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Thursday, January 20, 2011
Vesper: Just Your Average, Ordinary, Everyday Paranormal
7:29 PM

Sixteen-year-old Emily Webb is not the kind of girl that sneaks out of the house, talks
her way into night clubs, steals other girls' boyfriends, or flirts shamelessly with older men. At least she wasn't. But lately, every night actually, the little homebody who geeks out over cheesy horror flicks is turning into something ... else. It's like she's possessed by some bad girl supervillain. And it's freaking her out. Big time.

Emily can't explain what's happening - not to her dad, not to her best friend, not even to herself. All she knows is that Nighttime Emily is ruining Daytime Emily's life. Thanks to her wild, nocturnal adventures, she's even more of an outcast than she used to be. It doesn't help that she's got the sudden urge to smell every guy she sees. Something is seriously wrong with her, but what?
The more Emily learns about her "condition," the more unbelievable the situation becomes. Is she being controlled by a classmate who was recently killed? Or is something even weirder going on? Who are the shadowy men following her? And, most importantly, who - or what - is Emily Webb?
Vesper, the first YA novel from middle grade fantasy writer Jeff Sampson, hits bookshelves in four days. I've seen some buzz and, frankly, am wondering what's the big deal. While the book is better written than some of the paranormals I've read lately, it brings absolutely nothing new to the genre. Basically, it's a mash-up of Twilight and the t.v. show Heroes (you know how Jessica has an evil twin? It's kind of like that), with a heavy dose of Shiver. Like I said, it's not bad, just not different enough to stand out. Plus, it suffers from character undevelopment (although I like Spencer anyway), melodrama (high school - 'nuf said), and some not-so-realistic plot curves (Emily sneaks out, steals a car, is out all night, etc. and her loving parents don't notice or care?). I have to admit, though, that I liked the ending. It made me want to read the sequel (Havoc, coming in 2012) despite not loving the first book. Funny how that happens sometimes. All in all, this one was pretty meh for me. I'm getting burned out on this genre and keep waiting for something new to pop up. Guess I'll just have to keep waiting ...
(Readalikes: It's like every other YA paranormal out there. Just take your pick.)
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), violence, and depictions of underrage drinking/partying
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Vesper from the generous folks at HarperCollins/Balzar+Bray. Thank you!
Lush, Pitch-Perfect Yarn the Kind Zora Herself Would Appreciate
8:04 AM

" ... Zora had eyes to see the world and the wits to express what she saw" (87).
No one can spin a yarn quite like young Zora Neale Hurston. Her imagination gives life to everything around her - flowers become royal guards, lightning bugs turn into fairie

When a drifter is found murdered by the railroad tracks, everybody's got a theory about the crime. Zora's may seem far-fetched, but she's dead serious - the vicious killing co

Zora and Me, a fictionalized account of Hurston's childhood based on her stories and recollections, is a lush, magical story that celebrates the wonders - and dangers - of a child's imagination. The authors, Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon, do an admirable job of bringing the colorful writer to life while not romanticizing or glossing over some of the less pleasant facts of her girlhood (her father's explosive temper, for one). Zora is presented as a willful child, feisty and independent, who fearlessly insists on doing her own thing. Nevertheless, she's loved by the people of Eatonville, who enjoy her bright, curious nature. Tentative Carrie is the perfect counterpoint to Zora - she appreciates her friend's creativity while at the same time recognizing the dark side of Zora's constant flights of fancy. With a unique setting (Eatonville was the first incorporated black town in the U.S.), a compelling adventure, pitch-perfect prose, and a cast of warm, colorful characters, Zora and Me gets everything right. It's a tribute, a mystery, but, most of all, the kind of yarn that would thrill Zora Neale Hurston herself.
*To learn more about the book, the authors and about Zora Neale Hurston, visit the book's excellent website here.
(Readalikes: I can't think of anything off the top of my head. You?)
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (including several uses of the N-word), some mature subject matter, and some violence (not graphic)
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Zora and Me from the generous folks at Candlewick Press. Thank you!
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