Help with new rating system!

Hello folks!
I've been meaning to update my rating system, and I wanted to see if you guys had any input.

I used to review books this way:
5, 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1

I had a hard time assigning numbers to books, so I went with a grade format:
A+ (5 star)
A (4-4.5)
B+ (3.5)
B (3)
C (2-2.5)
F

And now I'm wondering...should I stick with the grade format or go back to numbers?
The reason I went with the grades was just to try something different, but the graphics I used are starting to look a little old, lol.
One of my goodreads friends even suggested using the Harry Potter grades (Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, Acceptable, Poor, Dreadful, Troll) :)

I'm also trying to change graphics, and I'd like to know: should I use "half" ratings (like 3 1/2 stars) or just stick with full ratings?

Any input would be appreciated!

Thoughts on an Incredible Book...

Have you ever thought about what it is that makes a book truly special for you?
I was so confident that I knew what my reading tastes were, and they usually involved richly detailed and elaborate worldbuilding (best exemplified in fantasy or dystopian novels), a thrilling plot with multiple twists and turns, and characters I could relate to (meaning characters who had some kind of resemblance to me personally, whether in attitude, beliefs, family life and background, shared experiences, etc). So I'm wondering how exactly a contemporary fiction novel, with absolutely no fantasy or dystopian elements (hence no world-building), no truly elaborate plotlines having to do with saving the world from evil and whatnot, and characters whose experiences (thank God) have been worlds away different from my own, could leave this much of an impression on me. Unlike The Knife of Never Letting Go, Jellicoe Road was a rather positive read, and I wasn't really expecting that. Based on reviews I'd read, I was expecting Jellicoe to be ultra-depressing, melancholy, and melodramatic. If you know anything about the book, you'll probably be aware that the majority of the characters come from very troubling backgrounds, and it's one of those books where the poor characters just keep getting sucker-punched over and over with drama. But...what I discovered was way more than that. I'll say more about the protagonist, Taylor Markham, and how much I enjoyed her narrative in my review, but I really, REALLY like characters who are at least tuned in to their emotions and make an effort to make sense of their life. What made Taylor seem real and also cheer-worthy to me was her imperfectness. She wasn't under some kind of delusion that she could do no wrong, or that her bad circumstances gave her a pass to live life however she wanted. She had some issues dealing with other people, sure, but she was very much aware of that, and her narrative revealed an honesty that I don't often see in main characters...she was a wounded and sometimes vulnerable character, and *that* is what made me care. Author Marchetta didn't set out to create a Super Girl character, but she didn't create a Cry-baby either. For me, she succeeded in really showcasing a truly human character. And the story wasn't just Melancholyville. Yeah, Taylor and Jonah Griggs (who is just about the PERFECT guy and love interest ever written) were very broken people trying to mend themselves, but the story had some very uplifting moments, too. And I like uplifting moments as much as the next slightly emotionally-inclined reader, but what really tipped the scales to the Love It side, for me, was the strong portrayals of friendship.
I loved the interactions and found them incredibly accurate and at the same time inspiring. Guys, this is how to portray teen friendships. This is how to portray teenage relationships. THIS BOOK right here. And the funny thing is, for a book set in a school for (mostly) "troubled" kids...there really wasn't a lot of questionable behavior. Like, at all. That really surprised me.
I guess I'm just so used to authors presenting me with irresponsible kids and the 'ohh, they're just teenagers!' crap that I expect every teen character to stumble over drunk at least once. So I caught myself every hundred pages going "wow, now this is what I'm talking about" or "huh, I thought this was supposed to be a 'heavily dramatic' book...?" So the conclusion seems to be: author Melina Marchetta knows how to write drama, knows how to invest her readers in the stories of the characters, and knows how to create real, dynamic characters, all without melodrama or cliches.
Also...the setting. Every few years I seem to pick a new location to obsess about. When I was in high school and the first few years of college, it was England. I was obsessed with England. Then Scotland. Now it's Australia. Boyo, I can't get enough Australia. I love that freaking country so much. And I think that a big reason why I loved this book was the unique feel to it...this wasn't yet another book about American teenagers, watching American TV shows, speaking in American slang...(yawn). For me, there's just something extra unique about a 'foreign' book, almost like watching a 'foreign' film or a foreign TV show (ohh, and I especially liked the "H&A" reference, and I felt a little bit of pride - as an American - for actually knowing a thing or two about that show. And also, 'pashing.' Feeling a bit of pride that I know what that word means, too!).
When I picked up Jellicoe, I was pretty apprehensive, and truth be told, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I never expected it to be so enjoyable, nor did I expect it to be so special. But I finished it Thursday and I still can't quite bring myself to start the next book in my pile. My mind still keeps going back to that school on the Jellicoe Road. So what makes a story special? What makes a book truly stay with you? Judging by the droning of this post, I'm still not sure what the answer is. Over the last few days I've read two major-impact books: The Knife of Never Letting Go freaked me out and the hope presented there was like a tiny candle in a darkened room, while the hope presented in Jellicoe was like getting rid of darkness by opening your eyes and acknowledging the daylight around you. Crappy simile aside...that's all I have to say for now. My reading preferences are definitely changing, because I'm pretty confident I would not have picked this book up last year at this time. Just wanted to acknowledge that.

I'm going to write a (hopefully more objective and tightened) review of Jellicoe, but I did want to close with some memorable quotes from the novel, accompanied by pictures I found that matched the story's setting. All of the following are taken from small towns in New South Wales, where the story is set, and some of the pictures feature the Lachlan River, apparently flows by the school.

Memorable Quotes

According to Dickens, the first rule of human nature is self-preservation and when I forgive him for writing a character as pathetic as Oliver Twist, I'll thank him for the advice.
(pg 8)

Where Webb's memories of childhood were idyllic and earthy, Jude's reeked of indifference. Webb read fantasy; Jude read realism. Webb believed a tree house was the perfect place for gaining a different perspective on the world; whereas Jude saw it as perfect for surveillance and working out who or what was a threat to them. They argued about sports codes and song lyrics. Jude saw the rain-dirty vallye; Webb saw Brigadoon. Yet despite all this, they connected, and the nights they spent in the tree house discussing their brave new worlds and not so brave emotions made everything else in their lives insignificant
(pg 32).

And I told him everything. About my first memory, sitting on the shoulders of a giant who I know can only be my father. Of touching the sky. Of lying between two people who read me stories of wild things and journeys with dragons, the soft hum of their voices speaking of love and serenity. See, I remember love. That's what people don't understand. And what I also remember is that in telling that tale to the Cadet on the train I got a glimpse of peace.
(pg 58)

Is a person worth more because they have someone to grieve for them? (pg 62)

"Any pain inflicted on Richard warms my heart and it warms yours as well. Go on, admit it. When he hit the ground and the blood went flying and you knew in your heart his nose was broken, didn't you just want to jump for joy and stomp on his ugly face?" I look at him, shaking my head. "Actually, no, Ben. I didn't. I was thinking that I'd rather be in the comm0n-room watching 'Home and Away.'" "You know what your problem is? You don't know how to enjoy yourself. That was fun. That was better than 'Home and Away.'" (pg 168)

How does Jonah Griggs get to be a ten? He sits on a train with me when we're fourteen and he weeps, tearing at his hair, bashing his head with the palm of his hand, self-hatred pouring out of him like blood from a gut wound in a war movie, and for the first time in my whole life I have a purpose. I am the holder of the grief and pain and guilt and passion of Jonah Griggs and as we sit huddled on the floor of the carriage, he allows me to hold him, to say, "Shhh, Jonah, it wasn't your fault." While his body still shakes from the convulsions, he takes hold of my hand and links my fingers with his and I feel someone else's pain for the first time that I can remember.
(pg 183)

He stops and looks at me. "I'm here because of you. You're my priority. Your happiness, in some...way, is tuned in to mine. Get that through your thick skull. Would I like it any other way? Hell, yes, but I don't think that will be happening in my lifetime." (pg 320)

(Above picture: Darlinghurst Street, Kings Cross, Sydney, where scenes from the story take place)

"But grief makes a monster out of us sometimes, Taylor, and sometimes you say and do things to the people you love that you can't forgive yourself for."
But I won't let it go. "I'd forgive myself. To be with Jonah I'd do anything." (pg 404)

I watch Raffy's mother standing behind her chair, holding on to Raffy's long hair as if putting it into a ponytail and there's this pride on her face while she's touching her, like she's saying, "Look at my beautiful girl." It makes my eyes fill with tears and I quickly brush them away...It's not that I miss my mother. It's just that I miss the idea of what one would be.
(pg 222)

Stay tuned for the much shorter review!

Review - SECONDHAND CHARM

Secondhand Charm - Julie Berry
Genre: YA Fantasy
# of pages: 352 (hb)
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Recommended for: ALL AGES

In a secluded village, magic sparkles on the edges of the forest. There, a young girl named Evie possesses unusually strong powers as a healer. A gypsy's charms—no more than trinkets when worn by others—are remarkably potent when Evie ties them around her neck. Her talents, and charms, have not escaped the notice of the shy stonemason's apprentice. But Evie wants more than a quiet village and the boy next-door. When the young king's carriage arrives one day, and his footman has fallen ill, Evie might just get her chance after all . . .

Every once in awhile a book comes along that you'd never heard of before and would have otherwise missed entirely. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of Secondhand Charm and bringing author Julie Berry to my attention. I'm going to have to check out her other novel - The Amaranth Enchantment, because I certainly liked this one.
First of all, the timing of this novel was perfect. I'd just finished The Knife of Never Letting Go, a powerful but emotionally exhausting novel and was really looking for an upbeat, entertaining weekend read. And Charm didn't disappoint. Personally, I just have a soft spot for sweet, fairytale-ish books that aren't complicated or convoluted or loooooong.
Oh, and have I mentioned how much I love creativity and originality? The magic in this book was very intriguing, and I loved the concept of the serpentina. It's always fun to read something with a truly unique feel :)
So while I did love the magical elements, I never really felt engrossed by the concepts.
And I think it's because the book spent a lot of time focusing on the life of the main character, Evie, in her small, simple village, which is good, but ultimately didn't really have a lot to do with the overall story. So we don't even meet the "magical creature" (don't want to drop a spoiler) until 100 pages in, and we don't begin to understand the magical elements until halfway in, which didn't leave a lot of time for all of the elements to come together.
Also (and this is entirely just a personal thing), Evie was a little hard for me to warm up to. See, she has this unyielding, extremely focused dream: she wants to study at university. No matter what happens (and some pretty darn extraordinary things happen), she wants what she wants. And for someone like me, who is on the brink of a major life crossroads, that just kind didn't resonate with me. How can you be that bent on what you want? How do you even know what you want? I guess there just really didn't seem to be any depth, any internal struggle to her, and so that was a little underwhelming.
Interestingly enough, Secondhand Charm is one of those books where I ended up liking the villain character more than the protagonist. The villain in this story - first of all - didn't really seem all that "evil" and whatnot, and s/he (again, trying not to spoil anything) seemed to have way more personality than our extremely goal-oriented main character, so that was pretty enjoyable.
Do you guys ever find yourself secretly rooting for a story's "bad guy"?

Overall, this was a pleasant, fun, and entertaining read. It was a quick read, but definitely memorable. And again, the magical premise was incredibly creative. I'd definitely recommend Secondhand Charm to all ages - cute, creative, and clean. :)

FINAL GRADE:
B+

Question of the Midweek [3] Why do you read YA?

Either this question is silly, easy, dumb, thought-provoking, or...something else. :)
But seriously ladies (and few gentlemen): most us book bloggers are not teenagers anymore, yet we read books with protagonists not in our age demographic. And we love them.
So why?
Why do you keep reading YA, even though you're an adult?

And do you ever get asked this question by people in real life? Because it's surprised me, over the last year, how often I get asked why I read Young Adult lit, and why my blog concentrates on Young Adult, of all the lofty other genres out there.
So what's the special reason for you? Or is there a special reason? Does YA just float your boat?

I'd love to know! I'm going to do a post on this and I'd love to put your answers in it.
Lemme know!

(These "kids" are really grownups in disguise. It's what's on the inside that counts)

Review - THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1) - Patrick Ness
Genre: YA Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian/Sci-Fi
# of pages: 479 (pb)
Publisher: Candlewick
Recommended for: Upper MS (13/14+), HS, and Beyond!

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Machee - whose thoughts Todd can hear, too, whether he wants to or not - stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden - a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.
But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

My Thoughts
Even a full 6 days after I finished reading this novel, I don't really know what to say. I'm going to do my best, though...This is one of those books that just gets all sorts of emotional reactions out of you, so I've got a lot of feelings to try and put into words.
I'll start simple: The Knife of Never Letting Go is definitely in my list of the Most Powerful Books I've ever read. This is a story that will completely captivate you, and not necessarily in the sweet, cute, "OMG I *love* this book, it's so awesome!" kind of way. Y'all, I had dreams about this book--maybe even a nightmare or two. Even in sleep, I was absorbed in Todd's chaotic, utterly terrifying world, and I could neither get him or his struggles out of my head.
The first book in the Chaos Walking trilogy is, in my mind, way more than just a dystopian. Most dystopians I've read have some kind of "centralized power" feel to them: they're set in crowded, urban areas that are highly technological and feature big, oppressive governmental regimes. In contrast, the Chaos Walking setting more closely resembles a post-apocalyptic world: you've got settlers not only trying to make a go of life on a new land, but a new planet. But this is no idyllic "city on a hill" society - Todd's world is (like the series title implies) chaotic, oppressive, violent, and downright terrifying.
This first book alone has me convinced that the author, Patrick Ness, is a genius. Pure and simple genius. The way he tells his story is 100% effective, engrossing, and just a little provocative as well. The violence, the terror, the suspense...it's all seen through the eyes of a soon-to-be 13**-year-old boy named Todd Hewitt. Everything that we know about this world is told to us through the narrative of young Todd, the last boy in a society full of men (**Todd lives in a world when time is measured on a 13-month calendar, so he's actually - by our standards - 14 years old. That made it a little easier for me to digest everything that happened to him, imagining an almost-high-school-aged kid rather than a little 7th grader).
The narrative structure is (once again) genius. First person narratives are really popular in Young Adult, but here's where Todd's voice is different and, in my opinion, truly authentic.
The narrative is written in common, very informal vernacular not unlike the tone of Huckleberry Finn. In fact, if you've read Huck Finn, you'll do fine with the narrative. It's been awhile since I've read such an informal narrative tone, and Todd's voice is full of run-on sentences and (also genius) misspelled words, so it took me about 50 pages to really hear his voice in my head, but once I heard it, the voice stayed with me. It was powerful. It was authentic. It was innocent, and that brings me to my next Patrick-Ness-is-a-genius point:
This book - this storyworld - is incredibly scary. It's very, very violent and full of very, very wicked and destructive men, and we see it all through the eyes of a young boy, who symbolizes innocence and the inherent goodness in humanity. Brilliant. Todd and an unlikely friend are on the run from the men of Prentisstown, who seek to enlist Todd (the last boy in their society and, also, the last symbol of innocence) in their perfect army. Books in which the characters are being chased always seem to add an extra edge of excitement and suspense to the action of the story, and this was definitely no exception. However, the book was pretty long, and it got to the point where I was almost expecting folks to jump out, go "BOO!" and smack the crap out of the poor main character.
And that's the next point: as exhilarating as this book is, it's also exhausting. The danger that Todd and Viola face borders on extreme, and the violence is definitely not going to be in everybody's comfort zone. Personally, there wasn't anything in here that I thought was gratuitous or unnecessary - New World is a dangerous and kind of wild place, like a dystopian version of the Wild West, where fear and intimidation are the laws of the land. Personally, I would recommend this book to 8th graders - definitely - and some of my 7th graders. It's a hard book to read, because it's so bleak, and the fact that you have very evil, disturbed people chasing very good, innocent kids is heart-wrenching. But here's where Patrick Ness is a good author - here's where he's a genius and not just some shock-factor extraordinaire: there is genuine heart in the voice of our narrator, and a belief in hope that is beautiful and powerful. Todd Hewitt is one of the most likable, cheer-worthy characters you'll ever read. Promise. Plus, this book is so substantial. Not only does it ask some good questions, it even proposes some answers (personally, I'm not too impressed with authors who just ask questions in their books...you gotta give me some answers, too, dudes and dudettes). One of the questions that stayed with me was "What makes a man?" Todd thinks he knows the answer to this at the beginning of the novel, but by the end, he seems to have had a profound awakening. Another question - "Is killing always - in every situation and in every circumstance - wrong, or can it be justified?"
I was very, VERY surprised with how it was handled. I commend Ness for really making the character (and the reader) think about this one, and I appreciate that he didn't just throw out some PC absolute statement. Because sometimes things are more complicated than "either-or" absolutes. Anyway, that was just something I wrote down in my notes while I was reading. I was impressed.
And even though I'm halfway done with The Ask and the Answer, I *still* think that Todd Hewitt is one of my top favorite characters of all time. I just...wow. I just love this guy.
In my opinion, The Knife of Never Letting Go is destined to be a classic in Young Adult fiction. This book (and series) is so profound, it will change you. It way stay with you. And as much as I like books and stuff, very rarely does one actually have this much of an impact on me. It was not a happy read, but it was a substantial one. Oh, and I cried. I actually CRIED. Just to compare, there were a *few* times in The Hunger Games when I teared up, but I never CRIED.
:o

A quick "viewer discretion" thingy: Like I've already said, this book is pretty violent, and somewhat disturbing. Personally, I didn't think it was near as disturbing as some of my friends have said, but nevertheless, The Knife of Never Letting Go makes The Hunger Games look like "Sesame Street." So just proceed with caution. There's nothing here that I wouldn't give to an older middle-schooler, though.

Final Grade:

A+

Memorable Quotes

The first thing you find out when yer dog learns to talk is that dogs don't got nothing much to say. About anything. (pg 1)

And he closes his eyes and opens up his Noise for me. One month's time is the first thing it says -
And here comes my birthday -
The day I'll become a man -
And -
And -
And there it all is -
What happens -
What the other boys did who became men -
All alone -
All by themselves... (pg 52)

I look over at Viola and she looks back at me and just smiles and shakes her head and wipes away the wet from her eyes.
Here. Here.
We're Here and nowhere else. (pg 244)

I look up to him. His face and his Noise are as blank as I remember but the lesson of forever and ever is that knowing a man's mind ain't knowing the man." (pg 308)

"Please, Viola," I say and I'm practically weeping it. "Please."
She blinks open her eyes.
She looks into mine.
"You came for me," she says.
"I did," I say, coughing.
"You came for me," she says again, her face crumpling a little. (pg 345)

"Hope," he says, squeezing my arm on the word. "It's hope. I am looking into yer eyes right now and I am telling you that there's hope for you, hope for you both." He looks up at Viola and back at me. "There's hope waiting for you at the end of the road." (pg 376)

The Knife of Never Letting Go @ Amazon

WOW: THE YEAR WE WERE FAMOUS

I haven't done a Waiting on Wednesday in foreverrr...seriously, I think the last book I did a WOW post for was The Replacement - :o. But there's one particular book that I'm super excited about, that I wanted you all to be aware of:

The Year We Were Famous - Carole Estby Dagg
Publication date: April 4th by HMH-Clarion

Summary from Goodreads:

With their farm in Mica Creek, Washington facing foreclosure, seventeen-year-old Clara Estby and her mother, Helga, need to find a way to raise a lot of money in a short time--no easy feat for two women in 1896. Helga wants to tackle the problem with her usual loud and flashy style, while Clara, the oldest of the eight Estby children, favors a less showy approach. Though very different in personality, mother and daughter share a determination to save their family's home, so they come up with a plan to walk the 4,600 miles from Mica Creek to New York City--and if they can do it in only eight months, a New York City publisher has agreed to give them $10,000.
They set out with little more than ten dollars, two ponchos, and a gun. Along the way they go through sixteen pairs of shoes each, fend off snakes and highwaymen, and narrowly escape a flash flood. But they also meet the governor of every state they pass through and the wife of presidential-candidate, William Jennings Bryan, as well as shake hands with the new president himself, William McKinley. And with each new challenge they face, Clara and Helga come to rely on and respect one another for the very traits that make them so different.
Based on the true story of the author's great aunt and great-great grandmother, this is a fast-paced historical fiction adventure for 10-14 year-olds that sets the drama of Around the World In 80 Days against an American backdrop during the time of the suffragist movement, the 1896 presidential campaign, and the changing perception of "a woman's place" in society.

I'm a history major, so I find most YA historical fiction absolutely drool-worthy, but the setting here - the close of the American West - is just so fascinating. Really excited about this one!
What are you looking forward to in the coming months?

Teaser Tuesday - DARKNESS BECOMES HER

As always, Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB @ Should be Reading.
Here's how it works: Grab the current book you're reading- Open up to a random page- share a little "teaser" from somewhere on that page.***Make sure your section is spoiler free!!


First, here's a synopsis of Darkness Becomes Her from Goodreads:

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.
Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed

And now here's my teaser, from ARC pg 29 (Chapter Three) of Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton:

"The Novem never confirmed or denied these rumors. They never gave interviews, never stepped into the spotlight except to make the purchase. And then they retreated into their ruined city, leaving the rest of the country to wonder. It wasn't long before they joined the ranks of Area 51, Roswell, the Loch Ness Monster, and all the other conspiracy theories and paranormal speculation out there. The undercover reporters and truth seekers who'd come out of the city later on with grainy photographs and accounts of monsters and murders only added to the speculation. And now, thirteen years later, a large percentage of the country believed New 2 was a sanctuary, a hot spot, for the paranormal.

So yes, that was a long teaser, but I like giving long teasers because (maybe) it's more intriguing. And there is certainly a lot of intrigue about this book! Darkness Becomes Her will be released by Simon Pulse on February 22, 2011.

What are yall's teasers for today?