Book review: Dragonfly pool, The/ Ibbotson, Eva

The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
12-year-old Tally knows the war between Hitler and Britain will begin soon and she wants to do everything she can to help. When her father secures a scholarship for her to attend boarding school in the countryside, Tally is at first dismayed she'll have to leave her father and aunts. She soon learns that Delderton, a hippie-ish "free school" where children are not forced to wear uniforms or even attend classes, is an amazing place where she begins to discover who she is. What starts off as a school story then turns into a trans-European adventure as Tally and her young friends form a folk dancing troupe, visit neutral Bergania, and end up smuggling its young crown prince away from the clutches of the Gestapo. Slow to start and definitely not for reluctant readers, this turned out to be very enjoyable as the characterization, action, and plotting picked up.


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Book review: Paint it black/ Fitch, Janet

Paint It Black by Janet Fitch

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Set in 80's punk LA, Josie Tyrell struggles to come to grips with the suicide of her tortured, gifted, artistic boyfriend, Michael. Michael's mother, a world-renowned pianist, and Josie are simultaneously drawn to and repulsed by one another as both attempt to cling to the bits and pieces Michael has left behind. Gritty, very sex-drugs-and-rock-n'-roll, and filled with all sorts of Oedipal craziness, this proved to be quite a compelling read. I knocked off a star only because Josie's ruminations tend to be a bit long-winded and repetitive. Side note: I got to meet Janet Fitch at last year's Literary Orange and she's nothing short of amazing!


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Screaming into the void

That is what I feel like tonight as I sit here remembering my mother. It's been four months now since she passed away and the grief just comes out of nowhere and knocks me senseless. I must be senseless right now since I know my logical mind doesn't usually allow me to bare this much soul online.

I usually feel like I put up a very brave front -- few public tears, laughter as if nothing this sad and awful could possibly be happening to me. Some days I even wonder, "What's wrong with me? Am I done with the whole grieving thing? Wow, that was quick." But some nights, the sadness just comes barreling into me, making the tears fall like, well something poetically tragic that I just can't think of right now. No idea, really, what's triggered this current onslaught. A stroll through Lowe's yesterday afternoon in search of kitchen tile brought on tears as I hit the ridiculously gaudy Christmas section, a section I know my mom would've loved. Sometimes there's just this dull emptiness....

I'm so frustrated and even a little pissed off that I can't just pick the phone and call her anymore. Such a cliche, but all the little things I took for granted are the things I miss about her the most. Her calling, leaving message after message, wanting to talk to Koa on the phone even though all she'd do is stand there and nod. Knowing I could always get good parking when she was with me because of her handicap placard. I can't even begin to describe how angry I am at myself for not realizing how little time we had left.

Ah, enough for now. This crying jag has left me weary and my logical brain is telling me that it's way past my bedtime.

Book review: Hunger games/ Collins, Suzanne

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Since the death of her father, 16-year-old Katniss has been forced to hunt beyond the fences of District 12 to feed her mother and little sister. Despite being abjectly poor, Katniss finds solace in caring for her sister, Prim, and her friendship with Gale, a boy 2 years older and in similar circumstances. All that is stripped away by the Hunger Games. The Capitol, the authoritarian center of Panem (what's left of North America) keeps the Districts in line by forcing two teenagers from each District to compete in the annual Hunger Games, a media-frenzied gladiator-style tournament where there can only be one victor -- the last one alive. A bit 1984, a bit Blade Runner, and a bit Uglies, this one was so wonderfully suspenseful I couldn't put it down once I started. This one is a must-add to my list of best YA books.


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Book review: Brisingr/ Paolini, Christopher

Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I still can't believe Paolini is so young! While a bit overwrought with the weapons/armor jargon (a D&D kid's dream!), this is still pretty masterful storytelling. Despite a bit of predictability, I was pretty much glued through all roughly 750 pages. Can't wait for the final installment.


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Pinoylife is back!

Yay, Moonie! So glad you're back:
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Book review: The witch of Blackbird Pond/ Speare, Elizabeth George

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Although slow to start, but beautifully written, you can't help but wonder how newcomer Kit Tyler will fare in her Puritan uncle's household. Kit, arriving fresh off the boat from Barbados, is a colorful, tropical bird amongst a flock of brown sparrows and just doesn't get these uptight colonial New Englanders. In an act of teenage rebellion as well as a desire for friendship with a fellow outsider, Kit defies her uncle and befriends Hannah, Quaker and fabled "witch." As I was reading this, I thought to myself that if I had read this during middle school, I would've found American colonial life a whole darn lot more interesting!


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