red glove

The perfect con, a couple of intense twists, a sociopath or two, and an engaging and exhilarating adventure in a world filled with magic and mobsters. That was White Cat, Holly Black’s first installment in the Curseworkers series. It was a huge favorite of mine last year. Need evidence? Check it out. So I’ve been waiting not-very-patiently for the sequel, and more of quirky, clever Cassel.

The follow-up, Red Glove, was released two weeks ago. I reminded my brother Joey of this by text (he was excited). We read it at the same time, then called to rehash. The burning question: how did it go?

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, he isn’t sure he can believe anything she says or does.

Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

Did Red Glove live up to expectations? Were the mysteries and cons fresh and the twists convincing? Did I feel a deep sense of satisfaction at the trickiness? Unfortunately, the answer was somewhere in the region of ‘sort-of.’ It’s hard to maintain the same level of excellence and excitement from book to book. I know this. And while parts of Red Glove felt just as wonderful as the first in the series, other bits felt like solid ‘second-in-a-trilogy’ material.

The things Red Glove did right: character development (oh Cassel, you tortured soul, you), set-up for interesting third book shenanigans (mob! Feds! revelations galore!), and further explanation of the world of cons, curses and magic. I got delightful shivers down my spine whenever one of the characters seemed hard and calculating. That part was rather strange and all awesome.

On the flip side, there were some negatives. First: the con itself. I wanted more, better, and a thrill to boot. I won’t spoil it – you should definitely read this series for yourself. But you may see what I mean when you compare books 1 & 2.

Another bit I didn’t find satisfying was the relationship development. There’s a technique of leaving thoughts or actions to the reader’s imagination, and just giving us reaction. We don’t need play-by-play in EVERY young adult novel out there. However…in this case it I was legitimately confused. I read scenes over to make sure I hadn’t skimmed something important to making sense of the situation. I couldn’t help but feel that either I was stupid, or it didn’t gel. Probably I am stupid.

My brother and I agreed that we are both SUPER excited for book number three, Black Heart. So despite the below-expectations results of Red Glove, the enjoyment remains undiminished, the excitement unabated, and the wait far too long. We will be back for more!

Recommended for: lovers of young adult literature, fantasy, crime and cleverness, and the ever-elusive boy reader. Also – anyone who enjoyed White Cat, casual fans of the Oceans 11, 12 and 13 films, and anyone looking for a bit of harmless (we hope!), entertaining darkness with their springtime reading.

the lion, the witch and the wardrobe

Alyce at At Home with Books is doing a weekly feature where she highlights one of her favorite reads from the past and encourages others to do so as well.

I asked my brother Joey to help me think of a favorite book with Christmas, or at least winter in it. In honor of the holiday, you understand. We came up with C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It hardly needs an introduction, what with the massive popularity of The Chronicles of Narnia book and film series. But in case you think they’re only kids’ stories or have been living under a rock, check out this synopsis.

They open a door and enter a world. Narnia... a land frozen in eternal winter... a country waiting to be set free. Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia - a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a change... and a great sacrifice.

My mom first read this book to me at age eight. Well, she read it to all of us kids, but I was the one begging hardest for just ‘one more chapter!’ And then a couple years later, I read through the whole series by myself, and relived the magic and mystery and wonderful storytelling of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s a classic tale of magic just beyond the ordinary, redemption of the world and heroic deeds in the face of danger, all flavored by sibling dynamics and the unbelievable made somehow real and immediate.

In college I purchased the entire paperback set for myself, and then lent it out to friends and roommates when they took the C.S. Lewis literature class. I was rewarded richly my senior year when our school was picked as one of the premiere spots for the film. We all trudged down to the one-screen theater in town to see The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe two days before the rest of the nation. And when we came out of the theater, snow was falling softly, muffling all sounds, and the college’s streetlights looked EXACTLY like the lamppost in Narnia. It was perfect, peaceful, and just the tiniest bit eerie. That counts up there with one of the most magical moments in my adult life.

I really do love this book, and this series. They are rocks of my childhood, and I haven’t tired of them this far in my adulthood. I hope the magic of Narnia and Aslan will stay alive in my heart forever!

how to steal a car

Most of my books come from the library. You may (or may not) have noticed, but I also read many more than I review. I’ll post a teaser on Tuesday and then never follow up with a final review/opinion. Also known as Very Maddening Behavior. I review maybe one out of every ten books. So while I have several stacks waiting patiently under the bed for their turn in the sun, I also have a constant stream of library reserves coming in, and my family mostly only sees a couple of books at a time. They still know I’m bookish, but they don’t know the EXTENT.

One person who knows better than most how many books I actually have in hiding: Joey. The youngest brother. He’s also 19, and thus technically a TEENAGER. I make him read young adult books. Or perhaps it’d be better said, I bring home a stack of seven or eight, and then I offload a couple on him before I head down to my reading cave (a.k.a. bedroom). That way he and I can chat about the books later. It’s not all coercion - after all, we’ve traded book recommendations for years and have mostly the same taste.

Case in point: a couple of days ago I brought home a book entitled How To Steal A Car. Both my dad and brother got grabby. My mom got incredulous. I got smug. Well, until Joey refused to give the book back. Then I just got resigned. And plotted revenge while he read. What revenge, you say? I made him write a little review [insert EVIL GRIN here]. You can check it out after the book description.

Some girls act out by drinking or doing drugs. Some girls act out by sleeping with guys. Some girls act out by starving themselves or cutting themselves. Some girls act out by being a bitch to other girls.

Not Kelleigh. Kelleigh steals cars.

In How to Steal a Car, National Book Award winner Pete Hautman takes teen readers on a thrilling, scary ride through one suburban girl's turbulent life - one car theft at a time.

Joey’s take:

How To Steal A Car is about a high school girl who one day picks up a set of car keys in a parking lot, and goes on to steal cars frequently. Personally, I thought the book as a fun read. The plot had a few twists, but was not the most gripping by any means.

Implausible is a good word to describe the book. Not a guide on how to steal a car, and I pity someone who tries to follow the book’s example. I might recommend this to a guy, but it is a bit melodramatic and emotional. I enjoyed the read, but it was good that the book was fairly short.

My reaction:

I was about ten pages into the book before I went to find Joey. I found him reading (the world is weird like that). First thing out of my mouth: “I have never been that bored!” He looked confused for a minute. “Oh, you’re reading the book?” Yep. We chatted a little bit, and then I went back to read a little more.

Overall I liked the book. I can’t say I LOVED it, and I definitely didn’t hate it. I liked it. I think you get enough of an idea about subject matter from the description. It’s a short read (170 pages), and it’s definitely entertaining. The premise promises a lot, and mostly it delivers. I know I read this in other blogs and am frustrated when I do, but I have to say it: Kelleigh (the character) needed more development. And that is all.

BUT, reading back over that last paragraph, I see that I’ve been a bit lackluster in praise or criticism. I want to stress that Pete Hautman has this ‘word thing’ down. His prose = awesome. I didn’t get up and scream or anything over the story, but I’m definitely going to check out Sweetblood, another of his novels. I can’t wait to see what he does with other stories. So I’ll end by saying check this one out. Or anything by Pete Hautman. There’s talent there.

zombie lit done right

It’s still Zombie Appreciation Week, and I have this one last zombie post before I pack it in and head back to less dead/decayed/weird parts. A couple of days ago, my youngest brother Joey did a terrific little review of Never Slow Dance With A Zombie, and was gratified by the enthusiastic response (and inspired to read more zombie lit). So tonight I present to you Generation Dead, with reviews by yours truly and exceptionally awesome guest reviewer/brother Joey.

Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent...and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them.

The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the "differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the "living impaired" from the people who want them to disappear--for good.

When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

What I liked: good characterization. These were believable high school students, and the voices of the male characters rang especially true. The plot: it was complex and offered moments of both action and introspection. The pacing was great, and the book kept my attention throughout, with believable (yet unexpected) twists and a unique storyline. The zombies: they functioned as a metaphor for all minorities, and their situation brought to light societal issues and community problems.

What I didn’t like: (picky me!) I’m over the high school love triangle thing. This was different (dead boy doesn’t really sound like it could work in the long term, does it?), but still – I’m craving a two-person relationship story. Maybe I’ll get my wish soon?

Joey’s take

The book was a good read overall. Considering my first impression of the book (from glancing at the front cover), I was amazed at the depth of the plot and the characters. The book had a logical and thorough progression, all while remaining completely plausible. I enjoyed reading the book and consider it a good use of time. I would not necessarily recommend it to other boys/men my age, but believe that it was entertaining and captivating.

So there you have it – two thumbs up (from two different people, no less!). I’d definitely recommend this as quality YA zombie fiction.

never slow dance with a zombie. ever.

Confession: I’m drowning in my to-read pile. When I realized that it would be VERY hard to fit in E. Van Lowe’s Never Slow Dance With A Zombie in the time frame of Zombie Appreciation Week, I did the unthinkable. I dragooned my entirely too-accommodating 19-year old brother into completing the task! He’s really possibly the nicest kid around. I mean, who reads a girly, fluffy zombie book for their sister? And reviews it afterward? My sheet-metal working, camouflage wearing youngest brother, that’s who.

Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion meets Night of the Living Dead in this laugh-out-loud debut YA novel by Emmy Award-nominated TV writer E. Van Lowe.

Principal Taft's 3 Simple Rules for Surviving a Zombie Uprising:

Rule #1: While in the halls, walk slowly and wear a vacant expression on your face. Zombies won't attack other zombies.

Rule #2: Never travel alone. Move in packs. Follow the crowd. Zombies detest blatant displays of individuality.

Rule #3: If a zombie should attack, do not run. Instead, throw raw steak at to him. Zombies love raw meat. This display of kindness will go a long way.

On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, most important, have boyfriends. Three years later, they haven't accomplished a thing!

Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky Principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize that this is the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. All they have to do is stay alive....

My Brain Hurts…

Halfway through reading Never Slow Dance With A Zombie, I was ready to put the book down. The beginning was rather slow (this coming from someone who read the book in two hours) and the plot was very simple.

Basically, it’s like this: Zombies taking over a high school do wonders for people who feel they don’t fit in or are not part of the hip crowd. However, too much imagination is required to make it work, especially the part about how the parents in the book don’t care about children. The book was funny in parts, but the plot was extremely far-fetched, implausible and fairly sappy.

And there you have it, folks, a (very) brief book review by Joey, one of the best brothers ever. This post is part of the Zombie Challenge. Go check out the Zombie Appreciation Week!

coloring life

Youngest brother Joey texted me yesterday with a blog post topic, so this one goes out to him. His question: What are your favorite colors? What comes to mind when you see certain colors?

My standard responses are pink and blue. And if you looked in my closet, that would definitely hold up (although the whites are making a strong challenge, due to my residence in the southern heat for the last three years). But by the same token, if you inspected my accessories, the answer expands. I’m fond of bright, sunny yellow, kelly green (Robin Hood’s tights green), red, and purple too. Not all together, of course, but I try to always incorporate a splash of color on my person. And my apartment…well…there’s an apple-red armchair, blue and brown accents around the bed, and a turquoise-themed bathroom.

I’ll break it down color by color. When I see hot pink, my mind automatically screams Barbie! at me. Mattel, you did your job programming young minds too well. I mean, it’s a favorite color, but really? Am I still going to be thinking Barbie! when I see pink at 90 years old? Next up, blue. Blue is for blue jeans and water and skies. Umm…seriously, though, blue is sort of deep, and either melancholy or ambivalent. Unless you’ve got the turquoise-color blue, or as I like to call it, Tahoe Lake blue, which is very closely related to green. That shade in particular makes me think of first kisses, cupcakes, a good book and rich hot coffee.

The other colors often work for a certain mood, or evoke specific experiences. Yellow is very happy. Bouncy tennis balls, sunshine, golden fall leaves and old-school rain slickers. Yellow is the perfect rainy day or cold weather brightener. That’s why my winter coat is a clear sort of sunflower. Green is probably my favorite accessory color overall. We’re not talking sea foam or light/pastel green, though. It’s hard-core, the grass is GREEN, green. When I see that species of bright kelly (or clover, if you will) green, I think of my dad’s ’69 Ford pickup truck, my mom’s old L.L.Bean down vest, camping in the tall grass and home.

Red is vibrant and shiny, and when I see it I think of old lanterns, Dixieland music, apple cider and Christmas (incidentally, Christmas is my favorite holiday). Purple was a favorite shade until it had the bad fortune to be the main color of my college sorority. I went from liking a little purple to having EVERYTHING you can imagine in purple. So for a couple of years I avoided it like the plague. It has made a resurgence recently, though. This is due mostly to the fact that it’s been an ‘in’ color the last few seasons and I look good in it. I don’t think I will ever again decorate in violet, however. And that’s a bit of a shame. Still, when I see a dark lavender or plum, I think of soft fleece, pansy flower faces turned to the sun and fairy tales. I don’t know if these thoughts or associations would bear out with genuine color vision theory, but I Googled ‘color meanings’ and came up with a few interesting sites.

I've never been an artist, but my one weird little color-related (secret) pastime is coloring in children's color books. I love something about the waxy feel of crayons, the array of shades, and the precision and dexterity needed to stay inside the lines. I figure that at my age, if you're still coloring in books, you're allowed to take risks with your color choices. I remember children I babysat or watched for church groups being absolutely HORRIFIED that I would color a person's skin green or blue. But if you haven't got that, then really, what's the point? And yes, it's very soothing and relaxing. Like baking. Except that when you bake you have something edible at the end of the process. Not to say I haven't eaten a crayon or two in my day, but they aren't super-digestible. And on that note, go enjoy the colors of the holiday: red, white and blue!

what lengths would you go to to get ___________.

I follow a couple YA literature review blogs, and I’ve entered contests to win books.  I’ve even won a couple (although one is still missing in transit or someone is playing an evil joke on me)!  It’s a real rush to win a free book.  I’m a huge bookworm, and I spend entirely too much money at bookstores and time at the public library.  So it follows that I’d be willing to do quite a lot to win another book.  Today I found out just how much, because Lenore put out a challenge on her blog: say to what lengths you’d be willing to go to get a book, and you could win 3.  Book in question is Catching Fire, the sequel to Hunger Games, which I’ve blogged about here.  I want this book.  I need this book.  And unless I miraculously win a contest, I will not get this book until it’s released in September.  BUT!  Back to the important stuff: things I would be willing to do to get novel I covet.

My automatic answers: I’d go wilderness camping - sans tent and camp stove - for a week.  Or pass out fliers in a public place for an hour.  I’ve done this before: it’s extremely hard and thankless.  I’d sing karaoke or do a stand-up routine; under normal circumstances I’d be averse to any suggestion of public speaking/singing/performing.  I might give up recreational reading for a week or two.  And lastly, if I could read a sequel early, (insert your own anticipated event here) I would volunteer as the cleaning lady of whoever gave it to me.  For a week.  But that could be negotiable. 

I was amazed to discover what I would (and what wouldn’t I do, really?) do to get something relatively small and unimportant to my survival.  So I thought I’d ask a couple of my siblings what they would be willing to do if they could get their hands on an advance copy of a sequel of another favorite book of ours, Graceling.

Joey’s answer (submitted via text message):  Find a semitruck carrying the books, shoot out the tires, and tase the driver before breaking into the truck with boltcutter and portable grinder while wearing safety glasses and gloves.

When I pointed out that above plan was criminal, the next response was as follows:  Okay, so…find a copy you can download online…Or if that isn’t possible, revert to plan A, or just wait.

Ginny’s answer (also texted):  Make a YouTube video or go on a food/hunger strike, or something like they used to do for 106.1 (local Top 40 music station in Seattle area) – stay in a Porta-Potty for days.  This is hypothetical, right???

What would you be willing to do for a book/other-thing-you-crave?