Bonnie S

• Rated 5 stars

“Princess Lissar is the daughter of the most beautiful woman in seven kingdoms. When her mother falls ill, she extracts a promise from the king that he will remarry again, but only to a woman who matches the queen in beauty. Lissar is mostly forgotten in the kingdom's mourning. However, a neighboring royal family sends their condolences and a puppy for Lissar. Ash, the fleethound puppy, is the only joy in Lissar's life, as she spends the next two years training her dog, learning herbalism, and avoiding her father. On her 17th birthday, when she becomes eligible to be married, Lissar's father decides that his daughter matches her mother's beauty and he will marry her. What follows is a brutal assault that leaves Lissar physically, mentally, and emotionally damaged. She flees the castle and is transformed by the moon goddess, becoming the mysterious Deerskin. As she tries to start a new life in the kingdom where Ash came from, she must grapple with her painful memories.

Deerskin is a retelling of Charles Perrault's story "Donkeyskin." I was introduced to a variation of this story through Jim Henson's The Storyteller, where it was called "Sapsorrow." This story is beautiful and heartbreaking. McKinley's language is very traditional, moving at a slow but steady pace, which builds up great amounts of tension in the first part of the book. The relationship between Ash and Lissar will appeal to any dog-person - I gave my dog a lot of squeezes while reading, though she's the farthest thing from a fleethound! I was very caught up in Lissar's transformation from forgotten princess to a strong, almost-mythical woman.

This isn't an easy read. I was drawn in by the characters and the language, and I had a pretty good-sized knot in my stomach during the first part of the book (and some of the second)! Lissar's healing process is difficult and worth reading, by those who enjoy retold fairy tales or those looking for a strong female character.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Sunday, October 18 2009. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“David Small draws you into his childhood, evoking the 50s and 60s and a household that represses and internalizes all feelings. "Stitches" is the story of his childhood, of his mother, and of the growth on his neck that turns out to be cancer, resulting in the removal of one of his vocal chords and a horrific scar. This book is brief - maybe an hour to read, but it sinks into you. The art swirls and moves as if it were a film, and the awkwardness, tension, and sadness of Small's family is conveyed through the black, white, and gray-washed illustrations. Certain themes crop up through the book - Small's fascination with Alice in Wonderland, a haunting discover in the pathology department of the hospital where his father worked, his escape into art throughout his childhood and into his teens, and the words that we say even when we are silent. Small closes the book with further details of his family's history, particularly his mother's medical background.

This is a powerful story, made more so by the format used to tell it. For those looking for a complicated book on family relationships and finding your own voice, I would highly recommend this book.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Friends, enemies, and acquaintances gather to remember Batman at his funeral, as the Caped Crusader's spirit watches and wonders what's going on. No two stories are alike, but this is a way of reconciling the Batman stories and legends, and as each person steps up to tell about Batman's demise, the artwork and language take on new life. If you've been following Batman for ages, you'll recognize the storylines and inspirations for these stories.

I thought this was a great "ending" to the Batman story, though if there's anything that this book goes out of its way to say, it's that the Batman legend doesn't end. However, the funeral seems a bit short - I mean, with this cast of characters, Gaiman could've gone on and on, but a few more stories wouldn't have hurt! The three stories included afterward are great, and I particularly enjoyed "A Black and White World," probably because I'm a fan of stories and TV shows that break the fourth wall.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Saturday, September 26 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 1 stars

“After almost 17 years, L.J. Smith has returned to the Vampire Diaries series. This continuation picks up where the last book left off, with Elena, a high school girl, and Stefan, her vampire love-interest, reunited after her death and return from the spirit world. Elena has transformed into an angelic creature with powers of Light, which also make her the target for the supernatural residents of Fell's Church. Damon, Stefan's vampiric brother, is still drawn to Elena, but so are a pair of kitsune twins.

This book is a clunky continuation of a popular series and, because there are vampires and it has a new TV show, it will most likely be a highly-requested title. The language is dated and the characters are beyond unrealistic. While the original storyline ended in 1992, this book takes place in the present, which means the author works in many unnecessary references to technology like mobile phones and laptop computers. Elena's transformation is awkward; she has become an "innocent being," but the other characters must struggle with her flying around, Tinkerbell-like, without clothes and often kissing people to recognize them. This book misses the appeal of the earlier series. There are so many better vampire/supernatural books out there - do your collection a favor and skip it.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Friday, September 25 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Princess Talia has spent her life being warned to avoid spindles, all because of a witch's curse. But how is she to avoid one when when she doesn't even know what a spindle looks like? When willful Talia ditches her governess to find the perfect dress for her 16th birthday, she finds out just what a spindle is.... Flash forward 300 hundred years and Jack has spent the last three weeks on a dull tour of Europe. When he and his friend ditch the tour for a trip to the beach, they stumble across Talia's kingdom and the sleeping princess. Jack wakes her, but both quickly realize that this is not true love. However, Talia is desperate to travel and escape a kingdom that will surely be furious with her when they realize 300 years have passed. She leaves with Jack to go to Florida, his home, and plans to make Jack fall for her, because only true love will actually break the witch's curse.

This was an intriguing retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. While it seemed to start a bit slowly, once Talia and Jack step out into the present time and begin to interact, the story takes off. Both characters evolve, a touch too quickly, as they begin to see themselves through the other's eyes. Jack abandons his "party boy" attitude and finally acknowledges the things he cares about, including his parents' opinions. Talia changes from a stubborn, self-centered princess, and takes joy in helping Jack and his family rebuild their relationships. This all takes place over the course of several days, which is fairly implausible... though is it more so than waking a 316-year-old princess with a kiss? For any fans of retellings or light romances, this is a fun read.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Friday, September 25 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“While reading this book, it made me remember how much I enjoyed Hard Love... in fact, I was surprised at how deeply I felt about Marisol and John/Gio. I did a little squeal of joy when Gio showed up in Marisol's writing class, and seeing the way that his life has changed in the months between books, I felt relieved... so I suppose that speaks to Ellen Wittlinger's ability to create characters that stay with you and that you care for.

On that same note, I spent a lot of this book wanting to shake Marisol and say "open your eyes!" For a character who came across as wise-beyond-her-years in Hard Love, she was certainly foolish in this book. Which again makes me wonder at Wittlinger's writing - I think she just really gets teens... and the fact that hitting 18 and graduating high school doesn't elevate you to all-knowing adulthood. Marisol wants so badly to be in love and to be an excellent writer, and when her writing teacher, Olivia Frost, becomes her lover and compliments her on her writing abilities, Marisol just falls head-over-heels in love. While I appreciate the way that Wittlinger writes her, I just had a hard time reconciling this Marisol with the one I was used to in Hard Love. They didn't feel like the same character, and while I was happy to see Gio growing and developing, I felt like Marisol took some huge steps back that maybe didn't make a lot of sense. It makes me wonder about the Marisol of Hard Love, and if she was much more naive than I had assumed. Also, I'm just sooo creeped out at Olivia. I got a serious case of the jibblies whenever she flirted with Marisol.

I did, however, like the way that Marisol's Story ended. I thought it was realistic and very fair to the other character involved (that's my attempt to be spoiler-free). The portrayal of the writing classes is also spot-on... if you've ever taken the intimate writing classes, you'll recognize the awkwardness, competition, and just-plain weird characters you find in that setting.

This was a good story and I'm so happy to have revisited these characters. If you're looking for a story about love, crushes, and writing that doesn't always go right, this is a perfect book for you.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Tuesday, September 8 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“This was an intriguing book, and another one that I think fits into sci-fi for those who don't normally read sci-fi. It's also got a generous dollop of philosophy, which I think almost all great sci-fi has, and is about the only way I want to read anything that has to do with philosophy.

Genesis is the story of Anaximander's entrace exam for The Academy. It is a four-hour exam in which she with be questioned by three examiners on the subject of her choice. Anax's speciality is a man called Adam Forde, who we know is connected with the creation of Anax's society, but other than that, we learn about him and this new society as the Anax answers questions. We also discover what came of our current world, how The Republic was created, and how Adam challenged society and changed it. Of course, things are not what they seem and Anax has a tenuous connection to Adam of which she is not aware. The idea of humanity, of thoughts, ideas, and feelings, are called into question throughout the test, and the reader is often exposed to layers of story all at once, from Adam's perspective to Anax's interactions with the examiners to her private thoughts and fears.

I spent the majority of the story wondering what the swerve would be, and enjoyed it when it was revealed. Even flipping back through the book, there are wonderful clues and hints at how the exam and Adam's story will end. However, I think this story ends up being more about the philosophy than about science fiction. Anax's story's ending is good but felt just a bit predictable. Adam's story felt like the strong point of the book, and I think the connection, particularly between Anax and Adam could've used some more development, since the reveal comes so quickly.

Overall, an interesting book that creates interesting discussion points and would make for a few good reads. It's a fast-paced story and a compelling story-telling technique.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Sunday, September 6 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“I agree with other reviews in that this book will probably only appeal to people who already like Kevin Smith. It's a little haphazard for those who don't know his movies. However, if you like his work, you'll most likely enjoy the essays here. I did! It has me thinking about going to see him speak live, so it must've done something right! The essays can feel a bit dated - references to a young Britney Spears or to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's romance (and there are essays that are just *admittedly* love letters about his man-crush on Affleck). Mostly I enjoyed getting to read about Kevin Smith himself - some of the funniest essays are about his wife's self-portrait, his history with comic books and Jersey, or his issues with lap dances. I think my personal favorite was his depiction of the seedy underworld of San Diego Comic Con.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Monday, August 17 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“When Dagmar lands in Jakarta, she finds her connecting flight has been canceled... along with every other flight out of the country. The currency is under attack and a revolution is underway. Luckily, Dagmar is the major producer/writer for Great Big Idea, a company that specialized in creating ARGs: alternate reality games. Her boss is a multimillionaire and he's determined to get Dagmar out of the country and back to safety, where she can start writing the next big game. When some of the more conventional rescue attempts fail, Dagmar turns to the online gaming community to help her.

Fast forward to a few months later, with Dagmar back in LA and starting a brand new ARG. As the game gets underway, one of Dagmar's longtime friends is murdered. Can she once again call on gamers to help solve this murder? And, as Dagmar digs deeper to solve this mystery, other countries come under attack, just like Jakarta. The line between game and reality begins to blur... however, This Is Not A Game.

Okay, this book is difficult to sum up, particularly without sounding cheesy. Williams does an excellent job between joining online games with reality, as well as recognizing the strange potential of massive amounts of gamers. I think he creates a story that will appeal to classic RPGers as well as those who've only gamed on a console or computer. I liked Dagmar - she was resourceful, funny, and creative.

If I have any complaints for this book, it's that it felt like there were a few loose ends or unnecessary characters/plot bits. The transition from the chapters in Jakarta to the start of The Long Night of Briana Hall was abrupt, and the ending didn't have quite the punch I expected... or maybe I was just thinking there was going to be another plot twist. The moments with the gamers are gold... I wish there were more (why is it I hate reading message boards in real life, but enjoy them in a story?). And there's just something thoroughly enjoyable about a plot involving what happens when gold-farming goes so wrong.

If you love gaming, whether it's on paper and involves d20s or if it's on a console or involves being in character, this is a book you'll probably enjoy. I'm glad it was recommended to me!”

Bonnie S wrote this review Monday, August 17 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“I was introduced to American Elf by a friend and have kept reading the daily strips for more than a year now. I really wanted to go back and read the comic from the start, though, and this book is the best way to do it (unless you have many, many hours to spend at your computer). I read this first volume on my lunch breaks, on and off, and it was always such a pick-me-up. I also would find myself thinking about strips later in the day, reflecting on them. I don't know if this is "deep" material, but it's hard not to feel a connection to James Kochalka and his family. He doesn't shy away from certain topics, which makes it all the more fun and wonderful... though it does make for an interesting glance by coworkers in the lunch room. Reading this is a lot like talking to a friend about what's happening in your life, when maybe you think your life is strange and maybe your relationships aren't working out and you're just not getting it, and then that friend says "yeah, me too!" Okay, it's not quite like that, but that's the feeling I got. I'm happy to be catching up to present day American Elf! ”

Bonnie S wrote this review Thursday, August 6 2009. ( reply | permalink )