Katie's Corner
If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? by Melissa Kantor
Summary: Lucy's been relocated from San Francisco to Long Island, forced into a new school where she has no friends, and living with a wicked step-family -- her stepmother and her two twin stepsisters. Lucy can't help but think that she's living a real-life Cinderella story! Things take on a new twist when the cutest guy in school, Connor Pearson, begins to take notice of her basketball knowledge. But now that Lucy has found her prince, isn't life supposed to be a fairy tale?
The Scoop: I really loved Lucy and thought that she was really real. I definitely felt like she was relatable and that I cared about what happened to her. I also really liked the descriptions in the book, it gave it a lot of depth and interest. I finished the book in a couple days or so, so it definitely held my interest. The only problem is that it's once again, a more girly book. Next review, I promise to do a more guy-friendly book.
Funny? Definitely.
Romantic? Kind of.
Girly? Yes, probably not a guys' pick!
Recommended -- March, 2007.
Chasing the Jaguar by Michele Domínguez Greene
Summary: Right before her quineañera, Martika Galvez starts having strange dreams about a missing girl. Shortly afterwards, she is reunited with her long-lost aunt Tía Tellín to find out that she is the latest descendant of a long line of curanderas, Mayan healing woman. Martika learns to use her psychic powers as she races to find the missing girl. But will Martika get to her in time?
The Scoop: Martika is a typical teenager, balancing school, family and friends until her dreams start. The book had a ton of Spanish vocabulary interwoven in the story, but I could understand it without having to look at the glossary most of the time. The book moves fast and I couldn't wait to get the ending. And the best part is that there are more Martika mysteries on the way!
Funny? Some parts are.
Scary? I didn't think so.
Cool? Definitely.
Recommended -- February, 2007.
How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot
Summary: Steph Landry spilled a Super Red Big Gulp on Lauren Moffat five years ago. Since then, Lauren has made her life miserable…but this year is different. Over the summer, Steph found a book – “How to Be Popular” – and she’s using its advice to change her life. With brand-new clothes and a whole new outlook on life, Steph starts up a talent auction at her school to help raise money for the senior class trip…and to catch the eye of the cutest boy in her school.
The Scoop: Steph is an awesome, lovable character that happens to be really funny too! I think that she's cooler than Princess Mia, but that's my own opinion. The story is believable and the end of the novel is super cute. This is definitely my new favorite Meg Cabot book, and I've read them all!
Funny? Definitely.
Girly? With all the fashion tips that Steph follows? Yep.
Romances? A couple of them.
Recommended -- February, 2007.
The Midnighters 1: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld
Summary: Imagine a world with an extra hour that only you and four other people can live in. This is the world created in The Midnighters trilogy. Follow Jessica Day as she moves to Bixby, Oklahoma and discovers this blue hour complete with fantastical powers that come alive at this special time. And of course, the dangers that lie within the secret hour that threatened the entire group.
The Scoop: Okay, so the book was something I picked up while waiting for Extras, the fourth book in the Uglies series that Westerfeld also writes. I was surprised at how much I liked the book. Some parts were definitely better than others, but I've always been fascinated with flying (which some of the characters get to do). Not to mention the amount of times I've wished for another hour in the day. Of course, with the Darklings, I don't know if I'd want the secret hour to myself...
Funny? Not really.
Scary? Depends on how vivid your imagination is.
Creep factor? Not too bad, more cool than creepy.
Recommended -- February, 2007.