Just because vampire books are popular doesn’t mean they’re good. That’s what I learned from Blood Sinister by Celia Rees. This book was more like a modern-day Dracula than the girl-can’t-resist-the-mysterious-and-handsome-vampire type of books like Twilight and Vampire Diaries. It follows a teenager named Ellen who is fatally ill. Too pass the time, she reads her great-grandmother’s and learns that vampires exist. Soon, in her dreams, Ellen becomes her great-grandmother, living her life, fearing her fears. And the vampires quickly become all too real.

The second book I read this week was Raiders’ Ransom by Emily Diamond. I was shocked to discover that this was Emily Diamond’s first book; Raiders’ Ransom read like it was written by a seasoned author. It really is a fabulous adventure story,  not too mention the striking cover art. The story follows two characters: Lilly and Zeph. About 150 years in the future there has been a “Collapse” or some sort of apocolyptic disaster. And many lands have returned to the olden-days way of life — no technology, no cars, travel by boat. Even the old societal pressures, like marrying for money or status instead of love, have returned. When the only two important people in Lilly’s life are gone, she decides to take action. The Prime Minister’s daughter has been kidnapped by raiders, the same raiders that killed her granny. Disguised as a boy, Lilly sails to London in hopes of trading a treasure for the girls release. In London, she meets Zeph — son of the raider’s boss. As a war brews, the two sides become intertwined and true emotions and values are revealed.

This week’s game release post covered Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, but there wasn’t nearly enough space to mention all the awesome characters you can play as. So, (with many thanks to Wikipedia, because I certainly did not know all these anime shows) here’s a list, along with what games/TV shows each character comes from.

Capcom Characters:

Tatsunoko Characters:

Both books I read this week looked unbelievably magical. But that’s why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The Giant Slayer by Iain Lawrence depicted a massive giant and a tiny boy — a fablelike cover that conjures so many magical possibilities. And while the book was decent, it didn’t reflect the same feel as the cover. Fairy Godmother Academy #1: Birdie’s Book by Jan Bozarth looked and sounded magical. I mean, its about a school for Fairy Godmothers right? Well, it fell a little short for me. The structure for a truly magical story was there, but I felt like the author didn’t deliver. It was too cookie-cutter, too typical, despite the fact that a fairy godmother academy is a new spin on magical stories (as far as I’m aware).

I would recommend The Giant Slayer to those who like sad stories with symbolism. But if you’re just looking for a light, escape read, the book isn’t for you. It takes place in the 1950′s, and illustrates the horrors of the Polio epidemic. The “giant slayer” part is merely a story told by the main character.

As for the Fairy Godmother Academy, I wish I had something better to say. It’s definitely for the younger half of the YA audience, and would likely only appeal to girls who’ve slightly outgrown the Rainbow Magic series. The dialogue is unrealistic in some parts, and at times I found the plot hard to follow. Maybe Jan Bozarth will deliver a winner in book two, Fairy Godmother Academy #2: Kerka’s Book.

This week, I read Isis: A Tale of the Supernatural by Douglas Clegg, and The Blue Shoe by Roderick Townley. Both these books were entertaining reads, but neither is so memorable that you’d rank them in your list of favorite books.

I had a hard time deciding whether Isis: A Tale of the Supernatural was a story for kids or adults. It follows a young girl struggling with a disfunctional family. The book begs the question: what would you sacrifice to bring the dead back to life. There are deeper meanings behind the surface story that appeals to a more mature audience. But the book itself is short and the main character is a young girl. Perhaps this was the author’s intention: to target all ages.

The Blue Shoe by Robert Townley was a magical story about a quaint little village, a humble shoemaker and a young thief with good intentions. After stealing a small stone from the beloved Blue Shoe to rescue a girl in trouble, Hap is exiled to Mount Xexnax. But that’s not so bad, especially since his father is somewhere on the mountain too. Now is Hap’s chance to rescue his father. But under the ruthless rule of Mr. Slag, a rescue mission may be a little harder than he anticipated.

Our latest releases post announced that Konami’s legendarily difficult rhythm game is coming to North America, but much easier than the Japanese games. But, the real question is: Who has the hardest rhythm titles? Guitar Hero/Rock Band representing the west, or the Bemani rhythm games representing the east? These YouTube videos should let you decide for yourself.

Guitar Hero/Rock Band:

• Extreme difficulty drums on Baba O’ Riley

• Extreme difficulty Guitar on Bark at the Moon solo

• Extreme difficulty Guitar on Cliffs of Dover

Pop ‘n Music:

• a song apparently called “Super Japanesque“

• Classic 4 hyper, lets you see exactly what’s going on in the arcade version

• a song called Fantasia, in a performance that the game rates “No bad!”

Astro Boy has always been a bit of a cult sensation–he got his start in a Japanese comic book way back in 1952, so it’s about time he hit the big screen. Astro Boy the movie is a fun, vibrant movie filled with action and heart that stays true to the original. Astro Boy is being released by Summit, the same company that promotes the Twilight trilogy, but I’m afraid Metro City is devoid of vampires–probably too many bright lights for Edward and his sparkling complexion to compete with

FInd out more about DVD reviews on Kidzworld.

Wow, what a wonderful week of books! The two sequels to The Book of Time by Guillaume Prevost are even better than the first. In The Gate of Days, Sam finally rescues his father from his six month lockdown in the dungeons of dracula’s castle. But his trip through time left him in a coma. In The Circle of Gold, Sam knows that in order to wake his dad up from his coma, his must once again travel back in time and save his mother from dying. But evil forces are at work. Sam’s crush, Alicia, is kidnapped and trapped somewhere in history. Before Sam can even think of altering the past, he needs to deal with more pressing issues…like getting Alicia back!

Last but absolutely, 100% not least — The Hunger Games. Wow. That pretty much sums it up. Suzanne Collins is unbelievable. When I first learned the plot of this book — a sci-fi novel about mandatory competition forcing teenagers to fight to the death — I really wasn’t interested in reading it. But boy, am I glad I did. I was reassured by Stephenie Meyer‘s quote on the cover calling the book “amazing.” And she was definitely right. The Hunger Games was risky, edgy, barbaric, and so gripping I just couldn’t put it down. Could this series become the next Twilight? Quite possibly.

This week’s books — Daughters of the Sea by Kathyrn Lasky and Ring of Fire by P.D. Baccalario – are targeted at two very different YA audiences. Both of these books are the first in a series.

Daughters of the Sea is story about an orphan teenager in the late 19th century who learns that she is a mermaid. This book is great for girls who love mermaids and historical fiction. And even girls who are making that scary leap from kids novels to young adult novels will enjoy this book because it isn’t very long and has large font.

Ring of Fire targets both boys and girls who like to read about deadly adventures. It has a little bit of mystery and a little bit of science fiction. The story is about four kids who are led by the contents of a mysterious briefcase into search for an ancient artifact known as the ring of fire.

Maggie Stiefvator, the author of The Books of Faerie (Lament and Ballad) delivers another novel for teens. But unlike the others, this story is about a star-crossed romance between a human and a werewolf.

Shiver is very well written with strong emotions and dynamic characters. But the novel lacked a little something; it just needed a little bit more. But no problem! Stiefvater has a sequel in the works called Linger, which is expected to hit bookstores in the fall of 2010.

The 2009 remake of 1980 film Fame was a little lame. There were talented teenagers left, right and center, but not even they could make Fame a powerful, inspirational film. Don’t get me wrong, the movie wasn’t “bad.” It just didn’t live up to the hype. There were too many cast members. And time past too quickly for viewers to follow the growth of talent and relationnships among the characters. Overall, the film still offers a few entertaining musical numbers, and you’ll still leave the theatre wanting to dance.