Mini Reviews: Wings & Between Shades of Gray

Why are tiny things always so darn cute?!

  Mini Reviews are short reviews of books I have read for my own enjoyment and wanted to share with you. I will describe in a couple of sentences (often fragmented) my thoughts on the book.  I may or may not ever post full reviews of any of these books.  The mini-reviews might not be as cute as the mini tiger, but they are mini! Enjoy!

Wings by Aprilynne Pike  

Genre: Young Adult - Urban Fantasy
Published: April 1, 2009 by HarperCollins Children's Books
 

"Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words. 

  
Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings. 

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever."

My thoughts:

This book was a cute read.   I liked the original twist on fairies! The author created some easily likeable characters, which was great.  BUT I am tired of love triangles.  I can totally see this book setting up for a love- struggle-fest so I am almost dreading reading the second book. Other than that, I enjoyed it.

Grade: 

 Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Genre: Young Adult - Historical Fiction
Published: March 22, 2011 by Philomel Books
 

"Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously - and at great risk - documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart."
 

 My Thoughts:

Although I was dissatisfied with the ending (mostly in the fact that I wanted more) I still really enjoyed this novel.  It was heartbreaking, yet filled with hope.  It was very well written and I simultaneously loved and hated a handful of the characters.  The story line obviously sets up for a lot of tragedy, but hope and love still managed to pull through!

Grade: