About this blog...

Welcome to "Off the Shelf", a book review blog for the rest of us.

What does that mean?  Well, it means we're not professionals.  We're everyday readers, just like you.  To use the popular phrase, we don't know much about art, but we know what we like.

The contributors to this blog have been chosen because we each read a lot of different kinds of books, and at least one of us can offer something the others can't.  Sure, sometimes we'll overlap -- sometimes you might even get two reviews of the same book, from two entirely different viewpoints.  But this way, we can run the gamut from mystery to romance, literary to mainstream, fiction to nonfiction.  To be thorough, we won't just review the new stuff -- we'll go back and review some of the books we've already read, some we liked, some we loved, and a few that we absolutely hated.
 
While we all reserve the right to read and review whatever we want, in general: Lizzie is our romance, mystery, and Christian fiction reviewer.  Princess Ladybug is our mainstream and paranormal romance expert.  Phineas is our resident teenager, computer guru and mystery buff. Cleggy tends to read the nonfiction and literary stuff.  He also works for a library, so occasionally you'll see a repost of a review he did for their Teen blog.  This is not an attempt to "pull a fast one"' -- we just see it as an opportunity to give you more books to choose from.

We are all excited to have this forum to share our thought and opinions, and we hope you'll enjoy the reviews, enjoy the books, and support the authors who make it all possible.

Just a quick note about the reviews: the actual review format was borrowed (with kind permission) from Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes, the talented, hilarious and humble folks behind UNSHELVED.   Please show your support and appreciation by visiting their site, reading their comic strip... heck, order something if the spirit moves ya!  These guys deserve it.

See you later!

A Deadly Book

TITLE: Strawberry Shortcake Murder


AUTHOR: Joanne Fluke


REVIEWED BY: Phineas


QUICK OVERVIEW: Hannah Swensen is back in the book Strawberry Shortcake Murder. When Hannah is asked to judge a bakeoff in Lake Eden she gladly accepts. All is well until she finds the body of a local judge. It is up to Hannah to find the killer....


WHY I PICKED IT UP: It is the second book in the Hannah Swensen series. It is also a cozy mystery so there are no real sexual situations and language.

WHY I FINISHED IT: It was well written and it was exciting to read.

WHO I WOULD SUGGEST IT TO: Everyone who loves to read mysteries.

OTHER CONTENT WARNINGS: The "D" word is used but that is all.

This Hit Should Be On Your List

TITLE: Hit List (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 20)

AUTHOR: Laurell K. Hamilton

REVIEWED BY: PrincessLadyBug

BRIEF SUMMARY: “A serial killer is hunting the Pacific Northwest, murdering victims in a gruesome and spectacular way. The local police suspect “monsters” are involved, and have called in Anita Blake and Edward, US Marshals who really know their monsters, to catch the killer.

But some monsters are very real. The Harlequin have been the bogeymen of the vampire world for more than a thousand years; they are a secret so dark that even to speak their name can earn you a death sentence. Now they are here in America, hunting weretigers…and human police.

The Harlequin serve the Mother of All Darkness, the first vampire. She was supposed to be dead, but only her body was destroyed. Now she needs a new one, and she’s decided that Anita Blake’s is the body she wants. Edward thinks the serial killings are a trap to lure Anita closer to the most dangerous vampire they’ve ever hunted. The vampires call Edward “Death,” and Anita the “Executioner,” but Mommy Darkest is coming to kill one and possess the other, and she doesn’t care how many others have to die along the way.” (Summary from the published book)

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I have read ALL of her books. In 2000, my sister had just finished reading the first book in Laurell’s Merry Gentry series, A Kiss Of Shadows. After I devoured it in just over a day, she says, “You know she has a vampire hunter series, right?” And an addiction/obsession was born.

WHY I FINISHED IT: I love all of Laurell’s books but the last few in this series have gotten a bit off track. But with this book, Anita is back in fighting shape. She’s kicking butt and not even bothering to take names. Plus, Edward is along for the very bumpy ride and that suits me just fine. I also love that Anita continues to redefine what a family is. Showing that sometimes your family consists of loved ones you “collect” along the way. Family is about love and not blood.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: My sister for sure. Anyone who likes books with a strong female lead character, vampires, weres, & other supernatural beings.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: While there is still violence & adult language, there is far less sexual content than her previous books.

He's no dummy....

TITLE: All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed, and Me

AUTHOR: Jeff Dunham

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: "His YouTube videos have been viewed more than 400 million times by fans all over the world. He has played to sold-out venues across North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia. He has sold more than six million DVDs, Forbes has ranked him in their Celebrity 100 list of most powerful entertainers for two years running, and he has been the top touring comedian in the United States for the last two years. Whether he's breathing life into an old curmudgeon, an over- caffeinated purple maniac, or a screaming, skeletal, dead terrorist, Jeff Dunham is the straight man to some of the funniest partners in show business.

All by My Selves is the story of one pretty ordinary guy, one interesting hobby, one very understanding set of parents, and a long and winding rode to becoming America's favorite comedian. With wit, honesty, and lots of great show business detail, Jeff shares all the major moments in his journey. From the toy dummy he spotted at a toy store when he was 8 years old to playing to arenas filled with screaming fans, Jeff takes readers behind the curtain to explain how he turned an old fashioned art form into something truly modern and hip. Best of all, Jeff's story is accompanied by asides and interruptions from his characters-who share all the hilarious details Jeff himself is too embarrassed to include." (Summary from the published book)

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I have always enjoyed ventriloquists, and I remember Jeff's routine from years ago (pre-Achmed, when he mainly used Walter and Peanut).  I wanted to read his story and find out why he's one of the most popular standups today.

WHY I FINISHED IT: It was both fascinating and hilarious.  Jeff's personality really comes through.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: People who like biographies, comedy, or who are curious about ventriloquism or standup comedy.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: Fascinating and funny, I would definitely recommend this to any of my interested adult friends.  There is quite a bit of bad language (mostly PG-13 level, although the F-bomb is dropped a time or two).

"Luck" has got nothing to do with it...

TITLE: I'm Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59

AUTHOR: Douglas Edwards

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: "Comparing Google to an ordinary business is like comparing a rocket to an Edsel. No academic analysis or bystander's account can capture it. Now Doug Edwards, Employee Number 59, offers the first inside view of Google, giving readers a chance to fully experience the bizarre mix of camaraderie and competition at this phenomenal company. Edwards, Google's first director of marketing and brand management, describes it as it happened. We see the first, pioneering steps of Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the company's young, idiosyncratic partners; the evolution of the company's famously nonhierarchical structure (where every employee finds a problem to tackle or a feature to create and works independently); the development of brand identity; the races to develop and implement each new feature; and the many ideas that never came to pass. Above all, Edwards—a former journalist who knows how to write—captures the "Google Experience," the rollercoaster ride of being part of a company creating itself in a whole new universe.

I'm Feeling Lucky captures for the first time the unique, self-invented, yet profoundly important culture of the world's most transformative corporation.." (Summary from the published book)

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I was curious as to how Google got to be one of the top businesses in the world, and couldn't pass up the opportunity for an insider's view.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Filled with fascinating people, the book is hard to put down.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: People who like nonfiction, books about business and/or computers, or just stories about interesting people.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: Overall, this is a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of Google and how it started. From its origins as a college project to global domination of every aspect of your daily online life, Doug Edwards traces the day-to-day operations of the company and the men and women who made it what it is.

Be warned that there is some bad language.

Broke-down "Palace"...

TITLE: The Midnight Palace

AUTHOR: Carlos Ruiz Zafón

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: "In the heart of Calcutta lurks a dark mystery...

Set in Calcutta in the 1930s, The Midnight Palace begins on a dark night when an English lieutenant fights to save newborn twins Ben and Sheere from an unthinkable threat. Despite monsoon-force rains and terrible danger lurking around every street corner, the young lieutenant manages to get them to safety, but not without losing his own life...

Years later, on the eve of Ben and Sheere's sixteenth birthday, the mysterious threat reenters their lives. This time, it may be impossible to escape. With the help of their brave friends, the twins will have to take a stand against the terror that watches them in the shadows of the night -- and face the most frightening creature in the history of the City of Palaces."  (Summary from the published book)

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I love Carlos Ruiz Zafón.  Absolutely love him.  This is the second book in the "Mist" series, and his fourth English language title.  I had to read it.

WHY I FINISHED IT: I had to see if it ended how I thought it would.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: People who like supernatural thrillers, Young Adult fiction, or Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: I have to admit, of the four English language books by Zafón, this is my least favorite. 

I don't mean that to sound harsh.  This is his fourth English-language title, but it was originally published in Spain in 1994 as his second book.  As such, it seems to suffer from "sophomore slump".  While the characters are interesting, the mystery was easily solved and all the clues were pretty obvious.

Still, it was well-written and is a decent time-waster.  But compared to his later works, it suffers greatly in comparison.

As for content, there is a bit of violence and peril.  Not for young children.

Give a "Hoot"

Title: Hoot

Author: Carl Hiaasen

Reviewed by: Phineas

Storyline: Roy Eberhardt is new to Florida. He and his family move a lot because of his dad's job. Roy finally gets used to moving. On his first day of school he sees a kid running super fast. Of course he is curious and follows him. After making friends with him he knows why he was running. He is trying to keep owls safe where a new business is threatening their home.

Why did I pick up the book?: I saw some reviews on the movie but hadn't seen it yet. I really wanted to read it.

Why did I finish it?: The book was very fascinating. There is a lot of sneaking around and trying to help the owls.

Who would I recommend this book to?: I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in these types of stories.

Warning: There is a couple of swear words, there is vandalism which is very wrong. Some people might not want their kids to read this book because of that.

A Wedding Blunder in the Black Hills

TITLE: A Wedding Blunder in the Black Hills

AUTHOR: Kim O'Brien

REVIEWED BY: Lizzie

BRIEF SUMMARY: David is a widowed dentist with a son who is being aggressively pursued by a patient. Millie is the single owner of the local cafe who is being set up on blind dates by her mother at every opportunity. When Millie becomes a reluctant patient of David's due to a lost
filling they come up with a plan to stop her mother's interference and his overly aggressive patient. They will pretend to be dating. This seems the perfect solution until they begin to really care for each other. What happens now?

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I really enjoyed the plot as it was outlined and though I
would enjoy it.

WHY I FINISHED IT: I got caught up with the characters and could really relate to
Millie and had to see if it worked out.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: Anyone who loves happily ever after stories.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: I can't think of any content warnings. This book is due for release in September 2011.

Will they discover "The Art of Romance"?

TITLE: The Art of Romance

AUTHOR: Kaye Dacus

REVIEWED BY: Lizzie

BRIEF SUMMARY: In the second book in "The Matchmaker" series Ms. Dacus once again tells the perfect romance story. Dylan Bradley is an artist who is trying to forget his past as a cover artist for "racy" romance novels. His work has led him to do things he is not proud of including moving in with and dating his boss at the college he works for. Caylor Evans is a writer of Christian romance novels, but has a secret of her own. When their grandmothers try to play matchmaker with them will their pasts keep them apart or will the discover "The Art of Romance?"

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I had read the first book in this series (Love Remains) and
could not wait for this one. The synopsis on the back just made it sound so interesting.

WHY I FINISHED IT: I started reading it and could not put it down. I got so
caught up in the story I just had to see how it ended.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: Any one who loves romance novels.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: There is some reference to pre-marital sex and the inference to what is in those "other" types of romance novels.

The Neon Graveyard (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 6)

TITLE: The Neon Graveyard (Sign of the Zodiac, Book 6)

AUTHOR: Vicki Pettersson

REVIEWED BY: Princess LadyBug

BRIEF SUMMARY: Joanna Archer is now just another mortal even though she'd been born from an impossible union of Shadow and Light. Being stripped of her powers should have taken her out of the game for good, but both sides were still hunting her. She'd once been a soldier for the Light & the Kairos, the prophesied savior of whichever side she would finally choose. But now she was carrying the unborn child of another former soldier of Light who was being held captive by demon goddess. A goddess with a serious grudge against Joanna.

Ready to risk everything to free her lover from the desolate realm where the price of admission is the last piece of her soul, Joanna joins a rogue group of agents. To free the father of her child and survive long enough to live happily ever after, she'll have to take on not only the demon goddess with homicidal tendencies, but also her former troop leader and her evil father. All of whom are hell bent on her destruction.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: Several reasons. I'm a completist. I read the first five books so there was no way I'd miss this one. Also, the characters feel like old friends and I wanted to find out if they live happily ever after.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Just like the first five books, I was sucked into the story almost before I'd finished the first page.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: Anyone who would enjoy a book that puts a unique twist on the usual superhero story. Keep in mind that it is book 6 of a series, so while it is a good, action-packed book you might find yourself a bit lost. Do yourself a favor and start with book 1 - The Scent of Shadows. And if anyone would like me to review other books in the series, leave a comment & let me know.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: There is some violence, language, and sexual situations.

"Miss"-adventures

TITLE: My Misadventures as a Teenage Rock Star

AUTHOR: Joyce Raskin

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: "Rock ’n’ roll isn’t just about sex and drugs. It’s about self-expression, lasting friendships, and self-empowerment. That’s what Alex learns after she starts playing bass for a rock band in this almost true story. Joyce Raskin, author and musician, culls from her memories to create this funny, touching, and honest look at what it’s like to be a teenager, a girl, and a rock star all at the same time.

Also included are a note from the author, instructions on how to play basic guitar chords, advice on songwriting, and more!" (Summary from the publisher)

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I like music. Books about music, movies about music, music in general. I just finished Five Flavors of Dumb (which I really enjoyed) and had watched Lemonade Mouth, so I was up for another music book.

WHY I FINISHED IT: This is going to sound horrible, but -- because I felt I had to. This was an advance reading copy through NetGalley and I can't review what I didn't finish. Had I been reading this for pleasure, I probably would have given up about halfway through.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: Maybe reluctant, younger teenage girl readers.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/WARNINGS: I didn't really care for this book. Granted, as a 37-year-old man, I'm hardly the target audience (although I loved Five Flavors of Dumb and Bandslam is one of my favorite movies). But it seems to me that the author had a hard time figuring out who this book was supposed to be for. Alex is 14, but she narrates the story as if she's much younger. The first-person narration irritated me, and it was all written in short sentences, almost like an outline that never got fleshed out.

Events just happen out of nowhere. Alex is sitting with her brother and his best friend, Todd. Suddenly she's in Todd's band and her brother offers to teach her bass guitar. The girl who couldn't figure out a hairstyle a few pages ago has a punk makeover and starts dating a skater boy who has never even noticed her before (he thinks she just transferred in from another state, a misconception she doesn't correct). She's playing in bars. She's writing songs. She's getting threats from juvenile delinquents. It's all too quick and all too unbelievable.

As far as addressing self-image and self-esteem issues, this does has a positive spin. It also deals with saying "no" to temptations that all teen girls face, so I give it a thumbs up for that. But all in all, I was underwhelmed and not really impressed by the writing or the story.

Again, I'm definitely not the target audience for this. It's been a long time since I was fourteen (and I've never been a girl). Maybe one of the girls out there can give it a more objective review.

Content warnings: some language and sex talk. Lots of references to dating, kissing, and body changes as a girl becomes a woman.

Precious Memories: The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

TITLE: The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

AUTHOR: Umberto Eco

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: Italian rare book dealer Yambo has suffered a heart attack that sent him into a coma. Upon awakening, he finds that while he can remember everything he ever read in books, his personal memories are gone. He can remember whole libraries of famous quotes and facts about Napoleon and Julius Caesar, but he cannot recognize his wife and daughters.

Slowly, he reaches a point where he is convinced that the answer to his problem lies at his family home in Solara. Thus begins his journey -- and ours -- as he rediscovers himself, his past, and quite possibly the face of his first true love.

Filled with historical references, illustrations, and too many literary references to name, this is classic Eco.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: It was Umberto Eco, and I loved The Name of the Rose. The blurb on the back and the copious illustrations pulled me in.

WHY I FINISHED IT: The writing. This is why I love Eco. He's too clever by half sometimes, but he is always entertaining.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: See "Additional Notes/Warnings."

ADDITIONAL NOTES/WARNINGS: I have to be honest: I have a love/hate relationship with this book.

I loved, loved, loved this book the first time I read it. Until the end. At that point, I put the book aside, bitterly stating that I had wasted a month of my life on it and I would never read it again. I put it on the shelf, planning to donate it to the library where I work.

But slowly, my mind brought me back to the book. There are wonderful passages, beautifully rendered episodes when Yambo recovers a bit of his past. Memories of growing up under Mussolini's dictatorship. Childhood games and memories of his grandfather. The character of Amalia, his "nanny" since childhood who won't give up taking care of him, even as he's pushing sixty. I wanted to read those again.

And as I read it again, I discovered hidden subtexts -- clues earlier in the novel that I had missed that not only foreshadowed the ending I hated, but actually made it make sense. The more I read the book, the better I understand what Eco was trying to do. And I see that he not only succeeded, he made it the only possibly ending that the book could have had.

Because of the depth of this book, I would only recommend it to people that already like Eco (or possibly someone else like Carlos Ruiz Zafon or Arturo Perez-Reverte). Someone who doesn't mind a second reading to get the whole story. Someone with time on their hands and a fascination with 20th century Italian history and culture.

As for content warnings, there is some language and some quite gruesome depictions of war.

A corpse is a corpse, of course, of course...

TITLE: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

AUTHOR: Mary Roach

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: Stiff is a fascinating book -- often sidesplitting in its humor -- that explores what might happen to someone's body after they die.

While death is a serious subject, and the act of death is not something to be laughed at, the attitudes of people over the centuries regarding the human body makes for a fascinating book. And the subjects themselves -- the people who were in the bodies prior to death -- are always, always treated with respect. (Well, in modern times, at least. We can't speak for those in past centuries, who did some pretty horrible things in the name of "science" and natural curiosity.)

From testing the first guillotines, riding in the NASA space shuttle, and helping to solve the mysteries of airplane crashes and other unsolved deaths, human cadavers have helped scientists make great strides in making our world what it is today -- for better or for worse. And they are still on the front lines when it comes to developing new medical procedures, safety mechanisms, and other medical and scientific breakthroughs.

And even when the going gets decidedly grisly and macabre, Roach is always there with a quip, and observation, or just another way of looking at things that keeps it all in perspective.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I have a rather macabre sense of humor, and have always been fascinated by the rites and rituals surrounding death and dying.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Two words: Mary Roach. Her writing style is conversational, funny, and fascinating. She puts things in plain-English terms, and makes even the most disturbing aspects of death easier to read about through her humor.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: Given the topic, I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but to anyone with an appreciation for the macabre or an interest in funeral practices, I would not hesitate to suggest it.

ADDITIONAL NOTES/WARNINGS: Infrequent language, plenty of gruesome details about cadavers and the human anatomy. People who are easily upset by such things should stay away.

Will she fumble through love or will this be "Her Best Catch"?

TITLE: Her Best Catch

AUTHOR: Lindi Peterson

REVIEWED BY: Lizzie

BRIEF SUMMARY: Allison Doll leads a dull life. She is a single woman who has moved back in with her mom after her father's death to help out her mom. She has friends, church and work to fill her life. However, her life changes drastically when her two oldest friends begin dating and she decides to go on a mission trip. Can things get any more confusing? Yes! Ex-baseball pitcher Ashton Boyd joins her Sunday School class and decides to join the mission trip. Allison's life is getting more exciting.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: The cover looked interesting and the description seemed fun.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Once I started it I could not stop. This is a new author to me and her writing style just kind of grabs you and holds on. I could really relate to the characters and began to care about what happened to them.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: Anyone who loves romance novels, even if they have never read a "Christian" romance.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: There is nothing bad in this book. There are a few scenes dealing with death, however.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

TITLE: City of Bones

AUTHOR: Cassandra Clare

REVIEWED BY: Princess LadyBug

BRIEF SUMMARY: Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray & her best friend, Simon, are hanging out at the Pandemonium Club when Clary discovers strange people that Simon can't see. After her mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a monster, she is suddenly drawn into their bizzare world of demons and the Shadowhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension.

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I'm always on the lookout for something new to read. When a friend said he'd heard good things about it, I rushed right down to the library to check it out.

WHY I FINISHED IT: I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Lots of action moves the plot along nicely as Clary learns to deal with the new world she's found herself in. Each character she meets is more interesting than the last one on her quest to find and rescue her mother.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: My niece or anyone who likes books that turn our universe upside down.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: Contains some violence. They are fighting demons after all. :)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS are not always right

TITLE: First Impressions

AUTHOR: Debra White Smith

REVIEWED BY: Lizzie

BRIEF SUMMARY: Edie Bostwick and Dave Davidson take on the iconic roles of Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy in this updated version of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice set in present day East Texas. When they meet during a local production of Pride and Prejudice life begins to imitate art. They argue, fight and fuss.... in the end will true love conquer all?

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I love Jane Austen books and had read some of Debra's other books.

WHY I FINISHED IT: I loved the story and the way it was written.

WHO I’D GIVE IT TO: Any Jane Austen fan or anyone who likes to read romance novels.

OTHER NOTES AND CONTENT WARNINGS: There are references to premarital sex and drug use.

A Delicious Book

Name: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke

Reviewed by: Phineas

Brief Storyline: Hannah Swensen owns a bakery called The Cookie Jar. Hannah and her assistant Lisa Herman are waiting on a delivery. When the delivery man fails to show, Hannah goes outside to see if he is having trouble. When she finds him dead, it is up to Hannah to solve the murder.

Why did I pick up the book?: Because my aunt heard the audiobook and suggested I should read it.

Why did I finish it?: It was very interesting, it is a clean mystery, and it kept me guessing who did it until the very end.

Who would I suggest it to?: I would suggest it to anyone who really likes mysteries.

Warning: The "D" word is used a couple of times, and there is mild violence, but those are the only parental warnings I am aware of.

I've got a BONE to pick...

How do you begin to describe Bone?

It's a graphic novel, true. But it's not your typical superhero or "comic" novel. There is comedy, and there are heroes, but there is so much more. "Epic" doesn't even begin to describe it. Think Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars and The Marx Brothers and you might be close. But still...

Bone was originally published over 13 years. The library's copy is the "One Volume Edition", collecting all 55 issues into one volume. It's big, it's heavy, and I wouldn't read it any other way.

Jeff Smith's story centers around three cousins: Phoney Bone (the greedy, conceited one), Smiley Bone (the fun-loving, goofy one), and Fone Bone (our hero), who become lost in The Valley after they are run out of Boneville following one of Phoney's disastrous schemes. While trying to find each other (and the way home), they meet up with a wide cast of characters including the mysterious Thorn, her enigmatic grandmother, and a smoke ring-blowing red dragon who may or may not be a figment of Fone Bone's imagination.

As they make their way through The Valley, they encounter other humans and bizarre creatures who are threatened by the Lord of the Locusts, a dark and menacing figure from the past. Fone Bone is soon drawn into the events around him and finds himself on a hero's journey to help save the world.

Do the cousins find each other again? Can they avoid the Rat-creatures and help save The Valley from an ancient evil? What will happen to Thorn and her grandmother? And what about that red dragon?

Although its size (1300 pages! -- but believe me, they go fast) and some content might frighten the younger kids, Bone is certainly suitable for anyone that could handle, say Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, the Harry Potter movies or The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Even if you don't care for "comic books", I encourage you to give it a try. If you like fantasy (Tolkien, Harry Potter, the Narnia series, etc.), then you are definitely in for a treat.

(If you like this book, there is also a prequel called Rose, but I recommend you read Bone first, lest a very important plot point be spoiled for you.)

Rob&Sara.com

Is it possible to be best friends with someone you've never met?

After submitting a poem to an online message board for teen poets, Sara (or, Sara4348) meets Rob (Robcruise99), a mysterious character whose simple response of "I liked it" sticks out amidst a sea of wannabe critics who tear the poem apart and consequently tear Sara down.

After the initial message board comments, Sara and Rob begin exchanging e-mails. Their e-mail relationship leads to friendship, and friendship to "best"-friendship. As they learn more about each other, we in turn learn more about them. We genuinely begin to care about them, and where their relationship is headed.

Is Rob really a good guy, in spite of all the e-mails that Sara mysteriously begins receiving from others that call his character into question? And what about the fact that he's living in what is basically a juvenile detention center (even if it's called Pine Creek Academy)? What does this mean? Is he even a teenage boy at all?

The two authors, P.J. (Pete) Peterson and Ivy Ruckman, wrote the story one e-mail at a time, spending a year corresponding as their respective characters (Pete was Rob and Ivy was Sara). This lends the story an air of authenticity that might not be there if it had been written by one person.

All in all, this was a wonderful book that will keep you involved until the end... and hoping for a sequel.

A tangled web of "Mist"-ery...

The Prince of Mist was actually Carlos Ruiz Zafón's first book, originally published in Spain in 1993. Now, seventeen years later, it is finally available in an English translation by Lucia Graves, and it was well worth the wait. I've loved all of his adult fiction books, and this book has the same haunting quality that they did, possibly due to the fact that Graves translated those as well. Or perhaps it's just because Carlos is such a good writer.

Now, don't let the fact that was originally published in another language put you off. So were the Inkheart books. The Prince of Mist is a wonderful, riveting tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

In 1943, with Spain in the midst of World War II, watchmaker Maximilian Carver moves his family from the capital to a seaside village where he has recently bought a home. From the minute they arrive, strange and otherwordly things begin occurring. Soon, the Carvers -- especially 13-year-old Max and his 15-year-old sister Alicia -- find themselves caught up in a dangerous battle with the Prince of Mist, a supernatural entity who has been bargaining for souls for decades, and who just might be the Devil himself.

As the story unfolds, Max and Alicia must uncover the secret of the former inhabitants of their home, the truth about their new friend Roland and his grandfather, and find out just what happened to the Orpheus, a ship that sank in the harbor during a terrible storm a quarter-century ago -- and how it all ties together and ultimately leads back to the mysterious Prince.

Part mystery, part romance, part fantasy, and part gothic horror tale, I cannot recommend The Prince of Mist highly enough. Ruiz Zafón is a masterful storyteller, putting you right into the action, and creating characters that you will come to love and care about. Although the book contains mild language and mature themes, it is certainly suitable for anyone age 12 and up.


NOTE: This is book one in the "Mist" trilogy.  Book two, The Midnight Palace, was just released on May 31, 2011.  A review is forthcoming as soon as I finish it.

He's "unspeakable" all right...

It's hard to review a book where you didn't like the main character. That's the problem I'm faced with now that I've finished I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb.

Oliver Watson, true to the title, is a genius of unspeakable evil. And yes, he does want to be class president. Oliver is twelve years old, overweight, and has fooled his parents, classmates, and teachers into believing that he is a slow-witted simpleton, when in reality he is the third-richest person in the world, an evil mastermind, and head of a secret empire well on his way to global domination.

The problem is that Oliver is also tedious, annoying, self-centered, and so bent on revenge against his father that I could not warm up to him. Everytime he took revenge against a classmate, secretly blackmailed or humiliated a teacher, or otherwise manipulated the system to get his own way, I was more appalled by his actions than amused.

I know, I know. This is fiction. This is supposed to be fun. This is the ultimate revenge fantasy for all those kids out there who are picked on.

But you know what? If this book had come out when I was in school -- when I would have been, in fact, the prime audience for a revenge fantasy like this -- I'd like to think I would still have been more appalled than amused.

While Oliver is a sarcastic genius of the highest order, he is also just plain mean. Perhaps if he'd had a shred of humanity in him, I might have liked him more. As it stands, I can only feel that he didn't get what he deserved in the end, and the path getting there wasn't worth the time I spent on it.

Still, maybe you'll like it better. Give us some feedback; let us know what you think.

The people in your "neighbor"-hood

TITLE: The Good Neighbors series (Kin, Kith, and Kind)

AUTHOR: Holly Black ; illustrated by Ted Naifeh.

REVIEWED BY: Cleggy

BRIEF SUMMARY: Rue is your typical sixteen year old. Except her mother's disappeared. And her father is accused of murdering one of his students. And oh yeah, she sees things that may or may not actually be there. She's starting to see faeries, and what's more, she has reason to believe that her maternal grandfather -- whom she's never met -- might actually be one. Something big is about to happen that could threaten her friends, her father, and her town -- but can she do anything to stop it?

WHY I PICKED IT UP: It was new to the library. It looked interesting to me while I was cataloging it.

WHY I FINISHED IT: Although the Faerie-fantasy books have never really interested me, the story kept me going for the most part. A bit of confusion set in during the second book, and it could have used more explanation.

WHO I'D GIVE IT TO: Young adult (and adult) readers who like the Faerie-fantasy genre.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: This is a graphic novel, so if you don't like those, you'll want to stay away. The art work alternates between stunning and confusing. Distinct character design should easily differentiate the faeries from the humans, but to tell the truth, many of the humans looked "faerie"-like and vice versa. Still, if you like this sort of thing, you will easily look past that.

All in all, I can't help but feel that this one might have worked better as a regular novel first, then a graphic novel adaptation later. The second book got kind of confusing with so many characters and plot lines going simultaneously, but I was able to keep up by going back every once in a while to remind myself who was who and what was going on. Two or three characters appear out of nowhere and are immediately appropriated as important plot points, but you have no idea who they are when they first appear. Again, it would definitely have benefited from more plot and character development if space had allowed.