BooksAreMyAntiDrug

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• Rated 0 stars

“When mischievous sisters Maggie and Kate Fox hear that their dreaded niece, Lizzie, is coming for a visit, they immediately start thinking of ways to get rid of her. Their prank takes the form of rapping noises that spell out messages from the dead, but instead of making Lizzie flee in fear, their plan backfires, and soon they have not only Lizzie and their family convinced, but the whole town.

All of a sudden, neighbors want to hold séances to give messages to their deceased loved ones, an innocent man is accused of murder, and a reporter comes to investigate, turning their harmless little prank into something much bigger.

The girls are thrilled with all the attention, but when their older sister, Leah, makes a visit and witnesses a spirit rapping for herself, she immediately sees through their shenanigans and recognizes that it is one of their tricks. Rather than turning them in, however, she gives them a choice: come with her and allow her to take charge of the rappings and make the decisions, or be revealed as frauds. Under Leah’s control, the spirit circles turn into a business venture, as she starts charging admission and adds a vast arsenal of spooky tricks to the evening’s entertainment.

The sisters travel around holding séances, and their fame grows, giving rise to spiritualism and mesmerism, and causing many more “mediums” to be discovered. Not everyone is impressed, though, and more than once they find themselves confronted by disbelievers and skeptics, even having to flee for their lives on occasion.

One of these skeptics is Elisha Kent Kane, a charismatic and well-known Arctic explorer who, despite his misgivings about her occupation, takes a great liking to Maggie and begins to court her. He insists that she give up the spirit rapping and the deception, even offering to provide her with an education and place to stay in order to improve her social status. Maggie finds herself with a decision to make, as she is torn between her feelings for Elisha and what he can provide, and her old way of life and the acceptance of her family.

HIGH SPIRITS is a fascinating book, made even more interesting by the fact that the story of the Fox sisters is based in truth. I enjoyed every second of reading it, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Readers will be swept along with Maggie and Kate as they bamboozle an entire nation, and will feel for Maggie as she debates whether or not to leave the profession and then has to deal with the consequences of her decision.

Dianne K. Salerni has written a brilliant debut novel and I am eagerly awaiting her next.
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BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Tuesday, August 21 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Chloe Rand seems to have the perfect life. She’s about to start her junior year of high school, she has a great boyfriend and a close group of girlfriends, and she’s incredibly gorgeous. But when her boyfriend moves across the country, dumping her at the airport right before he leaves, everything seems to fall apart.

Now Chloe realizes that being a stunningly beautiful, suddenly single girl at high school isn’t easy. Guys aren’t sure how to treat her, girls don’t trust her, and Chloe’s junior year isn’t going at all as planned.

Chloe decides to take charge of her own life and get out of the bubble she’s been living in, but when the first thing she does is fall for Billy, who is a complete geek and totally out of the range of the “old Chloe,” will it make things easier, or harder?

I’ve really enjoyed all of the Simon Romantic Comedies, particularly Niki Burnham’s other contributions, and SCARY BEAUTIFUL is no exception. It’s a great book that really challenges the “popular girl” stereotypes, and teens are sure to have fun reading it.

Written for www.teensreadtoo.com”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Sunday, August 5 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Eight teenagers are ready for the summer of a lifetime – as part of a Leadership Cruise on board the schooner Dreadnought. But when the camp owner commits suicide just a few days into the cruise, rather than go back home, the teens decide to take charge of the ship themselves. They tie knots into a piece of rope, one knot for each day of summer remaining, and then set off to enjoy their 68 days of freedom.

The journey is not always easy, and they face many challenges along the way – including struggles for leadership, failed romances, storms, desertions, damages to the ship, and diminishing food supplies. But it’s not all difficult, and they manage to have several fun adventures as well, such as trying to rescue a whale, searching for buried treasure, raiding yachts, racing other boats, and going hunting for seals.

The teens may not have had the summer experience they were expecting, but they are all undoubtedly changed by their time aboard the Dreadnought, as new friendships and relationships are formed, and they all begin to question their own futures.

68 KNOTS is a very fun read, and I really enjoyed it. The characters are interesting and diverse (although a couple of them have rather annoying habits), and the book is full of great details about sailing a ship. Even though the crew of the Dreadnought gets into some pretty sticky situations, anyone who reads this is bound to want to go out and experience the same summer at sea as these kids – I know I do!

Written for www.teensreadtoo.com”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Sunday, August 5 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Flora Fydraaca is about to turn 14 and celebrate her Catorcena, the coming-of-age ceremony that qualifies her to enter military training. She has to write a speech, but she’s finding it difficult because it is supposed to celebrate everything that is great about her family and her home, and neither of those things has been particularly wonderful for quite some time. Flora lives in Crackpot Hall, which has started to decay ever since her mother, the Warlord’s Commanding General, fired the magickal Butler. Now the 11,000 rooms randomly shift position, the windows leak, stairways forget to finish, and hallways end in nothing.

One day Flora is running late and has to run back inside to get her overdue library book. Taking a chance, she uses an elevator and ends up in a part of the house she’s never seen before. Here she discovers Valefor, the banished butler who is now wasting away to nothing. He is convinced that Flora can help him, but the real question is should she help him? What happens over the next week changes Flora, her family, and Crackpot Hall forever.

Flora Segunda is a fun magickal adventure, with a very entertaining cast of characters. Ysabeau Wilce has created a fresh, original fantasy that is sure to please readers.

Written for TCM Reviews at www.tcm-ca.com”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Sunday, August 5 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“It’s the year 1720, and Annalisa Townsend and her father are on their way to the Caribbean island of Mourning to set up a governorship when they are attacked by pirates. Hiding in the hold, Anna is discovered by the young James Sterling, who, surprisingly, says nothing of her whereabouts to the rest of the pirate crew. When he goes to take her necklace, however, which is all she has left of her mother, she begs him not to and he agrees, but only in exchange for a kiss. He then disappears with the rest of the pirates, and so does the treasure that the ship was carrying.

One year later, Anna has found a ship and crew of her own, and sets out to find James Sterling, determined to get her father’s treasure back. She finds James and takes him prisoner easily enough, but getting him to cooperate is another matter entirely. As she spends more and more time with him, she slowly begins to forget that he is a pirate and starts to fall for him. James seems to feel the same about her, but has he really given up his pirating ways, and can she ever really trust him?

TO CATCH A PIRATE is a fun summer read full of swashbuckling adventure and romance on the high seas. Jade Parker, who also writes as Rachel Hawthorne and Lorraine Heath, has created a fantastic world with likeable characters that are sure to win over readers.”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Sunday, July 8 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Cassandra Grace and her best friends, twins Donna and Derek Policastro, have lived in Lake Logan, a tiny town in upstate New York, for their whole lives, and they're looking forward to spending their last summer before college together -- swimming at the lake, riding horses, and hanging out the Regency Theater, the old, run-down theater Donna and Derek's parents own. Cassie is also going to be busy working, giving horseback riding lessons at her parents' farm to the kids of the rich vacationers who spend the summers at Lake Logan, commonly known by the year-round locals as invaders. Cassie needs to make enough money for the entry fee of the jumper competition she plans to win with her horse, Lola, and she's determined that nothing is going to stop her from making that money and winning the competition.

Then Jared Kent shows up, son of the most infamous invader family (this is their first time back at Lake Logan in twenty years), and suddenly Cassie finds herself very distracted. She's skipping work and hang-out sessions with her friends in order to spend time with Jared, and she's definitely not making the money she needs. On top of that, Jared's father has made a proposition to the Lake Logan locals, one that has the whole town in an uproar and Cassie wondering whether she's making the right choice by being with Jared.

A story of first love, life changes, and just plain fitting in, TOURIST TRAP is a fun, light read, and teenagers, especially those getting ready to go off to college, will definitely be able to relate. ”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Saturday, June 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Princess Mia is back in this seventh installment of the popular PRINCESS DIARIES series, and as usual, she's facing more problems than she knows what to do with. She's recently been elected student body president, which shouldn't really be that difficult a job since she's been in training to rule her own county someday, but it turns out that the student government is broke.

As if that weren't enough, Lilly starts a new literary magazine, calls it Fat Louie's Pink Butthole, and wants to publish Mia's story about the Guy Who Hates It When They Put Corn in the Chili, a story that Mia would rather the entire student body not read.

Luckily (or not so luckily, depending on how you look at it), there's Grandmere to the rescue, and she's got a plan to help Mia's financial situation, social situation, and romantic situation all at once (not that Mia was aware she had a romantic "situation" in the first place). Unfortunately, Mia's romantic issues become all too clear when Michael decides to throw a party, and Mia starts freaking out because she's not a "party girl."

Fans of the previous PRINCESS DIARIES books won't want to miss this and will definitely enjoy reading along as Mia shares her crazy high school experiences through her journal. Meg Cabot's writing is light and breezy as always, and perfect for a lazy afternoon.”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Saturday, June 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Kaitlyn Nichols doesn’t have your typical parents. Her father is a member of the FBI secret service and is often gone for long periods of time. Her mother is a sex (excuse me, “relationship”) columnist, and her research frequently involves piles of thongs and condoms lying around the house. However, despite what one might think, her parents’ work doesn’t usually affect Kaitlyn too much. Until now.

Enter Blaine Donovan, AKA “Gordon,” AKA the son of a Texas billionaire, AKA major hottie. Blaine’s father is in the middle of a big business deal, and his rivals have started threatening the family. So, Kaitlyn’s dad has put Blaine in the Witness Protection Program as Gordon Dennis Nichols, Kaitlyn’s third-cousin who has come to live with her family and go to school with her for a few months.

Now Kaitlyn is responsible for keeping Blaine safe and watching for anything suspicious. She brushes up on her spy tricks by watching Alias, The Bourne Identity, and James Bond, and she feels ready to handle anything that comes her way. But when she starts to fall for Blaine, she realizes that she’s broken the number one rule of being a secret agent: she’s gotten emotionally involved.

I’ve really enjoyed all the books in the Simon Romantic Comedies series, and LOVE UNDERCOVER is a great addition. The spy stuff doesn’t overwhelm the book, but it’s just enough to be fun, and Kaitlyn deals with problems that every teenager faces: liking the popular boy who doesn’t know you exist, dealing with mean popular girls, and occasionally keeping secrets even from best friends. I definitely hope that Jo Edwards contributes more books to the Romantic Comedies series – and soon! ”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Saturday, June 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“When 16-year-old Tessa sees the orange dodgeball flying at her from across her high school gym, it never even occurs to her to duck. Soon after, she finds herself floating towards heaven, which looks just like the mall where her parents work and where she has spent a good deal of her life.

She is led to the Lost and Found, where she is given a bag of items: items that she has taken home from the mall during her lifetime, and each item takes her on a journey to her past. She relives several memories, many of which she'd rather forget, and she realizes that it is up to her to sort through her life up until the moment the dodgeball hits her and finally answer the most important question of all.

I really enjoyed HEAVEN LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE MALL, and would definitely recommend it, especially to fans of stories like A CHRISTMAS CAROL. It is written in verse, but if that's not your thing don't let it stop you. About a quarter of the way through I stopped noticing the verse because I was so engrossed in the story, and Wendy Mass does a wonderful job making the reader feel for Tessa, even if she's not always the most likeable person. Whether you're looking for a fun summer read, an interesting verse novel, or a deeper story about life and death, you shouldn't miss HEAVEN LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE MALL. ”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Saturday, June 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Gail Carson Levine is well-known for taking familiar fairy tales and weaving them with her own magic. THE FAIRY’S REUTRN AND OTHER PRINCESS TALES is no exception. In this collection of the six popular Princess Tales, Levine has rewritten six familiar (and some not-so-familiar) stories until they are virtually unrecognizable.

In THE FAIRY’S MISTAKE, which is based on the fairy tale “Toads and Diamonds,” two very different sisters are each granted a gift by the fairy Ethelinda. Ethelinda feels that her gifts are both well-deserved, so it comes as a great surprise when she discovers that neither gift brought the results she had planned.

THE PRINCESS TEST, which is based on “The Princess and the Pea,” tells the story of Lorelei, a blacksmith’s daughter, and the prince who falls in love with her. However, the prince’s father is determined that his son should marry a princess, so he designs a series of tests to ensure the bride’s pedigree. Nicholas still wants to marry Lorelei, but how can she ever pass the tests if she’s not a real princess?

PRINCESS SONORA AND THE LONG SLEEP is based on “Sleeping Beauty.” As a baby, Princess Sonora is granted many gifts, each fairy trying to outdo the others and bestow the best gift. As a result, Sonora is a beautiful, precocious young child, and she decides to wait until the opportune moment to prick her finger, which will put the castle to sleep for 100 years, as promised by the fairy Belladonna. Her plan, however, doesn’t exactly go as planned.

In CINDERELLIS AND THE GLASS HILL, which is based on “The Princess on the Glass Hill,” Cinderellis is a lonely boy inventor who is ignored and made fun of by his brothers. Princess Marigold is equally lonely, and wishes she had someone to talk to other than her cat. When Marigold’s father decides that it’s time for her to marry, he puts her on a glass hill that suitors will have to climb, and it will take Cinderellis’ best invention yet to win her hand.

FOR BIDDLE’S SAKE is based on “Puddocky,” and tells the story of Parsley, a young girl who loves eating parsley. Unfortunately, the only place that parsley grows is in the garden of the fairy Bombina, who is in jail for turning too many people into toads. When Bombina is released and Parsley is accidentally turned into a toad, she must find a way to make the most of the situation, and maybe even help someone else along the way.

In THE FAIRY’S RETURN, which is based on “The Golden Goose,” the fairy Ethelinda is back, and she’s nervous about giving any more gifts. But when a baker’s son and a princess fall in love and the king forbids their marriage, she just has to do something! So she hopes that everything goes well and gives the baker’s son a golden goose.

All six of these stories were absolutely wonderful, full of humor, magic, and love. If you’re a fan of ELLA ENCHANTED or THE TWO PRINCESSES OF BAMARRE, you definitely shouldn’t miss this!”

BooksAreMyAntiDrug wrote this review Saturday, June 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )