Enchanting Review: Flygirl

FLYGIRL
SHERRI L. SMITH
YA Historical Fiction
Penguin
ISBN# 978-0-399-24709-5
288 pages
$16.99
Hardcover – Available January 2009

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Ida Mae Jones, though light-skinned, is of African American descent. But even is race and gender are cause for discrimination in the South in the 1940s, Ida Mae tries not to let it affect her. All she wants to do is fly, because in the air is where she feels free, and she’s determined not to let anything get in the way of her dreams to become a pilot.

But Ida Mae’s world drastically changed when the US enters the Second World War Her brother Thomas joins the army as a doctor, and Ida Mae’s hopes of flying are nearly dashed because she knows her family needs her more than ever. And then she hears about WASP, or Women Air force Service Pilots, and her fiery desire to fly is rekindled. The only problem is that Ida Mae is black, and WASP is a program for white women. So, determined to fly and help her country, Ida Mae lies and passes herself off as a white woman. But even as she lives her dream in an exciting and dangerous new world, she can’t ignore the lies that are building up and the guilt for leaving her family that gnaws at her. FLYGIRL is Ida Mae’s incredible tale of chasing your dreams and being true to yourself.

I am a big fan of historical fiction, and I have to say that FLYGIRL was very well-researched and well-written. I’d never heard of WASP before, so it was a delight to learn about. Smith accurately portrayed the turbulent times of World War Two, from gender and racial prejudices to the crazy war fever. I loved all of Smith’s characters, especially Ida Mad and her two WASP friends, Patsy and Lily, because their personalities were so distinct and vibrant, it was like they jumped right off the page. It was probably their authenticity that made the tragedies of warfare all the more difficult to read about. Unfortunately, FLYGIRL had its awkward moments as well. Sometimes Ida Mae was a little too conflicted about striving for what she deserved versus accepting her lot, and her resulting actions never seemed completely right. I felt Ida Mar’s relationships with her friends and family could’ve been strengthened also. Lastly, I was disappointed the story was not longer, because I felt Ida Mae’s life still had too many loose ends to be tied up. I’m not really sure how I feel about FLYGIRL’s message, because it’s a messy cross between serving your country and staying true to yourself and your dreams, but I can’t deny that FLYGIRL was a moving story and fantastic read.

FLYGIRL began as Sherri L. Smith’s master’s thesis project and bloomed into this great story. Smith has written three other novels, and you can visit her online at her website, www.sherrilsmith.com

Rachael Stein
Enchanting Reviews
November 2008

Enchanting Review: Glass Houses (Morganville Vampire Series Book 1)

GLASS HOUSES {MORGANVILLE VAMPIRE SERIES BOOK 1}
RACHEL CAINE
Paranormal YA
Penguin
ISBN# 0457219945
239 pages
$5.99
Paperback - Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Claire Danvers is a brilliant 16 ½ (or so she says...) year old. When she gets to go to college early, she jumps at the opportunity, like any normal genius would. With her being so young, her parents would not let her go far away to college, instead, they choose for her to go to Texas Prairie University. Smart and cute, Claire sets off to college with big dreams of going to an Ivy college one day, when she’s allowed to transfer out of TPU.

Claire starts college with a bang. She infuriates Monica, the popular and meanest girl at college. Now, not only do Monica and her followers beat her up, but they also destroy her room and clothes. A gloomy Claire sets out to find somewhere off campus to live. When she sees an add in the paper for a “Gone With The Wind meets The Munster’s” type house, she is intrigued. When she arrives, she meets Eve, an 18 year old cool Goth chick who does things her own way. The other two roommates are Shane, also 18, a slacker and protector, and Michael, once again 18, who is never around during the day, but always comes to the rescue at night. Claire learns the deep, dark secrets that are hidden in Morganville. The town is run by vampires and humans are just about slaves. Not even the police can do anything. When everything starts falling apart, can the four roommates help out and save their own lives, or will they perish in a vampire related way?

GLASS HOUSES is such a great book. When you read it, it feels like it should be a T.V. mini series. Claire, even though she is brilliant, she never rubs it in or anything. She’s such a down to earth kid, who just loves school and wants to just enjoy it. The way that Eve is described, she’s like a cool best friend who will stick up for you anytime and she’s not afraid to speak her mind. Michael and Shane are such believable guy characters and they are always up to something or defending someone. This book hooked me from the beginning, when Monica and her evil crew started harassing Claire. I could vividly see the vampires and all the events happening, which is due to the brilliant writing style of Rachel Caine. I found it hard to put down the book, especially when I got closer to the end, because I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. And, if you read this, be sure to have the next one handy, due to a huge cliff hanger of an ending. I’m glad I had the second one to fall back on!

Rachel Caine is the author of another series called The Weather Warden series and also some other stand alone books. She continues to write books for the Morganville Vampire series, also. Her website, www.rachelcaine.com, has loads of information on her and the books that she’s written. Also, it includes some special things, like wallpapers from the books. There’s also a mailing list you can sign up for all the latest information on Rachel.

Holly Kinsey
Enchanting Reviews
June 2008

Enchanting Review: Midnight Alley

MIDNIGHT ALLEY
RACHEL CAINE
Young Adult Paranormal
Penguin
Paperback
ISBN 978-045-22238-1
$5.99

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Claire Danvers, college student, pledged to a Master Vampire...well a slave of the Master Vampire, has a full life and is only 16 years old. Claire, though extremely intelligent, still finds herself making mistakes. Huge mistakes. Morganville, Texas is not your ordinary small town, but a town ruled by Vampires, one in particular - Amelie, the same vampire Claire enslaved herself to in order to save her family and friends. If all of this was not bad enough, Claire's boyfriend, Shayne, is being a jerk; Michael went from house ghost to vampire; Monica, her sworn enemy is being nice; and Claire now has to work with a psychotic vampire to save the vampire clan.

Can this be what it means to be protected – ha, enslaved is more like it - by a vampire? Does the fact that Amelie can now order her around, offer her up as kibble to another vampire, and having everyone pissed at her, is that what protected really is?

MIDNIGHT ALLEY, the third in the Morganville vampires series, is addicting, yes, thrilling, well yeah, but so sweet at times with Claire's view of the world that any person young or old will enjoy reading it. My only regret is that I caught the series in the middle and was not able to meet each of these characters from the beginning. The ending itself is a teasing temptation into what is to come and I am going to find the find the first two (and reread MIDNIGHT ALLEY) as I wait on the forth addition of the story. Not much romance in this, but a great read!

Ms. Caine has a true talent and a unique voice and mind. Her work is not-to-be missed, no matter what book you get your hands on. Though I will warn you, you will find yourself looking for others in the series.

BrandyWine
Enchanting Reviews