January Mini-Reviews

1. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson: This a YA tale of a teen girl who works in her parents' hotel. For the first time, she is in charge of a room and the wacky guest staying there, all the while trying to help her older brother fulfill his dream of becoming a working actor and possibly falling in love for the first time. Johnson's writing style is witty and wonderfully vivid in its imagery. Her characters are snarky and sarcastic in the way a lot of teens (and some adults) wish they were. I also enjoyed how realistic Johnson's characters are. So many books gloss over subjects like sex and drinking, when those are the realities of a lot of teens' lives. Nice to see that Johnson handles them with humor and realism without seeming to encourage irresponsible behavior. A quick read, highly recommended if you enjoy YA lit, even if there are no vampires or creepy crawlies.
2. The Outsider & The Wild One by Melinda Metz: These are the first two books in the Roswell High series, which inspired the television show Roswell, one of my favorites. The first book was a good read, in my opinion, though it could have been due to my nostalgia for the show I loved so much in high school. The show's pilot followed much the same path as the first book: Liz gets shot, Max heals her, Sheriff Valenti is suspicious, etc. I haven't read past the second book, but from reading it, it would seem the show and books divert from each other past the first book. The second book is mostly about Isabel hooking up with the alien Nicholas (who was in the show but was much different), who uses his powers without regard to being tracked by alien hunters or hurting humans. I spent most of the book wanting to slap Isabel and didn't enjoy the novel nearly as much as I did the first. I already own book 3, so I may continue this series later.
3. My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers Book 2): Vincent continues to write quality YA with the second in her Soul Screamers urban fantasy series. In Book 2 of the series, Kaylee tries to help a young pop star who sold her soul for fame and fortune, all the while trying to learn about life as a bean sidhe. Along for the ride again are her boyfriend Nash and Tod the Reaper. This was a quick read, and the plot was well developed. My only complaint might be that I felt the characterization was lacking some. Nash, especially, was one dimensional, though I liked the new facets of Tod the readers got to see. In the next book, I'd like to see a little more growth as people for Kaylee and Nash, not just plot point after plot point.