Best Girl by Sylvia Maultash Warsh

Pages: 121
Intended Audience: Teens and Adults
Genre: Mystery
Notes for parents: Includes mature scenes, drinking, references to drug use

The Back Cover

When Amanda Moss learns that her parents didn’t die in a car crash as her adoptive mother has always maintained, she feels her whole life has been a lie. And now that she knows that the father she doesn’t remember was in a successful rock-and-roll band, her own yearning to break into the music business begins to make sense. But did her mother really do what people say she did? Amanda’s search for the truth takes her down an uncertain and sometimes frightening road.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is part of the “Rapid Reads” series by Raven Books (a division of Orca Publishing). They are short novels intended for adult readers.

What’s good?

This is a super quick and easy read. Since the series of books are meant to be read in one of two sittings, the story if intentionally short and sweet.  It has a fast pace with an exciting plot. It has a few twists and turns but no real sub-plots. The main character, Amanda, is likeable enough that her search for the truth had me interested, and in the end, I hoped she would realize her dream of becoming a musician.
Best part: I applaud the style of this novel that had a tough job of taking a complicated story and telling it in a simple way and in 120 pages.

 

What’s not so good?
By design, this story doesn’t spend a lot of time on back story or character development. You don’t really get to know anyone well enough to fully understand their motives. As Amanda search for answers, she seemed to come by information rather easily, and the plot was resolved conveniently.
Worst part: None. Everything lacking in this story was done deliberately to make this a fast read.

Recommendations þþþoo

I enjoyed it. It’s nice to put down the thick and complicated novels every once in a while and indulge in a story that can be read in one reasonable sitting. It was a mature story with real life themes and, while lacking in many areas, offered enough that the creative mind could imagine the rest. Definitely recommended.

Warsh, Sylvia Maultash. Best Girl. Victoria, B.C.: Raven Books, 2012 .

Beautiful Creatures: The Manga by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl; art by Cassandra Jean

Pages: about 245
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Supernatural / Graphic novel
Notes for parents: Some mature scenes

The Back Cover

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena Duchannes – a girl unlike anyone Jackson High has ever seen – moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the “illustrated adaptation” of Garcia and Stohl’s bestselling novel. The artwork is by Cassandra Jean.

What’s good?

This supernatural graphic novel moved quickly, with excellent black and white drawings and a smooth, interesting plot. Although the concept itself isn’t original, the story felt fresh thanks to likeable characters and a well-drawn, paranormal world.
Best part: I like the artist’s drawing style. It’s casual, but still very expressive.

What’s not so good?

Since I haven’t read the original book, and I haven’t seen the movie, it’s understandable that throughout the novel, I had a feeling I was missing out on a lot of the nuances of the original story. I’m not a huge fan of established novels being made into graphic novels because details of the written story always have to be sacrificed for the sake of the visual story. I found some of the dialogue difficult to follow, but I always managed to figure it out.
Worst part: I have a feeling that the novel is much better.

Recommendations þþþoo

This kind of graphic story is probably intended more for people who’ve read the novel and just want more. However, if you’re only interested in getting the gist of the story without having to read the novel, this one’s for you. I recommend it, but I suggest reading the written novel instead of this graphic novel if you’re that interested in the story.

Garcia, Kami & Margaret Stohl. Beautiful Creatures: The Manga. New York: Yen Press, 2013. (Hardcover)

A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills by Lizabeth Zindel

Pages: 302
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Mystery
Notes for parents: Some mature scenes and mild language.

The Inside Cover

It’s winter break, and Holly has come home from boarding school to face her dad’s new girlfriend, Claudia—who also happens to be her mom’s sister. Gross. Holly’s mom died less than a year ago, and already Claudia has taken over her movie production company, her house, and now her husband.
Then the ghost of Holly’s mother appears, claiming that Claudia murdered her. Holly vows to avenge her mom’s death no matter what it takes, but as the stakes get higher, she starts to wonder: What does this ghost really want from her, and why?
Throw in an adorable college guy named Oliver, an all-night house party with a pack of Australian surfers, and a shopping disaster on Rodeo Drive, and you wind up with a Hamlet-inspired ghost story unlike any other.

What the Cover doesn’t tell you:

I found the description to be a bit misleading.

What’s good?

This story had a great concept, based loosely on the story of Hamlet. Characterization was good. Holly was a likeable character and it was easy to sympathize with her situation. The supporting characters were interesting, especially Claudia and her horror movie props. This was a fast and easy read with a simple plot.
Best part: The cover.

What’s not so good?

This was a superficial approach to a story about grief and mental illness. The plot was predictable and the writing was overly detailed (I don’t need to know the color of her umbrella, or what her comforter looks like!) and very passive. Even the romance was boring. Even worse was the dialogue which felt contrived and didn’t convincingly reflect the way teens talk today. At times, the conversations, especially the ones between Holly and Felicia, were awkward and even corny (Dudette?).
Worst part: The end made the story seem pointless.

Recommendations þþooo

I was first attracted to this book by the cover, which promised a tense, supernatural Shakespearean-like mystery. Even the inside cover suggested a ghost story. There was certainly potential here, but it was never realized.

Zindel, Lizabeth. A Girl, A Ghost, And the Hollywood Hills. New York: Viking, 2010. (Hardcover)