PERCHANCE TO DREAM by Lisa Mantchev - REVIEW

Feiwel & Friends – May 25, 2010


As the curtain rises on Act 2 of the Thèâtre Illuminata, we find Bertie at the beginning of her quest to rescue Nate from the clutches of the evil Sea Goddess from The Little Mermaid.  As the new Mistress of Revels, it is her job to put pen to paper and create the story of the journey.  With Ariel, the air spirit from The Tempest, and the delightfully mischievous fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bertie attempts to navigate her way through the world outside the Theater.


Complications and obstacles appear at every turn and Bertie’s emotions aren’t making matters any easier. Her feelings for Ariel have evolved into something harder to define, but her loyalties to Nate leave her feeling guilty about her closeness with Ariel.  In order to save Nate, she’ll have to explore her true feelings and decide which man she loves the most.


PERCHANCE TO DREAM is very different from EYES LIKE STARS.  Lisa Mantchev introduces many new characters and a completely new setting.  The reader gets to experience what life is like outside the theater.  Readers will be relieved to know the fairies provide the same comic relief as they did in the first book.  Lisa Mantchev leaves readers ready for the third installment in the series.


If you were a fan of EYES LIKE STARS, you’ll definitely want to read this wildly, creative book.  It isn’t completely necessary for a person to read the first book to enjoy PERCHANCE TO DREAM, but… it would probably be best.


Book rec’d as part of Traveling ARC Tours.

Read-a-Likes - SECRETS

Young Adult books are filled with turmoil and angst.  Secrets are a big part of teenage life.  I’ve read some great books that share a theme – the characters all have something to hide.  In some instances, the secret is something they wish they could scream from the top of the rooftops, but in others they just want everything to go away so they can lead a normal life.

THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer Hubbard


WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson



DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C.J. Omololu



LUNA by Julie Anne Peters



DULL BOY by Sarah Cross



CANDOR by Pam Bachorz



KEEPING YOU A SECRET by Julie Anne Peters



SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson



WAKE by Lisa McMann



AFTER by Amy Efaw



TEACH ME by R.A. Nelson



What else should I add?

GEMX by Nicky Singer - REVIEW

Holiday House – April 15, 2008

Maxo Strang is one of the most perfect people in the Polis, an exclusive district where only genetically enhanced people can live. He is the GenOff (offspring) of the most important scientist in the Polis. Igo Strang, Maxo’s father, is the lead scientist for the Polis. It is his job to continually improve the enhancements. He is always striving for perfections. With the model, GemX, he thinks he is as close to perfect as he can get. Maxo is a GemX.

Maxo enjoys a luxurious life in the Polis. He never gives much thought to the Dreggies that live outside the check points – until he sees Gala on the video screen. Maxo’s life is turned upside down when a flaw in the GemX model is discovered. It seems “cracks,” a.k.a. wrinkles, are appearing on many of their faces and it is up to Igo Strang to figure out what is causing the unexpected early aging in thousands of the most promising young people of the Polis. The problem is, the leaders don’t want to give him the time it will take. Their solution is much more drastic.

Maxo is thrown into an unknown world when he attempts to save himself and others from the secrecy and lies of the Polis.

GEMX didn’t live up to it’s description. The speed at which Maxo and Gala become obsessed with each other is unbelievable and the story didn’t move fast enough. I felt like I was forcing myself to get through it.

HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rosoff - REVIEW

Daisy is being shipped to England to live with an aunt and four cousins she’s never met because her “wicked” step-mother convinced Daisy’s father it was the best thing for her. While she isn’t thrilled with the new arrangement, as soon as she arrives, Daisy feels an overwhelming since of belonging and connection. She feels more at home with these strangers than she ever has in New York City with her father.

Before Daisy has a chance to settle in, her aunt leaves for a conference out of town, leaving her and her four cousins alone. Shortly after, England is invaded by an unnamed force. Bombings and skirmishes scatter the countryside while Daisy and the cousins live in relative safety on their isolated farm – until the military locates their house and decides to commandeer it for their planning headquarters. The cousins are separated – girls to one location and the boys to another.

Daisy makes it her mission to get the family back together. The reader travels the dangerous roads through the England landscape with Daisy as she witnesses death and destruction. Your heart will go out to her and you’ll be emotionally invested with the family by the time you get to the end of the book. HOW I LIVE NOW is great choice if you are a fan of dystopian novels. Amidst the war, a beautiful, but unconventional love story unfolds. HOW I LIVE NOW will easily turn into a single-sitting read. Once you start you won’t want to stop.

STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr - REVIEW

Deanna Lambert made a mistake. She got involved with her brother’s best friend when she was 13-years-old. Tommy never took her on a date, never took her to get something to eat, never went anywhere with her in public. He would just pick her up after school or come over to her house when he knew Deanna’s brother wasn’t home so they could go park and fool around.

People found out about the relationship in the worst way possible. Deanna’s father caught her with Tommy in the back of his car. The next day, everyone knew what happened. Mostly because Tommy told everyone. Since that terrible night, Deanna’s father hasn’t really looked at her or talked to her and home doesn’t comfort her at all.

Sadly, school isn’t safe for her either. Daily, she hears taunts like slut and skank, suffers unwanted advances from guys, and endures dirty looks from the girls. Her only bright spot is her best friend, Jason.

THE STORY OF A GIRL isn’t a pick me up. I felt sorry for Deanna through the entire book – even in the end. Deanna definitely grew as a character from beginning to end and there is even a small glimmer of hope by the final page. It is a valuable addition to young adult literature in the sense that it shows a girl making it through an extremely tough time. Deanna doesn’t give up – even when she keeps making mistakes.

I would have liked to see the story extended a bit. I wasn’t satisfied with where Deanna’s story left off. Also, I listened to THE STORY OF A GIRL on audio book and the author, Sara Zarr, was the reader. It might have been a little better if a professional reader would have read it.

Read-a-Likes - ROMANCE

In honor of Valentine's Day the theme of this Read-a-Like is Romance. The following books include a deep, loving relationships between the main characters.

WONDROUS STRANGE and DARKLIGHT by Lesley Livingston

WICKED LOVELY, FRAGILE ETERNITY, and RADIANT SHADOWS by Melissa Marr

SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater

LAMENT and BALLAD by Maggie Stiefvater

WINGS by Aprilynne Pike

HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick

FALLEN by Lauren Kate

SEA CHANGE by Aimee Friedman

JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE by Beth Fantaskey

GRACELING and FIRE by Kristin Cashore

EVERNIGHT and STARGAZER by Claudia Gray

ETERNAL by Cynthia Leitich Smith

OLD MAGIC by Marianne Curley

As you can see, all of the books on my list are romance mixed with fantasy. So, does anyone out there have any suggestions for contemporary fiction romance books? If so, please leave a comment.

I KISSED A ZOMBIE, AND I LIKED IT by Adam Selzer - REVIEW

Delacorte Books for Young People – January 26, 2010

Ali/Alley/Gonk (short for Algonquin) is the touch music critic of the high school newspaper. There isn’t anything she loves more than a good song and there aren’t many people out there her age that appreciate the quality of singers like Cole Porter as she does.

Alley’s latest assignment takes her to one of Cornersville’s local music scenes. A band is set to play a gig that includes a band member from school – oh, he’s also a vampire. Yep, in this world people are aware of the existence of vampires and zombies – and the popular crowd wants to either become one themselves or at the very least date one. Alley doesn’t see the attraction. She is one of the few that has no interest in the supernatural side life.

Alley doesn’t intend to get stuck in her small town for the rest of her life so dating isn’t that important to her. She doesn’t want to get too attached to a guy that will keep her in town. She’s all for having fun and making out, but…that’s about it. Her attitude toward guys changes drastically when she sees Doug sing a few songs during the gig she’s reviewing for the newspaper.

Doug catches Alley’s attention when he sings a Cole Porter song. His interpretation of the classic is unique and sexy. It doesn’t take long for Alley to fall head-over-heels in love with Doug. It doesn’t matter to her that he wears the same suit every time she sees him, can’t talk for very much at a time, or has a strange smell about him (Doug tells her he has a sickness). The way he makes her feel makes up for his strangeness.

When Alley finally puts the pieces together she is forced to make some BIG decisions. Is her love strong enough to overcome the obstacles of their love?

I KISSED A ZOMBIE, AND I LIKED IT is okay. The world Adam Selzer created for the novel is fun and interesting, but Alley is an unlikable character. If you can get over that, then you’ll be okay. In terms of quirky, light, romancy zombie books, here is where it would fall:

NEVER SLOW DANCE WITH A ZOMBIE by E. Van Lowe is worse at 1 glasses.

YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME by Stacey Jay is better at 4 glasses.