Tag Archives: Headstrong Girl

Spindle’s End by Robin McKinley

American Literature July 31, 2009 Superfast Reader 6 Comments

Synopsis: A retelling of Sleeping Beauty, filled with magic and adventure. Review: I tried to read Spindle’s End when it first came out, and I gave up after about 50 pages. This time, I made it to the end, but it still left me cold. Robin McKinley’s writing is absolutely gorgeous, and I applaud the plot she devised for her retelling, but I never really connected with the story. I would definitely read another of her books, though, because I did enjoy Beauty. Any recommendations?

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

American Literature July 7, 2009 Superfast Reader 5 Comments

This is a guest post by Superfast Toddlers awesome babysitter Namiko, a teenage girl who loves loves loves to read. She reminds me a lot of myself at her age, and we swap books back and forth. Synopsis: When Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is told to leave the only home she has known, the ThÃ©Ã¢tre Illuminata, she is given one chance to prove that she is a valuable member of the company. Review: I re-read a lot. Itâ€™s just the way I am, but I donâ€™t…

The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns by Elizabeth Leiknes

American Literature June 15, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Lucy only wanted to save her sister after a accident, but a lifetime escorting souls to hell wasn’t quite the price she had in mind, and now she wants out. Review: The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns was a quick, breezy read. Elizabeth Leikness has imagination to spare when it comes to her plotting, and I never quite guessed what was coming next. She has a wonderfully satirical wit, but her book isn’t superficial at all. Lucy’s job is to wrangle the truly wicked…

The Dragon of Trelian by Michelle Knudsen

American Literature June 1, 2009 Superfast Reader 3 Comments

Synopsis: A mage-in-training and a princess psychically linked to a dragon must work together to save the royal family from an evil sorceress. Review: The Dragon of Trelian has a lot of familiar elements, but fortunately it manages to feel fresh. Princess Meglynne is feisty and hot-tempered and imperial, but she’s not just tempestuous. She’s got a core of true courage that’s really appealing. Apprentice mage Calen struggles with feelings of inadequacy, but he’s also prone to an arrogance that tempers his naivete. The dragon…

Santa Olivia by Jaqueline Carey

American Literature May 27, 2009 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: Loup Garron’s father was a genetically engineered superman, but she’s just a street kid–until she turns a group of orphans into vigilantes. Review: I thought Santa Olivia was going to be a werewolf book, and it wasn’t. It’s an ambitious yet intimate character portrait of a girl born without fear. I was unfamiliar with Jacqueline Carey’s work, and I gather that Santa Olivia represents a bit of a departure. I really admired her command of character and plotting, even if I didn’t totally connect…

Past Imperative by Dave Duncan (The Great Game)

Canadian Literature May 1, 2009 Superfast Reader 5 Comments

Synopsis: An upper class young man on trial for murder in WWI England finds his destiny entwined with a girl on the road with a traveling troupe of actors in an alternate vaguely medieval world ruled by capricious and contentious gods. Review: I really enjoy Dave Duncan’s writing–he’s imaginative and not afraid of getting a little literary, and always comes up with great characters. Past Imperative (Round One of the Great Game) was a welcome departure from the usual epic fantasy in that half of…

The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano

American Literature March 26, 2009 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: Hidden in the witness protection program since she was a child, Melody wishes for the chance to be herself, and unwisely starts to fall for one of the gangster’s she’s hiding from. Review: The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano is a straightforward, enjoyable, affecting story about a young woman in an awful predicament. I really found myself trusting Jonathan, the young mafioso who recognizes Melody, and believing she’d be safe with him, despite all evidence to the contrary. The female voice…

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

American Literature March 21, 2009 Superfast Reader 9 Comments

Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen takes her sister’s place in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death between teenagers, televised for the whole world. Review: I asked my YA librarian friend if The Hunger Games was any good, and her report was that it wasn’t the best book she’d ever read but she couldn’t keep it on the shelves and the kids in her school were passing it around like crazy. Being a fan of YA literature and of Rollerball-type stories, I had to check…

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

American Literature March 19, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: The death of her best friend sends an anorexic girl into a backsliding tailspin. Review: While all of Laurie Halse Anderson‘s books are fantastic, Wintergirls is the first one to equal Speak in its simple depth, elegant honesty, and dynamic storytelling. Anderson frames Lia’s emotional journey through her grief over the death of her best friend, the girl who taught her to be anorexic in the first place. It’s a heartwrenching story because Lia’s suffering is so palpable, yet Anderson isn’t afraid to let…

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

American Literature December 7, 2008 Superfast Reader 5 Comments

Synopsis: A slave girl bent on gaining her freedom finds herself embroiled in the furor of the Revolutionary War in 1776 New York City. Review: It’s simply perfect, that’s all there is to it. Chains is one of the finest examples of a young adult novel you’re likely to find, from one of the genre’s finest authors, Laurie Halse Anderson. I have been reading YA for almost three decades now and while Anderson’s Speak, a fine, fine novel itself, is a classic of a certain…

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