Review: Linger (Maggie Stiefvater)

Product Details:
Reading Level: YA
Pages: 360
Publisher: Scholastic (July 1, 2010)
ISBN: 9780545123280
Source: My own copy
Read it in 3 days

 

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

I really wasn’t that into this book. I’m not sure what it was exactly that bothered me, but I had a really hard time wanting to read Linger. I vaguely remember feeling the same way about the first book, Shiver. However, I can truly say that I did find myself pretty interested in the plot by the end of the book.

I hate that it took so long for this plot to get going. It seemed to drag on for-ev-er. I had to make myself keep reading. Cole and Isabelle really were the only things in the book that held my interest. Sam seemed too emo and Grace was lacking whatever charisma she had in the first book. Actually, Grace and Sam were very Bella and Edward-like in this book. Really annoying. Cole, however, was different. His story is unique and very troubled, which made him a great addition to the story. Of course, Isabelle’s troubled nature kept things feisty as well. She was snarky and contemptuous, which helped cut through the overly sappy emotions coming from Sam and Grace. Thank goodness for characters with issues!

As I said, the ending was pretty darn good. It definitely has me wondering what will happen next. I went ahead and put in a request for Forever from my library, but I am prepared to send the book back if it starts off the way Linger did. I refuse to suffer through another slow beginning. In fact, I’m prepared to start asking people to give me a run-down of the final book’s plot. I have too many other lust-worthy books to read this summer. No time for Twilight repeats.

I give Linger a 3 based solely on the ending. Otherwise, this would have been a 2 all the way through.

On Sale Today

Just released today! Head on over to www.yabookscentral.com to enter for a chance to win a copy of Tokyo Heist. It's one of this month's giveaways.

  

Review: Lies Beneath (Anne Greenwood Brown)

Product Details
Reading Level: YA
Pages: 303
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (June 12, 2012)
ISBN: 9780385742016
Source: ARC from NetGalley
Read it in 1.5 days

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Mermaid books! Love.

This book did not disappoint. I had such high hopes for Calder's story, and this book did not let me down. Loved. It.

First off, how can you not love a killer mermaid story told from a merman's point of view? C'mon! That is awesomeness in the making. Period. The mermaids in Lies Beneath are not your typical merfolk. There are no Disney mermaids here, folks. These are the cold-hearted killers of mythology. I thought it was brilliant that the author took one of the lesser-known mermaid tales and incorporated it into her story. The mermaids of Lake Superior do not lure boaters to their deaths like sirens. Instead, they are lonely, miserable creatures that feed off of human emotions. Positive emotions actually. There is a systematic targeting of happy people throughout the book, except for Calder. He's different.

Maybe it's the fact that he wasn't born into the life of a mermaid but was created instead? That could be one of the things that marks him as different. But I like to think of it in a deeper sense. Like other "monster" books, you have to ask yourself: Is evil a trait that you are born with, or is it something you learn? Ask yourself that as you read this book and let me know what you think.

I'm inserting my tangent here about innate vs created evil so you can follow my thought process with this book. The best literary example is that of Frankenstein's monster. When he was created, he was not evil. He was in fact a gentle creature desperate for his creator's attention. But as the story progresses, he experiences rejection, humiliation, and the lack of love. All of these negative experiences drive him to eventually commit the ultimate act of evil. Which (I think) proves that evil is created.

Calder's life seems to confirm my views on that topic, especially when you compare him to his sisters. Throughout the entire book, Calder struggles with finding his humanity. Although it's never mentioned in that sense, that's exactly what's he's doing... and I must admit the ending was very surprising!

I think as this series continues, it's going to be even more amazing. I cannot wait to see what Calder becomes. I have my thoughts as to how future characters will further develop (and complicate) this plot, but I am going to have to wait to see if I'm correct.

If you couldn't tell, I think this book is one of the summer's must reads. I loved it. If you're a mermaid fan then this is a no-brainer. You will be reading this book. This book would lead to so many great discussions. The mythology behind the mermaids , the struggle to retain/find one's humanity, and the Victorian poetry about mermaids used throughout the story are only the beginning!

Book Trailer for Waking Storms (Sarah Porter)

The amazing Sarah Porter's next novel, Waking Storms, will come out this summer (July). See the amazing book trailer for the book!

After parting ways with her troubled mermaid tribe, Luce just wants to live peacefully on her own. But her tranquility doesn’t last long: she receives news that the tribe is on the verge of collapse and desperately needs her leadership. The tribe’s cruel queen wants Luce dead. Dorian, the boy Luce broke mermaid law to save, is determined to make her pay for her part in the murder of his family. And while the mermaids cling to the idea that humans never suspect their existence, there are suddenly ominous signs to the contrary. But when Luce and Dorian meet, they start to wonder if love can overpower the hatred they know they should feel for each other. Can Luce fulfill her rightful role as queen of the mermaids without sacrificing her forbidden romance with Dorian?

On sale Today...

Look what made its way to book stores this week!

I am going to have to grab a copy of The Golden Lily. I keep hearing amazing things about the book!

   

   

   

I read Lies Beneath from a Netgalley ARC. Loved it. Honestly. It was so amazing. Anyone else pick up on the double meaning of the title? There are certainly lies beneath the water if you find what lies beneath. =)

In My Mailbox

I've been trying my best to take advantage of all my Netgalley books that are patiently waiting to be read! So my "haul" for this week (the past 2 weeks really) is pretty much courtesy of Netgalley.


From NetGalley:

  
  

Notice the whole mermaid theme I have going on lately?

For Review: