Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie, like most 17 year-olds, finds high-school a very hellish place. Unlike most 17 year-olds, she wishes that everyone would just be awake while they're there. I mean, really. All of the dozing students may be just another part of the background for you, but for Janie they're like little whirlpools, devouring her and throwing her into naked-during-the-big-history-presentation nightmares or falling-but-never-hitting-the-ground dreams or sex-with-the-hottest-girl-in-school fantasies.

Needless to say, it's all getting a little old. And inconvenient to say the least. Having to be ultra careful of the streets she drives on (ever since she almost totaled her car for the second time when she was caught in a nightmare) and sleepovers...hah. She tried that once, and after a peek into her friends' disturbing nighttime adventures, she's not thrilled about trying it again. Something she is thrilled about? Her former-druggie neighbor's transformation. It's shocking enough that everyone at school thinks he's a new student. But he's just the same old Cabel...isn't he? His dreams say otherwise...

Wake was... alright....I just could not identify with Janie at all. I mean, her situation is difficult, but the way she lets her mom treat her is just... *throws hands in the air* ugh. And the fact that she is able to hide this dream thing for so long (and that she chooses to tell no one) and thinks that she's the only one to ever have to deal with something like this... The whole Miss Stubin thing really reminded me of what's-her-name in the third Midnighters book.

4.5 out of 7 snickers bars for Wake. And for those who are interested in the sequel, Fade has been released now, too.

Yawning,









P.S. Speaking of dreams, I just finished Volume One of The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Absolutely reeking of awesome! It's one of those "How have I not read this before?" moments.

I'm getting really sick of this whole vampire thing

Warning: I have not read any of the previous Morganville Vampire books. Though not for lack of trying. Just wanted you to know that all I know about this series is what the (strangely convenient) synopsis in the front told me.

Synopsis of the synopsis (for those of you, like me, who didn't know there was a difference between the Vampire Kisses and Morganville Vampires series... until just now when I told you): The story's about a girl named Claire who's apparently some sort of prodigy. Her parents wouldn't let her go straight to MIT, she's only 16 after all, so they shipped her off to a smaller university in the middle of Texas. That happens to be infested with vampires. Good call, guys.

And now there's a war going on between two vampire groups. One (Claire's side obviously) wants to keep things the way they are and not eat humans (... well, for the most part) and the other wants to make them the prime food source (as opposed to donated bags o' blood... yumm).

I wasn't enthralled by this one. I just didn't get any of that"This is so damn COOL" feeling where you want to just devour the book. It was more of the "I don't have any books to read... oh wait... there's that one with the vampires" kind of deal.

Speaking of books I wasn't enthralled by, theres a new... what was that series again? Oh right Blue Bloods. It's called Revelations and it has the best cover in the whole series. But that's really all I can say for it. Which is saddening. Basically if you loved/hated the first two Blue Bloods novels, then you'll love/hate the third. Nothing really new here. 4.5 out of 7.

What I'm finding about vampire books is that they have to be either really hardcore vampire-centric (real I'm-going-to-reach-into-your-chest-and-tear-out-your-heart vampires) or a new and completely innovative approach (like Peeps and The Last Days), in order to make an impression on me anyways. The middle ground is just disappointing.

Re-reading Poison 'cause faeries pwn vampires anyway... and so does Chris Wooding for that matter,

Medeia Senka

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Reynard Muldoon, Constance Contraire, The Great Kate Weather Machine, and Sticky (George) Washington. An unlikely foursome to save the world.

Reynie is an orphan with an exceptional mind. So when a newspaper advertises tests for talented children he is gung ho to take them and broaden his opportunities. But he isn’t suspecting the strange form of exams that they are, each having some sort of secret to them, and some with tests within the tests. But he passes, along with three others and is brought into the mysterious world of Mr. Benedict, Number 2, Milligan, and Rhonda.

They have discovered that a local institute is broadcasting mind control waves to the people of the world. But something far worse is on the way. And only such unusually enlightened children as those that form the Mysterious Benedict Society can stop it.

This was a very cute book. Cute illustrations, cute plot, cute characters. But it was still completely enjoyable. I t was almost reminiscent of Series of Unfortunate Events but, you know, cuter. The humor was light and eccentric, often involving minute details that just completed a scene. Most of the funny parts were in the characters themselves. They were unexpectedly odd and felt caffeinated through the entire book. Not to mention creative. And cute. Did I mention they were cute?

So, if not a deep and introspective read to answer all of life’s questions as to life the universe and everything (the answer is 42, by the by) , it was definitely worth the time. Even if it was rather lengthy for its purpose. 4.5 out 7 secret societies for a mysterious society indeed.

Fetching the sequel,

Aella

Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren & Tavius E.

Well, isn't this one for the record books, I reviewed two times in a row *crowd gasps*. Here it is, the review for Secret of the Sands by Rai Aren and Tavius E.

Secret of the Sands introduces us to Mitch and Alex, two archaeologists excavating a site near the Sphinx. Alex quite literally stumbles over what could be the key to lifting the veil on the Sphinx's mysterious origins. She trips over a chest long buried in the sands. When she and Mitch open the chest, they find two strange cylinders inside, made not of stone but a puzzling metal that they find (thanks to Jack and Bob, their lab-dwelling sidekicks) isn't a known element. Inside the cylinders they find scrolls written in an unknown form of glyphs. Alex and Mitch try to decode their findings while attempting to evade the prying eyes of the conniving Professor Dustimaine.

Alternating with the view of the two Egyptologists is the story of Traeus, a King from the time that the metal cylinders were first made. He struggles to maintain peace, keeping his brother and over-ambitious wife from undermining his work, and finishing the Amsara project (a massive monument to their god-lion).

Keeping in mind that this book was written by a pair of debuting authors, I have to say that I found the book entertaining. However, the dialogue felt awkward at times and there were points where the story didn't really hold my attention. It wasn't awful or anything, but it wasn't spectacular either. I think though, that these authors will improve with time and I look forward to reading more from them (maybe the sequel, Destiny of the Sands). I'm giving Secret of the Sands a solid 4.5 out of 7 lightnings.

From the Shadows,