The Willies by Ethan Crownberry, 2007, Lulu.com, $8.06, softbound, 80 pages. Category/Genre: mainstream. Cover: good. Where we got it: author. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
Told in rhyme, this book is the result of the author's own experience with 'the willlies,' that feeling you get when you're scared without any real reason to be. In this book, the willies are real creatures determined to scare you.
The story takes place on Halloween night, when a 12-year-old boy is walking home by himself. The artwork, all black-and-white, is smooth and attractive, and the rhymes are often clever, although the book is rather long.
One nit to pick: the author uses the word 'passed' when he means 'past.'
An unusual and interesting book.
If you like this one, try: Suggestions?
Gallery Ghost: Find the Ghost Who Paints the Most! by Anna Nilsen, 2008, Birdcage Press, $17.95, hardbound, 40 pages. Category/Genre: mainstream. Cover: good. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble.
Written to help children develop an interest in the arts, Gallery Ghost is a mystery of sorts. The narrator, Sarah, works at night to clean a haunted art gallery, and wants the readers' help. She's playing a game with the ghosts of the artists: the artists put details of their own paintings onto the paintings of other artists. The goal is to figure out which ghost made the most changes.
There are a lot of artists represented -- 24, in fact, and their names and a brief description are given.
There's a score sheet included, and a magnifying glass to help the reader find the clues. The answers are at the back of the book. It's a pretty clever idea.
Written for up to age seven.
If you like this one, try: Suggestions?
Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour!
The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead, 2012, Razorbill, $18.99, hardbound, 418 pages. Category/Genre: supernatural. Cover: good. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
Alchemist Sydney Sage serves to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires, and to protect vampire secrets. She's expected to loathe and fear the vampires she protects, but secretly she's growing closer to them.
When someone attacks Sydney's friend, moroi vampire Sonya Karp, it becomes apparent that vampire hunters, who Sydney and others thought were a myth, are reality. And Sydney may be the only chance at stopping them.
In the quieter moments, Sonya and fellow moroi Dimitri Belikov are conducting experiments to try and figure out how to protect themselves against the evil strigoi vampires. But Sonya's expectations push Sydney's buttons when she wants some of Sydney's blood for one of the experiments. Blood is power, especially where vampires are concerned, and Sydney doesn't want to give any of hers to a vampire, even if that vampire is supposed to be a friend.
There are troubles at school, as well, starting with dhampir vampire Angeline Dawes's constantly getting into trouble, and Sydney's teacher trying to teach her magic -- another thing that's on Sydney's list of things never to do.
An excellent addition to the Bloodlines series.
If you like this one, try: Vampire Academy, by Richelle Mead.
Note: strong language.
Don't forget to check out the other sites on the blog tour!
