Bonnie S

• Rated 5 stars

“I read this backwards, as in I read You Suck first and then went back and read Bloodsucking Fiends. Or rather listened to both... because Susan Bennett is the best narrator EVER! Apparently, though, I'm not the only person to make this mistake. It was still great to learn these characters' backgrounds and how they got to where they are in You Suck. While this one may not be as funny as the sequel, it's still hilarious and I still love it.

This is a nice break from angsty vampire books. I'm really not a fan of vampires, and I appreciated the moments where Tommy was reviewing classic vampire lit and testing Jodi to see what powers she did and didn't have. I loved Scott and Zelda... it almost makes me want my own turtles! I really don't have much to say about this book that hasn't been said in other reviews... it's funny, it's got fantasy, and it's very San Francisco (albeit several years ago). I'm glad I finally read it!”

Bonnie S wrote this review Friday, February 6 2009. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“This hefty little book only takes about an hour to read, and it's so worth it! Cyril Pedrosa's artwork is incredible. Each panel feels full of movement; it's easy for the images to come to life. The characters are cartoonish, yet they convey muscle and hair and sometimes just overall sliminess (for the "less morale" ones you meet along the way).

It's hard not to just talk about the art, but really, this is an awesome story. Young Joachim lives on a farm with his mother and father, leading a sweet and simple life (isn't that what farms are always like in books?). Then one night, Joachim sees three shadows on the hill, and everything changes. The three shadows continue to haunt the family, always lurking. When Joachim's mother realizes that this omen is something they must accept, the boy's father takes him and leaves in an effort to escape the shadows. We follow them on their journey

At the end of the story, we learn some of the background as to why Pedrosa wrote this book. It's a powerful story about enjoying what time we have with those we love, as well as the length a parent is willing to go to protect their child. ”

Bonnie S wrote this review Thursday, February 5 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is a very cool mix of mythology, science fiction, and science, all in a board book for children. It's the story of Icarus, who doesn't fly too close to the sun in this version, but rather the edge of a black hole. He is a member of the Proxima's crew, and the families on this ship have left Earth to find other life in the galaxy, knowing that generations will be born and die on their ship before they reach their destination. Icarus is a few generations in and wants to be something more than a "link in a chain," so he ventures out into space and circles the edge of black hole, only to suffer an unusual fate.

This book uses pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope as a backdrop to a fairly short story. A scientific explanation and theories finish up the story. The book is a little misleading - I tend to think of board books as for very young children, but I think the story will appeal more to mid- and upper elementary school kids.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Tuesday, January 20 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This was an awesome ending to the trilogy! Lirael and Sam both play important roles, though maybe not what they expected as the story began. We get some long-awaited answers about the Old Kingdom's magic, the Dog, and Mogget. Yay! And, even better, we learn a little history about the Abhorsen family that paves the way for more stories! I think this was a very powerful ending (yeah, I cried) and I loved the way that Nix tied his characters' stories together. I can't wait for the prequel!!!”

Bonnie S wrote this review Wednesday, January 7 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the Abhorsen series. It may have something to do with being a librarian, but I think it has much more to do with Lirael and her insecurities, strengths, and maybe even her dog. I mean, the Disreputable Dog may be the best talking dog EVER. The only time I found myself slowing down with this book is during Sam's parts. I wish I liked Sam more, but he tends to irk me with his whining and avoiding of problems. I'm not sure why I'm cool with Lirael's depression and not Sam's, but there you go. The only thing that makes this book better is listening to Tim Curry read it. This is a great mix of fantasy, a little horror, magic, and some issues that every teen (and older) deals with.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Wednesday, January 7 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is one of my favorite fantasy series ever. The Old Kingdom setting is amazing, Sabriel is a wonderful, strong heroine, and Touchstone and Mogget are some of my favorite side characters. Add in Tim Curry's narration on the audiobook and I'm in heaven! That sounds so lame... but it's true! I can't recommend this series strongly enough.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Wednesday, January 7 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“So I picked this up because I love Sarah Vowell, but I completely forgot to see what the book was about. That's sad. I popped in the first CD and felt myself dumped back in my junior year of high school, where my U.S. History class took up the chant of the previous AP U.S. History class... damn the Puritans! We hated learning about Puritans and we made sure that our teacher hated teaching us about the Puritans (poor Mr. Zeiner!). I had fairly low expectations for this book once I realized I would be listening to six CDs of history on the Massachusetts Bay colony. But Sarah Vowell has yet to disappoint. She is passionate about these Puritans, about the citizens and speeches, the diaries, the way of life, all of it. And it rubs off on the reader. I actually found myself wanting to discuss with friends about the way that we misuse the word "puritan." Seriously. Or ithe state in the U.S. that has had the least amount of war in it.

I will say that I really enjoy the way that Vowell goes off on tangents in her other books, and it just doesn't happen as much in this one. She spends a lot of time focused on the Massachusetts Bay colony and less bringing us to the present, making connections that make these people a bit more tangible. I would've liked to see more moments like her family vacation to Puritan tourist traps. Overall, though, this is a great book. If you like her voice (like I do), I'd recommend the audio version. You learn so much and it makes you feel a little more sorry for your history teachers.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Monday, January 5 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Wow... I've had this series recommended by a few different people, and I'm so glad I picked up the first volume. This is a beautiful manga set in Victorian England... not my favorite setting. However, the mangaka's love of all things English really shows and its hard not to share it! Emma is a "proper British maid" working for a retired governess, Kelly Stownar. When Kelly's former ward, William Jones, stops in to see her, he falls for Emma, but he's certainly not the only person to have a crush on her. The artwork is highly-detailed, often resembling watercolors, with amazing amounts of detail (check out the mudie scene). The characters themselves are not done in your typical manga-style... if you're typically put off by manga, this one would be worth giving a try. The story itself is slow-paced and somewhat subdued (at least in this volume), and I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next. You get the feeling that these characters and their story has a great deal of depth to be uncovered.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Friday, December 12 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 2 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“I meant to read this book before the movie came out, but seeing as I severely damaged a copy of the book (oh, the shame!) and didn't see the movie, I think it's okay that I didn't finish it until now. And I'm so happy that I finally did read it! Nick & Norah are two teens in the same night club - Nick performing in a band and Norah keeping an eye on her friend. When Nick spots his recent ex, he quickly asks Norah to be his 5-minute girlfriend and she responds by kissing him. The kiss sets off a night and a relationship that moves between true love and disaster.

I really appreciated a story that shows the way that relationships and romance can be seen so differently through two sets of eyes. The story is told in alternating chapters, Nick's written by David Levithan and Norah's by Rachel Cohn. For example, in one chapter, early in the night, Nick and Norah are sitting in another club and making small talk. Nick feels like they're really clicking, that he has answers for every one of her questions. Norah sees this exchange as him trying to guard himself with short answers to her prying questions. Their night continues this way, the two testing each other out, backing off, running, pursuing, and there's always just that urge to know each other. It's a messy relationship in more ways than one, but I feel like this was closer to real life than a lot of books.

On a side note, I really liked the way Tris (Nick's ex) came in and out of the story and became a very different character as we got to know her. Yes, she's a b*tch, but she helps Norah in ways her best friend never has.

I know that the language really puts some people off. Yes, it's excessive. And I think it's totally appropriate for this book, this setting, and these characters. This is a book for more mature readers -- and by that, I don't mean adults. I think this is a book that teens will appreciate for the authentic way it depicts its characters. The risque moments are tempered with reflections that (paraphrasing) a relationship like this has a lot of starts and stops, and will eventually get to its destination, so why rush it? Basically, this is a love story, maybe a microcosm of a relationship, and I think both authors do an incredible job.”

Bonnie S wrote this review Tuesday, December 9 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“What an awesome close to the series! I really liked the story arc. Throughout the series, I've appreciated the fact that someone who's fairly unfamiliar with the numerous X-Men plots can pick this up and go and still be invested in the characters. There's a great use of humor throughout the books, without detracting from the way that it ends. ”

Bonnie S wrote this review Tuesday, December 2 2008. ( reply | permalink )