tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70410401483381356792024-03-12T23:01:28.769-05:00The QuickWitLitniks of Springfield-Greene CountyJennifer Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17222948525831577882noreply@blogger.comBlogger2376125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-38237901884252279992013-01-15T18:53:00.000-06:002013-01-15T18:53:07.185-06:00November and December statsWell, as usual I am way behind. Here are our November and December statistics:<br />
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<b>November</b><br />
Total Books: 37<br />
Total Pages: 9373<br />
Participants: 3<br />
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<b>December</b><br />
Total Books: 21<br />
Total Pages: 5109<br />
Participants: 2<br />
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Now is the time when we have to decide what to do about 2013. Do we want to continue the Missouri Book Challenge? Feel free to comment or send me a private message at heatherc@thelibrary.org if you have any thoughts.<br />
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<br />Heather Cottle Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618413207218159302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-65047111222750670362012-12-31T19:55:00.000-06:002013-01-16T11:15:53.288-06:00Jiu Jiu: Volume 2<br />
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by Touya Tobina, 191 pages<br />
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Takamichi, Snow, and Night make some odd new acquaintances as Takamichi creeps further and further out of her protective, isolating shell. (Although not as much as the risque cover would jokingly lead you to believe....)<br />
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For more details on this surprisingly substantial fantasy / action / dramedy about a wounded demon hunter and her devoted wolf boys, please see my<a href="http://noflyingnotights.com/2013/01/16/jiu-jiu-vols-1-2/"> full review of the first two volumes</a> at NoFlyingNoTights.com!<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-88233861024163378462012-12-31T19:54:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:27:43.003-06:00Jiu Jiu: Volume 1<br />
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by Touya Tobina, 191 pages<br />
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Young demon hunter Takamichi loses her will to participate in life after her brother's death, but her father's having none of it and, instead of letting her wallow, makes her responsible for the care of two abandoned half-demon wolf pups. Can two eager, loyal, puppy-eyed shapeshifters save her from her self-imposed loneliness?<br />
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Ha! Snow and Night, Takamichi's wolf boys, provide both humor and effective warm fuzzies, especially when they come up against her short-tempered, no-nonsense facade and wriggle their way under it.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-9999712574089275892012-12-31T19:53:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:26:34.264-06:00Natsume's Book of Friends: Volume 13<br />
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by Yuki Midorikawa, 184 pages<br />
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Deliciously creepy Matoba, a mysterious, unscrupulous exorcist with his eye on Natsume (and his enigmatic tubby yokai kitty), writes the boy and then shows up in front of his house to ask for help rooting out a yokai that's been preying on powerful exorcists. Natsume's not too keen on doing anything for Matoba, but his concern for what might happen if he doesn't outweighs his revulsion at cooperating.<br />
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Ooh, that Matoba is so bad! What was in that letter?! We don't even know what he's really up to, but it doesn't matter. Whatever it is, it isn't good. I love how Midorikawa just lets him think his sneaky, self-serving thoughts and scheme to his cold heart's content without letting us know much more than Natsume--which isn't much, as Matoba keeps pretty mum about such things and just smiles and watches and waits. It's when he acts that we get nervous--and excited! The joy of seeing him look angry or surprised by Natsume's (or his allies') disruption of his carefully laid plans is worth the wait, even if we just get one little panel of him taken aback and glaring before he gets himself under control. Sweet. He'll be back, the clever villain. And so will this reader!<br />
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This volume also has two shorter chapters relating how quiet Natsume came to be friends with schoolmates Nishimura and Kitamoto. Yay for warm, fuzzy backstory!<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-91428008978072783282012-12-31T19:52:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:25:30.906-06:00Banana Fish: Volume 4<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Udl-tsfZrVU/UONwSfRlhFI/AAAAAAAAB2M/hcyw2eqerrM/s1600/Banana+Fish+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Udl-tsfZrVU/UONwSfRlhFI/AAAAAAAAB2M/hcyw2eqerrM/s1600/Banana+Fish+4.jpg" /></a>by Akimi Yoshida, 188 pages<br />
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The gang heads first to Ash's hometown, where they encounter painful reunions and even more painful goodbyes, and then to L.A. on the trail of the mysterious "Banana Fish." But what they find there, and what they don't, may just complicate things even more.<br />
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Ouch. Ash has had a life of one tragic hardship after another and it just keeps getting worse. Despite knowing it's "for the best," I think he needs to not push his friends away for their own good. Besides, if they're Eiji, I've a feeling they'll find a way to turn up again, anyway (either because they don't follow directions well or because the bad guys know good bait when they see it). Besides, those party shirts have got to have a positive effect on him psychologically. They just brighten up the room! Hee hee hee. Also, there's a snake in the grass, but he seems just as trapped by his circumstances as those whose hands he's forcing. I do enjoy sympathetic bad guys....<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-31226149626469432152012-12-31T19:51:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:24:19.324-06:00Kimi ni Todoke: Volume 15<br />
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by Shiina Karuho, 179 pages<br />
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Chizu doesn't know how to act around Ryu since he told her how he feels, Sawako doesn't know how to act around Kazehaya since the school trip to Okinawa, and Ayane doesn't know how to act around Kento since he comforted her after her breakup.<br />
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Ryu and Kento both make declarations (one loud and to the point, one quiet and subtle) that leave their companions wide-eyed and speechless (and the reader woo-hooing!). Meanwhile, Sawako's getting gentle advice from Kento and will hopefully do her best to buck-up, be honest, and clear up any misunderstanding between her and the one she loves. Karuho once again does an excellent job of giving equal time to her equally deserving supporting cast.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-81205623315334652062012-12-31T19:50:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:40:33.610-06:00The Wallflower: Volume 29<br />
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by Tomoyo Hayakawa, 154<br />
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First, Sunako is forced to go on a no-chocolate diet, with predictably unpredictable and disastrous results. Next, Kyohei throws the world off-balance when he lets a little responsibility go to his head. Then frugal Sunako refuses to turn on the air conditioner at the height of summer--and gets a houseful of unrepentant nudists in retaliation. And lastly, Sunako has a little <i>Twilight Zone</i>-ish experience with what appears to be Kyohei when he was just a little boy.<br />
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*pffft* This volume is sadly shorter than normal, but the stupid humor is returning to its usual caliber of snorts and guffaws. And Hayakawa even manages to stick in a semi-serious warm-fuzzy chapter, a feat which she seems as surprised and amused by as the reader. :P<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-18169468170007822702012-12-31T19:49:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:22:19.548-06:00State of Wonder<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IUfWAgGqo5o/UONvgiKtdaI/AAAAAAAAB10/x3K5aUgVL3Y/s1600/State+of+Wonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IUfWAgGqo5o/UONvgiKtdaI/AAAAAAAAB10/x3K5aUgVL3Y/s320/State+of+Wonder.jpg" width="209" /></a>by Ann Patchett, 353 pages<br />
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When a strangely dispassionate letter arrives announcing that her colleague at her pharmaceutical company has died in the Brazilian jungle, Marina is sent in his footsteps to discover what really happened...and finish the job he couldn't.<br />
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This a beautifully written, heart-wrenching example of literary fiction that leaves the reader with a lot to think about (and talk about, if you do as I did and read it for a book club). Patchett's characters are sympathetic, deeply flawed, and tragically and / or triumphantly human. She brings up complicated, messy, no-win cultural, social, and personal issues and doesn't try to force a pat answer for any of them, though you can't help but get caught up in the debate and lean this way and that depending on your own compass. Without doing the work for you, she gives you tools and materials that let you imagine possibilities beyond the last page. I wanted to hit some characters very hard at the end and wrap others up in protective hugs while my brain dug backwards trying to see at what point or points this path could have been altered. Not everything here will work for every reader, and not everyone will imagine the same future, but that just makes discussing it with friends that much more rewarding.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-67367070498295944042012-12-31T19:48:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:21:01.862-06:00Nabari no Ou: Volume 12<br />
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by Yuhki Kamatani, 209 pages<br />
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Raikou overhears a disturbing conversation in the office of the Grey Wolves that undermines everyone's faith in Kotarou's motives all this time. He, Raimei, and Gau also discover that the Grey Wolves have on their side a familiar deadly skill in the person of a being who seems to share the longevity of the Hakutaku. A short time later, just as Kumohira and the others set out to reveal the past sensei has kept hidden in preparation for ridding Miharu of the Shinra Banshou once and for all, immortal Kouchi and Shijima's wish for death comes head-to-head with Raiko and Raimei's vow to stop anyone who tries to use the Shinra Banshou.<br />
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I think I'm just going to be on (or over) the verge of tears till the end of the series. Everyone's so conflicted! They care about each other, but they believe whole-heartedly in the rightness of their own puroses. But I fear they will have to destroy one another to achieve them, and then how can any of them truly say they've prevailed? Miharu's caught in the middle and doesn't yet know just how messy it's all gotten. What will he do once he does? Will it change his decision? Do we even know what decision he's made that may be changed? Waghhhh!<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-34322163421266612482012-12-31T19:47:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:19:57.254-06:00Nabari no Ou: Volume 11<br />
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by Yuhki Kamatani, 192 pages<br />
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Things have quieted down since Miharu gave in and used the Shinra Banshou, but it feels like the storm can't be too far off. Yukimi tries to help the boy regain his anchor in the real world--and keep him from being desperate enough to use his power again--by making him his assistant, since taking photos for his articles is harder to do now that he only has one arm. Meanwhile, Kumohira works with the others to find a way to free Miharu from his power before he's tempted to use it to either undo his first wish or help his two immortality-cursed acquaintances find their own closure.<br />
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Everyone's trying to put together their own pieces, but not all of their completely understandable desires are compatible and I don't know what I'm going to do when it comes down to having to take sides. Well, except for the Grey Wolves guy and his stand-ins. They're pretty much evil, even if they think they're in the right. Also, watching Yukimi and Miharu navigate the pain of their shared loss, seeing the links they sense but don't recognize, just hurts; but it's all part of the grieving process and I can only hope they come out on the other side as at peace with what they have left as they can be.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-27789962034003176822012-12-31T19:46:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:18:46.337-06:00Banana Fish: Volume 3<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-go81a5fmrE4/UONutcxeibI/AAAAAAAAB1c/Jj5XUwZhSLg/s1600/Banana+Fish+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-go81a5fmrE4/UONutcxeibI/AAAAAAAAB1c/Jj5XUwZhSLg/s1600/Banana+Fish+3.jpg" /></a>by Akimi Yoshida, 189 pages<br />
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As his friends try to find a way to legally get him released from prison, Ash is coming up with his own plans to break out, get information, and get his revenge.<br />
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Sheesh. This is why friends need to talk to each other before they do risky things. But Ash is nothing if not stubborn and independent, so the result probably would have been the same, regardless. Besides, they all end up on the same page, anyway. I enjoy seeing the gang interact as a group and hope they're able to stick with each other when things get noisy again.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-32656236782656322982012-12-31T19:45:00.000-06:002013-01-01T17:17:30.231-06:00Saga: Volume 1<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gcYYyAJj2Oo/UONt_uDehjI/AAAAAAAAB1U/ny-sOa_0fSg/s1600/Saga+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gcYYyAJj2Oo/UONt_uDehjI/AAAAAAAAB1U/ny-sOa_0fSg/s320/Saga+1.jpg" width="208" /></a>by Brian K. Vaughan (story) and Fiona Staples (art), 161 pages<br />
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A generations-long war between the winged race of the planet Landfall and the horned race of the moon Wreath has spread well beyond the limits of the latter's orbit around the former. Then one day fate brings an unruly winged soldier named Alana face-to-face with a tired horned prisoner of war named Marko on a muddy little planet called Cleave. The two argue, bond over a trashy romance novel, come to realize they have the same view of this endless war, and run away together. Only their respective home-worlds won't let them off so easily. With bounty hunters and zealous soldiers perpetually on their heels, it's a wonder they have enough time to bring a daughter into the universe, but they do just that before setting off across the stars in hopes of giving her a future free of the death and destruction that is all they've ever known.<br />
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Ooh, this is quite lovely and different and unafraid to be either. It's also violent and unsettlingly graphic, but the unpleasantness is sadly part of everyday existence for these people. Happily, so is snark. I love that this series isn't just about the romance or the adventure--it's about family and hard work and life and death and all those ongoing things that are the reality usually ignored by "happily ever after." Alana and Marko's daughter, Hazel, provides intermittent commentary from some unknown point in the future as we watch her parents struggle to keep her and each other alive through labor and firefights and "haunted" forests and unexpected visits from her grandparents. Just like in the real world, the politics are crazy (there are winged-race-aligned royals with computer monitors for heads who, like royalty anywhere, don't seem to have much control of their own lives). And the bounty hunters and other pursuers are scary but complicated, themselves. I've been looking forward to reading this for many months and am excitedly awaiting the next trade paper installment.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-27118123580972282182012-12-31T19:44:00.000-06:002012-12-31T19:44:10.353-06:00Sailor Twain: or The Mermaid in the Hudson<br />
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by Mark Siegel, 400 pages<br />
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Over a year ago, the steamboat <i>Lorelei</i>'s well-liked owner disappeared without a trace, leaving his careless, erratic brother Dieudonné in charge, much to the worry and frustration of her conscientious captain, Twain, whose humble, capable hands seem to be the only thing keeping the company above the waterline. But when he finds a beautiful injured mermaid clinging to the empty, fog-enshrouded deck, Captain Twain's orderly, familiar world begins to slip deeper and deeper into the murky depths of the Hudson River.<br />
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This is a lovely, creepy, haunting mystery that wraps the reader in its hazy, otherworldly atmosphere from first page to last and beyond. The characters are exaggerated and cartoonish figures visually, but their intense, complicated personalities and motives bring a sense of realism that pairs unsettlingly well with what would normally be goofy features to further blur the line between fantasy and reality for the reader as much as the inexplicable events of the story do for the characters.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-12806190722873094622012-12-31T19:41:00.000-06:002012-12-31T19:41:10.928-06:00Banana Fish: Volume 2<br />
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by Akimi Yoshida, 189 pages<br />
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It's out of the frying pan and into the fire for Ash, as he goes from the hospital to prison thanks to string-pulling by his enemies. If he was in danger out on the street, he's doubly so on the inside. Luckily (?), he's got an unexpected connection of his own on the wrong side of the bars--if he doesn't kill the guy first.<br />
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Ha ha! Poor Eiji. I guess that's one way to secretly pass on a message--though the lengths hardened Ash is willing to go to set such a plan in motion are pretty extreme. The fact that he doesn't seem to think anything of it if it saves his life in the end just makes him that much more pitiable. But then there are more party shirts! Shunichi's the worst offender, but even hip young Eiji must have been unduly influenced by his senior's questionable fashion sense. I don't think Ash would be caught dead in a giant pineapple print, though. *snicker*<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-20285087964192895492012-12-31T19:39:00.001-06:002012-12-31T19:39:33.587-06:00Blue Exorcist: Volume 8<br />
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by Kazue Kato, 183 pages<br />
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As Yukio faces off against a silver-tongued demon, his brother Rin battles to find the heart of an amorphous plague while simultaneously protecting his friend Suguro, who's desperately trying to keep the poisonous clouds from spreading.<br />
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Yukio! So much for being the "normal" twin. I'm happy to see him finally show a little of his birthright, but I hope he's self-aware enough to avoid the emotional pitfalls that threaten to carry him over to the dark side. He'd better start by having a real heart-to-heart talk with his brother so neither of them loses his footing. Once the whole deathly plague thing is taken care of, of course. And Kuro had better be ok, too. Kitty!<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-71241817021173481642012-12-31T19:38:00.000-06:002012-12-31T19:38:06.950-06:00Kekkaishi: Volume 27<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PC65NLbqr9M/UOI91TXaylI/AAAAAAAABzc/uL2qLga6DME/s1600/Kekkaishi+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PC65NLbqr9M/UOI91TXaylI/AAAAAAAABzc/uL2qLga6DME/s320/Kekkaishi+27.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
by Yellow Tanabe, 185 pages<br />
<br />
Karasumori is under attack, but by whom, exactly? Masamori has an intense conversation with a prominent council member as Yoshimori fights for his home town, his friends, and his life and tries to focus on what's most important in the chaos erupting around him.<br />
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With enemies on two fronts and innocents caught in the middle, Yoshimori's going to have a lot on his plate for the foreseeable future. I like that others on his team are chiming in to keep him grounded, with even struggling yet resolute Soji unconsciously earning confused support from a previously vocal detractor.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-83183582783079321692012-12-31T19:36:00.001-06:002012-12-31T19:45:50.036-06:00Kekkaishi: Volume 26<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thTcz6pHNmo/UOI9gnR0GFI/AAAAAAAABzU/LcuK_J8HvZc/s1600/Kekkaishi+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thTcz6pHNmo/UOI9gnR0GFI/AAAAAAAABzU/LcuK_J8HvZc/s320/Kekkaishi+26.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
by Yellow Tanabe, 187 pages<br />
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Tensions are running high in the Shadow Council following the assassinations of a couple of members, and the resulting finger-pointing puts the pressure on Masamori to track down the truth and prevent disaster before the blame falls at his and his family's feet. Back at Karasumori, Tokine has an uncomfortable cup of tea with an unpredictable and deadly enemy while Yoshimori must decide what to do with the assassin living under his roof.<br />
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Tanabe keeps adding substance and personality to her characters, with Yoshimori making a decision the reader doesn't see coming but that fits him so perfectly she can't imagine him doing anything else.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-44611688662555139872012-12-31T19:35:00.001-06:002012-12-31T19:35:28.798-06:00Kekkaishi: Volume 25<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-swzZCo_asuw/UOI9OMaODWI/AAAAAAAABzM/DWdRddb4kF0/s1600/Kekkaishi+25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-swzZCo_asuw/UOI9OMaODWI/AAAAAAAABzM/DWdRddb4kF0/s320/Kekkaishi+25.jpg" width="211" /></a>by Yellow Tanabe, 187 pages<br />
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As Yoshimori attempts to master the art of clearing his mind at will, he also tries to introduce enigmatic Shoji to things that might nurture emotion and human bonds not based on a master-and-tool relationship. Meanwhile, Masamori prepares to finish the job he started against a powerful foe while other mysterious conspirators make their own preparations.<br />
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Oh, Shoji, the poor thing. I love how Yoshimori's little influences register in the other boy's emotionless but observant eyes. He may not know what to do with all this new information, but he's holding onto it and trying his best. We just hope Yoshimori's example ultimately turns out to be more powerful than Shoji's master's cold conditioning. Tanabe's inching toward making both Yoshimori and the reader care as much about Shoji's welfare as that of the lost friend he resembles.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-18224093162615727032012-12-20T01:13:00.000-06:002013-01-11T01:15:15.657-06:00"Bad Hair Day (Kate Grable #2)" by Carrie Harris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLOIvXwVmMw/UO3_b5-RtiI/AAAAAAAABSo/JT4w8qhn-QA/s1600/badhairday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLOIvXwVmMw/UO3_b5-RtiI/AAAAAAAABSo/JT4w8qhn-QA/s200/badhairday.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">240 pages</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kate Grable, the future doctor/genius who saved the world from a steroid-based zombie virus in "Bad Taste In Boys" is back. Things are going well for her: she's got a sweet<i> and</i> hot boyfriend, and she's about to start shadowing the county medical examiner as part of her school's pre-med program. But when Kate's brother, Jonah, discovers a mutilated corpse at a local gaming convention, it appears that something has gone wrong again. Particularly because the body seems to have been killed by something inhuman. Something really hairy, really strong, and with really huge claws. As the bodies keep coming, it seems that Kate's got to figure out how to take her mind of zombies and figure out how to defeat werewolves.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Silly, silly fun and I love it! Kate is great--in some ways, she's regular high school girl, worrying about her boyfriend and arguing with her brother, but she also has her mind on bigger things. It's refreshing to read about a girl who's got brains and ambitions but also has normal teenage fun. The plot is pretty straightforward and predictable, but it's great for a quick read. </span></span><br />
<br />Heather Cottle Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618413207218159302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-944304384067055542012-12-19T23:33:00.000-06:002013-01-08T23:34:23.265-06:00"Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3)" by Rick Riordan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y94GYy3gkpE/UO0BFK9kmDI/AAAAAAAABRs/q6Cnb9XBAno/s1600/Mark-of-Athena.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y94GYy3gkpE/UO0BFK9kmDI/AAAAAAAABRs/q6Cnb9XBAno/s200/Mark-of-Athena.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">586 pages</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Annabeth and her friends Jason, Pier, and Leo are approaching Camp Jupiter to attempt to make peace between the Greek and Roman demigods. The world is literally at stake, because if the heroes can't band together there's no way they can't find and close the Doors of Death. And if they can't do that, then they definitely won't be able to stop Gaia's monsters from taking over the earth. Despite all of that, Annabeth is still anxious about being reunited with Percy after six months of separation. And her mother's odd demand still rings in her ears: "Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me." And she's not the only one with doubts. All seven of the demigods are dealing with their own personal fears, insecurities, even unrequited love. It's going to take all they have to pull together and complete this leg of their quest.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I love this series, and almost everything about it. There's lots of action, but the characters are well developed, too. The humor is fun and cheesy as ever. The plot has several twists and turns. It's one of those that there's not a lot to say about, as it's just good simple fun. </span></span>Heather Cottle Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618413207218159302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-61197052505900404322012-12-11T21:05:00.000-06:002012-12-30T21:06:43.158-06:00"The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles #3)" by Rick Riordan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7i-ukRchaco/UOD8Cd1g6PI/AAAAAAAABP0/MAehNdkChHY/s1600/The_Serpents_Shadow_Rick_Riordan_Kane_Chronicles-72dpi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7i-ukRchaco/UOD8Cd1g6PI/AAAAAAAABP0/MAehNdkChHY/s200/The_Serpents_Shadow_Rick_Riordan_Kane_Chronicles-72dpi.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">406 pages</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles, Carter and Sadie are down to their last chance to destroy the chaos snake Apophis. If they can't get rid of him once and for all, he will plunge the world into eternal darkness. The Kanes don't have much help, though, as the magicians of the House of Life are wasting time fighting with each other and the gods are divided by their own squabbles. It's up to Carter, Sadie, and the other young magicians of Brooklyn House to battle Apophis and his forces. Their only hope is an ancient spell that would turn the snake's own shadow into a weapon against him. Problem is, the spell has been lost for centuries...and time is running out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was my favorite book in the Kane Chronicles. I had trouble following the others, perhaps due to my lack of knowledge of Egyptian mythology, but I guess I'd learned enough from the previous books to help this story make sense. The action is pretty much nonstop, so I couldn't put the book down. Carter and Sadie both seem to grow up a little, which is good to see as the series concludes. I like the way everything came together for a very satisfying ending. Well done!</span><br />
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<br />Heather Cottle Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618413207218159302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-53260400767006932342012-12-10T13:10:00.000-06:002012-12-30T13:10:57.670-06:00"The Leftovers" by Tom Perotta
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSXLWOgKreo/UOCRXyY5QZI/AAAAAAAABO4/-ICp1Vb5CHE/s1600/the-leftovers-by-tom-perrotta.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wSXLWOgKreo/UOCRXyY5QZI/AAAAAAAABO4/-ICp1Vb5CHE/s200/the-leftovers-by-tom-perrotta.jpeg" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">355 pages</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For more than two thousand years Christians have looked
forward to the Rapture, believed to take all believers home to heaven before
God’s judgment rains onto the Earth. Most believe that in that glorious moment,
the physical bodies of the faithful will disappear in an instant, leaving even
their clothes behind. In <i>The Leftovers,</i>
the Rapture has happened…but it wasn’t like the Christians thought it would be.
Some were taken, but plenty weren’t. In fact, the disappearances seem almost
random—people of all ages, races, and religions—but they all happened at one
instant. And there were millions of them, all over the world. Now, after it has
become clear that the scientists can’t explain what happened, the ones left
behind—also known as the “survivors” or the “leftovers”—must figure out how to
move on. Almost everyone knows someone who disappeared, while some lost their
entire families. And everyone is dealing with the question of why this happened
and what the future holds. Some use alcohol and drugs to numb the pain and
uncertainty. Some join extreme end-of-the-world cults. Some take advantage of
the situation and grab power. This book is the story of a few ordinary people
trying to make a life in a new world, changed forever in an instant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I usually don’t like books that leave a lot of questions
unanswered, but it didn’t bother me with this one. It’s pretty clear from the
beginning that you’re not going to figure everything out and that’s not the
point of the story. It’s sort of a character study in how people deal with
tragedy, made even more interesting by the fear and uncertainty thrown in as
well. Though I am myself a Christian, I like that this book puts quite a spin
on the traditional view of the Rapture. Without too much preaching, it makes
the point that no one can rightly judge other people because now matter how
much someone thinks they know about God, or whatever divine being they believe
in, no one can truly know what is going to happen. It’s also interesting that
science offers no plausible explanations either. I walked away from the book
with the feeling that no matter what we believe, we don’t have all the answers
and probably never will. That’s a scary thought, but it’s worth thinking about.
I found other aspects of the story pleasing as well. The characters are
multidimensional and they feel real. Their reactions to the disappearances are
fascinating and made me think about what <i>I
</i>would do. There’s not a lot of
action, but I got sucked in just the same. The whole thing is going to stick
with me for quite a while, for sure. </span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Heather Cottle Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618413207218159302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-80651465009181690262012-11-30T20:35:00.000-06:002013-01-05T20:36:20.977-06:00"Monster" by Walter Dean Myers<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kECHdTpDEHM/UOji9fbhxII/AAAAAAAABQw/1ogxyFTJ1Ks/s1600/monster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kECHdTpDEHM/UOji9fbhxII/AAAAAAAABQw/1ogxyFTJ1Ks/s200/monster.jpeg" width="140" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">281 pages</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Steve always wanted to make movies when he grew up and got out of his poverty-stricken, often dangerous New York City neighborhood. So when he's arrested and charged as an accessory to murder, he tells his story in the form of a movie script. This brings to life the events that led up to the robbery/murder. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was a bit disappointed with this one, but I think it's because my expectations were so high. <i>Monster</i> is one of those books I've been hearing about for a decade or so but just never got around to reading, and it's the first-ever Printz winner after all. I definitely provides a lot of food for thought--about the problems with our justice system, primarily--but it felt kind of flat. I didn't feel like I got to know the characters as much as I would have liked to, and the plot was also quite straightforward and one-dimensional. Still, I did enjoy the book overall, especially the unique format. It took me a while to get used to, but telling the story as a film script made the action come to life and feel more real. </span></div>
Heather Cottle Dillonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13618413207218159302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-78288107428371416782012-11-30T18:06:00.000-06:002012-12-09T22:39:24.542-06:00Banana Fish: Volume 1<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-88euNSuNw9E/UMUmsgEKFVI/AAAAAAAABxk/tYI-BHSx0Rw/s1600/Banana+Fish+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-88euNSuNw9E/UMUmsgEKFVI/AAAAAAAABxk/tYI-BHSx0Rw/s320/Banana+Fish+1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
by Akimi Yoshida, 191 pages<br />
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1973, Vietnam. An American soldier inexplicably turns his gun on his fellow soldiers, killing several before he's shot by his best friend. And the only clue he offers for his mindless rampage? The mumbled phrase, "Banana Fish."<br />
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Fast-forward to 1985, New York. Eiji Okumura, a young photographer from Japan, arrives with his senior, journalist Shunichi Ibé, to gather information for an article on youth gangs. Using their contacts in the police department, Eiji and Shunichi set up a meet with a well-known local gang leader, Ash Lynx. A decent enough young man ground tough by years of abuse and privation at the hands of his "patron"--sleazy crime boss, Papa Dino Golzine--Ash has developed deadly aim and a bleak outlook at odds with his pretty face; but he's good to those loyal to him, and his band of street kids look up to him. Jealousy has turned a few of his boys against him, however, and when he stumbles on something bigger than his crew's usual small-time crime and lands on the wrong side of the powerful Golzine, Ash's enemies join forces to get back what he took, find out what he knows, and then take him out, starting with an assault on the gang's favorite hang-out. Unfortunately for Eiji, that's just when he and Shunichi are sitting down for a chat with their wary subject.<br />
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This classic genre-blender (it's a shojo series written for older teen girls, but with enough bloody action to appeal to shonen's intended audience of boys) has been on my to-read list forever, so I'm excited to finally jump in. The art is very eighties, with the mustaches and headbands to prove it, but you don't care because the story is complex and mysterious, the characters well-defined and intriguing, and the sparks between them--be they the kind that lead to gang wars or soul-deep bonds--effective. The plot moves smoothly from jungle to precinct office to street corner to warehouse to prison and everywhere in between, leaving clues, adding personalities, and building a mystery as it goes. The series doesn't tiptoe around sensitive subjects, like child prostitution, rape, murder, abortion, and drugs, but it doesn't sensationalize them, either, and while the language can get colorful, the in-panel violence isn't gratuitously graphic. It all serves the story, builds the characters, and pushes the plot forward. There's enough humor--among the kiddos, the cops, Eiji and Shunichi--to bring some levity to the proceedings, too, so as dark as it can be it never feels oppressively so. Besides, it's hard to take some of those party shirts too seriously. :P I'm hooked already and look forward to reading more as it all plays out according to creator Yoshida's carefully-laid plans.<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041040148338135679.post-31251555448198525682012-11-30T18:01:00.000-06:002012-12-09T18:02:07.969-06:00Yotsuba&!: Volume 12<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-osVphnzYto0/UMUmL66QvDI/AAAAAAAABxc/2xsrh5kixnQ/s1600/Yotsuba&!+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-osVphnzYto0/UMUmL66QvDI/AAAAAAAABxc/2xsrh5kixnQ/s320/Yotsuba&!+11.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
by Kiyohiko Azuma, 222 pages<br />
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This time around, Yotsuba watches the local noodle shop owner make udon, eats too much pizza, plays with bubbles, gathers chestnuts, learns you should ask before taking someone's picture, and experiences depression over her injured teddy bear, Juralumin.<br />
<br />
First off, this is one of my favorite <i>Yotsuba&!</i> covers--everybody's reading a book, even Juralumin! As for the stories, they are crazily cute and imaginative, as usual. Yanda brings the hilarious with him every time, and the bubbles are no exception--but just everyone scrambling to hide (badly) when they hear him coming, and his reaction, makes me cackle out loud. Later, when Yots is all worried about her bear and doesn't respond to Yanda's taunts, he can't leave her alone till he gets a reaction--and, oh, that face! Brilliant Azuma has got to have a kid, or do an awful lot of observing of them. Yotsuba may talk a little above her years sometimes, but her energy and imagination and entertainingly influence-able thought processes feel pretty true to life with a dose of artistic exaggeration. It helps, of course, that she's surrounded by sometimes immature adults who egg her (and each other) on. I want the next volume already, as Koiwai and Jumbo are planning a camping trip. Yots and company in the woods with tents and bugs and campfires? Yay! Bring it!<br />
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Jenny Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07985446655108479694noreply@blogger.com0