Series Review: The Wings Series

The Wings Series by Aprilynne Pike

Publisher: Harper Teen ®

Summery:

[From author's website: http://www.aprilynnepike.com/]

Aprilynne Pike’s New York Times best-selling WINGS series is the story of Laurel, a seemingly ordinary girl with a not-so-ordinary destiny. In this tale of two worlds, of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever…

Introduction:

For this review, I will be doing something different. I recently finished reading the final installment in this particular series, and since these books are some of my favorites in the Young Adult genre, I decided to review more than just the one book. The Wings Series, is made up of four books called Wings, Spells, Illusions, and Destined. The covers for these books are absolutely gorgeous, and seem quite unique, seeing how most books for teens have a picture of a beautiful girl on the cover. My cousin was the one who introduced me to these books. She came to visit my family, and during that time, we went shopping. And of course, we ended up at the bookstore (It’s quite common for us you see). She was hunting for the second book, Spells, which had just recently come out. I hadn’t heard of them until then, but the covers did look nice and I was interested in the idea of faeries. I had been a little obsessed with them when I was younger, so that interest has somewhat stayed with me all these years. A few days later, after she had gone home, I asked her how that book was. She said it was really good, and that I should try it. So a few weeks later, I was once again visiting a bookstore. I told my cousin that I would try out the books, and see what I thought of them, so I bought the paperback version of Wings. The next day, I was texting my cousin, eager to tell her I had finished the book and loved it. As soon as I could, I got the next book, and I didn’t even wait for this one to come out in paperback so it would match the first one better.

This series has kind of been a bonding thing for my cousin and me. That may be one of the reasons I have such a positive view on it. We both would discuss the books, talk about what had happened or what we hoped would happen, and about our hopes for a movie, and eagerly count down the days for the next book’s release together. I’m kind of sad to see it all end. Sure, I’m glad to finally find out how the story ended for all the characters, but I also know there won’t be any more coming. I will be looking forward to the next series Pike is working on. I hope it is just as good.

Characters:

Laurel is a teenage girl, who after being homeschooled all her life, finally decides to go to public high school. She doesn’t know it at first, but after she starts high school, something very strange starts happening to her. First, she thinks the small bump on her back is nothing to worry about, it was so small, but when it starts to grow to the size of a quarter and bigger, she’s not so sure. She doesn’t tell her family about it, hoping it would just go away, but to her surprise, she wakes up one morning to find a flower growing out of her back where the bump used to be. This leads her to discover that she is a faerie, and that is when she meets Tamani, her faerie guardian. He teaches her about their culture and the different faeries, like how there are Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Laurel also meets her two best friends at high school, David and Chelsea. These two characters are great, and I really like her friend Chelsea. She is the happy, supportive, and loyal best friend everyone wants to have, but is hard to find. David becomes one of Laurel’s romantic interests, along with Tamani. Yes, there is a love triangle in this book, but it isn’t like in The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer, where you know Bella is going to stay with Edward, even though Jacob is there, always trying to win her heart. In this story, you really don’t know who Laurel will end up with until the last book, or the end of the third book, if you’re good at predicting a story. My cousin and I would talk about how we were Team Tamani, and hoped she would end up with him. It was great fun.

There are also many other characters, human and faerie alike. Laurel’s human parents are interesting, and they are very supportive of Laurel as she finds out about herself and her past. Unlike a lot of teen books and movies nowadays, Laurel keeps nothing secret from her parents. They are all very honest and open with each other, and that is a much better way for a family to be. During the course of the series, Laurel mentions on a number of occasions about how she is glad her parents are there for her and a support for her when things get tough. That’s what parents do, and I’m glad this book put them in such a good light. There are also a number of faerie characters that are great as well. There is Shar, who is the captain of the sentry faeries and Tamani’s friend and mentor. I found him very cool and loved every moment when he was in focus. He is awesome. (I use that word a lot in these reviews don’t I?) Then there is Jamison, who is a Winter faerie back in Avalon. He is kind, and caring, and seems very much like a grandfather figure. I do think Jamison is a strange name for a faerie from another world, but oh well, it works for him I suppose.

My Thoughts:

These books are actually a light and fun read. So there’s nothing really too deep or too involved or too complicated, though I’m not saying that the plot doesn’t have many layers to it, because it does. Just wait until Klea, the troll hunter, comes up. Now she brings a lot of questions to the story, believe me. This series was just fun to read. The faerie world of Avalon is described so beautifully and differently from the real world. It is quite magical, and that is of course what one would expect from a series staring faeries. And it’s faerie, not fairy. Somehow there is a difference between these two words, but I haven’t figured out what the difference might be other than the spelling. I also thought the author’s view on faeries is quite unique. I haven’t read any other faerie books, so it’s unique compared with what I already knew. I also really enjoyed the characters because they were just so different from the depressing usual in the YA books nowadays. The whole story, characters, plot, even the way it was written was bright. It definitely isn’t a series that will make you want to wallow around in your unhappiness while reading it. However, you may feel a little sadness when you turn the last page and realize there’s no more! Well, um, that was how it was for me anyway.

Warnings:

In these four books, there are places where some language is used. Fortunately, those moments aren’t often and the language isn’t so strong, so that is why I don’t feel too upset about it. There are also mentions of sex, but it is not dwelt on, nor does it take place in these books. The characters do kiss, hug, and in a couple of instances, lay on a bed together, but fortunately, nothing happened except talking. I don’t think even that amount of affection is acceptable between teenagers, but that is what goes as the norm in today’s society. This book doesn’t dwell on those things though, and fortunately, stays more focused on the story. There is also some action violence in the series, especially in the last book, which might be upsetting to some.

One may be wondering if there is magic in these books, since the second book is entitled, Spells. But honestly, the magic the faeries seem to have is to control animals, nature, or make up potions, only without the magical incantations. The faerie mix plants, roots, and/or herbs together, and somehow since it’s mixed by a faerie, it has some magical use. Like potions that cure illness, make animals fall asleep, make light, things like that. While it all seems ‘magical’ it never looks or feels like ‘magic’, such as in books like Harry Potter or Eragon. I too felt a little nervous about reading a book called Spells, but once I figured out what these spells actually are, I didn’t have any misgivings about any of it. This would probably have to be a case where the reader should decide if they feel comfortable about it or not.

My Age Rating: 14 and up

Cya!

Review for The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Inc. ®

Summery:

[From back cover]

Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun….

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Introduction:

Who hasn’t heard of The Hunger Games? If you haven’t, you must be living under a whopping big rock. It’s everywhere you go! From bookstores, to grocery stores, to TV and the Web, it’s like it’s stalking you. Back when this book started to get popular, I was sure it was going to be another Twilight Saga. Every book in the Young Adult genre seems to be trying to copy from it, and frankly, I’m getting tired of vampires and love triangles. The hype didn’t fade, however, and with the release of the movie, I was sure it was just another money making ploy to advertise a poorly written, cliché story about childish fantasies. I didn’t want to read the books, I didn’t want to see the movie, and the main reason was because of its popularity, and how fast it had seemingly gained that popularity. I was sure it was just a fad that was driving people crazy. Well, with that as my opinion, I was entirely shocked when I bought the silly thing. Maybe the cheap price had something to do with it, but whatever the reason, I actually picked it off the shelf and took it to the check-out counter. The next day I started reading it, and now, I tell you my thoughts!

Characters:

I found most of the characters intriguing. Katniss Everdeen was actually a very strong and intelligent character. I’ve found a lot of female leads in teen fiction to be lacking in the intelligence department, so Katniss was refreshing. She takes her little sister’s place when her name is drawn as the tribute for District 12. I commend her on that. An older sibling should do anything to protect their younger siblings. Peeta, who is the main male character, is very caring and sweet, a good balance for Katniss’ hardness. He’s also in love with Katniss, and during the Games, Katniss has to try and decide how she really feels about him. Fortunately, this story did not have the love-at-first-sight element to it. I thought that added more believability to the characters.

The secondary characters range from interesting and believable, to shallow and “just there.” There was Haymitch, who became Katniss’ and Peeta’s mentor when they arrived at the Capitol. He seemed like nothing more than a disgusting human being at the beginning, and I didn’t think I was going to care for him at all, However, I found as the story went on that I grew to like his gruffness and grizzly-like behavior, and I can understand how he became who he is. He also works hard during the story to keep Katniss and Peeta alive. Then there was Cinna, who was the one who worked to make Katniss presentable to the crowds at the Capitol, who actually enjoy the Games and treat it as a show. He became Katniss’ friend, and actually cared for her and worked to give her a chance of survival. I was kind of sad when his part in the book was over.

My Thoughts:

This book was actually a lot of fun to read. Definitely not what I was expecting when I first opened it. Most nights I stayed up until midnight (very late for me), turning page after page, eager to know what was going to happen. It has been a while since a story has kept me that involved and hooked. Suzanne Collins is a master as keeping the reader’s attention. The story was fast paced, and there wasn’t a dull moment, not even when she was explaining the history of this world she created. I wouldn’t say her writing was amazing however. The whole thing was very simple, so much so that I might have thought this book was written for younger children, except the content disproved that notion. That didn’t really annoy me though; it wasn’t so simple that I felt like it was talking down to me. What did annoy me about Suzanne Collins’ writing was the way she wrote long paragraphs of dialogue, and then at the very ends of these, state which character was speaking. There were a number of times I thought Peeta was talking, since he had been the last character mentioned, but then it turned out to be Katniss, or vise versa! That interrupted the flow of the story on a number of occasions for me. No, the writing could without doubt have been better.

Now, even though the story was intriguing and I enjoyed it immensely, there was a part in the story which I thought was just plain wrong: the killing of children. The youngest of the tributes was twelve, and she, along with others, was made to kill for someone else’s pleasure. I suppose it’s very reminiscent of Ancient Rome with their Coliseum. I don’t know why the author chose to have children fight, probably to evoke a more emotional response. That might be why the book is so popular. It’s horrifying to read that these people actually look forward to these deaths! I know this is the premise of the book, and I went in expecting it. I choose to view it as a warning to not allow our society to deteriorate that far. I’m hoping that in the next books, the characters fight to end the Hunger Games once and for all! I am planning on reading the rest of the trilogy; I did enjoy the first book after all.

Warnings:

There wasn’t any language in this book, or if there was, it was so minor and brief I didn’t notice it. Since the story is about killing, there are a number of very graphic and disturbing death scenes. Also, there are a few scenes of nudity, when Katniss is getting changed and prepared for the Games, and the character Haymitch drinks to excess. This is most certainly not a book that I would feel comfortable letting a child read. I have no idea how the movie presents these things, since I haven’t seen it, but violence in books is usually more intense. Depending on a child’s maturity, and what he or she can handle, my age rating may not be relevant to some. I am erring on the side of caution however, considering subject matter, and raising the age appropriateness above the preteen crowd it seems to be aimed for.

My Age Rating:  15 and up

Cya!