Friday, 23 March 2012
Book on Trial #23: Anna Dressed in Blood
There will be bloody fucking spoilers in this review.
Author: Blake, Kendare
Title: Anna Dressed in Blood
Keywords: Anna, blood, gore, horror, young adult, teen, love, ghosts, supernatural, demons, voodoo, athame, witchcraft, spells, mystery, death, resolution, grief, friends, family, humour.
Recommended For: 12+
Rating: 
Sentence: I sentence Kendare Blake to a Supernatural and possibly some classic Japanese horror movies marathon. Also, writing something that is not teen.
Review: When I first saw this title in stores I thought Shit, this author knows how to hook you in with the dramatics. And then I thought, I hope this isn’t a teen version of Carrie. While keeping it fairly dramatic, Anna Dressed in Blood did not disappoint me.
This series is a reminder of why I bother with teen at all. I had sworn off teen for three months and failed because sometimes it just doesn’t feel like teen. It’s something more than that stupid, superficial crap or the very depressing “everything is about me and it’s all life and death” stuff. Don’t get me wrong, some of those books turn out very good, but they are all very overdone.
Well written horror teen is pretty hard to find and Blake’s novel is just that. Readers start off with a lonely Cas and his mother travelling around the world and freeing the ghosts tethered to certain areas; causing mayhem and death. You end up with Cas trying to figure out how he can keep Anna in his life, even if she isn’t alive.
I’ll admit at first the way Cas wielded the athame reminded me of Supernatural, but then the story started to create its own character. Cas turns out to be a compassionate young man just trying to save people and ghosts alike. And there is certainly Something About Mary Anna.
If possible, there is a more sinister creature than Anna haunting Thunder Bay. Familiar bite marks are discovered on the bodies and Cas is suddenly facing his ultimate ghosty; the one that killed his father.
From the setting in Thunder Bay (Canada, ftw) to the overly expressive cat (and even the touch of voodoo), Blake weaves a story about love, friendship and haunting histories.
This book bled into a seat of favour on my bookshelves.
Posted 1 year ago
♥ notes (1)
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Book on Trial #16: Tempest
Title: Tempest
Author: Julie Cross
Genre: Teen, time travel, astral projection, future, past, present, love, angst, death, making a difference, war, CIA, government operations, tempest, genetics, secrets, family.
Recommended For: 12+
Rating: 
Sentence: I sentence Julie Cross to inheriting the tempest gene so she can go back and make the beginning of her debut novel as interesting as the end.
Review: I have to admit, this was really hard to get into. Getting into Cross’ version of time travel was a little bit annoying because it was not initially explained about half time-travelling. Not only this, but Jackson seems unnecessarily dumb for a “smart” university student. I mean, it’s ridiculously obvious that his father knows about Jackson’s time travelling and is involved somehow.
But after Jackson FINALLY escapes 2007 and back to 2009, the story starts moving. Cross’ version of time travel and genetics has a lot of potential, however, her characters still lack some depth.
Sure Jackson is really in love with Holly (only realizing after losing her in 2009), but his range of emotions is desperately tiny.
Finally, I must admit that I like a dark story and while Tempest has it’s sad moments, it didn’t spark any emotional response or connection with me. It was weak until about the last quarter of the book.
I must admit that I await the rest of the series, hoping it is consistent with the good parts of Tempest.
Posted 1 year ago
♥ notes (2)
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Book on Trial #13: Why We Broke Up
Title: Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler
Genre: Teen, drama, break ups, French films, hipster, weird, high school, love, betrayal, friendships, death, life, moving on, grief.
Recommended For: 13+
Rating: 
Sentence: I sentence Daniel Handler to a series of really fortunate events-like a bonus check. If that doesn’t make your writing less depressing, nothing will.
Review: Despite my sentence, I actually do not mind Handler’s realistically sad and unjust scenarios. This book was not the exception. While, A Series of Unfortunate Events is actually probably the saddest thing that could happen to three siblings, Why We Broke Up is exactly what it sounds like. A collection of things, ideas, memories.
Handler portrays the vindictive and heartbroken perspective of a teenage girl so well, it scares me. Although it is unnecessary for me to point out, just like all of Handler’s characters (including in his younger children’s storybooks), Min is one strange bird.
That brings me to my points of issue.
1. Min is like a really classy Francophile hipster. How the hell does she, on the slightest chance, get the popular and slutty boy? It annoys me that she cannot seem to grasp that he thinks he loves her because she’s different from anything he’s ever known/dated. She may still be idealistic, but it’s almost like she’s kind of dumb. This is not the first time he has cheated.
I can live with this point of issue, however, given the fact that she does seem a little oblivious.
2. Apparently Min is either a fast writer or it is the longest ride ever. She writes this entire book on the ride over to her ex-boyfriend’s house. Somehow this doesn’t compute, even if they stopped somewhere on the way.
3. Min is actually kind of like a creepy pack-rat. She keeps many cute things from their time together, but also a lot of random crap I would’ve thrown out. I do get the stealing-thing though. Good souvenirs…I can relate!
4. The timeline is confusing. I’m not sure whether they’ve been together six weeks or six months. All I can remember, timewise, is their two month anniversary.
5. Min’s perspective is very amusing and sure you sort of feel for her, except that she almost doesn’t feel enough (even with the heartbreak). The writing is too calm and collected. Her thoughts never seem to be confused, but I do recall her little stabs at Ed’s personality here and there. Overall, Min’s perspective is not enough.
6. They broke up because Ed cheated, right? But Min seems to blame several things for their break up, including his freaking flaky-ass personality. And how she should’ve known months before (or weeks?). It makes me wonder whether Ed will even read this entire book of stuff. Does he know how to read?
7. There seem to be many unacknowledged family issues (unelaborated, rather). This includes Ed’s non-mention of his mom and their situation; his sister being nosy, but not enough to warn off Min; Min’s arguments with her mother; where is her dad again?
8. The banter is too witty. I don’t trust it.
I did rather enjoy this book, and can admit that if it is meant to just be Min’s take on the break up and relationshit; then it’s pretty damn good. But I really wanted it to be about her actually moving on; hooking up with her best friend; and growing up to be much better than that asshole Ed. I guess I’ll just imagine it that way.
She should’ve done one of these instead:
Posted 1 year ago
♥ notes (36)
Excelsior, fellow book lovers!
Sometimes I wonder why my books haven't asked for my parents' blessings yet.
You don't need to know who I am. Only that I like things. Like books. I am also a bookseller, which is why my hands are so dry to the point of them peeling off like snake-skin.
This blog is meant to be as ridiculous and funny as it is serious. I love books, reviewing them, discussing them, and analyzing them, but I'm also a fan of awesome things that make me laugh.
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