Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Review: Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater Rhodes


Today’s review is going to be about a book in a series that is near and dear to me:  Demon in My View by Amelia Atwater Rhodes . I first read Demon in My View when I was about 12 or  13, when it first came out. This one has been around for a while. I’ve loved it ever since and my review might be a bit biased because it’s been a part of my “library” for so long.
First I want to say a little bit about the author.  Amelia Atwater Rhodes wrote her first novel, In the Forests of the Night , when she was only 13.  Demon in My View was written two years later. I think that’s pretty impressive, personally.  It was the authors young age, so close to my own, that initially drew me in, but what hooked my was her intense characters and a unique spin on the vampire mythos. Her characters are vivid, complex, and believable. She also has extensive back stories for her characters ( many that span a few thousand years) that she gradually reveals in her books.  Amelia  Atwater Rhodes also has a blog and message board/ forum that you can go to here and read more about her universe , the characters and upcoming releases.
So, on to the review.  Demon in My View  takes place  in the fictional town of Ramsa , New York. The main character is Jessica Allodola, a high school senior.  Jessica doesn’t fit in at school; her classmates automatically avoid her for some reason. She is even referred to as  “the leper of Ramsa High.” She doesn’t understand why everyone avoids her, but her sharp tongue and sarcasm might have something to do with it.  However there is one thing that does set Jessica apart from her peers; she is a published author and her new book “Tiger, Tiger” has just come out under the pen name of Ash Night, so no one knows that she is the author.  But then all of a sudden there are two new students at school who both somehow know that she is Ash Night. One is the annoyingly friendly Caryn, and the other is the mysterious and handsome Alex, and they both want Jessica’s attention for very different reasons.
I first read this when I was in middle school, so like I said, I’ve loved this book for a long time. But when I was 12 my taste and ability to critique literature wasn’t as mature and discerning as they are now( ahem). The authors age should be taken into  consideration, she was only 15, so don’t go into this expecting War and Peace or anything.  At times  I think it’s pretty apparent that it was written by a teenager, because the writing can be a bit cheesy and melodramatic, but considering that it’s a vampire novel that that kind of thing can be expected. But hey, at least they don’t sparkle.
All in all I think for what it is, that this book, and the whole series, are quite good and deserve looking into if you’re a fan of vampire novels. 
My grade: A+ ( taken with a grain of salt).
NB: On the dust jacket of the book it says for ages 12 and up. Looking back, it might be a little too violent for middle school aged kids, but that’s how old I was when I read it and I turned out fine ;).

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce


Sisters Red is a young adult novel that is a re-imagining of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale archetype.  I personally love novels that sort of revamp old favorites. I know some people don’t like them because they think that the authors aren’t really creating anything new and cashing in on  something someone else has already written. Well that may be true for some authors out there, but I think that Jackson Pearce has written a great new version of an old tale.
The target market for this novel is definitely teenage girls, (though I enjoyed it, and it’s been a while since I was a teenager). I would say the age group for this is probably around 14 and up, because there is some violence, as well as some romance, but it’s not really that graphic in either aspect. Fans of other paranormal romances would most likely be interested in Sisters Red. 
The main characters are two sisters, Scarlett and Rosie March (notice the red them here?), and their friend Silas Reynolds. The narration is in first person and switches back and forth from Scarlett and Rosie. The main plot is about the sisters hunting the evil Fenris to protect the innocent and avenge their grandmother who was killed by a Fenris and older sister Scarlett who was maimed protecting little Rosie from said Fenris. To me, one of the best parts about Sisters Red is that Scarlett and Rosie are not your typical paranormal romance leading ladies. They take care of themselves and don’t rely on a big strong vampire/werewolf/sparkly thing to rescue them and save the day. Bella Swan could take a lesson from the March sisters.( Sorry if you’re a Twilight fan, but I dislike Bella.)
 There’s also a side plot involving the blossoming romance between Rosie and Silas, which ends up merging into the main plot, turning into a complex and fun read that is hard to put down. I was able to finish this in about two to two and a half days, in case you’re wondering.
My grade for Sisters Red: A-

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Introduction

Who am I? I am a 24 year old girl living in Georgia, and I have a big love of reading. And I mean  BIG,HUGE,ENORMOUS! Ever since I was in elementary school reading has been just about my favorite thing to do. I love books and reading so much that I got a Bachelors degree in English and I am hoping to have a career in the publishing industry as a copy editor.


The purpose of the blog will be mainly to post reviews of many of the books I've read. My hope is that this blog will become a place where other book lovers can come and find honest reviews and insights on books that they are interested in , and possibly help others in finding their next read. The majority of the books that I read are in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, and Young Adult genres, although there is  a little bit of everything thrown in as well. In addition to the genres above, there might be some classics, historical fiction, and pop and contemporary lit too. So if you like any of the things mentioned above you're in the right place and in good company!


Thanks for stopping by!