Just to be clear, this would be 2.5 stars because it wasn't bad, just not... interesting. I don't know why. The characters were simple, descriptions blase, love confessions at infuriating anime pacing. I finished the book because I didn't hate it, but I was relieved to move on to something different when finished.

So this book isn't the best book ever written. In fact, it spends a little too much time being a gushing girl crushing really hard on a boy in her class. Annoying. Yet I swear to god, this book is the combination of two stories I wrote in high school, so High School Angie was ALL OVER IT. Hence why I read it within a day. The librarian Mr. Gabriel is delightfully evil, and I personally cannot hold it against her friend for falling under his spell. Sadly, as a grownup, I may have become the Aaron of this story. ANYWAY, not the best writing, but a fun read for High School Angie. Kinda like the Talon series.

This is a most satisfying and creative teen sci-fi book. I LOVED it! It didn't get too too teen-y, it was wonderfully setup with multiple points of view. The layout and storytelling almost turned it into an episode of Battlestar Galactica in my head (a definite bonus). Actually, that's not a bad comparison. I would also liken it to another great sci-fi teen series, "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis. It's a pretty quick read despite its size, and while the cursing is blanked out, it does have some cursing and pretty intense action.

Alright, I give up. I just really can't summon a honk to give about any of these characters. It's a silly, harmless take on the environment of hell, and its caste system, but a little confusing too. Kind of reminds me of an anime. Actually, "Hoozuki no Reitetsu" or "Devil is a Part-Timer" did it better what this book was trying to do (if you're into anime, that is).

I feel bad that this book took me so long to read, but there are a lot of happenings jam packed into this thick tome. Especially since you start out in modern day with the main character Finch and then whisked back to his childhood in the late 1800's. How he lives so long, and eternally remains 17, is what we learn about through the pages up until WWII (so there will be a volume 2). From the Italian Mafia, to a quack medicine show, to WWI, flappers, Prohibition, and the rise of Hollywood stars, this book is excellent for reluctant history readers, since it of course disguises its history lesson with wonderful characters, and Daniel Kraus's usual grotesque descriptions. This book is definitely for older teen readers, and I can't wait for the next installment!

It has been a while since I read the first book, but I remember loving it so much I even bought it. It's also been a while since I read the second book, but I remember being so disappointed by it and giving it a bad review. I wasn't sure what to expect with this third book. Well, as you can tell by the 5 stars, I am once again in love and excited by this series!

The main character, Uma, is so wonderfully written as she develops and grows. This book very much reminded me of Eon. Uma is disguising herself as a male because her dream to become a healer is only given to males in her tribe. She has to struggle against the restrictions made against females and also made in her mind to go against her beloved tribe's customs to realize her full potential. So it has a positive message towards girls and following their dreams and talents.

This book also addressed mental illness in a different light. Sure, we've all heard about the mad royal beheading people, senselessly harming their subjects, but it's all brushed off easily with the vanquishing of the mad royal. But what Uma realizes, is that this horrid Queen she must serve is a human being, a woman with wants and needs, trapped inside her own madness. "Wicked as she was, she was human, and she was suffering." Uma becomes more than just a person who distributes medicine, but comes to truly understand human nature and the healing of the human spirit.

Oh yeah, and there's dragons. Always a big plus for me. :)

This book had a totally gothic feel to me. In both the old, learnt-in-English class kind of way, and in the newer, but not completely modern, but in the 80s and 90s kind of way. Think Gaimain's Sandman series back when it first started. The feel you got from that. Take Dream, Delirium, Death, and Desire, put them in a normal, Irish high school, and then add a dash of the movie "Practical Magic", and you have this book. It was quite strange, but very, very suspenseful and well written.