Borgs before Boys

 Title: The Lunar Chronicles:
                                             
                                                Cinder
 
                                                Scarlet

                                                Cress

                                                Winter

                                         Author: Marissa Meyer
                                         Previous Work: None

                                         Summary: 

                                         Cinder- Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a
                                         second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her
                                         stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But
                                         when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome
                                         Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of
                                         an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction.
                                         Caught  between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal,
                                         she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect
                                         her world’s future.

                                         Scarlet- Cinder’s trying to break out of prison—even though
                                         if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted
                                         fugitive. Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s
                                         grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things
                                         Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave
                                         danger she has lived in her whole life.

                                         Cress- Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run,
                                         with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to
                                         overthrow Queen Levana and prevent her army from
                                         invading  Earth. Their best hope lies with Cress, who has
                                         been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her
                                         netscreens as company. All that screen time has made
                                         Cress an excellent hacker – unfortunately, she’s being
                                         forced to work for Queen Levana, and she’s just received
                                         orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

                                         Winter- Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and
                                         her  allies, Winter might have the power to launch a
                                         revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
                                         Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and
                                         find their happily ever afters?

                                         Rating: A 5. I absolutely LOVE this series.
                                         Awards: 

                                         (For Cinder)
                                         2012 YALSA Teens Top Ten
                                         2012 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Debut Goodreads
                                         Author Nominee
                                         2012 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Young Adult Fantasy
                                         & Science Fiction Nominee

                                         (For Scarlet)
                                         New York Times Besteller
                                         2013 Goodreads Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science                                                                            Fiction Nominee
                                       
                                         (For Cress)
                                         2014 Goodreads Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science                                                                            Fiction Nominee

                                         (For Winter)
                                         2015 Goodreads Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science                                                                            Fiction Nominee

                                         Opinion: I love the Lunar Chronicles. There is nothing like
                                         them. The characters are complex and the author layers so
                                         many of the aspects of their fairytales into the story. For
                                         example, their names are perfectly chosen. Take Cress and
                                         Thorne, who represent the story of Rapunzel. Rapunzel was
                                         so named after a type of lettuce. Cress, similarly, could be
                                         short for watercress, although in the story it is short for
                                         Crescent Moon, a nod to Cress's Lunar heritage. Thorne is
                                         so named because in the original story, the prince falls into
                                         thorns and is blinded. The stories are riddled with such
                                         careful allusions, enough to cause a thrill in the reader
                                         when they find them, but not so much they take over the
                                         story. I recommend this series to any teen girl.

From Books to Movies Part 2

 Title: The Star Wars Trilogy
                                       
                                              Star Wars

                                              The Empire Strikes Back

                                              Return of the Jedi
                                    # of Pages: 471
                                    Author: George Lucas
                                    Previous Work: (Books Only)

                                    George Lucas: Interviews

                                    Author: Donald F. Glut
                                    Previous Work: (Fiction Only)

                                    Frankenstein Lives Again

                                    Frankenstein Meets Dracula

                                    Bones of Frankenstein

                                    Author: James Kahn
                                    Previous Work: 
                                        
                                    World Enough, and Time

                                    Time's Dark Laughter

                                     Poltergeist

                                     Summary: A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... Luke 
                                     Skywalker worked on his uncle's farm on a remote planet 
                                     called Tatooine, repairing secondhand machinery and stunt-
                                     flying his battered skyhopper... and he was bored beyond 
                                     belief. He dreamed of adventures out among the stars-
                                     adventures that would take him to distant, alien worlds. But 
                                     when Luke intercepted a cryptic message from a beautiful 
                                     captive, he got more than he bargained for- and that was how
                                     it all began...

                                     Rating: This is a 5.
                                     Awards: There are no awards for the books but the 
                                     movies received so many awards, I won't even bother trying
                                     to list them.

                                     Opinion: Full disclosure: I got the summary from the back
                                     of the book. I was really worried about giving too much away. 
                                     Okay, moving on. I really loved the books. The plot felt fuller 
                                     because the characters' feelings were revealed. And the large 
                                     vocabulary and detailed descriptions were definitely a plus 
                                     (not that the movies needed those)That being said, a lack of 
                                      continuity in the books drove me slowly insane. In the first 
                                      book Artoo was described as having thick clawed legs. Yet in
                                      the next two, he's described as looking exactly like the 
                                      movies. Also, Yoda's skin changes from blue to green. Little 
                                      issues like that bothered me, but they might not bother you.

                                       Better than the Movie?: It really depends on what you're 
                                       looking for. I personally had a hard time following the 
                                       action scenes in the book (especially fights between ships)
                                       without being able to see it. On the other hand, I really
                                       enjoyed the character development, vocabulary, and the 
                                       ability to stop it part way through. I think any true Star 
                                       Wars fan should read the book, just to see where it all 
                                       started.

                                        Movie Preview:



                               

From Books to Movies Part 1

 Title: The Princess Bride
                                  # of Pages: 464
                                 Author: William Goldman
                                 Previous Work ( Only the highlights, not including scripts):

                                 The Temple of Gold

                                  Soldier in the Rain

                                  No Way to Treat a Lady

                                  The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway


                                  Summary: William Golman has taken S. Morgenstern's
                                  classic tale of love and adventure and made it accessible to
                                  modern readers. The story is as follows.  When Buttercup's
                                  beloved Westley is killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts she vows
                                  never to love again. She becomes engaged to Prince
                                  Humperdink (whom she doesn't love) because it will be
                                  mutually beneficial. Unfortunately, before she can be married
                                  to him, she is kidnapped- not once but twice. Can Buttercup
                                  stay true to her heart or will she fall for the very man who killed
                                  her one true love?

                                  Rating: I'm honestly torn on my rating and I'll explain why in
                                  the opinion.
                                  Awards: There are no awards for the book, but the movie
                                  received The Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation

                                  Opinion: I'm going to save you a lot of trouble and tell you to
                                  take this book with a bucket of salt- not a  grain, a bucket.
                                  There is no S. Morgenstern, nor an extended version of the book
                                  you can find. Mr. Goldman does not have a son or a horribly
                                  selfish ex-wife. Lastly there is no reunion scene (although if
                                  you ask for it you get a hilarious email) and there isn't and
                                  never will be, a full version of Buttercup's Baby. You will
                                  understand all of what I just said if you read the book. The book
                                  had a really good, interesting plot, but in itself was just a satire
                                  of the author's views. It was funny but frustrating, and left me
                                  torn as to whether I should be awed by the genius of it or
                                  furious at its duplicity. (If you had issues with any of the vocab
                                  in this paragraph you may not want to read the book. It is filled
                                  with ten-dollar words.)

                                  Better than the Movie?: Absolutely not. The movie was
                                  hilarious and quotable and amazingly cheesy. The acting was
                                  great and you got sucked into the story. While the book
                                  certainly has its merits, there is a reason why the movie-and
                                  not the book- was an insta-classic.

                                 Movie Preview:

Magnificent Monsters

 Title: The Foundling's Tale/ Monster Blood Tattoo Series

                                                  Foundling

                                                  Lamplighter

                                                  Factotum

                                      Author/Illustrator: D.M. Cornish
                                      Previous Work: None

                                      Summary: Rossamünd is an orphan boy with a girl's name and 
                                      some unusual quirks. He lives in the Half Continent where 
                                      everymen and untermen (humans and monsters) live locked in 
                                      constant battle. The monsters kill humans and the humans, in 
                                      turn, kill the monsters and make a tattoo from their blood called a 
                                     cruorpuxnis. As Rossamünd goes on a journey to start his new life,
                                      he begins to suspect not all monsters are evil. But to think such a
                                      thing is a great crime, and could put Rossamünd's very life in
                                      danger.

                                     Rating: A 4.5 because the series feels unfinished.
                                    Awards:
                                    (For Foundling)
  
                                    2007 Aurealis Award Winner

                                    (For Lamplighter)

                                    2009 Aurealis Award Nominee

                                    2009 Locus Awards Top 15

                                    2009 Andre Norton Award Finalist

                                    (For Factotum)
                                    2011 Locus Awards Top 15

                                    Opinion: These books were interesting because I didn't feel like I 
                                    was reading about a made up world or fake people. The author has 
                                    a way of transporting people there, as if he lives there and wants to 
                                    tell you about it. I understood the struggles of the people, and 
                                    while it was a fantastical world, it didn't seem so perfect it couldn't
                                    be real. He even included a glossary and gorgeous illustrations (as
                                    shown below) to increase the reality of the land. However, the 
                                    author did one thing that really annoyed me. You would get 
                                    attached to characters and then they would just disappear. 
                                    Rossamünd would get a letter from them once in a while and 
                                    wonder about them constantly. My favorite character, Threnody, 
                                    was a victim of this method. She appeared in the second book then
                                    disappeared except for one letter in the third book. The author
                                    ended the series making a character disappear; the finale was                   
                                    very unsatisfying. Other than that issue, the books were great.

From Left to Right- Europe the Branden Rose, Rossamünd, and Threnody

Summer Romance Reads Part 1

 Title: The Selection Trilogy-
                                      The Selection
                                     The Elite
                                    The One
                                   (There are also three novellas: The Guard, The Prince, and (soon
                                    to come out) The Queen)
                                   Author: Kiera Cass
                                   Previous Work:
                                                   The Siren
                                                    In the Clearing (short story in Brave New Love)
                     
                                  Summary: America Singer has never wanted to be "selected".
                                  To compete for a man she's never met and a crown she doesn't
                                  want,while 35 other girls fight desperately for the same goal. It
                                  would mean leaving her family and her secret love Aspen. And
                                  what if she ends up wanting her new life more than the old one?

                                  Rating: This is a 4.5.
                                  Awards: None

                                 Opinion: I really enjoyed this series. I had been thinking the
                                 whole "love triangle thing" was overdone, but this one worked. I
                                 loved America's personality, and the two guys were great.
                                (Although I have to say, I'm partial to Maxon, the Prince.) I also
                                 liked that the book wasn't entirely about the romance. That can
                                 be tiring. People compare this book to Matched or Hunger
                                 Games, but personally, I think it stands on its own merit.

Love and Loss Part 2

 Title: Legend Trilogy-
                                            Legend
                                            Prodigy
                                            Champion
                                   Author: Marie Lu
                                   Previous Work: She has not written any other books.

                                   Summary: The United States has been split into two countries,
                                   the Republic and the Colonies. June is born into privilege and
                                   Day is a legendary criminal. When they fall in love, can they
                                   work together to save each other- and the Republic?
                                 
                                   Rating: This is a 5.
                                   Awards: (For Legend)

                                   New York Times Best Seller

                                   (For Prodigy)
                               
                                   Goodreads Choice Award Top 20

                                   (For Entire Series)

                                    Best Books of 2013 Kirkus Reveiw

                                    Opinion: This series was amazing. It holds your interest
                                    the entire time and has a wonderful bittersweet ending.
                                    You need to read this series!

Shakespeare Shake-Up Part 1

 Title: William Shakespeare's Star Wars® - Verily, a New
                                     Hope
                                     # of Pages: 174
                                     Author: Ian Doescher
                                     Previous Work: None, but there will be sequels.

                                     Summary: I believe the book trailer for this work best
                                     describes the book, showing both the prose and a glimpse of
                                     what Star Wars® is about.
                                       Rating: I give this a 4.5.
                                     Awards: None

                                     Opinion: This book is only for those that like Star Wars® 
                                     and love Shakespeare. It is told entirely in prose as shown in
                                     the trailer. I like the insight into the characters that the
                                     movies can't necessarily show. R2-D2, especially, talks to the
                                     audience about his plans. He, of course, still talks in blips and
                                     bloops around other characters. The one bad thing is that if
                                     you don't play close attention, the action scenes are
                                     confusing.

Freedom isn't Free

 Title: For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy
                                  # of Pages: 181
                                  Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
                                  Previous Work:

                                                  Halfway to the Sky

                                                  Leap of Faith
                                                  
                                                  One-of-a-kind Mallie
                                               
                                                  Ruthie's Gift
  
                                                  The President's Daughter
                                              
                                                   Weaver's Daughter

                                     Summary: Based on a true story, this book tells the
                                     harrowing tale of Suzanne David. She was a teenage Opera
                                     singer- and a French spy during WWII. She risked her life
                                     and saw horrible things, but stayed strong the entire war,
                                     ferrying messages back and forth.

                                     Rating: This book is a 5! I want to read it over and over again.
                                     Awards: 
                                               
                                                  Booklist Starred Review

                                                  IRA Teacher's Choice Award

                                                  Kirkus Starred Review
                 
                                                  NYPL Book of the Year
                                                 
                                                  VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Award

                                      Opinion: This book is amazing! There is one scene in
                                      the beginning of the book that is a little graphic, but there
                                      aren't any more scenes like that once you get past it. I
                                      would say Suzanne is a very real character, but she is real,
                                      so I guess that's to be expected. It's fantastic what she did
                                      for her country, and really the world! Would I, given the
                                      chance, do what she did? Probably not. She's braver than I'll
                                      ever be.

Contest Book

I wasn't sure about reading this book, but I entered the contest for a free advanced copy, anyway. I figured if it wasn't good I could sell it. (It didn't come and I ended up getting a signed copy instead, but that's another story!- Thanks ThisIsTeen!) However, I only review "good" books on my blog so you know it worked out!

 Title: Endangered
                                      # of Pages: 272

                                     Author: Eliot Schrefer 

                                     Previous Work: 

                                                          2 novels for adults

                                                          

                                                          The Deadly Sister

                                                          

                                                          The School for Dangerous Girls

                                     Summary: Sophie has never quite understood her mother's

                                     passion for the Bonobo apes. However when she finds one

                                     (whom she names Otto) she decides to care for him.

                                     But when the Bonobo sanctuary is attacked Sophie and Otto

                                     must survive in a war torn country. 

                                     Rating: 4.5, because this book sometimes contradicts my

                                     beliefs, claiming speculation as a fact.

                                     Awards: 

                                     2012 National Book Award Finalist 

                                     for Young People's Literature

                                     2012 Cybils Nomination

                                     Opinion: This book was amazing. My favorite part is the 

                                     question Sophie grapples with most of the book. Is it really

                                     okay to save an animal when so many people are suffering?

                                      I thought this book would be "run, run, save the monkey!" 

                                      (When really Bonobos aren't even monkeys!) But I was 

                                      pleasantly surprised at the depth of the story. It was really
                                      good Don't be like me and write it off before you start it.
                                      You'll be missing out on a great story!