Review: The Secret Box by Whitaker Ringwald

Title: The Secret Box
Author: Whitaker Ringwald
Publisher: HarperCollins BFYR
Pub. Date: February 25, 2014
Genre: Middle Grade
Rec. Age Level: 8-12

Add to Goodreads

_________________________________________________

Jax and Ethan are more than just cousins, they're best friends and partners-in-crime. Well, to be honest, it's more like Ethan is a partner to Jax's crimes. Jax is impulsive and always ready for an adventure, while Ethan is cautious and always armed with plenty of facts and interesting trivia. When Jax receives a mysterious package on her twelfth birthday from a great-aunt she never knew existed, a gift quickly and mysteriously confiscated by her mother, Jax is even more determined than ever to figure out why no one has ever mentioned Great-Aunt Juniper and what is inside the curious box she's given Jax for her birthday. Jax and Ethan team up with Tyler, Ethan's older computer-genius older brother, who happens to possess something the duo desperately needs: a driver's license. As the trio embarks on a road trip to figure out what secrets the box contains, they find themselves tangled in potentially dangerous adventure where their courage, wits, and teamwork might be the only things that can save them from the dark powers at play.

THE SECRET BOX is the first installment in a new middle grade adventure trilogy by author Whitaker Ringwald. Readers will surely fall for the heroes of this story - Jax and Ethan - who, though very different, compliment one another perfectly. Jax's impulsiveness and irrepressible excitement moves the story along at a quick pace, while Ethan's attention to detail and penchant for reciting facts and figures grounds the story and gives readers time to process important details.

I'm very curious about the Greek mythology elements of THE SECRET BOX and the secrets regarding Jax's father. In this first book, readers are only given small amounts of information about who Jax's father is and how he ties into the big mystery surrounding Juniper and the curious artifact gifted to Jax. I'm anxiously awaiting the answers I hope to find in the second book! THE SECRET BOX is a great beginning to what promises to be a fantastic new trilogy.

Review: Storybound by Marissa Burt

In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them. 

In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story. 

But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself.... 

With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world.

____________________________________

Fantastic storytelling, a creative premise, and smart dialogue collide in Marissa Burt's Storybound. 


Una is a captivating main character that any young reader will identify with... and maybe even wish to switch places with. She's is a smart, sassy young girl that fits into the world of Story surprisingly well... though I have a feeling many bookish people would. I liked that Una quickly got over the "this isn't possible!" phase and moved into the "let's kick some butt" phase. Una - and the reader - leave reality entirely behind and welcome the fantastical world of Story with open arms!


Storybound is compared to Inkheart, which I adore, and they do have similarities, but, for me, they had very different pacing and atmosphere. Storybound is a very fast-paced story with slow scenes primarily nonexistent. For readers that dislike wading through unnecessary detail, Storybound is a great fit.


On the downside, I sometimes felt like parts of Storybound were confusing or didn't fit well. I think this was because of the pace... details were either being cut out or I was missing them as the story flew by. There was so much going on and so many new characters popping up that I sometimes struggled to understand why particular twists were necessary. By the end of the novel, I felt that there were many unresolved issues and the author was going to have a lot of explaining to do in subsequent novels. Hopefully young readers won't encounter the same confusion I did.


In Storybound, Una spends most of her time with characters from fairy tales and I'd really like to learn more about the characters-in-training from other types of books as well. While Storybound mentioned many characters, it'd be great be introduced to a few other characters... add more children to Una's motley crew as she goes up against the villainous leaders of Story.


Storybound was a fun read and I'm definitely curious to see what become of Una and the land of Story!

HarperCollins Children's, April 2012, Hardcover, ISBN: 9780062020529, 416 pages.

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Title: Before I Fall
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub. Date: March 2, 2010
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Death, Choices, Moving on, Romance, Friendship, Family
Pages:
Plot (from GoodReads):
"What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined."

Lauren Oliver’s debut novel left me speechless. Well, I suppose I did a fair amount of babbling, but it wasn’t exactly coherent – I was in awe. I never expected that I’d be up all night because I simply could not put BEFORE I FALL down!

The plot of BEFORE I FALL is not one that is new to readers, but it is classic. Samantha dies unexpectedly, but does not “pass on.” Instead she relives her last day repeatedly, until she figures out the key to escaping the limbo-like state. Oliver’s take on the premise added twists that made BEFORE I FALL truly unique.

Oliver characterized her main character, Samantha, perfectly. She had so many layers and even as she did horrid, mean-girl things, she pulled me in and made me understand her. I can honestly say I identified with Samantha. She is now one of my favorite narrators!

Samantha’s growth throughout the novel progressed perfectly. She does not immediately change her self-centered ways, she must make an effort to change. She must slow down and notice all the small details in her everyday life and how even her smallest actions make ripples and affect others. I am so glad that BEFORE I FALL was so lengthy, partially because I didn’t want it to end, but also because it allowed for the plot to unfold at just the right pace.

There is a romantic plot line… and it was so, so good… but it was also so very painful. This aspect of the novel cemented my love for this novel. I adored the entire plot and novel, but his seemly doomed story was just so utterly romantic. I am a romance junkie and BEFORE I FALL totally fed my obsession. It made me cry, but was still satisfying.

BEFORE I FALL is a must-read. And, I think, a must-buy! Oliver’s novels will all have a spot on my bookshelf… I’m already anxiously awaiting her next novel!