The Book Muncher

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Lucy Malone has just moved to Malibu, California, and even though she’s got a totally awesome room in an amazing new house, things aren’t going well. All her friends are back home in Toledo, Ohio, and it doesn’t seem like she’s going to be making any new friends soon. But opportunity soon presents itself in the form of soccer tryouts. Lucy was on the varsity soccer team at her old school, so being on the team in Malibu would be a chance to show off something she’s good at. But she’s not good enough; she doesn’t make the final cut for the team and is heartbroken. Lucy doesn’t feel that she has anything going for her now until the soccer coach Martie suggests Lucy use her strong and accurate kick to try out for the boys’ varsity football team. At first, Lucy is skeptical; after all, she is a girl who wants to fit in. But then she gives it a try and makes it. She soon finds out that football may be her calling. Unfortunately, her father forbids her from playing football, but that doesn’t stop Lucy. Lucy constantly feels like she has to prove herself. Along with joining the football team comes hazing and potential friends. Throughout the novel, Lucy’s tentative friendships with members of the soccer team, the football team, several popular cheerleaders, her father, and a very sweet boy named Benji are tried. Lucy finds out which friendships are worth it, and comes to terms with her father. Playing with the Boys was a thoroughly enjoyable novel, even though I didn’t understand most of the football terms. I am definitely not a sports person, so I found it relieving that I was learning all about football along with Lucy. The novel was very straightforward and slightly predictable, but it didn’t make the story any less sweet. I recommend this book to people who like sports novels, such as Pretty Tough also by Liz Tigelaar, Screwball by Keri Mikulski, and Dairy Queen and The Off Season by Catherine Murdock. I actually haven’t read any of these novels yet, but am planning on it because Playing with the Boys was such a fun novel to read. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Kerri Langston has visions. She had them after her father died, leading her to believe he didn’t commit suicide. And now she’s having them about Mark Travers, the dead man she stumbled upon in the woods near Deacon Pond. But somehow, these new visions are connected to the ones about her father. Kerri is no longer content to let the police do their work; she wants to investigate for herself. This choice propels her into a dangerous situation. She’s caught several times by the crime scene by Officer Roberts, the father of her best friend and her father’s partner, before her father died. Kerri’s mother is uncomfortable with Kerri’s interaction with the police because she still can’t get over her husband’s death. Seth, the son of Officer Roberts, tries to warn Kerri to stay away from the crime scene, but Kerri doesn’t listen; she wants to find the truth about everything. But what will it cost her? Death at Deacon Pond was a very exciting murder mystery. Kerri’s visions are unusual when places out of context of the story, but they seem completely natural in this novel. I felt that there wasn’t adequate characterization for everyone except Kerri, but then again, Kerri is the main character. Many times, scenes sprung up on my which can be both good and bad: it’s good to have unpredictability in mysteries, but sometimes it just seemed implausible. Nonetheless, Death at Deacon Pond kept me on the edge of my seat; it wasn’t exactly 100% high action, but there was a good dosage of it. I loved how all the events and characters connected at the end, which is fantastic for all mysteries. I was completely engrossed during the several hours it took me to read this. If you love a good suspenseful novel involving mystery and murder, Death at Deacon Pond is a good choice for you. Also, if you liked The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson, you will like this book too. Fans of the Blue is for Nightmares series by Laurie Faria Stolarz will find that Kerri has many similarities with Stacey Brown and her visions but minus the magical aspect. I definitely recommend this fast-paced and exciting book to all readers. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Casey McCloy is the new girl in town, New York City that is. From the first moment she steps into her new home, the Bramford, she realizes how out of place she is. So when she finds out that the girl to know is Madison Macallister, she tries to become friends with her. But being recently transplanted from Normal, Illinois to the Big Apple isn’t helping her at all, and neither are her frizzy hair and not-expensive-enough wardrobe. Madison, the it girl who gets anything and everything she wants, in a rare act of kindness, helps Casey out a bit. Madison’s two closest friends, Sophie and Phoebe, are slightly more welcoming. But they’ve all got problems of their own. Sophie has always felt like an outsider ever since she skipped a grade, and because she looks nothing like the rest of her family. Phoebe yearns for her mother to stop being so jealous of Phoebe’s beauty. And Madison’s got problems too when her ex Drew shows interest in newcomer Casey. At first glance, The Elite seems like another Gossip Girl book, but as the story progressed, it turned into so much more. The Elite is told from alternating points-of-view of the different characters, and that helps provide much insight into their lives. I enjoyed how Jennifer Banash developed all five main characters instead of just focusing on one. What I appreciated the most was how the characters seemed real. Instead of being just stereotyped and/or ruthless, these girls and guy each had a conscience and feelings I could relate to (most of the time). Many times, I felt sympathy for the characters, but at the same time, I didn’t because I felt kind of removed from them which is probably because most of us don’t experience the lavish life of the wealthy and beautiful as these characters do. The Elite is definitely a step up from the Gossip Girl series. I recommend it is you liked the It Girl series by Cecily con Ziegesar, the A-List series by Zoey Dean, and also the Fast Girls, Hot Boys series by Kylie Adams. Be prepared for a slightly more meaningful story than the ones presented in the series mentioned above though. Jennifer Banash’s novel was certainly a worthwhile read, and I look forward to the continuation of The Elite series. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“For Emily Black, music is everything. It’s what made her parents fall in love way back when. It’s what her mother Louisa was following when she left baby Emily. It’s what Emily has to stay in control of her life. Music draws her from her dreary life in Carlisle, Wisconsin to River’s Edge, an abandoned warehouse where rock bands play. River’s Edge is where Emily got her fill of sex, drinking, and rock ‘n’ roll, and where her dreams of being a punk rock goddess began. So she and her best friend Regan form a punk band named She Laughs, and Emily can’t help but hope that by playing music, she’ll bring her mother home. Soon, her band is swept up in the dangerous world of rock music. Her band has a lot of talent, but so many ups and downs in Emily’s life lead her away from the music. There are the bad boyfriends, the death of her grandparents, the involvement with drugs and self-medication, and a year wasted searching for her mother. But eventually Emily finds her way back on track, and her friends are still waiting for her to come back and pick up her guitar. And so she does, because music is all she has. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is a beautiful coming-of-age story that I will never forget. Reading along from both Emily’s and Louisa’s points-of-views was heartbreaking at times, because they’ve both experienced so much pain in their lives. The story that Stephanie Kuehnert has woven has lessons on everything from friendship, family, love, drugs, and learning to love, or at least accept, the person you are. The story is filled with so much raw emotion, and I nearly cried at the ending because I didn’t want the story to be over. I have to admit that I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is like no other book I’ve ever read, and that is definitely a good thing. I’ve learned so much from this novel that I never would’ve expected from first glance. It made me want to find my inner punk rocker and scream along to deafening punk music. I highly recommend everyone buy this book when it comes out this July or pre-order it now; I promise you won’t regret picking up this unforgettable novel. I definitely look forward to more amazing novels from Stephanie Kuehnert. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Matisse Osgood is the daughter of a painter and a sculptor, so it’s no wonder she’s named after an artist. But tragedy strikes her family when her father topples from a ladder and gets a concussion. It turns out that he has nerve damage and is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. That prompts the family to move from New York City to small town Prague, which breaks Matisse’s heart because she has to leave behind the city she loves. And moving doesn’t seem to help anything at all. Her father is still sick, her mother pretends like nothing is wrong, and Matisse is worried someone will find out her family’s secret. In the process, Matisse manages to make one true friend, Violet. They are similar in so many ways; they both hate Prague and can’t wait until they can finally get away from the small town. There’s also her friendly neighbor Hal, who seems dorky at first but grows on Matisse. But not everyone is so welcoming. There’s the nasty popular girl Jennifer who seems determined to make everyone hate Matisse. The false rumors start to fly, and Matisse still can’t deal with her father’s sickness; she compares it to a wound. And eventually, all secrets have to come out. Alive and Well in Prague, New York is a beautiful story about a young girl learning to cope with her father’s illness. It was interesting to watch Matisse grow and find out what really mattered to her. In some ways, Prague was stereotyped as other backwards small towns with its hayride and seemingly stupid traditions, but the setting wasn’t as important as the characters. I have to say that Matisse and Violet are probably two of my new favorite fictional characters; they have so much style and I’m not just talking about clothes. At first, they only have each other, and they are perfectly content with that; that is something to be admired. They might not seem like it in this small town setting, but they are truly kick-butt heroines. I also appreciated the romance, even though it was only added in at the end. I recommend Alive and Well in Prague, New York if you like a shorter but meaningful read. There’s a lot that can be learned from this novel about family and friendship. Look out for it when it comes out early in June. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“As she sees it, Anna Bloom has been carted off to the loony bin. Why? Anna has extremely low self-esteem. She is constantly afraid people will make fun of her for how she looks or what she does. This fear makes her have panic attacks. And apparently, Anna’s parents just didn’t know how to deal with her, so they sent her off to a slightly crazy shrink (who thought everything was sexual in some way). When that didn’t work, she was then sent to Lakeland Hospital, a mental institution. And a strange one, as Anna sees it. The rules and hierarchy at Lakeland are confusing to Anna at first because no one explains them to her. But during her three week stay, things actually start to get better. She starts to lose weight. Her new roommate, who happens to be pregnant, becomes a great friend. And then there’s the cutie Justin who just might like Anna back. Get Well Soon was told in diary entries and letters to Anna’s friend Tracy over the course of three weeks. It was a very cute book, but one that could be improved. Anna’s love of music could’ve been more developed. Julie Halpern mentions how Anna’s music always makes her feel better, but doesn’t really go into depth. That’s fine thought because music wasn’t the focus of the novel. I really enjoyed the cast of characters; even the creepy ones were in some way lovable or at least funny to read about. Anna did grow as a person, although not that much, but then again, I don’t think she had that many problems to begin with. I also highly enjoyed the romance between Anna and Justin. All in all, Get Well Soon was one of the sweetest books I’ve read in a while. It left off on a bittersweet note, but one that was hopeful. If you like a lighthearted and short read, check out Get Well Soon. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Kaye has always been different. She’s Japanese and a natural blond. She stopped going to school when she was fourteen because her musician mother kept them moving around. But what made the other kids really back away were the stories about her friends Gristle, Spike, and Lutie-loo. Everyone thought they were imaginary because no one besides Kaye could see these creatures. That’s because Kaye’s friends were part of the world of Faery. Kaye is dragged farther into this dangerous world when she saves a dying faerie named Roiben. After this encounter, she meets up with her old friend Lutie and Spike only to find out that her other friend Gristle has been murdered by the faerie she saved earlier, Roiben. Her friend then bring her into the plot to let the solitary fey be free for seven years: Kaye has to break the tithe, a ritual in which a mortal is sacrificed for the Unseelie Court. And with that, she is in the middle of a war between that the two powerful faerie courts. Holly Black presents a fantastical faerie world similar to the one in Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely, yet it is difficult to compare the two. Both Kaye and Aislinn are strong-minded characters, but it is the setting and the rest of the faerie world that makes the stories so different; Kaye’s is one filled with drinking and shoplifting. I appreciated how Kaye is unapologetic for who she is and found it amusing that Kaye didn’t know her own cleverness. I also found Kaye and Roiben’s relationship extremely romantic. I highly recommend this exciting story, especially for fans of other faerie stories. I definitely look forward to reading more of Black’s faerie novels. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Danielle has been stealing things for as long as she can remember. She travels from town to town with her mother, robbing the rich of their valuable silver. That’s how she ends up in Heaven, a beautiful beach town where many rich people vacation. But there’s something different about this city. Danielle can’t seem to keep a low profile. She becomes friendly with a talkative girl named Allison and starts falling for a cute guy named Greg. But the job isn’t as easy as all the other jobs Danielle has done. She has to steal silver from the Donaldson’s, but that would mean stealing from Allison, the first person Danielle has ever called a friend. And Greg turns out to be a cop. Danielle is torn between her loyalty for her mother and her yearning for a normal life. Stealing Heaven was an amazingly well-written novel. I got the sense that I really got to know all the main characters, and I felt a connection to Danielle, even though Thievery is not my life. But there is some much more to Dani than just being a thief. She is clever, careful, and above all things loyal. She often sacrifices for her mom, and although her loyalty to her mother sometimes gets in the way, I loved how at the end, Dani finally gets what she wants. I loved how the ending was neatly wrapped up and made me feel hopeful. I also like how most elements of this book can be applied to anyone who feels out of the ordinary sometimes. I can honestly say that I fell in love with this book. I definitely look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Scott’s novels, and I highly recommend you pre-order Stealing Heaven now or buy it when it’s published at the end of May. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Tess is just your average math loving eighth-grader until she becomes a little too interested in some graffiti at her school. Tess’s friend Sammy convinces her that the blue numbers form a sort of code, and Tess becomes determined to crack it. Unfortunately, this requires a lot of lying and some vandalizing on Tess’s part. But Tess is only concerned with finding out the message and doesn’t think about the consequences. I found it interesting how Tess compared people and life to various math problems, but I could see the logic in it. For example, Tess’s friend Miranda’s math symbol is |m|, which always has a positive value, just like Miranda always sees the good in everything. But what I appreciated most about this math-obsessed girl was how she realized that her system of comparing everything to math was flawed because not everything in life can be figured out using simple steps and formulas. I will admit that I was surprised that The Writing on the Wall was a mystery book; I thought it would be about some math geek who’s having a hard time in middle school. But I’m glad that math and mystery were combined to create this novel, which I highly enjoyed reading. Tess’s character is funny and very logical (in all things math), something I can appreciate and relate too. I also liked how Tess seemed to know how to do the right thing but was clueless in others, such as the world of boys. If you are looking for a light and fast read, The Writing on the Wall is a good choice. I recommend it for younger readers, but even math lovers in higher grades will enjoy this book. Look for it when it’s released in July. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Joseph Davidson is a shy and artistic boy. So naturally, when he’s given a school assignment to make a portrait, he is unsure of whom he wants his subject to be. So, he never expects to pick him mysterious neighbor, Tom Leyton. At first, he tells Caroline, the sister or Tom Leyton who first suggested Tom as the subject, that he will think about it. But when another neighbor thinks that Joseph would be too afraid, he takes up the challenge. Gradually, Joseph spends more and more time with Tom and gets to know him. Tom at first is very cold and reclusive and doesn’t respond much to Tom. But soon, he opens up, and Joseph and Tom’s meetings are spent taking care of Tom’s silk worms more than working on the portrait. But Tom’s eyes are still stony and cold; Joseph feels that he cannot capture Tom’s true self until he can see what’s really behind Tom’s eyes. The Running Man is set up a little like The Luxe by Anna Godbersen in that it begins with a funeral and then flashes back to the events before it. However, the two stories are extremely different, as one could expect. The Running Man goes much deeper and is not filled with gossip about high society; rather, rumors circulate about Joseph’s mysterious neighbor Tom. In some ways, this reminded me of Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird, because Tom and Boo are so similar in many ways. The Running Man was a beautiful and touching story. It’s about the tentative friendship between two people who need each other. It’s also one of those deep books filled with metaphors that can seem confusing at first but are explained. It’s about the miracles that friends provide for each other and conquering the demons in your past. It’s about reaching out to others who need you and making peace with your life. I recommend this novel to readers who are up to a thought-provoking read. While The Running Man is not full of excitement or suspense and is more of an emotional novel, readers will not be disappointed. This book has already been published by Scholastic, but it will be published again by HarperTeen in July. reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com”

The Book Muncher wrote this review Tuesday, April 29 2008. ( reply | permalink )