The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

***WARNING- This post will have a lot of spoilers, so if you don't want a lot of the book revealed, don't read.***

  I know it's been quite a while since my last review; it's been a while since I've had the time to read or review a book. But in the past few days, I've read two books, ones of which had a typical fairytale ending (hardly worth mentioning). But the second... I daresay it's one of the best books I've read in a while.
  Imaginative and intriguing, The Looking Glass Wars is based on Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, though it uses Carroll's story in a way that I found very interesting. But enough of that; I'll get on with the review.
 
  Princess Alyss Heart is the heir to the queendom of Wonderland. In Wonderland, White Imagination fuels most everything, and Alyss shows signs of an impressive imagination. On the day of her seventh birthday celebration -after which she can start her "queen training"- Alyss' aunt, Redd, stages an attack on Wondertropolis  and the royal family.
  Her family dead, Alyss' protector, Hatter Madigan, escapes with her through the Crystal Continuum (a form of looking glass transportation), and out of Wonderland through the Pool of Tears. But Alyss and Hatter lose each other, and are transported to two different places on Earth.
  As Alyss struggles to survive in an imagination-choked world, she befriends a ragtag group of orphans and runaways. But over time in the real world, Alyss begins to lose her imagination. Nobody believes her stories of Wonderland, and her imaginative powers are just a "trick". When she loses them completely, things take a turn for the worse.
  Caught in the act of stealing, the princess is taken to Charing Cross, a place where children without families are dumped and left with the off chance that somebody will adopt them. When Alyss is adopted by the Liddels, instead of getting better, things look even worse than before. The Liddels don't believe Alyss' stories of Wonderland, try to make her believe that it's all in her head, and even claim that her name isn't spelled right. But then she makes a friend.
  Charles Dodgson, a mathematics lecturer at Christ Church, listens to Alyss' stories with eager eyes. He makes note of them, and tells Alyss that he'll write a book about her life. Alyss, invigorated with one last ray of hope, gladly shares her entire life story. And finally, the man finishes the book. But, to Alyss' dismay, the man has turned the story around so much that it seems like a happy children's book.
  Enraged, Alyss declares Dodgson the "cruelest man" she's ever met, and claims she never wants to see him again.
  The next morning, Alyss greets the Liddels in the morning a changed girl. No longer does she speak of a place called Wonderland, and tell stories about Gwynooks or Jabberwocks or a strange boy named Dodge. She has stored that part of her in the back of her mind, where she hopes it will stay.
  Meanwhile, Hatter Madigan searches earnestly for the princess, traveling all over the world in search of the only hope of Wonderland's survival. And finally, thirteen years after the princess was torn from him, he comes across a strange book that talks of a girl who can only be Alyss.
  Tracking the book back to Dodgson, Hatter is shocked to find a newspaper clipping on the engagement of one 'Alice Liddel' to none other than Prince Leopold, youngest of Queen Victoria.
  When at last Hatter finds a portal back to Wonderland (after being shot in the shoulder), he tells Alyss' childhood friend, Dodge of his discovery. Because Hatter is too weak, Dodge volunteers to go back in after Alyss.
  While at a masquerade held by Alyss and the Prince, a strange man dances with Alyss. When he takes off his mask to reveal some very familiar scars, she cannot contain her surprise. It couldn't be. That was all a dream. He never existed, and therefore it couldn't have been him.... could it?
  At the wedding of Alyss and Leopold, creatures from Wonderland, including The Cat (Redd's top assassin) and card soldiers burst through the window and attempt to kill Alyss. But Dodge intervenes and rushes her back to Wonderland.
And now the time has come to prepare the still-dazed Alyss to fight her Aunt Redd for the throne, and for the freedom of the Wonderlanders. Will her imagination be enough? Will her friends, protector, and tutor be able to bring back to her what was once lost? Is Alyss strong enough to become Queen of Wonderland?

  Okay. Wow. That took a while. Sorry it was so long and that it gave away so much about the book. It just isn't the same if you skimp on the details. But anyway...
  This book was one of those can't-put-it-down-and-wouldn't-even-if-there-was-a-tsunami/alien invasion/apocalypse kinds. Yeah. Now, depending on your tastes, you might not find this book interesting at all. But I've always been a fan of any take on Alice in Wonderland, and I LOVED how Beddor remade all of the characters and gave them such LIFE, that you couldn't doubt their existence for a minute. None of the characters are perfect, which is awesome. They all have their flaws and bad points. But they have good points, too. And they (especially Alyss) transform throughout the book into either something very good for Wonderland, or very bad.
  Every character that we know and love in the original story is back, but hyped up so much that it blows your mind. While reading this book, I laughed, cried, got angry at characters, was so proud of some of them that I was grinning like an idiot, etc. Now maybe my mind was just on book withdrawal because of my lack of reading lately. Or maybe this book was just awesome. But either way, I give The Looking Glass Wars the awesome-sauce stamp of approval ten-fold.

  Awesome book, amazing writing; check it out. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
As always, thanks for reading~
~Shay~

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

 I haven't done one of these in forever, so please bare with me.
  This book was one that I'd been wanting to read for a while. I saw the movie, and thought it was interesting, and one day, stumbled upon the book in Wal-mart. It took a few days for me to get around to starting it, but when I did, let me tell you, I could not put it down. One of the reasons I didn't review it right after I read it was because of some of the controversial pieces in the book. I wasn't sure how to present them. Well, I guess I'll get on with the description.

  Jacob Jankowski is a twenty-three year old about to graduate from Cornell, a prestigious university for those who wish to become veterinarians. Only a few days before his final test, his parents are subjected to a horrible car crash and killed. Jacob learns that his father had been paying for his college with the only funds they had, and now there's nothing left. He cannot keep his family's house, or their land, or anything. Gone mad with grief and the terrible realization, Jacob is unable to complete his test, and finds himself running away. Running from his life, from his dead parents, from everything he's ever known.
  When Jacob hops a freight train, he enters the wild, colorful, confusing world of the circus. The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, to be specific. He meets many not-so-normal people, including Camel, and old drunk laborer, Blackie, a huge brute who's job is to throw people off of trains, August, a don't-judge-a-book-by-its-overly-friendly-cover ring master, and Marlena, the beautiful acrobat/horse trainer/wife of August.
  As Jacob learns the ropes, he gets promoted to the circus's vet, leaving his workmen friends behind. He dines with August, Marlena, and the esteemed performers, and bunks with the circus's dog trainer/dwarf, Kinko. And for a while, things go pretty smoothly (excluding some brutal red-lightings and horse-killings). Until Jacob gets a little bit too close to Marlena. August's not-so-nice side comes to the surface, and Jacob gets a taste of pure fury. And when Uncle Al, the circus's current owner, decides he wants to buy an elephant that doesn't know squat, things take a turn for the worse.
  Rosie, the elephant that seemingly doesn't know how to do anything, has such love and understanding in her, that even after August beats the living daylights out of her, comes right back as a happy, chipper, giant puppy. But then Jacob learns that Rosie isn't stupid. She just doesn't know English. Being Polish himself, Jacob teaches August some phrases that Rosie understands, and executes beautifully. With things getting better, August invites Jacob to a club with him and Marlena, and August seem to be almost happy. But when Marlena and Jacob dance together, August goes crazy. Now Marlena must decide whether she will stay with her young-and-blind-love husband, or get away from  his abusive ways and run away with Jacob.

  I know, I know- that wasn't a very good description, but hey, I haven't done this in a couple months. Anyway... this book captivated me in a way that most books don't. It gave me the good, the bad, and the controversial. I didn't put in my description some of the scenes that I didn't prefer. And if you look at those scenes alone, they take away from the book's meaning. I prefer to skirt around them, and take them for what they are, life. But for those of you thinking about reading/buying this book, I warn you- some parts of it are rather graphic. If you absolutely can't stand that sort of thing, it might be better for you to find a different story. But if you can take the book for what it is, almost ignoring those parts, I think you'll like it just fine.
  From Water for Elephants, I learned that even though many people seem one way, they can turn out to be completely another. And sometimes that's a good thing, others...not so much. You can't judge a book by it's cover. Also, I forgot to mention earlier, but the story pops back and forth between twenty-three year old Jacob and ninety-something Jacob. I love this part, because it gives you a little piece of what he went through, and what he's going through now that he's older.

  Great book, awesome writing. I recommend this book, and give it the awesome-sauce stamp of (cautioned) approval.
Thanks for reading~
~Shay~

I'm Back!

  Yes, yes, I know it's been FOREVER since we sat down and had a chat. So plop yourself down on my new and improved nest (it now has wifi), and open your ears to my genius, because I'M BACK. Did you miss me? Don't answer that. Now, on with the show!
~Shay~

Speak?

Should I review Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson?

  I thought it was a really well-written (and deep) book when I read it, and I think it has a great message. If I am to review it, I may have to brush up on it a little bit, but I won't mind doing that, since it's one of my favorites. It touches on a very sensitive subject (rape), and shows you the turmoil people can go through after it. It also shows that even after everything comes crashing down on you, it will get better. It might not get better right away, or completely, but when you're at the bottom, the only way to go is up.
Thanks for reading~
~Shay~

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

  Now I know what a lot of people think when they hear the word classic: boring, stuffy, old, meaningless. But that is not what this book is at all. I started off thinking it would be a rather boring, slow read, but with each chapter, the conflicts and drama grew. Everything was so well done and intricate. Everything connects in the end. But, before I get too far into my little rant, I guess I should probably tell you what this book is about.

  We start the story off with a somewhat boring, but necessary description of the county (and people) of Maycomb. Within the first few pages, we are introduced to Scout Finch, our narrator, her brother, Jem, and their small friend, Dill. Scout isn’t very old, but she seems like a pretty smart girl. Now she doesn’t start off very mature (she’s only about 6), but as the story goes on, we see her become wise -at least in some things- beyond her years. We are then told of the Radley place, the haunted house -or so to speak of Maycomb.

  As Jem describes it, the creature that lives inside the house (Boo Radley) never comes out except at night, when he likes to look into people’s windows and dine upon raw animals. Throughout the first half of the book, Jem and Dill (with a reluctant Scout) try numerous times to make Boo come out of the house, to no avail.

  We are taken through Scout’s life as she endures Miss Caroline’s intolerable first grade class, Dill’s creative but wild plays and reenactments, Jem’s increasing annoyance with her, a trial not fit for young ears, and the havoc that can come of all of it.

  After many adventures and scuffles, Scout finally learns why people are starting to look strangely at the Finch family. Scout’s father, Atticus, is defending a Negro man in court. Now in a depression era white-dominant county, this is simply unheard of. But Atticus is an honest and admirable man. In fact, he’s probably the most unchanging person in this book. He is the same to one group as he is to the other. He states that if he didn’t defend the man (Tom Robinson), he wouldn’t be able to hold his head up anymore.

  What are the charges against Tom Robinson? The Ewell family -a family that we earlier learn live behind the county dump and send their children to school only on the first day- has accused him of raping Mayella Ewell, the oldest of the Ewell children. And if Atticus loses the trial (which is extremely likely, considering that Maycomb is a very prejudiced county), Tom will be sentenced to death.

  Scout, Jem, and Dill sneak into the courtroom to watch the proceedings, and what they see and hear will shock them. And the results of the trial cause repercussions in Maycomb that will forever change the lives of many.

  “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

  This book is a must-read...for pretty much anyone. From just the cover description, you might never guess the meaning that fills it. Atticus mentions, shortly after Jem and Scout receive guns, that mockingbirds don’t harm anyone- they only make beautiful music, and that it’s a sin to kill one. At first glance, this statement may just seem like dialogue. But it is so much more than that. During the story, a few people are compared to mockingbirds, in that they are harmed when all they only mean to help.

  To Kill a Mockingbird is so full of intrigue and drama and meaning, that if you truly understand it, you’ll go “Wow,” at the end.

  It makes you wonder how many mockingbirds you’ve met in your life, how many you’ve unintentionally or intentionally harmed. The simple message of this story could be: Nothing is as it seems. Because it’s not. Everything has a deeper meaning, or a reason, even if you may not see it. So, before you act, (in the words of Atticus Finch) “climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

  Amazing book. Read it- you won’t regret it. I give it the awesome-sauce stamp of approval x10.

Thanks for reading~

~Shay~

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

  I don't even know how many times I cried while reading this book. It's so sad, and it makes you feel so completely and utterly helpless. IT'S HORRIBLE. BUT I LOVE IT. And I think you will, too. On with the explaining:

  So we start the book off by having the main character (Clay Jensen) shipping off a mysterious box to some unknown person. Then come the flashbacks. When Clay received the box, he had no clue that he was about to step into the world of Hannah Baker, the girl who no more than a few weeks ago took her own life. How, you may be wondering. Well, here's the thing: this wasn't a spur of the moment kind of thing; Hannah had been planning this (unless she could avoid it) for some time now. And just what is in the box? Tapes.
  These tapes document the final days of Hannah's life. There are thirteen reasons why Hannah is dead. If you're listening to the tapes, you're one of them.
  As Hannah goes through the days and the weeks and the names, you feel yourself going "No, no, no- don't treat her like that! Can't you see what she's going through?!?" And you find yourself holding onto that little thread of hope that maybe, just maybe, she won't kill herself this time through. Even though you know it's impossible, you still pray that maybe things can be changed; maybe time can be rewritten.
  And as we see the "snowball effect" that Hannah talks about coming to life, we realize that we hold the key to happiness or depression, friend or enemy, and even life or death.
  Every action counts. You never know when you may be one of the reasons why.

  This is such a sad book, but it also gives you hope. I recommend it to anyone who likes books that have a deeper meaning. From the very beginning, this book makes you want to find out what really happened to Hannah. The anxiety you feel when you finally get to how Clay fits into the tapes is unbearable, and it's hard not to skip ahead to his tape earlier in the book.
  Clay is such a good character, and he genuinely liked Hannah, so he is desperate to find out how he could have saved her, if he could have at all. And Hannah... goodness, Hannah is the kind of character that you like from the start. She's sarcastic, witty, nice, and she really does try to find help for herself. The problem is... no one wants to help. Again, you feel so helpless, and you want to reach out and hug her and say "I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND!". The plot is so pulling that you can't put the book down. It's a physical impossibility.
  The moral of this story is so deep; it makes you feel really badly about the way you talk to/act towards people sometimes. Always think about how you treat people. Every word, every action, every emotion counts. Don't be a reason why.

  Amazingly well written, really sad, extremely good- awesome-sauce stamp of approval.

Thanks for reading~
~Shay~

And Now for a Sad Story

  What's that? You don't want to hear a sad story? Well why not? Because you're...sensitive? Really? =_= Well too bad, you're stuck here -literally, muahahahaha!-, so just deal with it! >:)
  EVIL LAUGH TIME! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~
~Shay~