The Captain’s Log – a Muster of Mini-Reviews of YA Books

Ahoy there me mateys!  I have read more books this year then there are days left to review them individually.  So today I bring ye a muster of mini-reviews.  What be a muster?

Well the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as:

1. assemble (troops) especially for inspection or for battle;
2. collect or assemble (a number or amount); or
3. a group of peacocks.

Here I take a look at three young adult titles.  They don’t get full reviews because I be running out of time.  But me rule is that I have to review every book I read.  Arrrr!

Side note: the book covers come from Goodreads and ye can click on them to add the books to yer Goodreads’ Ports for Plunder List.  

 

my teacher is an alien (Bruce Coville)

This book was reviewed by the First Mate earlier this year in a keep or keelhaul edition.  It was a keep as I had always known about this book growing up but never read it for some unknown reason.  I always, however, have enjoyed the evocative cover.  I ending up reading the copy in the hold and really loving it.  There are some unexpected plot twists for sure.  Plus the girl on the cover isn’t just a token.  In fact she be the narrator!  Seems progressive for a book originally written in 1989 and for a sci-fi at that.  There is humor in this and some suspense that younger me would have adored.  It seems light given how far writing themes have come in younger adult works.  However, it is still a hit with kids.  Wish I would have read it when younger.  If we find the rest of the series in the hold, I wouldn’t mind reading to see what happens next.  Arrrrr!

“Hey, Geekoid!” yelled Duncan Dougal, “Why do you read so much? Don’t you know how to watch TV?”
― Bruce Coville, My Teacher Is an Alien

winterkeep (Kristen Cashore)

 

This be book 4 in the Graceling series.  I loved the trilogy when I was younger though it didn’t completely hold up during a reread.  However, I could help but read an excerpt out of curiosity and then wanted to read the whole thing.  Ye cannot read this without readin’ the other books.  Also these books have an older-style feel about them.  That said, I enjoyed this and getting to see what happens to the characters after so much time has gone by.  I loved the new world (telepathic animals!) and Lovisa was a character who grew so much in the course of the novel.  That said I still wish we got all new characters and no old ones.  And yet book five will be back with an older character.  And yet I will still read it. Arrrr!

“It was a problem with no solution. Whichever path she chose would be harder than she felt she could stand.”
― Kristin Cashore, Winterkeep

shadowblack (Sebastien de Castell)

I enjoyed book one so picked up the next in the series.  However, this book has me conflicted about picking up any more.  I still love the characters (especially Reichis the squirrel cat).  I did not love the plot.  It was not a strong as book one and lagged in places.  Plus the bad guy was obvious from the beginning and so the “mystery” element irked me.  Could have done without the silly romance.  Could have done with more of Ferius and Rosie.  So does the series get better after this?  Should I continue.  The books are a little too expensive to make me want to buy them knowing that they are likely not rereads.  Conflicted.

“First thing you learn travelling the long roads, kid: language is as much in the way you speak as the words you choose.”
― Sebastien de Castell, Shadowblack

So there ye have it.  Me comments on some young adult books.  Arrrr!!