Homies (OK/WA authors): Knights Of The Hill Country by Tim Tharp

I hope to regularly spotlight young adult authors from the two states I call home (Oklahoma and Washington). This is the first and I chose it because it is written by a local author and sounded Friday-Night-Lightsish. Let’s face it, football is big-time here in Oklahoma and I have watched every episode of Friday Night Lights so this was an easy sell for me.

Friendships are the hardest thing about life. If they are true friendships they always take work and rarely come easy. Hampton Green has had his friend Blaine by his side since he moved to Kennisaw in elementary school. Blaine’s dad became a father figure to him when things weren’t great at home, and most of all they were the reason Hampton got into football to begin with. Blaine is a big headed cocky running back and Hampton is the beastie coolheaded middle linebacker and this is reflected in their personalities both on and off the field. In a small town like Kennisaw, where everyone knows everything, Hampton finds difficulty in being who he wants to be and still fitting in where he always has.

Guys will find the character of Hampton to be familiar. There are a lot of us Hamptons out there that are just doing their thing and liking what they do. He doesn’t fit the stereotype guy high school athlete that is overly aggressive and sex crazed (that would be his friend Blaine). The Blaines of this world become the ones to set the tone for the rest of us guys and that is rather unfortunate because there are more Hamptons out there than Blaines. Hampton is not entirely confident (especially when out of his element) even though he might pretend to be. He’s embarrassed sometimes by his mother’s behavior. He knows he’s not great with the ladies even though they find him attractive. He has a friend that does stupid stuff that gets them both into trouble because Hampton can’t figure out how to be loyal to himself and his friends. There is a girl he likes that isn’t “football player material” that he’s afraid to be with because of how his friends think it looks. Hampton is the everyday guy who happens to be good at what he does, which happens to be football. This was a great story and in the vein of Friday Night Lights. If you are not a fan of football, you need to know that this is not just a football story and you will find lots to like about this story. If you are a fan of football this story will be even better because you’ll enjoy it for the football as well. This book is a recommend for everyone. BTW This story is very true to small town Oklahoma and Texas, which should be expected from someone who grew up in Oklahoma.  

The Rise of Renegade Xcellent

Are your parents supervillians or superheroes? If you are anything like me or Damien Locke then your parents might be both. Sixteen year old Damien Locke wants to be a badass from top to bottom and has set out to follow in the footsteps of his supervillian mom, the Mistress of Mayhem. Thing is, there might be a small problem standing in the way of everything he has planned. He seems to give a rats@$$ about other people. Damien moves in with his dad, a superhero, and plots to prove he is the supervillian he always dreamt to be. And they live happily ever after. The End…. Yeeaaah, don’t think so. Let’s just say, things don’t go according to plan.

Come on, admit it, doesn’t The Rise of Renegade X, sound a bit ummmm corny? I had a funny feeling that was the expected result but you just never know. I knew that if I was right, then this book had to be good. I guess I was right because the book was great. Superheroes and supervillains are the package for an intelligent way of talking about families. We all have families and most days we just live with them and other days we would rather not. Well, like many teens, Damien Locke has two families and eeeuuuhhh they don’t get along. Actually he has his mom, who he lives with, and his dad and family, who he just met. Anyway, this book is about Damien trying to work this out and trying to figure out who he is while dealing with a thumbprint issue (read the book). This book has a very Neal Shusterman The Schwa Was Here or Antsy Does Time feel to it. Damien is the kind of friend that you blindside and knock on the ground because he tripped you in front of the girls and then you laugh and run around calling eachother names. Fun to read. The Rise of Renegade X  is a definite read if you like snarky teens that manage it with a smile, add in a helping of superpowers and gadgets and it’s yummy.   This is just the beginning for author Chelsea Campbell. That’s good for us.

Zombies vs. Unicorns GOOOOAAAAL! (Limited Edition Bound Manuscript)

Killer unicorns and romantic zombies.  This anthology was full of surprises on both sides of the debate. With an all-star cast of authors writing for both sides this book did not disappoint.  Writing for Team Zombie was: Libbay Bray, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, Carrie Ryan, and Scott Westerfeld. Writing for Team Unicorn was: Kathleen Duey, Meg Cabot, Garth Nix, Margo Lanagan, Naomi Novik, and Diana Peterfreund.  The stories alternate between Zombie and Unicorn and each is prefaced by point and counterpoint by editors Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalastier (Team Zombie) trying to make their case for which team wins with each story. In the end I think we the readers are the real winners.

This book became the first anthology that I finished in one non-stop run. I was surprised at how deep into each story I was pulled in such a short amount of time. I usually enjoy the books that allow me time to hang out with the characters but these are just great stories that take you there from the start.  I have to admit that I still have a hard time with taking killer unicorns very seriously, but I’m also am not looking for any killer unicorns to make a believer out of me.  In the early part of the book I was ready to hand the match to Team Zombie but there were some pretty great Unicorn stories that brought it within reach for Team Unicorn. They both finished strong with The Third Virgin by Kathleen Duey for Team Unicorn and Prom Night by Libba Bray for Team Zombie. In the end I still have to hand it to Team Zombie. At the end of the day I think I connect better with the kissing undead than the killer Rainbow Brite. This book is a great read and will be a great read for those who find it hard to get into books. This is an excellent book if you are a YA fan and it won’t disappoint. Zombies vs. Unicorns is set to release September 21, 2010.

Girl Parts (advance reading copy)

Charlie is the natural outsider. David is the natural insider. They are both alone and “disconnected.” The treatment for both,  a companion.  Companions are hot girly bots programmed to help those with “dissociative disorder” connect to something in a real and meaningful way, and Rose is the hottest of hot. When David’s companion goes AWOL she finds herself drawn to Charlie and the connection changes both of them forever.

This book was an interesting read. It definitely feels written for a girl audience but I think that some guys would find it at least entertaining considering it was written by a guy. Guys may find a reflective mirror for themselves in the character of Rose as we see how the guys interact with her and how it affects her. The book was an alright read. If you are a reader that doesn’t mind reading the age old girl loses boyfriend, girl connects with another guy, girl is a cyborg programmed to like the other guy then this is the book for you. Girl Parts by John M. Cusick will be released 8/2010.

Graceling

Being born with a skill that is beyond your control can be quite scary especially if that skill leads you to kill. Katsa is a graceling, therefore, she would have been born to be a feared outsider if not for the fact that she is a niece to the king. Instead, Katsa embarks on a journey that forces her to discover herself and use her grace to change the way things are.

Katsa was a difficult character to connect with. She seemed invincible, like she could do whatever she wanted and nobody could stop her. Katsa seems to have little weakness and can be too cold to outsiders leaving you feeling like an outsider looking in. That being said, the book was entertaining. This is a book that many have liked and many who have not read it yet will like it as well. It has a few romantic moments (“warm together” moments) that felt as if they were thrown in to keep things soft, but they could have easily been left out without changing the story. If you are a book reader and enjoy a decent fantasy read then dig in, if you have other things to read then put it on the back burner but don’t forget about it because you will eventually want to give it a shot.

Fat Vampire (advance reading copy) by Adam Rex

Short, fat, and fifteen for eternity. Doug Lee is stuck in the worst of adolescence when he becomes a vampire. Not only is Doug in the middle of trying to find out who he is, but now has to figure out what it means to be a vampire. The action of the adventure kicks in when Doug becomes the vampire being chased on the Vampire Hunters, a basic cable TV show fighting to keep their ratings up.

This book is smirkingly funny. There were parts where a chuckle was necessary but the whole idea is funny in itself. This guy is fifteen and is a likable guy who now finds that his life has become a little more complicated by being a vampire. Life always gets more difficult when you have to wear a vinyl poncho to go out in the sun. This book has its moments but none that will bring a tear to your eye in the sad sort of way. Adam Rex is a funny guy and his addition to the Vampire genre is a break from the norm. This book won’t take you to deep places in your soul, but it is a read that will keep you entertained.Fat Vampire is set to release 7/26/10.

Beautiful Darkness (advance reading copy)

CASTER RATED APPROVED
Didn’t like the way that Beautiful Creatures ended? It’s not over. Ethan, Link, Lena and friends are back and better than ever.

Beautiful Darkness meets and beats the first book in the series and sets you up for more. The story and characters go deeper and darker in this book set to release 10/26/10. The only problem I have with this book is that I have to wait so long for the next.

Beautiful Creatures reminds me not to judge a book by its cover (or any of the other girly stuff on the book).

CASTER RATED APPROVED

Dreams in the middle of the night of a strange girl, a creepy song that suddenly shows up on your Ipod and then just as suddenly disappears, waking up from your dreams with smells on your close that could have only come from your experiences in your dreams, the strange girl from the dreams showing up at school one day out of nowhere. Ethan thought his small little rural town of Gatlin, South Carolina, was a place where nothing changes and only “the stupid and the stuck” lived there. When Lena Shows up it turns his quaint small town life upside-down.

The first book of the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Creatures, unexpectedly pulled me forward from beginning to end. From the title, cover design, and even the quote on the back “some loves are meant to be....others are cursed” just seemed to say, “If you are a guy, keep out.” I’m glad I didn’t heed the warning because I would have missed out.

The romance stuff is always done in a way that guys could relate to even if we couldn’t admit it. Ethan struggles with understanding girls and the crazy things they do just like we do. There is plenty of action, some “crack a smile” funny parts, and there is that heavy dose of paranormal.

I have to admit that this book has moved into my top ten even though it’s hard to admit it with such a seemingly girly vibe. If you are a guy that is not afraid to admit he likes reading, then you are a guy that needs to give this book a shot.