Review of The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Razorbill

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines: Book 2)
by Richelle Mead
4 Scribbles

As Syndey’s work draws her closer to Jill, Eddie, and even Adrain, she begins to wonder if her beliefs about Moroi and dhampirs are all wrong. Are Moroi really evil as she was raised to believe?  Worse, as praise rains down upon Sydney from the Alchemist leadership, she wonders if she deserves it. If the leadership really knew how close Sydney was getting to the Moroi, would her supervisors continue to applaud her, or would they send her away to Reeducation Camp and “adjust” her changing values?

Book two has a new expertly-woven mystery to be solved at the Amberwood Prep (in typical Mead fashion), but with additional character development deftly inserted between the action. Romantically speaking, things begin to heat up between Sydney and a forbidden Moroi (who shall not be named here) causing Sydney to examine her previously held beliefs. Could she be falling for a Moroi? And, if she is, would falling for a Moroi be ethical? This book also reveals Sydney’s physical disadvantages. Unlike Eddie, Jill’s guardian, or Rose Hathaway, being human makes Sydney powerless to fight against the vicious Strigoi who are after Jill. Yet, it seems Sydney has another skill that may serve to protect her from the Strigoi, but is it ethical to use those skills? While the novel clearly serves as a bridge in the series, it does not feel like one. Needed backstory is natural, as are the moral dilemmas the characters face, and none of those elements detract from the action. I’ve already ordered book 3, The Indigo Spell, and am hoping to find it in my mailbox tonight (since it was released yesterday). Happy reading fellow Mead-followers!

Review of Paper Towns by John Green

Dutton Books

Paper Towns
By John Green
5 Stars

When Q spends the night helping gorgeous Margo Roth Spiegelman, his next door neighbor and secret crush, get revenge on her peers, he sees a side of her that he never imagined existed. He can’t wait to return to school and really become part of her world—but suddenly—instead of Margo, Q has a series of clues that lead him on a bizarre quest to find out who Margo really is behind all of the illusions.

Quention, aka, “Q” has idolized Margo since they were children; to him she is beautiful, brazen, and perfect. And it’s not just Q; everyone at their small Florida high school either worships or envies Margo, and why not? Tired and perhaps broken, Margo has no desire to perpetuate the “paper girl” image that others have substituted for who she really is.  And so, through a brilliant series of clues that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat, Margo forces Q to “find her”—to begin questioning his view of first Margo and then other people he thought he knew. And yet, despite heavy and incredibly insightful themes about projection, roles, social norms and growing up, the story has no shortage of hilarity that will be sure to result in peals of laughter. Each character contributes to the fun; best friend Ben is obsessed with scoring a prom date and insists on calling women “honey bunnies,” best friend “Radar” has his own obsession with Omnictionary, an online wiki constantly in need of Radar’s intellectual gifts, and even Q’s clueless (yet strangly intelligent) parents contribute to the humor.  The fantastic dialogue that parleys between these three friends, coupled with the typical high school culture of recklessness  and adventure make this an authentic and entertaining road trip no high school senior will want to miss.  Fans of Green's previous works like Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines will not be disappointed.

Review of the Lost Saint by Bree Despain

EdgmontUSA

The Lost Saint
by Bree Despain
4 Scribbles
Grace is enjoying her new-found relationship with Daniel, free of the suspicions and fears of book one, that is, until Daniel decides to stop training Grace in the use of her “wolf” skills—skills that make her neither Hound of Heaven nor entirely human. Confused about how to handle her evolving powers, Grace seeks out the guidance of another, and meets a mysterious, powerful boy named Talbot. As Talbot begins to train her, it becomes apparent that there is most assuredly a strong attraction between the two, and as their bond grows stronger in the continued search for Grace’s brother Jude, the reader is left to wonder, will Daniel and Grace ever be able to repair their relationship? And will they ever find the lost Jude? While it lacks the heat of Meyer’s Twilight, and the creativity of other “wolf” novels like recently released Nightshade by Andrea Cremer, it’s a solid, entertaining story.  If you like paranormal fiction, then pick it up! The reader won’t be disappointed with the riveting, (yet tastefully done) love triangle, the minor twists at the end, and the refreshing fact that Grace is from a more traditional family. A special nod goes to Despain’s exploration of female friendships. Grace suffers the cold shoulder of the entire student body following book one, including her former best friend April. Just like many young women today, Grace and April attempt to come to terms with betrayal and to trust one another again in book two; it’s hard not to feel the angst that comes along with that process, especially if you are a female reader.

Review of Populazzi by Elise Allen

Harcourt Children's
Books

Populazzi

By Elise Allen

Warning—this novel makes Mean Girls look like child’s play! Cara and Claudia have always dreamed about being at the top of the popularity food chain, but have been the krill devoured by the "social killer whales" at their school since kindergarten. When Cara moves to a new high school, she decides to take full advantage of her anonymity, bag an acceptable boyfriend, and use his status to climb, rung by precious rung, to the top. She will live the dream for both of them. But when Cara ascends to the final step, she realizes her footing on the social ladder might be precarious at best, and the fall from the top is a lot further down than she imagined it would be. Although the message revealed in the climax is no big surprise and the novel (400 pages) is a tad on the lengthy side, the word-play between Cara and the other characters in the novel is fresh and entertaining, and the relationships between Cara and her new-found "friends" very believable. And as much as I wanted to condemn Cara and Claudia for their shallow perspective (be happy with who you are, right?), who hasn’t longed to be envied and admired by the entire high school population? A clever and edgy spin on an otherwise tired subject, Populazzi is a lens into the superficial world of high school.