21
Oct
2010
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The first half of this book is slow-paced and unlike the first book. The second half involves the Games and is fast-paced and much like the first book. Both of these are good things.
5
Oct
2010
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! I am amazed not just by this book, but the fact that finally–finally!–a book–a YA book–has lived up to its hype.
2
Aug
2010
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
I…actually liked this book. I had invited my Inner Teenaged Self up from the basement where she’s usually kept and we read it together. She liked it, too. So, here is is Inner Teenaged Self (you can picture her has having purple spikey hair, fishnet tights, and doc Martins, and that will be a pretty accurate description of me my Sophomore year of high school).
1
Jul
2010
L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
Oh. My. Fucking. God. Why would anyone ever read this book? WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY? O.K., say you’re a fan of “The Hills” or whatever (though I don’t really get that either…scripted reality? don’t you people have enough drama in your lives?). And say that since you’re a fan, you want to learn more about the show, some behind the scenes type stuff. You might then pick up a tell-all by Lauren Conrad. Sure, it’d be as atrociously written, but at least it might legitimately shed light on this show that you keep watching.
13
Jun
2010
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
This is…an unhappy book with an unhappy ending, full of laugh out loud moments. Oh how fun it is to see ourselves in others’ ennui, however over-the-top it may be.
2
Jun
2010
Adventures in Cartooning by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost
Dewey Decimal System! You have failed! This book is in the wrong section. Sure, it’s with the other books about cartoons and comics in the 740’s, but it should be with the YA section. The reading ages is 4-8 for crying out loud!
27
Apr
2010
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Holling Hoodhood is the only kid in his grade who is neither Catholic nor Jewish. Consequently, he is the only kid stuck with Mrs. Baker on Wednesday afternoons when the kids go to Church or Temple to prepare for their Confirmations and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.
9
Apr
2010
The Sea of Monsters By Rick Riordan
Once again, Percy Jackson must go on a quest to save the day, along with side kick Annabeth.
19
Mar
2010
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
A quick trip to Ye Olde Wikipedia will inform you that Rick Riordan first began writing the Percy Jackson series back in 1994, ergo you can can then deduce (induce?) that the Percy Jackson series is not derivative of Harry Potter.
9
Mar
2010
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
It’s really no wonder that this was shortlisted for the National Book Award (Young People’s category) and won the Printz award. It’s one of those highly literary stories that trancscends the young adult or genre or the graphic novel genre. In fact, I think it may be enhanced by them.
