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SamanthatST
Posted March 8, 2012
The Emerald City by J.A. Beard is what the title suggests and is a rewrite of the broad strokes of Wizard of Oz. Having said this, its not some boring old rewrite or a pale imitation of others such as Wicked. This book is truly a unique reading experience that has depth while maintaining a fun and enthusiastic read. The characters were refreshing and unapologetic; I must admit that it was fun connecting them to the original characters while seeing how the author made them new, fun, and relatable through their thoughts and feelings.
It is always enticing for me to read a book where an author is able to mix, real issues along with hard decisions that may or may not work within the moral framework of the characters, especially in young adult book. J.A. Beard was able to perform this bit of difficult writing flawlessly while making it enjoyable and not getting heavy handed.
I will not write here about the specific plot lines, as the author has already done this well for the book. However, I will say that for people thinking of reading this book will have a great read. While this book does not fall into the two categories that I normally read I found it enjoyable. Anyone who loves YA reading will take pleasure in reading this book. Along with people who normally don’t but want to venture outside their normal comfort zones will also enjoy it. One more note, while I enjoy the cover art and found it quit whimsical some others may be put off as it does not conform to the recent trend of realistic and or photographs covers, don’t let this cover derail it from reading it as you will be disappointed.
Sandy5
Posted March 8, 2012
This was not what I expected but I really enjoyed this book. What a great cast of characters plus a great moral lesson to throw into the mix. I was drawn into the story from chapter 1 and I couldn’t wait to see how Gail turned out in the end. Would she end up being expelled from school, run away or end up being friends with one of the people she despised from the beginning? Gail was a feisty girl who didn’t seem like the type to back down but she had no friends, she was new to the school and she had a lot of emotional baggage when she arrived at the school. You just never knew if she just needed time or if it was her personality. Bullying was a perfect problem to throw into the mix as she was adjusting to her new life and there were other students who were also dealing with this same issue. Then she had the issue of “magic” to comprehend. Did she really have “magic” or was she just imagining things? I liked that this was a YA Paranormal book as it also dealt with the issues of peer pressure and relationships. This book had it all and did not waste time with petty details but moved things along at a very fast pace. I thought I had Nick all figured out and then, I was totally wrong. Good job on that one!! Well written book.
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LendMe™
Overview
When her parents die, teenager Gail Dorjee retreats into an angry, sarcastic shell. She hopes it will ease her pain, but all it gets her is a one-way trip from Kansas to a Seattle boarding school, the elite Osland Academy.As soon as she arrives, Gail clashes with Diana, the leader of the school's most powerful clique. The Winged make Gail's life hell until she find allies: her airhead roommate; a cowardly fellow victim of the Winged; and, bit by bit, Diana's boyfriend--the seemingly heartless Nick.
Gail soon has bigger problems than Diana. One of her teachers hates her. Glasses ...