Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman

(Cover picture courtesy of BookHound.)

Vince Luca is just like any other high-school guy…with one exception.  His father happens to be the head of a powerful crime organization.

While Vince’s family connections can be handy—like when teachers are afraid to give him a bad grade—they put a serious crimp in his dating life.  How is he supposed to explain to a girl what his father does for a living?  And when Vince finally meets one who seems to be worth the trouble, her family turns out to be the biggest problem of all.  Because her father is an FBI agent—the one who wants to put Vince’s father away for good.

Are you tired of angst-ridden, miserable YA books that revolve around magical creatures?  Well, Son of the Mob is certainly the novel for you!

In his first novel aimed at teens, Gordon Korman stays true to his over-the-top, laugh-out-loud sense of humour.  Vince Luca is the son of a mob boss and that puts a serious crimp in his dating life, especially when his date finds the unconscious body of Jimmy Rat (one of his father’s customers) in the trunk of Vince’s car.

The first chapter of this amazing novel certainly sets the tone well.  Gordon Korman’s signature humour is present throughout the novel, yet he balances it perfectly in the climax when all seems lost for Vince.  Readers will certainly enjoy the plot twists and turns as well as the three dimensional characters who are sometimes not all that they seem.

Son of the Mob tackles some heavy moral issues involved in organized crime as well as the issues of love and loyalty.  Vince doesn’t like how his father makes his money, yet he knows that if the cops found out, his father would go to jail and his family would lose everything.  He struggles with this moral dilemma throughout the novel, but finally comes to terms with it in the end.

I give this book 5/5 stars.

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Eragon by Christopher Paolini

(Cover picture courtesy of My Opera.)

One boy…

One dragon…

A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the witner.  But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power.  With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders?  The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

If you’ve been tuned into the blogosphere these past few years, there is a very good chance you’ve heard of Eragon, the debut novel of Christopher Paolini.  It was written when he was fifteen and the maturity level of the novel reflects that, but it is still a worthwhile read.

Eragon follows the typical fantasy plot: a young farm boy discovers he has magical powers or is otherwise gifted and is whisked away by a mentor-figure who teaches him how to control his powers while they travel.  They are usually travelling toward the rebel stronghold because the king is out to get them.  On the way, they have many adventures and meet a variety of strange (usually magical) creatures/beings.

Christopher Paolini sometimes gets bogged down in his descriptions—he uses the word ‘eloquent’ very often—but long descriptions are what you expect in high fantasy.  His plot and characters may be cliché, but there is one thing that is excellent: his world-building.  He explains magic very well and places reasonable limitations on its use.  Dragons are also explained well and have very distinct, almost cat-like, personalities.  If I had to pick one reason to read Eragon, it would be because of Eragon’s dragon, Saphira.

I give this book 2.5/5 stars.

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The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

(Cover picture courtesy of Glamour Glory.)

Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets.  They ruled before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women.

The White Queen tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition, who secretly marries the newly crowned boy king.  While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become the central figures in a famous unsolved mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the lost princes in the Tower of London.  Philippa Gregory brings the artistry and intellect of a master writer and storyteller to a new era in history and begins what is sure to be another best-selling classic series from this beloved author.

When I received The White Queen as a late birthday present from my best friend, I was a bit skeptical.  Historical fiction had bored me up to that point, but Philippa Gregory’s amazing novel forever changed my attitude toward it.

The White Queen is the tale of Elizabeth Woodville, a woman who is recently widowed and fighting for her two sons’ inheritance.  She meets the boy king Edward and immediately sparks fly.  A whirlwind romance, battle and secret marriage later, Elizabeth becomes Queen of England.  Philippa Gregory’s amazing novel chronicles the life of an extraordinary woman who was a secret force behind politics in the late 15th century England.

Elizabeth is a very believable, complex character who makes a wonderful narrator.  Her motivations vary throughout the novel, yet she is still sympathetic and readers will root for her the whole time.  She truly comes alive in Philippa Gregory’s vivid descriptions of life in 15th century England and the multifaceted politics of the time.  There is certainly a reason why Philippa Gregory is known as the queen of royal fiction.

I give this book 4.5/5 stars.

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Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

(Cover picture courtesy of Wikipedia.)

When eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their New York apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland beneath the city.  There, humans live uneasily beside giant spiders, bats, cockroaches and rats—but the fragile peace is about to fall apart.

Gregor wants no part in the conflict between these creepy creatures.  He just wants to find his way home.  But when he discovers that a strange prophecy foretells a role for him in the Underland’s uncertain future, he realizes it might be the only way to solve the biggest mystery of his life.  Little does he know his quest will change him—and the Underland—forever.

Many readers are familiar with Suzanne Collins’ second series, The Hunger Games trilogy, but few are familiar with her first series, the Underland Chronicles.  Gregor the Overlander is a novel that would be great for younger readers who can’t get enough of The Hunger Games.

Gregor the Overlander is a story about Gregor, an eleven-year-old boy who lives in New York.  His dad has been missing for over two years and no one knows where he went.  But when Gregor and his little sister fall down a grate in their apartment’s laundry room, Gregor discovers the Underland, a world of darkness in which humans, rats, cockroaches and bats coexist in an uneasy peace.  While he wants to get back home as soon as possible, a prophecy made by the founder of the human city will change his life forever.

Gregor is a strong protagonist like Katniss is, complete with flaws and shortcomings.  But the one thing that keeps him going throughout the novel is hope, the hope that he will find his father alive and bring him back home.  I was rooting for him to succeed from start to finish because he is such a believable protagonist.

Suzanne Collin’s first book is just as dark as The Hunger Games and she spares Gregor no pain.  While this book is written for younger readers, there is quite a bit of death and sadness.  I would recommend it for mature tweens and young teenagers.

I give this book 4/5 stars.

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Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

(Cover picture courtesy of Pepper Ink.)

Here are the confessions of a vampire.  Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly erotic, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force—a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of extraordinary power of the senses.  It is a novel only Anne Rice could write.

Interview with the Vampire is no doubt a classic novel, but it is not for everyone.  If you do not like descriptions of graphic sex or admittedly disturbing violence, this is not a book you should attempt to read, regardless of its classic status.  I do not like graphic descriptions of sex, so I skipped over these parts, but the violence was unavoidable as this is a true vampire novel.  This is definitely a book for older teens to adults.

Aside from some mature content, Interview with the Vampire is a wonderful, slightly disturbing novel.  It starts off rather slow, but as Louis’ tale goes on, this book will become glued to your hands.  The sensual descriptions, the exotic characters and the authentic historical details are what really make this novel so great.  The plot slowly twists and turns until we learn how being a vampire has changed the once mild, innocent Louis de Pointe du Lac.  If you’re used to the wishy-washy vampires of today, prepare for a fresh and frightening experience.

I give this book 3.5/5 stars.

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