43 Old Cemetery Road: Hollywood, Dead Ahead

43 Old Cemetery Road: Hollywood, Dead Ahead
written by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

This book is really getting back on track to the Klise sisters' early works, and I love it.  The plot was still pretty simplistic, nowhere near as engagingly tangled as Letters from Camp, but the added plot from the film producers was a hopeful addition.  More of that please. In their other serial work, Regarding the..., each book led up to the next, where these could pretty much be stand-alones, which, as a dedicated reader, is sad to see.  Where has their complexity gone?  I know their earlier novels weren't quite as conventionally "successful", but they were such better reads.  I'm glad the sisters are finally getting the recognition they deserve, I just wish they got it for their significantly better works.  Anyways, Hollywood, Dead Ahead was definitely an improvement, and as always, I'll be looking forward to the next installment, but more than anything, looking forward to the next Trial by Journal or Letters from Camp-esque work from Kate and Sarah Klise.

I got this book from...:Amazon Vine

Grounded

Grounded
written by Kate Klise

This is definitely the darkest of Kate Klise's, and while I'm sure it'll have English teachers across the country salivating, I'm not a fan.  In the hands of these authors come some of my all-time favorites in epistolary format.  This book is written without the trademark letters and notes, and is your typical Language Arts class fodder, rife with the big questions, symbolism, and your good old token character death.  There are bits and pieces here and there that really are beautiful concepts, such as the brief discussions on grief, trauma, processing emotions, and post-traumatic stress, as well as the whole idea of 'living funerals', which is something I would personally love to see take off.  We so often don't get to tell our loved ones how much they matter until our love doesn't matter anymore.  I can think of all kinds of classroom discussions this book could launch, but as far as a fun read goes, nowhere near my first choice.  Overall, it's an okay book, but it lacks the spark of Klise's previous books.  Humor and quirk is what she does best.  I miss that so much.

Violet in Bloom: A Flower Power Book

Violet in Bloom: A Flower Power Book
written by Lauren Myracle

This is a kids' series.  And yet, at 21 years old, I'm still loving the cleverness of these books.  Lauren Myracle might have found her way into my life through her YA books, but her children's books have a special place in my heart, too.  The books are fun, brightly colored and contemporary, while also maintaining their cleverness and relevance.  All kinds of day-to-day aspects of our lives that are usually glossed over in children's literature are dealt with sensitively but importantly in Myracle's books.  She doesn't hold herself back, she doesn't censor these very real issues kids of all ages have to deal with, and for that, I have the greatest respect for her.  I'm looking forward to being able to read the third book in the series!

Molly Moon, Micky Minus, & the Mind Machine

Molly Moon, Micky Minus, & the Mind Machine
written by Georgia Byng



I read the first few Molly Moon books when I was home sick from school a few years ago.  Turns out, I needed some mindless fluff fiction in my life, so despite being a senior in college, this is what I read today.  I wasn't expecting much, the first few books were enjoyable in a feverish haze, but not all that memorable.  But mindless fluff was what I wanted, and mindless fluff was what I got.  The animal sidekicks are always a bit much for me, but it was an interesting albeit predictable plot.  I was surprised that they didn't exactly pull an evil twin maneuver.  I think this book series would translate well into movies.  Also, if any Nerdfighters read this, evil baby orphanage, amirite?

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me
written by Rebecca Stead



I'm often wary of books that have won awards.  They are so filled with tropes and, in my opinion, undeserving of the prestigious awards and attention they receive.  This book honestly wasn't terribly different, other than one major plot twist near the end.  Same old flowery descriptions, story that drags on,  "ordinary" young female narrator with missing daddy issues narrating her way through her "ordinary" life.  The twist at the end literally had me jumping out of my chair, screaming "WHAT??" in public repeatedly, but besides that, an ordinary, boring read.  I recommend you read A Wrinkle in Time instead.

I got this book from...:Chatham University's JKM Library

This Book is Not Good For You

This Book is Not Good For You

written by Pseudonymous Bosch

Bosch is back with the third installment in the Secret series, and it's a strong return! I still maintain that the first book was the best in the series thus far, but I did enjoy this one more than I enjoyed the second book in the series. The parallels between Bosch's series and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events are uncanny--both are whimsical and often break the fourth wall, with the author mysteriously inserting themselves into the plot. The book often resorts to using quirky formatting, which makes it all the more enjoyable (and might, in fact, be my favorite thing about these books). The ending definitely leaves you wanting to know more, and I'm excited to get my hands on This Isn't What It Looks Like

Also in this series:

The Name of this Book is Secret

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late

Till Death Do Us Bark: 43 Old Cemetery Road, Book 3

Till Death Do Us Bark: 43 Old Cemetery Road, Book 3

written by Kate Klise

illustrated by Sarah Klise

Have I mentioned my never-ending love for these sisters in a while? No? Well, it always needs repeated. I am a 20 year old senior in college. I was introduced to their books in the 5th grade. How is it that they are still two of my absolute favorite writers? I'm pretty sure I'm no longer in their target demographic. So, this particular series. You may recall I wasn't the greatest fan of the first book in the series. The second one was a huge improvement. And then came this. Seriously, Klise sisters, how do you do this? This surpassed any and all expectations. It's the same epistolary story pattern that the two of them have worked hard to perfect, and perfect it they have. We still have an abundance of plot twists, endearing characters with funny (and punny!) names, and in the end, a story that truly resonates with people of all ages and walks of life. Never stop, Klises, never stop.

Rating: 5/5

I got this book from...: Amazon Vine

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony

The Lost Colony
written by Eoin Colfer



My beef with the Artemis Fowl series is big, but simple: It's not easy to understand all of the elements of the cluttered story, and therefore, the story is not very memorable. I just feel like there are some fantastic elements in every book in the series, but seriously? Colfer should have lumped them all together in one hugely fast-paced book and been done with it, instead of cranking out entirely too many [desperate-looking] sequels. Just...give the characters the rest they and the readers deserve already instead of entangling our minds and sensibilities in these strange mazes of indecipherable stories! There really does come to be a time when it's pretty obvious this is just being done for money now (especially with the new reprinted fancy covers, graphic novels, etc.). Give it a rest! I was very glad to actually see a little bit of character development in Artemis in this one, as opposed to the usual endless action. Artemis and Holly are the only characters I can bother caring about, and I liked the focus on them in this story, and would like more. I also did enjoy meeting the female Artemis Fowl and am certainly intrigued by her appearance, although it would have been great if she'd been introduced in, oh, say the 2nd book, or even earlier on. I really would like to know if Colfer has an endgame planned out. This book ended on a ridiculously intriguing cliffhanger, and for once, I'm excited to read more. Overall, probably the best book in the series, but still, a pretty weak series with the potential to be so much more.

Rating: 3.5/5

I got this book from...:Used book store

The Landry News

The Landry News
written by Andrew Clements



I have really fond memories attached to this (and other Andrew Clements) books. I first read this one in a 4th grade book club, and absolutely fell in love with Clements' ability to create realistic characters just dealing with school situations, something kids will definitely be able to relate to, since school is pretty much where they spend most of their lives. There's humor everywhere making your way through this book. It also introduces, through simple characters and their interactions and activities in the classroom, a much bigger, more sophisticated and complicated concept: censorship in print publications. Not only does the story toy with the day-to-day goings on of a classroom environment, it touches on issues like divorce and classroom politics. One of the things that I really like, as someone who is on track to become a teacher, is the demystification of a teacher's life, telling the students, hey, you know what? Your teacher's not this huge scary power figure at the front of the classroom, he/she's a human being, just like you. It's very cool to see the evolution and growth of one girl's creativity alongside the evolution and growth of her teacher. It's incredibly obvious that Andrew Clements taught, and I'm going to say that's what gave this novel its realism and appeal to such a wide audience.

I got this book from...:Swaptree

Over My Dead Body: 43 Old Cemetery Road, Book 2

Over My Dead Body: 43 Old Cemetery Road
written by Kate Klise
illustrated by Sarah Klise

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In my review of the first book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series, I didn't have many kind words for the book, and I expressed serious doubt about the integrity of this new series launched by the Klise sisters. So it was quite a strange surprise to find a sequel that I liked immensely more than its predecessor! That never seems to happen; one usually likes the first book in a series more or the same as any sequels. This book flowed much better than the first, back to the original plot-twisty heartwarming spirit that I'd come to expect from Kate Klise. Some time is given to a recap of the first book's events, which I liked very much, as it was interactive, short, and quickly led in to the fast paced story ahead. It's another tangled tale by Kate Klise, where random objects and people are introduced throughout the story, only to come together at the end for a spectacular, cheer-inducing ending. I'm re-energized and looking forward to reading more by Kate Klise.

Rating: 5/5

I got this book from...:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh