Review: The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

 

Title: The Education of Bet

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

ISBN: 978-0547223087

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

When Will and Bet were four, tragic circumstances brought them to the same house, to be raised by a wealthy gentleman as brother and sister. Now sixteen, they’ve both enjoyed a privileged upbringing thus far. But not all is well in their household. Because she’s a girl, Bet’s world is contained within the walls of their grand home, her education limited to the rudiments of reading, writing, arithmetic, and sewing. Will’s world is much larger. He is allowed—forced, in his case—to go to school. Neither is happy.

So Bet comes up with a plan and persuades Will to give it a try: They’ll switch places. She’ll go to school as Will. Will can live as he chooses. But once Bet gets to school, she soon realizes living as a boy is going to be much more difficult than she imagined.

After finishing The Education of Bet, I found myself so thankful that I didn’t grow up in nineteenth-century England.  Ugh! What torture that would have been!  Like Bet, I would have longed for more out of life than waiting on the men hand and foot.  Bet proves herself to be a very clever young woman, who will risk anything to have the one thing denied her; an education.

Though I found parts of the plot highly improbable, I donned my rose-colored blinkers and chose to just roll with story developments without questioning most of them.  While I still have a problem with Bet sharing a dorm room with a testosterone riddled teenaged guy, I will just compare this to similar rooming arrangements in several manga series I have enjoyed, including Hana Kimi.  What is fiction without the suspension of disbelief, anyway?

Bet is beside herself with frustration.  She wants to go to school, but she can’t because she’s a girl.  Her close friend, Will, wants to be a soldier, but he can’t.  Why?  He has to go to school.  Their elderly guardian is aghast that Will is constantly tossed out of the finest boarding schools in England, and he is determined that the lad will be educated.  Or he’s going to die trying!  Sounds like the perfect setup for a little gender bending, huh?

Bet is such a cool character.  She is overcome by a furious desire to learn.  To read.  To understand the world around her.  She gnashes her teeth in frustration when she is confined to the house and denied the knowledge she seeks.  Bet leads very complicated life, and that’s before the idea of swapping places with Will ever entered her mind.  The orphaned child of a servant, she doesn’t know who her father is, and only her guardian’s charity has kept a roof over her head.  There is a very confusing place for her in the household; she’s not quite a servant, but she’s not part of the family, either.  Class distinctions are blurred, but they still exist.  Bet will never belong in either world.

Once she gets to school, she is in for a shock.  The learning environment is nothing like she expected, and trying to fit in with a bunch of rough and tumble young men is much more challenging than she thought.  There’s the bullying, and the taunting, and the fear of never being able to fit in here, either.  Even when she thinks she’s made a friend, they turn around and betray her.  I don’t think she wanted an education in interpersonal relationships, but this is first and foremost what Bet receives.

Her daily struggle to follow her dreams, no matter the cost, kept me glued to the book.  It did start a bit slowly, but once she arrives at school, it was difficult to put down.  Bet finds help in unexpected places,  which helps to fuel her unfaltering drive to achieve her goals.  She even finds herself falling in love with a classmate, and fights to keep her growing attraction to him her deepest, darkest secret.

With its fun characters and determined heroine, The Education of Bet is a satisfying, though unlikely, read. It was refreshing reading about a boarding school that wasn’t filled to the rafters with a bunch of vampires, witches, and werewolves.  Non-magical kids can be interesting, too!

Grade: B+

Review copy purchased from Amazon

Honey Hunt Vol 5 by Miki Aihara Manga Review

 

Title: Honey Hunt Vol 5

Author: Miki Aihara

Publisher:  Viz

ISBN: 978-1421535074

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Find the courage to become a star!

As Yura’s friends gather to celebrate the premiere of the first episode of her TV show, she’s nowhere to be seen. Having taken up Q-ta’s offer of a hot springs vacation, Yura finds herself alone with him in a luxurious hotel room. Is she prepared to go all the way with Q-ta, or will her manager Mizorogi spoil the fun once again…?

Ah, Miki Aihara, why do I find your stories so irresistible?  Your characters don’t have noses, and your heroines have the mental fortitude of small sponges.  Somehow, though, almost against my will, I get sucked into your books and I can’t put them down.  I may get irritated (read: I do get irritated) at how Yura lets everyone push her around, but I can’t help but feel sorry for her.  She is so unsure of herself, and in this volume we get a glimpse into why she is so shy.  It’s made her even more sympathetic for me, but I wonder how she is going to survive the backstabbing world of show biz when she has yet to develop critical life skills to help her deal with other people and their abrasive personalities.

Yura’s mother is a complete and utter wench.  She has always been a selfish witch, and it is obvious that she will always be incapable of loving anyone other than herself.  She made Yura’s childhood a barren wasteland of loveless rejection.  How pathetic Yukari is, that she was so insanely jealous of her own daughter.  Yura has been nothing but a pawn to manipulate Onozuka from the day she was born.  Ugh! I can’t stand the woman!  Cutting her panels from the book and burning them wouldn’t clean the taint of her selfishness.  Ick!  I am looking forward to when Yura’s star does shine brighter than Yukari’s!

Though I often find the lead irritatingly passive, and the men in her life controlling buttheads, I just can’t stop reading Honey Hunt!  

Grade:  B

Review copy provided by publisher

Interview with Kiersten White – Author of Paranormalcy

Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy is the talk of the town.  Take a look at that gorgeous cover, and you’ll know why.  The book hit stores on Tuesday, so it will only be a few more days before my copy arrives from Amazon (I hope!).  I am dying to see if the book lives up to all of the hype, so I am really, really antsy to my hands on it.  To help keep my patience in check, Kiersten White graciously agreed to drop by the virtual offices to answer a few questions.

Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

I give the most awkward hugs in the world. I also write books. You should probably opt for one of my books over one of my hugs.

Can you tell us a little about your book, Paranormalcy?

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

I wondered what one would do if the goal was to neutralize vampires without killing them, which led me to the idea for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. Evie, the main character, started talking to me and then I thought, why on earth would a sixteen-year-old work for a covert, international government organization? The rest of the plot just sort of fell into place!

What have you learned about yourself through your characters?

Apparently I have issues with emotional isolation. Who knew? Thank heavens writing is cheaper than therapy.

Why do you think paranormal books are so popular?  What do you find most appealing about them?

I think that they function as a metaphor for our challenges in connecting with and understanding other people. Plus there’s the whole OHMYGOSHVAMPIRESAREHAWT aspect that comes into play. (For the record, I don’t think vampires are hawt. I prefer yetis, myself. Or werepugs.)

What appeals most to me is how much fun you can have with paranormal stories. You aren’t limited by the real world, so you can have these fantastic, ridiculous plots with normal, relatable characters. It’s the best of both worlds.

What’s the most gratifying aspect of having your book published?

Last night I showed the finished book to my mom and she cried. I’ve always secretly been a bully, so pretty much my goal in life is to make people cry and this seemed easier than mocking or punching them.

Okay, seriously, it’s just amazing that people are interested in the stories I have to tell. And seeing my kids (who are quite young) talk about Evie and my books makes me so happy. Now I won’t be lying when I tell them they can make their dreams come true!

I’m gonna keep lying to them about the tooth fairy, though.

Who was your biggest supporter while you were working on the book?

My friend and critique partner, Natalie Whipple. She’s always been my greatest cheerleader, egging me on to write more, more, more. I don’t know that I would have written it without her. So what I’m saying is, if you hate it, please send all complaints to her. My husband has also been unfailingly supportive, which is a good thing, because he has to share me with Word a lot.

If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, what would it be?

I always, always loved reading. I can’t remember a time when it hasn’t been a part of my life!

What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

I waste a lot of time online (as is evident if you follow me on twitter or my blog), I love reading, and I like playing with my kids and hanging out with my husband. I have a super cool family—they are ridiculous and hilarious and wonderful. Yes, I’m probably the luckiest girl in the world.

Thanks!

You can learn more about Kiersten by visiting her website here, or if you are into cyber stalking, click follow on her Twitter account.  If you haven’t already purchased Paranormalcy, run out to your favorite bookseller right now and pick up a copy!  Or just click the handy widget below and have it delivered to your doorstep.

Review: The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine

 

Title: The Diary of a Killer Cat

Author: Anne Fine

Illustrations: Steve Cox

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux

ISBN: 978-0374317799

 

May Contain Spoilers

Tuffy is an unrepentant murderer.  The little bird had it coming, what with landing in his mouth and all.  Besides, he’s a cat!  What does his girl, Ellie, expect?  The pathetic tree-hugger would have him holding hands with all of the neighborhood dogs! Doesn’t she understand?  He’s a cat!

This short book for younger readers has a ton of personality.  Too bad I didn’t really like the personality.  Tuffy is all cat, and he is not going to adjust his feline behavior to make any humans happy.  When he starts bringing home dead critters, his people start having fits.  He’s a murderer!  A killer of innocent little birds and mice!  Tuffy can’t understand what all of the fuss is about, and soon he is on the outs with Ellie and her family.

Told in first person from Tuffy’s point of view, this is a pretty funny book.  I just couldn’t relate to Tuffy.  He is tough talking and streetwise, and he is every bit a cat.  He doesn’t care about anything but what he wants; he’s self-indulgent, and he’s a smart-aleck.  I don’t know why I didn’t connect better with this book.  Maybe I found the dead bunny episode morbid?  I’m not sure, but I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I was hoping I would.  

Grade: C+

Review copy obtained from the library

Waiting on Wednesday: Pathfinder, Silver Zombie, A Tale Dark & Grimm

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill atBreaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

I loved Ender’s Game, and was even more impressed with Speaker for the Dead.  I loved all of the Ender books, so I am looking forward to reading more by Car. This is a must buy.

From Amazon:

A powerful secret. A dangerous path.

Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg’s strange talent for seeing the paths of people’s pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him–secrets about Rigg’s own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain.

Rigg’s birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent…or forfeit control of his destiny.

Zombies, zombies, zombies!  I am curious to see what Carole Nelson Douglas does with Silver Zombie, and the cover just grabs my attention.

From  Amazon: 

Zombies and Witches and Vamps . . . Oh, My!

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—at least that’s Delilah Street’s hope. With Sin City’s vampire and werewolf mobs wanting to cash in her chips once and for all, she’s retreating with her partner Ric Montoya and half-wolfhound Quicksilver to her Kansas birthplace. Unfortunately, when it comes to finding trouble, there’s no place like home. . . .

It doesn’t take long before Delilah realizes she’s not in Vegas anymore. Zombie cowboys and spectral cattle drives are kicking up dust, the local weather girls are total witches who forecast perfect storms, and some Hollywood fanatic is recasting zombies as the greatest stars of the silver screen. And speaking of silver, Delilah’s special affinity for the all-purpose monster-repellent leads her posse straight down a silver brick road—and into a notso- fun house of mirrors—putting her face-to-face with her dicey past and a mystery woman named Lilith, who’s a real dead ringer for Delilah. The key word being dead.

A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz looks to be right up my alley.  I love re-imagined fairy tales!

From Amazon:

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.

Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

What are you waiting on??

The Wallflower Vol 18 by Tomoko Hayakawa Manga Review

 

Title: The Wallflower Vol 17

Author: Tomoko Hayakawa

Publisher:  Del Rey

ISBN:  978-0345506597

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

UNEXPECTED ROOMIES

Just when Sunako and the four hottest guys in Japan had finally gotten used to living together, their landlady springs a shocking surprise: She’s going to remodel the mansion and they’ll be temporarily relocated to a luxury hotel. Now Sunako and the guys are living it up in a gorgeous five-star pleasure palace–exactly the type of place Sunako can’t stand. To make matters worse, the landlady has reserved a special suite just for Sunako and Kyohei. Unable to cope, Sunako flees in terror, and Kyohei follows. Now Sunako and Kyohei are hiding out together in a tiny studio apartment. Wait a sec. It’s almost like they’re . . . shacking up!

I find that I enjoy this series best if I leave very wide gaps of time between reading each volume.  There isn’t much in the way of character development, and you don’t even have to read them in order.  The chapters are fairly episodic, so jumping around in the series doesn’t have that much impact on understanding and enjoying the story.  This particular volume was hiding under the bed, and it’s been almost a year since I read the previous installment, but I was able to quickly get back into Sunako’s very, very odd world again.

The mansion is being remodeled, and Sunako and Kyohei are renting a dumpy apartment instead of a staying at a five-star hotel with the rest of the gang.  Sunako despairs at their lack of funds; she can’t even afford chocolate!  When she accepts a high paying job in the red-light district, she thinks she’s accepting an evening cleaning position.  She doesn’t realize that the job is actually for a hostess!

I enjoyed this volume, as Sunako polishes and cleans her way to notoriety, selfishly uses the guys to finish off her collection of gachapon figures, and tries to convince Takenaga to leave his family’s home and come back to the mansion.  The chapters are presented with high energy and lots of humor.  Hayakawa’s art is hit or miss with me, but I thought the illustrations this time around very solid, except for the shirtless scenes, where the guys look like they are anorexic. 

Despite the lack of character development, The Wallflower is a fun series.  Sunako’s bizarre behavior is always good for a laugh, but I don’t think I could stomach a steady diet of the title.

Grade: B-

Review copy provided by publisher

Teaser Tuesday – Mindblind by Jennifer Roy

How can it be Teaser Tuesday again?? For a full description of what it is, check the bottom of this post.

Mindblind by Jennifer Roy is fantastic.  There is simply no other way to describe this book.  Nathanial’s voice is compelling and real.  I want to know more about this wonderful kid, and I can’t put the book down!

“I feel as if my brain is being squeezed.  The pressure of figuring out girls weighs down my rational thoughts and out spills confusion.”

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Review: A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

 

Title: A Crooked Kind of Perfect

Author: Linda Urban

Publisher: Harcourt

ISBN: 978-0152066086

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Ten-year-old Zoe Elias dreams of playing a baby grand piano at Carnegie Hall. But when Dad ventures to the music store and ends up with a wheezy organ instead of a piano, Zoe’s dreams hit a sour note. Learning the organ versions of old TV theme songs just isn’t the same as mastering Beethoven on the piano. And the organ isn’t the only part of Zoe’s life that’s off-kilter, what with Mom constantly at work, Dad afraid to leave the house, and that odd boy, Wheeler Diggs, following her home from school every day. Yet when Zoe enters the annual Perform-O-Rama organ competition, she finds that life is full of surprises–and that perfection may be even better when it’s just a little off center.

What a fun book!  I have to stick with my unorthodox method of picking library books, because it seems to be working.  What attracted me to A Crooked Kind of Perfect?  I thought the colorful socks on the cover hinted at a playful story, and I was right!  Forgiving the truly terrible pun, Zoe is a ten (almost eleven!) year old with great big dreams.  She dreams of playing the piano in Carnegie Hall, and when she asks her parents to get her a piano, her dad comes home with an organ.  Not just any organ, but a Perfectone D-60. Though disappointed, Zoe begins taking lessons on her new instrument, and when she enters the annual Perfom-O-Rama organ competition, she makes some startling discovers about her family and herself. 

Zoe is such a great character!  Nothing in life seems to go her way, but she quickly learns to adjust and make the most of what she’s got.  Her dad is afraid to leave the house, so he spends his days taking classes at home.  He is afraid of everything – the weather, getting lost, running out of gas, other people.  Zoe has learned to accept his phobias, and the two of them run the house while her mom is out earning a buck.

Zoe’s mom is the rock of the family, but because she’s so busy with her work, she’s not around much.  There are times that Zoe resents her mom’s devotion to her job, but she keeps her disappointments to herself.  It’s when her mom has to work and can’t take her to the Perform-O-Rama that Zoe’s resentment bubbles to the surface.  Her dad can’t take her because he’s too scared to go outside.  What if they get a flat or a crazy truck driver runs them off the road?

What I loved about this book was how far everyone was willing to go to help each other out.  Everyone faces their fears and grows as a person.  Zoe, her dad, and her mom all go out a on a limb to make everyone happy.  Even Zoe’s friend, Wheeler, steps outside of his comfort zone to help turn Zoe’s dreams into reality.  This really is a feel good book, loaded with humor and very convincing character interaction.  Zoe isn’t perfect, and she knows it.  Her family isn’t perfect, and she accepts it.   She also discovers that even though she has to work hard for everything that she wants, achieving her goals makes all of the hard work worth the extra effort.

Grade: B+

Review copy obtained from the library

Video Book Brunch – Personal Demons & Early to Death, Early to Rise

I love the cover for Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers.  The book’s got angels and demons – how can you beat that?

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison has angels, too.  I really need to read the first volume of this series!

In My Mailbox – August 29th Edition

 In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, and it is hosted by The Story Siren.   Go here for a full description of IMM.

Argh! This week has been incredibly busy.  My trusty assistant at work, Jen, is packing her bags and moving to Seoul.  She starts school there next month, and she is very eager to begin her big endeavor.  In addition to being my go to girl at work for the past few years, Jen is also my niece, and I love her like she was my own kid.  She has spent summers at my house, we have had many, many vacation adventures together, and she is always up for a plate of sushi or a bowl of ramen.   I will miss her very, very much.  Have the time of your life, kiddo!!  Don’t forget to GTalk me!  If you could find out what happens next in Moon Boy, that would be fantastic, too!

I received a bunch of awesome reads this week! 

 

 

For Review:

I got some really cool stuff from Bloomsbury USA!

Hush by Eishes Chayil

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa Klein

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

Thanks to Random House for:

Manga for the Beginner Shoujo by Christopher Hart

From Mania.com, I received some super nifty titles!

All You Need Is Love Vol 1 by Jinko Fuyuno & Noboru Takatsuki

Wolf God Vol 1 by Ai Tenkawa

Midnight Bloom by Rico Fukiyama

Love!! by Ariko Kanazawa

Moonlit Promises by Souya Himawari

Honey Chocolate by Nanao Okuda

When the Heavens Smile by Aki Senoo

The Object of My Affection by Nanao Okuda

Bought:

Karma Bites by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Bubba Goes National by Jennifer Walker

I was also given some blog awards, which always makes me feel special :)

 

I got this from  Book Obsessed 

 

From Untouchable Treasure, I received this pretty award

I will be stuck in a hospital waiting room most of the day tomorrow, so I pass the awards on then and update the post afterward.