mother taught me a lesson. She told me the father didn’t pull the trigger and that he was hurting too as he lost a son. That same feeling came back to me when reading HATE LIST. Valerie’s emotions and struggles are shown in such an intense and powerful way. Also she shows us the Nick she loved so he’s not such a monster. That’s one thing I love about this story. It would be so easy to just dwell on the graphic horror of the shooting and show Nick as a crazy monster. Instead the author gives us characters that are fleshed out and have us care.

The writing is powerful and gripping. Life isn’t all roses when Val shows back up at school. Her own family has issues too with her part of the tragedy like her father who believes she’s at fault too. There are others like the girl Valerie saved who go out of her way to be friends though others around her ridicule and just hope Val disappears. The ending of this book had me in tears when Val and her friend go to all those who were affected by the shooting. Haunting and riveting, this is one tale that really stays with you.

Jennifer Brown writes and lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband and three children. She’s also a columnist for the Kansas City Star. Read more about her at www.jenniferbrownya.com

Kim Baccellia

ENCHANTING REVIEWS

December 2010

Enchanting Review: Med Head

MED HEAD

JAMES PATTERSON & HAL FRIEDMAN

YA Non-fiction

Little, Brown

ISBN# 9780316076173

302 pages

$8.99

Paperback available now

5 Enchantments

Corey Friedman is an ordinary teenager with issues that take all his strength and courage to overcome. This is an account of his thirteen year journey dealing with OCD, anxiety, and Tourette’s symptom.

Wow. Reading Corey’s story amazes me. What he went through as a child with the daily ridicule of his peers and then the pure hell of a life time of different drugs, totally is awe inspiring. My own son deals with sensory issues and I’ve dealt with a school system that wasn’t supportive. I can’t even imagine what Corey’s parents went through. What is really inspiring is Corey’s voice. His descriptions of the meds that caused serious issues are so real. I felt for him when this one so-called expert in the field of Tourette’s, ends up just viewing Corey as a test subject even when the one drug she prescribes to him causes him to want to end his life.

Corey also shows the reader what it’s like to basically be a guinea pig to a wide assortment of meds. His OCD and Tourette’s were very extreme. One way Corey dealt with the pain was self-medicating with alcohol. But this book doesn’t just dwell on the negative. It shows Corey’s successes and triumphs. My favorite part is when Corey shows this one school founder that he will make it out in the real world. And he does with determination and persistence.

The story is haunting and Corey’s personal journey through years of medical turmoil will stay with you. At the conclusion are notes from Corey’s parents, personal photos, and also info on OCD and Tourette’s.

James Patterson is the author of Maximum Ride novels, Witch & Wizard, and a number of other books. He lives in Florida.

Hal Friedman has published five works of fiction. He lives with his wife, Sophia, at the edge of a forest in northern New Jersey.

Kim Baccellia

ENCHANTING REVIEWS

November 2010

Enchanting Review: Forge

FORGE
LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON
Historical YA
Atheneum
ISBN# 978-1416961444
304 pages
$16.99
Hardback available now

5 Enchantments

Fifteen-year-old escaped slave Curzon lives in fear of being discovered. After a chance encounter, he finds himself a member of a battalion under the leadership of George Washington which ends up at Valley Forge. Not only does Curzon deal with hiding his true identity from the other soldiers but the harsh conditions of the war. Also he can’t forget Isabel. Will they meet again? And will he survive?

This is the stunning conclusion to Chains. The rich writing, details, and setting make the reader feel as if they’d been dropped right into the middle of the Revolutionary War. I love Anderson’s eye to fine details to what the soldiers ate, wore, and how they interacted during this time. Curzon’s character is multidimensional. You can feel his conflict on how he feels towards a white friend he made on the battle field to the anger that his race still is considered not good enough to be free. There is one scene where he’s invited to go to this one officer’s home. He goes to the kitchen where he encounters some slaves. When the officer sees him there, he refuses to feed him.

What I really love about these books is how well Anderson brings emotions to the surface. I felt anger, sadness, and even horror at what Curzon sees at Valley Forge. She’s able to paint a harsh, realistic picture of the numbness that must happen to someone who witnesses war.

I highly recommend this book to fans of Anderson and also to any school library. Both Chains and Forge would be great books to use in discussions of the Revolutionary War and how freedom didn’t include all men at that time.

Laurie Halse Anderson is an award-winning author of Speak and Chains, which were both National Book Award Finalists. Laurie lives in northern New York, where’s she’s working on Isabel and Curzon’s final adventure. Find out more on her blog at halseanderson.livejournal.com and twitter.com/halseanderson.

Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
October 2010

Enchanting Review: I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend

I WAS JANE AUSTEN'S BEST FRIEND
CORA HARRISON
Historical YA
Delacorte
ISBN# 978-0385739405
$17.99
Pages
Hardcover—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

I WAS JANE AUSTEN'S BEST FRIEND is a fun historical read for any Jane Austen fan. Actually based in part on fact: Jane's cousin did send a letter letting the family know of Jane's illness and both girls were brought back home with the Austen family, the tale veers off mainly into fiction from then on.

I very much enjoyed I WAS JANE AUSTEN'S BEST FRIEND. Ms. Harrison does a terrific job transporting the reader back in time to 1791 and the Austen family home, making them feel like they are right there watching the story unfold. Cousin Jenny is a great character. Having lost her mother and spent the last few years at boarding school, she's delighted to find herself rescued alongside Jane, and at home with her Aunt Austen and family. The fact that she had to sneak out to get the letter sent however weighs heavily on her mind, as the scandal could ruin her reputation if found out, as it is especially important that the girls make good matches, since there aren't much funds for either of them. Only Jane knows the truth of how the letter was truly sent. When the young Captain that helped Jenny that night arrives in the area, Jenny is panicked, what if he tells the truth?

Ms. Harrison creates a fun and enthusiastic young Jane Austen in her novel. Jane is full of life, loves hanging around her brothers, writing down her stories and sharing them with Jenny and her family. Her relationship with her mother is a strained one, the reason behind which comes to light later in the book when she takes Jenny to meet George, her other older brother who lives in town. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Jenny, Jane and George where the girls are trying to teach his alphabet in the hopes that he'll be able to one day put words together.

Filled with memorable characters, I WAS JANE AUSTEN'S BEST FRIEND has definitely earned a spot on my keeper shelf. Visit Ms. Harrison online at http://www.coraharrison.com/

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
October 2010

Enchanting Review: Jump

JUMP
GINGER RUE
Contemporary YA
Tricycle Press
ISBN# 978-0385739405
$15.99
224 Pages
Hardcover—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Spoiled. Egotistical. Popular. All can describe Brinkley Harper, the undisputable Queen of Story High. She's currently being forced to see a shrink, the peculiar Irirangi, so she can stay at Story High after an 'incident' with one of the other students, not to mention she's personally responsible for four girls leaving the school. When Irirangi ends the first session by telling Brinkley she has some very special therapy planned for her, Brinkley could never imagine what's in store. Within days of their first meeting, strange things start happening. First, she finds herself inhabiting the body of that freak Miranda of all people. But a funny thing happens, Brinkley begins to see just what her and her friends behaviour looks like when she's on the receiving end of it. And twenty-four hours as Miranda, gives her a glimpse of a life she'd never imagined. Unfortunately, Miranda isn't the last jump she makes.

So for the first few chapters, I really didn't like Brinkley much at all. Selfish, stuck-up, a bully, all are adjectives that barely scratch the surface of Brinkley. But as the story moves on, not only does Brinkley start to see a new side of herself that she isn't all that proud of, the reader sees what Brinkley isn't showing the world. Her boyfriend is more arm candy than anything else, her parents could be the definition of absentee and her housekeeper is the closest thing to family she has. Her growing friendship with Miranda was one of my favourite parts of the book, especially when she confided in her what was really going on and Miranda didn't quite believe her. As Brinkley matures, and starts to discover who she really wants to be, she becomes a far more likeable person. One of the best scenes is when Brinkley decides to get back at the guy Carly likes, after a jump into the other girl's body, where she was ignored and overheard the guy's remarks about 'her'. Definitely one of my favourites in the book.

All in all, I found JUMP to be an enjoyable read.

Ginger Rue was the advice columnist for Sweet 16magazine and has written for Girls’ Life, Teen Vogue, and Seventeen magazines, among others. Visit her online at www.gingerrue.com to learn more.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
October 2010

Enchanting Review: Enchanted Ivy

ENCHANTED IVY
SARAH BETH DURST
YA fantasy
McElderry Books
ISBN# 978-1416986454
310 pages
$16.99
Hardback Available Now

4 Enchantments

Lily Carter’s dream college is Princeton University. When she finally gets to visit the campus, her grandfather tells her that she’s been selected to take a secret Legacy Test. If she passes, she’ll get an automatic acceptance to Princeton.

But Lily finds out the Legacy Test has some secrets which includes her family. Along the way she meets Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who claims he’s a guard. Also talking gargoyles who tell her there is a gate between our world and a magical one. Lily needs to gather all her strength and courage to unite both worlds and unlock her own family secrets.

I loved Sarah Beth Durst’s first fantasy INTO THE WILD. In that story she has creatures from children’s fairy tales exist right along our world. Durst is an expert on weaving such a world. ENCHANTED IVY is no exception. I loved Lily’s persistence and determination to get into the college of her dreams. Even when she finds out both her grandfather and mother hid some secrets from her, Lily refuses to give up. One of my favorite scenes has to be when she climbs up to one of the gargoyles, unfazed by how strange it all is, and listens to him. Or when she continues to watch out for Tye, even if he isn’t all he seems to be.

Durst casts a spell on the reader with her fantasy world filled with talking gargoyles, cute shape shifter boys, and heroic knights. Let’s just say I’ll never think of Princeton in the same way again! I especially like Tye, the mysterious tiger boy with an impish sense of humor. His loyalty to Lily makes him very likeable too. This fun, colorful world is sure to become a favorite of fantasy lovers.

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of INTO THE WILD and its sequel OUT OF THE WILD. She is a graduate of Princeton University. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com




Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
September 2010

Enchanting Review: The Less-Dead

THE LESS-DEAD
APRIL LURIE
YA Contemporary
Delacorte Press
ISBN# 978-0-385-73675-6
229 pages
$16.99
Hardback Available Now

Rating: 3.5 Enchantments

Noah Nordstorm likes to rebel, especially against his father who just happens to be the host of a popular Christian radio show. Noah is embarrassed of his father’s messages which he feels are spreading hate. Then a couple local gay teens are murdered. Noah is convinced the killer called into his father’s show.

Noah then meets Will Reed, who happens to be into poetry and is also gay. Noah at first feels strange around Will. When Noah finds out Will has been kicked out of his latest foster home, he tries to reach out. Then tragedy hits. Noah is filled with guilt and determined to find the killer. He’s also wants to show his father and others like him that spreading anti-gay propaganda is behind the recent killings.

This book haunted me and brought the recent gay hate crimes to light. I totally believe in the message--that it’s dangerous to label others and justify this by using the Bible. I agree with the author that God is love, not hate. Also I thought the author’s interpretation of the scriptures used to flame anti-gay propaganda was interesting and insightful.

But this story is more than that. It’s a murder mystery where a teen searches for the killer of a friend. Noah at first seems unlikeable but I could understand some of his reactions as I’ve been around mega conservative Christians too. His struggle to separate himself from his father’s intense views is something I know teens can relate with. The author does a great job of showing this during a family dinner scene where Noah’s father actually meets someone, in this case Will, who happens to be the very person he uses in his homophobic radio messages.

The problem I had with this otherwise engaging tale, had to be that I felt at times the storyline was a tad bit too preachy and forced. Also I kind of guessed who the killer was.

This story does address a subject that is sure to resonate with teens, especially those who live in ultra religious homes where anti-gay propaganda is preached.

April Lurie lives near Austin, Texas, with her husband and their four children. You can read more about her work at www.aprillurie.com

Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
July 2010

Enchanting Review: The Poison Diaries

THE POISON DIARIES
MARYROSE WOOD
YA Fantasy
Balzer + Bray
ISBN# 0061802360
288 pages
$16.99
Hardcover – Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Weed is an orphan taken to live with the Luxton family. He has a particular talent for herbal remedies and has a wealth of knowledge about plants and their uses. He forms a particular connection to Jessamine with whom he forms a friendship and eventual romance with.

Jessamine spends her days in an isolated cottage tending her garden. She has learned from her father about the power of plants and how to cure illnesses with them.

Jessamine Luxton lives with her father in an isolated cottage and spends her time learning about plants and tending her garden. Her father, a respected apothecary taught her about plants and the powers that they possess. She has always wanted to explore the locked garden of dangerous plants that her father would never let her enter. One day, an orphan is dropped off at her cottage to live with the Luxtons. Weed possesses a great amount of knowledge about plants and how they can be used to cure illnesses. He forms a quick friendship with Jessamine and eventually fall in love. The lure of the poison garden remains strong and threatens to tear down their newly formed relationship.

THE POISON DIARIES was a beautiful combination of fantasy and romance. It reminded me of a darker The Secret Garden with a touch of romance. I loved the darkness of this book. Some readers may not appreciate the darkness of this book because it is a great departure from Woods’ other books which were more lighthearted. I thought that the detail and care taken with each and every description was just amazing. The description of the poison plants was just plain old creepy. I also loved that each plant had it’s own voice and personality that reflected the characteristics of the plant. I really loved the last two parts of the book because there was a darkness in those chapters that really encapsulated the feeling of the rest of the book.

I thought Weed and Jessamine were wonderful characters. They were both so sympathetic and vibrant. Jessamine was such an amazing character. She had this innate curiosity about her that I really identify with. Weed was a mystery throughout the whole book. I loved his dependence on Jessamine. They really had a very sweet relationship that started with a dependence, turned into friendship and then eventually became love. People will compare them to Edward and Bella from Twilight but to me, they reminded me more of Mary Lennox and Dickon from The Secret Garden. Their relationship was very sweet and although they were very tentative with each other, they had great chemistry.

I was, however, quite disappointed with the ending. I wanted there to be a more firm conclusion but, I guess, in YA you never really get that until the end of the series. I can’t wait until the next book.

Maryrose Wood began writing fiction after a life in the theater. She has written several teen novels and her most recent series for young readers is The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. She currently lives in New York City.

Grace Loiacono
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
July 2010

Enchanting Review: Bad Blood

BAD BLOOD (A BLOOD COVEN VAMPIRE NOVEL #4)
MARI MANCUSI
Paranormal YA
Berkley Jam
ISBN# 9780425232644
230 Pages
$9.99
Trade—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Seventeen year old Sunny McDonald is ready to take a big step forward with her thousand year old vampire boyfriend and coven leader Magnus, until she finds out the Blood Coven has decided upon a Blood Mate for him—Jane, who isn't what she seems. But Magnus won't listen to Sunny's claims, playing it off like she's just jealous...but when Sunny enlists the help of her twin sister, Rayne, to help discover the truth, the two set off for Vegas and find a lot more than they bargained for.

BAD BLOOD is the fourth book in the 'A Blood Coven Vampire' series, but it's first book in the series I've read and I have to say it wasn't hard to get pulled into the story. Things were well laid out so I could slip easily into the story, and didn't feel like I'd missed a ton having not read the previous books. I have to say I really liked Sunny and Rayne and their relationship. Sunny's determination to prove to her boyfriend that she's right about Jane was great and her trek through Las Vegas in search of info that proves her right is both fun and entertaing. It's a path that leads her to a small theatre inside an old hotel and casino that's seen better days, but when she realizes the truth, Magnus isn't exactly easy to convince.

This was one book that once I started I couldn't put down and finished it in an afternoon. Ms. Mancusi does an excellent job keeping the reader in the story, unable to wait to discover what's really going on with Jane, and how she got past the supposed background check of the Coven. Sunny's way of tracking her down is a little more tame than Rayne's ideas, but nonetheless, work. My favorite scenes are when Sunny is at the rehearsal's for the Sun Hotel's production of 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'. You're just waiting for Sunny to get more info, and nervous that she's about to be discovered by the bad guys. The sisters' get an added complication with their staying arrangements, instead of being in one of the hotels, they're staying with their step-mother and the half-sister they never knew about, which causes some animosity between Sunny and Rayne, with Sunny at least attempting to be nice.

Filled with twists and turns, fun characters and a shocking ending that leaves readers demanding the next in the series, BAD BLOOD is a great paranormal read, perfect for summer.

Visit Mari Mancusi online at www.marimancusi.com and on myspace at www.myspace.com/marimancusi

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
May 2010

Enchanting Review: Whisper

WHISPER
PHOEBE KITANIDIS
YA Paranormal
Harper Collins
ISBN # 978-0-06-179925-9
282 pages
$16.99
Hardcover Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Joy can hear people’s thoughts or whispers. She’s learned to use this to her advantage. Her other sister Jessica, does the exact opposite thing. She uses whispers to hurt others. Then on Joy’s fifteenth birthday her ability changes. She finds out what her friends really think. And it’s not all good. To make matters worse, Jessica taunts her. This causes Joy to lash out and tell her sister to leave. Later, Joy finds out Jessica is missing. Her mother isn’t being truthful and her father is oblivious. It’s now up to Joy to find her one Aunt who has silenced other’s whispers. Maybe then Joy can find the truth and also her older sister before it’s too late.

This intriguing tale shows what happens when a paranormal ability turns out not to be so great after all. The beginning of the story is a tad bit slow with a little too much back story. But once you read about the pivotal event that changes Joy’s life, you can’t put the book down. I liked the sister relationship, which was totally realistic. Jessica, alias Icka, is shown at first as a resentful presence. She’s a major pain in the butt and takes pleasure in putting Joy down. It would have been easy to keep it at that. Instead the author fleshed Jessica out to show her vulnerabilities which included her trying to warn Joy of what would happen to her gift when she turned fifteen and how she tried to connect with her telepathically.

The relationship between Jaime and Joy is interesting. I liked how each of them complimented the other. I also liked how the author shows how Jaime deals with his paranormal ability in a different way.

WHISPER takes an intriguing twist on a paranormal ability that makes you want to read more!

Phoebe Kitanidis lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and big gray cat. A former Language Arts teacher, she now writes full time. To find out more check out www.authortracker.com


Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
June 2010

Enchanting Review: Saving Maddie

SAVING MADDIE
VARIAN JOHNSON
YA Contemporary
Delacorte Press
ISBN# 978-0-385-73804-0
231 pages
$16.99
Hardback Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Everyone, including Joshua Wynn’s pastor father, expects him to be the perfect teen. So far he doesn’t disappoint as he chooses abstinence and religious retreats over partying and getting into trouble. Then one day an old friend shows up and turns his world upside down.

Maddie Smith comes to one sermon dressed in a very revealing dress which causes just about everyone to gossip. Everyone except Joshua. He still remembers the girl he’d meet at the blackberry brushes. But that girl has changed. No longer does Maddie want anything to do with organized religion. And rumor has it she has a bad reputation. Everyone, including Joshua’s father, discourages him from seeing Maddie. But Joshua can’t. He feels he can save Maddie. But in the process of doing this, will he lose his own way?

I really liked this story. Joshua’s struggles to be the ‘perfect’ son are very true. So are his challenges to not let his father down. Maddie coming back to town causes turmoil. Joshua starts to question his own faith and beliefs. I liked how the author shows Joshua struggling to still be the obedient son while fighting his growing attraction to Maddie.

The relationship between Joshua and Maddie is intense at times. Maddie’s shield does come down just enough for us to see that she’s not the stereotypical ‘slutty’ girl. Though I liked the interaction between Joshua and his parents, I would have liked the author to dig a little deeper. I felt that Joshua’s mother might have had more of a reason why she resented Maddie showing back up.

SAVING MADDIE digs down deep to break apart the stereotypes of what it means to be worth saving. It also shows how one teen does just that while in the meantime finding himself.

Varian Johnson is the author of MY LIFE AS A RHOMBUS. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and their two cocker spaniels. He’s a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Program for Writing for Children and Young Adults. Find out more at www.varianjohnson.com

Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
May 2010

Enchanting Review: Nightmare: Too Scared Too Sleep

NIGHTTIME: TOO SCARED TO SLEEP
TODD STRASSER
Kid’s horror
Scholastic
ISBN #978-0-545-10463-0
80 pages
$4.99
Print Paperback- Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

NIGHTTIME: TOO SCARED TO SLEEPwas a fun collection of scary short stories. My kids really enjoyed these around Halloween. We would snuggle up and I would read it to them. The stories of course are not scary for me but have just enough spook for my kids. Some of the stories are longer than others but all of them are fun. From what I can tell there are two more books in this set, and I will be getting those soon. My kids really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for more.

One of our favorite stories was THE NICEST BABYSITTER IN THE WORLD. This was a story of a babysitter who convinced the kids she was babysitting to tell her all about the boy who is being mean to them. They told her what they would like to do to him in a perfect world. I believe it was throw rocks at him while he is on his bike. The next day… he had rocks thrown at him. My kids loved it, and it taught them a lesson to not wish mean things on other people.

NIGHTTIME: TOO SCARED TO SLEEP was a fun collection of spooky stories perfect for children ages 5 to 10.

Todd Strasser is the author of children books from grade 2 and up. To find out more about his wonderful books please visit his website at http://www.toddstrasser.com/

Jennifer
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
November 2009

Enchanting Review: Borderline

BORDERLINE
ALLAN STRATTON
YA Contemporary
Harper Collins
ISBN # 978-0-06-145111-9
298 pages
$16.99
Hardcover­—Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Life isn’t easy for Sami Sabiri. After one incident with a girl, his father puts him in a private school where he’s the only Muslim teen. Then Sami catches his father in a lie and checks out what’s going on. Come to find out others, which include the FBI, are interested too. When the FBI comes and takes his father away, Sami’s family becomes the center of an international terrorist investigation. It’s up to Sami to find the truth before his world unravels.

I really liked Sami’s POV in this story. Sami describes how hard it is being Muslim in a post 9/11 world in a very realistic and believable way. Some ways he shows this is how he finds a secret place to say his prayers at the school. He also compares how different his life is from his non-Muslim friends and how it sometimes makes him feel invisible and left out. The scene where Eddy, the star football player and bully, torments Sami because of his faith struck a chord with me. My own brother-in-law and nephews are Muslim so I’ve heard from them how easy it is for others to quickly judge someone who’s different.

Sami’s friends at first seem indifferent to his plight but later show their true colors once Sami sets out to find the truth. I liked the interaction between the friends that didn’t feel forced at all. Also I liked how one teacher tries to stand up for what’s wrong with racism and to show Sami that he needs to not accept the bullies abuse but to stand true to who he is.

I feel this is a perfect book for a book club selection as it shows a Muslim teen dealing with very real issues in a post 9/11 world. This book addresses such themes as prejudice, racism, and fear of the unknown. Also how easy it is to believe the worse of someone because of their differences.

Allan Stratton is the author of the Printz Honor Book Chanda’s secrets. He’s the winner of other numerous citations. He lives in Toronto with his partner, two cats, and a pond full of fish. Visit him at www.allanstratton.com to find out more on his books and latest projects.

Kim Baccellia
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
May 2010

Enchanting Review: The Van Alen Legacy

THE VAN ALEN LEGACY
MELISSA DE LA CRUZ
Young Adult paranormal
ATOM
ISBN# 978-1905654796
400 Pages
$14.99
Hardback- Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

THE VAN ALEN LEGACY is the fourth book in the Blue Bloods series. The series follows the lives and actions of three girls, Schuyler, Mimi, and Bliss with the primary story line following Schuyler. This book starts following the catastrophic events of Book Three REVELATIONS.

Schuyler is a wanted girl and is on the run with her best friend Oliver for crimes she did not commit. She is on the trail of her family’s legacy and to find out the cold hard truth no matter what stands in her way. However there is a fork in her road. Her head tells her which way is safe but her heart leads her on a different path.

Bliss is facing her own battle. She wakes up in a body she is unable to control. Her mind is her only safe haven however she seems to have no control of that either. What happened to her? How did she get in this position? And if it is not her living her life then who is?

Mimi is reveling in her new found power. She is one of the Venators. She has changed her life and is no longer Miss Priss. She is something to be feared. With this new change comes new love. But will Mimi trade in her destiny for a chance at a new life?

I would like to say that this book was perfect but it wasn’t. It took forever for any action to happen. I also did not like how this book takes place one year after the end of REVELATIONS. I would like to have had it immediately following the end of book three that way we could have gotten to see what happened when the disaster at the conclave was found out. The book did pick up after a bit and I was please to see some new characters start to be more active. One part of this book and series that I love is it really does show that nothing is set in stone. These characters are acting completely opposite of the way their destiny is telling them. They are having new roles in life and new loves. The ending of THE VAN ALEN LEGACY was quite shocking and a complete cliff hanger but this is the style of Miss De La Cruz. I for one cannot wait for the nest book in the series MISGUIDED ANGEL which comes out October 2010.

Melissa De La Cruz is the author of the Ashleys series, the Au Pairs series and now the new Blue Bloods series. To find out more about her and her books please visit her website at http://melissa-delacruz.com/index.php

Jennifer
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
February 2010

Enchanting Review: The Missing Girl

THE MISSING GIRL

NORMA FOX MAZER

YA Contemporary

Harper Collins

ISBN# 978-0064473651

304 pages

$8.99

Paperback—Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

This is the story of the five Herbert sisters and the man who watches them in the shadows. Beauty is the oldest that can’t wait to leave the small town. Mim is the sensitive one. Stevie is the rebellious one. Fancy is the one with special needs. Autumn is the youngest.

The man is very ordinary. He watches his chickadees, planning on which one he’ll take. The girls are unaware of this and continue with their lives until their family security is shattered one fateful day when the man makes his decision with painful consequences.

I admit at times this book was hard to read considering I’m the mother of a small child. This is a very chilling and at times disturbing story of a man who watches and waits to kidnap a girl. I was disturbed at how much the author revealed about the man’s plans and his thinking so much so that I found myself checking my surroundings more than once.

This novel is told from alternating points of view that at times confused me. I almost think it would have been better if the author had stayed with only one point of view. By having all five sister’s voices throughout this novel I didn’t feel a real connection with any of them. Also the parents were in the background. I wanted to know what they were feeling and to show how a tragedy rips apart a family.

At the end of the book is a study guide and other interesting information on how the author came up with the idea of THE MISSING GIRL. I think this book would be a great book club selection. Also it would be great for discussions afterwards.

Norma Fox Mazer died in 2009 and THE MISSING GIRL is her last novel. Her career as an author of teenage books spanned forty years. Her books won many awards, including the ALAN Award from the National Council of Teachers of English, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and the Christopher Award.

Kim

ENCHANTING REVIEWS

April 2010

Enchanting Review: The Six Rules of Maybe

THE SIX RULES OF MAYBE

DEB CALETTI

Contemporary YA

Simon Pulse

ISBN# 9781416979692

321 Pages

$16.99 US/$19.99 Can

Hardcover--Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Between her older sister, Juliet's, unexpected return home, not to mention unexpected husband and news in tow, it's hard for seventeen year old Scarlet to adjust to the new turn her summer has taken. Her sister's husband, Hayden, is nothing like the bad boys Juliet usually dates and Scarlet finds herself falling for the sweet, soft-hearted guy. Scarlet's the kind of girl who wants to look after everyone, including the elderly neighbor couple across the street who are falling prey to an internet scam despite Scarlet's best efforts. I have to say that was one of my favorite sub-plots in the book and it's ending made me crack up.

Ms. Caletti creates a wonderful read with THE SIX RULES OF MAYBE. I loved Scarlet, how she was always wanting to look out for those around her, whether it was creating mail for Clive Weaver across the street; setting up the Goth Girl who draws on the sidewalk with a date for prom, or trying to fix her sister's marriage, all without really acknowledging that maybe the ones that need the help the most are her and her sister. It takes Scarlet awhile to dig deep enough to discover the real reason behind it all, why her sister keeps shoving Hayden away and why she herself is the way she is. I loved the scenes between Scarlet and Hayden, how she takes him on a tour of the small island they live on and the way she goes out to keep him company when he goes out to smoke in the middle of the night. I love how she's completely blind to the guy from school who seems interested in her, the same boy one of her BFF's is crushing on and how one of the oddest guys in school is trying to convince her to go out with him, even though that's the last thing she wants. THE SIX RULES OF MAYBE is full of everything I love about Ms. Caletti's books: great voice, characters and plot. Definitely one for my keeper shelf.

Ms. Caletti is the author of The Queen of Everything; Honey, Baby, Sweetheart (a National Book Award finalist); Wild Roses; The Nature of Jade; The Fortunes of Indigo Skye; and The Secret Life of Prince Charming. She lives with her family in Seattle. You can visit her online at www.debcaletti.com and become a fan on Facebook.

Lisa

Enchanting Reviews

May 2010

Enchanting Review: My Double Life

MY DOUBLE LIFE
JANETTE RALLISON
Contemporary YA
Putnam
ISBN# 978-0-399-25262-4
272 Pages
$16.99
Hardcover—Available May 2010

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Alexia Garcia can't believe the offer that comes her way after a mean girl's prank on her backfires when the photo catches some surprise attention. With her uncanny resemblance to pop star Kari Kingsley, Kari and her publicist want her to play the role of Kari's double, filling in for Kari at a handful of events and small concerts so the real Kari can concentrate on working on her long delayed album. The offer seems too good to be true, and her mother is decidedly against the idea, especially when she confides the identity of Alexia's father, something that's been a secret all of Alexia's life. The girls' resemblance isn't so much a coincidence, as the two are half sisters, a piece of knowledge that spurs Alexia to quickly agree to the plan and move to California for a chance to get to know the half-sister she never knew existed and for a chance to meet her father.

I really enjoyed MY DOUBLE LIFE. While Alexia struggles to fit into her role as Kari's double, including a complete make-over with hair extensions, dance classes, a designer wardrobe and more, she finds herself facing some unexpected issues of her own. With the physical distance between her and her mother and grandmother, things aren't exactly the way Alexia thought they'd be. Add in her developing feelings for fellow teen star Grant who thinks she's really Kari, and not only is Alexia confused, she's also torn between doing exactly what everyone expects her to and what she feels is right. I have to say I really liked the friendship of sorts that forms between Alexia and Kari and the way that Alexia wants to help her half-sister out of the trouble she's in, which I wish would have played into the story a little more. However it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. I have to say my favorite scene that still makes me smile is when Grant goes to drop 'Kari' off after their date and instead of taking Alexia to where she's living with the publicist, he takes her to Kari's home. Alexia panics but it looks like maybe no one is home, until she hears footsteps in the house. Between dealing with a very confused poolman who tells her that she just argued with him in the driveway (obviously the real Kari) and Kari's real boyfriend showing up after Grant leaves, it's one enjoyable mess.

Janette Rallison lives in Chandler, Arizona with her husband, five children and enough cats to classify her as "an eccentric cat lady." You can visit her online at her website, http://www.janetterallison.com/


Lisa
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
March 2010

Enchanting Review: Mistwood

MISTWOOD
LEAH CYPESS
YA Paranormal
Greenwillow Books
ISBN# 9780061956997
320 pages
$16.99
Hardcover – Available April 27, 2010

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Travelling deep into the dangerous Mistwood, a young prince and soon to be king call upon an ancient power. Summoning and then binding Isabel to them, it would seem that all of their problems are now solved. Or are they?

Isabel is the Shifter, bound to protect the royalty of Samorna both with her strength and her mind. Immortal and able to take on any shape she chooses, the Shifter is a formidable weapon and great protection for a king in need. When Rokhan summons her and brings her back to the castle with him, however, Isabel soon learns that everything is not as it should be. Strong in character and wise beyond the appearance of her years, Isabel is a fantastic character with quite a bit of depth to her. This is easily a character one could follow throughout many stories as there always seems to be something new to discover about her.

Prince Rokhan, next in line to the throne after the death of his father, finds himself relying heavily on Isabel. Her powers and physical abilities should help protect his life while her mental capacity and experience advising past kings should help Rokhan lead his people well. With a strong desire to better his kingdom and rule wisely, Rokhan appears to have great potential. With Isabel at his side, he truly believes nothing can go wrong. Unfortunately for him, however, secrets rarely stay hidden and when his come to the surface, losing his crown may be the least of his worries.

MISTWOOD by Leah Cypess is a robust tale of royalty, deception, self-discovery, romance and a decent amount of the paranormal. As we follow Isabel throughout the story, we learn more about her and the memories that slowly come back to her. Snatches of memory and good reasoning skills allows Isabel to discover that Rokhan may not be who he truly seems although the compulsion of the Shifter magic forces her to protect him anyway. Uncovering more about Isabel and Rokhan, we find ourselves in the midst of deception. Full of sorcerers, princes, princesses, kings and the Shifter, MISTWOOD is a wonderful tale of magic and the strength of the human spirit.

Originally drawn to MISTWOOD by the beautiful cover, I was amazed at just how good the story was. Isabel is unlike many of the shape-shifters that we see nowadays. Ms. Cypess has done an amazing job of creating her own world and her own set of rules. What really made this book fantastic was how well she stuck to those rules. I have experienced many paranormal books where suddenly the characters could do things that had been impossible for them to do previously in the story. Here, Ms. Cypess gives Isabel her quirks and limitations while actually sticking to them. That made the story much more believable and realistic, which is great for something so full of magic.

Relationships played a major role in MISTWOOD. As Isabel learns more about herself and uncovers the truths about others, we see relationships grow and falter. This is more than a single week of time in the life of some girl. While not covering a huge expanse of time, this book does seem to cover quite a large expanse of events. Ms. Cypess does a fantastic job of allowing the story to ebb and flow throughout the book, giving us little mini adventures and allowing each event to come Isabel’s way to really shine. When I said that the story was robust, that really is the best way to describe it. MISTWOOD is a very full story with plenty of twists and turns. Every time it felt like the story was coming to a close, something else would happen that would keep our heroine constantly moving forward.

For me, the true test of a story is how long it stays in one’s mind after the final page has turned. With the plot twists throughout the book and especially at the end of the story, I believe MISTWOOD will stay with me for a while. This story is dark and mysterious, the lies surrounding Rokhan and the loss of Isabel’s memory aiding the mystical feel of the book. The way in which this book has fully wrapped around my mind is evidence of Ms. Cypess’s clear writing style and beautiful story development.

MISTWOOD was many years in the making and truly a work of art from Leah Cypess. Although this is her first published novel, she has written a number of other short stories. She can be found online at http://www.leahcypess.com/.

Cinnamon Brown
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
March 2010

Enchanting Review: Raven

RAVEN
ALLISON VAN DIEPEN
Young Adult Paranormal
Simon Pulse
ISBN# 9781416978992
304 pages
$8.99
Paperback - Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

RAVEN by Allison van Diepen was an interesting story and definitely not what I was expecting. I thought there would be more of a paranormal aspect to the story and while there was, it didn’t seem to play too major of a role. The best way to describe the otherworldly elements in this book is as accessories to make the underlying relationship and character development stand out. It certainly worked because although I might not have read what I expected, I definitely came out of it with a story that has stuck with me.

Nicole is our raven haired beauty full of mystery and secrets. That’s one thing she shares with the delicious Zin. Secrets consume the both of them, threatening to spill over and control their daily lives. Perhaps for Nicole, they already are. Living with a ghost is never easy, especially when this ghost haunts your dreams and occasionally your day-to-day life. Knowing that somewhere in the world your ghost is alive and hurting is ten times worse.

Having fallen in love with Zin from the moment she laid eyes on him, Nicole has filled her heart with this Arabic break-dancing stud. She even went so far as to join the Toprocks, Zin’s dancing group, to get closer to him. This is where I started to get lost in the story.

Unless you’re a fan of break-dancing and understand the sport, I would imagine that the common reader is going to need a break-dancing dictionary to help them visualize the story. Ms. Van Diepen uses quite a few break-dancing terms that made a majority of the action within the story difficult to understand. I could kind of see what the characters were doing and I certainly understood the adrenaline that the dancing was creating, but having no knowledge of the dance moves and no real explanation of them given, this aspect of the book was hard to follow.

The majority of RAVEN focused on Nicole and Zin as their secrets explode and each is left to pick up the pieces for the other. As their romance blooms, however, life gets in the way and the author does an amazing job of holding that romantic tension in the story. Will Nicole end up with Zin or won’t she? My answer to this question changed about every ten pages and this is the true sign of what great writing Ms. Van Diepen put into this book. Her ability to keep us entranced and addicted to the story was such that even though I couldn’t understand parts of it, I still kept reading, needing to know more.

The paranormal aspect of RAVEN – the aspect that I mentioned was kind of lacking – did play a role in our story; it just didn’t feel like the main focus of the story. Perhaps it is better that it wasn’t the main aspect; we were able to focus on the relationships in the story with the magic tossed in to keep us hooked. The paranormal aspect did allow for a common problem the characters could work around and provided a nice touch of otherness to the book that lent it a perfect edge. Overall I would have to say that the combination of paranormal to not ended up working well and was probably to the story’s advantage. The author gave us a fictional story that could easily translate to real life.

Allison van Diepen is the author of multiple young adult books, a few focusing on the harsher topics that come up in a teen’s life. She can be found online at http://www.allisonvandiepen.com/index.htm.


Cinnamon
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
April 2010

Enchanting Review: Fragile Eternity

FRAGILE ETERNITY
MELISSA MARR
Young Adult Fantasy
HarperTeen
ISBN# 9780061214714
389 pages
$8.99
Paperback - Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

A great continuation to the Wicked Lovely series and an interesting look into Melissa Marr’s world of the Fae, FRAGILE ETERNITY turned out to be quite an interesting read. Having heard some mixed reviews about this one, I was a little nervous to see if this third installment could live up to the first two books. Following the incredibly intense Ink Exchange, FRAGILE ETERNITY could have easily floundered. Luckily, it didn’t.

While Ink Exchange took us over to watch the Dark Court, FRAGILE ETERNITY brings us back over to the lives of Aislinn, Seth, Donia, and of course our Summer King, Keenan. Struggling to find love where they can and fend off love where they shouldn’t allow it, life is anything but easy for these four. While Aislinn and Keenan fight against the lusty call of Summer, Donia becomes absorbed in finding a way not to wage war against the Summer court. After all, the man who is supposed to love her can’t help but find himself drawn to another woman. Amidst the chaos Seth finds the answer to his dreams, but will the required sacrifice be worth it?

Seth and Keenan both soar to new heights in FRAGILE ETERNITY. We see a new, deeper side to Keenan that we hadn’t really witnessed before. With Seth we begin to see the beginning cracks of insecurity. Aislinn’s pull to Keenan isn’t something he wants to witness but with no way to stop it, he’s at a loss for what to do. I think readers will love Seth in this book as he really becomes the focal point of the story.

The overall feel of FRAGILE ETERNITY was quite a bit different from Ink Exchange. Missing the deliciously dark, romantic element that the previous book held, this book stands out as more of a turning point in the series. We learn more about the world and get to meet a few more characters. It is still Ms. Marr’s world of the Fae, so there is plenty of darkness thrown throughout the pages of this story, but overall it felt that the tension here wasn’t as great as in previous books.

Readers will enjoy getting a deeper look into Ms. Marr’s world. Many of our questions are answered which, of course, only leaves us with more. One of my favorite aspects of her books is the way she manages to give us a fulfilling story without necessarily giving us a happy ending. Readers of Ms. Marr’s work will understand what I mean. FRAGILE ETERNITY is certainly no exception to this, but there was something about it, something about the change in the characters that leaves me thrilled and excited for the next installment in the series.

Melissa Marr is hard at working promoting the fourth book in the series, Radiant Shadows. She can be found online at http://www.melissa-marr.com/.

Cinnamon
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
April 2010