Kings of Colorado by David E. Hilton

Kings of Colorado by David E. Hilton
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster
Publish Date:  January 11, 2011
ISBN:  978-1439183823
Pages:  288


From Goodreads:  William Sheppard had never ventured beyond his Chicago neighborhood until, at thirteen, he was sent away to the Swope Ranch Boys’ Reformatory, hundreds of miles from home, for stabbing his abusive father in the chest with a pocketknife. Buried deep in the Colorado mountains, Swope is shrouded in legend and defined by one prevailing rumor: that the boys who go in never come out the same.  Despite the lack of fences or gates, the boundaries are clear: prisoners are days from civilization, there exists only one accessible road—except in the wintertime, when it’s buried under feet upon feet of snow, and anyone attempting escape will be shot down without hesitation in the shadow of the peaks. At 13,000 feet above sea level, the mountains aren’t forgiving, and neither are the guards.  With twenty-four months of hard time ahead of him, Will quickly learns to distinguish his allies from his enemies. He also learns about the high price of a childhood lost. At Swope, herds of mustangs are trucked in to be broken by a select group of inmates. Once the horses are gentled, they are sold to ranchers and landowners across the Southwest. Horses come and go, delinquent boys come and go. The boys break the horses, Swope Reformatory breaks the boys. Throughout this ordeal, Will discovers three others who bring him into their inner circle. They are life preservers in a sea of violence and corruption. 

I almost forget to mention:  I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Mr. Hilton 'gets' how 12 - 18 year old boys talk to one another.  The way they act with one another when no adults are around.  It was very realistic.  The writing is beautiful - the slang and rhythm of the speech from the 1960's was perfect.

Will, the main character, feels guilty about stabbing his father, yet knows he wouldn't go back and change it.  I think he feels guilty for not feeling bad about what he did.  The story is told from Will's point of view. He goes from being the new 'fish' to being an old hand and serving his two years at Swopes.

Will's three friends: Benny, Coop and Mickey all come across as real boys too.  Yeah, they did some stupid stuff that landed them in Swopes, but sometimes it wasn't really their fault.  Some of it was their upbringing, their loyalty or their abusive/drunk/negligent families.

Will decides he has to break the mustang that Coop didn't complete.  The breaking of the horse seems to symbolize the breaking of the boys.  I read several reviews and comments that the things that happen on the ranch aren't realistic.  Remember, this was in the early 1960's.  Child Protective Services weren't like they are now - in fact, the juvenile system would much rather send them to somewhere that would force the boys into acceptable behavior than worry about WHY they were acting out.  I mean, even the neighbors just took it for granted that there was 'home training' going on.  See, that's what they called beating your wife and kids.  Since it was acceptable, when Will stabbed his dad, that was very frowned upon.  I'm sure that the same people would think that at least some of the things that happened at the ranch were acceptable.

This is a very dark story, with swearing and violence.  I would say that I haven't read a book that made me feel this way since THE OUTSIDERS and STAND BY ME.  I think it's that the boys seem to be on their own and no one really cares what happens to them.  Even at the end, Will knows that no one but the guys he was there with (and Miss Little) really understand how he feels.  It's a fabulous debut novel and I'm sure we'll see many more good things from David Hilton!

If you'd like to know more about the author, his website is:  www.davidhilton.com

Dust & Decay (Benny Imura #2) by Jonathan Maberry

Dust & Decay (Benny Imura #2) by Jonathan Maberry

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster
Publish Date:  August 30, 2011
Pages: 519
ISBN:  978-1442402355


ROT & RUIN introduced us to our young group of warriors.  DUST & DECAY takes us a step further.  Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong have been training with Tommy for months - ever since they saw the plane at the end of ROT & RUIN.  They want to find out if there's a civilization out there that's gone forward instead of huddling in fear.  To do so, they must travel through the wilderness and avoid the zombies...and other nasty things.

Mr. Maberry really fleshes out the characters of the teens in this book:
Lilah - still quick to act, she begins to think and feel more and frankly, I don't think she likes it much.

Benny - while not as good at fighting as he'd like to be seems to 'get' what Tom is teaching more than the others, he voices his doubts to himself (a good start) and you can see him becoming the man he'll eventually be.

Nix - her journal entries and questions are fantastic and show a quick mind, but she's been through so much that she's at times scared and then wild.

Chong - he changes the most.  Chong is the bookish kid, the one that isn't going on the journey with the others, he's going to stay safe at home.  He goes from believing he's a liability and not worth much to knowing and showing what he's made of.

We do meet some new characters and the Bounty Hunters we've heard so much about. The Bounty Hunters are an amazing group - they each have their own story and we get a quick glimpse of each of them.  They're mostly loners, not to be messed with and fiercely loyal to Tom Imura.  My favorites?  J-Dog and Dr. Skillz; two surfers turned Bounty Hunters.  It would be easy to underestimate them with their humor and surfer slang.  Weirdly, I've read multiple books with surfer slang and so understood them right away.  It's no wonder my husband thinks I'm weird.

The bad guys? There's a lot of them, but I think that while there are more zoms in this one, the people outnumber them as to evilness.  Zoms are just doing what they do, people think it out and do it on purpose.  The major players are The Preacher and White Wolf.  I'm not spoiling any surprises, as soon as you meet them, you know they're the bad guys. 

The story is fast-paced and takes some quick turns, so while it's over 500 pages, it goes quickly.  Mr. Maberry is a master at showing that while the world is full of zombies, it's the people you really have to look out for.


 

Retro Demonology & The Demon Trapper's Daugher by Jana Oliver

 Retro Demonology by Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date:  December 17, 2010
ebook

This is a cute little prequel to THE DEMON TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER.  In it you meet Riley who is an apprentice Demon Trapper.  Her dad is a Master and he has sent her out on a job alone. 

This is an alternate world of course, demons have gotten access to Earth and roam free causing anything from small chaos to death.  Riley is only allowed to go on Class One assignments right now.  Some people can't understand or even stand the thought that the world has gone in a different direction and they have chosen an era to live in.  The couple Riley goes to help have chosen the 70's.  The result is hilarious!  This quick little story made me want to read the series.

 Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date:  February 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0312614782
Pages:  368

Set in 2018 in Atlanta, GA, the world is overrun by demons and Riley lives in a hot-zone.  Her dad, Paul, is a famous Master Demon Trapper and Riley is determined to be one too. 

I did want a little more back story than what I got between this one and the short story I read first.  For instance: How did the world end up being overrun by demons?  How did Paul get into the business? Maybe all of those questions will be answered as we move into the series.

Riley is seventeen, goes to school, apprentices at demon trapping, is a bit harsh at times, but comes off as realistic.  I like her! 

Beck, her dad's partner, is a little older than Riley, comes off as pretty smart about what he does but is reckless about it too, he's protective of Riley and seems more complex than he puts out there.

The demons are classifieds from Ones, which are pretty harmless to Fives, which are killers.  The ones are things like Biblio's, they like to destroy books and then there are the ones like ravens, they collect shiny things - they're basically harmless and kind of cute.

Harper is the Master trainer that Riley ends up getting assigned to.  He's mean, drunk, arrogant and doesn't hesitate to slap his trainees.  Yet, there's something there that makes me think we're going to learn more about him and he's going to come out as a better person.

I really like this series so far, it's a bit gritty and realistic and the characters are complex.                                                

Dream Dark and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Dream Dark (Caster Chronicles #2.5)                     Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)
Publisher: Little, Brown Books                               Publisher:  Little, Brown Books
ebook                                                                         ISBN: 978-0316123525
Date: August 2, 2011                                               Date: October 18, 2011
                                                                                  Pages: 528

Dream Dark

When Link followed Ethan to help him rescue Lena, he never dreamed what could happen to him.  In a fight with John Breed, the Incubus, Link was bitten.  He then became some sort of hybrid Incubus.  Or as he likes to call himself "The Linkubus".

While Link is now grossed out by his mom's cooking, having to endure testing for steroids and getting a lecture on the birds & bees...it does have an upside...Link is finally a chick magnet!  With the help an an ex-Incubus, Link is learning how to handle it all and maybe even figure out how to keep Ridley. I mean, we all know Ridley loves him no matter what - she's just a spoiled brat.

This is an awesome little story to bridge the gap and tide us all over!


Beautiful Dark

Lena claimed herself and Ethan's having nightmares again.  The Caster's can't use their magic correctly, the heat is unbearable (even for the South!), and there's swarms of locusts.

The characters, as always, go out of their way to charm readers.  Ethan Wate is a Southern boy through-and-through.  It was interesting to see Ethan's thoughts on his friendship with Liv and how John Breed fits into all of it.  He's definitely a match for Lena, who has matured nicely into a steady young woman. Ridley is her usual bad-tempered self, but you can see glimpses of the girl she could be.  Link - funny, goofy Link!

I did not expect the ending.  Seeing Amma break down was terrible, she's been such a stanchion of the stories.  I think that made me cry more than anything else that happened.  Yes, the Caster Chronicles always make me cry...I love them for that!

I can't wait for the next installment!

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (Penguin)
Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0399254239
Pages:  288

I received this book from the Public Relations person in exchange for an honest review.


Quick Summary:  Kelsey Finkelstein lives in NYC (well, actually Brooklyn) with her parents and little sister.  She's decided to 'make her mark' in freshman year.  She has three bff's: Em (quiet one), Cass (theatrical one) and JoJo (wild one). 

This story is like watching actual high school!  I think we've all experienced some of the exact things Kelsey goes through.  I know I did.  I actually laughed out loud at times. 

Kelsey tries everything to make her mark - sports, theater, clothes, you name it.  She feels like she's failing miserably at every turn.  It's hard to see yourself clearly at fourteen and that shows up in this book.  You get to see what she's doing, the results and how Kelsey sees the results.  The resulting effect is hilarious.

Kelsey has her sights set on Jordan, a gorgeous upperclassman.  Jordan's girlfriend moved over the summer, so he's fair game.  Unfortunately, that means to everyone, even her bff's.  Boys can cause more trouble between friends than anything else in the world.

Add in a mysterious photographer who keeps putting Kelsey in the school paper in various unflattering pictures; Ben, a cute guy that works at the school paper that Kelsey is sure is messing with her; the possibility that one of her bff's is a lesbian and a mother that refuses to shop at anywhere but Loehman's and you've got a fabulous story.  This is a must read for not just the YA group, but their mom's as well.

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Publisher:  Hyperion Book
Publish Date:  May 6, 2008
ISBN:  978-1423109211
Pages:  392
Cover Art:  Elizabeth H. Clark

As always:  SPOILERS!!!!!!!!

I was at a local discount store and there was a large bin of hardcover books.  You never know what you'll find, so I was pawing through it and brought up this book.  My 16yo daughter said, "You HAVE to read that Mom, it's awesome."  Out of the mouths of babes....

This is unlike any zombie story I've read.  Even ROT and RUIN didn't treat zombies this way.  It's my favorite thing in life when an author comes up with a new way to showcase something popular.  Now this book was published in 2008, so Mr. Waters was ahead of the game with his zombies.  I like this book so much that I will be doing a giveaway of my very own hardcover copy tomorrow, check it out in my interview with Mr. Waters!

Weirdly, all over America, dead teenagers are coming to life...sort of.  They reanimate.  They don't need to eat, their organs don't work and some of them are more 'alive' acting than others.  How do their families react?  Some better than others.  Tommy's mom was thrilled to get him back and have a second chance, while Collette's parents threatened her with a shovel and left town.  Oh yeah, it's only America too - none of the other countries are having this issue.  Since it's a fairly new issue, there aren't any laws dealing with it yet.  Reanimated teens can't get a job, a drivers license or anything else - they are officially dead.  Nor are there any laws to punish anyone deciding to make sure the teens go back to being dead for good.

Mr. Waters did an excellent job with his characters.  It's easy to know who is talking even if you didn't read the name.  They all have very different voices.  That's missing in a lot of books, I'm sure it's hard to give each character their own voice.  For main characters we have: Phoebe - she's a gothy girl who listens to really loud metal music and writes poetry; Margie - Phoebe's bff, also gothy and highly emotional; Adam - Phoebe's neighbor and friend, he's a jock and keeps his friendship with Phoebe a secret because he can't be seen with her; Tommy - one of the zombies, he blogs, lives with his mom and wants to be a regular teen; the last of the main characters (as I see it) is Pete - captain of the football team, mean as a snake and hates zombies.  But even Pete has a secret.

The zombies (corpsicles, Differently Biotic, walking dead, whatever you want to call them) represent, to me, all of the 'unwelcome' groups in a high school: the minority in an all white school, special ed students, goths, geeks, nerds, LGBT students, you name it.  The things done to them are similar to things we've all witnessed (but hopefully not participated in) in high school, sometimes even college or beyond.  The worst part are the adults that not only condone the nonsense, but push the students to it.  You have to wonder what kind of teens they were themselves.

There is a little bit of a love triangle...sort of.  See Phoebe likes Tommy & Tommy likes Phoebe, but both understand the issues their relationship could cause.  Then there's Adam.  He's changed over the summer and realizes he likes Phoebe too, but can't figure out how to tell her and then she likes Tommy and he's friends with Tommy and it's all a mess.  There's no sexual situations in the story, but as you could assume there are some sexual remarks made about Phoebe dating a zombie.  Be prepared to explain if you're a parent, or ask about it if you're a teen. :)

In the end, this story is about understanding people that are different than yourself and accepting them.  Perhaps also that you can be dramatically different from your friends and still love them.  Be sure to check this one out, there are two more after it (so far): KISS OF LIFE and PASSING STRANGE.