Regifters by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel

Jen Dik Seong --- or Dixie as she’s known by her friends has a really bad temper. But that’s okay, because she is really into the Korean martial art Hapkido, where she can legitimately beat people up. She’s also really good at it. When her parents give her $100 dollars to compete in a national Hapkido competition, Dixie is tempted to use the money towards more romantic pursuits. If you want romance, some great fight scenes, wicked fast paced art and old-fashioned revenge you should read this awesome graphic novel.

154 pages
3 stars

New Moon by Stephanie Meyers (book two of Twilight series)

After a member of Edward’s blood thirsty family is tempted by Bella’s blood, the Cullens decide to leave Forks and Edward breaks up with Bella in order to further “protect her”. Bella falls into a deep depression, and her father encourages her to start spending time with Jacob Black, a family friend. As Bella and Jacob become closer, Bella slowly emerges from her depression, especially when she discovers that when she does dangerous things, she can conjure up Edward’s voice in her mind. Soon Jacob replaces Edward as Bella’s savior and protector and falls in love with this girl who can’t make it without a man, not even for one book. And besides the obvious advantages of a romantic partnership with Jacob (hello! he’s warm!) over Edward, the superficial Bella can’t get over her devastatingly gorgeous vampire ex-boyfriend. The second installation is a better read than the first, in that there is less of Edward, who is boring and controlling, and more of Jacob, who is the first relatable character in the series.

608 pages
3 Stars

Twilight By Stephanie Meyer (book one of Twilight series)

Poor Bella. Her mom’s remarrying, and she decides to move from sunny Phoenix to stay with her dad in rainy Forks. The first part of the book focuses on building Bella’s character (boring and whiny) and it isn’t until Bella lays eyes on Edward that the narrative starts getting interesting. Soon her inner dialogue changes from just complaining about the rain and the fact that she is klutzy to lamenting about her unrequited love for Edward. Eventually they start hanging out, and fall in love, and despite all of the clues of his undead status, it takes her forever to realize he’s a vampire.

Although I spent almost the entire book groaning and rolling my eyes, if anyone tried to take the book away from me when I was reading it I probably would have bit them. It’s totally engrossing, despite of – or maybe because of its ridiculousness. Bella is the perfect empty vessel for any voyeur craving a little bit of drama and adventure. Her lack of personality lets the reader take her place in the strong (cold!) arms of Edward: part protector, part stalker. A must read unless you desire to be completely out of touch with pop culture, but be warned: your inner feminist is going to kick your conscience if you like it.

3 stars
544 pages

Slumdog Millionaire (film) directed by Danny Boyle

I am not one to ruffle feathers unnecessarily, but I have to come out and say something honestly. I did not enjoy Slumdog Millionaire. Before the majority of the world rains curses upon me, and the pile of awards obscure my speech (8 Oscars, 4 Golden Globes, 5 Critic’s Choice and seven BAFTA) I would like to qualify a few things: I liked the child actors, they were undoubtedly amazing. The adult actors, on the other hand, outside of the Dev Patel’s portrayal as the lead character, were pretty terrible and over-acting abounded. There was absolutely no chemistry between the two lovers, and when they finally kissed, I wanted to look away rather then revel in the cinematic climax.

Despite all this, I understand the film’s appeal. It’s gritty, well shot, and extremely fast-paced. The soundtrack is killer. Shot on location in India, the scenery is spectacular. I don’t need to recommend the movie, as everyone has perhaps already seen it. But for anyone who wants to see a fairy tale disguised as something more, see this movie.

2 stars

Let the Right One In (film) directed by Tomas Alfredson

Based on the Swedish novel of the same name, Let the Right One In follows the story of a bullied twelve year old boy who befriends and eventually falls in love with a 200 year old female vampire who looks like a thirteen year old girl. They form a symbiotic relationship: she helps him have the courage to stand up his tormenters, and he in turn will eventually be responsible for her well-being. I watched this movie with my seventeen year old brother, who thought the narrative between the vampire and the boy was beautifully romantic, where I was hoping that the vampire would be killed off, saving the world some trouble. While this movie does have teenage protagonists, it is mature enough to be thoroughly enjoyed by an older audience. The little details the filmmakers add in at the edges of the scenes, such as a pretty calm cat in a window turning hideously vicious as the vampire walks by give the film an unexpected richness. Winner of numerous awards, including Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 2008 Toronto After Dark Film Festival.

5 stars

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Boy meets boy is a strange and wacky book full of fantasy, romance and comedy. Imagine a magical small town, which for some inexplicable reason, is completely open-minded and free. The high school at this town is like no other. The head of the football team is a drag queen named Infinite Darlene, members of the cheerleading squad sport Harley Davidson’s instead of pompoms, and P-Flag has more members than the PTA. Boy Meets Boy’s main protagonist is Paul, who has known his sexuality – gay!-- since being informed by his kindergarten teacher when he was five.

A new boy, Noah, has come to Paul’s town, and Paul and Noah instantly feel something really strong for each other. But even in this liberally minded town things can get complicated really fast. Levithan’s book is groundbreaking as it legitimizes gay teen relationships by rendering them as equally complex as heterosexual teen relationships –without all the complexity stemming from the sexual preference itself.

5 stars
192 pages

Crazy Jack by Donna Jo Napoli

There is no question that fairy tales hold an abundance of psychological mystery, and bravo to Donna Jo Napoli and her efforts to explore this rich literary ground in an entirely accessible manner. Crazy Jack is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, which stays relatively true to the story, but enriches and expands Jack’s experiences, desires and motives, adding a measure of humanity into a magical tale. Her use of language is sparse and poetic, with “crazy” Jack thinking and speaking more in riddles and analogies as the small book progresses. Don’t let the horrible cover art deter you from this quick, mesmerizing (and surprisingly sensual) read.

4 stars
144 pages

Crush by Carrie Mac

Hope, a hippie commune kid, is sent to Brooklyn in order to spend the summer with her sister so that her lovey-dovey parents can go to Thailand on a second “non honey-moon”. Hope, without money or friends, is left pretty much alone and can’t stop obsessing over her last disastrous relationship. Luckily, true to her name, Hope remains--well hopeful and within a few chapters pays off an inexplicable debt to a vet, finds a new great job, and comes out of the closet. Pleasant and quick to read, in the same way one could read a glossy magazine article without coming up for air, this book is a surefire winner for the reader who loves plot and hates description. Also perfect for reluctant readers.

3 stars
106 pages

Doing It by Melvin Burgess

Everyone has played a version of “would you rather”, in which two extremely undesirable situations are pitted against each other in order to discover the more cringe worthy of the two. On the very first page of Burgess’ award winning Doing It, this game is played by three lewd, hormonal, sexually competitive (and shall can I say it? familiar sounding) friends. Their topic? Who would be a better “shag”, a nearby homeless lady or the “ugliest girl in school”? If this sort of thing offends you, then you better not grab a copy of an urban dictionary and bunker down with this hilarious book following the ups and downs (pun intended) of trying to get laid at sixteen.

4 stars
326 pages