Book Review: The Mockingbirds

The Mockingbirds (Themis Academy #1) by Daisy Whitney
Pages: 332
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction/Tough Stuff
Format: Paperback
Reading Challenge: 100 + Books in a Year

I normally do not read contemporary YA fiction. But if it is also catagorized as “tough stuff,” like Ellen Hopkins and Laurie Halse Anderson, I will definitely read it.

When I saw the cover of this book, I was interested. It looks so different from other covers. I flipped to the back and the second that I realized it was about date-rape, I bought it. I firmly believe that schools and society need to do more about date-rape. Society also needs to tell boys and men to stop raping instead of telling girls and women how not to get raped. But that is a rant for another day. Back to The Mockingbirds.

Synopsis:

Some schools have honor codes.

Others have handbooks.

Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way-the Themis way. So when Alex Patrick is date-raped during her junior year, she has two options: Stay silent and hope someone helps, or enlist the aid of the Mockingbirds-a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of the student body.

In this account of a teenage girl’s search for her voice and the courage to use it, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that standing up for someone, especially yourself, is worth the fight.

“Three things I know this second: I have morning breath, I’m naked, and I’m waking up next to a boy I don’t know.” That is the first sentence that kept me hooked on this book for two days. When I wasn’t visiting family, I was reading, hoping and praying that Alex would get her justice she so desperately needs.

Alex Patrick is a junior at Themis Academy and the piano is her life. We are immediately thrust into this confusion and panic and go on the journey with Alex as she remembers that night. I cannot tell you how many times my heart broke for her. I cried out of sadness, anger, and happiness and am so grateful no one was around to see me do so. Though Alex is going through this terrible ordeal, she is a lot stronger than she thinks. Not everyone would turn to help after being date-raped, particularly if not being able to recall the details. But Alex fights through it all.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is Alex’s relationship with music. As she overcomes different aspects of the rape and piecing her life together, her realtionship with her piano is incredibly similar. I loved it.

*MINOR SPOILER*
When she is able to recall parts of her rape, she is horrified to find out that Carter, her rapist, played her favorite Beethoven song, Ode to Joy, while he was raping her.  I was appalled and genuinely disgusted at this because Alex was so hurt. She couldn’t even play the song without getting flashbacks to her rape.

My favorite scene by far is when she goes to the music hall alone and furiously is slamming out Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. When she gets to Ode to Joy, she loses control and every emotion she feels is slammed into these keys. I won’t lie. It made me cry.

My other favorite scene is at the end when she is playing Rhapsody in Blue with her fellow musician and instead of the normal composition, they go hip-hip instead. This made me smile because Alex finally took her life back.

*END SPOILER*

So far my review is heavily focused on Alex, which makes sense since this story is about her standing up for herself. But her friends and the Mockingbirds are some truly wonderful characters and I wish every person could have them in their daily lives.

Martin, T.S., and Maia are Alex’s friends who stay by her through this entire ordeal. They all play their parts in helping Alex and it was truly touching to see friends who care so deeply. The Mockingbirds are also a great core group of characters who I would want on my side any day. Also, Ms. Damata is a teacher that I would LOVE to be.

The Mockingbirds is beyond incredible. I could not put it down. I read for two and a half hours straight to finish this book today so I could bring you all my review. Daisy Whitney’s debut is not to be missed. Even if you are not a YA contemporary/tough stuff fan, please, please read this book. You will not regret it.

Book Review: Darkfever

Darkfever (Fever #1) by Karen Marie Moning
Pages: 384
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback
Reading Challenge:  New Author Reading Challenge

I have been wanting to read this series for some time now. It’s set in Dublin, Ireland. It’s about sisters. It’s about the Fae. Seriously. I cannot go wrong with this book. And I was right. Now I am painfully waiting for enough money in the bank account to buy the rest of the books in the series.

Synopsis:

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. 

Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands….

MacKayla is such a great character. She is starts off very pink, bubbly, and without a care in the world. But after she finds out her sister was murdered, she travels across the ocean to very place her sister was murdered and becomes determined to solve the case. With or without the local police, thank you very much. I love how throughout the novel, she keeps true to her character. She is tough behind all of the pink and glitter and people, well creatures, are always underestimating her. She does evolve and grow through this book and I can only imagine how much more wonderful she will be in the following books.

Jericho Barrons is an interesting fellow. I have heard a lot of swooning over this character, but honestly, I have yet to get it. Don’t get me wrong. He is a really good character. He has that whole “I’m Sexy and I know it” vibe, along with some serious baggage that we don’t hear anything about. In fact, I can tell that I barely scratched the surface with this guy in this book. I hope we find out more about him. I would like to say that there may be some love interest between MacKayla and Barrons, but so far it’s just been “hungry” looks from Barrons and little else.

The different Unseelie creatures in this book are sufficiently creepy. One drains the beauty of females, leaving them old, withered, rotted and most end up commiting suicide when they find out their beauty is gone. Another sucks the life out of humans, leaving nothing but husks of skin. Yeah. Creepy.

Also, I love when plots revolved around finding books. Am I too nerdy? That’s okay. I definitely embrace it. But I love the dangerous adventures and skirmishes that MacKayla and Barrons go through together in order to get closer to this book. Speaking of the book, I still am confused as to why Barrons wants it. In fact, the Sinsar Dubh is still a mystery to me. I know it’s powerful and that lots of Fae creatures want it.

The ending of this book is wonderful. We see a new side to MacKayla, a new side to Barrons, and we are left with a wee bit of a cliffhanger. I really need to get the next book.

Let’s Talk: Book Censorship in School

Let’s Talk is a fun new weekly meme in which we discuss anything and everything about books! Whether it’s a nagging issue in the blogosphere, or simply a fun discussion topic, we’ll talk about it all! Each Friday, there will be a linky in which you can connect your own post, sharing your thoughts will all the participants at i swim for oceans.

Question: What are your thoughts on book censorship in schools?

*Pushes glasses up securely on my face and stares you straight in the eyes*

I do not think books should ever be banned from school. Ever. Period.

Literature is supposed to rile us up and get our emotions going. It’s supposed to make us think for ourselves, feel every human emotion, and question everything around us until we get answers. And you don’t get to do any of that if you are reading perfectly unoffensive material.

Normally, challenged or banned books are challenged for the following reasons:

• sexual or explicit content
• swearing
• drinking/drugs
• violence
• against religious beliefs
• or lacking validity in today’s day and age

Let me respond to each point individually as if I were talking to the parent:

Sex. Just because books contain sexual cotent or Heaven forbid, premarital sex, that does not mean that your teen is going to go out and have sex. As someone who read books that were quite mature from the time I was in middle school (Interview with a Vampire), I did not have any kind of sex until I was married at 20 years old.

Swearing. Every single child has heard a curse word at least once in their lives. It is part of the human language and it’s a way we express ourselves no matter what age. Yes the f-bomb is not particularly one that I even care to read, but it’s not going to automatically corrupt the teens’ mind.

Drinking/drugs. I’m sorry, but it is and has been in teen culture for a long time. Again. Just because your teen read about it, does not mean they are going to actively participate. In most books that this occurs in, your teen will be shown the consequences. These books are not manuals on how to flush their life down a toilet. I promise.

Violence. You’re telling me you never let your teen watch a PG-13 or rated R movie?

Against religious beliefs. With all due respect, there is more than one religion out there. Not all books are going to fit your personal Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Wiccan beliefs. And the teenage years are the years that your teen is trying to find him or herself. You should be encouraging them to look for answers, not shoving them down their throats.

Lack validity. As an English major, I can guarantee books are picked BECAUSE of their validity. You may think the world is hunky dory and rainbows and butterflies. But that is not the case. Your teen can learn about his or her world by reading a parallel world in the  novel we are reading in class and doing the appropriate analysis.

All of that being said, I know several parents who would not agree. And that is fine.  And in closing, I want to say something else to parents. If you don’t want your kid reading certain books or learning certain things, then homeschool them and do it yourself. That is the only 100% sure way that your kids are getting the knowledge that you want them to have.

Comics Review: Justice League Volume 1

I have always loved Batman and Wonder Woman and Superman. And I recall watching the Justice League when I was little. But I have to say, I am LOVING this New 52 series. I really need volume 2…

As a part of the monumental DC Comics—The New 52 event, comics superstars Geoff Johns and Jim Lee bring you an all-new origin story for the Justice League!

In a world where inexperienced superheroes operate under a cloud of suspicion from the public, loner vigilante Batman has stumbled upon a dark evil that threatens to destroy the earth as we know it. Now, faced with a threat far beyond anything he can handle on his own, the Dark Knight must trust an alien, a scarlet speedster, an accidental teenage hero, a space cop, an Amazon Princess and an undersea monarch. Will this combination of Superman, The Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Aquaman be able to put aside their differences and come together to save the world? Or will they destroy each other first?

In one of the most game-changing titles in comic industry history, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee re-imagine the classic heroes of the DC Universe for the 21st century. This volume collects issues #1-6 of Justice League, part of the DC Comics—The New 52 event.

Art: I quite liked the art in this one. Some of my favorite pages are the ones that go over both the left and the right pages. There is a pretty epic one of Superman. He good lookin’.

Characters: Batman is apparently the ugly duckling of the league. With no superpowers and such, everyone else kind of gangs up on him and says that he can’t do anything. Don’t they read Gotham’s newspapers? Batman kicks ass. My favorite moment with Batman was toward the end when he takes off his gear and let’s himself be taken by the alien things so he can go save Superman. And he does it! Without superpowers.

Green Lantern is a cocky sonuvabitch. Lol. Seriously. I knew from reviews of Ryan Reynolds portrayal that he did a good job at being cocky and such, but damn. I love the relationship he has with Flash. And I love seeing all of the great things he can conjure up with that ring.

Flash is awesome! I mentioned to my friend Sam that the only thing I know about Flash is what I’ve learned from The Big Bang Theory…so, yeah. I really love his character. Wanting to keep the peace, doesn’t want to go against law enforcement. And if I remember correctly, he is a crime lab tech when he’s not being Flash. So awesome. Did I mention he’s awesome?

Superman is Superman. So he’s amazing, but seems a lot more arrogant than he is portrayed in movies. I know, I know. Movies never do the characters justice. But still. And I know he doesn’t like Batman, but seriously! Every character can do something awesome to kick ass. They didn’t have to be born an alien. I wish he was a little bit nicer.

Wonder Woman is hot. Can I be her? Please? I mean seriously. If I would have known a long time ago how awesome she is, I would have tried to be her. I still want to be Harley Quinn, but if I can be a super hero instead of a super villain, I think I want to be Wonder Woman. I love that she doesn’t understand a lot of human culture things. Like ice cream, baseball, and football. Heh heh. It made me laugh.

Aquaman is kind of cool! Why don’t people like him? I dig the whole communicating with animals. I mean hello, have you seen Finding Nemo? Sharks and those creepy light fish. Someone needs to control those. One of my favorite moments in this volume was when Green Lantern asked Aquaman what he could do. Aquaman then proceeded to tell the sharks in the water to come eat these alien things. So badass.

Cyborg has my favorite story so far. I felt so bad for the kid who only wanted his dad to come to one stinking football game. But no. His dad is too busy with….superhero stuff and then this kid gets turned into one. I really like his cyborg powers and such. I don’t know how to really explain it, but he can connect with technology and figure out how to use it or destroy it.

Plot: I really love origin plots. They make me so happy. I really loved seeing all of the characters join together. First we have Batman trying to catch an alien thing. Then Green Lantern shows up. They team up to find Superman so he can explain this alien box left behind. The three of them fight. Then Flash shows up. And he’s pretty BA taking care of Superman. Then I believe we have Wonder Woman (Flash and Green Lantern are very impressed.) Then we have Aquaman busting out of the water. And then Cyborg, who they originally mistake as one of the alien things.

I loved watching them all come together in the end thinking that was the last time they would have to be together. But oh no, they have another something to do. Which I will read in volume 2.

Complaints: My only complaint is that I wish I knew more of all of these characters. Flash mentions when he worked with Green Lantern before. Batman mentions his last fight with Superman. And I didn’t know any of the stories.

Scale:
Don’t Want to Keep Up – 1
Won’t Be Sad If I Don’t Get Next Issue – 2
I Could Keep Reading This – 3
Need to Save Money for Next Issue – 4
Gimmie, Gimmie Now! – 5

Rating: 5

Comic Review: Animal Man Volume 1

So my wonderful nerdy friend and I went to Barnes and Noble and the comic book on the square in Denton. I bought the New 52 Animal ManVolume 1 (Issues 1-6), Blackest Day (the whole series I believe), and the New 52 Justice League Volume 1 (Issues 1-6).

If you are not a comic book fan, I apologize. I do not however, apologize for being a nerd and review comics (a new found love of mine). That being said, I know NOTHING about Animal Man. And quite honestly, I know NOTHING about any comic series aside from what I have been told by other people.

I just finished Animal Man and I’m pretty excited for volume two. And, aside from the first 5 issues of the New 52 Batman comics which I read several months ago…I have never actually read comics. I know! I’m such a nerd but have not partaken in the nerdiest aspect of nerdville! And thanks to my dear friend Sam (ravingnerd) I am going to give it a shot.

Just a fair warning. I have no idea how to review comics. At all.

As a part of the acclaimed DC Comics—The New 52 event of September 2011, Animal Man Buddy Baker, has gone from “super” man to family man—but is he strong enough to hold his family together when Maxine, his young daughter, starts to manifest her own dangerous powers? As these new abilities continue to terrify Buddy and his wife Ellen, things take a turn for the worse as Buddy begins a startling transformation of his own that will lead him on a journey into the heart of The Red. Collected here are the first 6 issues of this dramatic new series from writer Jeff Lemire (SWEET TOOTH) and artist Travel Foreman (The Immortal Iron Fist)

Art: I must say, Animal Man is pretty graphic. I don’t know how it compares to other comics and such in terms of gore and blood. But I did a little shudder at the guts that were spilling from people. And a face being ripped off. In terms of comparing it to other comics I’ve seen, this one was a little…off for me. I like it. But I didn’t love it.

Characters: Buddy is a really interesting character. I have never seen superheros actually have an actual married/semi-normal life. It was nice to see it from that perspective. I also really liked seeing his honesty about missing his superhero days but his want to be a good husband. And I really love how he is able to adapt any part of his body as any animal.

Ellen seems like a pretty realistic wife. I don’t particularly care for her “You need to be a superhero” and then a second later “I have dinner ready, don’t you dare go.” Literally. Okay. Maybe a half a minute later. By the end of the six issues, I liked seeing her tough side and the way she kept it together to protect her child.

Maxine seems a lot older than four! And her powers are freaky! I am intrigued as to how she will grow into her “destiny” and such. And what exactly that even means. Cliff seems like a normal young boy. I didn’t get to see him much in this, but I feel bad that he has no powers. Sad day for him.

Plot: I don’t really know how to comment on this, but everything seemed to tie in pretty well. I like how it started as a man just trying to balance his job and family into protecting his small child from creepy Rot and discovering that his daughter is ridiculously powerful.  I have to say I do indeed want to see where the rest of this goes. It’s pretty interesting.

Complaints: As this is just the beginning of my comicness, I don’t feel like I have anything valid but all I don’t care for so far is how quickly I read these. Lol. I feel like I don’t get enough out of them. Maybe I should read them slower and try to act them out in my head more. Hmmm.

I’m not near as awesome as my friend Sam at rating comics, but I have a scale I just invented!

Scale:
Don’t Want to Keep Up – 1
Won’t Be Sad If I Don’t Get Next Issue – 2
I Could Keep Reading This – 3
Need to Save Money for Next Issue – 4
Gimmie, Gimmie Now! – 5

Rating: 3 – I Could Keep Reading This

Book Review: Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters #1) by Michelle Zink
Pages:  343
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Reading Challenge: Young Adult Challenge

As someone who has three sisters, one that I am only a year apart from, I love all books that have to do with sisters. This one popped up on my radar via Twitter and I was so very intrigued by the idea of an evil twin and a good twin. I bought this book on a whim and finally had a nice long drive to the beach to read this.

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. 

The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents’ deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her.

I do have to start this review by saying, I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about this book. I have a whole list of things I liked and things I didn’t like. For the sake of my sanity and the sake of your understanding my feelings, let me give you my list.

What I Liked:

Alice. Though we are told this story from Lia’s POV, I really liked seeing the changes that Alice goes through in this book. She is secretive, paranoid, reclusive, and kind of scary.

The Prophecy. I always love the good versus evil twin plot. I don’t know why. Also, I though Michelle Zink did a great job at being thorough and mysterious with this prophecy. There are still parts that we wont’ find out until the second book, but what was presented was very engaging and kept me reading.

Sonia and Luisa. I don’t want to give too much away, but these girls have a great part to play in this book and I can’t wait to see how their parts unfold in the second novel as well.

Eerie Undertone. Throughout this entire novel, there is this build up of eerie tension that kept me on the edge of the proverbial cliff the entire time. Especially with Lia and Alice’s interactions.

What I Didn’t Like:

Lia. She’s the main character of this book, but I felt no connection with her. The only time I felt anything was her sadness at the tension between her and Alice. But honestly, I think the sadness came from me imagining how it would be if my sister and I were in their shoes. I just really wish there was more growth to her. By the end, I think she starts to become….better? I am ready to see how she grows in the second one.

James. The love interest. Honestly, like Lia, I didn’t connect to him. I feel like their love was fake. I didn’t feel anything when I read the scenes between the two. And I feel awful for saying it, but I feel like the romance did nothing for the story. At all.

Slow Pace. While I couldn’t seem to put the book down, it wasn’t because it was so fast paced. On the contrary, I actually skimmed several pages because I was trying to get to the good stuff. I don’t know what it was about the descriptions and internal dialogue, but I just didn’t care for it.

Overall:

I did like this book and I will read the rest of the books in this series. Mainly, I have to figure out what happens between Lia and Alice. As far as recommending this book, I would recommend you read this book when your TBR pile is low. I wouldn’t move this book quickly to the top, but I really do think it should be read.

Top Ten Blogs/Sites You Read That Aren’t About Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish because of their love of lists. Each week, they will post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. Please link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your post AND add your name to the Linky widget.

1. Erica Lucke Dean’s The Daily Blog. I absolutely love Erica. She posts something wonderful and entertaining every day. Most of the time, she has me laughing so loud that I get weird looks from my husband of people in my classes.

2. In Case of Survival. What can I say? I am a huge believer that it never hurts to be prepared for the apocalypse. My husband and I have a list of things we need and I’m pretty sure he has a “bug out” bag somewhere in our closet.

3. Kathy Lynn Hall’s Red Mojo Mama Musings. Kathy is such a wonderful lady. This blog frequently warms my heart and I love keeping up with Kathy and her interviews with her creation, Red.

4. John Shore’s blog. Religion has always been an interest of mine and John has a great blog giving a wonderful face for Christianity.

5. Alisa Bowman’s Project Happily Ever After. This is a really interesting marriage blog. She is not afraid to tackle any subject and give wonderful marriage advice.

6. Roni Loren’s blog. Roni is a brilliant author with a wonderful blog. My favorite days, I have to admit, are Boyfriend of the Week. We have similar taste in men, I must say.

7. Derek Flynn’s Rant, With Occasional Music. This wonderful Irishman is a writer and a musician. His blog is always filled with wonderful music that he and his wife create. I look forward to every Music Monday.

8. Kristen Lamb’s blog. A social media guru! Kristen always has the most helpful tips to writing and presenting yourself in social media as an author.

9. Suzannah Windsor Freeman’s Write It Sideways. Suzannah’s blog is my absolute favorite writer community. She has wonderful advice for all stages of the writing process.

10. Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn. Here is a brilliant publishing blog that I adore. She gives you real advice and tells you how she went from stage one of the writing and editing process to being a successful author.

UPDATE: 11. PINTEREST!