The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Title: The Secret Life of Bees

Author: Sue Monk Kidd

Publisher: Penguin Books 2003

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Top 100 YA, 21st Century Women Authors, Rory Gilmore; Goodreads Random

Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sister, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

A really beautiful coming-of-age story set in a fraught time period and place. I was rooting for Lily to find her place int he world away from her father and the ignorant perspectives of many in her community. I loved meeting the sisters and learning about beekeeping and their particular brand of religion. Many of the sequences feel very dreamlike. Almost like the opening scenes of Lily watching the bees swarm in her room. My only quibble with the book is the format. At times, the constant flashbacks muddled the prose. Transitions were not the best. Overall this was a lovely atmospheric book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Title: Feed

Author: M.T. Anderson

Publisher: Candlewick Press 2002

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 236

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen, Top 100 YA; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Satire

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon — a chance to party during spring break. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who has decided to fight the feed and its ever-present ability to categorize human thoughts and desires. M. T. Anderson’s not-so-brave new world is a smart, savage satire that has captivated readers with its view of an imagined future that veers unnervingly close to the here and now.

Ooofff. This one really did not land well with me. I was immediately thrown off by the large amounts of slang through in. Are we trying to do a Clockwork Orange? IF so, it’s off putting. Beyond that, I could not stand any of the characters. I just didn’t care what happened to them at all. I did enjoy the world set-up and premise of the novel. It just failed when it came to all the characters. I get Anderson’s point, but seriously, I could not deal with any of the characters. Hard pass on this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Paper Towns by John Green

Title: Paper Towns

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton 2008

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 305

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen, Top 100 YA; Modern Mrs. Darcy - Same Author; Literary Escapes - Florida

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificent Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life—summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. When their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Margo has disappeared. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they’re for him. Embarking on an exhilarating adventure to find her, the closer Q gets, the less he sees the girl he thought he knew.

I’ve been meaning to read this one for a few years, but the library never seemed to have it when I was browsing. Holds to the rescue! After diving in, I basically read this one in two sittings. I was taken on an adventure with Quentin in his attempt to unravel the mystery of Margo. This is my favorite John Green book that I’ve read so far (only have Will Grayson Will Grayson and Turtles All the Way Down to go). I love the adventure and the mystery. I love the inclusion of poetry and music. I love the various side characters and their thoughts.of the events of the book. But most of all, I love Quentin and his need to unravel Margo and her disappearance. If I was 15, I would read and re-read this book often. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Title: Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1)

Author: Eoin Colfer

Publisher: Scholastic 2001

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 280

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Top 100 YA; TBR Reduction

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius-and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous.
Artemis thinks he has them right where he wants them but then they stop playing by the rules.

This was our book club selection for September. The funny thing is that this entire series has been sitting on the twins' shelves for years now. So all I had to do was walk in their room to pick up the first in the series.

I gave this book three stars. If I was a 12-year-old boy, I may have absolutely loved this book. It has a fun story, decent characters, and magic! But alas, I am a 33-year-old woman. The book just didn't speak to me at all. It's the same quality at the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson series. For that reason, I am rating it 3 stars. I may end up reading the rest of the series at some point, but it's not high on my list.

Artemis Fowl:

#1 Artemis Fowl
#2 The Arctic Incident
#3 The Eternity Code
#4 The Opal Deception
#5 The Lost Colony
#6 The Time Paradox
#7 The Atlantis Complex
#8 The Last Guardian

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Title: Bitterblue (Seven Kingdoms #3)

Author: Kristin Cashore

Publisher: Dial Books 2012

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 563

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Top 100 YA; TBR Reduction; What's in a Name - Color; Seriously Series; 52 Books - W33

When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kingdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Grace—a special talent for mind-altering—and his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monsea’s past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city streets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

Not as amazing as Fire, but better than Graceling. This book grew on me throughout the 500+ pages. I'll admit that it started slow. I wasn't quick to love Bitterblue, but over time I could see her as more than the little girl you meet in Graceling. Once she meets Sapphire and Teddy, I was hooked. I loved seeing Bitterblue navigate the mysteries surrounding her kingdom and people. I love seeing more of Katsa and Po and even Fire! I loved getting to know Giddon. And the storyline held me until the end. I had to see who was responsible for the fires and killings and who was lying and who was telling the truth. A very good conclusion to the trilogy. (Just hang on through the first 50 pages or so)

Seven Kingdoms:

#1 Graceling
#2 Fire
#3 Bitterblue

Fire by Kristin Cashore

Title: Fire (Seven Kingdoms #2)

Author: Kristin Cashore

Publisher: Firebird 2009

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 461

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Top 100 YA; Mount TBR; Seriously Series; 52 Books - W21

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her. Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books.

I liked this volume even more than Graceling. There was something about Fire that just grabbed me from page one. I wanted to see her journey in its entirety. I wanted her to find peace and happiness. I wanted to see what happened in the Dells and the fate of the mysterious boy. Initially I was wary of reading a companion novel, but realized that this is a great book that happens to be set in the same world as the previous book. Such a fascinating world it is. I especially loved the inclusion of the monster animals in this volume. How different the monsters are from the gracelings in the Seven Kingdoms, and yet they have similarities. Definitely a must read!

Seven Kingdoms:

#1 Graceling
#2 Fire
#3 Bitterblue

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green

Publisher: Speak 2006

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pages: 228

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Top 100 YA; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W39; What's in a Name - Names

Colin Singleton believes he is a washed-up child prodigy. A graduating valedictorian with a talent for creating anagrams, he fears he'll never do anything to classify him as a genius. To make matters worse, he has just been dumped by his most recent girlfriend (all of them have been named Katherine), and he's inconsolable. What better time for a road trip! He and his buddy Hassan load up the gray Olds (Satan's Hearse) and leave Chicago. They make it as far as Gutshot, Tennessee, where they stop to tour the gravesite of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and meet a girl who isn't named Katherine. It's this girl, Lindsey, who helps Colin work on a mathematical theorem to predict the duration of romantic relationships.

It took me awhile to get into this book, but once I did, I was right there with the characters. Green has a way with characters that's for sure. I love the quirkiness of all the characters, especially Lindsey. The storyline wasn't the best thing, but worked well with the characters. I even loved reading about the math behind Colin's theorem. It may not be my area, but it was a great nerdy addition. Not quite as good overall as The Fault in Our Stars, but I still really loved this one.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Author: Sherman Alexie

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company 2007

Genre: YA

Pages: 230

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Top 100 YA; US of YA; New Author

Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

One of those books on the big "Must-read" list and I find that I'm just a little too old to fully appreciate this volume. It's a good read, but I didn't connect to it on a personal level. I did enjoy the little cartoons sprinkled throughout. This feels like a great read for middle to high schoolers. Will keep it in mind for the twins in a few years.

Tithe by Holly Black

Title: Tithe (Modern Tale of Faerie #1)

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Simon and Schuster 2002

Genre: YA Paranormal (Fey)

Pages: 340

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Women Author; 52 Books - W6; Top 100 YA Novels; Read Your Freebies

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms -- a struggle that could very well mean her death.

The entire time I was reading this, I just kept thinking "I've read this before." I haven't read this actual book, bit I've read so many YA stories just like it that the storyline was just incredibly familiar. I was pretty bored. I think I could have liked this book, but I've just read too much of this genre. I was going to include this series in my Seriously Series Reading Challenge. Since i am nixing this series, I will not include it and substitute a different series for the challenge.

Modern Tale of Faerie (DNFed series)

#1 Tithe
#2 Valiant
#3 Ironside