Monday, July 12, 2010

Reviews: A Match Made in High School & Hourglass

A Match Made in High School - Kristin Walker
*February 4th, 2010 Razorbill

Kristin Walker's A Match Made In High School is a light-hearted and enjoyable read, both fun and funny. I whipped through this in one afternoon. Walker impressed me in a number of ways with this one. First off, although the concept itself isn't entirely new, she puts a unique spin on it and writes it in a way that's credible. Secondly, I liked the references to little tidbits of information that are a little out-there, a little more literary, which kind of elevates it in a sense. It's romantic, it's dramatic, it's high school and it's humourous - done well.

And the leading lady Fiona? I had moments where I disliked her, then there were moments when she grew on me. Basically, Walker has made her a dynamic character that readers can actually give a hoot about, which is great. And I especially appreciated the fact that it didn't follow the cliche, typical high school romantic outcome.

So sure, it's not exactly deep or controversial or thought-provoking. But if you're looking for some LOL fun, this is the perfect remedy. Fast, fresh and fun, A Match Made in High School is a wonderful debut from Kristin Walker.



Hourglass - Claudia Gray
*March 9th, 2010 HarperCollins

Claudia Gray provides a different take on vampires in her New York Times Bestselling series that began with Evernight. Hourglass is the third installment in the series, and is preceded by Stargazer. I really like the font they chose for the titles of these books. As for Hourglass, I didn't actually end up finishing it.

See, I started Hourglass and I'd been pretty into it - it was action-packed, it was original, etc. I got to Chapter 15 (page 212 of about 339) and stopped for a few days, and after that basically wasn't really able to get back into it. It's been a few months now, since then. On one hand, originally I had found it a pretty enthralling read up to as far as I got. On the other, after stopping, it just didn't hold the same calling any more. (Note - if I ever end up getting back into it and finishing, I'll come back and update this.)

I did like the fact that it was a different take on vampires and vampire hunters. I also liked the fact that there was a distinct sort of vampire mythology present. I also enjoyed the fact that it was very action-packed. So if you're looking for more vampires (or hunters) or action, Claudia Gray's Hourglass is one to check out.



*This is the second installment of mini reviews. The first, featuring Gayle Forman's IF I STAY and Laurie Halse Anderson's WINTERGIRLS, can be found here.

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