So, despite my huge reading list, I decided to pick up another White Pine book at the library...
The Book of Michael was alright. I was expecting a lot more, and when I was reading it, I loved it, but looking back, it wasn't really that great. I wanted it to dig deeper, and I was waiting for that, but it never did. Some parts you felt it was, but it was pretty much the same throughout the book.
Not saying that I didn't like it, because I did. I especially liked his grandmother. She sounded wicked cool, and it made me call my OWN grandma, just because I envied the relationship and influence she had on/with Michael.
I believe that this review is all over the place, so I apoligize.
It's a good book! A really confusing and angering ending! Sad. But angering.
Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Hello, again ... Miss me?
Alright, so, now that I've read the rest of the White Pine books, I feel obliged to post. Feel free to comment, I'd love it if you did, but if you're going to tell me I'm crazy, don't worry, I already know.
The Book of Micheal - Not bad. Its an original take on the whole juvenile-delinquent scene. The emotions are very raw, excellently portrayed. As to whether or not I actually liked the book, the jury's still out on that one. The ending was what did it for me. Its ... hard to describe without giving it away. But I will say this - its not what you expect. And it doesn't seem very logical. It seems to run contrary to the rest of the book, actually.
Getting the Girl - This one was very cute. A boy who is utterly emasculated at home by his young, irresponsible mother, who is obsessed with girls, gets into all sorts of trouble trying to stop an ugly practise at his school - for a girl, of course. Its light-hearted and witty, an easy read. And, as I said - VERY cute.
Half-World - OK, now, I'm a really big lover of fantasy novels. But this one? I'm not sure it can really be counted along the fantasy genre. It leans more towards the horror category, in my opinion. It was unbelievably dark. The whole thing reads like a psychotic nightmare you cant wake up from. And when you DO wake up, at the end, it isn't really anything like what can be called a happy ending. It has hope, but it also has a probability of everything crashing about the characters ears after we close the covers and leave them to the rest of their lives.
The Uninvited - This one was a touch on the creepy side. I know, I know - that was the point right? But I'k OK with creepy, as long as it isnt predictable. Which this novel as for me. And nothing kills my joy of reading so much as predictability. This one is really strange, in terms of storyline ... I was left wondering what, exactly, the plot was supposed to be. I suppose it could have had something to do with the way everyone is connected to everyone else in ways you least expect, or about what family means. Or maybe it's just taking a really good look at what a supreme @#$% up fathers can be. I'm not really sure. Anyone else gets an answer to that one, please let me know.
Mostly Happy - Ick. This one was not one Id like to read again. "Mostly Happy" is a total misnomer. It isnt happy at all. And it doesn't have a whole lot of coherence. This girls' life goes from bad to worse, but everything's OK because she's got a suitcase full of tokens from better times and can "escape" by floating out of her body to hover round the ceiling while listening to guitars? Cue raised eyebrow.
The Landing - This one wasn't bad. A touch on the bland side, but leaves any music lover wondering, exactly, where they can get a hold of some of the supposedly amazing music featured in this book so they can hear it for themselves. I found this novel a touch on the bland side; it gets a little monotonous, and the ending isnt exactly a shocker. I think I would've liked this novel better if it had been written from the point of view of the mother, or the uncle, or the rich elderly lady, because something about writing it from the teenager's perspecctive just makes it kind of ... blah. The angst, the frustration, nobody understands me ... Zzzzzzzzzzzz. Heard all that crap before.
On a general note, I would like to thank whoever put this years selection together because it was astronomically better than last years. By far. As in, like, lightyears better. There are books that I read and liked that I wouldn't have otherwise picked up, and there were some that I'd really like to never see again. But you always get that when attempting to pick a selection for a large audience. You have to cater a little bit to everyone's tastes.
~ Capt. Holly Short~
The Book of Micheal - Not bad. Its an original take on the whole juvenile-delinquent scene. The emotions are very raw, excellently portrayed. As to whether or not I actually liked the book, the jury's still out on that one. The ending was what did it for me. Its ... hard to describe without giving it away. But I will say this - its not what you expect. And it doesn't seem very logical. It seems to run contrary to the rest of the book, actually.
Getting the Girl - This one was very cute. A boy who is utterly emasculated at home by his young, irresponsible mother, who is obsessed with girls, gets into all sorts of trouble trying to stop an ugly practise at his school - for a girl, of course. Its light-hearted and witty, an easy read. And, as I said - VERY cute.
Half-World - OK, now, I'm a really big lover of fantasy novels. But this one? I'm not sure it can really be counted along the fantasy genre. It leans more towards the horror category, in my opinion. It was unbelievably dark. The whole thing reads like a psychotic nightmare you cant wake up from. And when you DO wake up, at the end, it isn't really anything like what can be called a happy ending. It has hope, but it also has a probability of everything crashing about the characters ears after we close the covers and leave them to the rest of their lives.
The Uninvited - This one was a touch on the creepy side. I know, I know - that was the point right? But I'k OK with creepy, as long as it isnt predictable. Which this novel as for me. And nothing kills my joy of reading so much as predictability. This one is really strange, in terms of storyline ... I was left wondering what, exactly, the plot was supposed to be. I suppose it could have had something to do with the way everyone is connected to everyone else in ways you least expect, or about what family means. Or maybe it's just taking a really good look at what a supreme @#$% up fathers can be. I'm not really sure. Anyone else gets an answer to that one, please let me know.
Mostly Happy - Ick. This one was not one Id like to read again. "Mostly Happy" is a total misnomer. It isnt happy at all. And it doesn't have a whole lot of coherence. This girls' life goes from bad to worse, but everything's OK because she's got a suitcase full of tokens from better times and can "escape" by floating out of her body to hover round the ceiling while listening to guitars? Cue raised eyebrow.
The Landing - This one wasn't bad. A touch on the bland side, but leaves any music lover wondering, exactly, where they can get a hold of some of the supposedly amazing music featured in this book so they can hear it for themselves. I found this novel a touch on the bland side; it gets a little monotonous, and the ending isnt exactly a shocker. I think I would've liked this novel better if it had been written from the point of view of the mother, or the uncle, or the rich elderly lady, because something about writing it from the teenager's perspecctive just makes it kind of ... blah. The angst, the frustration, nobody understands me ... Zzzzzzzzzzzz. Heard all that crap before.
On a general note, I would like to thank whoever put this years selection together because it was astronomically better than last years. By far. As in, like, lightyears better. There are books that I read and liked that I wouldn't have otherwise picked up, and there were some that I'd really like to never see again. But you always get that when attempting to pick a selection for a large audience. You have to cater a little bit to everyone's tastes.
~ Capt. Holly Short~
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Wondrous Strange
I really, really, wanted to read this book.
You don't believe how badly I wanted to.
I love good ol' Shakespeare, but this book caught me on a bad day. I got to the second chapter where they threw in some fantasy, which is expected. You really don't know what you read, and it's meant to keep you going to find out what the heck is going on, right? I don't know. As I said, it caught me on a bad day, and as I said before, fantasy isn't my turf. I never finished 'Wondrous Strange'. And I'm taking a break from White Pine for a while. Anyone see Sherlock Holmes? I just got the Entire Collection. The 1311 page Entire Collection..
See you soon, readers!
Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger
You don't believe how badly I wanted to.
I love good ol' Shakespeare, but this book caught me on a bad day. I got to the second chapter where they threw in some fantasy, which is expected. You really don't know what you read, and it's meant to keep you going to find out what the heck is going on, right? I don't know. As I said, it caught me on a bad day, and as I said before, fantasy isn't my turf. I never finished 'Wondrous Strange'. And I'm taking a break from White Pine for a while. Anyone see Sherlock Holmes? I just got the Entire Collection. The 1311 page Entire Collection..
See you soon, readers!
Cheers,
Chelsea Dagger
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