Describe your new book. Oddfellow's Orphanage is a series of stories/vignettes that tell the tale of the newest arrival to a curious orphanage, a...
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Natalie has come a long way to get to senior year in Palmetto. She's changed her looks and taken on a new background. Now all she has to do is win Palmetto Princess and she'll finally feel accepted. She has the perfect boyfriend and the best connections. There's only one person who can mess things up for her and that's Natalie herself.
Betrayal starts out strong - I love Natalie's snarky voice. She's on the top and she knows it. She makes the rounds of the school, touching base with all the right groups ensuring that she and Mike will be Princess and Prince this year. We meet Justin (JB) while Natalie's on her rounds and we get the first hint that Natalie is not what we think.
As the story goes on though it morphs into more of the rich, high school soap antics type book we know so well. The way Natalie decides to callously cover up her mistake just bored me. The more I found out about her the less interested I was in her story.
I also felt there were too many pieces thrown in that weren't necessary to the story - Natalie's dad, Double D threatening Natalie, the whorish ways of the sophomore girls... I thought the ending was a copout also. What ever happened to Baxter and OP? Since a man can't change are we to assume Natalie couldn't change either?
For me, this book will only be purchased by request, so I give it 1 copy. I usually have a few students or teachers in mind when making a purchase and I couldn't think of any that might want to read this. But, I admit, these types of books are not my faves. I may have had a bias going in...
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(0 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
If I could go higher than 5 I would. I thought The Help had great voice. I could see the three main characters in my head. I loved the way Stockett introduced history without overwhelming the story. This book works for Young Adults and adults alike.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Although I think the Camp Club Girls idea has potential there were too many coincidences used to move the plot ahead. The girls all immediately became friends and one of them had a backpack full of spy equipment. The dog they found was never discovered by anyone else even though he howled and messed up their room. The girls were even able to catch their arch-nemesis crying over people expecting her to be perfect because her father's a minister. ( As a preacher's kid myself, I don't feel that was the entirely realistic.) The girls were able to sneak around the camp without getting caught and found every piece of evidence they needed. I also felt the scriptures were inserted into the story instead of being a part of the story.
All said, I give it 0 copies. Now, I'm hoping it was just this particular book that has issues. This is a planned 24-book series with a variety of authors. I'll be reading Sydney's DC Discovery in the hopes that the series improves.
Meet Finn. He's slowly fading. His hair is getting whiter. His skin is paler. And he doesn't want to go to school or see people or do any of the things he used to do before The Terrible Day That Changed Everything.
Finn has this thing for name meanings. Findlay stands for "fair hero". Finn doesn't feel like a hero, he feels like a failure. He wasn't able to stop The Terrible Day That Changed Everything. Maybe that's why he's disappearing. So in a combination present-day journal/everyday story Finn tells us about his life now and then.
That's really all I can tell you because the story depends on you reading it. Finn talks to you. He shares with you. He waits for you. He wants to tell you about his family and his hopefully one day soon girlfriend but right now best friend Meli.
The Last Invisible Boy is sad and hopeful and beautiful.
There were so many lines to write down and remember:
p. 5 - I'm vanishing in bits and pieces, like a disease that will not kill me but will erase me.
p. 36 - I love happy endings. I just wish there were more of them.
p. 44 - Most people think that Meli is my girlfriend, probably because I tell them she's my girlfriend...
p. 95 - Here's something I know. I'd give the whole world...for one more visit with my dad...
It's just so simple and moving. You should read it. Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back.
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(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Kimberly Cameron, aka Skim, is a high school student trying to make sense of what's happening this year. She thinks she wants to be Wiccan so she visits a "circle" with her friend Lisa. She feels like an outcast and the only person who understands her is Ms. Archer, whom everyone else feels is weird. Lisa and Ms. Archer help Skim get through the year, each in her own way.
I thought Skim was enjoyable and felt the writing and pictures went well together. Due to mature themes, I would recommend this one for high school and above.
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(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
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Customer Comments
brainlair has commented on (8) products.
The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate
brainlair, January 7, 2010
Natalie has come a long way to get to senior year in Palmetto. She's changed her looks and taken on a new background. Now all she has to do is win Palmetto Princess and she'll finally feel accepted. She has the perfect boyfriend and the best connections. There's only one person who can mess things up for her and that's Natalie herself.Betrayal starts out strong - I love Natalie's snarky voice. She's on the top and she knows it. She makes the rounds of the school, touching base with all the right groups ensuring that she and Mike will be Princess and Prince this year. We meet Justin (JB) while Natalie's on her rounds and we get the first hint that Natalie is not what we think.
As the story goes on though it morphs into more of the rich, high school soap antics type book we know so well. The way Natalie decides to callously cover up her mistake just bored me. The more I found out about her the less interested I was in her story.
I also felt there were too many pieces thrown in that weren't necessary to the story - Natalie's dad, Double D threatening Natalie, the whorish ways of the sophomore girls... I thought the ending was a copout also. What ever happened to Baxter and OP? Since a man can't change are we to assume Natalie couldn't change either?
For me, this book will only be purchased by request, so I give it 1 copy. I usually have a few students or teachers in mind when making a purchase and I couldn't think of any that might want to read this. But, I admit, these types of books are not my faves. I may have had a bias going in...
(0 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
brainlair, January 6, 2010
If I could go higher than 5 I would. I thought The Help had great voice. I could see the three main characters in my head. I loved the way Stockett introduced history without overwhelming the story. This book works for Young Adults and adults alike.(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Camp Club Girls #01: Camp Club Girls & the Mystery at Discovery Lake
brainlair, January 6, 2010
Although I think the Camp Club Girls idea has potential there were too many coincidences used to move the plot ahead. The girls all immediately became friends and one of them had a backpack full of spy equipment. The dog they found was never discovered by anyone else even though he howled and messed up their room. The girls were even able to catch their arch-nemesis crying over people expecting her to be perfect because her father's a minister. ( As a preacher's kid myself, I don't feel that was the entirely realistic.) The girls were able to sneak around the camp without getting caught and found every piece of evidence they needed. I also felt the scriptures were inserted into the story instead of being a part of the story.All said, I give it 0 copies. Now, I'm hoping it was just this particular book that has issues. This is a planned 24-book series with a variety of authors. I'll be reading Sydney's DC Discovery in the hopes that the series improves.
The Last Invisible Boy by Evan Kuhlman
brainlair, February 21, 2009
Meet Finn. He's slowly fading. His hair is getting whiter. His skin is paler. And he doesn't want to go to school or see people or do any of the things he used to do before The Terrible Day That Changed Everything.Finn has this thing for name meanings. Findlay stands for "fair hero". Finn doesn't feel like a hero, he feels like a failure. He wasn't able to stop The Terrible Day That Changed Everything. Maybe that's why he's disappearing. So in a combination present-day journal/everyday story Finn tells us about his life now and then.
That's really all I can tell you because the story depends on you reading it. Finn talks to you. He shares with you. He waits for you. He wants to tell you about his family and his hopefully one day soon girlfriend but right now best friend Meli.
The Last Invisible Boy is sad and hopeful and beautiful.
There were so many lines to write down and remember:
p. 5 - I'm vanishing in bits and pieces, like a disease that will not kill me but will erase me.
p. 36 - I love happy endings. I just wish there were more of them.
p. 44 - Most people think that Meli is my girlfriend, probably because I tell them she's my girlfriend...
p. 95 - Here's something I know. I'd give the whole world...for one more visit with my dad...
It's just so simple and moving. You should read it. Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back.
(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
brainlair, January 21, 2009
Kimberly Cameron, aka Skim, is a high school student trying to make sense of what's happening this year. She thinks she wants to be Wiccan so she visits a "circle" with her friend Lisa. She feels like an outcast and the only person who understands her is Ms. Archer, whom everyone else feels is weird. Lisa and Ms. Archer help Skim get through the year, each in her own way.I thought Skim was enjoyable and felt the writing and pictures went well together. Due to mature themes, I would recommend this one for high school and above.
(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
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