young adult | Lost in a Good Book

Artemis Fowl (#1) by Eoin Colfer

01 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Artemis Fowl Series, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Tags: artemis fowl, eoin colfer, fantasy, four stars, junior fiction, young adult

Published: April 26 2001
Publisher: Viking Press
Pages: 280
Format: Book
Genre: Junior Fiction/Young Adult Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren’t the fairies of bedtime stories. These fairies are dangerous. Artemid thinks he’s got them just where he wants them, but then they stop playing by the rules.

Having just finished number five in this series I feel we must start gushing about them on here so you can all enjoy them as well (or gush ahead along with my reviews on goodreads). What is interesting when I read this review again how tame and unsure I was, who would know how engrossed and, well, obsessed I’d become. I’d like to think a lot of it was mild shock about the narrative, I had never read anything like it before. The enjoyment I had whilst reading it, and afterwards, was certainly enough to keep me going, and I am definitely glad I did. I had this book referred to me by a friend and she was insistent on its greatness, so with her backing I dived in and I am very thankful. So, this was my first impression upon finishing Artemis Fowl, and if my simple little review doesn’t initially make you instantly add it to your TBR list, I assure you it is worth it, trust me.

When I first finished this book I had no idea what to say about it; I knew I enjoyed it, I knew it was different and well written but I could not find the words to review it. After having had the time to ponder I think I may have myself sorted out.

Artemis Fowl is a 12 year old boy of incredible genius whose sole purpose in this book is to try and regain the family fortune. What makes this book so great is the very nature of it – just simply a 12 year old and his bodyguard taking on the underworld of faeries with wit and an appealing arrogance from someone who does not act his age at all.

There are always books that try and claim that faeries are not the tiny winged creatures living under mushrooms we’ve always believed; instead there are pixies and faeries who are practically human with a deep magic within them. There is nothing wrong with that by any means, but what Colfer does it different again. What he does is make them a civilization that deals with its own issues and problems, has been repressed by humans and are fighting to keep their secrets safe.

Fowl’s interactions with the People (as they’re called), is fantastic. He rarely wavers in his air of self importance and own brilliance which makes him intriguing if not an odd sort of charming. What’s great is that there are no grand corporate plots, evil nemesis’ and no faery political struggle infringing on the human world. None of that, it is just a 12 year old who found a way to get the money he wants, and if it means dragging the magic world into his then so be it. Artemis’ thinking is perfectly sound and he will overcome any impracticality he faces with wit, quick thinking and trickery if need be.

This is only the first novel in a long series but it a great start, certainly one to get you involved and eager to keep going. Colfer changes perspective between the humans and the faeries, and within the faerie recon squad there are great characters that have just as many quirks, flaws and tempers as the best human characters. We are introduced not only to elves but also criminal dwarves, and amusing and terribly sarcastic centaurs, there really is something for everyone.

In all and many unexpected places this story is filled with humour, action, suspense and some really clever writing, not to mention imagination in this intricately constructed underground world. I look forward to continuing the series.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

15 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, General, Young Adult Tags: five stars, john green, young adult

Published: December 28th 2006
Publisher: Penguin Group
Pages: 256
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter’s whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the “Great Perhaps” (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.
After. Nothing is ever the same.

What do you say about a beautiful book that touches your soul so much that you feel debriefing and reviewing it takes away the magic? I have finished books I adored and rushed to review, eager to share all the emotions and brilliance and get it out before it consumed me. With Alaska, I took a lot of pleasure just sitting and thinking about this book once I had finished. I could not find the words to explain each wonderful aspect of it that moved me, or made me think about life, and this emotion was why it has been so hard to put this book into words. I have a page of notes that I wrote whilst I read, but they will hardly do it justice. So before we get into it talking about why you should read it, I will simply insist that you must.

I finished Looking For Alaska in four hours, I also finished one day ago, yet I can still see it so clearly in my mind, feel the characters, and feel the power and impact that friendship, fitting in, and being yourself can have on a single person and an entire community. This is Looking for Alaska.

Written in 2005 this is John Green’s debut novel. I know The Fault in the Stars is the current big deal, but I do not want his early works being forgotten either. Every sentence almost is deep and profound, even when it probably isn’t meaning to be. John Green has a way with words that makes the simplest and most innocent things have so much significance. There is a kind of poetry with the similes John uses that make your mind boggle, and there are discussions and references to literature which are masterful and jovial at the same time. John writes this book for teenagers but he does not treat them as children, and he does not underestimate their ability to think critically, or to appreciate the grandest and simplest aspects of life.

The story begins with Miles, and Miles is a normal teenage. The problem for Miles is he needs an escape. He has no friends, a dull life, and a desire inspired by poet Francois Rabelais to search for his own Great Perhaps. Miles leaves behind his ordinary and noneventful life and enters into the world of boarding school and into a chaotic exhilaration; though despite his desire for a fresh start, there is no instant change as Miles is still trying to find his place in the world. I think that by watching Miles adjust, and ponder the workings of himself and those around him that we get some wonderful insights; not only about school and the kinds of people are and pretend to be, but also about Miles, and by association, about ourselves.

The entire book has Miles trying to figure out who he is and what it all means, but with friends like the Colonel, and the utterly fascinating Alaska, Miles becomes Pudge, his life becomes an adventure of risk, new experiences, and relationships he never could have imagined. He takes responsibility and changes his own life for himself, but there is always a part of the old Miles lingering, something I think is very true of a lot of people. Change can be as different on the outside, but left alone with your thoughts you can be a completely different person on the inside. Something I think John has demonstrated wonderfully.

What I do adore is the amount of research that John clearly has put into this book. This was not an overnight thing, he worked on this for years and it shows, in every tiny detail and reference. From Melville’s white whale, to the Labyrinth, to the classroom discussions on religion, to the intricate details of the boarding school grounds; John has put thought and planning into this marvellous story and there is a true sense of respect for the reader. He offers you secrets and the way he has told this story you are actually ok if they are not exactly answered, not everything needs a conclusion.

This book was under threat of being banned in a school in America, luckily the fight to allow it won because I just cannot imagine people being forbidden to read this book. You can learn so much about yourself, even if you are past your schooling years, it will not matter; there are parts of Pudge, parts of Miles, parts of Alaska and parts of everyone else in this book in all of us I assure you.

A small part of me feels this review is not doing this book the justice I feel it deserves, there is just so much taken from this than cannot be explained in a review. If it is not Pudge and his affection for famous last words; if it isn’t Alaska’s extremeness, fierce loyalty, and personal library; if it isn’t the Colonel’s antics and friendship; and if it isn’t the simple fact it is a story about a group of teenagers just trying to find their way in the world, then I do not know what it is. I will say that I hope, like me, that once you have finished this book and you sit back and reflect on it you will love it a little bit more each time. I know initial feelings and emotions of books fade, but then there are those books where they don’t. This is one of those books.

You can purchase Looking For Alaska via the following

A lot of anywhere else really too

The Last Little Blue Envelope (#2) by Maureen Johnson

04 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Little Blue Envelope, Young Adult Tags: four stars, little blue envelope, maureen johnson, young adult

Published: April 26th 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 282
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny’s backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he’s found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions.

This is the great little sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes and I have to say it is another good read. The book picks up where the previous one left off, Ginny having returned home from her quest and trying to resume normal life. This however is not going to be able to happen anytime soon when the surprise reappearance of the 13th envelope starts causing trouble.

With another swift round of talking Ginny is back on her way to England to complete the mystery tour that she began. I suppose this is a lot different than before, a more direct purpose, and having met people in England previously she is not being sent into the unknown. That makes a lot more sense if we try and include Ginny’s parents in this, absent through both novels they seem to be.

It is less mystic than before, but in a good way, but it also adds a different kind of mystery, stranger than before rather than merely puzzling. What can be expected really when you are following the letters of an aunt who talks in cryptic codes and riddles?

This time around there was more of a focus on the relationship aspect than the sites and the countries Ginny visits. Partly and most probably because there was only one letter to follow, and partly because it was more personal for a reason; not just for Ginny and Peg’s relationship, but for Ginny herself, and working through her own life and what she has been through.

We are only given Ginny’s perspective throughout this book. If she does not witness something or feel something we are not given the information. This works in the context of the story as Ginny’s mixed feelings and confusion add to the narrative. It also makes it all about Ginny, and we see everything through her eyes in a more emotional sense rather than just following her around.

There are new and familiar faces in this new adventure, something that is nice but also distracting. Unlike on her last trip where making friends seemed to be Ginny’s forte, she spends a lot of time analysing her travel companions, and you often get the feeling she focuses too much on them as people than she did before. Of course when you read it you understand why, however it becomes a weird understandable, yet still distracting, aspect of the story.

It may be because of this that the ending unfortunately was a little bit of a letdown. Not so much as it failed, I rather liked where it ended up I thought Johnson had made the right choice there, however there were a few parts that felt unfinished about Ginny’s relationships. I have to say though as strange as these relationships were, Johnson does not fail her readers regarding the final letter. It is heart warming, heartbreaking, beautiful, magical, loving and so much more, all from a few simple words and thoughts. I said before Johnson manages to convey duel voices in these books well and she does it again.

If you read the first one of course you have to read the concluding sequel, and if you haven’t read either you must begin because it is such a great little series that manage to make you travel the world without moving, think about life as you never have, and realise there is so much more happening than your isolated corner of the world. Though Johnson did highlight how fairly easy it is to find out information about someone and maybe even steal an identity if you felt like it. That was a rather interesting discovery. Aside from that you get another side of Europe and the United Kingdom, another set of interesting, unique, mysterious and troublesome people, and a new Ginny that continues to grow. A very good read indeed.

13 Little Blue Envelopes (#1) by Maureen Johnson

01 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Little Blue Envelope, Young Adult Tags: four stars, little blue envelope, maureen johnson, young adult

Published: December 21st 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 322
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.
In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.
The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.
Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again?
Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

This book is very much an American in Europe. I suppose you could describe this book as a travel/coming of age story, but not really. It is definitely a travel story, and a rather well done one; but it feels like a coming of age story but it doesn’t at the same time. It’s a complex emotion. Reading this book does give you a deep urge to go to all of these places Ginny explores, Johnson has captured the ‘lost in a big city’ atmosphere very well. She also manages to replicate the teenage point of view and voice in the writing.

13 Little Blue Envelopes is a story about seventeen year old Ginny who is sent 13 letters from her aunt, these then send her on a quest at her aunt’s will. The idea behind this story was really good, it was different and mysterious. You certainly want to try and figure out why these letters have been sent, and where it could all possibly lead for most of the book.
Upon opening her first letter Ginny is off overseas with a set of rules and instructions, and begins an enlightening yet bizarre adventure. I can’t say a lot of young women her age would be allowed to go off on a bizarre unexplained trip alone to Europe with no contact or plan on what to do, but if we ignore that fact, the rest of the story worked reasonably well. It was definitely addictive.

Despite travelling through the UK and Europe, Ginny is not doing the tourist visit. The destinations her aunt wants her to see or experience are partly sites, but for a lot of it it is personal or meaningful places she wants to share with Ginny. The good news is though while Ginny isn’t intentionally seeking out these famous sites she manages to hear a lot about them and see a few as well. In that sense you do get to hear about the great sites of London and Edinburgh and Amsterdam.

This story is certainly engaging and mysterious because while you are given the facts, and you are sure you know the facts, the events are still confusing. In this I think Johnson instantly gets you in because you know the impossible and because of this you must see how it ends.

From very early on it made me extremely envious of people in Europe and the UK that they can just duck to Scotland and be home in London a few hours later with no issue. Johnson captures the experience well through Ginny’s perspective, but it wasn’t even how it was being told, just that it was being described to us makes it desirable. Oh sometimes Australia I disapprove of your sea girted land.

It was interesting to try and understand Ginny, she seemed smart, though naive to a point. She did not know what a fox was, which I thought was odd for an American, and she seemed to experience all the clichés of the world, and pointed these out as she went. Aside from the great descriptions of the places, Ginny herself sometimes failed to engage with me, especially when she was more focused on the letters and trying to figure out what she was doing, it seems unreal, but also understandable. Another complex emotion.

There are a lot of descriptions, and everything is described: people, places, clothes, emotions. And all well suited for Ginny’s age. What I noticed as I read was how skilled Johnson is at depicting voices. When we read the letters the tone of voice is very different and it is clearly a different person. The contrast and absolute separation of the two makes you forget this is still just one Maureen Johnson writing for both sides.

There was a line in there that made me think of Mulan, there was also this line: “It was hard to figure out how a pineapple could end up in a situation like that”, and once more we need to point out that there was a re-ignition of my envious and glarey eyed hatred at Europeans for the ability to catch a train through a dozen different countries. I mean I love Australia and all but…trains, across Europe! Just like that!

When I finished this book I instantly went looking for the sequel because the ending leaves you wanting more. You don’t necessarily need more because it concludes rather ok and in a surprising fashion, but with a sequel available it definitely means you must continue. Apparently Maureen Johnson wrote the sequel from fan demand so that’s a good indication of its popularity. Whether we will get what we want is another story altogether.

Darkest Mercy (#5) by Melissa Marr

30 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Wicked Lovely Series, Young Adult Tags: fantasy, five stars, melissa marr, wicked lovely, young adult

Published: March 3rd 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 327
Format: Book
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

The Summer King is missing, the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey. Love, despair and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict some will win…and some will lose everything.

As the Wicked Lovely series comes to a reviewing end I realise that I rather enjoyed them and a small part of me is sad that it has ended. But this is why the reread is such a glorious past time. Years down the track I can return and go ah yes, I remember you, and of course probably end up liking and not liking the same things, or things will make a lot more sense, who really knows.

When I finished this book I was so pleased that it was a final book to a series that doesn’t make me want to hate the author and curse them to high heaven with every swear word in the
devil’s dictionary, *cough* Mr Lewis *cough* Mr Snicket. After going back and forth in each book from good to intriguing, to annoying to alright we have some balance in book number five, which is great. There is a clear sense of growing tension and the threats of War brings out a completely new side of everyone which is just what you need at this point. Enough of the relationship drama and complaining and whining, it is time to get serious and it is done so well.

As the Courts try and recover from the actions in the previous book, they are also trying to prevent, prepare or ready themselves for battle with War. The majority of the narrative is alternating between Courts as we see them struggle with these recent events, while simultaneously holding back the battle they know they can’t prevent. The Summer Court is struggling with Keenan MIA, the Dark Court is wounded and even in the final chapters of this saga Marr still has more to reveal to us. I have said it before and I will say it again, for all the faults in this series, Marr’s ability to pull you in with what she isn’t telling you, and what she won’t show you right away is one of the real highlights for me. This book is filled with so much tension and suspense it is amazing. You pretty much have no idea what is going on but you love it all the same. You feel pain with these characters and you have an understanding of where they are coming from, something that has always been a strong point in Marr’s writing style as well. You try and predict the future and guess where the story will run and as much as you try and think you know what will happen Marr takes you somewhere else, and it works.

The build up of tension and the anticipation of action is clear for about the first half, but when the change comes you can see it begin to unravel steadily and then suddenly erupt. Everything rushes towards the end early on while still managing the steady pace. It is almost as if there are two layers going on within this book: the build up is being developed through the narrative, all the while the action has actually already begun under the surface and is pulling it along. That is the best description of it I have, but whatever it is it is working on so many levels. As you read you feel the excitement grow and it starts in gradual waves but then things change and you are just waiting for the explosion, which comes in spectacular form I might add.

No one in any of the Courts has declared war yet but War is there any way, and seeing how these characters react is brilliant. Keenan finally does something besides being a selfish manipulative guy, Aislinn comes into her own, Niall, oh god Niall is fantastic, always a favourite, and Donia shows her strength as usual, she did not have far to go like the others in terms of character strength but she does not hold back all the same. The fact that War is already there makes you feel like you are in the end of a film where the final battle montage plays and you see each of our main characters preparing or fighting for their lives and what they stand for. Lives are lost, those who remain are wounded in more ways than just physically, and there is the little rainbow at the end that tells you the damage is done but you know they will recover. This feeling comes in with a pretty much half the book to go but the way Marr has spread this out and treated each person to their own preparation was so well done. By alternating perspectives you really get to see their thoughts and reactions to everything that has happened or is happening. And what adds to the suspense is that there is no real promise of the movie rainbow in sight.

The presence of War we have seen in the past books becomes a dominating force as the world around fey and mortal alike begins to shatter. Casualties and sacrifices are shown on both sides, some not as dramatic or as violent as others, but powerful all the same. All the small battles have nothing against that of War, but that is her purpose. She is the embodiment of war and she is disobeying every rule of Faerie to get what she wants. By ignoring the rules she baits the Regents into fighting and lures them into her domain. It was really good to see everyone come into their own after so long dealing with their issues. The earlier books were fine because the situation had to be set up, but the fault was in the middle where I felt we hung on too long to the drama and love and mortality and connecting and it was so over the top. Now we have seen that reasonably dealt with we can get back to what makes these books so enjoyable: the politics and power theirs faeries wield under the surface. I understand that understanding history makes them what they become, but even if this weren’t the case it is worth having to read about these relationship dramas and internal struggles just for a glimpse of the real hidden power these fey have. We caught glimpses of it in the previous book but the threat of War brings it to its head marvellously.

The final chapters, well the last third actually, are worthy of everything that has been building over the past four books. There has been some bumps along the way and tediousness and a few out of sorts issues (looking at you book three), but by the final few chapters I could barely contain my excitement about what was going to happen. When Marr writes well, and writes with the tone and style it deserves it is brilliance. Nothing more, nothing less. Again, it is like Harry Potter 7: it is about the physical fights most of the time yes, but you can win just as well with logic and technicalities, they will help you win the fight more than the sword. When you finish the book there is no questions about what happens, what will happen, or any confusion. There is certainly no feeling of unsatisfactoriness. Definitely a fitting conclusion to a very well thought out and executed series.