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wren_in_black
3/5 Stars
Twins Iris and Ivy have lost their mother to a tragic running accident. Now life has drastically changed for the both of them. Ivy lived with their father. Iris lived with their mother. Now Iris is joining her father and her semi-estranged sister and starting a new life at a new school. The only problem is, her new life is starting to look a lot like the life Ivy already had, or at least the life she had before Iris showed up and started turning everyone against her. What on earth is Iris up to?
Reviews on this book seem to be either overwhelmingly positive or overwhelmingly negative. I can definitely see both sides of these arguments.
Cons:
- The writing leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes this book reads like something a middle school student might have written. The dialogue isn't exactly realistic and the descriptions can be simplistic. The teenagers don't always sound like teenagers.
- The chapters all tend to end the same way - with ridiculous questions. Nothing is subtle here. Nearly every chapter ends with "But why did Iris have to hang out with my friends?" or a simple "Why?".
- Ivy is a flat character. And so is everyone else.
- Everyone is stupid. Literally everyone. Ivy is supposed to be this smart, over-achieving, straight-A student, but she takes forever to put things together. Her friends are even worse. They are not great people or even good friends. Her boyfriend is over-dramatic and not interesting. Ivy and Iris's father doesn't see anything that's plainly apparent. Also, the parents apparently NEVER communicated about their children or this whole book wouldn't have happened.
Pros:
- I haven't seen another YA book with an ending like this, so students will definitely find that interesting and excitable.
- I enjoyed reading the last half of the book once I got used to the writing and accepted that the characters were complete stereotypes.
- I enjoyed only having one narrator. The trend in YA novels is to alternate POV chapters and it's refreshing to just have one head to be inside and understand.
Overall, I didn't find the book to be horrible and I didn't find it to be amazing. It was "meh" for me, but since I liked reading the last half of it, I've upped my review to three stars.
** For parents and teachers, this book is decently clean. There is a little bit of heavy kissing, but nothing beyond that. There are a few curse words, but with what Ivy goes through, it's to be expected. For a thriller, it's pretty clean.**
** Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
Twins Iris and Ivy have lost their mother to a tragic running accident. Now life has drastically changed for the both of them. Ivy lived with their father. Iris lived with their mother. Now Iris is joining her father and her semi-estranged sister and starting a new life at a new school. The only problem is, her new life is starting to look a lot like the life Ivy already had, or at least the life she had before Iris showed up and started turning everyone against her. What on earth is Iris up to?
Reviews on this book seem to be either overwhelmingly positive or overwhelmingly negative. I can definitely see both sides of these arguments.
Cons:
- The writing leaves a lot to be desired. Sometimes this book reads like something a middle school student might have written. The dialogue isn't exactly realistic and the descriptions can be simplistic. The teenagers don't always sound like teenagers.
- The chapters all tend to end the same way - with ridiculous questions. Nothing is subtle here. Nearly every chapter ends with "But why did Iris have to hang out with my friends?" or a simple "Why?".
- Ivy is a flat character. And so is everyone else.
- Everyone is stupid. Literally everyone. Ivy is supposed to be this smart, over-achieving, straight-A student, but she takes forever to put things together. Her friends are even worse. They are not great people or even good friends. Her boyfriend is over-dramatic and not interesting. Ivy and Iris's father doesn't see anything that's plainly apparent. Also, the parents apparently NEVER communicated about their children or this whole book wouldn't have happened.
Pros:
- I haven't seen another YA book with an ending like this, so students will definitely find that interesting and excitable.
- I enjoyed reading the last half of the book once I got used to the writing and accepted that the characters were complete stereotypes.
- I enjoyed only having one narrator. The trend in YA novels is to alternate POV chapters and it's refreshing to just have one head to be inside and understand.
Overall, I didn't find the book to be horrible and I didn't find it to be amazing. It was "meh" for me, but since I liked reading the last half of it, I've upped my review to three stars.
** For parents and teachers, this book is decently clean. There is a little bit of heavy kissing, but nothing beyond that. There are a few curse words, but with what Ivy goes through, it's to be expected. For a thriller, it's pretty clean.**
** Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
"We all keep boxes of emptiness in the depths of our closets."
I received an uncorrected electronic proof of this book from NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own and do not reflect the opinions of NetGalley or the publisher. Thank you to both organizations for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book in a couple of quick settings. It's a fast read and although the plot moves slowly, nothing feels bogged down or overly drawn out. The poetry in this book reads like a stream of consciousness and tackles heavy topics in a way that feels authentic. The poetry invites the reader in and while reading this book, I couldn't help but think about my own grief. I'm now a decade removed from high school and from having to decide my future, but in some ways, I still struggle with the same issues as both Ariana and Row. Now that I'm out of school and college and graduate school, I'm having to decide which parts of my identity to keep and which to grow and which to scrap. This is a process we are always undertaking and the risk to stagnate comes in different ways, like both sisters in this novel, is real.
I have children in my classroom who have experienced immense grief. I know I have a couple who blame themselves for their losses. I want to give this book to them now. I will definitely be purchasing this for my classroom.
I received an uncorrected electronic proof of this book from NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own and do not reflect the opinions of NetGalley or the publisher. Thank you to both organizations for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book in a couple of quick settings. It's a fast read and although the plot moves slowly, nothing feels bogged down or overly drawn out. The poetry in this book reads like a stream of consciousness and tackles heavy topics in a way that feels authentic. The poetry invites the reader in and while reading this book, I couldn't help but think about my own grief. I'm now a decade removed from high school and from having to decide my future, but in some ways, I still struggle with the same issues as both Ariana and Row. Now that I'm out of school and college and graduate school, I'm having to decide which parts of my identity to keep and which to grow and which to scrap. This is a process we are always undertaking and the risk to stagnate comes in different ways, like both sisters in this novel, is real.
I have children in my classroom who have experienced immense grief. I know I have a couple who blame themselves for their losses. I want to give this book to them now. I will definitely be purchasing this for my classroom.
3.5 of 5 Stars
This is the next book in line for fans of [b:All American Boys|25657130|All American Boys|Jason Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1444506678l/25657130._SX50_.jpg|45479026] and [b:Dear Martin|24974996|Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1)|Nic Stone|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495747080l/24974996._SY75_.jpg|44640226]. For a book that deals with police brutality, gang violence, racism, and grief, the book is relatively clean. It's no where near [b:The Hate U Give|32075671|The Hate U Give|Angie Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476284759l/32075671._SY75_.jpg|49638190] in the intensity of language or scenes described. In fact, the pivotal moment of this book takes place "off screen". As it turns out, that decision both makes the book less intense in its coverage of the topic and more suspenseful in portraying what many families can and do experience.
Tyler Johnson Was Here is written from the point of view of Marvin, Tyler's twin. Tyler has been growing more distant from his brother and friend group over the past year. Marvin knows there are some bad rumors and almost certainly a few bad truths about Tyler's new friends, but he doesn't know what to do about it. Marvin's father is in prison and can't do much to help either. Marvin writes their father, but Tyler does not. There's not much to be done about it.
And so, when Tyler decides to go to a house party, Marvin tags along. But it's not exactly Marvin's scene and the two decide to part ways. Marvin goes home and Tyler stays. But what started as harmless fun at the party turns into a shooting and a police raid.
Tyler goes missing and is eventually found dead. Now that society has turned his brother into a thug and a hashtag, Marvin has to figure out what freedom really means and how he might be able to find it.
As far as books on this topic go, this one is unique. The pivotal scene isn't witnessed by the main character. I think this actually weakens the book, even though it does provide a unique experience. I didn't feel like the supporting characters were as well rounded as I would like them to be, especially Faith. I definitely rooted for Marvin, but the other characters, even Marvin's mother and father, fell rather flat. I've read several recent books on this topic and this one works best as a gateway into the topic rather than a later read on the subject.
It is "cleaner" than The Hate U Give and will not give teachers or parents much pause in comparison to some other books on the same subject.
This is the next book in line for fans of [b:All American Boys|25657130|All American Boys|Jason Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1444506678l/25657130._SX50_.jpg|45479026] and [b:Dear Martin|24974996|Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1)|Nic Stone|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495747080l/24974996._SY75_.jpg|44640226]. For a book that deals with police brutality, gang violence, racism, and grief, the book is relatively clean. It's no where near [b:The Hate U Give|32075671|The Hate U Give|Angie Thomas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476284759l/32075671._SY75_.jpg|49638190] in the intensity of language or scenes described. In fact, the pivotal moment of this book takes place "off screen". As it turns out, that decision both makes the book less intense in its coverage of the topic and more suspenseful in portraying what many families can and do experience.
Tyler Johnson Was Here is written from the point of view of Marvin, Tyler's twin. Tyler has been growing more distant from his brother and friend group over the past year. Marvin knows there are some bad rumors and almost certainly a few bad truths about Tyler's new friends, but he doesn't know what to do about it. Marvin's father is in prison and can't do much to help either. Marvin writes their father, but Tyler does not. There's not much to be done about it.
And so, when Tyler decides to go to a house party, Marvin tags along. But it's not exactly Marvin's scene and the two decide to part ways. Marvin goes home and Tyler stays. But what started as harmless fun at the party turns into a shooting and a police raid.
Tyler goes missing and is eventually found dead. Now that society has turned his brother into a thug and a hashtag, Marvin has to figure out what freedom really means and how he might be able to find it.
As far as books on this topic go, this one is unique. The pivotal scene isn't witnessed by the main character. I think this actually weakens the book, even though it does provide a unique experience. I didn't feel like the supporting characters were as well rounded as I would like them to be, especially Faith. I definitely rooted for Marvin, but the other characters, even Marvin's mother and father, fell rather flat. I've read several recent books on this topic and this one works best as a gateway into the topic rather than a later read on the subject.
It is "cleaner" than The Hate U Give and will not give teachers or parents much pause in comparison to some other books on the same subject.
5 of 5 Stars
This graphic novel hybrid for middle school or junior high students is super sweet with an all around great message. In this story, which takes place in the space of one school day, Emmie confronts her feelings of anxiety and invisibility. I feel like realistic anxiety needs to be portrayed more often in young adult literature. I have so many students that find this kind of representation resonates with them.
Emmie is not extraordinary. She's not a super hero. She's not popular. She's essentially an only child, navigating life with older parents and her older siblings in college. She has one friend who is now in the gifted program and they are drifting apart. She's quiet and draws to cope with her anxiety. She procrastinates in her homework and is refreshingly normal.
The book also focuses some attention on Katie, a popular, pretty girl with a seemingly perfect life. She has tons of friends and everyone likes her. But she isn't pretentious or arrogant. She simply doesn't deal with anxiety or the same issues that Emmie does. Katie and Emmie interact over the course of the graphic novel and their interaction is wonderful.
The surprise near the end is wonderfully well done. It's subtle and powerful. It's also a neat idea for kids who find themselves in Emmie's situation.
** For parents and teachers, this is a powerful book for students dealing with anxiety or feel that they are mediocre. This is a graphic novel hybrid of sorts. It's great to bridge students who ONLY read graphic novels toward more typical formats of literature. There are no sexual scenes, lewd suggestions, or curse words. **
This graphic novel hybrid for middle school or junior high students is super sweet with an all around great message. In this story, which takes place in the space of one school day, Emmie confronts her feelings of anxiety and invisibility. I feel like realistic anxiety needs to be portrayed more often in young adult literature. I have so many students that find this kind of representation resonates with them.
Emmie is not extraordinary. She's not a super hero. She's not popular. She's essentially an only child, navigating life with older parents and her older siblings in college. She has one friend who is now in the gifted program and they are drifting apart. She's quiet and draws to cope with her anxiety. She procrastinates in her homework and is refreshingly normal.
The book also focuses some attention on Katie, a popular, pretty girl with a seemingly perfect life. She has tons of friends and everyone likes her. But she isn't pretentious or arrogant. She simply doesn't deal with anxiety or the same issues that Emmie does. Katie and Emmie interact over the course of the graphic novel and their interaction is wonderful.
The surprise near the end is wonderfully well done. It's subtle and powerful. It's also a neat idea for kids who find themselves in Emmie's situation.
** For parents and teachers, this is a powerful book for students dealing with anxiety or feel that they are mediocre. This is a graphic novel hybrid of sorts. It's great to bridge students who ONLY read graphic novels toward more typical formats of literature. There are no sexual scenes, lewd suggestions, or curse words. **
I'm torn on this one. 3.5/5 Stars, rounded to 4 because I always round up on Goodreads.
When I started this book I didn't know much about it or its author. I knew Christine Riccio was a booktuber, but I had not and still haven't watched any of her videos. That's not any statement against her, I just don't really watch videos.
The book begins with a character named Shane (ugh, I do NOT like that name, not at all) going to a study abroad program in the UK. She leaves her New York life behind, which isn't too difficult because she never settled into it. She has no friends (uh, really?) and did not enjoy her pre-med program. This was a chance to make a change by going to London and enrolling in semester long creative writing program. Perhaps it could be the start she needs to change the direction of her life.
I enjoyed reading about Shane's stay in London and her travels, even if they felt a bit vague for me. I've been to some of the places Shane visits in the book and I didn't feel like I was transported back there with Shane. That was a little disappointing, because I LOVE reading about those places. But, I did enjoy her flatmates and even the drama that ensues.
But then, the author introduces a time skip - a relatively large one - and it threw me for a loop. I felt like the time skip was too sudden, too large, and too unannounced. I did enjoy seeing a peek into this future for Shane and some of the other characters, but whoa- I think that portion of the book was the weakest.
After the time skip episode was pretty great. I read all of that portion in one setting. It got me to thinking about what I would do if I could start over again in my final year of college and I enjoyed that thought exercise.
Overall, for a debut novel, pretty good! I look forward to seeing what Riccio comes up with next.
** Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
** Teachers and Parents, there are a couple of steamy scenes in this book, but nothing is described in great detail. There is some language in this book,. Since the characters are all in college I would not describe this as a YA (young adult) book, but an NA (new adult) book. I think it is still appropriate for high school students, but the subject matter might be of greater interest to undergraduate students. **
When I started this book I didn't know much about it or its author. I knew Christine Riccio was a booktuber, but I had not and still haven't watched any of her videos. That's not any statement against her, I just don't really watch videos.
The book begins with a character named Shane (ugh, I do NOT like that name, not at all) going to a study abroad program in the UK. She leaves her New York life behind, which isn't too difficult because she never settled into it. She has no friends (uh, really?) and did not enjoy her pre-med program. This was a chance to make a change by going to London and enrolling in semester long creative writing program. Perhaps it could be the start she needs to change the direction of her life.
I enjoyed reading about Shane's stay in London and her travels, even if they felt a bit vague for me. I've been to some of the places Shane visits in the book and I didn't feel like I was transported back there with Shane. That was a little disappointing, because I LOVE reading about those places. But, I did enjoy her flatmates and even the drama that ensues.
But then, the author introduces a time skip - a relatively large one - and it threw me for a loop. I felt like the time skip was too sudden, too large, and too unannounced. I did enjoy seeing a peek into this future for Shane and some of the other characters, but whoa- I think that portion of the book was the weakest.
After the time skip episode was pretty great. I read all of that portion in one setting. It got me to thinking about what I would do if I could start over again in my final year of college and I enjoyed that thought exercise.
Overall, for a debut novel, pretty good! I look forward to seeing what Riccio comes up with next.
** Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
** Teachers and Parents, there are a couple of steamy scenes in this book, but nothing is described in great detail. There is some language in this book,. Since the characters are all in college I would not describe this as a YA (young adult) book, but an NA (new adult) book. I think it is still appropriate for high school students, but the subject matter might be of greater interest to undergraduate students. **
5/5 Stars - A Masterpiece
I wanted this book to be three times longer than it was. It was a perfect length as it was, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters and this world just yet. But, that's the mark of a good story, I suppose.
The Shadow of the Fox trilogy follows a young kitsune named Yumiko. In this chapter of the story, we finally learn just where she came from, why her powers are so strong, and just how much stronger she can be.
But this story isn't just about Yumiko, and that's what makes it so lovely. She may be the "main" character, but her friends are just as important. Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body, to some extent. His soul is now merged with the demon Hakaimono. I really enjoyed the changes that brought to his character. It made him more bold and a bit more reckless. Reika, the shrine maiden keeps the balance among the group of friends. She is the level head they all need. But, honestly, my favorite two characters are the outcast ronin Okame and the noble swordsman Daisuke. I would read a thousand books about them. No joke. Their dynamic is perfectly balanced and just a pleasure to read. And you'll need some Kleenex for some of the things they say in this book.
I wasn't sure how this book would end. I knew going in that the enemy we knew was much too strong for a "everyone rides off into the sunset" kind of ending. I knew there would be loss. But this book also introduces, or unveils a threat we didn't realize, and makes the stakes impossibly higher. It really felt like masterpiece storytelling.
If you haven't started on this journey yet with [b:Shadow of the Fox|36672988|Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox, #1)|Julie Kagawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525104599l/36672988._SY75_.jpg|58459383], then you should get started. The first book is a little slow with world building, but it's worth it for the payoff.
** For teachers and parents, this book doesn't have any foul language issues that I can remember. It does have a couple of sexual scenes, but they are very toned down and mostly happen off script. The plot of this series has multiple threads and could be difficult for struggling readers. I would recommend audio for this book, even for medium to strong readers as the place names, character names, and other greetings are all based in Japanese. The narrators of the audiobooks really brought this story to life. They are phenomenal. I would put this book at a junior high level or higher. I think it would even interest adults like myself.**
** Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
I wanted this book to be three times longer than it was. It was a perfect length as it was, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters and this world just yet. But, that's the mark of a good story, I suppose.
The Shadow of the Fox trilogy follows a young kitsune named Yumiko. In this chapter of the story, we finally learn just where she came from, why her powers are so strong, and just how much stronger she can be.
But this story isn't just about Yumiko, and that's what makes it so lovely. She may be the "main" character, but her friends are just as important. Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body, to some extent. His soul is now merged with the demon Hakaimono. I really enjoyed the changes that brought to his character. It made him more bold and a bit more reckless. Reika, the shrine maiden keeps the balance among the group of friends. She is the level head they all need. But, honestly, my favorite two characters are the outcast ronin Okame and the noble swordsman Daisuke. I would read a thousand books about them. No joke. Their dynamic is perfectly balanced and just a pleasure to read. And you'll need some Kleenex for some of the things they say in this book.
I wasn't sure how this book would end. I knew going in that the enemy we knew was much too strong for a "everyone rides off into the sunset" kind of ending. I knew there would be loss. But this book also introduces, or unveils a threat we didn't realize, and makes the stakes impossibly higher. It really felt like masterpiece storytelling.
If you haven't started on this journey yet with [b:Shadow of the Fox|36672988|Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox, #1)|Julie Kagawa|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525104599l/36672988._SY75_.jpg|58459383], then you should get started. The first book is a little slow with world building, but it's worth it for the payoff.
** For teachers and parents, this book doesn't have any foul language issues that I can remember. It does have a couple of sexual scenes, but they are very toned down and mostly happen off script. The plot of this series has multiple threads and could be difficult for struggling readers. I would recommend audio for this book, even for medium to strong readers as the place names, character names, and other greetings are all based in Japanese. The narrators of the audiobooks really brought this story to life. They are phenomenal. I would put this book at a junior high level or higher. I think it would even interest adults like myself.**
** Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
Well, this was probably the best book of the series. It's the best book of an overly pretty bad series. I wouldn't recommend the series, even though I did like this book by itself.
Juliette/Ella/Who-the-Heck-Ever and Aaron/Warner/Who-the-Heck-Ever (can you tell I'm salty about renaming the characters in the next to last book?) are a little more believable in this final installment.
Things I Didn't Like:
- pacing: about 20% of the time I had no idea what was going on or why
- plot: about 20% of the time the things that happened still didn't make sense, or there was simply no explanation. Governments at the end? Eh, who cares, I guess? What happened to the Reestablishment? Not important, I guess? But, hey, dresses and puppies, so we should be happy, I suppose.
- Kenji: I knooooow. He was my favorite character all throughout, but he's unnecessarily whiny here.
- Adam: Totally underutilized. Became a caricature of himself.
- Max: Just gross.
Things I Did Like:
- Trauma: It's a real thing and all the characters deal with it, and none of them deal with it very well. I'm glad it wasn't glossed over.
- Sisterly Relationship: It's the only thing that made the ending feel somewhat satisfying.
Overall, I guess this is my favorite series to hate on. I'm not really sure why I read all the books. I think it was because I wanted to make sure the sexual content wasn't TOO much for my students. Jury is still out on that in book 3 or so... Yikes. But this one is pretty calm. Overall, the series was ALL OVER THE PLACE and not in a good way. The writing was in turns wonderful and horrible. It's definitely a unique style. Some people like it. I would like it too, I think, if I thought the plot were any good. But, I have some senior high girls that think Adam and Warner are gods, so, whatever that's worth...
-
Juliette/Ella/Who-the-Heck-Ever and Aaron/Warner/Who-the-Heck-Ever (can you tell I'm salty about renaming the characters in the next to last book?) are a little more believable in this final installment.
Things I Didn't Like:
- pacing: about 20% of the time I had no idea what was going on or why
- plot: about 20% of the time the things that happened still didn't make sense, or there was simply no explanation. Governments at the end? Eh, who cares, I guess? What happened to the Reestablishment? Not important, I guess? But, hey, dresses and puppies, so we should be happy, I suppose.
- Kenji: I knooooow. He was my favorite character all throughout, but he's unnecessarily whiny here.
- Adam: Totally underutilized. Became a caricature of himself.
- Max: Just gross.
Things I Did Like:
- Trauma: It's a real thing and all the characters deal with it, and none of them deal with it very well. I'm glad it wasn't glossed over.
- Sisterly Relationship: It's the only thing that made the ending feel somewhat satisfying.
Overall, I guess this is my favorite series to hate on. I'm not really sure why I read all the books. I think it was because I wanted to make sure the sexual content wasn't TOO much for my students. Jury is still out on that in book 3 or so... Yikes. But this one is pretty calm. Overall, the series was ALL OVER THE PLACE and not in a good way. The writing was in turns wonderful and horrible. It's definitely a unique style. Some people like it. I would like it too, I think, if I thought the plot were any good. But, I have some senior high girls that think Adam and Warner are gods, so, whatever that's worth...
-
Another exciting installment. Kubard is absolutely hilarious. I do wish I felt like the characters were in a little more peril, though. For a six-month long struggle, they've faced little loss... I'm interested to see what Arslan's mother is up to...
4/5 Stars
The world of The Vanishing Deep will draw readers in from the very first page. Tempe's world is flooded. The Old World has been lost to the ravages of the sea and time, leaving Tempe in a world of danger that took her parents and her older sister, Elysea. Now Tempe resorts to diving into Old World ruins to get what money she can to survive, while hopefully saving enough money to revive her sister for 24 hours. Tempe's beloved sister Elysea was responsible for their parents' deaths and Tempe wants to know why. Hopefully 24 hours will be enough time for her to find out, because that's all the revival process can promise.
But once revived, Elysea has different plans. Those plans put her revival warden Lor's life at risk. Lor has spent the past two years hiding in the basement of the Palindromena facility, looking after those whose bodies may get an extra 24 hours of borrowed time. Is he ready to fight for his life?
All the characters of this story are wonderful and dynamic. None of the main characters are static. Elysea was actually my favorite character. She is spunky and determined, despite knowing that she has died and that she will inevitably die again within the next 24 hours. Elysea has secrets to find and wrongs to right. She is a force of nature.
The book does rely on the count down timer of Elysea's impending death to create tension, but more is quickly brought into the plot when the race to discover what happened to their parents. Even more tension is built near the half way point where the villain is no longer the clock but a flesh and blood person.
The story is a little predictable, especially near the end, but that doesn't make the journey any less enjoyable.
** For teachers and parents, there isn't much in this book that would make parents of 7th or 8th graders squirm. There is no sexual content and I don't recall any adult language. That isn't to say that the book won't hook more mature readers. The concepts of dealing with grief and the chance to return loved ones to life will appeal even to adults.**
The world of The Vanishing Deep will draw readers in from the very first page. Tempe's world is flooded. The Old World has been lost to the ravages of the sea and time, leaving Tempe in a world of danger that took her parents and her older sister, Elysea. Now Tempe resorts to diving into Old World ruins to get what money she can to survive, while hopefully saving enough money to revive her sister for 24 hours. Tempe's beloved sister Elysea was responsible for their parents' deaths and Tempe wants to know why. Hopefully 24 hours will be enough time for her to find out, because that's all the revival process can promise.
But once revived, Elysea has different plans. Those plans put her revival warden Lor's life at risk. Lor has spent the past two years hiding in the basement of the Palindromena facility, looking after those whose bodies may get an extra 24 hours of borrowed time. Is he ready to fight for his life?
All the characters of this story are wonderful and dynamic. None of the main characters are static. Elysea was actually my favorite character. She is spunky and determined, despite knowing that she has died and that she will inevitably die again within the next 24 hours. Elysea has secrets to find and wrongs to right. She is a force of nature.
The book does rely on the count down timer of Elysea's impending death to create tension, but more is quickly brought into the plot when the race to discover what happened to their parents. Even more tension is built near the half way point where the villain is no longer the clock but a flesh and blood person.
The story is a little predictable, especially near the end, but that doesn't make the journey any less enjoyable.
** For teachers and parents, there isn't much in this book that would make parents of 7th or 8th graders squirm. There is no sexual content and I don't recall any adult language. That isn't to say that the book won't hook more mature readers. The concepts of dealing with grief and the chance to return loved ones to life will appeal even to adults.**
