Teen review of "The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant" by Joanna Wiebe

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe
TEEN WIEBE (new)

*This is a review of an Advanced Readers Copy*

Based off of the summary alone, I had no idea what this book was about. It’s very jumbled and confusing. All I got was: creepy boarding school, competition, something mysterious is happening. And frankly, that was enough for me to want to read it. I have a love for stories set in creepy boarding schools… What I didn’t expect was how amazing the story was going to be.

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant is definitely one of a kind. All we really know at the beginning is that Anne has been sent to this mysterious boarding school on an isolated island. She doesn’t know why she’s there or why everyone is obsessed with competition for the “Big V,” or valedictorian. That’s when things start to get weird. We’re thrown into this mystery involving the students, the faculty, and the competition and nothing feels right. The students are graded on everything they do. I mean everything, not just academics.

I wasn’t really sure where the story was going until all these elements aligned in my brain and I figured it out. All of it. I felt pretty proud of myself since the past few books I’ve read have completely baffled me. (And I didn’t feel that the main character was stupid since she figured it out pretty much after I did.) I really liked Anne as the main character. She was smart, nosy, and was determined to see things through to the end, to find every last detail. And the rest of the characters surprised me as well. Some had outcomes that I didn’t expect to see at all.

I was surprised at how well written the novel was. Like I said before, I didn’t really know what to expect. The whole story had the creepy mystique to it, but was surprisingly hilarious at other times. And the ending… oh my, the ending had the mother of all plot twists. I really wish I could go into detail because so much of the plot was crazy and awesome, but I really don’t want to spoil anything.

Overall, I enjoyed The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant much more than I expected to. I’ve been getting into stand-alones much more lately, but I’m so glad this has a sequel. I really can’t wait to read the rest of the novels and to see what becomes of Anne Merchant. Bravo, Joanna Wiebe. Bravo.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

Teen review of "The Coldest Girl in Coldtown" by Holly Black

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
TEEN BLACK

It takes a lot for me to get excited about a vampire novel. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was one of those books that just screamed for me to get it. After reading and absolutely loving The Immortal Rules, I was interested to see where Coldtown went with the premise of vampires. From the jacket flaps they sounded quite similar. It took me a little while to fully get into the story, but once it got going, I could not stop reading. (Which was a good thing since I was snowed in and had nothing better to do with my time.)

I was absolutely fascinated at how the vampires were completely integrated into pop culture. Unlike The Immortal Rules where the world falls into dystopia, everything pretty much stays the same, with the only difference being the existence of vampires. There are reality shows about vampires, commercials stating that their chicken nuggets will make you “hungrier than a new born vampire,” feeds of parties broadcasted from inside the Coldtowns. These video feeds being broadcasted from inside the quarantined cities make it seem that being a vampire or living among with them makes life one big party. There are message boards, blogs, and communities for those who want to move to a Coldtown, willingly. We get to see characters, all with different reasons for being in Coldtown. Those who are infected by a vampire, those who want to become creatures of the night, those who already are, and those who were stuck when the walls went up. The latter especially reminds me of the Berlin wall.

This whole concept of vampires becoming celebrities to those outside the Coldtowns really reminded me of how vampires became huge after the Twilight franchise hit the big time. It really amuses me because vampires have become so romanticized in the public eye, through movies, books, etc. Holly Black does an amazing job of exemplifying that fact by almost satirizing those obsessed with the vampire culture, and then turning it around to show how desolate and dangerous the Coldtowns really are. The writing itself was amazing. I was completely mesmerized by the eloquence of it all and how the syntax fit the story and the world completely. I knew Holly Black was a popular author, but I hadn’t really read any of her novels before now. Now I need to read all of them.

Overall, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was one of those works that will stick with me. I absolutely loved that it was a standalone. When it comes to paranormal/supernatural books, they always seem to be in trilogies, which is nice in some cases. But because it is only one book, I felt completely satisfied upon my completion. It was the perfect balance of everything that a story needs.

- Caroline
Originally posted on The Attic blog.

New sci fi, fantasy, & paranormal books to check out

Fated by Alyson Noel Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter's sanity, Daire's mother sends her to live with the grandmother she's never met, but who recognizes the visions for what they truly are-the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker-one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead. This is the first book in the new Soul Seekers series by the author of The Immortals series.
	The Selection by Kiera Cass Sixteen-year-old America Singer is living in the caste-divided nation of Illea, which formed after the war that destroyed the United States. America is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her.
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze Tired of the royal family's relative comfort while they suffer in the wake of worldwide catastrophes in 2090, rebels kill the British king and abduct two of his children, but Princess Eliza escapes, disguises herself, and joins the rebels to seek revenge and the safe return of her siblings.
	Sweel Evil by Wendy Higgins Sweet southern girl Anna discovers at age sixteen that she is the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, the only one of her kind. As Anna struggles to fight the dark legacy of her father, she falls for the mysterious Kaidan Row, the ultimate bad boy. Forced to face her destiny, she must decide whether to embrace her halo or her horns
Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Alpha Bryn's humanity becomes a bigger problem as she takes her place in the werewolf Senate and tries to address a new threat to the pack.
	The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda Seventeen-year-old Gene has passed as a vampire for years, carefully following every rule, but now, just as he finds a girl worth fighting for, he is chosen to participate in the hunt for the last remaining humans among ruthless vampires who soon suspect his true nature.
Immortal City by Scott Speer Jackson is the hottest Angel in the city, soon he'll be a full Guardian and people will pay for him to save them. Then he falls for Maddy who likes him for who he is and not for his celebrity, but a serial killer is loose.

New books out today, and a birthday!

Happy birthday to Katniss Everdeen, District 12 tribute in The Hunger Games! In the book The Hunger Games we find out that May 8 is the birthday of the girl on fire. Let's celebrate with some new books:

	City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare When Jace vanishes with Sebastian, Clary and the Shadowhunters struggle to piece together their shattered world and Clary infiltrates the group planning the world's destruction. #5 in the Mortal Instruments series.
Until I Die by Amy Plum The sequel to Die for Me, set in Paris, where a girl and a boy with a terrifying paranormal destiny fight dangerous forces to be together. #2 in the Revenants series.
	Endure by Carrie Jones When evil pixies cause mass destruction and chaos in Bedford, Maine, sixteen-year-old Zara prepares for war, aligning her team of pixies with the humans she loves so much, a task made more difficult by her growing feelings for pixie king Astley. #4 in the Endure series.
Underworld by Meg Cabot John Hayden, a death deity, takes seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera back to the Underworld against her will to keep her safe from the Furies, but her family is still at risk and she, herself, may never escape his captivity. #2 in the Abandon series.

New books in the paranormal romance genre

Check out the similar poses on the covers of The Lifeguard and A Beautiful Dark!

	The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal Spending the summer at her aunt's beach house, teenaged Sirena struggles with her parents' divorce and falls in love with a mysterious lifeguard.
A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies When Skye, who lives with her aunt in Boulder, Colorado, turns seventeen and is suddenly pursued by two boys who are polar opposites, secrets of her true identity--and destiny--begin to emerge.
	Everneath by Brodi Ashton Regretting her decision to forfeit her life on Earth to become an immortal on Everneath, a world between Earth and Hell, teenaged Nikki is given the chance to return to the Surface for six months, in this story loosely based on the "Hades and Persephone" myth.
Die for Me by Amy Plum After their parents are killed in a car accident, sixteen-year-old Kate Mercier and her older sister Georgia, each grieving in her own way, move to Paris to live with their grandparents and Kate finds herself powerfully drawn to the handsome but elusive Vincent who seems to harbor a mysterious and dangerous secret.This if the first book in the Revenants series and is newly released in paperback. Book #2, Until I Die, will be released May 8.

Tuesday book releases

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti
After jilting two previous fiances, Cricket's mother is finally marrying the right man, but as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities, complications arise for Cricket involving her own love life, her beloved dog Jupiter, and her mother's reluctance to marry.

Ascend by Amanda Hocking
This is book #3 in the fantasy Trylle series. Duty-bound to marry her friend Tove in order to give the Trylle people their strongest king and queen in history, Wendy, a changeling troll princess, is torn between two other suitors, Finn and Loki.

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
This is a new series by the author of the Iron Fey books. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city, until she too becomes an immortal vampire. Forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls, she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend -- a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

Coming soon: "City of Lost Souls"

City of Lost Souls, the fifth book in Cassandra Clare's popular Mortal Instruments series, will be released May 8. Place your holds now!