literacy for dummies

a reading blog! meet t, j and s (and maybe e!) friends and coworkers brought together by a love of lit and reading! we're gonna be talking about the books we're reading as we read them and talk about the books we've all read! who knows, maybe we'll come up with some other shenanigans but for now.... here is our amusement!

[literacyfordummies]

Eh, it was okay. Alternated between dragging, and rushing the pace. Didn't seem too well plotted - 3 separate narrations that never really got tied together. So, eh...

~T

[literacyfordummies]

It started out so well, and then the end just seemed to be a bit of a cop out...ah well, what more can I expect from a book I judged entirely by its cover?

~T

[literacyfordummies]

Haunting is about the only word I can come up with to describe this book as a whole. This book hits hard if you've had any experience in any form of self-injury. It digs its way into your head and sticks - if you can stomach the subject matter, this book will stay with you for years.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

To continue with most of the reviews I've seen out thus far, this book was absolutely 'perfect'.  

Now that my initial moment of flailing is a bit more manageable let's get to the review instead of just using a play on Ellen Hopkins' title. :)

When I heard that Hopkins was working on a companion to Impulse I about flipped.  Impulse is to date, hands down, my favorite of her Teen titles; Triangles is currently sharing the position of favorite novel, but that's a whole other review - back to Perfect.  

Perfect uses the voices of four teenagers from different walks of life as they all strive toward that nebulous goal of being 'perfect'.  Cara, Conner's twin sister, just wants to fly free as herself, whoever that is, but is being dragged down by her ice queen mother's vision of perfection, and her brother's attempted suicide.  Kendra just wants to be perfect enough to make it in the world of modeling, but how far is too far?  Sean has Cara, his perfect girl, a full ride to play college baseball, the dream come true end of high school - or is it really a nightmare?  Andre has money, girls, and no where to go but up; can he follow his parents wishes and still stay true to himself?

Perfect to their parents, perfect to their boyfriends/girlfriends, perfect to themselves - it doesn't matter who, there's always someone who's opinion of you matters most, to achieve perfection in their eyes by any means is what Hopkins brings to the plate with this novel.  Less gritty than some of her previous novels, Perfect nonetheless is bursting with drama and heartbreak.

What do you think is perfect? 

How far will you go to reach that point?  

Is there such a thing as too far when seeking perfection?

Lyrical, heart wrenching, and refusing to pull any punches, Ellen Hopkins' Perfect takes you to the edge between 'imperfect' and 'perfect', and dares you to make the choice - do you believe everyone else, or yourself?

~T

[literacyfordummies]

Lord of the Flies meets Miss America when the airplane carrying the 50 contestants of Miss Teen Dream crashes into a very, very deserted island...no really, our sponsors swear the island is completely deserted. Don't believe us, then crack open a copy of this book and prove us wrong.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

The first in a series in progress - positively devoured this book. Bouncing between three different character's POV, it is a riveting tale of a land where demons stalk the nights and humans fight to survive. A definite for fans of George R R Martin, Terry Goodkind, and Brent Weeks.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

I'm going to be brutally honest, I did not find any part of this book to be either entertaining or worth recommending.  It's not a title I would have picked up on my own if I didn't run the children's/teen department in my store.

According to the blurb on the back; Alexis is a small, pasty, shy, greasy-haired kid who gains confidence and makes friends through the bass, going from loser to enviable rock chick.  If only...

The writing is trite, and bland.  Alexis is a whiny ninny, who's constantly complaining.  It's preachy and stereotypical.  Alexis finds power in herself based on whether or not she has a boyfriend.  

Apparently, the novella is aimed towards teens; however, it's retardedly short.  Only 88 pages.  Couple that with the tacky illustrations and it comes off as a 'book' for reluctant, young readers, though the content within begs for you to believe it really is a teen book.

Ugh.

It is short, that's about the only thing I found redeeming about it.  End unflattering review.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

"A book is kind of like a good Horcrux, if we can imagine that -- a piece of the writer's soul, preserved in a physical object for all time, and changing the lives of all those who come in contact with it." 

— Cheryl B. Klein 

[literacyfordummies]

"The circus arrives without warning."

With those few words you are welcomed to Le Cirque des Reves, The Circus of Dreams; and circus of dreams it is, though the title barely does justice to this compelling debut novel.

Set within the turn of the nineteenth century, The Night Circus follows an ethereal circus of black-and-white striped tents as it tours the world.  Twisted within the acrobats, contortionists, carousel, and Ice Garden are two young illusionists bound to one another in a contest that neither knows the rules to.  

Slow burning romance, and a magical use of prose entice you past the unconventional second person POV introduction and immerse you so completely into the world Morgenstern has created you can taste the caramel on the back of your tongue.

Much like the reveurs, I did not want this novel to end, wishing to spend a bit more time with the circus.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

Got this today at work, and promptly forgot how to think...I adore Ellen Hopkins, and being able to snag a copy of her adult debut prior to release is just one of the reasons why I love my job. :D

~T

[literacyfordummies]

The Night Circus Trailer (by Knopfdoubleday)

[literacyfordummies]

Am reading this right now, and oh my god is it made of awesome!  Full review to come...

~T

[literacyfordummies]

I cried. Yes, you read that correctly, this book full of zombies and political conspiracy brought me to tears.  More in depth review once I finish digesting what happened...

~T

[literacyfordummies]

**Recieved free via Goodreads First Reads** Not sure I would herald this as the next Hunger Games; however, that said, I would most definitely recommend this first in a series to fans of the Hunger Games. Ryan hits the ground running with this novel. We've barely met Waverly and Kieran before a horrible battle tears the two young lovers apart, thrusting them toward a series of events through which thoroughly developed characters bounce from sinister to sympathetic, and back again, leaving the reader unsure of whom to trust.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

How can you understand the searing desire to open a vein unless you are one of the many who use SI as a coping method? For those uninitiated who wish to see into the mind of a cutter, Melody Carlson has crafted an amazing glance into one branch of SI.  Ruth Anne is a brilliant student, with a close group of friends, and a family that looks normal on the outside; however, once through the doors of her parent's ranch-style house it is revealed that her father is verbally abusive, her mother is more ghost than person, and Ruth and her brother Caleb are struggling to cope with the chaos their life has become.  As a former member of the SI community, I really enjoyed how clearly this book portrayed the emotions and thoughts that can go through a cutter's mind before, during, and after breaking skin. My single complaint with the book was the rather sudden appearance of God in the storyline; while I was aware of the fact that the book was classified as religious, I was still slightly disappointed by Carlson's need to get the message of God out as the only way to truly quit cutting.  However, I still believe that this book can be a wonderful resource for creating a bridge of understanding between a teenage cutter and their parents, and for giving all involved a sense of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

Having been an avid fan of Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet for more years than I can recall I was eager to read Eon; however, I was sorely disappointed by the book. Goodman's writing style is easy to slip into, and the story has the promise of being thoroughly engrossing, but in my opinion it failed to meet said promise. Uncomfortably cliche and frequently predictable, it is a quick read that left me feeling glad that I decided to check it out from the local library rather than purchasing it.

~T

[literacyfordummies]

This book had me snagged from page one - dark, mysterious, and holds back nothing. Using the quirky, out-dated method of cassette tapes as communication, each chapter deals with one reason why one of the story's narrators committed suicide. Powerfully written, Asher does an amazing job of conveying the dread Clay feels when he's confronted with the package holding Hannah's last words, and the drive he has to find some explanation for why she killed herself. Definitely a must read for the high school age, and anyone over that age.

~T