Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Graffiti Moon
Cath Crowley
Release: February 14th, 2012
Pages: 272 (hardcover)
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Netgalley

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

Mini-Thoughts: In one night, everything can change. It begins innocently enough, with Lucy and friends searching for Lucy's favorite street artist, and Ed's stuck as an unwilling guide. Both Ed and Lucy have their own distinct voices, personalities, and hobbies¹. I found Lucy's odd, melodious voice to be slightly more fascinating than Ed's, but they both were intriguing and unique narrators. The story itself is interesting - filled with adventure and fresh outlooks on life. Graffiti Moon is simply a story that everyone should read.

Highlights: Graffiti Moon is filled with beautiful, breathtaking prose. There's a sense of realism and authenticity that makes it easy to relate with the characters and enjoy the story. Everything is described using vivid words. Poet's few pieces of poetry mixed in with the narrative was wonderful - each piece was lyrical, memorable.

Lowlights: Mostly predictable, like many realistic fiction novels. I wish Poet's limited and brief interruptions in the POV had happened more often.

Rating: 

1 Lucy's hobby is so cool!

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Book: Stork

Author: Wendy Delsol

Release: October 12th, 2010

Pages: 357

ISBN: 0763648442

Source: Publisher

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way.

Review: With one of the most amusing protagonists and unique storyline I've read lately, Stork is sure to be a hit. 

New to town, Katla's having a difficult time adjusting. To top it off, she finds out she's essentially a Stork. Now she's hanging out in a spooky basement with other members of the order, like the eccentric Hulda or she-just-might-be-bad Grimilla. But things get complicated when Katla's dreams show her people who may or may not deserve a child, and when Katla's own life holds some secrets that even she doesn't know. 

Katla's voice is hilarious and still completely real. She's by far the most amusing character I've come across lately. She truly shines, probably a bit more than all the other characters. The romance aspect wasn't overly rushed like in other novels, and it seemed to make sense. 

Filled with plenty convincing characters, a unique plot, and a completely cool main character, Stork is fun from start to finish. I'd definitely recommend this one to anyone who wants a great story and plenty of laughs.

Highlights: Katla was the best part of the entire novel. Her personality was fresh and fun. Some of the things she says and thinks had me laughing hysterically. Another great aspect is that the story is not entirely predictable, there were moments that genuinely surprised me. I wanted so much more of Delsol's writing, it was just so engaging and fun. 

Lowlights: Sometimes it can get a bit confusing, and the ending left me with quite a few questions (but there is going to be a sequel, Frost). 

Rating: