counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

9/10
counting by 7s

The beginning of this book was spectacular!  It was one of the best I had ever read.  The book was pretty good to.  Sometimes though, it felt like it dropped slightly out of it.  The character did drop out, actually.  So it may have been on purpose.  However, the parts where Willow was as she began were so incredible that I do not think that I wanted to accept the new Willow. The style of writing matches the new Willow and I kept wanting the old Willow and voice.  Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library still takes my top bid, because of that little factor. Which may actually have been really good writer's craft on Ms. Sloan's part.

The vocabulary in this book is stellar.  It plays right in with the character's genius and uniqueness.  The chapters are set up some in first and some in third person. Most of the story is from Willow's point of view, but the author steps in to give us insight into other characters in several chapters.

Dork The Magnificent

8 ½ /10

Dorko the Magnificent by Andrea Beaty

Well right off the bat this is in 2^nd person.  The character is telling the story to you and talks to you the entire way through.  I loved seeing this really well done and in action.  This would have been a 9/10 if the author hadn’t had the ending that they made.  It went from a humorous, joyous story to devastation.  I didn’t like that.

However, up until that point it was a 9/10. I love the voice and the humor. I loved the in depth detail of the personalities of the characters.  It also talks about the character’s process of writer’s craft in many places.  Of course it was filled with figurative language…

METAPHOR:  “So, last year’s talent show stunk, but that’s old news.  Stale Cheese.”

         “…waiting for that burnt offering, Trixie calls a cake.”

SIMILE: “…and the whole thing started all over again, like some weird modern dance.”

         “…while I sat there with my mouth open like the first guy in a sci-fi movie to witness the alien invaision.”

ONOMATOPOEIA:  “By the way, if you want to add some sound effects, go ahead.  I might add some, too! Kaboom!”

         “Grandma Melvyn snapped.”

         “Whe went back to wheezing and snorting while I sat there with…”

         “(Insert movie explosions here:  Kerblooey! Kerblam!)”

PERSONIFICATION:  “ I could feel the excitement in the air.”

         “”…but which really took the magic out of the moment.”

IDIOM: “ In a heart beat.”