Lisa Papademetriou

So, this was a tough one to rate. We all know that I'm a sucker for magical realism, and that nine times out of ten I end up loving books that fall into this category madly and deeply. A Tale of Highly Unusual Magic was, well, unusual. While the magic and mystery were definitely there, it felt bogged down by the way that it was told. So much promise, but the way it played out didn't quite hit the mark.

Let's start with the good. First of all, Leila's character is more than enough reason to show more read this story. Leila is a girl between worlds. Not at home in the U.S., where her Pakistani roots make her stand out. Not at home in Pakistan, where her upbringing keeps her from fitting in. Although I never had it quite as bad as Leila, I still saw myself in her. Growing up I always felt like I never quite fit in with my extended family, because of the way I was raised. I know there are other kids out there like that too, and they'll instantly take a liking to Leila and her battle to find where she fits in.

In fact, the settings that this book take place in are the other part of this that I loved. Leila spends the story in Pakistan, and Kai spends it in Texas. Watching these two go through such similar problems, in such different locales, was interesting. Lisa Papademetriou hits the trials of growing older right on the head. The bullies. The friends. The family interactions. As separate characters, these two were adorable.

So why the three stars? As I mentioned above, it was really the way that the story was told. The magical book that tied these two together, and the mystery that surrounded it all, felt off. It almost felt too surreal to really fit in with everything else that was going on. Plus, there were never any really tight resolutions. I kept wanting to see something good happen to our girls, but it never did. While this is a pretty solid coming of age story, it lacked the pieces to make it feel like it was really steeped in magic. show less

Wow, I happened upon this book at a local booksale and was pretty skeptical at first. "Ah," I thought, reading the summary. "some story about a girl and her ~sassy, gay friend~ fuuun..." But I kept picking it back up, flipping through it, rereading the summary. Something about it just caught my attention. Then I noticed there were two authors, and one of them was male. I think that was the tipping point that landed it in my "to buy" pile.

I couldn't get the book off my mind, and the moment I show more left the book fair, I was already reading it. I didn't have to get far before I knew I'd made the right decision. To start off, the humor in this is fantastic. Not a chapter went by that didn't make me laugh. Next, any and all fears I had about Marcus's portrayal were out the window. Sassy, gay friend-accessory WHO? Marcus was his own person and a wonderful one to read at that! Of course he fit some stereotypes (we all do in some way, don't we?), but he wasn't a walking stereotype. I just really enjoyed his humor and how... human he was, as if you could run into someone like him out on the street. Finally, I like how the story kept me on edge. There were these twists and turns I hadn't even expected.

This was just such a fun read that I literally couldn't put it down. (If not for the fact that 1 am "technically" counts as a new day, I would've finished it in one.) If you're having any doubts, I would wholly recommend it. It's worth the read & then some. show less

I read this book with my son and he loved it. The book is written like a comic book with many captions and illustrations that keep children entertained. The story itself was also easily relatable as many children with a sibling can understand the constant rivalry and fighting siblings often encounter.
In this series, readers hear Georgia Khatchadorian's side of the story, as opposed to hearing Rafe's. This shows readers how the point of view can greatly affect a story. If it had been told show more from Rafe's point of view, it would have been much different.
As Georgia faces the difficulties of middle school, she often blames her brother for her bad reputation. Since he had been such a bad kid, teachers automatically assumed Georgia would cause just as much trouble.
In the end, the book takes a surprising twist as Georgia and Rafe call a "cease fire" and stop fighting with one another. At that moment, they realize how much they care about one another. Then, they were back at it the next morning.
Although the sibling rivalry is ongoing, this book shows readers that through that love-hate relationship siblings often times experience, there is an unbreakable bond that keeps you together. This is something that I, myself, can easily relate to as I also had an older brother who I fought with every day throughout my childhood. Still, I loved my brother very much and knew that I would always have a friend in him. show less

“She swore vengeance on all men with dark hearts.”
― Lisa Papademetriou, Siren's Storm

The Siren's Storm.

This writer can write!

First off..This book is absolutely beautiful. The way it is written..incandescent maybe the right word. It is all about Will. And Gretchen. And Asia. And the sea.

I started getting into books about Sirens after reading the masterpiece "The Wicked Deep". I keep looking for another "Wicked Deep". I was so lost in that book I want to find another book about the show more sirens that has that eerie and wildly beautiful feel.

So this is a book I loved for the writing and the atmosphere. I would not rate it as high as "Wicked Deep" nor did I love it as much. I did read it in one siting though.

Will's had much tragedy in his life. His brother Tim was lost at sea. Will was with him. Will was found unconscious in the sand..with no memory of what happened.

Now a year past, Will is still trying to deal with the past tragedy. It doesn't help that his best friend Gretchen is sleep walking. They live in a tiny beach community, on the sea, and Gretchen can not seem to stop walking in her sleep, usually finding herself a bit to close to the cliffs where the sea roars below.

And who is Asia? She is the new girl in town but moves as if made of liquid. She is ethereal..as if from another century. And she knows things about people or can sense them. An air of mystery is all about her and Will cannot stop thinking about her and he doesn't understand why.

And there is other stuff....like one of the local boys who slowly appears to be going mad..he hears things..can't you hear it too he asks. Hear what, people ask him? But nobody can make sense of what he says..

This was a beguiling, eerie and completely luscious book that I gobbled up in one sitting. I will say no more about the plot..well do I have to? If you like books about Sirens or Sailors or folklore or the sea..or all of the above..you will like this.

I hate to say anything negative but the reason why 4 stars and not 5..

Slow to start..but just give it time..still, the first 20 percent of the book did move quite slowly.

One scene toward the end of animal violence..and it was completely unexpected. This was not a violent book AT ALL except toward the end and I wish it had stayed non violent.

The end let me down in a number of ways. I'd still recommend the book. But..without giving spoilers..it completely loses its quiet eeriness and devolves into cliches. I really got turned off at the end..did not expect the tone to change that much, so much that I would take off a point.

I'd still recommend though as for 90 percent of the book, I was swept away. A strong 4 stars for a lyrical and sweeping story. show less