Dorothy Must Die

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Page
(Dorothy Must Die Series, #1)
HarperCollins Publishers, 2014
464 pages
2 out of 5

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.
But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.
What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

Somehow I managed to finish this novel, but honestly if it had expired before I finished, I was in no mood to borrow it again. After finishing it I realized part of the problem is that it's from Full Fathom Five. If you aren’t aware, Full Fathom Five is the company James Frey (Million Little Pieces) created as a cash cow post his disgrace. The company hires “authors” but retains the copyright to the works. Had I realized it beforehand, I probably wouldn't have read it at all.

It also seems Mr. Frey is not at all interested in the editing process. That was the worst thing about this book, in my opinion. There was information dump, repetitive bits, and other eye-rolling moments that should have been removed or condensed. It was all tell and hardly any show. Furthermore, story lines are completely forgotten during certain parts, and characters disappear only to reappear when it’s convenient. Granted this is a fantasy building on Baum’s Oz series, but it didn’t feel like Oz.

I’m not one who cares about profanity in novels if it fits the situation and characters. The profanity in Dorothy Must Die feels thrown in for the simple reason of making it seem like an edgier teen novel. I find it hard to believe that Munchkins, even disenchanted, tattooed ones, run around saying “f*ck.” Anger and frustration can be shown in other ways.

Overall, I think it’s an interesting premise to show a power-hungry, magic-addicted Dorothy, but the execution was awful. This book is almost 500 pages, but it definitely does not need to be.

There is a sequel and a prequel (cha-ching) available, but I have no desire to read anything else in this new Land of Oz.


Full disclosure: I borrowed this eBook from my local library.
More on Full Fathom Five.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

New York, NY: Little Brown, 2011

418 pages

5 out of 5

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In the dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret the truth about herself.

Under normal circumstances, I probably would not have picked up this book. Party, the cover didn't really appeal to me, but also because it's just not my genre. Thanks to the glowing recommendations from my coworkers, I gave it a try. It took about 100 pages for me to get really invested but now it's one of my favorites of 2012.

From the very beginning, Karou is an interesting character; she's covered in tattoos, collects languages, and naturally has blue hair. How awesome is that? Then she meets Akiva, the dark, brooding, but totally hot man toy. And life as she know it is changed forever. Paranormal titles require that the protagonist discover she has a secret power, identity past, etc. and this is no different, but there's something about the writing, and the way the characters interact, and the fact that it's not one-hundred percent focused on the secret Karou discovers that makes it hard to put down.

In the midst of everything she already knows about the demon world and what she discovers, she remains herself and true to the people around her. I've noticed in the limited number of novels I've read in similar genres that the girls just kind of face into their lives, almost forgetting about what they had before. Karou wants to be involved and wants to be a good friend, until she finds she other, more serious matters to attend to.

I loved this book and if you haven't picked it up, I cannot recommend it enough.

The sequel Days of Blood and Starlight comes out Nov. 6.

Also check out The Real Fauxtographer's photo inspired by the novel.

This Dark Endeavor

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

New York, NY: Simon & Schuster

304 pages

4.5 out of 5

The purest intentions can stir up the darkest obsessions.

In this prequel to Mary Shelley's Gothic classic, Frankenstein, fifteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor is able to cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and his best friend, Henry, on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy, and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.

Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love--and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Not only did this book suck me in from the very beginning, it actually encouraged me to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I tried to red it when I was in high school, but got stuck on the language and never picked it back up. This time, I wanted to see how the story meshed with this prequel. Could this carry over into Frankenstein? As a librarian, these connections come to mind. The answer is yes and no.

This book has to have one of the best beginnings I've read. Within five pages, I thought someone was going to die. That is how you hook your reader. The only reason I haven't posted about this book yet, is that I'm suck as to what to say about it. There's adventure throughout. It's dark and gritty, while not completely off-putting.

The only thing left to say is: When is the next one coming out?

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Disclosure: Picked off the ARC shelf at work for my own reading enjoyment.

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 by HitRecord & Joseph Gordon Levitt 

New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2011

87 pages

5 out of 5

The Universe is not made of atoms; it's made of tiny stories.

To create The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, known within the hitRECord as RegularJOE--directed thousands of collaborators to tell tiny stories through words and art. With the help of the entire creative collective, Gordon-Levitt culled, edited and curated over 8,500 contributions into this finely turned collection of original art from 67 contributors. Reminiscent of the 6-Word Memoir series, The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 brings together art and voices from around the world to unite and tell stories that defy size.

This is a cool little book that I feel the need to feature. The description mentions the 6-word memoir series, and although these entries are not limited to six words, they can be just as profound, sad, funny, and even a little sexy. These snippets make you think and encourage sharing of the book.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Yes, it is completely crazy that it took me this long to read this series*. I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to selecting books. I don't want to read something just because everyone else is reading it. I finally picked up the first book thanks to a friend of mine. He's not a book reader, so when he told me that The Hunger Games kind of interested him, I immediately offered my copy...I just had to read it first.

It can take me years sometimes to get around to reading something, but the very next day I picked it up. Two days later, I told him he could take it and was already a third of the way through Catching Fire. Shortly after that, I was on to Mockingjay. Then I put it down...for a while. Part of this could have been that I was just burned out on Panem. But part of it was definitely that I wasn't immediately gripped by the story as I had been with the first two. I'd been in the world long enough to know how it worked and was quite ready to see how it was going to come crashing down.

I didn't read any of the reviews when Mockingjay came out. I knew someday I would get around to reading it and I wanted to come to the series knowing only what the description told me. I'd been told quite a few times that I just had to read it, and my librarian co-workers were shocked that I--one of the teen queens--had not gotten around to it. I knew that there were some people who didn't like as much as the first two, and I can't understand that. It took a little more effort for me to keep reading as well.

One thing I really liked about the final book was that it did not do what I expected at all. People who, in any other series, would have lived, died. I've been mulling the ending over for a couple of weeks now, and I do like it. The truth of things is that even after people who are loved die, life goes on. I feel like this was really captured in the ending. The Epilogue wasn't absolutely necessary, but it does show that there is comfort in memory and shared experience.

Ultimately, I'm glad I finally picked up this series and saw it through. My friends have read it through as well and both were pissed at the ending. Of course we'll all looking forward to the movie!

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*Note: I finished the series in Oct. of 2011.

Tween Tuesday: Gossip from the Girls' Room

Tween Tuesday is a meme hosted over at GreenBeanTeenQueen.  This meme highlights great books for tweens.

Gossip from the Girls' Room: A Blogtastic Novel 

by Rose Cooper 

New York, NY: Delacourt Press

199 pages
4 out of 5

Gossip from the Girls' Room fills readers in on all there is to learn about middle school life at Middlebrooke, where Sofia has her very own blog and discusses all the juicy gossip that comes out of the Girls' room; read along to find out just what happens when class is not in session.

In Sofia's words...

Mia St. Claire is only the most popular girl in all of Middlebrooke Middle School.  For three very obvious reasons:

1. She's very rich.

2. She has ton of money.

3. She can buy anything and everything she wants. And she does.

I'm sure people like her for other reasons too, but none of those reasons are obvious enough for me to really know. Or care about, for that matter.

If books could mate, this book would be the love child of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Popularity Papers. It is formatted as Sofia Becker's pre-blogging notebook, where she keeps track of gossip she overhearss, her thoughts on that gossip, as well as updates on other happenings in her life and around the school. It also has cute little doodles that, much like DoWK, often finish a sentence.

I like the blogging element of this story, because you get to see what Sofia considers blogging about and what she actually ends up blogging. Choosing to reveal gossip can lead to trouble so it's interesting to see the decisions she makes in terms of letting something slip or keeping it to herself. Also, a book like this would not be complete without some kind of parental embarrassment. This element adds humor, and makes me glad that I am no longer in middle school.

To sum up, this is an enjoyable story that is a perfect read-a-like to other series listed above.

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Disclosure: I borrowed this title from my local library.

Thirteen Plus One

 
Thirteen Plus One by Lauren Myracle 

New York: Dutton Children's Books

272 pages

Winnie has finally gotten the hang of junior high - gaining two fabulous BFFs and a perfect (OK, sometimes perfect) boyfriend in the process. And with graduation just around the corner, the countdown to high school has begun. Not that Winnie is obsessing about it, since she has a whole bunch of things to check of her To-Do-Before-High-School list.  But things, like owning her heart's desire, helping the world, and - oh, yeah - growing up.  With so much to do and only a summer to do it, one thing is for sure: eleven, twelve, and thirteen were big, but fourteen is going to be epic! (Description from Amazon).

This is a wonderful book and a perfect little summer read. The book begins with Winnie turning 14.  She's on her way to high school soon; she's got two great friends and a sweet boyfriend. What more could a girl want?  To grow up for one. 

Winnie's voice is honest and true. She sounds and acts just like a fourteen-year-old while trying to figure out what it means to be a grown up--or at least a little more grown up. The dynamic between Winnie and her friends, Cinnamon and Dinah is also well done.  Cinnamon is the loud and slightly pushy one.  Dinah is the quiet one, and Winnie fits somewhere in between, though she's not perfect either.  They have spats and confrontations but actually think about the problems and get them worked out. I don't remember many girls doing that when I was in a school, but it's a nice addition. Girls don't have to be, er, witches?

Also, the relationship with Lars seems a bit of a stretch.  I don't remember anyone in middle school (or even high school for that matter) dating for more than three months, but the lesson that comes along with the relationship is a good one.  There is some joking and mention of sexual things in this book, but it's not graphic.  It's an honest depiction of how middle school girls joke and discuss sex and boys.

This is the fourth book in the Winnie Years Series and events from earlier novels are mentioned (especially Amanda, the ex-bff). The accompanying explanations caught me up perfectly so I didn't feel like I was missing out. Still, I might just have to read the others. 

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Disclosure: I borrowed this ebook from my local library.

The Curse of the Wendigo

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey 

New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010

424 pages

4 out of 5

As apprentice to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, Will Henry has lived a life dedicated to the pursuit of monstrumology: the study of monsters.  But when Dr. Warthrop is informed that his old mentor Dr. von Helrung is trying to prove the existence of the mythical Wendigo, he who devours all mankind, a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh, Will's world is punged into fresh turmoil.

Will and Dr. Warthrop must traverse the desolate wastelands of Canada...and in the process, may discover a truth far more terrifying then even they could have ever imagined.

I have a hard time with scary movies.  Blood and gore just make me feel nauseous these days, but thank goodness for Rick Yancey and The Monstrumologist series.  With this series I can satisfy my interest in this genre without the icky side effects. The story took a little longer to grip me than with the first one, but once I hit that stride I did not want to put this down. 

I love the structure of these books.  Yancey is supposedly the editor of William James Henry's journals that were found after his death.  He writes of visiting professors and doing research at the University of Florida and visiting places in Gainesville and Alachua.  The familiarity of these places really brings these stories to life. The structure is so great because it works.  When I read the opening passages where Yancey discusses the research behind the stories, I'm intrigued, but as soon as the story starts that all fades away and I find myself in Will Henry's world.  I completely forget that there is a Rick Yancey and the town I live in until the final pages.  He makes me want to believe that perhaps it might just be real.

The characters remain the same from the first title--Will Henry both awed and intimidated by his guardian, Dr. Warthrop.  Dr. Warthrop's determination and ego leading him along.  I love the way these two interact.  Also, the inclusion of Warthrop's former love and best friend adds conflict and interest to his character.  Overall, the characterizations are well done.

The Curse of the Wendigo is the second of the Monstrumologist series. Though it is not necessary to read the first book to understand the second, I highly recommend them both.  I am also happy to report that there will be a third to the series.
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Disclosure: I borrowed this title from my local library.

Off Topic: Inside Out

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder 

Harlequin Teen, 2010

384 pages

4.5 out of 5

Keep Your Head Down.

Don't Get Noticed.

Or Else.

I'm Trella.  I'm a scrub.  A nobody.  One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers.  I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops.  So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels?  The only neck at risk is my own...until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

I really enjoyed this book.  I don't need to tell anyone how popular (or perhaps pervasive is a more appropriate word) YA dystopia is right now.  But this one really gets it right.

Trella is a wonderfully strong character, both in body and spirit.  Before she gets swept up in Broken Man's scheme, she tends to go it alone, except for her best friend, Cog.  But what's so magnificent about Trella is that when her world is turned upside down, she realizes that she can't do everything alone.  And not in a whiny girl way either, but a mature, "wow! this is bigger than me" kind of way.

One problem I encountered was the measurement of time.  There's all this talk of centiweeks and what-have-you.  It's all explained early on, but it didn't completely make sense to me.  I probably should have read it again, but by the time I realized it was confusing, I was a ways away from the explanation.  Not being able to determine exactly how old a character is did not diminish my reading experience.  But that section might be worth a second look.

Now the best part, I can't explain, but absolutely love.  The novel manages to complete the story while setting it up for the sequel as well.  Off the top of my head, I can't think of another example of this, except maybe TV shows.  I love this.  If I never get my hands on the sequel, I could still feel this story is complete.  (Of course, I'm absolutely reading the next one!)

So, yes, I like this one.  I like this one a lot.  And even though it has a female main character, there's plenty of action.  There's also a dash of romance, but that can be overlooked if you don't like kissing books.* 

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*Of course by "kissing book" I'm referencing The Princess Bride.

I borrowed a digital edition of this book from my local library.

The Black Book: Diary of a Teenage Stud, Vol. I

The Black Book: Diary of a Teenage Stud, Vol. I: Girls, Girls, Girls* by Jonah Black 

HarperTeen, 2001

240 pages

3.5 out of 5

"Not since American Pie has there been a more honest portrayal of the American teenage boy and his desires." -- Honor Elspeth "Honey" Black

"Fantasy and reality are all the same to Jonah Black.  Freud would have had a field day."  -- Dr. Leonard Larue, Ph.D.

"And all this time I thought Jonah didn't even like girls.  The man's a Casanova!" -- Thorne Wood

"Jonah Black has no idea what a stud he really is."  -- Posie Hoff

Volume I details Jonah's crash-and-burn reentry into the high school society and family he left behind two years before.

Seventeen year old Jonah is returning to his home town in Palm Beach Florida after two years at a private school in Pennsylvania.  Jonah was expelled from Masthead Academy, but won't reveal the reason to his friends.  He simply lets them believe the rumors going around; none of which seem to be true.  But coming home creates more problems for Jonah and his senior year is not what he expected.

Writing is one of his favorite past times and he has a tendency to lose himself in his work.  The novel is structured as a diary, with the chapters delineated by the date and time if he writes more than once in a day.  Occasionally, Jonah's writing turns from real life to that of fantasy.  One moment he'll be writing about being stuck in class and then drift to a story where the teacher body-slams him for not paying attention.

This novel was a little confusing with the way daydreams and reality merge and intertwine, especially in the beginning.  The daydreams ebb and flow throughout the novel and although it is very obvious when he is daydreaming, Jonah strikes me as an unreliable narrator.  I can't help but wonder if he's telling the truth about seemingly "normal" activities.

I often found myself furrowing my eyebrows during Jonah's and his sister's (Honey) conversations.  At times they feel like typical brother/sister interactions, but at other times it feels a little strange.  Usually I was thinking, "I would never have a conversation like that with my brother."  But I do like the various names she calls him; though strange, they are endearing.

Jonah's voice occasionally strikes me as odd because some of his fantasies seem more appropriate for a bodice-ripper novel instead of the sexual fantasies of a seventeen year old boy.  The other characters fit the bill of typical high schoolers, but manage to do so without falling flat.  Each has his or her own distinct personality.

Overall, I did like this novel.  I know I've been a little nit-picky, but it was a fun read.  I think I'm going to hunt down the sequel.

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*Title is currently out of print (oops); the link is to Shelfari.

The Ugly Truth

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney

Amulet Books, 2010

Middle Grade

217 pages

5 out of 5

Greg Heffley has always been in a hurry to grow up.  But is getting holder really all it's cracked up to be?

Greg suddenly finds himself dealing with the pressures of boy-girl parties, increased responsibilities, and even the awkward changes that come with getting older--all without his best friend, Rowley, at his side.  Can Greg make it through on his own?  Or will he have to face the "ugly truth?"

In this fifth installment of the wildly popular series, Greg is confronted with school life without his best friend (or any friend at all, it seems).  In the midst of struggling to find a new best friend, he's being exposed to the world of hormones and bodily changes.

Greg doesn't take the information seriously.  And why should he? He gets the typical biology lesson at school and Grandma's talk about enjoying your youth before getting bunions.  Growing up is confusing, and the adults who try to explain it just confuse Greg even more.

Greg's voice remains true and fans of the series will certainly enjoy this latest installment.  Kinney takes on the topic of puberty and growing older in a way that readers will be able to connect with.  This book does a great job at keeping up the humorous look at pre-teen life while also hinting to the bumpy road ahead.

I Can't Keep My Own Secrets

I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser

HarperTeen, 2009

ISBN: 9780061726842

192 pages

5 out of 5

One life.  Six words.  What's yours?

True tales of love, loss, good friends, and bad hair days filled Not Quite What I was Planning, the New York Times bestselling first book in the Six-Word Memoir Series--and an international phenomenon.  Some of the most compelling were by teens, so now SMITH Magazine has compiled a book written entirely by these bold, brash truth-tellers.  From cancer to creativity, prom dates to promiscuity, and breaking hearts to breaking laws, the memoirs in this collection reveal that often the youngest writers have the most fascinating stories to tell.

Met online; love before first sight.

Hair's pink to piss you off.

I fulfilled my awkwardness quota today.

I'm seventeen, engaged, and not pregnant.

My mom had my boyfriend deported.

Late for school every single day.

According to facebook, be broke up.

From the moment I read this first memoir,  I could not put this book down.  This book contains some of the funniest, saddest, and most heartfelt sentiments I've read in a while, and it's all done in six words.  To some that might seem easy, but can you explain your life in just six words?

This is an excellent book for any teen to read.  If you read straight through it's pretty quick, but the beauty is that you can read these in any order.  Start from the back, the front, the middle or somewhere in between.  Any way you choose to read it, you'll be sure to read them all.

Cirque du Freak Series

A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan 

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2002

ISBN: 9780316605106

266 pages

4 out of 5

Cirque Du Freak is the frightening saga of a young boy whose visit to a mysterious freak show leads him on a journey into the dark world of vampires.  Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and a petrifying ending, Cirque Du Freak will chill, thrill, and leave readers begging for more.  (Description from Shelfari)

The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2002

256 pages

ISBN: 9780316606844

4 out of 5

As a vampire's assistant, Darren struggles to resist the one temptation that sickens him -- the one thing that can keep him alive.  But destiny is calling -- the wolf-man is waiting. (teaser description at the end of book 1).

Cirque Du Freak: Tunnels of Blood
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2003
240 pages
ISBN: 9780316606080

Darren Shan, the vampire's assistant, gets a taste of the city when he leaves the Cirque Du Freak with Evra the snake-boy and Mr. Crepsley.  When corpses are discovered drained of blood, Darren and Evra are compelled to confront a foul creature of the night who may prove to be the end of them all. (Description from Amazon)

The above titles are just the first three of twelve books in the Cirque du Freak series.*  I quickly fell in love with these.  They are a lot of fun and though the writing occasionally gives me a giggle (the interestingly placed exclamation points get me every time!), I have trouble putting them down.  This series makes me nostalgic for the days of borrowing Fear Street Saga novels from the library fifteen at a time. 

The majority of chapters end with some type of cliffhanger that encourages continued reading and I've fallen for it a number of times.  When I started Book 3, my plan was to read just a few chapters before bed, but I ended up reading half the book. 

One way I think of this series is as a step up from Goosebumps.  The writing style is similar, it's a nice long series that kids can stick with for a while, and the horrific events are intriguing more than terrifying. The way a young adult horror novel ought to be.

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* See all titles and descriptions of the entire series here

How to Grow Up & Rule the World

Vordak The Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World by Vordak T. Incomprehensible 

(transcribed by Scott Seegert)

New York: EgmontUSA, 2010

ISBN: 9781606840139

208 pages

4 out of 5

Are you someone who likes "doing the right thing"?  Do you enjoy "sharing" and "caring" and "treating others the way you would like to be treated"?

If so, you are a pathetic goober and a complete waste of my time.  Put this book down immediately!

But if your feeble little mind dreams of a bigger, better, more EVIL future, then I, Vordak the Incomprehensible, will teach you everything you need to know about Supervillainy. From selecting a supremely evil name, to molding a menacing multitude of minons, my magnificiant manual will make dominating the planet so simple that even a sniveling little pipsqueak such as yourself can one day GROW UP AND RULE THE WORLD! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

Vordak the Incomprehensible is exactly what it says: a manual for evil-doing.  The style of this book reminds me of Edgar and Ellen's Mischief Manual but Vordak is all about villainy (as opposed to pranks) and the eventual success of his "diabolically clever yet extremely slow-acting death trap."  Even though Vordak occasionally uses deprecating language when he chats with the reader, the tone of the book is light and humorous.

The only pitfall are the references to popular culture.  The Simpsons, which at this point is pretty iconic, is mentioned once, but there were other mentions that already felt dated and irrelevant to this age group.  They are easily skimmed over and do not detract from the villainy and enjoyment of the text.

The text is broken up by activities (such as the Evil Aptitude Exam), Vordak's commandments, and illustrations.  The illustrations only add to the humor of the book often acting as punchlines.  Overall, this book is pretty great. I found myself laughing out loud at least once a chapter and I am looking forward to the next one. 

I even made my very own minion at Vordak's website.

Tween Tuesday: Among the Hidden

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen.  The purpose is "to highlight great reads for tweens!"  Also, this review is a little different.  I originally wrote it for a class assignment (write like a reviewer!), and it's such a good tween book that I decided to share it here.  The description that follows is my own.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998

ISBN: 0689824750

153 pages

4 out of 5

“Luke! Inside. Now.” These three words call Luke away from the outside world. As a third child, he is not supposed to exist; in fact, it is illegal for him to exist. The Population Police, a government agency, work to ensure that all families have only two children and the discovery of a third holds severe consequences.

For twelve years Luke’s family was able to protect him on their isolated farm. But the nearby woods, and Luke’s protection, are removed for a housing development. Now Luke is no longer safe in his home. While watching the outside world from his windowless attic bedroom, he catches movement in a neighboring house well after the family of four has gone. For weeks he watches for other signs and becomes convinced that there’s someone else living in that house. Ignoring his fear, Luke does the unthinkable—he pays a visit to the house next door in broad daylight. There he meets another, very well-connected, third child and she shows him a world he never knew existed.

This serves as a good introduction to dystopian fiction for young readers. The isolation and fear that Luke encounters is thoroughly examined and is relatable for the intended audience. When company knocks during dinner, Luke rushes upstairs to hide and “he knew without watching that Mother would take his plate from the table…, would slide his chair back into the corner…In three seconds she would hide all evidence that Luke existed.” Luke is plagued by fear, and sometimes guilt, just for being alive. It also gives a frightening picture of the common childhood wish for life without school, homework, and chores. There is some indirect violence, but this is truly a wonderful, fast-paced beginning to the Shadow Children series.