Lessons From a Dead Girl

Lessons From a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0763632791
ISBN-13: 978-0763632793

From Amazon: Leah Greene is dead. For Laine, knowing what really happened and the awful feeling that she is, in some way, responsible set her on a journey of painful self-discovery. Yes, she wished for this. She hated Leah that much. Hated her for all the times in the closet, when Leah made her do those things. They were just practicing, Leah said. But why did Leah choose her? Was she special, or just easy to control? And why didn’t Laine make it stop sooner? In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laine is left to explore the devastating lessons Leah taught her, find some meaning in them, and decide whether she can forgive Leah and, ultimately, herself.

This slim book was so compelling that I read it in on sitting. With every turn of the page, the antagonist Leah Greene, is consistently harassing, to the point of abusing, her "so called" friend forever, Laine McCarthy.

It was so easy for me to see signs of "battered woman syndrome" in Laine, wanting to be a part of Leah's "in group," up to the point of allowing herself to be abused. Leah and Laine are like night and day, and they barely seem to meet in the middle.

The title of the book gives you a clue as to the ending of the book, but still you are not ready for the ending and you keep hoping things will turn out better. The control vs. submissive games or "practice" played out by these little girls, gives the brain food for thought on how these patterns may haunt other young children and teens. This story is definitely not one of those "feel good" teen books, but it makes you look at a different side of bullying and abuse. It is not until the end of the book that we understand the reason Leah has tormented Laine.

This is the first book I have read by Knowles and I look forward to more of her work in the future.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (#3 in the Millennium Trilogy) by Stieg Larsson

Hardcover: 576 pages
Publisher: Knopf
Language: English
ISBN-10: 030726999X
ISBN-13: 978-0307269997

Amazon Best Books of the Month, May 2010: As the finale to Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is not content to merely match the adrenaline-charged pace that made international bestsellers out of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. Instead, it roars with an explosive storyline that blows the doors off the series and announces that the very best has been saved for last. A familiar evil lies in wait for Lisbeth Salander, but this time, she must do more than confront the miscreants of her past; she must destroy them. Much to her chagrin, survival requires her to place a great deal of faith in journalist Mikael Blomkvist and trust his judgment when the stakes are highest. To reveal more of the plot would be criminal, as Larsson's mastery of the unexpected is why millions have fallen hard for his work. But rest assured that the odds are again stacked, the challenges personal, and the action fraught with neck-snapping revelations in this snarling conclusion to a thrilling triad. This closing chapter to The Girl's pursuit of justice is guaranteed to leave readers both satisfied and saddened once the final page has been turned.

I love Lisbeth Salander - she is the perfect hero. Treated violently throughout her childhood and involuntarily committed to an insane asylum at the age of 11, she has had to fight and claw her way to a somewhat "normal" existence. This last book sees Lisbeth come full circle and open herself to the few friends she truly has in her life.

I was so sad to see this book end because I know there will be not further books by Larsson (he died in 2004, shortly after turning in the manuscripts for all 3 books). There is rumor of a 1/2 finished 4th book, but I'm not sure if this is true.

Without giving away much of the plot, I can honestly say I was happy with the way the trilogy ended. I have told everyone in my life they need to read these books. Larsson had a way with words that truly sucks you right into the story.

There is currently a Swedish film for the first book - entitled "The Man Who Hated Women." They are also in pre-production for an American film and it will have the same title as the American book, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." I currently have the Swedish film in my Netflix queue waiting patiently to watch it.

Bullet

Bullet (#19 Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K. Hamilton

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425234339
ISBN-13: 978-0425234334

From Amazon:

"Anita Blake is back in St. Louis and trying to live a normal life-as normal as possible for someone who is a legal vampire executioner and a U. S. Marshal. There are lovers, friends and their children, school programs to attend. In the midst of all the ordinary happiness a vampire from Anita's past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It's hard to kill a god. This dark goddess has reached out to her here-in St. Louis, home of everyone Anita loves most. The Mother of All Darkness has decided she has to act now or never, to control Anita, and all the vampires in America."

(Note to new readers: If you are just beginning the Anita Blake books, it is highly recommended you start from the beginning with Guilty Pleasures and read your way to Bullet - with this being the 19th book in the series, Hamilton doesn't waste time with rehashing who each character is. You may be lost if you don't know who is who.)

When it comes to reviewing books by Laurell K. Hamilton, you either LOVE her writing or you HATE her writing - there is very little in-between. I am in the category of LOVING her work. I started out with the Merry Gentry books and absolutely loved her writing - then I moved on the Anita Blake, which I think is an even better series.

For those readers who are more interested in "plot" driven books vs. "character" driven books, then this may not be the book for you. Because this is the 19th book in a series, I am all about the characters over the plot, although I do realize you have to have some type of plot to keep the story moving.

For those readers who have turned against Hamilton's work because of all the real and metaphysical sex, again this may not be the book for you because Bullet is full of both kinds of sex. Personally, the sex is entertaining and takes me away from my everyday problems. The ardeur is present in this book, but it is not as prevalent as it was in the beginning. Anita seems to have more control over the ardeur and is able to feed on the power much better. Of course, there is lots of sex in the book - after all, it is an Anita book - but the majority of the sex is present without the ardeur.

The plot of Bullet is to keep Anita and her vamps and weres safe from the Mother of all Darkness. Supposedly Marmee Noir was killed off a few books ago by a bomb exploding in the "cavern" where she had been asleep for thousands of years. It is learned in Bullet that many on the Vampire Council absorbed bits of the Mother's power and energy. Now the European vamps want to take over and stomp out the American vamps.

After being absent for the majority of the past few books, Richard and Asher are again on center stage. We learn that Richard is beginning to finally accept the fact he is one of the monsters and he starts to work with Jean Claude and Anita instead of working against them. It is a nice change of pace from the arguments and fights found in the beginning of the series. Asher is finally stepping up to the plate and making demands on Jean Claude and Anita, up to the point of taking his werehyenas at going to Narcissus, but I am getting a little tired of Asher's continued pouting - he seems to have picked up where Richard left off. Jean Claude and Anita decide they must keep Asher in their power base, so they give in to a few of his demands.

Up to this point the wereleopards have been my favorite form of weres, but I am starting to have a soft spot for the tigers - brown, red, white, golden, blue - there is just something about them that appeals to me. Saying that, I am glad Anita finally took care of the problem with Haven (Cookie Monster). Nicky is kind of growing on me as a Bride - once I wrapped my head around the idea of a reverse "bride of Dracula"- interesting concept.

The Harlequins make a repeat appearance in Bullet - or at least one of their wereanimals does. The Harlequins are leaning more toward the side of Anita and her group and away from the Vampire Council. I even saw Belle Morte in a different light, especially when she seems as scared of the Mother of all Darkness as everyone else.

I enjoyed this book very much, but as I stated earlier, I am a big fan of Hamilton's work. My only complaint would be the book was not long enough - I would love to see more books closer to the 500 to 600 page range, like Incubus Dreams (2004; 650+ pages) or Danse Macabre (2006; almost 500 pages). I hate that I will have to wait another year for the next installment, but I will be right there on the drop date to buy my copy of the 20th book. Anita rocks my world ...

Proud Graduate

Christine Nicole Rightmyer and her daddy, Keith - graduation night, May 28, 2010

It is hard for me to believe I no longer have a child in high school - where did the years go? My baby - Christine - graduated this past Friday night, with High Honors. To say we are proud of her would be an understatement.

Christine will now have the summer off before packing up to head to Berea College this fall. In case you've forgotten, Christine was awarded a full four-year academic scholarship to Berea. I'm trying very hard not to think about her leaving us, but I am going to miss her so much.

On the grandbaby front - my first grandchild is due any day now. My middle daughter - Marie - has been having some irregular contractions, so I'm hopeful it will be very soon, for her sake. Her due date is June 6th.

At this point in my life, I am still grieving the loss of my mother last week, so my blog posts may be very spotty for the next few weeks/months. In case I don't post again soon, I hope everyone has a fun, healthy, happy summer.

God bless you all ...

Bad News ...

... I'm sorry for being so out of touch, but I have some bad news to pass on to all my bloggy friends.

My mom passed away Sunday evening about 6pm. She was only 65 yo, but she had been in poor health for at least the past 6 months. We tried a few things in CCU to try and wake up her kidneys and other organs back up, but when we realized they weren't working, daddy made the decision - the right decision and mom's wishes - to turn all the machines off. She was in no pain and thankfully went peacefully.

Please keep my family in your prayers ...

Way Back Wednesday - Trixie Belden #14

Trixie Belden and The Mystery of the Emeralds (#14) - 1965

By Kathryn Kenny

After Trixie finds an old letter in her attic, she tries to solve a 100-year-old mystery She and the Bob-Whites go to Williamsburg, Virginia, to find an old plantation house - Rosewood Hall - that was the home to the Sunderland family during the Civil War. Rumor has it that a cursed emerald necklace is buried in a secret passageway there. But after all that time, Rosewood Hall is just a ruin. Is it too late for Trixie to find the missing emeralds?

What I like about this book is the fact that the trail of the mystery starts in Sleepyside and leads Trixie somewhere else. The mystery is well written and it has great scenes with a couple twists, and the suspense will keep you turning pages.

Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, Book 1) by Melissa De La Cruz

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786838922
ISBN-13: 978-0786838929

From School Library Journal:

De la Cruz has revamped traditional vampire lore in this story featuring a group of attractive, privileged Manhattan teens who attend a prestigious private school. Schuyler Van Alen, 15, the last of the line in a distinguished family, is being raised by her distant and forbidding grandmother. Schuyler, her friend Oliver, and their new friend Dylan are treated like outsiders by the clique of popular, athletic, and beautiful teens made up of Mimi Force, her twin brother, and her best friend. What they have in common is the fact that they are all Blue Bloods, or vampires. They don't realize that they aren't normal until they reach age 15.

Schuyler Van Alen, age 15, has always been the outcast at her upscale private school. She thinks of herself as just a normal teenager, living a normal life, and who doesn't seem to fit in, nor does she try to fit in. Oliver Hazard-Perry is Schuyler's best friend, and when a student at their school turns up dead, the two friends start to investigate.

Suddenly Schuyler learns she is a member of an elite "family" of vampires, The Blue Bloods. The Blue Bloods came to America on The Mayflower trying to escape the one thing that can kill them, the Silver Bloods. For centuries they've lived in peace, but now the danger is back.

This book is full of "Paris Hilton-like" characters - Mimi and Jack Force, the top dog socialites, and Mimi's BFF Bliss Llewellyn, who is a newcomer from Texas. This story has a "Gossip Girl" type appeal, and although I didn't much care for the obsession with fashion, but it was essential to show the different sides of these characters. I instantaneously hated Mimi, but I fell in love with Schuyler. She is very likable, cute, smart, and street smart. I look forward to seeing her character grow, and I look forward to more interactions between her and Oliver.

I realize that most "vampire" books are compared with Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight", but this book has a different take on the vampire theme. I enjoyed the story and it managed to keep my interest throughout. This book is similar to creative non-fiction, because the author inserts real historical events - like the disappearance of the original Roanoke colony - which make it an intriguing story. Consumption killed most of the original Roanoke colony and there was once a period in history where people actually did equate consumption with vampirism.

This is the first book in the Blue Blood series. The next books are: Masquerade, Revelations and The Van Alen Legacy.

Hush, Hush

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416989412
ISBN-13: 978-1416989417

From School Library Journal

High school sophomore Nora Grey, a dedicated student striving for a college scholarship, lives with her widowed mother in a country farmhouse outside Portland, ME. When Patch, her new biology partner, is suddenly thrust into her life, Nora is both attracted to his charm and put off by his inexplicable awareness of her thoughts. Eventually, she learns that he is a fallen angel who wants to become human. She is susceptible to his control, but other forces are at work as well, and Nora finds herself caught in the middle of dangerous situations and unexplainable events.

Hush, Hush is a new paranormal YA book that takes us away from the well-used genre of vampires. It is full of suspense and mystery with an ending that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fitzpatrick has hit the ball out of the park with her debut novel, making me eager for the second book in the series.

Nora Grey is the typical girl next door, trying to come to grips with the death of her father, while being left alone much of the time as her mother works away from home. An excellent high school student, Nora and her BFF, Vee, love shopping and talking about boys, although neither have a current boyfriend.

Then Nora is forced to be lab partners with the gorgeous mystery boy, Patch. Patch is new to school and after partnering with Nora, sparks seems to fly between the two. Nora is uncertain of her feelings toward Patch - she gets a "bad boy" vibe from him, but can't help the growing attraction she feels toward him.

Suddenly, Nora is being followed by a stranger in a ski mask and is having "visions" of events that don't seem to be happening. Did she really hit the ski masked man with her car? Did she really fall out of a roller coaster?

Nora becomes convinced that Elliot - another new boy at school - is behind all her problems, while Vee is convinced Nora's problems are because of Patch. The conclusion of this mystery had me guessing to the very end and I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Although the genre of fallen angels is starting to become a staple in the YA world, Fitzpatrick seems to have a different take on the idea and created a totally believable fantasy story. Her dialogue is typical of modern day teenagers and she has tapped into their emotions with accuracy.

The next book in this series is Crescendo and will be released in November. I, for one, will be waiting anxiously for this new release. Becca Fitzpatrick has cemented herself as an up and coming figure for YA audiences.

Way Back Wednesday - Trixie Belden #13

Trixie Belden and The Mystery on Cobbett's Island (#13) 1965

By Kathryn Kenny

"When the Bob-Whites arrive on Cobbett’s Island for vacation, Trixie finds a mysterious letter. Many years ago, a fortune was hidden. But the clues in the letter are hard for Trixie to understand. What does “start sailing” mean? Is this a treasure hunt on land . . . or on sea?"

Honey and Jim have invited the Bob-Whites to a vacation on Cobbett's Island. When Trixie announces she just wants to relax, none of her friends believe her - Trixie relax? Yeah, right!

The gang arrives on Cobbett's Island just as a fierce storm hits. The Bob-Whites find a letter in the library of the house they are staying in and it sends them on a treasure hunt to find some missing money.

This is one of my favorites in the series, because everyone is having fun and they come together in the end to solve the mystery. The characters are shown without some of considerable flaws being over exaggerated like in other books. Even Diana - the 'fraidy cat of the bunch - is able to contribute.

Way Back Wednesday - Trixie Belden #12

Trixie Belden #12 - The Mystery of the Blinking Eye - 1963

By Kathryn Kenny

While on vacation, theBob-Whites are staying at the Wheelers' deluxe apartment in New York City, where they will meet their friends from Iowa - Ned, Barbara and Bob. When the gang goes to the Kennedy Airport to pick up their friends, Trixie helps out a mysterious traveler who hands her a strange written fortune. Leave it to Trixie to stumble into a mystery!

Later, while window shopping with Honey, Trixie finds an ugly wooden statue she just has to have. Soon after buying the curious little statue, Trixie is followed by menacing strangers. Do the fortune and the statue have anything in common? Read The Mystery of the Blinking Eye and find out!