The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking

Switched is about a girl, Wendy, whose mother tried to kill her on her sixth birthday because she believed Wendy was not really her child. Eleven years later, with her mother in a mental hospital and under the care of her older brother and aunt, Wendy finds out she was right.

Wendy is a troll, and I think her reaction to finding out is pretty priceless: "Nothing about me resembled a pink-haired doll with a crystal in its stomach or a creepy little monster that lived under a bridge. Admittedly, I was kind of short, but Finn was at least six feet tall." She is taken to the Trylle kingdom, where she discovers she is actually next in line for the throne, and she is none too happy about it. She spends the rest of the three books trying to find her way in her new life (and often fighting to get out of it entirely!).

I have to say, this trilogy got better and better the further I read. Wendy, the heroine, gets stronger and more independent. The obvious choice is rarely the one that writer, Amanda Hocking, makes, which is delightful in any fiction, but especially in girls' YA fiction. She doesn't spend the books mooning over the same boy, and very often pushes love out of her mind for the betterment of the Trylle kingdom and her own independence.

I hesitate to give details because I don't want to ruin the wonderful surprises for future readers, but this whole trilogy was a 5 star absolute must-read! That's as much as I'm giving away. It falls somewhere on the drama-o-meter beneath The Twilight Saga, and I can't quite think of a book to go below it at the moment. It's a lot of fun, drama, and romance, and it was good enough for me to immediately buy the second book and third books in the trilogy after I read the first.

P.S. Amanda Hocking also has a blog! Check it out here.

5 Stars

This book has now become part of my foundation and is an extension of the very essence of me...I laughed, I cried [or some other emotion] and am sad this reading is over...gush, gush, gush...

Teacher Advisories **CAUTION: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!**

Sex 2/5

There is some kissing/making out between Wendy and a male lead, but nothing too detailed or heavy. Sex is alluded to on a few occasions, but it's actually because Wendy gets married to a guy she doesn't love/isn't attracted to and wants to avoid it.

Language 1/5

There may have been a word or two, but nothing I remembered.

Substance Abuses 0/5

Nothing at all!

Violence 3/5

There's some violence, mostly in the third book as a war rages between two kingdoms of trolls. It may be great in volume in a couple of spots, but it's mostly magic based, and it's not really graphic. I've seen worse than what was described on tv!

Touchy Subjects

Family
Wendy's relationship with her mother is rocky because her mother has never believed Wendy was her child. Wendy's supposed brother loves her very much but has a lot of trouble accepting her new place in the world.

Inter-class Relationships
Wendy is in love with a troll who is low on the social totem pole compared to her royal status. She and her troll mother get into it on more than one occasion over this matter.

Arranged Marriages

Wendy is the victim of an arranged marriage (though she eventually gets out of it). It's not really "touchy" in the traditional sense, but kids might have questions about whether this ever happens in the real world.

How this book is used in the classroom

1] Independent Read option

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Mermaids and werewolves and vampires and faeries and hags and shape-shifters and waterspirits, if you can name a paranormal, I'm sure they are at least mentioned in Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.

This book rocked my socks off! It's soooo very awesome! It's so awesome, in fact, that I'm sorry it took me two years to read it, so awesome in fact that I'm sorry I don't have the second book right now!

This is one of those cool books that on the surface seems like a cute romp into paranormal land, but is actually a commentary on discrimination, service and relationships.

Evie is seriously that perfect female heroine that I've been looking for when I read teen SF books. She's so girly (pink and animal print are incorporated into everything she wears), but she can also kick major butt using her pink rhinestone encrusted taser, nicknamed Tasy, of course. She falls for a shape-shifter and has doubts, but not the whiny (sorry, I'm about to compare her to two teen girls who annoy the dickens out of me) "I can't live without you" doubts of Bella Swan or "the too tough too touch me blocked-headedness" of Katniss Everdeen. Evie is the rock-star of these girls.

While the plot of this book is not new, the approach is. And, don't let the cover fool you, this book isn't at all fluffy and girly (unless you want to count Evie's pink heeled boots). In the world of Paranormalcy there are humans who know that paranormals exist these humans have taken it upon themselves to defend the world against these creatures and have created an agency to do this. Evie is part of this agency. After she meets a shape-shifting teenage boy, much like herself, she begins to wonder where she fits into the whole thing. Is she trapped? Is she a pawn? Is she an asset? And, most importantly, what does she want?

This book is told with enough humor and seriousness that I found myself laughing seconds after a sad event and I found myself sharing bits of this book to my student in the hallways and at lunch.

It's another one of those books that makes me wish I could have read it when I was 14 and it's another one of those books that I can't wait for my daughter to find.


5 Stars

Teacher Advisories

Sex 1/5 

There are also some nice steamy kisses, embraces and long kiss scenes. Really teen books have the best kissing scenes! A faerie named Reth inappropriately touches Evie all the time, even after you figure out it's still kind of creepy and a little bit pervy.

Language 1/5

I love, love, love when an author uses a fake word in the place of an expletive. Norman Mailer did it with the word 'fug' and Kiersten White does it with *bleep*, it's funny, your kids will love it...I found myself doing it at home. It sure beats cussing!!!

Substance Abuses 0/5

Unless you count getting totally intoxicated on someone's soul...than I bump it up to a 1/5.

Violence 2/5

So, the IPCA fights paranormals. One vamp decides he'd rather die than be confined. A strange creature is going around killing paranormals lots of werewolves and vampires die. A hag dies, a mermaid dies, a werewolf dies, some of the creatures that die we get to know and that's sad...there's lots of violent death.

Touchy Subjects

Slavery and Indentured Servitude
While this is truly a fun teen paranormal romp there are several grown-up and timely themes. IPCA decides who's bad, IPCA locks up and classifies those who are bad, Evie must then decide if who's right. While Evie is deciding if she's actually just a pawn in a game where every side sucks the life out of the other, we must also decide what it means to be truly free. Paranormals are neutered, neutralized and locked up. They are let out only to serve IPCA.

Family
Evie comes from foster homes and has no parents. Raquel takes care of her, but she isn't really a mother per se. Lend's family is everything she desires, but they still have their flaws. Vivian has a family, but have they taught her to be what she is.
Normality
What does it mean to be normal? And, doesn't normal come in many different forms.

Inter (racial ?) relationships
Paranormals date, marry and have children with mortals sometimes to the chagrin and disappoint of their family and friends. These relationships can be seen as allegorical to interracial relationships, and we can see the wonderfulness, but also the troubles that people have when they are in relationships that are defined by society.

How this book is used in the classroom

1] Independent Read option

2] Websites

Author's website


Questions for Discussion (from here)

1. It has been said that the book speaks in metaphors regarding issues such as animal rights,  human rights and slavery. Would you agree with this and why? Support your answer using details from the book.

2. Evie’s relationship with Raquel is similar to a mother/daughter relationship. Would you have liked to see their relationship end differently than the way it did? Explain your answer.

3. If you could meet any type of paranormal from the book which would you choose? Why?

(S)mythology by Jeremy Tarr

fairy tale

n.

1. A fanciful tale of legendary deeds and creatures, usually intended for children.

2. A fictitious, highly fanciful story or explanation.

          From the very beginning (S)mythology would like you to know that it believes itself to be a fairy tale. To make sure that we know that, it even starts of as all good fairy tales do, for it would be "sacrilege" not to do so, it starts off with "Once upon a time..." and, so that's how I shall begin my review.

     Once upon a time there was a girl who didn't realize that she was lonely. She was content to live at "Number Four Danube Street Flat Four, London SW3" and she was content to be alone for she knew that, having been cursed by the Gorgons, she would turn anyone who loved her into stone.
     Sophie, no last name, enjoyed being lonely until she met the man of her dreams, the surname to her Christian name, Smyth, and although Smyth was strong and artistic and beautiful, he could not resist falling in love with Sophie. Sophie, because she loved him, could not help but go through Heaven and Hell and all that's in between to save him, although being saved may not have been the answer to their Love but all romantics have to learn the hard way that "Love is a myth and we all live in fairy tales". When she loves again she will be more adult, she will be more careful.

          This book, Jeremy Tarr's first, is delightful and enchanting. Mr. Viceroy is an excellent multi-jowled villian, the Gorgons (think Medusa and her sisters) have converted to Kabbulah (think Madonna), there's a minotaur, Posideon and Hades, a mermaid, the creator of Stonehenge (by the way, did you know it's the house a guru built, complete with a gym?), Jesus and the angels, evil nuns, a Yeti, Buddha, talking fish souls, pygmies and, of course, apparitions in the form of Smyth, his parents and Sophie (who has been swallowed whole by the Angel of Death). Let me go on, there are contracts and deeds and orphans, there's communication with a Fountain that actual knows what you desire, there's all things Cat Stevens, and a Beatles quoting secretary to Cupid. Through Sophie's journey, there are questions that compel us to delve into our Faith and what we believe is Eternity and there are questions about family and commitment and undying devotion. And, you'll ask yourself these questions while experiencing a book that will make you laugh your socks off at the wit and humor of it all. Yes, this books is funny and whimsical and full of Life.
          Like all good fairy tales we learn valuable lessons about what it means to live ("'Happiness often comes from the search for Happiness'" and "And, she lived happily ever after") and what it means to die ("There's no true definition of beauty. Except for maybe Heaven." and "'Had I not had the experiences that I had so long ago with the Afterlife, I still don't think I would fear death. However, I will hold nostalgia for Life. and I'll certainly hold nostalgia for the people in my Life.'"). And, while we can argue forever about whether this is a true fairy tale, following the definition, (and, I did with myself and am doing so now as I type this, as the narrator will argue as you read) we can't argue that Jeremy Tarr has given us a book about the most important of all virtues; Love. He has shown us what it is (there are three important types), how to give it, how to receive it and most importantly how to cherish it so it grows and is remembered. One added feature is all the beautiful drawings by Katy Smail, they kept my tiny tot entertained while I read and are full of the same whimsy and enchantment as the words on the page.
          If you are like me, this seemingly simple novel with leave you with questions about its ending, your own life and its ending, and it will make you look at "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) a little differently. It will make you laugh a little about the glorious absurdity of all that it means to be alive.

Morning Has Broken Lyrics
(A Traditional Song, Lyrics by *Eleanor Farjeon)

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

4 1/2 Stars

Act II kind of lags for me, but that's probably because I'm a romantic and was mourning my losses, both figuratively and literally and spent some time drowning in my melancholy.

Teacher Advisories

Sex 1/5 

There are some situations that are described. The actual sex act is not described, however, two people are in bed together at one time and it is implied that they have had sex.

Language 3/5 

There really isn't a lot of language, but the language that is used is of the powerful kind. Sometimes using words such as F*** and G**D***, even if used once are red flags for some people.

Substance Abuses 2/5

Drinking, mind-altering substances are consumed in a manner befitting a scene in Alice in Wonderland.

Violence 1/5

Um, Sophie turns those she loves into stone. She cheats Death, death gets even. She rescues her love from Hell.

Touchy Subjects

Religion
Many religious traditions are talked about, however, Tarr doesn't really say that one is better than the other. Mysticism, mythology and other view points also take center stage. Students may question their own view-points and want to talk about it.
Death and Dying
This book does not have a happy ending, but it is a wonderful and beautiful ending. Where do you go when you die? What does it mean to die? and Have I lived my life to the fullest and without regrets? are questions that might come to mind.
Love
First loves, love in marriage, lust, abandonment, lasting love, love for our family, love for our children, I could go on and on...

How this book is used in the classroom
1] Independent Read option
2] Websites

Tarrology more clever wordsmithing with pictures

(S)mythology all about the book, ever so pretty
A wonderful review for parents from Geek Dad

Oh, and I won this book on Good Reads and, while I didn't have to write a review, it said I could if I wanted to, and, boy did I want to, this book is so much more than fun!

Beastly by Alex Flinn

I was told I just "had" to read this book. So I did! I have always loved Beauty and the Beast (the Disney one, of course!). It didn't take much convincing to get me to read this once I realized it existed.

This book, uniquely narrated by the male lead, Adrian, is incredibly well written. I enjoyed seeing the beginning of the story and the transformation in more detail than you do in the Disney movie, which just brushes over it. It was also nice to get the inner thoughts of the beast as he deals with his transformation and trying to win over Linda, the book's version of Belle.

Perhaps my favorite part of it all, however, was how Flinn transformed the story into modern terms and changed the way a lot of the magical elements operated. She also changes the circumstances under which Linda/Belle is brought to and forced to stay with Adrian/Beast. That took a lot of thought and creativity, and ultimately lead to me not being able to put down this book!




5 Stars
This book has now become part of my foundation and is an extension of the very essence of me...I laughed, I cried [or some other emotion] and am sad this reading is over...gush, gush, gush...


From Stephanie:

         Frankly, I wished I would have gone into the movie a little blind. The book is lovely and I can already tell that the movie will pale in comparison. Kyle Kingsbury is a jerk, and Adrian is the perfect beast. If I met Edward Cullen or Kyle, I'm not sure which I'd chose. Lindy is, hands down, the best YA heroine I've seen in a long time. I'm pretty sure that she does not, not even one time, cry over a boy...over the loss of her freedom and her father, yes there are some tears, but no tears for the loss of a boy. In this book Kyle/Adrian gets to be the crier and he gets to be the one who laments, hoorah! Sensitive guy, strong female (I knew there was a reason that I've always liked the Beauty and the Beast story). There isn't any way that they can possibly have all the wonderfulness that I imagined while reading...I was in it, in it, people...ask anyone who tried to talk to me during my planning period or tried to get me to eat lunch or do hall duty...in it.

Unfortunately, Vanessa Hudgens, is not in anyway how I imagined Lindy would be. I'm not going to spend time bashing Ms. Hudgens or her acting or singing ability...I am in no way her target audience, so what I think isn't going to do anybody any good. I just imagined Lindy acting a little less like Gabriella and looking a little more like this (you know a beautiful red head who has the ability to not look so pretty to the shallow of heart) with the acting chops to boot.

          This is the same way I felt about the Twilight movies. When they first came out I thought, OK, these movies may blow chunks...however, I may be able to tolerate them if...they don't screw up the baseball scene (which, with Muse as background music how could they?) and the vampire sparkles (which were done exactly how I imagined them)...first movie was a win, the second movie was so badly a loss that I haven't watched the third.

          Back to Beastly, I like this book because it allowed me to truly imagine the beast from his point of view. I think it's lovely that we don't officially meet the girl who is supposed to save everyone until 100 pages or so in, but we do meet Kyle and we do see him change and we do see how he is that attractive, popular boy that we all dreamed of, but was definitely too shallow and mean for us to like. I think every kid could learn something from his transformation...humility, what it means to be prideful, how and when to be stubborn, why we shouldn't blame our absentee parents for our problems, but rise above them and so on. I suppose that will all play off in the movie even without a redhead as Lindy.
          Hmmm...I guess I'll be OK, as long as they don't screw up that scene with the green dress.


5 Stars
This book has now become part of my foundation and is an extension of the very essence of me...I laughed, I cried [or some other emotion] and am sad this reading is over...gush, gush, gush...


Teacher Advisories
Sex 1/5
There is really no sex in this book. There is kissing, but not more!
Language 1/5
There is nothing that you can't say on television.
Substance Abuses 1/5
A party is briefly mentioned, though there is no mention of alcohol or drugs.
Violence 1/5
Arguments, yelling, walking off in anger. Adrian/Beast is an angry character for what has happened to him. He also roughs up a burglar at one point, but lets him go.


Touchy Subjects
Bullying
Adrian at the beginning of the novel is a rich and popular guy who uses an unpopular girl named Kendra as the butt of a joke, which is ultimately what results in his problems through the rest of the novel. Some may be bothered by the fact that Kendra takes revenge upon him, but as this is a retold fairy tale, it may be a less sensitive subject.
Parent/Child Relationships
There are no positive parent/child relationships. Lindy's father gives her up to keep himself out of trouble. Adrian's father isolates and hides him once his transformation takes place and pays little attention to him after.


How this book is used in the classroom
1) Independent Read option
2) Lesson Plans
Book Study on Glogster
Reading Group Guide
Another Book Study on Glogster