Thursday, August 25, 2011

Book Review: Michael Vey, The Prisoner of Cell 25

I posted this same review yesterday on Mundie Moms, but I really feel this is a book that is not only great for YA readers, but a perfect fit for older MG readers, which is why I'm also sharing my review here on Mundie Kids.

Released on: August 9th, 2011
Source: ARC/book from publisher to review
4 stars: I Enjoyed It
Purchase from: Amazon| Barnes & Noble

My name is Michael Vey, and the story I’m about to tell you is strange. Very strange. It’s my story.
To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.

Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive.

A fast paced, entertaining read with an engrossing story line and well developed characters. Richard Paul Evans introduces fans to an unlikely hero with an extraordinary gift.

One of the things I liked about Michael Vey is how down to earth he is. When I first met him I felt bad for him. He's just a normal teen who's trying to fit into his Meridian, Idaho high school, has a great nerdy best friend, and gets bullied by Jack and a few of his friends, but there's so much more to Michael than meets the eye. At first the mother side of me wanted to teach Michael to stand up for himself towards Jack and the annoying school principal, but I quickly learned that he's more than capable of taking care of himself. Ugh, Michael's high school principal infuriated me! I seriously wanted to get into his face, and I know I shouldn't say that, but his character is just one of those characters who gets on your bad side from the start.

The story really picks up after a turn of events that had me fist pumping the air over something Michael does. Not only does Michael's secret get revealed that he's tried so hard to keep hidden, but after seeing what he can do, the beautiful cheerleader Taylor, whom Michael has a crush on has a secret of her own that she wants to share it with him. Taylor and Michael share a similar secret and the powers they have are amazing. Too bad for them they're the last two kids of their kind that haven't been found and all that's about to change. I really like Michael, Taylor and Michael's best friend Ostin. Yeah, that's Austin, but his mother spelled his name wrong so it's Ostin. It's the settle humor like that, that makes this story great for middle grade, YA and adult readers.

As the storyline progresses, the characters themselves become more in-depth and I really enjoyed reading about them. Taylor for example is a totally awesome cheerleader who's fun, outgoing and thoughtful to all those around her. I really liked how Richard worked in the different class structures and stereotypes that are present in high school. It made all the characters, including the secondary ones believable, and relatable. The dialogue between the characters was also very well written, and exactly what you'd except to hear in a high school setting. It was realistic and snarky at times which made the story that much more enjoyable.

Now for the great plot. I won't say too much so I don't give anything a way, but I like the unique electrical powers the group of kids, who are similar to Michael. There's a lot of mystery and secret cover ups keeping them hidden from the outside world. Over the course of the story, I liked how their different friendships formed, their betrayals and the way each of their situations were described. Ostin for me is the one that shocked me the most. He's one nerd no one wants to mess with, and I'm so intrigued with his thought process and the things he comes up with. He's an awesome best friend to Michael. The other thing I really liked about the story is how Michael deals with his Tourette Syndrome. It made me admire him that much more, because he didn't feel the need to hide it or the things that it made him do, like blink a like. It was apart of him and when asked about it, he openly talked about it.

I think this is going to be a fabulous new series by Richard Paul Evans. It's exciting, full of action, snark, unique powers and has a group of teens who are worth reading about. It's a clean cut book that middle grade and younger YA readers will enjoy. I should say I'm neither a MG or "young" YA reader and I enjoyed it. It's a book that boys will really enjoy and girls will like reading. I definitely recommend picking this one up.

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Thank you to Simon & Schuster, we have an awesome giveaway! We are giving away 1 copy of Michael Vey and 1 audiobook of Michael Vey. Two winners will be drawn, the 1st will receive the book, the 2nd winner the audiobook.

To Enter:
- please fill out the form below
- if you're under 13 yrs old, you MUST have your parent's permission to enter this giveaway
- this open to residents in the US only
- 1 entry per person
- this giveaway will end on September 9th, 2011

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~