Powers--Ursula K. Le Guin

Title: Powers
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
Pages: 502 p.
Publisher: Harcourt
ISBN: 9780152057701

This is the third book in the Annals of the Western Shore series. The first was Gifts
The second one was Voices and I have somehow not posted it here. I must have been pregnant.

Powers is about a young slave boy named Gavir who is able to both remember the past exactly (photographic memory) and remember things that haven't happened yet (predict the future). He doesn't understand his visions until after they have already happened. He is happy enough for a slave, trusting his "Family" completely, until a tragedy strikes and he questions his entire existence. He escapes slavery and begins looking for his true home and identity.

Le Guin is a good story teller and has created a likable, albeit naive character. All of her main characters are flawed in some way--Orrec, Memer (from Voices) and now Gavir. The ending of this book links it to the previous two and hints at more stories to come. It looks as though Le Guin is gathering her heroes... perhaps in the end they will change their oppressive world and get rid of the conflict of occupied countries and slavery?

Although the story itself does stand alone, fans of the first two will want to read this one as well.
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Falling--Doug Wilhelm

Title: Falling
Author: Doug Wilhelm
Pages: 241 p.
Publisher: Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux
ISBN: 978-0-374-32251-9

I wonder if I'm falling away from YA books... I just couldn't feel this one. It felt forced. The plot was okay (older brother gets hooked on drugs, younger brother can't deal, falls in love, jeopardizes new relationship), but it just didn't feel true to me. The main characters felt a connection way too easily, quickly, and while that can indeed happen I just didn't see it here. I hate saying bad things about books. I would rather not do a review than a bad one. So I'll end here and just say this was not one of the best I've read.

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The Heroin Diaries--Nikki Sixx

Title: The Heroin Diaries-A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
Author: Nikki Sixx
Pages: 413 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN: 978-0-7434-8628-6

This is a must read for not only Motley Crue fans, but for parents and teenagers. Anyone who thinks the sex, drugs, rock n' roll lifestyle is glamorous is in for a wake-up call. First-hand accounts from band members and other people and interspersed with Nikki Sixx's diary entries. It's amazing to see how badly he was doing and how other people could see some of it but just let it go because he was still making music.

This is an amazing read. There's raw language and adult situations. Classic sex & drugs. But parents should really let their teens read this and get the true story of a heroin addict.
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The sweet, terrible, glorious year, I truly completely lost it--Lisa Shanahan

Title: the sweet, terrible, glorious year I truly, completely lost it
Author: Lisa Shanahan
Pages: 297 p
Publisher: delacorte press
ISBN: 9780385735162

Gemma Stone (HAHA. Get it? Gem Stone. GEMSTONE) has always been a calm shy girl who throws up when she speaks in public. The same year that her sister gets engaged and plans a crazy wedding, Gemma discovers that she can keep the bile down if she's speaking in character--in a play on stage. She also discovers that the school delinquent is a gifted actor and a true friend.

I gobbled this book up. It was fun. It's Australian so some of the slang is odd--but in a good way. It's a fun quick read and I'd recommend it. And I now have my new favorite phrase in the world: chucking a birkett*.


* "IN MY FAMILY, when anyone rides the wave of their emotions, we say they're chucking a birkett. When the emotion drives out all common sense, we say they're chucking a big one. The telltale signs are: flaming cheeks, shortness of breath, bulging eyes, and a prolonged illogical outburst."
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