"Peter and the Starcatchers" by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Pages: 451
Genre: Children's, Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: In an evocative and fast-paced adventure on the high seas and on a faraway island, an orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, overcome bands ofpirates and thieves in their quest to keep a fantastical secret safe and save the world from evil. Best-selling authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have turned back the clock to reveal the wonderful story that precedes J. M. Barrie's beloved Peter Pan. Peter and the Starcatchers is brimming with richly developed characters, from the scary but somehow familiar Black Stache and ferocious Mister Grin to the sweet but sophisticated Molly and fearless Peter. Page after page of riveting adventures take readers of all ages on a voyage from a filthy, crime-ridden port in old England across the turbulent sea. Aboard the Never Land is a trunk that holds the "greatest treasure on earth"--but is it gold, jewels, or something far more mysterious and dangerous?

Roiling waves and raging storms; skullduggery and pirate treachery provide the backdrop for battles at sea. Bone-crushing breakers eventually land our characters on Mollusk Island--where the action really heats up.

This impossible-to-put-down tale leads readers on an unforgettable journey--fraught with danger yet filled with mystical and magical moments.


Review: During my undergrad, I read this book for my Children's Lit class. I was immediately enthralled with it. The simple thought of hearing more of the Peter Pan story was enough for me to pick up this book. Who doesn't love that classic story? Barry and Pearson did an amazing job explaining things--like how Tinkerbell actually became tinkerbell, how Neverland was established, and so on.

I couldn't put this book down. I loved every moment of it--never a dull one, at that. It is thrilling, intriguing, and completely worth the time I put into reading it. Seriously, give it a try. I'm sure you won't regret it. It's really that good.

"Specials" by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 372
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: Tally thought they were a rumor, but now she's one of them. A Special. A super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

But maybe being perfectly programmed with strength and focus isn't better than anything she's ever known. Tally still has memories of something else.

But it's easy for her to tune that out--until she's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

Review: The third installment of the "Uglies" series is great. Just like the previous two, it was a quick and exciting read. The characters, for the most part, kept true to their previously set characterizations from the first two books. Westerfeld is a great author--one who really knows how to captivate a reader.

But, I have to be honest. I get irritated when the book doesn't turn out the way I want it to. :) And there were many parts in this book that just made me want to pull out my hair in frustration. But, other than that, it was fun to read, a great beach-type book.

If you've read it, let me know what you think!

"Pretties" by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 370
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun--the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom--is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life--because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

Review: First of all, I find the back cover synopsis to be a tad ridiculous. Could they make it sound any more like a book only a twelve year old girl would read? But with that being said, this book was wonderful--just like the first in the series. It completely pulled me in--even though I was more than just a tad frustrating the way some things turned out. But, as a reader, I don't have control over that.

I also read this on in less than a day because I just couldn't put it down. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, so to speak. I needed to know how Tally survived, emotionally, mentally, and physically, through her life that is constantly changing and evolving.

"Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

Pages: 425
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license--for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world--and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Review: Before I started this book series, I had heard a lot of great things about it. It definitely didn't disappoint. I was completely enthralled and read it in less than a day. It is an extremely quick read, and it can be difficult to keep track of the passing time. Westerfeld does an amazing job describing this future, in my opinion, distopian society. I can picture all the gadgets and advancements. Westerfeld's vision throughout this book, and the books that follow, are imaginative and genius.

"The Magician's Nephew" by C.S. Lewis

Pages: 221
Genre: Children's/ Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: The novel begins in London in the early 1900s. The principal characters are two pre-adolescent children, Digory Kirk and Polly Plummer, Digory being the boy who becomes the Professor Kirke appearing in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. The pair are transported to other worlds by the magical experiments of Digory's selfish Uncle Andrew and become caught up in the creation of Narnia and the introduction there of the evil queen Jadis, antagonist of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Review: Of all the Narnia series I have read so far, this is by far my favorite. It is fresh, and explains how Narnia was created. It is incredibly intriguing--for any age, I imagine. C.S. Lewis has never dissapointed readers, and this work is the same. Simply amazing.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond

Pages: 464
Genre:Non-Fiction

Back Cover Synopsis: "Why did Eurasians conquer, displace, or decimate Native Americans, Australians, and Africans, instead of the reverse? In this groundbreaking book, already a classic of our time, evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history by revealing the environmental factors actually responsible for history's broadest patterns. Here, at last, is a world history that really is a history of all the world's peoples, a unified narrative of human life."

Review: This was required reading for one of my grad school classes about globalization. The concept is interesting enough, and some of the chapters follow suite, but on the whole, I was unimpressed. I felt Diamond was a broken record. He repeated the same information through the entire book and even into the epilogue. I also do not think he answered all the questions he brought up throughout the book.

Some chapters were very interesting--particularly the one about the Spaniards defeating the Incas...very brutal history there. It may be a good source for learning more about globalization, but it wasn't exactly pulling me in.

"What Would Audrey Do?" by Pamela Keogh

Pages: 248
Genre: Biographical

Back Cover Synopsis: "Audrey Hepburn epitomized grace and style, not only in her appearance, but in her very essence. Whether in fashion, her relationships, her home life, or her work on the screen or for UNICEF, there is no one more worthy of imitation. Yes, she was born with great beauty, enviable bone structure, and a manner that made practically everyone she met fall instantly in love with her. But Audrey's life was also marked by challenges: growing up without a father, surviving the Nazi threat and deprivation of World War II, unfaithful husbands and two divorces, and living under constant scrutiny from the media--all while managing her extraordinary film career, raising two children, and being considered the paragon of chic."

Review: This is the second Audrey Hepburn biography I have read. I thought this one was much easier to read and get into than the first one. Keogh kept it structured, fun, informative, and very entertaining. If you are an Audrey fan--and frankly, who isn't?--this is definitely a must read.

If you've read it, please, tell me what you think!