James Dasher: The Maze Runner

One Word Summary: Build a better mouse trap

Review: Did I like this book? In a word, Yes. The monster is a fascinating mixture of disgusting and frightening. It's an Edward Scissor Hands Rolly Polly Ooze Insect. Maybe now I should read Lord of the Flies. It'd be fun to compare the two. Anyhow, the ending is a bit of a tease. I'll have to read the next books to find out what is really going on. It's intriguing.

Synopsis: "Everything is about to change." That's the message the girl brings to the boys living in 'the glade', a warehouse style encampment surrounded by stone doors which lead to a maze with an exit no one can find. When the girl wakes up from her coma it becomes apparent that the glade residents must find a way out soon, or die. But who put them in the impossible maze? for what reason? and why can no one remember anything about their life before?

Rate: 3 scourges

Other Books:
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Random House 2009

Shannon Hale: The Actor and the Housewife

One Word Summary: When Sally and Harry really were just friends

More Words: Shannon Hale is hilarious. A lot of my friends said this was a light fluffy book; and they all wore the same depreciating pout while they said it too. I think the book was a riot, but not lite or fluffy. Not that I didn't just skip to the end anyway... I was too jealous of Becky to read the whole thing. She's oozes charm, and I hated her for it. Didn't she ever have a bad day? And she made me feel guilty because I don't always like the way my husband smells (although sniffing his neck can smooth the ruffles out of any day). Plus, I once had a dream where Shannon Hale and I were quasi-friends and I was stealing books off her shelf. Anyhow, reading about the housewife made me feel like a stalker. Like I was wandering through her house and stealing things. Yuck.

Synopsis: Can a man and a woman be just friends? Can a married person have a best friend who is not their spouse? Who is a gender they are sexually attracted too?

Rate: 2.5

Maggie Stiefvater: Shiver

One Word Summary: Winter
More Words: I like the cover.
Synopsis: Grace has weird obsession with the wolves living in her backyard (and absolutely no parental supervision). One wolf is obsessed with her (He's really a werewolf struggling to maintain his humanity). After the wolves attack and kill a local teenager the town officials are out to destroy the wolves. Plus it turns out the rich-boy-vicitm turned into a werewolf and he's on a rampage. And then there are some other complications with Grace's friends. Anyhow Grace and her Wolf try to make everything right between the humans and the wolves.

Rate: 2 photographs

Jill S. Alexander: The Sweetheart of Prosper County

One Word Summary: Bullies
More Words: Since I'vre read TSOPC I've come to the conclusion that Texas is a much more interesting place than I thought. FFA! Catfishing! Family Owned Hardware Stores! The book won a TAB* sticker on the cover-err I don't know what that means. Teens in my area like the story? Well, I liked it. The 'issues' got over simplified (& there were a lot) and I'm not sure if there was a romance. Still, I think I might go and get me some cowgirl boots.

Synopsis: Austin Grey wants to be someone. Her action plan is to win a spot on the hood of a fancy car in The-No-Jesus-Christmas Parade. She's going to raise a rooster, join the FFA and tell the school bully where he can stick it. Along the way she'll make some new friends and she'll learn that being someone means liking who she is.

Take Home Message: Make friends, everyone is worth knowing, except for spoilt bullies
Dedication: for my husband, Jon, who never gave up on the girl from Texas

Rate: 2 prizewinning roosters

Write/Story Scale: I read about this type of rating on another blog. I liked the idea, I'm stealing it. Sorry other blogger I dont know how to make links yet or I would give you credit.

Feiwel and Friends 2009