Alison Can Read

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

2012-02-28T00:32:00.002-06:00

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
December 26, 2008; Viking Children's Books

Summary

Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragon-eye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. As tension builds and Eon's desperate lie comes to light, readers won't be able to stop turning the pages...(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

As someone who is fascinated by Asian culture, history, and myths, Eon was a fabulous read. It draws upon Chinese and Japanese legends to create a fantasy world. It was so realistic that I often thought of it as historical fiction, forgetting that dragons and dragoneyes aren't real.

Eon is a 12 year old boy who has been training for the past few years to become a dragon eye, one of twelve men who connect and control the energy of the spirit dragons. Eon is unusual in that he can see all of the dragons. Usually trainees struggle to see anything. But Eon lags behind the other boys in fighting skill, because he is lame. That is enough of a handicap, but what only Eon's master knows is the Eon is really Eona, a 16 year old girl. It is unheard of for a girl to be a dragoneye and would be considered a crime punishable by death.

Eon is action packed. Alison (awesome name by the way - and even spelled right!) does a fabulous job pacing the book so that it flows perfectly. Big, surprising action scenes are interspersed throughout the novel. The action scenes aren't just thrown in there - they all move the plot along. In between the action, the book sets up a complex world of court politics where the line between friends and enemies sometimes is very clear and sometimes is not at all clear. The prose is complex and somewhat wordy, but there were only a few times where I felt things started to drag. Mostly the plot carries the detailed writing well.

Eona was a great character. Brave and determined yet also frightened and unsure. She had to learn to rely upon herself over the course of the book. The side characters were also fabulous. I loved Lady Dela, a lady's maid who is actually a man. She was wonderful at introducing Eona into the court world and also at protecting her despite the costs. Eona's Master was also an intriguing character. He came off as cruel and insensitive at first, but I felt I understood him better as the book went on.

Much of this book is about exploring what it means to be female versus male. Specifically whether being female is a good or bad thing - relevant in Asian traditions where females are devalued. Much of the book's themes and conclusions were predictable. Eona wasn't too bright for almost the entire book. It's my greatest criticism of the book and kept me from loving it as much as many others. However, the path it traveled to get toward the expected ending was not at all predicable. The story ends at a shocking point and sends the reader running to grab the sequel.

If you are at all interested in Asian culture, you must read Eon. If you like fantasy, you must read Eon. If you love Asian food, you must read Eon.

Rating: 4 / 5

Manga Mondays Meme (92): Kimi Ni Todoke vol. 1 by Karuho Shiina

2012-02-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

New Manga Mondays Meme!

I've been doing Manga Mondays every week since I started my blog 18 months ago. It's always been a personal feature, but now I'm going to try turning it into a meme. There are quite a few people who do Manga Mondays. I don't claim by any means that I owned or created the idea of Manga Mondays - it's an obvious choice given the alliteration. I think a meme would be a good way for everyone to publicize their own Manga Mondays and get a little more publicity.

The linky will be below my review.

Kimi Ni Todoke vol. 1 by Karuho Shiina

Summary

Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine...for a horror movie. With her jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor, she's often mistaken for Sadako, the haunting character from Ringu. Unbeknownst to but a few, behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. Shy and pure of heart, she just wants to make friends. But when Kazehaya, the most popular boy in class, befriends her, she's sure to make more than just that--she's about to make some enemies too!(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

In my recent quest to discover good Contemporary Shojo Manga, many people recommended Kimi Ni Todoke. I can definitely see why everyone likes it. Volume 1 of Kimi Ni Todoke was alternately sweet, heartbreaking, happy, and sad.

Sawako is an outcast. Her looks and serious demeanor make her unapproachable to her classmates. Unfortunately for Sawako, bullying is a universal tendency of teens, regardless of culture. Her classmates generally aren't outright mean. Instead, they've perpetuated this idea that she has evil superpowers. If she looks at you for 3 seconds, you'll come down with some horrible malady. Even worse, some of the teachers in the school are afraid of her as well.

I felt horrible for Sawako. She was one of the shyest characters I've ever encountered. Also with one of the lowest self esteems. She's stuck in a vicious circle. She thinks all the people hate her because they don't know her, but because they don't like her, she's too scared to get to know them.

All this changes when Kazehaya, the most popular boy in school, takes notice of her. She is incredibly flattered that he would condescend to speak to her. With his encouragement, she starts reaching out to other people and is surprised that a few kids are willing to befriend her.

I loved the depth of both Kazehaya and Sawako's characters. Shiina did a great job at showing Mr. Popular Kazehaya as vulnerable and embarrassed. He "likes" Sawako, but she only looks up to him as an older brother type (at least to begin with). He is such a nice guy that it feels unreal, but portraying him with typical insecurities makes him seem like a real person. Similarly, Sawako is devastatingly realistic. The look on her face and her thoughts when she was rejected and ridiculed and contrastly, the amazement and joy when someone took the time to be nice matched exactly how I often felt as a teenager - and imagine many of us have felt at various times in our lives.

I will definitely keep reading Kimi Ni Todoke. The first volume is slow. It hasn't captured me with a lively, fast moving plot. Rather the characters have worked their way deep into my heart.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

Feature and Follow Friday #85

2012-02-23T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

Our Feature -Ezine of a Random Girl

Over here! I'm Guen, an all around book lover and random girl. Like most book lovers, I always have a book with me--whether or not I take it around with me depends on the situation. I THINK I'm just a normal teen (um, well, define normal, first). If ever asked what would the first store I would hit up at the mall--it would be a bookstore. It doesn't matter what bookstore, just as long as it's a bookstore, I could stay there for hours. I'm still a full time student but I've got two of my book lovin' friends, Cara and Pink (alias) to back me up on the blog.

You see, I find it really hard to answer the ""what's your favorite book?"" question because I never seem to find one book that I am absolutely mad, crazy, and in love about. There just too many books I'ver read that I loved. But I love reading any YA novels, whether be it historical fiction, paranormal romance, dystopian, contemporary, etc. I'm usually a positive person (note the usually) and almost always love the book after reading. I said almost always didn't I? :) But just so you know, I loved the Hunger Games and I'm loving the hush, hush series...and a whole lot more.

Q: Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most...

**First off, I want to apologize in advance for a lack of commenting this weekend (as well as last weekend). I'm going to be out of town so I won't be spending a lot of time on the computer. If anyone has any idea of fun things to do in Billings, Montana, let me know!

I really don't have a favorite place to read. If anything, it would be my bed. But I love reading in bed, on the couch, at my desk, outside, at coffee shops, in the car - just about everywhere. I also like sitting at Barnes & Noble reading a book that I already have at home just for the excitement of reading in the bookstore.

Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a>

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!

The Good About Twilight Copy-Cats

2012-02-23T00:22:00.001-06:00

For better or for worse, Twilight set the norm for modern YA paranormal romance. And when something becomes popular, imitation is inevitable. A majority of paranormals that I read can seemingly be characterized as "angel Twilight," "werewolf Twilight," "zombie Twilight," etc. A few elements in common are understandable. After all, there are only so many ways one can write a teenage romance. But a lot of books so blatantly draw from Twilight that I can barely get through them without rolling my eyes every ten seconds.

Why do authors persist on rewriting Twilight when any savvy reader can see what she's trying to do? Because it works. Call me uncouth, but there are a lot of Twilighty themes that I fall for every time. Books like Die For Me, Carrier of the Mark, Starcrossed, and others may share one too many themes with Twilight, but I love the books because of them, not in spite of them.

If you're a Twilight fan, what are your favorite elements of the series? What themes capture your heart no matter how many times their copycatted?

*Even the most diehard Twilight lover like me can think of plenty of aspects of the series that are not positive. Let's put those aside for the moment and focus on what we like about Twilight.

My Answers

1) Family: Increasingly, my favorite part of the Twilight series is not the romance between Bella and Edward but the Cullen clan as a whole. I love books featuring big families with diverse characters. It's the world that only children like me dream of.

2) Bad Boy: Like so many girls, I am attracted to Mr. Danger, not Mr. Nice Guy. I like the mystery and the darkness. A lot of YA books break down into a battle between Mr. Like-Edward and Mr. Like-Jacob. I will always go for Mr. Like-Edward.

3) Different Paranormal: One of the best features of Twilight is that it is an entirely new take on vampires. I love books that dare to veer away from the traditional angel, zombie, werewolf, etc.

4) Shy, Smart Girl: Much has been written about Bella as a wilting daisy, but at heart, she is a quiet bookish girl - just like me. I like reading about strong girls who always speak their minds like Rose Hathaway, but I can relate to characters like Bella better.

What about you?

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

2012-02-22T00:35:00.001-06:00

Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
March 6, 2012; Simon Pulse
*I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summary

Sometimes the end is just the beginning.

Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.

And Billy's nowhere to be found.

All Gabby wants is to make everything perfect again. But getting her life back isn't difficult, it's impossible. Because nothing is the same, and Gabby's beginning to realize she's missed more than a few danger signs along the way.

It's time for Gabby to face the truth, even if it means everything changes.

Especially if it means everything changes.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Have you ever read a book where you wanted to slap the main character? I spent most of Where It Began wanting to hit Gabby upside the head and scream at her, but also to hug her and help her.

Gabby has no memory of crashing her boyfriend's car when she was falling down drunk at a party. No one - her parents, her doctors, the police, her boyfriend, her friends - can pull the events of that evening out of her mind. Which is fine with Gabby. She wants to go back to normal. And normal is being beautiful, popular, and - most importantly - girlfriend to the hottest guy in school.

Gabby is a delusional fool. Anyone with half a brain can see that Billy, her boyfriend, is bad news. It is also obvious that Billy had more to do with the car crash than it appears - neon, blinking red lights obvious. But Gabby is totally oblivious, stuck in the wonder world of obsessive love.

This blind belief and devotion is extraordinarily frustrating. I dreaded reading the next page because I knew that Gabby was going to make another idiotic, self-destructive move all in the name of Billy. While her naivite is the reason why I didn't like the book that much, it is also why I think it distinguishes itself from other contemporary YA. From an objective standpoint, I loved the portrayal of Gabby. Her relationship with Billy is clearly extreme, but I believe it. A newly blossomed swan with very low self esteem is surprised and thrilled that the richest, hottest guy in school likes her. He is so much better than her, so she needs to do whatever it takes to please him. Only in pleasing him and remaining his girlfriend can she be happy. A horrible example to follow, but haven't you seen it happen?

Gabby's mother was a very important secondary character. She was evil. Not in the physically abusive way, but in the lessons she was teaching her daughter. Looks, money, and boys are all that matter. She was just as willing as Gabby to go along with whatever Billy and his family wanted, because it was crucial to keep Gabby in the upper echelon of society. It is easy to understand why Gabby is so screwed up with a mother like her. Luckily, Gabby did have good influences in her pre-popular friends and her psychiatrist. I have hopes that she may be able to grow into a happy person with their help.

Not much about Where It Began is surprising. I didn't predict every turn along the journey, but I knew where the road was going. What made the book interesting to read was the struggles it took Gabby to get to the destination.

Rating: 3 / 5

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

2012-02-21T01:00:00.000-06:00

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
August 30, 2011; Tor Teen

*Sorry for being a bad blogger the past week or so. I've been traveling and having visitors, so I haven't commented nearly as much as I usually do. I'll try to catch up in the next few days until I head out of town again for the weekend. Everything should be back to normal by next Monday or Tuesday.

Summary

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . .

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Anna Dressed in Blood was a fun page-turner that almost, but not quite, lived up to the hype. Ghost stories are not the most popular paranormal in YA, but they neither are they uncommon. Anna Dressed in Blood is a new take on the traditional ghost story. Cas is a modern day Ghost Buster (Don't tell him that though. He makes a lot of swipes at the Ghost Busters). After his dad's death, he took up the family occupation of finding violent ghosts and re-killing them - with a special knife.

Cas was the highlight of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the world through Cas's eyes. He starts off the book very arrogant and sure of himself. Not arrogant in a way that's annoying, but rather in the sense of a guy who is very good at what he does and knows it. I think his arrogance might also be masking insecurity and loneliness of not having any friends and moving so frequently. But you'd never know that. Cas is a lone gunman. When popular-girl Carmel and loner geek Thomas try to get in on his game, he pushes them back. But of course, since it's YA, eventually the friends get in on the game and it becomes a group effort.

The game of which I speak is Anna. She is a seventeen year old ghost who was murdered on the evening of her first dance. She now haunts her old home, killing anyone who enters. But when Cas is pushes into the house as part of a prank she spares him. Why? We see in great detail that Anna doesn't spare most people. The book veers into the horror genre by highlighting several very gruesome killings. I didn't think it was scary or gross, but I don't scare easily. It was certainly fun to read though. Simply the willingness to go places most YA novels wouldn't dare is one of the best features of Anna Dressed in Blood.

Anna is a wonderfully layered character. She is a nightmare in every sense of the word. But unlike the other ghosts Cas kills, she realizes the horribleness of her actions and hates herself for them. She and Cas form an odd sort of friendship. Part of him wants to kill her and part of Anna wants to die. Another part of Cas is fascinated by her and part of Anna wants to find a way to continue existing without violence. Despite knowing very clearly what Anna is capable of, I pitied her and wanted her to "live."

While I get irritated by the "necessity" of placing friends in a prominent role in every YA, I did like Thomas and Carmel very much. Carmel especially. She is the queen bee - the beautiful, popular girl that everyone wants to either date or emulate. Kudos to Kendare for creating a unique "popular girl" mentality. Carmel had a dominating personality, but was also kind, smart, and brave. I liked that she insisted on staying involved in Cas's ghost quest. Thomas was a little irritating but in the somewhat endearing way of a little brother who always tags along. Thomas comes from a wizarding family and was very useful. He's the type of person who grows on you the more you get used to him.

The plot was full of twists and turns. There was extreme violence, moments great sadness, page-turning suspense, even hints of romance. I did think the plot sort of petered out at the end. Once a big revelation about Anna was made, I thought the story became more predictable and a little cheesy. But on the whole, it was a very well done story. I would definitely check out Anna Dressed in Blood!

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Manga Mondays (90): What Was Your First Manga?

2012-02-20T01:33:00.000-06:00

No manga review today. I spent my holiday weekend in San Francisco. Love that city! But unfortunately, that has put me behind in my manga reading. So my next review will be delayed until next week.

In the mean time, here's a question:

What was the first manga series you read?

My first manga was Fruits Basket. I had heard it was one of the most iconic manga series, so I thought I'd give it a try. I struggled a bit with it at first - I had trouble telling some of the characters apart and the story line was confusing. But I think that was mainly because I was unfamiliar with the manga style. Once I got used to it, I fell in love with the mythology, the characters, and the romance.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

Feature and Follow Friday #84

2012-02-16T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Our Feature -Le Grande Codex

Hello there my name is Aparajita Basu and yes I'm from India. I created Le' Grande Codex in 2011 as an outlet to sight my views regarding the various books I read. I have become so book crazy that I finish one book and then move onto the next one without a stop. I am obsessed with books. I love buying them. I love collecting them. I blame 'Jo Rowling' for my unhealthy book obsession. Before I was introduced to the Harry Potter saga I was an occasional reader and not at all book crazy but not the case now. No worries i'm loving this part of my life really well.But this doesn't mean that I don't have a life.

Besides my book craze I am pursuing a B.A. in media Studies graduation course from Allahabad University, India and hope to make it big in the Animation industry. I also love to watch movies (preferably Hollywood 'cause Bollywood doesn't really appeal to me any more) and listen to music, going places, talking to people and helping round the house. So yes i do have a life besides books. Oh yes i forgot to mention i have an unhealthy but to a lesser degree obsession for Japanese manga as well. Oh and Le' Grande Codex is my second blog after The 'A' - Jurnale.

Q: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?

This is a hard question to answer. Most of the weirdest literary names show up in fantasy or sci fi. Names like Frodo or Peeta or Karu are certainly strange, but they're derived from foreign worlds. They may be as common as Emily and Jacob in their worlds, so I think it's unfair to list them as odd names.

The only contemporary weird names I can think of both come from Stephanie Perkins: Etienne and Cricket. Etienne isn't all that strange. It's French, but it was a new name for me. I suppose you could include a lot of the Harry Potter names on the weird list too: Hermione, Severus, Remus, Sirius, etc. But like Etienne, they're classical names from another culture - generally Greek and Latin, I believe. Severus was the name of a Roman emperor a few thousand years ago. Sirius is a constellation, of course. And Hermione is a Greek name that once sounded strange to me, but now sounds cool.

Of course there's always Renesmee, but that's so weird that it belongs in its own category.

One of my literary pet peeves is names that sound out of place. For example, I just finished Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. A fabulous book, but the names are all wrong. The book takes place in present time, so I would assume that Amy was born around 1993/1994 and Roger was born around 1991/1992 (I feel old just writing these years). How many people born during the 90s do you know named Amy or Roger? Amy is a classic 1970s/1980s name that has largely, although not totally, gone out of style. Roger hasn't been popular since the 1950s or 1960s. There's nothing wrong with these names, they just sound weird in the context of the book. You could also say that Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door, whose full name is Delores, was anachronistic. But I give that one a pass since she was named after Mission Delores or Delores Park in San Francisco.

Another irritation came from a book I just finished called The Rivals by Daisy Whitney. One of the side characters was a girl name Anjali. She was French. Anjali is traditionally an Indian name. Obviously, there's no rule that a French girl can't have an Indian name (although I think France may actually have a law against name your child unusual names), but without any sort of explanation, it makes it seem more like the author didn't do her research on name origin.

Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a>

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!

The Daughters Join the Party (Daughters #4) by Joanna Philbin

2012-02-16T01:12:00.004-06:00

The Daughters Join the Party (Daughters #4) by Joanna Philbin
November 7, 2011; Poppy

Summary

They didn't ask for fame. They were born with it.

For the first time, readers will meet Emma Conway, daughter of a powerful New York State Senator.

Emma has never fit into the sweater-set-wearing world of her political family, opting for purple hair and Chuck Taylors to keep herself out of countless photo ops, but when she accidentally lets her father's presidential plans slip on national television, Emma finds herself thrown into the spotlight. Facing pressure to be the perfect First Daughter-in-training, Emma must learn to speak up for herself and for what she believes in. Thankfully, she has her new friends and fellow daughters - Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson - to help her along the way. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Joanna Philbin has established herself as a writer of fun, cheerful young adult novels. The Daughters series features the daughters of four rich and famous families. Unlike most series of rich kids, these characters are "good girls." They each have their flaws and lessons to learn, but by the end of each book, the girls make the right choices and are happy. Each book in the series is told from the point of view of a different girl.

A new girl joins the trio that we met in the first three Daughters series. Emma has just been kicked out of boarding school and is now going to the same New York City private school that Lizzie, Hudson, and Carina attend. The spotlight is on Emma, because her father is running for president.

Emma definitely has the most outrageous personality of the four girls. Since her older brother Remington is Mister Perfect, Emma distinguished herself by being rebellious. She always speaks her mind, regardless of the occasion or audience. Ostensibly, she doesn't care about what people think of her, but I think she wants to be seen as an edgy bad girl. Emma's personality is nothing like mine or any of the people I was friends with growing up, but I really liked her. I wish I'd had the courage to speak up for myself like she does. And since we read from her point of view, we realize that Emma has good intentions and really is a nice person.

Emma quickly gets in over her head in this book. She makes a stupid comment - accidentally - to the media about her father's candidacy and gets lots of attention. She continues to say things on the stump that no candidate or candidate's child has ever dared and the public loves her. So she goes out on the road to campaign for her dad. But politics is not the best realm for a young teenager and Emma has a lot to learn.

While Emma was a fun character because you never knew what she was going to say next, I do think this was the least realistic Daughters book yet. No presidential candidate in his right mind would have his 15 year old daughter making big time campaign speeches. Or if he did, I would lose all respect for him. Even if a candidate's child did go on the stump, I can't imagine said child getting away with the things Emma says. It's great entertainment, but I can't imagine it happening. Regardless of its realism, The Daughters Join the Party was just as fun as the previous books (although Lizzie and the first book is my favorite).

The Daughters series is rather formulaic. You know what you're going to get. But that's not a bad thing. When I'm choosing where to go out to eat, I have loads of restaurants to go to. I usually end up going to my favorite place and getting my favorite dish. I'm never surprised but I always leave happy. You'll leave happy with any book in the Daughters series.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

2012-02-15T00:43:00.002-06:00

Bunheads by Sophie Flack
October 10, 2011; Poppy

Summary

As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet.

But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change, and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other "bunheads" in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life? (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Bunheads is the opportunity to live vicariously the life of a ballerina. As someone who was born with three left feet (you may not think that's possible, but if you see me dance, you'll understand), it is wonderful to become a dancer for 300 pages. In Bunheads, the reader follows Hannah, a 19 year old professional ballerina, who lives, sleeps, eats, and breathes ballet. It is such a foreign world that you feel like you're reading a fantasy or visiting a different country. Sophie Flack does a fabulous job of setting up the ballet world.

Ostensibly, Bunheads is about a young ballerina who thinks only of ballet until she meets a handsome, intriguing guy "from the outside" who introduces her to the real world, at which point said ballerina needs to decide whether she would rather continue ballet or venture out into the big world with lover-boy. But if you're looking mainly for plot heavy romance, go elsewhere. The rather unoriginal plot is the least interesting thing about Bunheads. Where the book excels is the immersive ballet experience.

Sophie Flack is a retired professional ballerina so she knows of which she writes. The book is supposedly mostly autobiographical. The world of professional ballet is one of sweat, tears, joy, competition, cruelty, hard work, heart break, opportunities, and ultimately the love of dancing. I loved how Hannah seemed representative of the typical dancer. She's not the star, but she's not the weakling. We saw day in and day out how much she sacrificed for ballet. She is 19 years old - old for YA - but in many ways as emotionally immature as a 14 year old. She has not really lived. She works incredibly hard - enduring hours of intense rehearsals only to finish it off with more exercise and a limited diet. All in the name of earning a better role.

The world of ballet is unimaginably competitive. Hannah's only friends are her co-dancers, who are also her competitors. The cattiness can get extreme. We see every girl, Hannah included, smile to a girl's face only to talk about her behind her back. A lot of reviewers criticize the book for featuring a "mean girl" main character, but I don't see it that way. With the exception of a few saints, I think most of us have talked about other people behind their backs, be they friends, family, or enemies. It's not a positive attribute, but it is a real one. I am very pleased to see a protagonist who is a fundamentally nice girl but isn't perfectly kind. In fact, I think it's one of my favorite parts of the book, simply because it's different. But the characters aren't always catty. There are many scenes where you see how the characters care for and support one another.

Bunheads is a endearing, fun book that takes you behind the scenes of a professional ballet. Regardless of the plot, the cultural experience is worth the read alone. I loved how Sophie characterized the world as demanding and unforgiving, but also showcased the beauty of dancing. We understand why Hannah stays with ballet, because she exudes her love for dancing. And we feel it too. Bunheads is one of the best athletic books I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it.

Rating: 4 / 5

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

2012-02-14T00:30:00.001-06:00

Supernaturally by Kiersten White
July 26, 2011; HarperTeen

Summary

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be . . . kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

One of the hardest things for a first time author to do is to leave that debut status and become a sophomore author. It is hardest when an author's first novel is received to high acclaim. How do you top a great book? Kiersten White was in this position with Supernaturally. Paranormalcy was a refreshing change from the standard paranormal romance. Laugh out loud funny with a heroine who was sweet, snarky, and confident but also innocent and vulnerable. Add to that a host of paranormal characters and a kind love interest and you have a winning novel.

I'd love to say that Supernaturally outdoes Paranormalcy or even lives up to it, but I cannot. That's not to say it's bad. Certainly not. It is a wonderful book, but it's not special. I was disappointed to see it falling into the same formulaic mold that the majority of "second" paranormal novels feel compelled to fit: Happy love life isn't so great, couple emotionally or physically separates, third wheel enters, heroine gets into some kind of trouble, happy couple reunites happily. And there you have Supernaturally in a very bare-bones nutshell.

Evie has everything she wants - a normal life, a fabulous boyfriend, and best of all - a locker! Unfortunately, she realizes what the rest of us figured out long ago. Normal isn't that fun. So she accepts contract work with the IPCA, despite knowing the agency's dark side. But even her old hunting habits aren't as easy as they used to be. Especially not with Jack, her new colleague - or is he an enemy?

Evie continues to be a joy. She's not as funny as she was in Paranormalcy, but I still got a kick out of her. She has such a sarcastic, dry outlook on life - definitely someone I would want to be friends with. Plus, everything about her is cutesy and girly. I also like that her vulnerabilities are a big part of her character and the plot. She is desperate to really understand where she came from. She both loves and resents Raquel, the only "mother" she ever knew. She can't stand her ex-boyfriend Reth, the manipulative amoral fairy, but she also can't stay away. It makes Evie feel like a real person and also adds depth to a series that might otherwise feel lightweight. While Evie's decisions in Supernaturally don't always seem wise, they make a lot of sense when you understand the haunted side of her personality.

While I wasn't as pleased with Supernaturally as Paranormalcy, I think I understand its place in the series. There's a reason that the second book tends to be formulaic. Supernaturally further developed the fantasy world - the IPCA, Evie's background, the renegade paranormals. It pushed Evie further along the road of self-discovery and toward a more satisfying relationship with Lend. Ultimately, the series will have more depth because of Supernaturally's place-holding role. But it would be so nice to have a stellar second novel. They're too rare.

You must read Supernaturally if you loved Paranormalcy. It is cutesy and funny. The writing is clean and flows very quickly. You'll love Evie and Lend (the little you see of him). You'll also love Jack who is sarcastic and funny, in many ways the perfect guy for Evie. Kiersten's take on fairies, werewolves, and vampires is like nothing you'll read in any other series. Supernaturally is still a breath of fresh air from most of paranormal romance novels.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Manga Mondays (89): Skip Beat vol. 1 by Yoshiki Nakamura

2012-02-13T01:01:00.001-06:00

Skip Beat vol. 1 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Summary

Kyoko always thought that Sho, whose family took her in when she was small, was her prince charming. However, when Sho heads for Tokyo to make it big as a musician, Kyoko goes with him and has to quit high school to support his dream. But soon, being in the big city makes Kyoko realize that she has show business ambitions of her own?(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

I picked up Skip Beat, because it is a massively popular series. The first volume was interesting, but didn't establish itself in my mind as anything spectacular. However, it has piqued my interest enough that I want to continue with the series. I assume it becomes more interesting.

Kyoko starts out as your stereotypical shoujo manga girl. Quiet, kind, sacrificing. She dropped everything - including school - to run off to Tokyo with childhood friend Sho to help him on his path to stardom. Once Sho becomes popular, he drops boring Kyoko like a hot potato. Here is where the book diverges from standard shoujo. Kyoko has a dark nature. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. She decides to join Sho in the show business industry - to show that she's just as good as he is.

The ultimate message of this volume is that revenge may be a good motivation to start, but you can't succeed by only having a negative attitude. Thankfully, I don't think that this is going to turn into a happy happy series. Kyoko may learn to balance her personality, but I'm guessing she'll always have a fun edge to her.

I can't really get an opinion on this volume because I'm not invested in the characters yet. I like Kyoko. I'm guessing that I'm supposed to be interested in Sho and Ren (Sho's pop star competitor), but I didn't get a feel for their personalities. I wish she'd done a better job introducing them. If I hadn't heard so many good things about this series, I don't know that the first volume would have been enough to keep me invested. The only other odd thing is that both Ren and Sho have very long legs. I guess this shows that they're tall, but they look slightly out of proportion.

All in all, this volume is just okay but I'm going to keep going in this series. Hopefully I'll figure out why it's so great soon.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

In My Mailbox #66

2012-02-12T00:08:00.000-06:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

I'm Alison (on the off chance you couldn't guess that from the name of my blog). I review Young Adult novels with a few Middle Grade books and a weekly manga feature.

Review

Fall From Grace by Charles Benoit

*Thanks to Teen Book Scene!

Library Stash

Eona by Alison Goodman

Skip Beat! vol. 1 by Yoshiki Nakamura

Kimi Ni Todoke vol. 1 by Karuho Shiina

Feature and Follow Friday #83

2012-02-09T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Our Feature -Goldilox and the Three Weres

Hello! I just recently started my blog and have been having so much fun playing around with it! I had been becoming more and more obsessed with reading and lurking on Goodreads...then I began commenting, making friends, and writing reviews on Goodreads...then I decided that I MUST create a book review blog! Its like a wonderful sickness!

In my 'spare time' (when I'm not engrossed in an urban fantasy or paranormal romance) I'm actually a Kindergarten teacher in the public school system. I used to keep my book habit a secret...but then I found out that there are many out there with the same obsession!

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

Lately it feels like all I've done is read mediocre books. A few good ones have been in the stack, but a lot of duds. At least for paranormal. I've read some great contemporaries (Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Amy and Roger's Epic Detour), but I've been disappointed with my recent paranormal reads. I haven't even managed to get all the way through Everneath yet; I put it down because I was disenchanted with the genre.

So I would much rather reading my favorite book(s) over and over again. I'd rather be bored than frustrated.

But then again, a book wouldn't be my favorite if it wasn't one I could read again and again. Like Harry Potter. Ever time I read it, I discover something new.

Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a>

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

2012-02-09T00:08:00.000-06:00

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
October 4, 2011; Thomas Nelson
*I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. LOVE WILL LEAD HER HOME.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

I went into There You'll Find Me looking for a light, fluffy escapist romance. I didn't care if it was realistic or perfectly written. I was looking for fun and sap and that's exactly what I got. Handsome uber famous teen idol movie star falls in love with an ordinary, pretty-but-not-too-pretty teenage girl? Who doesn't dream of that? (Actually, I think dating a movie star would be far from perfect, but I'm putting my rational mind aside for the moment).

Finley and Beckett are awesome characters. First off, they have fabulous names. Beckett especially - since that happens to be one of my favorite boy names. Finley is the type of girl who doesn't put on airs; what you see is what you get. She is funny, sarcastic, and kind. She is also very hard on herself. She is mourning her brother's death in a terrorist attack and is spending her year in Ireland trying to rediscover her brother, partly in hope that she can be as good as he is, as faithful as he is. But unless it's absolutely perfect, it's not good enough.

Beckett is as charming and funny as it gets. The star of a series of teenage vampire movies, I imagine him as a cross between Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner (Rob in looks and Taylor in personality). He has a jet-setting, gossip-column filled life, but we quickly realize that he is much more than that. Beckett doesn't want to be a silly teen idol. He wants to make movies that mean something and have faith in something more than him. Instead of surrounding himself by yes-men and drooly girls, he prefers to be near Finley, who spends most of her time being annoyed by him.

The banter and flirting between the characters was as cute as it gets. I loved how Beckett purposely called Finley by the wrong name, like "Flossie" and "Frannie." Beckett comes off as a little conceited, but it ends up reading as funny and even though Finley may be annoyed, the reader knows she'll succumb in the end:

"[Beckett] 'And as for girls who try to stay away from me - my charm always wears them down.'
[Finley] 'I'm up-to-date on my shots, so I'm pretty much immune to everything'"

Even better, Finley and Beckett fall in love by being friends and spending time together. How refreshing. Finley desperately wants to find a particular Celtic cross that her brother photographed. Beckett happily plays tour guide. And in return, Finley helps Beckett with lines. Her non-simpering attitude inspires him to be a better actor.

Ms. Jones' writing is easy to read and flows nicely. She came up with a good plot framework that provided reasons for Finley and Beckett's lives to intersect. A tad coincidental (okay, more than a tad), but it worked. Finley's host family was also a highlight. Her host mum and dad added a positive, strong parental influence to the book. Her host brother was adorable and her host sister was a great best friend type.

If you start thinking too much about the book, you can easily become annoyed. The Christian element, while not preachy, is too prevalent for my taste. Finley is a "normal" girl who also happens to be a hotel heiress who spent much of the past year partying (Hilton-style). Beckett's speech and mannerisms become progressively more Irish as the book goes on; oftentimes, he doesn't sound like a real teenager (i.e. "If I'm going to be your bloomin' tour guide..." - nobody below 80 says 'blooming').

Don't bother thinking while you're reading this book. You'll miss all the fun of a cute romance that progresses at a realistic pace with likable characters. There's a time and place for saccharine sweetness.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Balzer & Bray; February 7, 2012
*I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Summary

When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a classic coming of age story. Cam is a character who you will come to care for and root for. The book begins when Cam is about twelve and living an All-American small town life complete with swimming, teenage hijinks, and young love. Like most young teens and tweens Cameron is discovering romance. To her surprise and fear, she realizes she is attracted to girls.

It is at this fragile time that Cam’s parents die in a tragic car accident. The book shifts gradually several years. Cam lives with her very religious Aunt and her grandmother. She spends most of her time messing around with her guy friends and falling in and out of love with various girls, making sure to keep her sexuality a secret.

The book shifts again when Aunt Ruth discovers that Cam has been having relationships with girls. She sends her off to a Christian school geared toward “curing” homosexual youth. There, Cam encounters loneliness, restrictions, and judgment, but also makes great friends who understand her better than the people in her small town.

As I said at the beginning of the review, Cam is the star of this novel. I loved her. She is emotionally reserved, but you can feel the sadness and anger boiling up within her. She is somewhat rebellious, but not overly so - she doesn’t go out of her way just to prove a point like some of the other characters in the novel. I also loved that she kept an open mind about almost everyone. A lot of people in her life were trying to hurt her or hold her back, but she didn’t flatly demonize them.

Cameron’s open mind influenced my opinion about all the characters. I easily could have hated Aunt Ruth or Pastor Rick or Lydia - the people who were trying to “cure” Cam - for not realizing that they were doing far more harm than good. But because of the writing and Cam’s outlook, I was able to view them with empathy and some sympathy (well, maybe not for Lydia). Aunt Ruth and Pastor Rick were well-intentioned if misguided. Cam’s friends were also well-developed three-dimensional characters. We got to know Jamie, Adam, and Jane Fonda the best. None were perfect and none were characters I would have been friends with, but I understood them.

Emily Danforth’s writing is fabulous. I particularly loved her descriptions of Montana. She made the setting come alive with its rugged beauty. In fact, everything came alive - the characters, the plot, and the setting - through her prose. Ms. Danforth clearly has a literary bent. Call me pedestrian, but I don’t always like reading “literary” novels. The prose tends to overshadow the plot. There were a few instances were I thought the writing started to get in the way, but for the most part, the beautiful prose enhanced the reading experience.

A few complaints though. First, the book is long. Llllooonnnngggg. Almost 500 pages! It’s a character driven novel that meanders through Cam’s teenage years. 200 pages easily could have been filtered out and the book wouldn’t have suffered much. Because of its length, it dragged quite a bit. I remained interested in the story throughout the book, but I would have been happier if it was shorter. Second - not as much a complaint as it is personal taste - there was a lot of drug use, alcohol, and language in this book. The prevalence of pot smoking bothered me most. On one hand, it’s a realistic reflection of many teenagers’ lives. I think that YA should reflect teenagers as they are not as they should be. On the other hand, I really don’t approve of teenagers being potheads and prefer books that show the negative effects of drug use in addition to the fun times. It made me uncomfortable with the book. But as I said, that’s not a flaw per se, but more about my reading tastes.

On the whole, The Miseducation of Cameron Post was an extremely well-written, engaging book with characters that I cared about. I would love to read a book about Cam’s life in her mid-twenties to see where she ends up.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

2012-02-07T01:05:00.002-06:00

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
September 27, 2011; Tor Teen / Macmillan

Summary

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood--Tiki's blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched--and protected--by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen's son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief--all must work together to secure the treaty... (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

The Faerie Ring is one of the more difficult books to review that I've read lately. On one hand, I absolutely adored the book. On the other hand, from an objective standard, I can see numerous problems with the novel.

The good side first...The Faerie Ring carried me away. It is the perfect combination of historical fiction and fantasy. The book is set in Victorian England. You get to see the extremes of wealth and poverty in this novel since Tiki, the main character, lives on the streets while Leo, another main character is the son of Queen Victoria and lives in Buckingham Palace. I like how the book doesn't glorify the poor while demonizing the spoiled rich. Tiki is obviously our hero, but the wealthy characters in the story, while a bit careless, were good people. It's really fey versus humans. Ms. Hamilton did a wonderful job capturing the feeling of the poverty of Victorian London. We see dirty streets, little ramshackle hovels, flower sellers, and pick pockets. Yet we also see equally good descriptions of wealthy London - grand balls, palaces, and fashion.

Tiki is a fabulous character. She's a professional pick-pocket living on the streets. Such a difficult life could harden a person, but Tiki has remained kind. She puts up a good front, but at heart she's a teenage girl with insecurities and fears. I loved her "family" as well, the group of waifs she lives with, particularly the littlest girl. I had some difficulty telling the older characters apart.

The main guy in the book is Rieker who is handsome and most of all mysterious. Also a professional pick-pocket, he appears to protect Tiki...or is he trying to harm her? He figures out quickly that Tiki is involved in stealing the Queen's ring and knows an unusual amount about its faerie origin. What I loved most about Ms. Hamilton's portrayal of Rieker was the mystery. For much of the book, Tiki instinctively distrusts him. My reaction was the opposite - I assumed he was trustworthy. But there were enough oddities in his actions and personality that neither Tiki nor I could be sure about Rieker for most of the book. I liked discovering Rieker alongside Tiki.

My favorite part about The Faerie Ring bleeds into my least favorite part. When I was reading this book, I was transported across a continent and back 150 years. I was transfixed by Tiki, Rieker, and the other characters. I marveled at Tiki's ingenuity and was awed by her gorgeous outfit at the Queen's ball (what would a good YA book be without some fashion?). I was terrified by every close call and the increasing danger of the fey. It is unfortunately rare for a book to make the world disappear around me.

So that's good...but once I finished the book, all these doubts crept in. The world-building is considerably lacking. We don't discover much about the fey legends until the end of the book and even that is incomplete. And the book is full of inconsistencies and big coincidences. Obviously you have to suspend some belief for a book centering on a ring that symbolizes peace between the fey and humans, but so many things worked out "just in time" for Tiki. And the theme of a poor girl really being a lady and blossoming once you put a pretty dress on her is overplayed. In retrospect, I don't like the ending. It is both too perfect and incomplete, for different reasons.

In some ways I loved The Faerie Ring and in some ways it was lacking. I give it high marks for carrying me away as I read it, but lower marks for not holding up well after I finished it.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Vampire Empire Giveaway: Ends Tomorrow Feb 7!!

2012-02-06T23:32:00.000-06:00

The authors of one of my favorite book series, Vampire Empire, are hosting a giveaway. It ends tomorrow February 7. Check out the GIVEAWAY at Clay and Susan's blog.

You can win a replica of Adele's Geomancer Talisman:

Regardless, make sure you check out Clay and Susan's books: The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Manga Mondays Meme (88): Dengeki Daisy vol. 4 by Kyousuke Motomi

2012-02-06T00:09:00.000-06:00

Dengeki Daisy vol. 4 by Kyousuke Motomi

Summary

Teru and Kurosaki continue to investigate the fake DAISY incident and are on the verge of solving the case when Teru gets kidnapped! What does the kidnapper want with her, and will Kutosaki be able to rescue her in time?!(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

Anytime I see the word "kidnapping" in a plot summary, I think "drama." And drama is indeed the best way to describe volume 6 of Dengeki Daisy. I was surprised that the kidnapping was not the main subject of the volume. It infused the entire plot, but it happened early on and a lot more happened after it was resolved.

The plot keeps getting more and more complicated. A little silly, I suppose, but this isn't the type of manga that you expect to be particularly realistic. I do like how all the characters have layers. The bad guys aren't purely bad and the good guys aren't purely good.

I loved the way the kidnapping went down. It was the perfect romantic solution. Teru had to use her smarts, bravery, and humor to get herself out of the problem, but Kurosaki still had the chance to come in and play hero. They both emerged stronger. I do love how strong a character Teru is consistently throughout all the volumes. Kurosaki is there to protect her, but she is capable of caring for herself. Kurosaki is good moral and romantic support.

There wasn't enough romance in this book for me. I love romantic tension, but the tease can start to be overdrawn. And that's what I'm worried that Dengeki Daisy is becoming. I want to see Teru and Kurosaki really be together. I want more romantic scenes that Motomi is so good at drawing.

I'm curious to see where the series goes from here. Hopefully I can read volumes 7 and 8 soon.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

In My Mailbox #65

2012-02-04T23:13:00.002-06:00

Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler

Won

*Thanks to Lindsay Cummings!!!!

Irises by Francisco X. Stork

Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

The Difference Between You and Me by Madeleine George

Library Stash

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
*Already finished this. Great read.

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
*I'm almost done with this. Not sure what I think about it. I'm irritated that it took 200 of 300 pages for it to become interesting.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Feature and Follow Friday #82

2012-02-02T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Our Feature -Omnom Books

Reading is my drug, i've been addicted since a very early age, and don't think it'll end any time soon. I lived in England, but moved to Australia when i was 14 because of the 'better economy'. Apart from reading, i also love travelling, art, and surprisingly sport, although i'm a terrible loser and can't resist yelling at people when i think they're doing something wrong (how embarrassing!) My friends would probably describe me as funny, lively, and also a complete and utter nerd, due to my unfortunate liking of maths and science.

I started Omnom Books at the beginning of this year as a way to keep track of my formidable pile of reads, and to share my thoughts on them with others. I love meeting new people, and i can spend hours surfing blogs, finding new books and talking with others about our opinions on them. At the moment, I'm slowly reading my way through Tamora Pierce's epic works, right now i am up to Terrier (Beka Cooper #1), and i have Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer on the side. My favourite genres would have to be YA Paranormal or fantasy, with The Mortal Instruments and Paranormalcy being some of my faves as they are made of WIN. Alright...that's all i can think of for now, but hopefully i'll hear from some of you soon (dumbledore!)

Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kickass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?

I don't think my favorite books share any characteristic, really. I like books with strong heroines but I also love Bella in Twilight. I'd say that I have a weakness for bad boys with a hint of danger but I also adore Etienne and Cricket in Stephanie Perkins' books.

My favorite books share the quality of having good stories and characters that I care about. That's a boring answer, but it's true. My favorite books are nothing like each other other than that category. I think the characters are the key feature for me. I have to like the people I'm reading about. Even if the main character isn't always the nicest person (think Sam in Before I Fall), as long as I understand why they are the way the are and feel some sympathy for them, I will probably like the book.

Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

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RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

2012-02-02T00:21:00.003-06:00

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
September 1, 2004; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey has big dreams but little hope of seeing them come true. Desperate for money, she takes a job at the Glenmore, where hotel guest Grace Brown entrusts her with the task of burning a secret bundle of letters. But when Grace's drowned body is fished from the lake, Mattie discovers that the letters could reveal the grim truth behind a murder. Set in 1906 against the backdrop of the murder that inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, Jennifer Donnelly's astonishing debut novel effortlessly weaves romance, history, and a murder mystery into something moving, and real, and wholly original. Includes a reader's guide and an interview with the author. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

A Northern Light is a stark, haunting, beautiful novel. As one would expect from a book described as stark and haunting, much of it is dark and depressing. I generally like darkness in a novel. But sometimes I am in the mood for something cheery. I was, unfortunately, in such a mood while I was reading A Northern Light. If I'd been smart, I would have put it down and picked it up at a different time, but I'd been wanting to read the book for such a long time that I pushed through it. I enjoyed A Northern Light, but I probably would have liked it more if I'd been in a different mood.

Mattie is the star of our novel. She is an avid-booklover and wordsmith, which makes her immediately endearing to the reader. Mattie is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She desperately wants something more of her life: to go to college, get of of her small town, and become a writer. Yet with her mother's death, her father's embitterment, and her family's poverty, the chief burdens of care-taking have fallen upon Mattie. Her family needs her. Mattie may want out, but her love and duty to her family comes first.

The book alternates between the past and present - not a significant difference - between about spring and summer - and finally merges together at the end of the book. In the spring, Mattie wants to get away but is wracked with guilt. In the summer, Mattie has gotten away - to a job at a nearby resort - but thinks she'll probably never go further from home than that. All this changes when Mattie reads the letters of a young woman, a guest of the resort, is murdered.

I particularly liked some of the side characters. Mattie's best friend Weaver was a likeable, layered character. He was scary smart, funny, and loyal. As the only black young man in their small town, he aspired to become a lawyer and bring forth justice. He also tended to overreact at any perceived slight, which was understandable but not particularly smart given the time period. Ms. Wilcox, Mattie's teacher, was also wonderful. She helped open Mattie's eyes to the beauty and sorry of the world. I even liked Mattie's quasi-beau Royal. Like may not be the right word, but I appreciated him. He was handsome, arrogant, narrow-minded, and dull, but he felt real. I liked the role he played in the book, even if many of his actions were despicable.

The writing of this novel is both good and bad. Prose good, plotting bad. Donnelly's prose is full of imagery and emotion. Her words soak into your skin as you read them like a warm, sunny day (sorry - my attempts at artful prose is not as good, but you get my drift). It's like reading poetry.

Unfortunately, the plotting is not as good. The book is overly ambitious. There are a dozen plot points and there isn't time enough to explore even half of them thoroughly. I like books that challenge me to think as I'm reading, but this made me work and then left me hanging. I particularly disliked the fact that the murdered woman's letters are set up as being the keystone of the novel, but they didn't appear until we were significantly through the book. While I could tell what influence Donnelly wanted me to believe the letters had on Mattie, the book didn't really convince me. Also, the time shifts were confusing. They were often sudden and there was no notation whether it was past or present. I was able to figure it out eventually through context, but it took away from my enjoyment of the plot. I appreciate the use of time shifts as a literary trick, but I would rather marvel at the story itself than the craft of writing.

A Northern Light is a good book, but could have been better. Luckily, Donnelly appears to have learned from her early works, because her new YA book Revolution is absolutely wonderful. I still recommend A Northern Light to anyone who likes skilled prose, a strong main character, historical fiction, and dark themes.

Rating: 3 / 5

What Books? Books You Can't Believe You Haven't Read

2012-02-01T00:41:00.002-06:00

What Books? Books You Can't Believe You Haven't Read

It's time to get back to my "What Books?" feature. It's been quite awhile since I've had one of these posts. I should get back into the habit.

What is the "What Books?" feature?

I have so many book memories from my childhood. Different books touched me in different ways and had came to me at important times. I plan on running this feature every other week and featuring books that I love(d) for different reasons.

A lot of the topics and books that come to mind feature books that I liked when I was in elementary and middle school more than books I liked in high school and later. So there is more of a middle-grade focus. But this particular post will feature books that I loved as a child and that I love now.

See prior editions of What Books? here:

Movie Is Better Than The Book
Favorite Not-Super-Popular Book Series
Favorite Ghost/Scary Stories
Favorite Obscure Childhood Book
Favorite Books To Re-Read
Favorite Books That You Didn't Love At First
Favorite Cry Your Eyes Out Books
Books That Totally Freaked You Out

Books You Can't Believe You Haven't Read

I think my ideal job would be one where I could just sit and read all day long. I suppose that would be called "retirement". As much as I do read, there are still tons of series and books that I want to read but haven't yet gotten to. Some of them it feels like I'm the only person who hasn't read them.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Anything by John Green (I've only read Will Grayson, Will Grayson)

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien (I've read the first two books)

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (I've only read 2 of the books)

Anything by Tamora Pierce

The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials #2 and #3) by Phillip Pullman (I've read the first book)

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

House of Night by P.C. Cast

Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Jessica Darling by Megan McCafferty (I read Sloppy Firsts years ago but no others)

The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Anything by Robin McKinley (I've read Sunshine but that's it)

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

That's a brief list of the books I haven't yet read. It doesn't even touch the adult fiction and non-fiction realm (other than Tolkien) or the classic children's literature I missed (other than Narnia and Percy Jackson). I'm sure I'll think of tons more after I post this.

What Books Can You Not Believe That You Haven't Read?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

2012-01-31T00:30:00.001-06:00

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
September 13, 2011; Doubleday

Summary

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

The Night Circus is a book about a circus. Way to state the obvious, right? But if you pick up this book based on the synopsis online or on the cover flap, you won't realize this. The official blurb made me expect an epic romance centered on two characters with a fast moving plot all culminating in love happily ever after. Somewhat like Water For Elephants. That is not The Night Circus. So what is it about? The Night Circus is a book with an ensemble of actors who are each essential cogs in an unusual machine. There is only one star: the circus itself.

Go into The Night Circus expecting a beautiful, but somewhat slow read. The book spans decades and switches back and forth between plotlines and time periods. It's rather confusing at first (scratch that - it's very confusing at first). This was initially a criticism, but the more and more I think about the book, the slight disorientation that you get from the alternating time periods and stories only adds to the mystery and wonderment of the novel. It is set mainly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but it could have been set in any time period.

The descriptions of the circus are incredible. The Night Circus is a magical circus - it couldn't happen in real life - but the closest thing I can compare it to is Cirque du Soleil. Interspersed between plot focused chapters are small sections describing various aspects of the circus, each written with dark beauty. It feels like you are meandering through the circus as you progress through the novel. Erin Morgenstern must have written this novel with a paintbrush. I could see, smell, and taste the circus. It was enchanting. I wanted to lean into the book in hopes that I could be sucked into the pages. You must read this book simply for the description of that circus.

The various plotlines are hard to piece together at first, but coalesced about halfway through the book as I understood where the story was likely to go and just how the alternating time periods worked. The circus was created as a test for Celia and Marco, highly talented wizards who are pawns in a great chess game devised by their masters. But they love the circus and its people and are not content to merely be the players in the game. They seek to master the circus and protect it. As the synopsis emphasizes, they do fall in love, but theirs is a subtle relationship. It's not the most important part of the story.

The stories of the supporting characters are as interesting and as important to the story as that of Celia and Marco. My favorite were the twins, Widget and Poppet, who were raised in the circus and perform an amazing show with trained kittens. Plus, I loved Bailey, a Massachusetts farm boy who longs for something more than sheep and cows and cannot keep himself away from the circus. The Night Circus switches back and forth between probably a dozen subplots. It is confusing and it is slow, but it is also complex and beautiful and fulfilling.

The Night Circus is a fine wine. Enigmatic, complicated, and full of subtle flavors that only reveal themselves over time. If you chug it down, it will be boring and flat, but if you sip it slowly and savor it, the book will unfold into a thousand layers, each more fascinating than the last. It is the type of book that you like better a month after you read it than when you finished the final page. The magic only grows.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Manga Mondays Meme (87): Dengeki Daisy vol. 3 by Kyousuke Motomi

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dengeki Daisy vol. 3 by Kyousuke Motomi

*I've already read and reviewed Volume 4 and Volume 5. I realized that I forgot to post Volume 3.

Summary

Teru decides to move out of Kurosaki’s apartment, but she wonders if Kurosaki is actually relieved that she’s leaving. As she settles in at her new place, trouble comes knocking when an old business acquaintance of her brother’s appears…(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

The third volume of Dengeki Daisy moves the plot along, but isn't one of my favorites. The book begins with Teru preparing to move out of Kurosaki's apartment. She's moving in with her school counselor, an old friend of Kurosaki and Teru's deceased brother.

At a basic level, this volume is more of the same. Kurosaki behaving like a jerk toward Teru and Teru confiding all her hopes and fears in Daisy. We have a brief moment where Teru is in danger from one of her brother's former colleagues. He kidnaps her to a local restaurant to eat cheesecake and to try to steal the information off her cell phone. When he discovers there's nothing on the cell phone and Teru calls him out, he turns into a quasi-good guy and promises to leave Teru alone. Kind of cheesy.

Best lines of the book: Riko tells Kurosaki about their new apartment, "It's not like it's a few minutes by car or something from your place." Turns out it's the apartment next door. Kurosaki asks her "Why did you lie?" And Riko responds, "I didn't lie. We're not a few minutes by car from your place. It's more like two seconds on foot."

There aren't nearly enough passionate scenes between Kurosaki and Teru in this volume. That's the best part about the series - the way Motomi manages to convey love, heartache, and longing in a single drawing. But on the bright side, Teru finally seems to have figured out who Daisy is. Now that she's pretty sure Kurosaki is Daisy, I'm curious to see where their relationship goes in future volumes.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

In My Mailbox #64

2012-01-28T21:15:00.001-06:00

To Kill A Mockingbird Blu-Ray/DVD: 50th Anniversary Edition
*So excited to watch this! Thanks to Thinkjam!
*Check out my GIVEAWAY to win a copy of the Blu-Ray/DVD

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
*Sequel to Finnikin of the Rock, which I loved. Thanks to Netgalley.

Library Stash

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
*Already finished this. Absolutely adored it!!!! A must read.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Character Interview and GIVEAWAY!: The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

2012-01-27T13:46:00.001-06:00

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. DanforthFebruary 7, 2012; Balzer + Bray

Summary

When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Please welcome Jane Fonda of The Miseducation of Cameron Post to Alison Can Read!

1. What were the first things you thought about Adam and Cameron?

The very first thing I noticed about Adam was his astounding physical beauty. Really. I think the word I might use is luminous. Adam has luminous physical beauty of the androgynous variety. Sometimes he appears very masculine, other times more feminine, but most of the time its just this incredibly luminous combination of the two. So, given that his beauty is the first thing I noticed, the first thing I actually thought about him was probably, “Woah, this cat is astoundingly beautiful.” Followed quickly by, “I hope that doesn’t make him a total asshole.”

The very first thing I noticed about Cam was how uncomfortable she looked. I mean, she and her Aunt Ruth were just pulling up to the parking lot and I was watching them through the windshield, and once I officially met Ruth I better understood Cam’s discomfort--they had just traveled most of the way across the state of Montana together in a car, after all, and that would have made me pretty uncomfortable, too. Also, Cam wasn’t any too happy about actually coming to Promise, and I could read that all over her. But I could also tell, even in our first interaction, that I was going to like her. She wasn’t stuck up. She wasn’tan idiot. And, best of all, I sensed early on just how little value she put in a place like God’s Promise. That was important. I also thought, even right off the bat, that she seemed maybe a little shellshocked. The specifics of all of that—the business with Coley and everything—took awhile to get at. Cam’s a real pro at getting you to drop subjects she’s not interested in talking about. It’s a kind of gift, I guess.

2. If you met the real Jane Fonda, what would you ask her?

Geeze: what wouldn’t I ask her? For sure I’d want to know all about working with Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin 9-5. I mean, Dolly Parton AND Lily Tomlin: amazing! And that movie is so funny, their scenes together are all so well done, especially the pot smoking scene (or the “Maui-wowee” smoking scene, to quote the movie). But, since she’d probably get annoyed pretty fast that I could only reference one movie out of so many in her career, I’d also ask her these questions.

1. Tell me about working with Katharine Hepburn in On Golden Pond. What was she like on set?

2. If you had it to do over again would you still launch your line of aerobics videos?

3. I was named after you, sort of, mostly. What do you make of that?

3. Describe an instance where you drove God’s Promise counselor Lydia crazy during a session - group or individual?

The unfortunate thing about Lydia—if you’re actively trying to get a rise out of her, anyway—is that she almost never takes the bait. She just won’t do it. She can be rather annoyingly, persistently, unflappable. I tried all sorts of things in one on one sessions with her. I’d talk about Pat and Candace—a lesbian couple from back on the commune in Idaho—and how strong a relationship they had, what an amazing couple they were, and she’d just ask me to stop sharing details, or she’d twist what I’d said into my own inability to understand and recognize truly “Godly romantic relationships” because of my “same-sex-attraction-disorder.” Lydia was however, somewhat easily bothered (for Lydia) by anything to do with my prosthesis, especially if it made noise when I walked or if I was touching it at its socket or whatever. So sometimes I would do that, just to watch her inwardly shudder a bit and try to control that or pretend like it wasn’t happening. But I didn’t want her, of course—for reasons you already know about—to consider my leg all too carefully, given what was hidden there, so I didn’t call her attention to it with much frequency.

4. If you weren't at Promise, what would you be doing?

Traveling, indubitably. Taking many photographs along the way. Meeting people, hearing their stories. Hanging out, hooking up, breaking up, forgetting myself in a completely different way than you do at God’s Promise. Cooking recipes that don’t call for cream of mushroom or celery or chicken soup (and that don’t have to feed 20+). Dancing. Drinking. Smoking. Gardening. Cultivating. Making art. Making friends. Making enemies. Making my way in the world. Learning to write in calligraphy. Learning to use a printing press. Learning to tie more knots than I know now. Oooh: maybe learning to sail. Falling in and out of love and repeat and repeat and repeat.

5. Name one instance (aside from being an excellent pot holder) where having a prosthetic leghas come in handy.

Hahahaha—pot holder. Very funny. That’s an excellent double entendre if ever I’ve come across one. Well, this leg has given me a very nuanced appreciation of Flannery O’Connor’s wonderful short story “Good Country People.” How’s that? (If you’ve not yet read that story maybe now you will). Also, I think it’s actually made me more sure of myself and my own strength. You might think it would make me less sure, but I’d say it actually works in the opposite way most of the time.

GIVEAWAY!

Leave your e-mail address for a chance to win a SWAG PACK filled with a signed bookmark, stickers, and pencils!

Fine Print

-Contest ends February 3 at 10 PM PST
-Winners will be chosen at random through Random.org
-U.S. only
-You must be 13 years or older
-Alison Can Read is not responsible for items lost or damaged in shipping.

Feature and Follow Friday #81

2012-01-26T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Our Feature -Fiction Fervor

Once upon a time, there was a teen who loved reading YA books. Day and night, she read and read and read books from all genres of fiction -- fantasy, paranormal, dystopia, science fiction, and more. But she grew weary from having a limited choice of books at her local library. And thus, Fiction Fervor was born. Over one year old, Fiction Fervor is composed of three teens now: Thy (the one who was the most avid reader), Tori (the one who had the most thoughtful reviews), and Linda (the one who was the founder with the biggest dreams yet).

Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

There are definitely genres that I don't like much, but I prefer to think of them as genres I haven't yet learned to like rather than definitively and permanently them on a "do not read" blacklist. After all, I spent my entire childhood hating anything that hinted of fantasy. Now, at least half of my reading is in the high fantasy, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance genre.

That being said, the genres that I typically do not read are: Science Fiction and Mysteries.

It's regrettably common to dislike science fiction and I wish I could get beyond it. I've liked books like The Host by Stephenie Meyer and the Ender's Game books (by Orson Scott Card), but on the whole sci fi books don't interest me. I'm not sure why I dislike mysteries. Particularly because most books have a mystery element to them even if they're not specifically categorized as mysteries. For whatever reason, books that are entirely focused on mysteries typically do not hold my focus. Then again, I recently read Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James and I enjoyed that.

Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a>

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

2012-01-26T01:23:00.000-06:00

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
October 4, 2011; HarperTeen
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Summary

From the moment she sets foot at her new school in Ireland, Megan is inexplicably drawn to the darkly handsome Adam DeRis. But Megan soon discovers that her feelings for Adam are tied to a supernatural fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that unites them could be their ultimate destruction. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Carrier of the Mark is two books in my mind: pre-paranormal and post-paranormal. The beginning of the book was weak, but it grew stronger and far more enjoyable as it went on.

Pre-Paranormal:

Think Twilight in Ireland. Given my affinity for Twilight, I am pretty generous with books that share themes and character profiles with Twilight. But Carrier of the Mark is so blatantly similar to Twilight that even I was rolling my eyes. You have the new girl with a single dad (mom is dead here though) who meets a handsome, mysterious guy. The guy is intrigued by her but also cold and rude. His siblings also treat her strangely. There's even a scene in biology class. Then everything turns and it's INSTA-LOVE!

Post-Paranormal:

The book becomes much more interesting once the paranormal element was introduced. I had no idea what the paranormal twist was from the summary of the book. It was something I haven't read in any other book. Very interesting. There were many Celtic (or Gaelic, I'm not sure) influences.

I liked that Megan wasn't just a weak human who fell in love with a paranormal creature. Unlike Bella, Megan is equally powerful to Adam. I enjoyed reading how all the different abilities interacted with each other.

One Twilight similarity that remains throughout the book is the family element. Adam is very close to his siblings Aine and Rian. Aine is sweet and Alice-like perky. Rian is darker and more cautious. They also have a father figure in Fionn who they care for deeply. The strong set of family characters is a feature that never gets old for me. The different characters was one of the strongest parts of the book. I particularly found Fionn's story tragically compelling. Outside of the DeRis family, Megan's friend Caitlin is a fabulous side-kick character. She has a stronger personality than most best friend characters.

The plot moves very quickly. It's split into the danger element and the romantic conflict. While I'm not an insta-love fan, I couldn't help but be carried away by Adam and worried over the obstacle preventing their everlasting happiness. The plot goes from build-up to major dangerous action very quickly. Too quickly perhaps, but it definitely kept me reading.

Carrier of the Mark borrows too heavily from standard paranormal themes, but it has enough individuality to fascinate the paranormal love. It's a good first novel and I'm curious to see where the series goes.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Giveaway: To Kill A Mockingbird Blu-Ray!

2012-01-25T01:18:00.000-06:00

Win a Blu-ray copy of To Kill A Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Edition

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: Top Ten American Classics of Our Time

Digitally Remastered and Fully Restored with Over Three Hours of Bonus Materials Including Two FullLength Documentaries

On Limited Edition Collector’s Series Blu-ray™ Combo Pack,

Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, one of the screen’s most beloved and critically acclaimed films, celebrates its 50th anniversary with a commemorative Limited Edition Collector’s Series Blu-ray™ Combo Pack as well as on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD from Universal Studios Home Entertainment on January 31, 2012. The powerful and poignant adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel hits the half-century mark, digitally remastered and fully restored from high resolution 35MM original film elements, plus more than three-and-a-half hours of bonus features chronicling the making of the cinematic masterpiece.

Unquestionably an American classic, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is one of the most beloved films and novels of our time. In honor of its release on Blu-ray on January 31, we will take a look back at other classic books and movies that have helped define our nation over the last century.

THE GREAT GATSBY (1925)

Set on Long Island’s North Shore and in New York City during the Roaring Twenties, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is often cited as one of the best novels of the 20^th century. The novel has spawned seven film adaptations, numerous book and graphic novel interpretations, stage productions, a BBC radio special, computer games and even an opera.

THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

Based on the 1900 children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1939’s The Wizard of Oz is adored by both children and adults the world over. This film is unique due to its early use of Technicolor, special effects, and bizarre characters, sets, costumes and makeup. Despite all of the love the film receives now, it was initially a financial failure, but rereleases have more than made up for its early disappointment.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1939)

John Steinbeck’s amazing novel The Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize in 140, as well as the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. The novel is set during the Great Depression and focuses on a family trying to escape their bleak life in the wake of the Dust Bowl. This classic American novel has been the inspiration for a great film of the same name, a play, an opera and a song by Bruce Springsteen.

CITIZEN KANE (1941)

Starring and directed by Orson Welles, Citizen Kane is considered by many to be the absolute greatest American film ever made. The film is loosely based on the lives of both William Randolph Hearst and Welles himself. Citizen Kane is noted for its innovative cinematography and unique narrative structure, and was nominated for nine Academy Awards.

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE (1951)

J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye has become incredibly popular with teenagers over the past 60 years. The book focuses on angst, alienation and rebellion, and some of the content, like its use of profanity and sexuality, have made it frequently challenged and sometime banned by different governments. This novel has also been famously linked to numerous murders and crimes, most notably that of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

The 1962 film adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is often cited as one of the greatest films ever made. This film’s impact on American cinema is widespread, and it has received many honors over the past 50 years, including being preserved in the National Film Registry and winning three Academy Awards. Atticus Finch has often been cited as one of the greatest movie heroes, and Gregory Peck’s performance is widely considered to be one of the great performances in American film history.

IN COLD BLOOD (1966)

Truman Capote’s 1966 novel In Cold Blood detailed the 1959 murders of a Kansas farmer, his wife, and two of their children. This non-fiction work took Capote six years of work, researching the family, their community and their killers, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, with his childhood friend (and author of To Kill a Mockingbird), Harper Lee. At the time, the book became the best selling crime novel.

THE GODFATHER (1972)

Based on a 1969 novel of the same name, 1972’s The Godfather is an epic American crime film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor and Best Picture and helped revitalize Brando’s career. This stunning film also starred film greats Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall and Diane Keaton.

BELOVED (1987)

Set after the Civil War, Toni Morrison’s breathtaking 1987 novel Beloved is the story of an American slave who escaped slavery by fleeing to a free state with her children. After killing one of her children rather than sending her back into slavery, the woman and her family are haunted by the presence of the child’s ghost. Beloved won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988, and was adapted into a film staring Oprah Winfrey in 1998.

SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)

1993’s Schindler’s List is a film about a German businessman who saved the lives of thousands of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. The film, directed by Steve Spielberg, won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Schindler’s List stars Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes.

Giveaway!

For your chance to win a copy of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 50^TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, simply leave a comment with your e-mail address and the answer to the following question:

To Kill a Mockingbird was written by which Pulitzer-Prize-winning American Author?

-Harper Lee

-Alice Adams

-Isabel Wilkerson

Fine Print

-Contest ends February 8 at 10 PM PST
-Winners will be chosen at random through Random.org
-U.S./Canada only
-You must be 13 years or older
-Alison Can Read is not responsible for items lost or damaged in shipping.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2012-01-24T00:13:00.000-06:00

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
December 1, 2011; Sourcebooks Fire

Summary

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

The first few lines of a book are sometimes indicative of whether I'll like the entire book. Most often, the first paragraph is blase - I neither like nor dislike it - I keep reading until the story gets interesting. But occasionally, the first few lines of a book catch you in that indescribable, magical way. The feeling is something akin to neon blinking lights screaming "This book is going to be awesome!" That was my immediate reaction to Catching Jordan. Something about the writing and Jordan as a character immediately spoke to me and carried throughout the entire book.

Jordan is one of the guys. All her friends are guys. She has a brother who she idolizes. The only female influence in her life is her mom, whose attempts at feminizing Jordan are brushed off. Jordan is definitely a unique female YA character. She holds her own in the guy conversations. She laughs off statements that most girls would find insulting or disgusting. She can throw insults as well as she can take them. I've never met or read a character quite like Jordan, yet she felt entirely real and sympathetic.

For all of Jordan's knowledge about guys, she is a late bloomer when it comes to romance. Until new guy Ty moves to town, romance hasn't been on her radar. Pretty soon, all she can think about is handsome Ty. Not only that, but Jordan is entirely blind to the fact that her best friend Henry is in love with her. It is obvious to everyone else, including the reader. It is both frustrating and fun to watch Jordan flounder her way through the sea of boy-girl interaction when she has successfully waded through it for most of her life. On the bright side, I loved that Jordan did not entirely lose her tough exterior once the romance got rolling. Jordan may be as insecure as any other teenage girl when it comes to relationships, but she knows who she is and won't let anyone tell her what to do.

Catching Jordan has one of the best depictions of guy friendships that I've ever read. Dialogue is a prominent feature of this novel. Much of the character development and plot is displayed through conversations between Jordan and her friends. Guys talking nothing like girls, but their conversations are, in some ways, the same. Miranda did a wonderful job of showing how guys joke around constantly, yet occasionally manage to work in a sensitive, emotional comment. There's no angst here. The dialogue was a realistic portrayal of boys' display friendship, anger, sadness, and even love in the "show emotion without actually showing emotion" way of men.

I loved the strong presence of Jordan's family in the novel: her mother, father, and brother. Her mother is a somewhat flat character who supports Jordan and pushes her to be more feminine. Her brother is a fabulous guy. A star college football player who protects and befriends his kid sister. Jordan's relationship with her dad is the most significant subplot. He hates the fact that she plays football and won't even watch her games. As a famous pro football player, he understands the risks that Jordan is taking by playing football. But he fails to recognize that Jordan also understands and accepts these risks.

Slight spoiler alert: I did have one big problem with the book - the role sex played. I did not like the fact that Ty and Jordan have sex at the start of their relationship - I like you, you like me, let's have sex - now we're boyfriend/girlfriend. If the characters were in their 20s, I would find casual sex more realistic, but this seemed like a bit of a stretch. Perhaps I'm too old fashioned, but I don't think that many teenage girls - tomboys or not - would lose their virginity to a guy they like but are not yet dating. Your "first time" is supposed to be special. Major spoiler alert (highlight text to read): When Jordan gets with Henry at the end, you'll notice that she doesn't leap to have sex with him. Clearly symbolizing that her relationship with Ty was just physical while her relationship with Henry is "real."

In almost every way, Catching Jordan was a refreshing burst of light in a field of tired contemporary fiction novels. A one-of-a-kind main character that you can't help love, a sweet romance, great examples of friendship, and a prominent family subplot. I highly recommend Catching Jordan.

Rating: 4 / 5

Manga Mondays Meme (86): Recommend Contemporary Manga Series

2012-01-23T00:49:00.000-06:00

Needed: Good Contemporary Manga Series

Shoujo Manga is filled with fantasy and paranormal series. Just like American teenagers, Japanese teenage girls seem to have an infatuation with vampires. Don't get me wrong, I like my vampires as much as the next girl. In fact, I probably like them even more (Edward Cullen...sigh; Jasper Hale...sigh; Adrian Ivashkov...sign; Christian Ozera...sigh; On the manga side: Zero...sigh).

Sometimes, though, I'm in the mood for something a little more realistic. But realistic manga series aren't that easy to find. That's not true exactly - good, realistic manga series are hard to find.

The only realistic series that I've read and really loved was Sand Chronicles by Hinako Asihara.

I loved the serious issues that the series dealt with, the depth of the characters, and the tragic, drama-filled romance of Ann and Daigo. It was a bit melodramatic but felt more real than any other series I've read. I want to read more like this one.

I just read the first volume of Sugar Princess by Hisaya Nakajo. It was cute and contemporary - although I find it hard to call a series where the main character executes a perfect double axle the first time she put on ice skates realistic.

I've also read the first volumes of:

Peach Girl - Miwa Ueda
Love*Com - Aya Nakahara
Oishinbo: Fish, Sushi, and Sashimi - Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki

These were okay, but I didn't love any of them. Peach Girl and Love*Com both were in the silly/stupid realm to me. Oishinbo was decent, but not in the shoujo world that I like best.

So I am looking to you for advice:

What are some good contemporary fiction manga series? Even better if they are serious, not just a flighty romance and dumb jokes.

In My Mailbox #63

2012-01-21T20:26:00.001-06:00

In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard
*Got this for book club. I'm about halfway through. It's decent.

Library Stash

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
*Been meaning to read this for a long time.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran

Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 6 by Kyousuke Motomi

Feature & Follow Friday #80

2012-01-19T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Our Feature -Butterfly-o-Meter

Hey everyone! You may know me (pffft, yeah, riiiight!) as L.E.Olteano, I'm Livia for friends, meaning you guys :D. I'm a 24 yo girl/woman (I'm not sure what I can describe myself as at this age; uhm, female? Whatever.) stranger from a strange land - Romania - that loves everything about the written word.

I've had on and off reading sprees ever since I can remember, usually exactly at times when I was supposed to do something completely different. What can I say, that's part of my personal charm, fu~fu. I tend to have crushes on the villains in any book, or at least the bada$$-y sort of characters, give me the dark, the brooding, the mischievous, the possessive...*yum* I also host a deeply rooted obsession for vampire-related fiction since I was 7 yo and saw Interview with a Vampire at the cinema - oh, those intense and consuming eyes, that fair skin, those deadly beauties... Errrm, yes, as I was saying.

I have somewhat of broad reading horizons, I go for pretty much anything that titillates my reading gland after the first few pages, , with a few notable exceptions (like DIY and religion-focused books); I’ve been blogging since March 15th, 2011. I'm a supporter of the indie/self-pub phenomenon, and my reviews are mostly for such works. Aside them, you can also find reviews of traditionally published authors, sure (though not as many...I'm noob, and from a mystery place in Europe, what can you expect, right?), but my guilty pleasure reads revolve around smutty, villain-ified, hunk-ilicious romance, paranormal more often then not (but not necessarily).

My usual routine is squealing, raving, and generally fangirling once I like something. Some of my big time favorites are Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series (oh, the yum factor!), Becca Fitzpatrick's novels, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, any and all writings of Anne Rice, and pretty much anything original, quirky, peculiar, edgy or gutsy (have I mentioned hot? fu~fu).

My greatest fear is I won’t manage to read all the books I wanna read; so many awesome books out there, so little time…*sigh*

Q: What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get your hands on any particular book?

I can't think of anything crazy that I've done to get a specific book, but I've done lots of crazy book related things. Particularly with libraries. When I lived in Phoenix, I had five library cards (for different suburbs). The first month that I lived in California, I visited four different libraries, because there's no better way to tour a new city than to visit its libraries.

When I was a kid, I hated clothes shopping (not the case today...Hello Nordstrom!). My mother would reward me with little trips to B. Daltons between clothes stores.

In elementary school, I was voted "Person Most Likely to Own a Bookstore," mostly due to my epic book buying sprees for the Scholastic Book Order forms (one of the treasures of elementary school). In fifth grade, I kept a dozen books in my backpack, desk, or cubby, because you never knew which one I'd be in the mood for - including the illicit Sweet Valley High books, which I wasn't allowed to read, but borrowed them from friends and read them at school. I was such a rebel.

Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a>

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!

Wildwood by Colin Meloy, Illustrated by Carson Ellis

2012-01-19T00:05:00.000-06:00

Wildwood by Colin Meloy, Illustrated by Carson Ellis
August 30, 2011; Balzer + Bray

Summary

When her baby brother is kidnapped by crows, Prue McKeel begins an adventure that will take her and her friend Curtis way beyond her hometown and deep into the Impassable Wilderness. There they uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval, a world full of warring creatures, peace-loving mystics and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. What begins as a rescue mission becomes something much bigger as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood. Wildwood is a spellbinding tale full of wonder, danger and magic. It combines the thrill of a secret world and the buzz of modern city life. Original and fresh, yet steeped in classic fantasy, this is a novel that could have only come from the imagination of Colin Meloy, celebrated for his inventive and fantastic storytelling as the lead singer and songwriter of The Decemberists. With dozens of intricate and beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Carson Ellis, Wildwood is truly a new classic for the twenty-first century. (courtesy of Amazon)

Review

Wildwood is an incredible concept and a good book, but it fails to reach its full potential. Like many readers, I picked up this book because I am a crazy obsessed Decemberists fan. Colin Meloy is one of the best songwriters I've ever heard. He turns short (and sometimes long) songs into epic folk tales using language that rarely makes it out of the dictionary, let alone into song.

What works with Wildwood? The idea behind it is fascinating. A secret world exists within the city of Portland. The Impassible Wilderness is full of talking animals and humans and it has its own politics, history, and culture. Meloy does a great job setting up the world. By the end of the book, I felt very knowledgeable about the Impassible Wilderness, which is often not the case with fantasy worlds. The talking animals were also well done. They weren't merely people in fur or feathers. They maintained characteristics of their species despite dressing and talking like humans.

As one would expect with Meloy, the vocabulary of Wildwood is unusually sophisticated. It's like Meloy made a bet that he could write a book without repeating a single word. A child (or an adult) reading this book will encounter a lot of new words, but it's fairly easy to comprehend their meaning through the context.

I also liked the heroine and hero, Prue and Curtis. Prue is a strong, capable girl. She starts out that way and is still essentially the same at the end of the book. Curtis grows tremendously. He starts out as a geeky, clingy, annoying little boy. He is gullible and easily used. By the end of the book, he is still rather geeky but also strong, brave, and capable of determining right and wrong for himself rather than relying on other people. As for villains, the Dowager Governess is classic. Her beauty and guile can easily mislead the gullible or greedy and if that still doesn't get her what she wants, she ruthlessly goes after her goals.

What didn't work? The length, for one. Few children's books can properly pull off 560 pages. Just because it works for Harry Potter doesn't mean it will work for other books. Meloy is an excellent writer. His words create rich images and he is a good plotter. He has not yet perfected his skill at pacing. Wildwood dragged horribly. I wanted to finish the novel, because it was interesting, but it turned into a chore. I got through the book by assigning myself pages. I would read 50-100 pages a day. Luckily, the pages go by pretty fast...but that's mostly because I am a very fast reader and much older than the targeted age group. The average kid would have a lot of trouble getting through the new words and complex plot lines.

Meloy also falls into the too-common trap of children's authors. Prue's parents are simply awful. They have good intentions but they are horribly neglectful of both their children. Curtis's parents don't appear in the book at all until the very end. There's nothing wrong with having absent or bad parents in a book. It works as a plot device for a reason. But it's so overdone that a book where the children can be the stars while also having good parents is far more impressive.

Wildwood is worth reading because it's such a rich fantasy world. It is a good first book, but I hope Meloy improves on his pacing in the future volumes.

Rating: 3 / 5

Torrent (River of Time #3) by Lisa Tawn Bergren

2012-01-18T00:12:00.000-06:00

Torrent (River of Time #3) by Lisa Tawn Bergren
September 1, 2011; David C. Cook

Summary

When Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and final book in the River of Time series.

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times. But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Forgive me, my friends. I'm going to confess a sin. I cannot profess undying love and adoration for Torrent, the final book of the River of Time series. I can happily claim that I enjoyed the book greatly, but I don't share in the belief common among most reviewers that the book is virtually perfect.

Torrent has a lot of things going for it. There is tons of action. The She-Wolves get into as much trouble as ever. Oftentimes, they purposely lead themselves into trouble in a selfless attempt to help the Forelli's. Someone you care about will die, in a rather horrible way. Once again, the violence is not tamped down. You certainly won't be bored reading this book.

And there is no lack of hot medieval guys. Luca remains cute and funny. Marcello becomes more likable. He is every mother's dream for her daughter - brave, steady, romantic, responsible, kind. I liked him more in Torrent than in the previous books. But my heart belongs to Lord Greco. Swoon! Sexy, dangerous, loyal, good.

Gabi is a highlight of this series. She is one of the better written YA heroines. I love her bravery, that she happily steps up to fight for causes she believes in. In Torrent, she faces difficult choices - between what would be easy and pretty good versus what would be hard but better. I admire her determination to not take the easy route when what is right demands something different. I also like that Gabi makes mistakes and does stupid things that make the fight harder. It makes her more realistic and relatable.

Now for the reason my overall feelings for this book are less than perfect. There's too much cheesiness and convenience. I am happy that Gabi was able to reunite her entire family - Mom, Dad, Lia, and her. She clearly cares for all of them deeply. But the big happy family theme with all four people fighting felt forced. Part of me wanted to cheer them on and the other part wanted to roll my eyes. Plus the fact that all family members were good fighters (even Mom's newly acquired skills) seemed overly convenient. Some parts of the plot cleaned up too nicely to be believable (to the extent that a time travel book can be believable). Other parts, such as the origins of the Brotherhood of which Marcello, Lord Greco, and others were a part, were introduced, but never fully explained. Finally, while I like Marcello, I love Lord Greco. In my ideal book, I would love the main guy in the novel more than the foil. But then again, plenty of people are Team Jacob and I don't think that diminishes Twilight. It's just my preference.

I would recommend that anyone read the River of Time series. While I have a few reservations about it, it is certainly fun, action-packed, and oozing with romance.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Upcoming Giveaway: To Kill a Mockingbird Blu-Ray!

2012-01-17T14:37:00.000-06:00

Coming up next week, I'll be hosting an awesome giveaway! Universal Home Entertainment is set to release To Kill a Mockingbird on Blu-Ray on January 31, 2012. In celebration, you'll have the chance to win a copy on Alison Can Read! I am super excited for this release.

The giveaway won't go live for another several days, but until then, enjoy a clip from the movie. Here is Atticus Finch's closing statement at Tom Robinson's trial:

When did you first read To Kill A Mockingbird? What did you think of it when I read it?

I first read the book on my own in 6th grade. I remember liking it, but not fully "getting" it. Mostly, I was pleased that I'd read a classic that kids didn't normally read until high school. I read it for school in 9th grade when I was able to comprehend the social commentary much better. It was at that point that To Kill A Mockingbird became a truly beautiful and special book.

Sirensong (Faeriewalker #3) by Jenna Black

2012-01-17T00:24:00.000-06:00

Sirensong (Faeriewalker #3) by Jenna Black
July 5, 2011; St. Martin's Press

Summary

When Dana is invited to Faerie to be officially presented at the Seelie Court, it’s no easy decision. After all, everyone knows Titania, the Seelie Queen, wants her dead. But Titania claims not to be the one behind the death threats; and her son, Prince Henry, makes the decision a whole lot easier when he suggests Dana might be arrested for (supposedly) conspiring with her aunt Grace to usurp the Seelie throne. So she and her father better do as they're told . . .

The journey through Faerie is long—and treacherous. Dana thought it would be a good idea to have friends along, but her sort-of-boyfriend, Ethan, and her bodyguard’s son, Keane, just can’t seem to get along, and Kimber’s crush on Keane isn’t making things any easier. When a violent attack separates Dana from their caravan, the sexy Erlking saves her just in the nick of time . . . and makes it clear that he hasn’t given up on making her his own.

Arriving at Titania’s beautiful palace should be a relief. But Dana is soon implicated in an assassination attempt against Titania’s granddaughter, and is suddenly a fugitive, forced to leave her father behind as she and her friends flee for their lives. Will she be able to prove her innocence before the forces of the Seelie Court—or, worse, the Erlking—catch up with her? And will she save her father before he pays the ultimate price in her stead?(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Sirensong finishes off Jennie Black's Faeriewalker series with a whimper. There are things I liked about the novel, but also many parts that were highly disappointing.

On the bright side, the setting is moved from Avalon to Faerie in this book. This freshens up the series and enriches Black's world-building. It's a somewhat stereotypical journey plot, where the characters make a dangerous trip, encountering obstacles along their way, and see relationships fall apart and grow. There's another commonly used plot point - the scapegoat. When the queen's granddaughter is nearly killed, Dana gets unfairly blamed. She has to run for her life and hopefully find out who actually committed the crime in order to clear her name. While the plot is nothing original and relatively predictable, there were enough twists along the way that I remained interested.

Dana's love life is a downer. We finished out Book 2 (Shadowspell) with a love rectangle - 3 guys were drooling over Dana (I'm waiting for a love hectagon someday). My favorite was not Dana's professed love Ethan, but rather the sexy, smoldering, powerful, dangerous but with the hint of a softer side Erlking. Even though he repeatedly has Dana's back, she wants nothing to do with him. Sure, he's manipulative and evil, but he's so hot! Dumb girl. Instead, she's dedicated to Ethan the playboy dud. Ethan spends much of the book in a jealous sulk over the presence of Keane, Love Interest #3. Keane is a much better and more interesting guy than Ethan, but his character was also undeveloped in Sirensong.

Many of Dana's issues are of her own making. She trusts no one. She tries to take on the world - to protect everyone around her because no one else is capable of taking care of things. As irritating as this was, I liked it. It was in keeping with life as the daughter of an alcoholic, an absent father, and also a largely friendless childhood. The personality traits held steady throughout the series. I found Dana and interesting character, if not always likable.

Sirensong is an okay book, but could have been so much better. It's rare that I dislike the romance element this much in a novel. The plot itself was interesting and sometimes exciting, but the book ended the series on a down point.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Manga Mondays Meme (85): Sugar Princess vol. 1 by Hisaya Nakajo

2012-01-16T01:10:00.000-06:00

Sugar Princess vol. 1 by Hisaya Nakajo

Summary

Maya Kurinoki is an 8th-grader who has no experience in ice-skating but seems to have natural talent. She performs a double axel and impresses a scout named Eiji Todo, who tells her that he can make her a skating "princess." Todo tells Maya that she'll have to convince famous skater Shun Kano to coach her and become her skating partner. Unfortunately for Maya, Shun only wants to skate singles.

When Maya Kurinoki takes her little brother to the local ice-skating rink for the first time, she's got her hands full just trying to get him to let go of the bar. To inspire a bit of bravery in him, she attempts a double axel--and lands it! Maya never imagined that this jump would change her life...or that a coach named Eiji Todo would vow to make her a figure skating "princess"! Now all Maya has to do is convince famous skater Shun Kano to become her partner. Too bad Shun doesn't want to have anything to do with her!(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

Sugar Princess is a refreshing change from the fantasy/paranormal manga that I usually read. It's a contemporary (somewhat realistic) fiction. As you see from the summary, Maya executes a double axel her first time ice skating. Call me crazy, but I see no possibility of that happening in real life. Despite the rather unlikely beginning, Sugar Princess is a delightful, somewhat realistic book.

Maya wants to take ice skating lessons. To do so for free, fabulous skater Shun becomes her coach. The real coach thinks that they will make excellent pairs partners some day. Shun is less enthusiastic. As you might imagine, Shun is handsome and brusque, but secretly very kind and chivalrous.

I liked that Maya was a talented but not perfect ice skater. Sure she executed a double axel without experience, but the book is realistic enough to show her struggling a little with skating - not as much as would be realistic, but still something. I also liked how it showed Maya trying to balance school and skating, not quite successfully. She sleeps a lot in school. Maya is soon to take the high school entrance exams, a crucial step for any Japanese student. I'm curious to see what happens in future volumes.

I'm also looking to see more of Maya's family. She has a big family - very big for Japanese standards. Two sisters and a little brother. The parents are largely absent, but I love the relationship between the siblings. It's mostly shown around the dinner table. Maya's friends are the typical loyal manga girl friends. Nothing unique, but likeable.

Sugar Princess is an adorable manga. It's one of those books that has little depth to it, but you don't read it looking for depth. If you want a sweet, fluffy volume of manga, Sugar Princess is a great place to go.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

In My Mailbox #62

2012-01-14T20:43:00.001-06:00

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder
*Finished this about 20 minutes ago. Loved it! Thanks to Netgalley!

dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman
*Thanks to Harlequin!

Library Stash

Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
*I have a weakness for cooking memoirs.

The A Circuit by Catherine Hapka and Georgina Bloomberg
*On the cover, Georgina is listed as first author, but I'm guessing that my order is more appropriate. Still, I think this will be fun, light reading.

Sugar Princess: Skating To Win, Vol. 1 by Hisaya Nakajo
*I don't know what to expect with this, but it looks cute.

Feature & Follow Friday #79

2012-01-12T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Feature & Follow Friday (err Thursday) on Parajunkee.com

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

*Thanks so much to Rachel for allowing me to be part of the Follow Friday fun. Parajunkee is one of the best blogs out there and FF is a highlight of the blogging community. The FF has been one of my favorite parts of my week for over a year and I'm so excited to help my fellow book bloggers get to know each other better.

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you! Now to make this #FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger.

If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the link here for Follow Friday Feature or go to Parajunkee and click the drop down link above FEATURES > Feature & Follow Friday and get on the waiting list!

It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

Our Feature - Bad Ass Book Reviews

My name is Erika, I own the blog Badass Book Reviews. I'm a mom to four children who are seven and under. I started blogging to get my opinion on whatever books I was reading out there to the masses. I didn't realize just HOW many bloggers there are out there! *Waves Hi* I find I like to have fun, blogging allows me to socialize with other readers and more grown-up type people :lol: Talking to kids all day get's old fast, like that commercial where the Mom talks babyish and gibberish at her husband when he comes home from work--I didn't want to be that woman. So, after being a goodreads nerd for over a year, I started a blog. (did I mention I have template ADD?) I think I have found a look I like, but we'll see.

I tend to be snarky --hence the name badass book reviews.I am addicted to Starbucks Peppermint Syrup in my Coffee.I like Dark Chocolate.I mostly read Urban Fantasy, Paranormals, Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance, but if it sounds interesting to me, I will read it.

Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

Music is a huge deal for me. I listen to a wide variety of bands/singers. My favorite groups probably fall into the Indie Folk category. Here are a few of my favs:

Bands:

The Decemberists
Death Cab For Cutie
Bon Iver: Check out the video for my favorite song "Calgary." So beautiful:

The National
Blind Pilot
The Civil Wars
The Wailin' Jennys
Metric
Fleet Foxes
Mumford & Sons
Florence and the Machines
The Shins - new album coming out in March!
Cloud Cult - a Minnesota band with lyrics speaking of life, love, religion, and death. Shaped by the death of the singer's 2 year old child in 2002. It's a different sound but very beautiful once you get used to it. Here's a video of "Running with the Wolves," from the newest album - one of their most accessible songs:

Singers:

Gillian Welch
Neko Case
Iron & Wine - A signer named Sam Beam. This song, "Love Vigilantes" never fails to make me tear up:

Abigail Washburn
Sufjan Stevens
Tegan & Sara
Laura Marling: Check out "Sophia," one of my favorite songs from 2011. It changes from slow to very upbeat about 3 minutes in:

Jeremy Messersmith
Sarah Jarosz
Laura Veirs
Alison Krauss

Now for the Follow Fun!

RULES To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - Bad Ass Book Reviews & Book Lover Musings.
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Follow it up with your twitter address if you want to get that one out!

*********

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

2012-01-12T01:11:00.001-06:00

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
October 18, 2011; Simon Pulse

Summary

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Virtuosity is your typical forbidden romance tale with a classic music twist. It's amazing how one of the oldest literary themes, when done well, manages to feel fresh.

Our stars:

Carmen: 17 year old year old musical prodigy whose life consists of the violin and is entirely steered by her mother. She is extremely sheltered - homeschooled and friends only with her tutor Heidi. Dependent on anti-anxiety pills to relieve stage fright and every other anxiety. One of those people whose life appears perfect but is falling apart on the inside.

Jeremy: Another teen musical prodigy. British, handsome, arrogant, ambitious, independent.

Jeremy + Carmen: At first I thought Carmen would wilt under Jeremy's sharp tongue. She seems backbone-less. But she surprisingly held her own. I enjoyed watching them throw sharp, witty comments at each other. There is an element of insta-love, or more accurately insta-chemistry, here that could be off-putting, but it wasn't. Jeremy and Carmen lead lives immensely different from most teens. Jeremy is one of the only people who can understand Carmen and vice versa. In that situation, the quick connection makes sense.

Our minor stars: Carmen's mother is the most important influence in Carmen's life. She starts out mildly dislikable - no different than any parent who pushes their child to excel in some activity, but her character grows increasingly worse as the novel goes on. Still, while she is a villain of sorts, I understood why she acted as she did. Carmen is lucky to have a great stepfather and tutor. Both Clark and Heidi do their best to imbue a tiny bit of normalcy into Carmen's high-flying life. It helps relieve the pressure from her mother.

The romance between Carmen and Jeremy is gentle and sweet. Not to say that it isn't complicated. Carmen doesn't know Jeremy's motives for being interested in her. Does he really like her or is he just trying to psyche her out before the big competition? Neither Carmen nor the reader knows the answer to this. I liked how Jeremy evolved as a character yet also stayed the same. He is a kind, funny guy, but remains arrogant and ambitious.

Like most contemporary novels, Virtuosity is primarily character driven. I enjoyed the romance plot, the music element, and the stunning conclusion to the Guarneri competition. However, what I loved best was meeting Carmen and Jeremy and the minor characters - learning about their hope, dreams, fears, and motivation. The book reads easily. It's never a page turner, but steadily glides along. The prose is simple. I wouldn't say it's a bare style, but the sentences and paragraphs are fairly short, which means the words flow quickly.

I highly recommend Virtuosity for a well-written contemporary novels with well-drawn characters and a great infusion of music.

Rating: 4 / 5

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

2012-01-11T00:23:00.000-06:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
September 20, 2011; Greenwillow Books

Summary

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is an unusual book. A book where the main character does a complete 180 throughout the course of the plot, in looks and personality. A book that emphasizes the characters' faith in a way that fits seemlessly with the plot and is never preachy. A book that starts out weak and grows stronger and stronger. A book that incorporates Spanish language, culture, food, architecture, and more. A book where romance is present but not nearly as important as the protagonist. A book with major plot twists.

Elisa is one of the best fantasy characters I've read in a long time. She starts out this novel at a low place. She's fat, lonely, and undervalued. At least she thinks she's these things. Elisa was born with a great gift: the godstone - a stone embedded in her navel - only one person receives this gift each century and each is endowed with some great, unknown duty. For a girl who holds a position even higher than the princess she was born as, she sure is underappreciated. No one thinks anything of Elisa. Even her beloved nanny coddles and overprotects her. Her family is tough on her. Her new husband is embarrassed by her. Elisa's only friend is food. While it's difficult to see a nice, smart girl constantly berate herself and use food as a form of comfort, the author did a fabulous job of making Elisa relatable. I cared about her and understood why she felt so horribly about herself.

All this changes when Elisa is kidnapped. In fact, the entire book changes. It goes from being a slow, somewhat depressing novel, to being a action-packed, girl-power thriller. Elisa undergoes tremendous physical and mental change as she walks through the desert for days with her captors. And as she learns more about the world around her - the world that was hidden from her during her sheltered childhood - her idea of who's right and who's wrong begins to change. Elisa is ready to fight and to assume her birthright of the godstone bearer. And fight she does. Don't underestimate Elisa.

There's a great cast of side characters. I loved Elisa's nanny Ximena. One of the few people from Elisa's childhood who truly cares for her. And she's no Mary Poppins. I loved the complexity of Ximena's fighting skills as well as what Ximena hid from Elisa. Elisa's kidnappers are also an interesting lot. They start out as enemies and slowly turn into friends. Each had their own personality and relationship to Elisa. I especially loved Humberto. Sweetest guy and so perfect for Elisa! It added a nice element of romance to this story. Even Elisa's sister, who spends much of her time degrading Elisa, serves a valuable role for Elisa as she grows stronger.

The culture and world-building of the godstone was well done. My main problem with this book was the idea of the "chosen one" having a gemstone in her belly button. *Snicker snicker* I am apparently not mature enough to get entirely beyond that. But otherwise, I loved how the author took the framework of a familiar religion and imbued it with an entirely different mythology. By the end of the book, I felt familiar with the various kingdoms, politics, and long-standing wars. The reader is in the dark for the first third of the novel about most of the book's religion, culture, and history - but so is Elisa. We learn alongside her.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns ends on a strong note. I will say that there is a shocking *shocking* twist near the end. I admire the author for taking that route. The story has a logical conclusion - no big cliff-hanger - but leaves plenty of plot options open for future novels. Elisa finishes the book at the top. She is confident, brave, and ready for more. I can't wait to see where she goes next.

Rating: 4 / 5

Sapphique (Incarceron #2) by Catherine Fisher

2012-01-10T00:29:00.003-06:00

Sapphique (Incarceron #2) by Catherine Fisher
September 6, 2011; Firebird

Summary

Check out my review of Incarceron for an introduction to this series!

Finn has escaped Incarceron, but Keiro and Attia are still Inside. Outside, things are not at all what Finn expected - and both Finn's and Claudia's very lives hang on Finn convincing the Court that he is the lost prince. Back Inside, Keiro and Attia are on the hunt for Sapphique's glove, which legend says he used to escape. In order to find it, they must battle the prison itself. Incarceron has built itself a body and it wants to go Outside - just like Sapphique, the only prisoner Incarceron ever loved. (courtesy of Amazon)

Review

With Incarceron and Sapphique, Catherine Fisher created a marvelously rich, complex story that bridges dystopia, high fantasy, and science fiction. It's quite an accomplishment.

Like Incarceron, Sapphique switches back and forth between the Court and the Prison. We get to know the characters much better, especially Jared, Keiro, and Attia. The Prison and the Court are also bigger characters. We understand better how the Prison has a personality of its own and how the Court is really one big illusion. We also learn more about Sapphique, the god-like prophet who is worshiped by the people of Incarceron. Each chapter starts with a little epigraph of Sapphique's legend and Keiro and Attia essentially follow the journey that Sapphique supposedly took.

The characters in Sapphique are really not all that likeable. I admire the author for not bowing to the pressure for nice, sweet characters. A lot of people were turned off by the characters, but I had no trouble related to them, even Keiro. Fisher does a good job of showing their motivations, fears, and hopes. Keiro in particular seems evil, but you can see his underlying desperation to get out of Incarceron, his anger at being betrayed by Finn (he believes), and his fear of being a half-man. Claudia continues to act like a spoiled brat, but I thought her personality was believable given the pressures being placed upon her and always having to watch her back. Finn too seems frustrating, because he doesn't shape up to his princely image as quick as one would hope, but in reality who would? He acts realistically for a boy as damaged as he is.

There's so much going on in this book. You have the battle to decide whether Finn is Prince Giles or whether the title belongs to a new interloper. You have Jared trying to repair the portal and also hoping to treat his illness. You have the Warden stuck in Incarceron. You have Keiro and Attia making a long journey to try to get out of Incarceron. The book switches back and forth between different stories quickly - the sections are often only a few pages. Fisher does a good job at having enough action that the book doesn't drag.

My main complaint about this book is one that I also had in Incarceron, only it was magnified in Sapphique. The book is so complicated that I felt like I didn't entirely get it. You could take that as a compliment - the book is so rich that to be properly appreciated it really needs at least two readings. And that would be fine if I loved the book enough or had enough time to devote to re-reading Sapphique, but I don't. While I love really strong stories that require me to think, I also like being able to relax and let the book do the work for me. Sapphique was sometimes too much work.

Overall, Sapphique was a great conclusion to Incarceron. I liked that it tied up loose ends, but still left a few things open. Perhaps there will eventually be a third book. There are a lot of places Fisher could still go with this world, but I also feel like things were concluded well enough that it doesn't need a third book to finish off the plot.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Manga Mondays Meme (84): Dengeki Daisy vol. 5 by Kyousuke Motomi

2012-01-09T01:12:00.002-06:00

Dengeki Daisy vol. 5 by Kyousuke Motomi

Summary

After orphan Teru Kurebayashi loses her beloved older brother, she finds solace in the messages she exchanges with DAISY, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. Meanwhile, mysterious Tasuku Kurosaki always seems to be around whenever Teru needs help… While trying to uncover who the fake Daisy is, Kurosaki gets injured protecting Teru from an attack! The near-fatal incident leaves Teru shaken, and she vows to stay close to Kurosaki. But is proximity just going to hurt them both with the truth still veiled?(courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

*Warning: Potential spoilers. My manga reviews tend to be more of a summary than a review. I find it hard to review manga in the same way I do regular books.

I'm waffling a bit on this series. It seems to be getting increasingly sillier. Or perhaps messier is the more appropriate term. The only thing that is messier than this volume is my review of it. Forgive me for a rambling, string of consciousness review. :-)

I'm particularly frustrated with Teru. She seems so weak. Sure, she banters back and forth with Kurosaki and mock complains that he's treating her like a slave, but for the most part, she's a real downer. She is riddled with guilt because Kurosaki got hurt trying to help her. And that she is putting her friends in danger as well. Victim's guilt I suppose. She thinks things are her fault when they most certainly are not. On the other hand, I did love how she strategically talked about the Fake Daisy at school, so as to put people on notice that she was investigating - mostly to protect her friends.

What keeps me reading Dengeki Daisy? One word: Kurosaki. Be still my heart. He is the perfect combination of rudeness, sweetness, strength, guilt, gentleness, messiness, and romance. The love he feels for Teru is overwhelming. There are scenes where he and Teru look at each other with such emotion that I have to stop reading and just stare at the drawings. Motomi is a master at expressing emotion. Perhaps the best mangaka I've read yet in that aspect.

The plot of this volume is all over the place. Mostly, Teru, Kurosaki, and the other cast of characters are investigating the fake Daisy. They suspect it might be a former teacher at the school, but they're not sure. One of Teru's "friends" (frenemy) is trying to help - or is she? She was having an affair with this disgraced teacher. Beyond the main plot, there's still all the complications from the fact that Teru knows Kurosaki is Daisy but doesn't want him to know that she knows. They are surprisingly not awkward together. Sort of. I'm curious to see where there relationship goes.

Sign up for the Manga Mondays Meme!

In My Mailbox #61

2012-01-07T23:52:00.003-06:00

Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James

Harry Potter Page to Screen by Bob McCabe

The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion by Mark Cotta Vaz

Secret Santa Gifts
*I had two great Secret Santas this year. I received:

Crave by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

*I actually got two copies of this - one from each Secret Santa. I'll probably give one of the copies away.

*One of my secret santas also gave me some adorable bookmarks, an apron, an I Love Vampires notepad, and an ornament. Thank you! I never did find out who my other secret santa was.

Won

Matched by Ally Condie

Crossed by Ally Condie

*Thanks to Jenni Elyse!!!

Library Stash

Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein

*I suppose the author wouldn't like me saying that one of the main reasons I like this cover is because it's sparkly :-). Actually, it's very good. I'm about halfway through and it's given me a lot to think about.

Dengeki Daisy vol. 5 by Kyousuke Motomi

Feature & Follow Friday #78

2012-01-05T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Feature & Follow Friday (err Thursday) on Parajunkee.com

Our Feature - Pawing Through Books

Hi, my name is Peggy. I'm 26, recently married, and have a fur baby, Bella. When I'm not reading I am relaxing with the hubby, taking walks with the pup, going to the movies and concerts, and yes, shopping. I'm ridiculously addicted to lip balm and iced coffee, you can usually find me with both! My family often laughs at me about how much lip balm I carry with me on any given day. I love photography and often find myself wanting to rekindle this love and start shooting again. I listen to all sorts of music, from Katy Perry to Paramore to Killswitch Engage. Though, I'm not a fan of country or rap. No offense to those that like it, I just can't get into it. I love to read and recently decided to start a blog. I do have a few book loving friends, but I wanted to be able to share my love for books with more people. I am loving this welcoming Book Blogging community and am so glad I decided to take the plunge and start my blog! I read a lot of YA books, though I do read the occasional adult books as well. Twilight, yes I said it, was the book that kindled my love for YA and I'm not ashamed to say it! I am addicted to the dystopian genre right now, thanks to The Hunger Games. Loved them!

Question of the Week: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

Around 80 - actually more because there are boxes I never unpacked when we moved and also three stacks of books underneath our bed supporting the wooden beams.

I am horrible about reading the books that I actually own. Mostly this is because I am so dedicated to my library books. When I check them out, I have to read them within a certain amount of time. And I seem to be physically incapable of keeping myself away from the library for more than a few days (because of closures, I haven't been to the library in 3 weeks and it's nearly killed me).

I have resolved to be better about reading my own books this year. I'm hoping to get to at least one per week.

Now for the Follow Fun!

RULES To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - Pawing Through Books & Book Den.
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday! Follow it up with your twitter address if you want to get that one out!

*********

2011 Book Lists Pt. 7: Top Tens

2012-01-05T01:08:00.000-06:00

*Back to Introductory Post; Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 5; Pt. 6
*Books are linked to my reviews, if available. They're also linked to Amazon. I have read all of these books and written reviews for most, but haven't posted many of them yet. As I do, I will update this page.

Top Ten Books Read in 2011
-Most but not all were published in 2011

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

2. The Greyfriar by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon)

3. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

4. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Another winner from Stephanie. Just as fun and sweet a romance as Anna and the French Kiss. Lola is a vivacious character. She spends her life creating and dressing up in costumes, which make her personality shine while also masking a deep-seeded insecurity. She is also stubborn, self-righteous, and quick to jump to conclusions. Cricket is as nice as can be. Awkward and nerdy. A little insecure. Very patient. Kinda "boyish," in a cool way. A highlight are Lola's dads Andy and Nathan. So nice to see well-developed, caring parents. And the romance! Super sweet. Nice build-up - feels like something that could actually happen. Love the Anna and the French Kiss tie-in too. (Amazon)

5. Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Water horses are beautiful equine creatures that reside in the sea and are wild, vicious killers. Every year, islanders race these horses in the Scorpio Races. Every year, people die. Sean and Puck (aka Kate) enter the races for different races. The characters' emotions and actions are reserved, but this somehow makes the reader's emotions all the stronger. A quiet story that you'll want to re-read over and over to truly sink in. One of the best slow building relationships that feels real. (Amazon)

6. Die for Me by Amy Plum
Fabulous new series. A bit Twilighty but in a good way. Even better, it's set in Paris. Unique paranormal element with great history and world building. Kate and Vincent have some insta-love, but Vincent is such a great guy that I don't mind. Well developed side characters make book a joy to read. (Amazon)

7. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

8. Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Piper's Son is about the love and pain of a close family and the camaraderie and anger of friends. A great companion to Saving Francesca. Witty, smart dialogue is the key feature of this story. Melina is a master of creating an enticing story with a relatively barebones plot. The characters and dialogue make this novel. (Amazon)

9. Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John
One of the rare YA books that is of literary quality, but is also easy and fun to read. On the surface, the book is about a deaf girl taking a crap band from obscurity to something resembling success. But at its heart, this book is a character story. A tale of self-discovery. Of family. Of friends. And even a little romance. (Amazon)

10. Nightspell by Leah Cypess
Complex high fantasy with incredible world building. Nightspell is set in Ghostland, a kingdom where ghosts and the living reside together. Loved how well the ghosts were described. A character driven novel. At various times in the book, I hated, feared, cared for, and pitied the characters, both ghost and living. The pace is slow but steady. If you like character-driven novels, family relationships, fabulous world-building, and nearly romance-less book, you'll love Nightspell. (Amazon)

Top Ten Albums

1. "Bon Iver" by Bon Iver
*Calgary (possibly the most beautiful song ever)
*Holocene
*Towers

2. "A Creature I Don't Know" by Laura Marling
*Sophia
*All My Rage
*Salinas

3. "Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes
*Montezuma
*Helplessness Blues
*Blue Spotted Tail

4. "Kiss Each Other Clean" by Iron & Wine
*Walking Far From Home
*Tree By the River
*Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me

5. "The King Is Dead" by The Decemberists
*Don't Carry It All
*Rox in the Box
*Down by the Water

6. "The Harrow & The Harvest" by Gillian Welch
*Scarlet Town
*The Way It Goes
*Six White Horses

7. "Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars
*Poison and Wine
*Barton Hollow
*20 Years

8. "Codes and Keys" by Death Cab for Cutie
*You are a Tourist
*Monday Morning
*Some Boys

9. "City of Refuge" by Abigail Washburn
*City of Refuge

*Devine Bell

10. "Ceremonials" by Florence & the Matchine
*Shake It Out
*What the Water Gave Me
*Only If For A Night

Top Ten Songs (Not on Top Ten Albums)

1. "A Girl, A Boy and a Graveyard" by Jeremy Messersmith (The Reluctant Graveyard) - A great Minnesota singer/songwriter

2. "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)" by Yacht

3. "Go Outside" by Cults (Go Outside)

4. "Cradle" by The Joy Formidable (Big Roar)

5. "One Day" by Sharon van Etten (Epic)

6. "Sin" by The Carter Brothers (The Road to Roosky)

7. "Cold" by Aqualung and Lucy Schwartz (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn)

8. "Young Blood" by The Naked and the Famous (Passive Me, Aggressive You)

9. "Blow" by Ke$ha (Cannibal) - Gotta have guilty pleasures)

10. "Love You Like a Love Song" by Selena Gomez (When The Sun Goes Down) - This one is embarrassing. I blame my friend for introducing it to me. It's so freaking catchy and cheery. I just can't help myself.

Cracked by K.M. Walton

2012-01-04T00:09:00.000-06:00

Cracked by K.M. Walton
January 3, 2012; Simon Pulse

Summary

Sometimes there's no easy way out.

Victor hates his life. He has no friends, gets beaten up at school, and his parents are always criticizing him. Tired of feeling miserable, Victor takes a bottle of his mother's sleeping pills—only to wake up in the hospital.

Bull is angry, and takes all of his rage out on Victor. That makes him feel better, at least a little. But it doesn't stop Bull's grandfather from getting drunk and hitting him. So Bull tries to defend himself with a loaded gun.

When Victor and Bull end up as roommates in the same psych ward, there's no way to escape each other or their problems. Which means things are going to get worse—much worse—before they get better…. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review

Like many readers, my enjoyment of a book is strongly influenced by my mood. I happen to prefer books that match my current state of emotions. If I’m happy, I want something light and fluffy. If I’m depressed, I want a dark novel. I picked up Cracked three days after some jerk stole my purse right in front of me. I had taken the day off work to go to the DMV, the Social Security Office, two banks, etc. Needless to say, I was angry. It could not have been a better time to read Cracked.

Victor and Bull’s lives are both full of injustice. Their home lives are nightmarish. Bull’s mother seemingly loves her addictions more than her son. His grandfather is a mean violent drunk, and he’s drunk most of the time. Victor’s parents are prominent and wealthy. They want Victor to be seen and not heard (preferably not seen either) so he won’t disturb their fun. Understandably, both boys are miserable. They act out their sorrows in different ways. Victor wallows and Bull hits the defenseless.

Much of this book is not happy, not at all. Walton does a fabulous job of writing in such a way that the reader feels the characters’ anger and despair. It’s a simple yet hard-hitting prose. The book flows very quickly. In fact, it only took me a few hours to read.

It would be easy to hate Bull given how he played a large role in Victor’s desire to commit suicide. And Bull’s actions don’t help his case. But I didn’t hate him. I liked and pitied him, despite disliking many of the things he did. It’s amazing what a difference living in a person’s head can make of your view of him. Victor also could have turned into a completely sympathetic character. I certainly felt bad for his low self esteem and loveless family, but the author also showcased his actions in the hospital as being less than perfect. Both Bull and Victor were layered characters who had the potential to be good characters. Sometimes they made good choices and sometimes they made bad ones.

The plot was slightly predicable, but not as predicable as I thought it would be. I don’t want to say too much about it. I liked the development of Bull and Victor’s relationship as roommates in the hospital. It felt realistic given their past together. The resolution of Bull’s family problems was a little unrealistic, but not out of the realm of possibility. Victor’s parents were so terrible that I had trouble believing that anyone could actually act that way, but unfortunately, I imagine these people do exist.

Cracked is the perfect punchingbag. After three hundred pages of intense anger, despair, and eventually hope, I felt like my own emotions had the opportunity to be let out. It’s not the type of book that will stick with me for years after I read it or that I’ll want to re-read, but it fit the moment perfectly. It is a solid, well-written issues novel.

Rating: 3.5 /5

2011 Book Lists Pt. 6: Gossipy; Best Romance; Non-US Settings; Tear-Jerker

2012-01-03T00:50:00.000-06:00

*Back to Introductory Post; Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 5; Pt. 7
*Books are linked to my reviews, if available. They're also linked to Amazon. I have read all of these books and written reviews for most, but haven't posted many of them yet. As I do, I will update this page.

Gossipy
-There's something about shallow girls with great clothes and lots of money. And it's even better if they somehow manage not to be shallow.

The Daughters Take The Stage (Daughters #3) and The Daughters Join The Party (Daughters #4) - Joanna Philbin
Gossip Girl light. In Book 3, Hudson wants to be a jazz singer who performs in little smoky nightclubs. Hudson's mom, mega superstar Holla Jones envisions Hudson's career more on the trajectory of Willow Smith. Hudson has to grow a backbone and rely on the support of her friends to thwart her mom's plans. In Book 4, Emma is the daughter of a presidential candidate. Reckless, brave, and outspoken, she gets in over her head and gains national notoriety for it. She has to rely on her friends and inner character to stay true to herself. Nice characters, strong friendships, some romance, and uplifting messages. Fame, fashion, and wealth. (Amazon 1; Amazon 2)

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
Pride and Prejudice meets high school. Derek is the son of uber celebrities. Elise is the daughter of the dorky, social-climbing school principal. The book has all the elements of Pride and Prejudice but doesn't follow the original book's plot so closely that it gets bogged down. Features uber-wealth, celebrities, and fashion. Another Gossip Girl nice. Cute light read. (Amazon)

The Season by Sarah MacLean
A mixture of romance, friendship, and mystery all set in aristocratic Regency-era London. Our heroine Alex was born into great wealth. Her role in life is to socialize and quickly marry well. Alex doesn't want any of it. Our hero Gavin grew up with Alex and her brothers. He is like an older brother to her, treating her at times like a child and at times like an attractive young woman. The dialogue between them was fabulous. Witty, somewhat daring, and sarcastic. A fluffy fun book. (Amazon)

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
Adorable, fun, light-hearted romance. A must for any Pride and Prejudice fan and a great introduction for those who haven't read Austen yet. While Prom and Prejudice doesn't have the complex social satire as Pride and Prejudice, it still incorporates the key elements of the original. It was great seeing Elizabeth and Darcy able to get to know one another without the limits if proper 19th century societal expectations. (Amazon)

There's No Place Like Home (Secrets of My Hollywood Life #6) by Jen Calonita
The final installment of Secrets of My Hollywood Life, one of my favorite light, chick lit series. Kaitlin has tons of things on her plate. Her pushy mom only makes things worse, encouraging Kaitlin to do too much and making her seem like she's attention-hungry. Kaitlin's friends (which now includes her former rival Sky) want her to put her foot down and set some limits. But Kaitlin just can't say no. Enter Stage Right...a head-on collision and an It's A Wonderful Life alternate universe. Kaitlin is now from a poor family, in a fancy school, and hated by everyone except her star-crazy friend Liz. (Amazon)

Best Squeal Inducing Romance

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Another winner from Stephanie. Just as fun and sweet a romance as Anna and the French Kiss. Lola is a vivacious character. She spends her life creating and dressing up in costumes, which make her personality shine while also masking a deep-seeded insecurity. She is also stubborn, self-righteous, and quick to jump to conclusions. Cricket is as nice as can be. Awkward and nerdy. A little insecure. Very patient. Kinda "boyish," in a cool way. A highlight are Lola's dads Andy and Nathan. So nice to see well-developed, caring parents. And the romance! Super sweet. Nice build-up - feels like something that could actually happen. Love the Anna and the French Kiss tie-in too. (Amazon)

The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent by Lisa Bergren
Time travel/historical fiction. Gabi and her sister accidentally travel back in time to 14th century Italy. Gabi runs into handsome, wealthy, brave, and kind Marcello and they quickly fall in love. No time to bask in happiness, because they have a multitude of enemies to fight. Great world-building. Lots of sword wielding girl power. Takes a bit of time to get into, but once the characters and story get their claws into you, you won't put the book down. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2, Amazon 3)

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Truth. You can whittle the theme of Just Listen down to that one word. The importance of being truthful to your friends and family. But most of all, the importance of being true to yourself. Super sweet romance. Owen is the nicest boy even though he seems sullen at first. Annabel's family is an important subplot, which is refreshing. Just Listen also succeeded by never feeling fake or contrived. Lovely. (Amazon)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead
Perfect ending to a fabulous series. There's less action in this installment since Rose is on the run and has to learn the value of accepting help rather than giving it. Meanwhile, Lissa is waging a political battle at court to acquit Rose and maybe change the future of the royals. Don't forget about romance. Dimitri and Adrian will both make you squeal, yell, and cry in this book. (Amazon)

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Bloodlines lives up to Vampire Academy, but I think it may be even better! Sydney is easier to relate to than Rose - Cautious, thoughtful, ambitious, responsible, subdued, self-conscious. And there's Adrian! I loved him in VA, but he comes into his own here. Not a huge amount of action - mostly set-up for the series - but the plot flows quickly and enjoyably. Also not much romance, but what's there is perfectly done. Heart-stopping! Don't read this unless you've read the entire Vampire Academy series. (Amazon)

Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Piper's Son is about the love and pain of a close family and the camaraderie and anger of friends. A great companion to Saving Francesca. Witty, smart dialogue is the key feature of this story. Melina is a master of creating an enticing story with a relatively barebones plot. The characters and dialogue make this novel. (Amazon)

Sean Griswold’s Head by Lindsey Leavitt
When Type-A perfectionist Payton's world falls apart after her dad is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Payton's counselor tells her to choose a focus object to help manage her stress. She chooses Sean Griswold's head. This turns into a great friendship and slow romance. Sean is a fabulous character who pushes Payton to break out of her angry shell. Also a wonderful, realistic portrayal of a loving family going through a hard time. (Amazon)

Books With Non-US Settings
-A surprising number of books are set outside of the US. I love armchair travel.

Italy (Medieval): Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent by Lisa Bergren
Time travel/historical fiction. Gabi and her sister accidentally travel back in time to 14th century Italy. Gabi runs into handsome, wealthy, brave, and kind Marcello and they quickly fall in love. No time to bask in happiness, because they have a multitude of enemies to fight. Great world-building. Lots of sword wielding girl power. Takes a bit of time to get into, but once the characters and story get their claws into you, you won't put the book down. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2, Amazon 3)

Spanish (Fantasy but obvious Latin culture): Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
A book where the main character does a complete 180 throughout the course of the plot, in looks and personality. A book that emphasizes the characters' faith in a way that fits seemlessly with the plot and is never preachy. A book that starts out weak and grows stronger and stronger. A book that incorporates Spanish language, culture, food, architecture, and more. A book where romance is present but not nearly as important as the protagonist. A book with major plot twists. Highly unusual, but highly enjoyable. (Amazon)

Japan: The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
Starting in post-war Japan, The Commoner tells the story of the first non-aristocratic woman to marry a future emperor of Japan. The book begins with Haruko as a teenager and goes until she watches her own son marry a commoner. Haruko has a difficult life in the claustrophobic world of the monarchy. The book is rich with elements of Japanese culture and history that I loved. (Amazon)

England: Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Reminiscent of classic children's stories. Set in Victorian era England, Liesl & Po is a book of friendship and loneliness, of greed and generosity, of death and life. Liesl, Po, and Will are all lonely and suffering characters. We watch as all three lives collide and then travel together in an exciting and heartwarming adventure. Oliver's prose is magical. It flows so smoothly that I felt like I was flying while reading the novel. Love the simple yet haunting sweetness of the book. (Amazon)

Ireland: There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
Normal (well, actually, filthy rich) girl meets teen vampire super-star Beckett Rush on a plane. They end up staying at the same B&B in Ireland. Finley hates Beckett for being famous, seemingly arrogant, and a supposed player. Beckett doesn't take anything seriously, constantly teases Finley, and won't leave her alone. What a surprise that they fall in love. A very predictable plot, but an utterly adorable, Christian romance. (Amazon)

England: The Season by Sarah MacLean
A mixture of romance, friendship, and mystery all set in aristocratic Regency-era London. Our heroine Alex was born into great wealth. Her role in life is to socialize and quickly marry well. Alex doesn't want any of it. Our hero Gavin grew up with Alex and her brothers. He is like an older brother to her, treating her at times like a child and at times like an attractive young woman. The dialogue between them was fabulous. Witty, somewhat daring, and sarcastic. A fluffy fun book. (Amazon)

England: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
The perfect combination of historical fiction and fantasy. The Faerie Ring is set in Victorian England. You get to see the extremes of wealth and poverty in this novel since Tiki, the main character, lives on the streets while Leo, another main character is the son of Queen Victoria and lives in Buckingham Palace. Add to that a stolen ring that establishes peace between mankind and the fey and you have a story that will totally carry you away. (Amazon)

Australia: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
A story of friendship and family. Francesca is starting Year 11 as one of the few girls in a former boys' school. And her mother has sunk into a deep depression, bringing her family down with her. Francesca is miserable until she finds a loyal group of friends who build her back up. The highlight of this book is the banter between the characters. The dialogue is worth reading regardless of the plot. You'll fall in love with Francesca, her family, and all her friends. You can enjoy them again in Piper's Son. (Amazon)

Ireland: Carrier of the Mark by Carry Fallon
Megan is the new American girl who moves to Ireland with her dad and is instantly drawn to dark, mysterious Adam who doesn't like any of the other girls at school but is also drawn to Megan. Sound familiar? This book is very Twilighty by still delightful. Unique paranormal element. Unlike Twilight, Megan is equally powerful as Adam, if not moreso. Forbidden romance. Great family side characters, especially Aine - who is almost as cute as Alice. (Amazon)

Hasidic Jewish Area of Brooklyn (Feels very foreign): Hush by Eishes Chayil
Powerful, heartbreaking story of child molestation in the Hasidic Jewish community of New York City. Witness the devastation that can destroy multiple families when crimes are kept secret for years. Aside from the plot, this is a great cultural exploration of a close-knit religious community that lives as if it were 100 years ago. (Amazon)

Paris: Die for Me by Amy Plum
Fabulous new series. A bit Twilighty but in a good way. Even better, it's set in Paris. Unique paranormal element with great history and world building. Kate and Vincent have some insta-love, but Vincent is such a great guy that I don't mind. Well developed side characters make book a joy to read. (Amazon)

Fictional Island Near England: A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
A book that manages to be both simple and complex at the same time. It is the story of a girl living a mundane life in a poor, isolated island with her family and a few friends. But it is also a story filled with vibrant personalities, from Sophie's intellectual cousin Veronica to her tomboy little sister Henry. It is also the story of a pivotal time in history, at the eve of World War II where the Nazis are already starting to meet their mark. Beautiful, atmospheric setting. Great characters. A little dull. (Amazon)

England: Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
A middle grade historical fantasy set in early 19th century England and centers on a family that is just outside the cusp of wealth. Since the family is desperate for money (to pay off Kat's brother's gambling arrears), Elissa the oldest sister is going to marry the horrible (but rich) Sir Neville. Kat is bound and determined to stop this. In a parallel plot line, Kat finds her deceased mother's magic book and ends up being thrust into a world of magic that she couldn't have imagined. The two plot arcs intertwine as Kat has to get her sister away from Sir Neville while also juggling magical powers and magical politics. (Amazon)

France: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

Poland: Walk the Wild Road by Nigel Hinton
12 year old boy in 1870 Poland is trying to flee to America. Encounters tons of adventure and danger, good friends and enemies, happiness and sadness. Classic boy's adventure story. (Amazon)

England/Scotland/France/Egypt/Northern Africa: The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

Lithuania/Siberia: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

England: Shadowspell and Sirensong (Faeriewalker #2 and 3) by Jenna Black
Dana the Faeriewalker is wanted by everyone for her powers. Especially the dangerous Erlking, the faerie hunter who Dana meets when he is on the loose in Avalon. A love rectangle (or square) between Dana, Ethan, Keane, and the Erlking. There are now three hot, sex guys in this series. Of course, one of them is out to kill her...but little details. Shadowspell takes awhile to get into, but once you do, you won't put it down. Somewhat stereotypical plot and romance but hooks you regardless. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

England: A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
Fun mystery series set in post-war England. Features an 11-year-old girl named Flavia who is obsessed with chemistry and with thwarting her two older sisters. She runs into some odd situations and solves mysteries using her chemistry knowledge and sheer nosiness.

Russia: The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
The Lost Crown covers the last four years of the Russian imperial family's life. It starts out at the beginning of World War I, when things are basically fine, with just an undercurrent of problems to come up to the very end of their horrific deaths. Told from alternating perspectives of the four girls: Olga, Maria, Tatiana, and Anastasia. The girls are sweet, innocent, and very sheltered. They try to keep their lives as normal and upbeat as possible. The book is very depressing, because you'll grow to love the characters but their deaths are pre-determined. (Amazon)

Italy: Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson
The perfect book for the armchair traveler. Jessa is on a school trip to Italy with her jerk ex-boyfriend and "the other woman." Instructions for a Broken Heart is as much a journey of break-up recovery as it is through Italy. Jessa follows her friends instructions to get revenge on the boy and have fun. Hilarious antic. The book drags a bit, but overall is a create story of a girl rebuilding and rediscovering herself. (Amazon)

Australia: Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta
Piper's Son is about the love and pain of a close family and the camaraderie and anger of friends. A great companion to Saving Francesca. Witty, smart dialogue is the key feature of this story. Melina is a master of creating an enticing story with a relatively barebones plot. The characters and dialogue make this novel. (Amazon)

Spain (Post WW2): Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon
Daniel finds a book called "Shadow of the Wind" at age ten. The rare book haunts and fascinates him and others throughout this book. Moreover, someone wants to destroy all copies of the book and Daniel gets involved in a dangerous attempt to save the book and uncover the author's past. Features a fascinating, quirky set of characters. A little hard to get into, but it ultimately becomes un-put-downable and highly rewarding. (Amazon)

China: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Drawing heavily on Chinese folk tales, history, and culture, Silver Phoenix is an adventure story full of evil spirits with a good dose of friendship and a little romance thrown in. By far, the best part of the book is the rich description of every meal and snack that characters ate. Fabulous, strong characters; somewhat odd plot. (Amazon)

China/Japan: Eon by Alison Goodman
Eon's entire life is dedicated to becoming a Dragoneye. His entire life is a lie. He is a 16 year old girl masquerading as a 12 year old boy. Eon's attempt to become a Dragoneye carries her farther than she ever imagined. The book draws on Chinese and Japanese legends. Constant action, great food scenes, and a strong, capable girl main character. It is high fantasy but it feels more like historical fantasy, because the Asian setting feels so real. (Amazon)

Prague: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

Tear-Jerker
-I'd recommend buying stock in Kleenex for these. Interesting that I didn't read as many cry-inducing books this year as I often do.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Conclusion to Wolves of Mercy Falls series. The helicopter shoot is on and Isabel, Cole, Sam, and Grace had to race to save the wolves. It wasn't a page turner, but there was a definable plot and finally some action. New characters become important. We revisited old ones. Relationships improved. Relationships broke down. The book dragged a lot at the beginning. As always, beautiful, cold, stark writing. Controversial ending that I loved, but many people didn't. (Amazon)

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
My favorite book of the entire Iron Fey series! Ash is determined to trade his fairy sold for that of a mortal, so he can reside with Meghan in the Iron Kingdom. Reminiscent of Homer's The Odyssey, Ash sets off on a long journey of dangerous adventures to reach the place where he might become mortal, joined by his friend/enemy Puck. Full of what Julie Kagawa does best - great action and well developed characters. Plus lots of Grim! (Amazon)

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

Shine by Lauren Myracle
A whodunnit mystery disguised as a novel. Cat's childhood friend Patrick, who is openly gay, was savagely beaten and is in a coma barely holding onto life. Cat sets out to find his attacker. In doing so, she has to confront her past and all the people in her community that she has labeled as ignorant, cruel, or addicts, be they friends or family. A somewhat slow, serious book that makes you think. (Amazon)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
A beautiful, powerful book. The Mockingbirds takes Alex Patrick on a journey from one of the lowest, most terrifying, humiliating points imaginable to a slow, gradual recovery and a possibility of empowerment. A victim of date rape, her friends convince her to go to The Mockingbirds, the underground school disciplinary squad, and put her classmate on trial. Through Daisy's skillful prose, words fly off the page and the reader lives, breathes, and feels Alex's ordeal. (Amazon)

Manga Mondays (83): Disneyland

2012-01-02T11:33:00.001-06:00

Manga Mondays is at Disneyland for a New Year's vacation. It will be back next week with a new review!

Feature & Follow Friday #78

2011-12-29T21:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Feature & Follow Friday (err Thursday) on Parajunkee.com

Our Feature - Kristin Can Read

I originally started blogging to keep track of all the books I read and what I thought of them. It was helpful when my reader friends would ask me because I could just refer them to the blog. I'm an English teacher who reads ALL the time. I try to read books that my students (6th graders) are reading. Makes trips to the media center much easier when I can recommend books. I'm also a mom, wife, and now student again. I also like read the books most people would be embarrassed to admit they have read like The Duggars, Sarah Palin, and now Bristol Palin's book. I don't care. Makes read much more interesting.

Question of the Week: The New Year is here -- and everyone wants to know your New Years Blogging Resolution! What are you going to try to revise, revamp and redo for 2012 on your blog?

Before I answered this I looked back at my resolutions from last year. And I'm proud to say that I completed them!

Here are my resolutions for this year:

1. Keep Blogging! That was my resolution for last year and it still stands. My blog was a big part of my life last year and it's an even bigger part now. I want it to continue being so.

2. Comment More: I try to reply back to all the people who comment on my blog. I'm not 100% successful at this, but I do try. I'd like to continue doing this as well as commenting on more people's blogs regularly.

3. Social Networking: I want to do a better job maximizing the value of Facebook and Twitter. I've grown a lot on Twitter this year, but I still have a long ways to go on making it useful.

4. BEA! I'm planning to go to BEA this year. It will be exciting just because it's BEA but also because I've never been to New York City before. Is anyone else planning to go?

Now for the Follow Fun!

RULES To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - Kristin Can Read & Ex Libris.
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

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Best of 2011: Interview with Clay and Susan Griffith

2011-12-29T00:26:00.001-06:00

As part of my end of the year round-up, I am posting interviews with a few of authors of my favorite books of 2011. Today I'm featuring Clay and Susan Griffith, authors of the fabulous Vampire Empire series, thus far comprising of The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker. Clay and Susan have been married more than fifteen years. They have written many comic books over the years including The Tick, The Man-Eating Cow and, more recently, Allan Quatermain and the Lord of Locusts. They also script and contribute to the tv/web show Monster Creature Feature.

Both The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker are wonderful, but I ultimately chose The Greyfriar to be amongst my Top Ten for the 2011. Each book stands out in a different way, but I particularly love the romance in the first book.

More about The Greyfriar:

Vampire predators run wild in this exciting steampunk adventure, the first in an alternate history trilogy that is already attracting attention. In 1870, monsters rise up and conquer the northern lands, As great cities are swallowed up by carnage and disease, landowners and other elite flee south to escape their blood-thirsty wrath. One hundred fifty years later, the great divide still exists; fangs on one side of the border, worried defenders on the other. This fragile equilibrium is threatened, then crumbles after a single young princess becomes almost hopelessly lost in the hostile territory. At first, she has only one defender: a mysterious Greyfriar who roams freely in dangerous vampire regions. A trade paperback original; buyer's choice. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Please welcome Clay and Susan to Alison Can Read!

1. How would you describe Greyfriar and Adele's personalities?

The thing that separates them the most is that Greyfriar lives in the now. He reacts instinctively and immediately, no matter the situation. He lives by his actions, eager to react and protect what he feels is important. It’s not that he damns the consequences; he just doesn’t think about them at great length. It’s what makes him a poor politician, but a stalwart hero.

Adele on the other hand is developing into a person who is always thinking about four or five moves ahead of everyone else. She’d make a terrific opponent at chess. She considers consequences because so many people are impacted by her actions. It is rare that she does anything on the spur of the moment. And if she does, she’ll pause to rethink the implications of her actions. She may hate politics but she is damn good at it.

2. One of the things that impressed me with The Rift Walker was that it avoided so many of the stereotypes of a "second book." Specifically - happy couple starts off together, some conflict separates happy couple, third wheel enters the picture threatening the renewal of happy couple's happiness, happy couple reunites and all is well leading into the third book. Was that something you consciously tried to avoid?

We definitely wanted The Rift Walker to be an Empire Strikes Back-type sequel, meaning just as good if not better than the first book. We’ve been working hard to make this series something new and different from the start, whether it’s turning the vampire myth on its ear or mixing up the genres. The romance element to the story isn’t typical either. In fact, the romance between Adele and Greyfriar is pretty slow boil. In The Rift Walker they’re just becoming a “couple”, so there’s no real point in breaking them up with a third wheel. There’s too much to discover yet between the two of them. Also, our third wheel (Senator Clark) could never turn Adele from Greyfriar! In truth, the only third wheel they will have to contend with is the war itself, and the fundamental conflict of their natures. All other conflicts seem pale in comparison.

3. Vampires are so common now that they seem passe. The Vampire Empire vampires are definitely a different breed. Still, did you have trouble convincing publishers to look at a vampire series when werewolves and zombies seem to be the "hip" paranormal creatures?

We’ve been working on this series for quite some time, and the vampire craze came and went at least twice since its conception. But the beauty of the vampire is that they are timeless. Frenzies may rise and fall (Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, Buffy, Twilight, to name just a few most recent), but vampires will always rise again (no pun intended!) There will always be an interest, and publishers were still interested in vampires too.

Actually, we saw publishers on both sides of the fence regarding vampire trends. Some said our books were not similar enough to other bestselling vampire series, while others said it was exactly like them, and they needed no more. But our series isn’t just a vampire story. It’s about relationships, politics, war, and high adventure, and we are thankful that Lou Anders, our editor at Pyr Books, saw a narrative than wasn’t just another rehash of an old monster.

4. If I worked with my husband, I would kill him - probably in less than a day. How do you balance your work lives and your personal lives?

Sometimes working together as a married couple is hard. Other times it is a blessing. The initial creation and then the final editing are usually the most difficult segments of the collaboration. That is when we are fighting the hardest to keep something personal in the story. Arguments can get loud, though rarely dangerous, unless one of us grabs a frying pan or the cat. But the rest of the writing process is fairly solitary. We both have separate offices and we work at different coffee shops sometimes. Updates are given when we get together over dinner or on the weekends. Bottom line, collaboration is hard, but we both know the final work is better for it. We both trust and admire what the other brings to the table, so at the end of the day, when we kiss and make up, we realize that what we are creating is something folks will love as much as we do.

5. The Steampunk genre is fairly new to me. Can you recommend some other Steampunk books?

Currently, we’re reading George Mann’s Newbury and Hobbs series. We love the flawed characters as well as the unique neo-Victorian world. The standard setters these days are Gail Carriger’s Soulless series and Cherie Priest’s Clockwork Century series. There’s also The Society of Steam novels by Andrew Mayer and Mark Hodder’s Burton and Swineburne series, as well as the young adult series by Philip Reeve called Mortal Engines. And although steampunk seems relatively new, there are classics in the genre, like The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers, which has a great cast of eccentric characters.

6. What advice would you give to an aspiring writer, aside from the obligatory "Read a lot and Write a lot"?

Read a lot and write a lot. Yes, it is obligatory, but it’s still true. Okay, beyond that, we tell aspiring writers not to get discouraged, and learn to invite and interpret criticism. Aspiring writers will receive a great deal of criticism along the way from readers, editors, reviewers, even friends and family. Never hear the criticism as saying “you’re a bad writer.” Never let that criticism make you stop writing. Use it instead to learn and hone your craft to the next level. Negative comments can come for a variety of reasons. Genuine issues can be anything from confusing grammar to a lack of focus on themes to a change in character that seems unlikely, or your reader might be having a bad day or your story could be outside their comfort zone. The trick is to discover if the criticism is something you can control and correct, or whether it is something beyond your control. Never turn a blind eye to criticism out of arrogance or anger, but embrace it and explore the reasons behind it in order to discover if it is something important that can make you a better writer.

2011 Book Lists Pt. 5: Genre Day: Cross-Over Adult; Fantasy; Historical Fiction; Historical Fantasy; Dystopia

2011-12-27T23:26:00.000-06:00

*Back to Introductory Post; Pt. 1; Pt. 2; Pt 3; Pt. 4; Pt. 6; Pt. 7
*Books are linked to my reviews, if available. They're also linked to Amazon. I have read all of these books and written reviews for most, but haven't posted many of them yet. As I do, I will update this page.

Genre Day
-Genres are both good and bad. On the plus side, there are a lot of books out there and separating books into genres gives readers an idea of whether or not they'd like the book. On the negative side, separating books into black and white categories steer readers away from books they might like.

Cross-Over Adult
People shouldn't limit themselves to adult books, but lovers of young adult fiction shouldn't be wary of adult books either.

The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
Starting in post-war Japan, The Commoner tells the story of the first non-aristocratic woman to marry a future emperor of Japan. The book begins with Haruko as a teenager and goes until she watches her own son marry a commoner. Haruko has a difficult life in the claustrophobic world of the monarchy. The book is rich with elements of Japanese culture and history that I loved. (Amazon)

The Greyfriar and The Rift Walker by Clay and Susan Griffith
Fabulous, unique vampire story. A mixture of suspenseful action scenes with a slow-building romance will satisfy readers of multiple genres. The vampires are intensely violent creatures more like animals than humans. Lots of political intrigue, steampunk elements, as well as sci fi/fantasy tie-ins. The romance is subtle but so sweet that I repeatedly re-read my favorite "Aww..." inducing moments. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2)

Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins
Shows how teenagers' quirks that result in ostracism in high school can positively impact their lives later. Follows seven teens through a year in high school, each of whom have different roles on the social hierarchy from a loner to a popular girl. No extraordinary revelations about psychology or personality in here, but it's always interesting to read accounts of teenagers' daily lives. (Amazon)

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
If you're a fan of zombie books, Warm Bodies is definitely something to pick up. If you're not a fan of zombie books, don't pass this by. While the book doesn't skimp on the violence of zombie appetites, its most prominent features are beautiful prose, thought-provoking philosophical questions, and a subtle, sweet love story. (Amazon)

Exposure by Therese Fowler
Exposure is a harrowing tale of teenage sexting and the legal system. It shows the horrible consequences that can occur when normal teenagers in love act like teenagers in love, but their actions run afoul of overzealous parents and prosecutors. Definitely a page turner. (Amazon)

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon
Daniel finds a book called "Shadow of the Wind" at age ten. The rare book haunts and fascinates him and others throughout this book. Moreover, someone wants to destroy all copies of the book and Daniel gets involved in a dangerous attempt to save the book and uncover the author's past. Features a fascinating, quirky set of characters. A little hard to get into, but it ultimately becomes un-put-downable and highly rewarding. (Amazon)

Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires #2) by Chloe Neill
27-year-old Merit is changed into a vampire against her will. She's sucked into an impending vampire war. Merit must accept her new life as an immortal and also help protect her vampire house from those that threaten them. Heart-stopping, romantic, love triangle tension between Merit, master vampire Ethan, and rival house vampire Morgan. Merit has a fabulously snarky voice that will make you want to read more and more. (Amazon)

A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
Fun mystery series set in post-war England. Features an 11-year-old girl named Flavia who is obsessed with chemistry and with thwarting her two older sisters. She runs into some odd situations and solves mysteries using her chemistry knowledge and sheer nosiness.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
One of those books that you finish and want to immediately re-start to immerse yourself in the magic and beauty and also to understand its complexity. Two twists magicians create a circus as the framework to pit their proteges against one another. This results in an ensemble book that tells the stories of multiple characters. The book is a romance between Celia and Marco, but it is just as much the story of Poppet and Widget, Bailey, Tsukiko, Isabel, and more. The circus is incredibly described; I'd pay great amounts of money to attend this circus. (Amazon)

Fantasy

Nightspell by Leah Cypess
Complex high fantasy with incredible world building. Nightspell is set in Ghostland, a kingdom where ghosts and the living reside together. Loved how well the ghosts were described. A character driven novel. At various times in the book, I hated, feared, cared for, and pitied the characters, both ghost and living. The pace is slow but steady. If you like character-driven novels, family relationships, fabulous world-building, and nearly romance-less book, you'll love Nightspell. (Amazon)

Eon by Alison Goodman
Eon's entire life is dedicated to becoming a Dragoneye. His entire life is a lie. He is a 16 year old girl masquerading as a 12 year old boy. Eon's attempt to become a Dragoneye carries her farther than she ever imagined. The book draws on Chinese and Japanese legends. Constant action, great food scenes, and a strong, capable girl main character. It is high fantasy but it feels more like historical fantasy, because the Asian setting feels so real. (Amazon)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Stunning. A book equally about romance, family, and personal discovery. Even better, it's set in Prague. Karou is a regular girl who was raised by chimaera, half-animal/half-human creatures who live in a different world. Karou runs errands for her foster-father Brimstone who grants wishes. Akiva is an angel who hates chimaera more than words can describe. When Akiva and Karou meet, their souls collide. Karou is a strong, brave, funny, loving character who doesn't take guff from anyone. Heart-stopping romance. Shocking twists. Complex yet understandable. You'll re-read portions of the book after you finish and realize that there are so many important little things throughout the book. (Amazon)

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
A book where the main character does a complete 180 throughout the course of the plot, in looks and personality. A book that emphasizes the characters' faith in a way that fits seemlessly with the plot and is never preachy. A book that starts out weak and grows stronger and stronger. A book that incorporates Spanish language, culture, food, architecture, and more. A book where romance is present but not nearly as important as the protagonist. A book with major plot twists. Highly unusual, but highly enjoyable. (Amazon)

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
A quietly enticing novel. A high fantasy that feels foreign yet familiar. The Baens and the Witchlanders have been enemies forever. Each culture has its own myth stories decrying the evils of the other. This is a tale about a Baen boy and Witchlander boy whose lives intertwine unexpectedly. Very interesting, if a little confusing world-building, because of the two very different groups. Easy to read prose that is smooth and welcoming. (Amazon)

Wildwood by Colin Meloy
Wildwood is an incredible concept and a good book, but it fails to reach its full potential. The idea behind it is fascinating. A secret world exists within the city of Portland. The Impassible Wilderness is full of talking animals and humans and it has its own politics, history, and culture. As you'd expect from Colin Meloy (lead singer of The Decemberists), the vocabulary is incredibly sophisticated. Perhaps too much so. Unfortunately, the book drags and is way too long. Still fun to read, but a bit of a chore. (Amazon)

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher
Marvelously rich, complex story that bridges dystopia, high fantasy, and science fiction. Alternates between four unlikeable, but always relatable characters. Oftentimes the book is too complex, making it hard to follow, but I admire the author for not dumbing down the series. Strong themes of politics, religion, friendship, and betrayal. No romance - quite refreshing. (Amazon)

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Drawing heavily on Chinese folk tales, history, and culture, Silver Phoenix is an adventure story full of evil spirits with a good dose of friendship and a little romance thrown in. By far, the best part of the book is the rich description of every meal and snack that characters ate. Fabulous, strong characters; somewhat odd plot. (Amazon)

Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Combination of high fantasy set long ago, traditional folk tale, family love and strife, burgeoning romance, and small town narrow-mindedness. When an unknown boy arrives in the town of Near, tongues start wagging. A new person is a cause for fear not celebration in this narrow minded, easily frightened community. These fears seem well-founded when local children begin disappearing in the night soon after the boy arrives. Lexi and said unknown boy dubbed Cole join together to search for the true Near Witch. Beautiful prose. (Amazon)

Chime by Franny Billingsley
Briony is convinced that she's an evil witch who hurts everyone around her; she despises herself. She holds everyone back, so she can't hurt them. Eldric, the new lion-boy, refuses to stay away. Beautiful, lyrical, stream of consciousness prose that is sure to garner this book awards. Well-developed characters and complex plot. The emphasis on "pretty" writing kept me from ever feeling truly attached to the plot and characters though. (Amazon)

Historical Fiction
*One of my all time favorite genres. History was my favorite subject in school and I love reading books about history, real or fictional.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Heartbreaking, depressing, beautiful. Revolution is the tale of modern Andi who is horribly depressed after the death of her brother. Her father drags her to France where she finds the journal of Alexandrine who was an actress and special friend to little Louis XVII in the French Revolution. Stark, clean language. Very readable. Don't read the book if you need to be cheered up, but definitely pick it up on another day. (Amazon)

A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
A book that manages to be both simple and complex at the same time. It is the story of a girl living a mundane life in a poor, isolated island with her family and a few friends. But it is also a story filled with vibrant personalities, from Sophie's intellectual cousin Veronica to her tomboy little sister Henry. It is also the story of a pivotal time in history, at the eve of World War II where the Nazis are already starting to meet their mark. Beautiful, atmospheric setting. Great characters. A little dull. (Amazon)

The Season by Sarah MacLean
A mixture of romance, friendship, and mystery all set in aristocratic Regency-era London. Our heroine Alex was born into great wealth. Her role in life is to socialize and quickly marry well. Alex doesn't want any of it. Our hero Gavin grew up with Alex and her brothers. He is like an older brother to her, treating her at times like a child and at times like an attractive young woman. The dialogue between them was fabulous. Witty, somewhat daring, and sarcastic. A fluffy fun book. (Amazon)

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
A stark, haunting, beautiful novel. Set in 1906 at an upstate New York resort. Mattie works at a resort where a guest was murdered. But the book is more about Mattie than the murder. She is an avid-booklover and wordsmith. She desperately wants to go to college, get out of her small town, and become a writer. Yet with her mother's death, her father's embitterment, and her family's poverty, the chief burdens of care-taking have fallen upon Mattie. Beautifully written character story. (Amazon)

Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
Rollicking adventure story. Mary, aka Jack, pretends to be a boy and gets a job as a ship's boy on a navy ship. Mary and her fellow ship boys get themselves into one dangerous situation after another. Mary always manages to save the day. The book is told in Mary's cockney accent which is somewhat irritating, but does set the atmosphere. Great book for younger teens. (Amazon)

Walk the Wild Road by Nigel Hinton
12 year old boy in 1870 Poland is trying to flee to America. Encounters tons of adventure and danger, good friends and enemies, happiness and sadness. Classic boy's adventure story. (Amazon)

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
The idea of getting shipped off to Siberia is something I'd heard about most of my life. It's almost a cliche, a joke. In Between Shades of Gray, we are reminded that the horrors of the Stalin regime were no joke. They were raw, senseless, and beyond cruel. An exceptionally dark and powerful book. You will love all the characters, especially Lina. They are all wonderful yet flawed, realistic people going through unimaginable torture. (Amazon)

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller
The Lost Crown covers the last four years of the Russian imperial family's life. It starts out at the beginning of World War I, when things are basically fine, with just an undercurrent of problems to come up to the very end of their horrific deaths. Told from alternating perspectives of the four girls: Olga, Maria, Tatiana, and Anastasia. The girls are sweet, innocent, and very sheltered. They try to keep their lives as normal and upbeat as possible. The book is very depressing, because you'll grow to love the characters but their deaths are pre-determined. (Amazon)

Historical Fantasy
*One of my favorite new genres - the combination of historical fiction and high fantasy. I love the infusion of magical elements into the real past.

Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent by Lisa Bergren
Time travel/historical fiction. Gabi and her sister accidentally travel back in time to 14th century Italy. Gabi runs into handsome, wealthy, brave, and kind Marcello and they quickly fall in love. No time to bask in happiness, because they have a multitude of enemies to fight. Great world-building. Lots of sword wielding girl power. Takes a bit of time to get into, but once the characters and story get their claws into you, you won't put the book down. (Amazon 1, Amazon 2, Amazon 3)

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver
Reminiscent of classic children's stories. Set in Victorian era England, Liesl & Po is a book of friendship and loneliness, of greed and generosity, of death and life. Liesl, Po, and Will are all lonely and suffering characters. We watch as all three lives collide and then travel together in an exciting and heartwarming adventure. Oliver's prose is magical. It flows so smoothly that I felt like I was flying while reading the novel. Love the simple yet haunting sweetness of the book. (Amazon)

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton
The perfect combination of historical fiction and fantasy. The Faerie Ring is set in Victorian England. You get to see the extremes of wealth and poverty in this novel since Tiki, the main character, lives on the streets while Leo, another main character is the son of Queen Victoria and lives in Buckingham Palace. Add to that a stolen ring that establishes peace between mankind and the fey and you have a story that will totally carry you away. (Amazon)

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
A middle grade historical fantasy set in early 19th century England and centers on a family that is just outside the cusp of wealth. Since the family is desperate for money (to pay off Kat's brother's gambling arrears), Elissa the oldest sister is going to marry the horrible (but rich) Sir Neville. Kat is bound and determined to stop this. In a parallel plot line, Kat finds her deceased mother's magic book and ends up being thrust into a world of magic that she couldn't have imagined. The two plot arcs intertwine as Kat has to get her sister away from Sir Neville while also juggling magical powers and magical politics. (Amazon)

Always A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Sequel to Once a Witch. Combination of witchcraft and time travel. Tamsin Greene is no longer Talentless. She is an incredibly powerful witch and will need all her powers to rescue her past and present family from Alistair Knight. Great, headstrong female lead complemented by cute romance. (Amazon)

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Set at the turn of the 20th century in Baltimore, this book blends historical fiction and paranormal. Amelia discovers that she is psychic. She and her cousin use her talent to climb the local social circle, but eventually foretelling the future has negative consequences. Ultimately, this is a romance with a handsome, mysterious painter named Nathaniel. An otherworldly, true love book. (Amazon)

Dystopia
*Dystopia is not one of my favorite genres, but I do read it when a book sounds particularly good. I didn't read many this year, although there were quite a few that sounded interesting enough to overcome my distaste for dystopia.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Dark, dark. Depressing, depressing. Glimpses of hope. Life is horrible for all but the privileged few in Wither. A disease kills off every human in their early twenties. Reproduction is valued above all else. Rhine was kidnapped and forced to become one of a wealthy son's wives. Touching story about the relationship between the sister wives. Rhine's fast romance with a servant boy Gabriel is good but will probably be better in later books. (Amazon)

Matched by Ally Condie
Cassia is happily ensconced in a utopian society where the government makes all decisions for a person. She is thrilled to be "matched" with her best friend for a future husband but then devastated to learn that she was supposed to be with someone else. When she gets to know her true intended, the walls of her perfect society begin to crumble. Book flows quickly; incredibly easy and enjoyable to read, even if not wholly original. (Amazon)

Blog Tour: Kathryn Miller Haines of The Girl Is Murder

2011-12-27T09:52:00.000-06:00

Please welcome Kathryn Miller Haines of The Girl Is Murder to Alison Can Read!

Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars. It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting at home watching Deanna Durbin movies, Iris is sneaking out of the house, double crossing her friends, and dancing at the Savoy till all hours of the night. There's certainly never a dull moment in the private eye business. (courtesy of Goodreads)

1. How do you research for historical fiction books? Do you research first and then write or get the story down and then go back and correct facts?

It’s a little of both. I research just enough to verify that the story is plausible and to get some bare bone facts. Then I start writing and refer to research whenever I have a question or get stuck. Then when I’m editing, I double-check those things I was unclear about.

2. What are some of your favorite books about the WWII era - either young adult or adult novels?

My favorite adult WWII novel is probably John Dunning’s Two O’clock Easter Wartime. It’s about a small town radio station during the war and provides a really interesting look at what life was like in one small segment of the entertainment industry while serving up a really good mystery. For young adult, I would have to say The Book Thief. That book is just extraordinary in every possible way.

3. How would you describe Iris, your main character, in a sentence or two?

Iris is resilient, sly, insecure, and heartbreaking.

4. You've written both adult and young adult books. How does your writing differ for the two genres?

I think the main difference is that there’s more of an immediacy when you’re writing for young adults. Readers don’t want pages of historical description – they want action and dialogue. I prefer that, actually, since as a reader I tend to skim or skip over description unless it’s a crucial to a story. And I think it allows you to see the characters more as individuals then as artifacts of their time.

5. What advice do you have about improving writing - aside from the ubiquitous read more and write more?

Join a writing group. Reading and responding to other people’s work, as well as getting feedback for my own, absolutely changed my writing for the better. You don’t have to listen to everyone (nor should you) but learning to face criticism and discern between what is and isn’t useful will drastically help you read your own work with a more critical eye. And responding to other people’s writing will train you for what to look for in your own.

Thank you so much for the lovely interview Kathryn!