Life in the Pit by Kristen Landon

Life in the Pit
by Kristen Landon

Young Adult Romance
248 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 12+

Blooming Tree Press
978-1933831084
Release Date: November 11, 2008



From the publisher:

Brittany sees her life reflected in her high school’s musical production. Her best friend, Amanda, shines on stage as the star of the play, while Brittany is an invisible member of the pit orchestra.

Amanda has a new boyfriend every week, while Brittany doesn’t date much at all. Brittany believes the only time guys talk to her is when they are using her to get closer to Amanda. When the male star of the play starts to pay attention to Brittany, she has difficulty accepting that he is sincere.

Meanwhile, an anonymous note-writer threatens to destroy the play, Amanda and Brittany. Brittany is determined to save the production, her friend and her love life.

I always like to pass along a heads up when good books come out—especially if they're YA. It is so hard to find good Young Adult (ages 14+) fiction because so much of what's out there today either pushes the moral limits, or it's too preachy and sappy. So when I find a good one, I announce it to the world.

This is a good one!

Kristen is in my writers group, so I read the book a few years ago—and loved it! It's even better now.

What I like about this book is that there's a mystery to solve—it's not just a story about a love-struck teenager. The story line is great and you'll be hard-pressed to figure out who's behind the threatening notes. The characterizations are wonderful. The teenagers sound and act like teenagers, but "good" teenagers—no swearing, no inappropriate intimacy. Parents won't mind their tweens and teens using the main character as a role model—she is no goody two-shoes, but she's also not depressed, suicidal or self-destructive.

This is a fun story that will be enjoyed by girls, ages 12 to 16, and us more mature girls who like to read YA.

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© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires, #1)
by Rachel Caine

YA Paranormal
256 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 14+

Penguin Group
978-0451219947
Release Date: October 2006



From the publisher:

Welcome to Morganville, Texas.
Just don't stay out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

Read Sample Chapters HERE.

Do not read this book.

Seriously.

Unless you're prepared to buy the entire series and lock yourself away, neglect your house, your kids, your husband—and just read, read, read until you're done.

Because it was that good. And if you're thinking you can read just one book at a time, think again. This is the Lays potato chip of vampire stories—and each book ends with a killer cliff-hanger.

But to back up a bit. . . My sister has been bugging me to find her a "book like Twilight" for ages now. And there isn't one. Not really. But I've been reading vampire books off and on for months now and while some of them are good, most of them have way to much swearing, violence and sex for my tastes.

But this series is really good. Oh wait. I said that already, didn't I?

This is how good it was—I started reading Glass Houses (book 1) on Friday after work. Finished at about 11:00 p.m.

Do you want to know how Glass Houses ends? Yes, you do. It ends with one of the main characters two seconds away from having a knife plunged into his heart! Not fair at all. (Unless, of course, you have a Kindle and you can immediately order book two and start reading it in less than a minute!) (Message to DH: Thank you, thank you, thank you—I love my Kindle!)

Okay. So. Main character is Claire, who is sixteen, extra smart and ready to go off to college. Her parents won't let her go to MIT or Yale because they are too far away and she is too young. They send her to a small college nearby, thinking it will be better for her. What they don't know, but Claire soon discovers, is the town is ruled by vampires. And the college is ruled by a snotty girl named Monica, who pushes Claire down the stairs and threatens to kill her. Claire moves out of the dorm and into a house with two guys and another girl—and the vampire fun begins.

While Twilight is a romance with some suspense and adventure thrown in, the Morganville Vampires series is suspense and adventure with some romance thrown in. I actually like that better. There is some swearing. Some violence (it is a vampire story, after all) but it's not too explicit. There's no sex in this book, but there is very descriptive kissing (Just skip a paragraph or two).

I read the first five books between Friday and Monday. Book #6 comes out in June. Rachel Caine also writes the Weather Warden series but I'm not even going to go there until I have a full weekend with nothing to do.

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Cover: Really? That's the best they could do?



Content Ratings

Language: Some light swearing.

Violence: Some of the vampire stuff is a little grisly, but not too intense.

Drugs/Alcohol: Some drinking.

Immorality: Two of the characters have an intimate relationship but we don't have to watch it. There's some pretty steamy kissing scenes.

Values/Themes: Well, it's vampires.

Age Appropriate: I'd say 16 or older.

Writing Mechanics: Engrossing! Wonderful!


© 2010 It's a Book Affair

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, bk 1)
by Richelle Mead

YA Paranormal
336 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 14-16 (see Content Rating below)

Razorbill/Penguin
978-1595141743
Release Date: August 16, 2007



From the publisher:

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires—the ones who never die.

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

After two years of illicit freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. Rose will continue her Dhampir education. Lissa will go back to being Queen of the elite Moroi social scene. And both girls will resume breaking hearts.

Fear made Lissa and Rose run away from St. Vladimir's—but their world is fraught with danger both inside and out of the Academy's iron gates. Here, the cutthroat ranks of the Moroi perform unspeakable rituals and their secretive nature and love of the night creates an enigmatic world full of social complexities. Rose and Lissa must navigate through this dangerous world, confront the temptation of forbidden romance, and never once let their guard down, lest the Strigoi make Lissa one of them forever...

Read Chapter 1 HERE.

The Vampire Academy has some good twists in it. It keeps you guessing at who the "bad guy" is right up until it's revealed at the end. I liked the basic plot line and pacing. I really liked the Moroi/Strigoi/Dhampir spin on the vampire legend. I liked the idea of the St. Vladimir's Academy, where the Moroi and Dhampir go to learn to use their skills and magic. Although Lissa's character was inconsistent (sometimes strong, sometimes weak but no clear reasons for the difference), the characterization of Rose was strong and solid. I found her fascinating and likeable, even when she was being a bully and a brat. I liked the character of Dimitri, whom Rose has a crush on even though he's seven years older than she is. I also liked Christian, the guy who's ostracized because members of his family were turned Strogoi.

But as much as I liked those things about the book, overall it just had too much—too much violence, too much vulgar language, and too much sex. It was too edgy for me to fully relax and enjoy the story and there's no way I'd feel comfortable letting a teenager read it. Although it's marketed to teen girls, it's definitely a book for mature (as in fully adult) readers.

***Spoiler Alert***
Rose is sexually active and makes out with boys for the fun of it. Lissa has her first sexual experience at the age of 15, and thinks it's no big deal. Although under the influence of a "lust charm," Rose and Dimitri have a pretty steamy make-out session. Rose has strong feelings for him and its pretty clear he has feelings for her, even though when not under a spell he refrains from acting on those feelings most of the time. The entire attitude of this book is that sex is for casual recreation, not meaningful relationships.

As for violence, there's the usual vampire biting and fighting. However, in addition to that, there's some pretty detailed descriptions of bloody killings and gore. Lissa's uncle and cousin set her up, leaving dead and nearly dead animals in her room. Her uncle eventually sacrifices his own daughter, turning her into an evil Strigoi, so that he can use Lissa for her healing powers.

Because of the frequency of swearing, the detailed violence, and the casual attitude toward teens participating in adult behaviors, I can't really recommend this book.


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Content Ratings

Language: Frequent and casual use of multiple swear words, some quite vulgar. Use of the name of deity.

Violence: Hand-to-hand combat, murder, gore, animal mutilation.

Drugs/Alcohol: Underage drinking.

Immorality: Several steamy make-out scenes, some casual. Lust charm.

Values/Themes: Rose is an atheist. Casual sex and drinking is treated as acceptable behaviors.

Age Appropriate: Publisher lists it as YA (16+), but due to language, violence, and mature themes, I believe that's too young.

Writing Mechanics: There are a few glitches in plot and characterization, but nothing major.


© 2010 It's a Book Affair

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls, v. 1)
by Ally Carter

YA Mystery/Romance
288 pages, softcover
Target Reader: 12 to 16

Hyperion
978-1423100034
Release Date: May 1, 2006



From the publisher:

The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school teaches advanced martial arts in PE, chemistry always consists of the latest in chemical warfare, and everyone breaks CIA codes for extra credit in computer class. So in truth, while the Gallagher Academy might say it's a school for geniuses what they really mean is spies. But what happens when a Gallagher Girl falls for a boy who doesn't have a code name?

Cammie Morgan may be fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti), but the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without him ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, she's doing something riskier than ever—she's falling in love.

Read Chapter 1 HERE.

Awards: 2007-2008 Texas Lone Star Reading Book List; 2007-2008 Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers; 2007 Amelia Bloomer List.

This was a fast, fun read. I wanted to be a spy when I was Cammie's age and I would have loved reading a book like this back then. There is enough adventure to be entertaining and keep you on the edge of your seat at times, but it never dips down into the gore. The romance is sweet and light, some hand-holding and kissing but nothing I'd be embarrassed to have my mother or my daughters read.

The characters are great. Cammie and her friends are likeable, smart, totally believable and yet not always predictable. They are also not cookie-cutter girls. They come with very different backgrounds. strengths, weaknesses and personalities. I like the "girl power" message and how the Gallagher girls take credit for inventing everything from velcro to duct tape.

I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.

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Content Ratings

Language: One use of d***; they also refer to the "b-word". (They don't actually use that word, but call it the "b-word".)

Violence: There's a scene where Cammie thinks her friends have been captured and tortured. It's moderate intensity.

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Immorality: Hand-holding, very light kissing.

Values/Themes: Cammie sneaks out of school to see her boyfriend but she pays the consequences for it. She also learns that supporting her friends is more important than being popular.

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© 2010 It's a Book Affair