Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin
Wow...I understand why this book was a finalist for the National Book Award. It’s jarring, true, and grabs at you. The Kliatt reviewer was right on the nose with comparing this to The Color Purple. Abuse is nasty, and Felin manages to portray the abused and victims in a light that isn’t done very often. Karina’s family is Haitian and suffering from the abuse of The Daddy. He’s cruel and their mother doesn’t stick up for them. In fact, she’s willing to allow him to come back home (again) if he promises to never hit the girls again. Yeah, right, mama, but, hey, he pays the bills, right? There is a lesbian story thread, too, but really it’s a story about abuse.
H.I.V.E The Overlord Protocol by Mark Walden
Even though this is #2 in the H.I.V.E. series, you don’t need to read the first book to know what’s going on. Otto is still a student at the Higher Institute of Villainous Education, and he’s invited to attend a funeral of his best friend’s father. But Otto and his friend Wang are surprised by ninjas when they arrive in Tokyo. Yes, ninjas. Cypher, a villain more evil than most, is trying to take over the world, and the two boys must rely on their training to save the world.
I can’t help but think of this book as the foil of Harry Potter. The kids are training to be evil! Yet somehow manage to be good. Or maybe just better than some of their more evil peers. I mean, really, even evil people should follow the rules, right?