Creativity's Corner

Book Review: Shatter Me

2012-03-10T12:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Summary: [from GoodReads] Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

My Review: This was an interesting one for me. I'd been in a kind of on-again-off-again reading slump - I'd read 2-3 books in the space of a few days and then not read for the rest of the week. Then I picked up Shatter Me and that definitely put an end to that!

The most interesting thing for me was the style. Mafi really gets into Juliette's head, and matches the style to what one might imagine someone so terribly alone would write like. It might be off-putting to some. In fact, I've read plenty of reviews on GoodReads and elsewhere that said the style was the entire reason they didn't like the book. But I thought the use of strikethroughs and oddly worded phrases only served to strengthen the sense of loneliness and isolation that were what made Juliette into the character she was.

My biggest complaint, if you could call it that, is that the romance seemed to happen too fast. While I understand that it's necessary for the story to work, it seemed too pat to have Juliette be saved by a guy she had never spoken to, but that was somehow in love with her, and she in love with him. In a story as desperate as this one, I'd like to believe that the characters the author sets up together will stay together, but honestly, with a love story like that, I'm surprised their romance lasted through the book.

Even so, this book kept me up long past my bedtime, because I just couldn't put it down! It deserves at least a chance from anyone who loved books like The Hunger Games and Uglies.

Media Monday (4): Hunger Games

2012-03-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

AHHH! I am a bad blogger! In fairness, I did have a TON going on in the past week and a half (a birthday, two house guests at different times AND taking care of my parents house while they're out of town) and therefore I do have a good excuse. But I promise I will be better, I really do. Especially because my new blog design is here! I begged the lovely Phanee of Funny Wool to help me out and I think she has done an amazing job.

For this week's Media Monday, I'd like to talk about the movie that has everyone on the blogosphere talking: Hunger Games. I'll be honest, I'm a little on the fence about this one. It has been forever since I read the first book, and I didn't remember much about it. It obviously was pretty good, since I kept reading the rest of the series, but I've read so much since, that all I remembered was the basics. My last encounter with the series, though, left me raw. After Mockingjay I went through a terrible funk. Remembering that, I wasn't sure I wanted to even watch the first movie. It's like (and don't kill me for this) I won't watch the movie Titanic because I know exactly how it ends, and I'm not interested, no matter how good a story you say it is. I didn't want to start watching because I know it's going to kill me in the end.

But then I started seeing the pictures. I watched the trailers when they were on television. I began to see people list their favorite quotes, and gush about the things they were most looking forward to. And let's be honest, even though I remember seeing Josh Hutcherson in films when he was very obviously pretty young, I totally called it when I said he'd be a heartbreaker someday!

So now, my resolve to not watch The Hunger Games when it comes out is beginning to crack. Today I went so far as to pull the first book off my shelves, and become reacquainted. Despite having bought it less than a year ago, I hadn't got around to rereading it yet, and I figured it was time. The more I read, the more I remember why I liked the series in the first place, and the harder it is to resist the siren song of those trailers.

In essence? Convince me. Tell me why I should watch the film, knowing that in three years (or however long it takes) I'm going to get my heart not only broken but ripped out of my chest and completely trompled on. Maybe that's what I need to finally change my mind.

Media Monday (3)

2012-02-20T08:11:00.002-05:00

Hey guys, this is just going to be a really short post, I promise. As you may (or may not) know I am currently involved in a non-book related collab blog. This week's assigned topic was TV shows, and since Monday is my normal day to post, I thought I would direct you all to that post for my usual Media Monday ramblings.

Thanks for sticking with me :) See you all soon!

Weekly wrap up

2012-02-17T17:29:00.002-05:00

Confession time! Sadly, I didn't read this week. I know, I'm an awful blogger. But I was just too busy! The first part of the week I was stuck at work trying to convince customers not to murder each other over who got the last of their (or, heaven forbid, their WIFE'S) favorite kind of chocolate. The second part of the week was spent trying to make up for the fact that when we left Tuesday night, our showcases were completely cleaned out. I'm not even exaggerating that much. By the time I got home from work all I really wanted to do was veg in front of my computer with either Buffy or HIMYM, so I just did.

BUT! I am back in the game, I promise. I've started Legacy by Cayla Kluver recently and I'm speeding my way through that, so hopefully by the end of next week I'll have some interesting reviews for you. Until then, happy reading everyone!

Media Monday (2)

2012-02-13T11:03:00.000-05:00

I know I've discussed this before, but I am positively in love with Once Upon a Time. For those of you who don't watch, the premise is that a bunch of fairy tale creatures have been transported to real life and are living as real people. They don't even know that they have these second lives. The main character, Emma, has to figure out a way to break the curse, but of course first she has to decide if she really believes it. To some people this may sound kind of lame, but to me it is the best new show out there! This is honestly the first time I've followed a show from the very beginning as it's on every single week. It's that good people.

And this is the point where those of you not watching have to stop reading and go watch it. I'm going to talk about last night's episode, and you will not want to be spoiled, trust me.

I'm pretty sure this week's episode will be my favorite of the entire season. I have no idea how they will manage to top it. First of all, Beauty and the Beast was always my favorite fairy tale, and I was extremely excited to see what they would do with it when they retold it. I never expected them to make Rumplestiltskin the beast. I think it was a wonderful twist though, and it will certainly add to future twists!

Secondly my absolute favorite character is Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold. He drives me insane with his mysterious demeanor and all the strange comments. But at the same time I feel so sorry for him! I am certain there is a tiny little bit of humanity left in there somewhere. I'm even more certain of it now that I've seen the most recent episode!

All of that to pretty much say I want the next episode, ASAP! I almost wish I had hoarded this one like I do all the rest of my shows, just so that I could watch it all at once. This watching every week thing is torture! I don't know how the rest of the world deals with it!

Book Review: Mairelon the Magician

2012-02-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

Title: Mairelon the Magician (Mairelon #1)
Author: Patricia Wrede
Summary: [from GoodReads] Kim doesn't hesitate when a stranger offers her a small fortune to break into the travelling magician's wagon in search of a silver bowl. Kim isn't above a bit of breaking-and-entering. Having grown up a waif in the dirty streets of London-disguised as a boy!-has schooled her in one hard lesson: steal from them before they steal from you.

But there is something odd about this magician. He isn't like the other hucksters and swindlers that Kim is used to. When he catches her in the act, Kim thinks she's done for.
Until he suggests she become his apprentice. Kim wonders how tough it could be faking a bit of hocus pocus.

But Mairelon isn't an act. His magic is real.

My Review: I had so much trouble deciding what to review today! Both of the books I read this week were so great, but I thought since there's been a lot around the net lately about Maria V. Snyder and her books, maybe this week I should feature the less obscure book.

Patricia Wrede has been a favorite of mine ever since I first read the Enchanted Forest series. I have obsessively read pretty much everything else she has written, so I was surprised when I came across one that I hadn't heard of. This one was published before I discovered her, so perhaps that's why I missed it. But, whatever the reason, I was so happy to find out I had one more to read! Anyway, the point of all this is that my absolute favorite thing about any Patricia Wrede book is her style. She has such a unique way of creating mysterious but lovable characters. She gives voice to those characters you think you'd never relate to, because they're so different, and yet you feel like you know them better than your own self.

This particular novel was very interesting to me because of the blend between history and fantasy. Some authors do really well at taking a historical setting we know and rearranging it to fit magic in the middle. This one reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones's work, and Jones is one of my favorite authors of all time.

If you haven't tried anything by Patricia Wrede, then shame on you! But please, give this one a try!

In My Mailbox (2)

2012-02-05T12:37:00.000-05:00

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it's a chance to show off all the books we bought, borrowed or won in the past week. Most of mine will be borrowed as I have an AMAZING local library with a fabulous inter-library loan system (I can essentially get any book I like within a week at the most) so unless otherwise noted, just assume borrowed.

I ended up with another huge pile from the library this week, and I am so excited to get started reading them (as soon as I finish the ones from last week, of course...)

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman - Not my usual, but I've heard some good things. In fact, it's the unusual-ness of this story that drew me to it in the first place.

Geektastic edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci - I've been wanting to read this one since it came out but just kept forgetting to put it on hold.

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder - I just finished the second in the Study series (Magic Study) and I loved it so much that I needed to give this one a try.

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs - This one was on my original to-read list for last year's Debut Author Challenge. I ended up reading so many extra debuts that this one got missed, but that doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it any less!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - I really need to start just ordering things when I think of them, because this is another I've been desperate for for ages and just never got around to putting on hold.

Clarity by Kim Harrington - It wasn't until I started to hear people talking about anticipating the second book in this series that I really started wanting to read this one. I'm still a little iffy on it - I'm not sure I'd have picked it up on my own - but enough people have encouraged me to try it that I'm willing to keep an open mind.

That's it for this week. Not quite as many as last week, but I still have a few left over, so that should keep me going for a while :) Happy reading!

Weekly wrap up: Jan 30 - Feb 4

2012-02-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you who missed my post outlining the new blog schedule, the weekly wrap up is a chance for me to say a few sentences about the few books that I've read in the week but don't have time to review. If there are any that you'd like me to expand on, just leave a comment and I'll write up a full review.

The first book I read this week was Cinder by Marissa Meyer. You can find my full review of that here.

Then I picked up Don't Expect Magic by Kathy McCullough. Thoughts: Definitely a fun one, mixing together fairy tale and high school drama in a fast and easy read. Recommended for fans of Alex Flinn, fluffy romances and fairy tales.

After that, I decided it was time for something different, so I started Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. Thoughts: I loved the way he incorporated the real photos into the narrative. I found it much less creepy than I expected, but that's a good thing as I'm not much one for horror stories anyways. Recommended for fans of The Emerald Atlas, Lemony Snicket, and the His Dark Materials series.

Since then I've picked up Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder, and while I'm already loving it, I'll reserve judgement till I've actually finished. Also, for those of you who don't know, I'm taking a class in literary analysis of the Harry Potter series, so I have been working my way through the series for that. I'm currently about halfway through book four, and while I won't be reviewing it this time around, you can find my thoughts from the last time through it here.

Book Review: Cinder

2012-02-04T10:17:00.001-05:00

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Summary: [from GoodReads] Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Review: *WARNING: Minor spoilers ahead* I am such a sucker for fairytale retellings. I'm also a huge sucker for Steampunk (which this isn't quite, but it's close), so this is a formula that should have worked for me. Boy did it ever! I want the next book like NOW! Of course, it doesn't help that it ends on a mega-cliffhanger - if you don't want to be annoyed for the next year while we wait for the second book to come out, I'd suggest holding off on this one. But don't forget about it, because it is an AMAZING read that you don't want to miss out on!

The first thing I loved was how relatable Cinder was. I think Meyer balanced the fact that Cinder was a cyborg and therefore distinctly not like us, and the fact that she really was more like us than any of the other characters wanted to admit very well. Our access to Cinder's thoughts made us see how prejudiced the other characters were towards her. While some might call this a genre book (you'll have to imagine the distasteful tone the literary snobs would say that with) I think that the way it deals with prejudice alone makes it an important read for "teens" of any age.

What makes Cinder a favorite for me, though, isn't any of these things. What makes it, is the fact that this book never had to be a fairy tale retelling. I mean, sure, Cinderella is culturally encoded into all of our brains and nobody is going to read this without noticing the ways the two stories are connected. But instead of changing her story to fit as closely as possible with the original Cinderella tale, Meyer warps the Cinderella story to fit the needs of her story. Instead of a carriage made from a pumpkin, Cinder goes to the ball in a rust orange, ancient Jeep. Instead of losing a shoe, Cinder loses an entire mechanical foot. I could see the following books continuing the story without any reference to fairy tales, and not being disappointed in the slightest (though I have read somewhere that they are each based on fairy tales as well, which I'm sure will only enhance the reading experience).

Bottom line? All those good things people are saying about this book are true. But don't take my word for it - read it and find out for yourself!

Media Monday!

2012-01-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know, the Media Monday feature is a chance for me to ramble about all other types of media that I get obsessed over. This week is going to be a combination between a sort of In My Mailbox and a typical Media Monday.

Firstly, I have to talk about a few things I have been obsessing over since I last posted. For new shows, that mostly means Sherlock - the newest episodes are baffling and wonderful. I'm still wondering how he did it. I did most of my squeeing when the first season came out, and that all applies, so I think I'll leave that one there.

Then, I've also been working my way through Chuck. I've only made it about halfway through season 3, but for a while there I was watching 6-8 episodes a day. It was almost sad. I've stopped for a little while, but I love the show and I will probably be returning it to it soon. I hear it will be over soon, so I'm kind of sad about that, but I'm very happy that I've still got a couple of seasons left first.

Then, for the In My Mailbox (or In My Queue so to speak):
I recently signed up for Netflix, and I have been having WAY too much fun adding things to my Instant Queue. There are so many shows I missed out on because I wasn't allowed to watch them when they were on, or just because I wasn't able to get a TV the days it was on. Anyway, so far I've added things like:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
How I Met Your Mother
Charmed
Downton Abbey
and lots more. I'm sure you'll be seeing reviews coming up soon.

In My Mailbox (1)

2012-01-29T16:15:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my first IMM post! IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it's a chance to show off all the books we bought, borrowed or won in the past week. Most of mine will be borrowed as I have an AMAZING local library with a fabulous inter-library loan system (I can essentially get any book I like within a week at the most) so unless otherwise noted, just assume borrowed.

So! The list as of right now:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer - Just started this one, and I'm loving it already!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Cannot WAIT to start this one. I've heard so many good things about this book, and I've had it out from the library for a while but there were others due first. Luckily it's up next!

Don't Expect Magic by Kathy McCullough - I am such a fan of fairy tales, and I am so excited for this one!

Steampunk! ed. by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant - I always need more steampunk in my life!

Eona by Alison Goodman - I really liked the first one in this series, I'm hoping the second lives up to it.

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder - another second in the series that I'm very excited for!

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - From what I can tell Marchetta's stuff isn't really my usual, but I heard so many good things about this one I decided to try it.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - OK, seriously? How have I not read this yet?

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck - Looks kind of interesting and I was curious.

The Compass Rose by Gail Dayton - For the first time in what seems like FOREVER I allowed myself to just browse the library instead of going for a specific book, and this is one of the ones I came up with. It sounds like it will be just up my alley!

Mairelon the Magician by Patricia C. Wrede - another one I'm not sure how I missed, this time because I love Wrede's books, and have read every single one, or so I thought!

It's a pretty big haul this week, but I can't wait to just dive in!

I'm back!

2012-01-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

Why hello there! Long time no see, yes? While I hated to take the break, I am so glad I did. I needed the time to really think about what I wanted from my blog, and now that I have, I feel sooo much better about where I hope it is going.

One thing I realized, while thinking about whether to even continue blogging, was that I'm not ready to give this up - any of it, including the reviews. So, once I decided that, I began thinking about why I ended up in this major reading/blogging slump, and how I could avoid it happening again. In the process, I have come up with a plan to completely revamp the blog - hopefully a new design, new types of posting, and a new schedule for when things post.

The big thing I realized was that it was more than just a slump for me. I felt like I was no good at it, that I wasn't meant to be a blogger. That's not a slump, that is freakin' burnt out on blogging. When I first started blogging I made it a goal to review ALL the things! With the way I read, that sometimes meant 7+ reviews a week (just this week alone, I've finished four books in 2 days). YIKES! I never actually did that many, so I would get behind and then hate myself for being behind and then stop reading so I wouldn't get more behind and end up in a HUGE slump. I'm amazed I kept trying as long as I did!

So, in order to make this work again, I've decided I don't have to review every book I read (Shocker, I know!) Instead each week I'll do an In My Mailbox type post with the books I'd like to read. Then, at the end of the week, I'll pick the read I have the most to say about and review that, and then do a weekly wrap up post with 1-2 sentences on the rest of the new reads. Of course, if there are any you'd like to have a more extensive review on, I'd be glad to oblige - just leave me a comment, and I'll take that into consideration when choosing what to review for that week. Some weeks, I may even do extra reviews, if I can't choose one book, or if I have a comment requesting a different one than I'd choose on my own.

Another thing I'd like to do more of with this revamp, is participate in memes. They seem to be one of the best ways to interact with the community, and that's what I've loved most all along. For now, I'll be participating in In My Mailbox, and occasionally Top Ten Tuesday (Tuesdays are an insanely busy day for me, so I may not always have time to get the post up before it's over). The eventual goal is to have two memes I participate in regularly, so I'll happily take suggestions of any that you think are really great. In addition, I hope to continue Media Monday - a feature I started just before the hiatus that allows me to talk about some of the other formats I'm obsessed with, including music, TV and movies.

And finally, I will no longer be actively seeking out ARC's and review copies. If anyone approaches me with a specific request, I'll gladly do what I can to see that it is met. But I have an amazing local library that can get me just about any book I want within a matter of days. The very few that it can't, well, I have a job - if I'm that desperate, I can buy a copy. I'll leave the review copies for those who don't have that kind of resource. (As a note - I will still be participating in the occasional blog tour through Teen Book Scene.)

So, that's everything, at least for now. I'm so excited to see where this goes! Keep an eye out later today for an IMM post to start the whole thing off, and in the meantime, Happy Reading!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T14:08:00.002-05:00

Well, it certainly was a year to remember. I learned many many things through this blogging process and I thought I would share some of them with you.

Firstly, I learned that this community is awesome. I cannot think of another group of people I love more. I have met some of my best friends through the online book community and I am so grateful for that.

Second, there is a lot of pressure that goes along with being a book reviewer. I find it interesting that to express our love for something it has become necessary to follow a lot of unwritten rules.

Third, unfortunately, I'm just NOT cut out to be a reviewer when it comes to books. I can be critical about films and about music, but when it comes to books, unless one is absolutely fabulous or horrifically awful, I find it hard to say anything. I love it, but then, I love books, so I probably was going to anyway.

All of that said, I find myself reluctant to leave the community. The people here are so great that it would take a lot to make me want to leave. But, as I was pondering this recently, I came to realize that "book blogger" and "book reviewer" are NOT synonymous! They seem to be, anymore, what with every book blogger posting reviews once a week or whatever. But they shouldn't have to be. So, instead of shutting down my blog completely, I am hoping to try a new direction. I still want to be able to discuss books. I still want to be able to tell people about the books I've loved. Those aspects I will be keeping. I'll probably start participating in memes more, as they're great for starting conversations about books (if anyone has suggestions of memes they love or even that they host, please pass them along - I'm looking!) The main, and perhaps only difference, will be the lack of reviews.

I probably will not begin posting again right away. I still have a few kinks to work out. Please bear with me as I figure out what I'm doing. In the meantime, however, I have started a new, non-book, collab blog called The PAKt. Please come and visit me there!

Shattered Souls Tour: Book Review

2011-12-15T12:00:00.021-05:00

Title: Shattered Souls
Author: Mary Lindsey
Origins: Received in exchange for an honest review
Summary: [from GoodReads]

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

My review: I received this one as part of an ARC tour, and I have to say, about 20 pages in, I was getting worried. The plot was starting to sound an awful lot like another book I'd read earlier in the year, one I couldn't even bring myself to finish. The first time it was a book I was reading for fun. I would have really hated to not be able to review it because I didn't finish. Luckily, this time, I turned out to be wrong.

One of the things that really kept me reading was Lenzi's witty, sarcastic narrative voice. Every time I started feeling too sorry for her she would turn the mood by saying something so unexpected and so sarcastic that I couldn't help but laugh at her. One moment she's floundering and the next she's bull-heading her way through a situation "faking it 'till she makes it" if you will.

I also really liked Alden, when he wasn't being annoying. It's funny - while I love reading about these totally romantic old-fashioned types I just know I would get so frustrated with them in real life. which makes me slightly annoyed. On the other hand his self-sacrificing nature would make just about any girl swoon.

In the end I'd have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I will definitely pick up the next one when it comes my way.

Unplanned Hiatus

2011-12-08T08:28:00.000-05:00

Due to some familial complications, shall we say, and a seriously crazy work schedule because of that whole Christmas thing coming up I'm going to have to put the blog on hold indefinitely. I'm really sorry to do this right as I was supposed to start back to posting again, but I really cannot devote the time I once had to it. I will still be posting as part of the Shattered Souls tour in a few days, and coming in the New Year, I have lots of changes planned, so stick around! I'll be back soon =)

The End of NaNoWriMo

2011-11-30T11:14:00.000-05:00

It's been a long month. A VERY long month. Between a major family upheaval and a crazy work schedule, I'm amazed I finished at all. But, Saturday morning, bright and early, I officially clocked in at 50,026 and became a NaNoWriMo winner for the VERY FIRST TIME. Especially exciting considering I'd never even tried it before.

The biggest challenge now is actually finishing the story. I would guess I'm between 10-15K off of the end, and I finally (FINALLY!) know what needs to happen. But, soon after I finished, the whole major upheaval thing meant that I haven't had the time, or the inclination to write further. I had hoped to actually finish the novel by the end of the month, but this morning, my total stayed resolutely at 50,026.

But you know, what? I'm proud of what I've done already. I attempted NaNoWriMo, and I wrote more in the past month, more quickly, than I ever have in my life. True, I had written a novel before, but I dawdled about it, spending more than 9 months on the rough draft. And I discovered something along the way that I think I knew for a long time, but always seem to be forgetting - I LOVE to write. I had my bad days just like everyone else, but instead of making me want to quit, I wanted to come back and FIX IT. I wanted to tinker in this fictional world more, and it was a kind of release to come back to it every day and be able to pour my heart out on the page while my life kind of exploded around me. My wrists hurt, I gave myself headaches, and I was often too tired to keep my eyes open, but all it did was make me sad that they kept me from writing.

So now, what next? I'm going to keep on writing. I don't know if I want to be a novelist. I don't know if I even want to get published. But I do know that I can't stop writing now that I've been reminded what it feels like. I guess, what this post really is, is a thank you shout out to everyone involved in NaNoWriMo. I have learned so much about myself in this process that I never would have if I hadn't done it. Also, a special shout out to my cheerleaders Kate and Phanee for being awesome.

And now, back to writing. Who knows? Maybe I will find the end by tonight after all.

Book Review: The Night Circus

2011-11-26T12:00:00.001-05:00

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]

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.

My Review: Somehow, those first few lines were just as mystical as "Once Upon a Time" They describe the circus perfectly, equal parts mystery and familiarity. And with that, they launch a story of pure wonderment.

This book is what I would call an experience book. It is less about the characters and their story and more about the circus itself. The book even mimics the circus. It jumps between different stories and between times until you're turned around enough that time doesn't exist. And nestled in between the bustling chapters of the story are short descriptions of the major tents, like oases of calm in the middle of the crowds. The descriptions are bright and vivid like the displays they're giving life to. And every last detail makes you want more.

Because this book is so experience focused, I would love to attend an event in its honor, bringing some of the circus to life. Even just a black and white ball would be fun, but to truly do it justice one would need an entire theme park.

I feel like I haven't properly described how wonderful this book is. But I wonder if anyone could do so, with something so big, and so different and new. Bottom line? Read the book. You won't regret it!

Book Review: Name of the Star

2011-11-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1)
Author: Maureen Johnson
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

My Review: How many ways can you say "awesome"? However many you come up with, it's still not enough to describe this book!

I, for one, love an unsolved mystery. They leave so much room for speculation! And perhaps the biggest unsolved mystery of them all is The Ripper. Now, I'll admit I don't know as much about the Ripper as I should. I prefer to learn about the unsolved mysteries through the lens of speculative fiction (Plain facts get boring) and I had yet to find one that appealed to me. But a ghost imitating the Ripper killings? I'm SO there!

The thing I loved best about this book is despite the fantastical elements, Rory is very normal. As and American girl who has been on exchange to England I really identified with Rory, but it was the little moments that really made it for me - smuggling the American foodstuffs you can't bear to be without (Cheez Whiz for her, Ranch Dressing for me) and rationing it once you have it to make it last as long as possible, really struck a chord with me.

But the Ripper parts just made it ten times more awesome! I had no idea where this was going or who did it until the very end, and boy what a surprise! Once it was explained it made so much sense but I never saw it coming!

With so much of a bang in the first book, I have no idea how Johnson will continue the series but I cannot wait until she does!

Mini Book Review: Personal Demons

2011-11-19T12:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Personal Demons (Personal Demons #1)
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [From GoodReads]

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

My Review: Take Supernatural and add a Twilight flair to it and this is what you come up with. Franny has to choose between demon Luc and angel Gabe in a battle for her eternal soul. Sound familiar?

I will say the book is plenty steamy and both boys are to die for (literally!) I know who I would have picked (Gabe) and I wonder what might have happened if she had chosen differently. And despite knowing where the whole thing was headed, I just couldn't put it down. I'm still not sure why.

This is an enjoyable and fairly easy fluff read. I know most of you will have already read this one, but if not, give it a try!

Live Blog from Nano-Land 11/18!

2011-11-18T08:24:00.009-05:00

I'm baaaack! I apologize for last week's cancellation, but I had to spend all day without internet, because of a minor family emergency so it couldn't be helped. But today, I shall have internet most of the day! So we will try this again =)

Goal for the day is to hit 45K. I would really like to make 50K by Monday, so to do that, I pretty much have to make 45K. It's possible, but it's going to be a stretch, especially since I have appointments at 10 am and 1 pm. Anyway, I'll be back throughout the day to update, so come back and see how I do.

Official Starting Word Count: 39,070/50,000

7:00 - Tea Kettle is brewing! I have tea! Time to get up.

7:39 - I have already earned breakfast! I can totally do this! Also, I have FINALLY finished the big event that I thought was halfway. Hope not, cause that means this thing is going to be at least 80K...

Official Word Count: 40,072/50,000

8:15 - Allowed internet now as well: Check emails and Twitter.

8:23 - Guess I should get back to writing...

8:43 - Ok, NOW I should get back to writing!

8:45 - Uhhhhmmm... I no longer have any idea what happens next. This is going to be harder than I thought...

9:22 - I'm pretty sure I've just killed off my favorite character. *sadface*

9:35 - Time to get ready for appointment no. 1! Word count is looking... disappointing.

Official Word Count: 40,629/50,000

1:57 - Both meetings done, errands run, am full - time to get back to it. Now, what was I talking about?

2:04 - Well, ok, but I had to check the internet first, right?

2:15 - Book is being mean. Why is it being mean? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what comes next. I don't know ANYTHING! Why am I doing this again?

2:22 - Have made it past 41K, ergo, may have break for word count update. Pretty sure I'm going to have to delete most of what I wrote between 40K and 41K, but IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN.

Official Word Count: 41,014/50,000

2:50 - I have written over 2K today! This deserves a cookie/internet break, yes?

Official Word Count: 41,154/50,000

3:44 - The internet is being distracting. The story is being boring. The writing is being crap. None of this is helping.

Official Word Count: 41,461/50,000

4:06 - My cheerleaders are THE BEST! No really. About 50 tweets back and forth and I'm back on track! Writer's block, you will not best me yet!

4:30 - 6 - Skyping with my cheerleaders. Did I mention they're THE BEST? =D

Official Word Count: 41,767/50,000

7:30 - I have reached 42K, and I think that's it for today. It's been a good day, but I'm just getting REALLY tired. Thanks for following along, see you next Friday!

Final Official Word Count: 42,014/50,000

Book Review: Chime

2011-11-16T15:54:00.001-05:00

Title: Chime
Author: Franny Billingsley
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [From GoodReads]

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

My Review: I'm going to be honest - I almost didn't finish this book. Not because it was bad, though. I put it down in the middle to try to catch up on reviews and it took me a very long time to pick it up again. If anything, this was probably because the style is so different, and required some extra work to read.

Different, in this case, is a good thing. The style was harder to read and made me think more, but that fit very well with Briony's personality and the setting. Sometimes a sentence would trip me up and I'd have to read it 2-3 times before really understanding, but invariably it was an important sentence that deserved the extra pondering. And sometimes a strange concept or new facet of the world would come to light and I'd be forced to stop and reconsider my view - but the characters were doing it at the same time so really the author is just forcing me to experience the book at a different level.

I know there are those of you out there who adored this book and will read it over and over and cherish it until the day you die. That's not me. It was a wonderful book, with a great message, but once was enough. I respect the book for what it is and what it does, and I think every teen should read it. But it just wasn't my thing. Even so, congratulations to the author on a job very well done!

NanowriMondays #3

2011-11-14T17:57:00.000-05:00

How on earth is it Monday again?!

Official word count: 35,013/50,000

Let me tell you, I may have had my week 2 blues, but I am BACK! My plot has taken off. The brain monkeys have provided me with solutions to two of my MAJOR problems! I've almost made it to the big halfway revelation that changes everything! I am at 35K words! OK, so technically my plot is behind my word count. Shhhh!

I think for this week, the big goal is make it to the official nanowrimo finish line by next Monday. It will take a little bit more of a push - I've been averaging 15K a week, and while this is actually what I have left, this week is more than usually busy. That said, the following week is EVEN MORE busy, so I would really appreciate being considered a winner, by Nano standards at least, before that. Once I've hit that, then I can just focus on getting the story finished. Who knows when that will be (likely somewhere between 60-70K).

Interested in other Nanowrimo Updates? Visit Casey at The Bookish Type to see how she is doing and links to others who are doing this crazy thing called Nanowrimo.

Cancelled! Live Blog from Nano-Land 11/11

2011-11-11T10:28:00.001-05:00

Due to a minor family emergency, I'm not going to be able to live-blog as promised today. I will leave you with short updates on word count, if I have them.

Thanks for understanding!

10:30 -
Official Word Count: 27,270/50,000
Today's Goal: 30,000

10:30 p.m. -
Final Official Word Count: 29,605/50,000

Ok, so I was close. After spending the entire day in a car, I'd say getting that close is, well, close enough =)

Book Review: Throne of Fire

2011-11-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles #2)
Author: Rick Riordan
Origins: My Local Library

Summary: [from GoodReads]

Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven't given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians.

And now their most threatening enemy yet - the chaos snake Apophis - is rising. If they don't prevent him from breaking free in a few days' time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it's a typical week for the Kane family.

To have any chance of battling the Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. But that would be a feat more powerful than any magician has ever accomplished.

First they have to search the world for the three sections of the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh, and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is exactly?

My Review: I have read every book Rick Riordan has written so far. It's a formula that should work for me (mythology + modern setting = awesome) because mythology is one of my favorite subjects for retellings. That said, I must be a descendant of the Greco-Roman Gods because for some reason I cannot concentrate on the Kane Chronicles. I blame it on the ADHD.

Luckily, once I got into it I found myself back to nearly normal speeds. The book was filled with fast paced action and interestingly renovated ideas I've come to expect. And one thing I like that is unique about the Kane chronicles is a strong female character narrating. So far the Greek and some of the Roman series' have been led by male characters It's somewhat fitting because of the societies they represented, but I love seeing kickass women like Sadie and Piper take the lead.

Honestly, I would recommend this book on the author alone. My favorite will probably always be Heroes of Olympus but this one is good too! (edit: I have recently found out that Riordan will be doing a Norse series. I reserve my judgement on the favorite until I see that series, because the Norse Gods are AWESOME!)

NanowriMondays #2

2011-11-07T12:24:00.000-05:00

It's Monday again! Time for a short check in.

Basically, my weekend sucked, as far as writing time. I had agreed way back when to help my mother with her craft show this weekend, and between that and work I only came home to sleep. As such I only wrote 900 or so words in the two days.

To make matters worse, my inner editor is waking up. She's telling me all the different ways my novel sucks donkey balls. She's also telling me about the many things I am neglecting to do and should. And she's pointing out that in another 5-10 thousand words, I will be OUT OF IDEAS, at which point I will be making it all up by the seat of my pants, and if I think it's crap now, OH JUST WAIT! There is more crap to be had where that came from!

Despite all of those difficulties, I am still slogging along. My support group (aka you guys) is being AWESOME and just generally very supportive. (They are also telling me that a Magical Beanie Hat is not an INSANELY stupid idea, so I have this sneaky suspicion they may be lying. I try to ignore that.) And I just keep reminding myself of how it doesn't have to be good, it just has to be done. We'll see how that works.

Day: 7
Words written today: 586
Words written total: 19,001/50,000

Interested in other Nanowrimo Updates? Visit Casey at The Bookish Type to see how she is doing and links to others who are doing this crazy thing called Nanowrimo.

Live-Blogging from Nano-land: 11/4 edition

2011-11-04T08:18:00.016-04:00

Hello, my dear readers! Let's get write down to business, shall we (get it? Get it? lol!)

Basically, I have a strange work schedule that means I work most of the weekend, so Fridays are my main days off of work. As such, I'm planning to live-blog my nano progress on Fridays. This will keep me accountable. It will also keep me from spending all my time looking at shiny stuff on the internet (I hope).

So. As of last night, official word count was 10,018. This is WAAAAAAAY ahead of where I thought I would be. I've spent something like 24 of the last 72 hours doing work related things. And I got 8 hours(ish) of sleep each night. That left me with only a few hours a day to write. Somehow I still managed to break 10,000 early.

Unfortunately, the week 2 blahs came in with the 10,000 word count. My inner editor is rattling the bars of her cage. She's screaming at me that everything I write is crap. This is not helpful, and it means I have seriously slowed down on the writing front.

Even so, goal for today is to hit 15,000. Secretly I'm hoping I will hit this at lunch and be able to make 20,000 by the end of the day as my weekend is even MORE busy than usual. I may not write at all on Saturday or Sunday because of all the stuffs going on. But let's be realistic, shall we?

And now, the main event! I will be coming back to update this post throughout the day, so stop by and see how I do!

5:30 - Awake. Wait, what?! Roll over and go back to sleep.

6:30 - Awake again. This time for good, but let's pretend it's not.

6:53 - Tea kettle alarm fails to go off. You hear that, body? I turned the alarm OFF! There is no tea! You should be asleep!

7:00 - Decide to get up. No point in just laying around in bed if you're not going to sleep.

7:01 - Hungry. Rules say no breakfast until 500 words. Rules say nothing about no tea. Run downstairs for mug and spoon.

7:10 - Tea acquired. Open Scrivener.

7:20 - Type typity type type...

7:39 - HUZZAH! I have earned breakfast!

Official Word Count: 10,529/15,000

8:00 - Yummy breakfast sandwich finished. I should probably go back to writing now.

8:02 - WAIT! It's Friday! I have a live-blog to do!

8:14 - Get dressed. I'm not behind enough that it is ok to feel icky just because I have to write. Wear lots of Blue. Blue is favorite color and will INSPIRE me.

8:15 - Check Twitter one last time. Wait no! Don't do that!

8:16 - Bring Scrivener back up in full screen mode. No more internets until 1000 words!

8:26 - This story is NOT behaving. Why are you doing this? And who the EFF is HE?!

8:30 - Need random magical object... I know! Ask Twitter!

8:31 - ARGH! How did I end up on Twitter again?!

8:32 - Music. Music will help me focus. Put on Mr. Magorium's soundtrack because it is adequately discovery-like for this scene.

8:34 - Hey, what do you know? The Music WORKED! Magical object acquired (both by me and my character).

8:40 - I am on the internet again, doing nothing. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

8:45 - Twitter, why you so distracting?

8:54 - 1000 words! But no internets for you, you have NOT obeyed the rules.

9:00 - Almost to daily word count. Yes, you may have a break to update.

Official Word Count: 11,488/15,000

9:10 - OK, that's enough internet for now. Back to writing.

9:24 - Man, I want a break. Just over 100 words to 12,000, then can have break.

9:28 - 12,000! *THROWS CONFETTI!*

Official Word Count: 12,025/15,000

9:45 - I have spent too long wandering around the internet. BUT! One of my writing buddies directed me to this. If you're doing nano, you should probably read it.

9:46 - Right, back to work again!

9:55 - Seriously guys, I need a break. Also the bathroom needs cleaning. That works out nicely, actually.

10:24 - Must stop goofing off! BACK TO WORK!

10:24-10:51 - Distractions happened. Seriously. 2765 in the next hour. NO MORE DISTRACTIONS!

Official Word Count: 12,235/15,000

11:08 - I can SO do this! I've been waiting for them to have this conversation for, like 8000 words. Should make over 2000 EASY!

11:22 - Hey idiot! You have that nifty TARDIS USB hub. Maybe now would be the time to use it, since you haven't backed up your story yet, AT ALL!

11:24 - OY! That was NOT a signal for an internet break! Get back to work!

11:27 - I so CAN'T do this. Conversation is going in completely the wrong direction. Can't fix it now, but now I'm stuck...

11:30 - Perhaps a different soundtrack will help. Search up A Knight's Tale soundtrack in iTunes - sufficient discovery still but more kicking-butt-and-taking-names-ness.

11:35 - Discover that new character I'd just started liking was lying to me. Oh B*gger!

11:54 - Right, need to step away now. Made progress. Didn't make 15,000.

Official Word Count: 13,571/15,000

11:54-12:41 - Eat food. Wander down to mailbox (brrrr it's cold outside!) Make some decisions about what happens next. Generally feel refreshed.

12:43 - I have less than 1,500 to get to 15,000. Can I word sprint this? I think I can. Turn on music. On your marks...

1:29 - OK, not quite a word sprint, but I have MADE IT! I think I can have a break now...

Official Word Count: 15,019/15,000

1:35 - Short skype chat with my cheerleader as a reward! YAY!

2:00 - Mom wants to go for a walk. It is pretty and sunny outside my window so I say yes.

3:00 - It was COLD!

3:09 - New, shiny goal! 18,000 by this evening! Back to writing now!

Official Word Count: 15,019/18,000

3:13 - OOOH I left myself a good bit to start with! Just introduced a new character! New character needs new music methinks. Cycle through Ratatouille and Tangled before settling on How to Train Your Dragon.

3:30 - MY CHEERLEADER IS BACK! I only have 20 more words, but skype skype skype!

4:00 - I suppose I should get some more words done. I won't be writing for two days now after all...

4:15 - CRAP! New character isn't being all that interesting yet... Got distracted by the internets AGAIN... =(

Official Word Count: 15,396/18,000

4:15-5:25 - Erm... stuff. Not really sure. BUT I HAVE WORDS (oh lordy, do I have words!)

Official Word Count: 16,058/18,000

6:45 - Just finished dinner. Less than an hour till dessert comes out of the oven. Time for MORE WORDS!

7:13 - Decision: if I make it to 20,000 tonight I shall spend money frivolously. This is looking unlikely, but it is AN INCENTIVE!

Official Word Count: 16,469/18,000

7:27 - Sooooo tired. May consider giving up.

7:37 - MC begins crying. Suddenly story is MUCH more interesting...

7:54 - DESSERT! Break time!

Official Word Count: 17,235/18,000

8:36 - Dessert was absolutely delicious. I have come back to a pep talk from the fabulous Erin Morgenstern (whose book I will be reviewing later this month). I have changed soundtracks yet again (Pan's Labyrinth now). I am ALL SET to hit 18,000 TODAY! Let's DO THIS!

9:39 - As much as I want to make 18,000 I have to be up early tomorrow. And I'm sooo tired. I wrote a lot today. As in way more than I ever have on fiction in one day. So I am proud of my final word count. Now I'm off to wallow in bed with a book (and probably fall asleep after a few sentences. Good luck to all of you still writing for the evening!

FINAL Official Word Count: 17,550/18,000

Book Review: Zombies Vs. Unicorns

2011-11-02T12:00:00.004-04:00

Title: Zombies Vs. Unicorns (Collection)
Editors: Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths—for good and evil—of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

My Review: First, let me say I am firmly Team Unicorn, and will probably always be that way. I hate zombies and this book did nothing to change my mind. I thought it might, which is why I picked it up. After reading Die For Me, and seeing that many of my favorite authors are Team Zombie I thought I would definitely find some kind of Zombie I like. I didn't.

All of that said, the stories in this collection were admittedly fantastic. Even the zombie ones gave me something important to think about while gagging and dashing to the toilet. And the unicorn stories were completely devoid of the "Pooping Rainbows" variety, as I think Holly Black puts it. (Unless it's useful, of course. If proving a point, then pooping rainbows is fine by me.)

Reading through the review so far it sounds really negative. I don't mean it that way! I loved the book! I just really hate zombies. If it was good enough that I plowed through ALL the stories in spite of zombies, then it must be freakin' amazing!

Honestly though, I can see where both sides are coming from. I dislike the extremes of both sides - the shedding-body-parts-and-drooling zombies AND the Rainbows-and-tinkerbell-laughs unicorns. In fact, if I had to declare, SCREW ALL THIS! TEAM DRAGON FTW!

(To those who wrote for this collection: I love you ALL and the stories were very well written. If I can't stand the subject matter, that can hardly be considered your fault because you are amazing! So are we good?)

NanowriMondays #1 (a little late)

2011-11-01T10:57:00.000-04:00

Casey over at The Bookish Type introduced this yesterday, and because I can't resist the chance to update about NanoWrimo more, I've decided to join in! I meant to post this yesterday, but then got swamped with trying to make sure all my world-building reference materials were prepared, and just... didn't. And because today is my longest day of the entire week, this update is going to be short.

The basics: Yesterday was spent frantically trying to get ready. I am writing a story about "The Transdimensional Lending Library"(which is probably the best explanation you can get without reading the actual novel once I've written it) and as such, I kinda need to know what that is. Before I start. So I spent the afternoon writing up 12 different reference sheets on characters, mechanics, technology and general information involved with said library. I still have very little on plot, so I feel this is OK. I also nano-ized the blog - I have 7 reviews scheduled to go up through the course of November so the only ones I HAVE to type are the Nano update posts. This is a good thing, because I already suffer from occasional symptoms of Tendonitis.

For those of you interested in my progress, I will be posting short updates on Mondays and longer updates (possibly including Live-Blogs) on Fridays. You can also find daily updates under the username Arlemy. Feel free to make yourself known and add me as a writing buddy if you're participating yourself (Giving support to others turns out to be my #1 favorite procrastination tool...) For those of you uninterested in the Nano posts, I have posts scheduled for Wednesdays and some Saturdays - look out for those!

Day: 1
Words written so far: 1742
Words written total: 1742

Guest Post: Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls

2011-10-27T12:00:00.005-04:00

Today we have Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls joining us as part of a Teen Book Scene tour! For a schedule of all posts on this tour can be found here. I'll be doing a review of the book in December. Warning: This post involves (and has pictures of) large insects.

My Unusual "Pets"

Animals have always been a central part of my life. Growing up, we had a bizarre menagerie of animals that amazed and inspired me. My love of nature has carried into my adulthood and people who know me find it a quirky, fun part of being my friend.

One of the strange things about me is that I own dozens (perhaps hundreds) of Madagascar Hissing cockroaches.

Yes. Cockroaches.

I didn't set out to own roaches, in fact, they used to creep me out. In the past, when I saw indigenous cockroaches (which are large down here in the South...and they fly), I would run shrieking from the room--sometimes even the building.

Now? Not so much. I've developed an appreciation for roaches, and maybe an immunity to their yuck factor. Well, that's not entirely true. If they fly, I'm gone. *shudder*

I came about being a roach mommy by accident and quite innocently. It was not a choice. They were foisted on me and I didn't have the heart to kill them. So, now I'm stuck with them. LOTS of them.

They serve a purpose, though. I give classroom presentations with them. Sometimes just about the unique features of this type of insect. (They are one of the only insects to give live birth in the world and they also have a different way of making noises and other cool stuff). I also give conservation and biodiversity presentations using them to make kids aware of the importance of our responsibility as caretakers of the planet. You'd be amazed how well they listen when you are holding a 3-inch cockroach as if it were your friend.

Plus, they make great party features (I'm only half joking). When my kids were little, I threw a Harry Potter party. The kids had rotations through a class day at Hogwarts. Courses included, among other things, Potions (no roaches):

And Care of Magical Creatures, which featured a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach race. Not kidding. The teams got points based on how far their roach got in an allotted amount of time. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches don't fly and they are slow moving, so it wasn't as exciting as you would think. Still, roach races? How cool is that?

Below is one of the contestants. My husband is holding this male, which is much smaller than the females. (You can tell the gender of mature roaches of this kind by the prominence of the protrusions or "horns" on the thorax).

So, now that you are totally freaked out, I'm going to close with the same quote I use in my school presentations about conservation. After I've explained the necessity in our world for animals like the cockroach (How many other types of animals would suffer or cease to exist if something even this icky were to become extinct from neglect or negligence?) I tell them I have grown to love these roaches. Because,

"In the end we will conserve only what we love.
We will love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught." ~Baba Dioum

My own thought? Teach them well. There's a lot more riding on this than a cockroach.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today, Anne!

And thank you for joining us! The Hogwarts party sounds pretty awesome, but I will admit I am now itchy all over from looking at that roach picture *shivers*! Look for Shattered Souls wherever you buy your books, and keep an eye out for my review, coming soon!

Nanowrimo 2011

2011-10-25T12:00:00.048-04:00

Hands up, who's doing Nanowrimo this year? *raises hand*

Now hands up, who has said that before and NEVER ACTUALLY DONE IT? *raises hand and looks embarrassed*

So here's the deal. Due to several circumstances, most of them involving school, I became far too busy to do Nanowrimo last year, despite my promises to myself that I would. Heck, I was so busy I stopped blogging for a month. It happens.

IT SHALL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN! I have most of a plot. I have lots of tea. I have ideas. I have a cheerleader (Thank you, Kate! =D) And most importantly, I should NOT have 10 different projects all due at once (during a week-long conference in Germany, no less). Now, I don't feel quite so bad about this, because the truth is, I did write a novel last year. It took me from May to the very, very end of December, but it is FINISHED and I have something one might call the -1 draft ready for editing. So, for me, it's less about writing a novel, and more about WRITING EVERY DAY. (This is actually my goal for nanowrimo - I tend to write with less words than most people, and so I'm very unlikely to actually reach 50,000 words before reaching the end of my story.)

As of this posting there are 7 DAYS LEFT before the madness begins. To all of you not participating, not to worry. I am so very behind on reviews that I should be able to schedule 2ish reviews per week before November even starts. The blog will not go dormant if I can at all help it. Also, I hope to live-blog occasionally (with inspiration from Beth Revis and Stephanie Perkins because they are awesome, and hilarious). In fact, I know Fridays will probably be my catch-up-days so I am tentatively scheduling live-blogging from Nanowrimo for every Friday in November. Which brings me to the actual reason for this post.

I thrive on friendly competition. I will probably be taking full advantage of any Word Wars that come my way, and will gladly accept bets or bribes of any kind in exchange for words finished in certain amounts of time. (As I make chocolate for a living, I imagine it would be quite easy to come up with some interesting forfeits if I lose said bets). But the main thing I'm looking for is other crazy people to share this with. The more the better! And the more people I tell, the less likely I will fail at this like I have for 6 YEARS IN A ROW!

So. WHO'S WITH ME?

Media Monday: Once Upon A Time

2011-10-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Once Upon a Time
Media Type: TV Show
Genre: Fantasy
Season/Episode: 1.1
Air date: 10/23/11
Network: ABC

My Review: Remember back at the end of August when I asked you what shows you were waiting for? This show was certainly at the top of my list at the time though I'd heard next to nothing about it at the time. Then, I kind of forgot about it. I had other interesting shows to watch that came out sooner! Then, about a week ago, they showed an ad for it during one of my shows. Let me tell you, they know how to make an ad! It wasn't just "Oh yeah, I wanted to watch that," it was "OMG gimme gimme gimme NOW!" I immediately went off to find all the teasers and trailers I missed because I often watch my shows online after the fact. My expectations were high. Almost too high. I was half sure they would fail to live up to it.

I wouldn't say they failed, not by a long shot. There are many, many good things about the show. I absolutely loved the character of Henry. He reminds me more than anything of the little boy in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (whose name escapes me at the moment. I'll get it in a minute.) He is cute, precocious, and the only one who has that magical view of the world we'd all love to get back. I really hope he will serve as a major character in the show, not just as the catalyst for everything to begin.

As it's only the first episode, I'm hesitant to judge everything. Some of the characters felt awfully flat, but then again, with everything else they were trying to do in the first episode, I'm sure they'll do more for that in the coming weeks. The premise felt a little hole-y for so much of it being given to us in flashback, but then, the holes could be plugged up with a few carefully placed words in future episodes. If there is one thing I'd complain about, it is the flashbacks. Now, I know by hearsay that this is something the Lost writers are very well known for (I never got into Lost myself). Even so, I sincerely hope the future episodes limit themselves to fewer flashbacks. I get very frustrated with jumping every few minutes or so into the past so that the audience can live through something that may not even be completely relevant yet. I want to know what is happening NOW. And Emma doesn't know any of this stuff, does she? The easiest mistake to fall into with flashbacks is letting your audience assume that because they know something, your main character knows it too, and with them piling so much of it on, I'm just waiting to see them slip and have Emma know something she shouldn't.

This is not to say I didn't like the show. There are too many things I loved to list and they far outweigh the things that bothered me. There are a few lines that I'm still obsessing over ("Emma... What a lovely name." just gave me chills, even though I knew it was coming from the trailers.) And, to top it all off, many critics have seen through the third episode already and they say it only gets better. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next episode! Sunday GET HERE FASTER!

Book Review: Mistwood

2011-10-22T12:00:00.017-04:00

Title: Mistwood (Mistwood #1)
Author: Leah Cypess
Origins: Bought
Summary: [from GoodReads] The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood. But when she is needed she always comes.

Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.

Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.

Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can't help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court... until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart... and everything she thought she knew.

My Review: This book caught my eye one day wandering through the bookstore after a long work day. I decided I needed a bit of a treat so I bought it rather on a whim. I have to say I am very glad I did.

One of the big things I enjoyed about this was the perspective. Most novels about the paranormal are from the perspective of the human, and for good reason. The reader has to be able to relate to the main character in order to be invested in what happens to them. The easiest way to do that is to make the MC as similar to the reader as possible, which by default means the MC is human. But in this case, despite several completely human options, Cypess chooses to go with the paranormal and make her relatable by erasing her memory. Without any memory of her paranormal activity and stuck in a seemingly human form we are able to stumble along with her discovering everything about who she is only when she does.

That's another good thing about this one - the suspense. One of the great things about having an amnisiac MC is the writer really controls what information the audience gets when, without it ever seeming contrived. There is no thinking "how could you fail to mention something so big?" or "You just said that to make more story" because the MC literally knows nothing and can't just magically "remember" the solution just in time.

Overall I would say this is a pretty good book with an original premise. I would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy and the paranormal.

Book Review: The Heist Society

2011-10-21T12:15:00.000-04:00

Title: Heist Society (Heist Society #1)
Author: Ally Carter
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

My Review: I would like to thank the blogosphere in general for leading me to this little gem. I have no idea where I first saw it, but enough of you fawned over it that I decded I'd better at least see what all the fuss was about.

This book reminded me more than anything of the St. Trinian's movies. (For those of you that don't know the St. Trinian's movies are a British thing, popular a few years ago, about a boarding school of "bad girls." They're rather amusing.) Katarina is the good girl (Annabelle) though in this case she's more of a reformed, trying-to-be-good girl, Hale is the one who is good-at-heart but a bad example (I can't remember her name) and Uncle Eddie even reminds me of the headmistress Camilla at times =)

The place where the two differ is the execution. St. Trinian's is really a bunch of pop culture references, strung together with a buttload of jokes and a little bit of plot (the literary equivalent of silly putty and bits of string). Heist Society on the other hand, uses this really interesting sub culture of thieving to ask some hard questions - if you had to steal a painting from a museum (and you knew you could do it) to save someone you loved, even though it's mostly morally wrong, would you do it? I'm not sure if I would.

One of the things I enjoyed about it was the way it was told. There were the big mysteries, of course, and some of them went unanswered, but the little ones were the ones that I enjoyed. I like to imagine this is exactly what it would be like to be part of one of the families - you love your family, but they still have many, many secrets from you. I'm desperate to know what the W.W. stands for in W.W. Hale III, and I would love to know everything Uncle Eddie knows. I do hope that by the end of the series she'll clear up most of the mysteries (though maybe not all of them).

I've heard rumours recently of the possibility of a movie, and I am so there! This was such a fun ride in book format that I can't wait to see what they'd do with a movie.

(Also, as a sidenote, anyone notice that the writers of Castle must have read these books? Art thief who only steals things originally stolen by the Nazi's and returns them to their owners? Yeah, never heard of that before...)

Book Review: The Falling Machine

2011-10-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Falling Machine (The Society of Steam #1)
Author: Andrew P. Mayer
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] In 1880 women aren't allowed to vote, much less dress up in a costume and fight crime...

But twenty-year-old socialite Sarah Stanton still dreams of becoming a hero. Her opportunity arrives in tragedy when the leader of the Society of Paragons, New York's greatest team of gentlemen adventurers, is murdered right before her eyes. To uncover the truth behind the assassination, Sarah joins forces with the amazing mechanical man known as The Automaton. Together they unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the Paragons that reveals the world of heroes and high-society is built on a crumbling foundation of greed and lies. When Sarah comes face to face with the megalomaniacal villain behind the murder, she must discover if she has the courage to sacrifice her life of privilege and save her clockwork friend.

My Review: I don't remember which blogger posted the review that made me read this book, but whoever you are, thank you! This book blends steampunk seamlessly with a Batman style superhero tale. This is what I imagine Watchmen would be if it were set in the 1800's (though I've never actually finished Watchmen, so that may be inaccurate).

The thing I liked best was our spunky heroine Sarah. Despite my love of all things steampunk and Victorian era, I have this sneaking suspicion that would be me. I'd be sneaking out at all hours, exasperated at the restrictions of the clothes I'd be forced to wear. And at the same time, I'd love it!

Tom was another favorite character. He was beautifully written, at times very mechanical and at others believably human. Asimov's Laws of Robotics or not, I really want Tom and Sarah to end up together. They would be so cute!

And of course, as with any Steampunk there's the believability factor. If the book is particularly well written or focusing on other facets of steampunk it's not quite so important but here the entire story was based around the technology. The nice thing was that it was explained in a way that made sense, even for someone like me who has absolutely no head for science. (As a sidenote: Those of the scientific persuasion might find it a bit fantastical. I wouldn't know the difference.)

A slight disclaimer: This is probably not the best book to start a love of Steampunk with. Look for something a little lighter like Westerfeld's Leviathan series (wonderful in it's own right but perhaps less startling to those unacquainted with the genre.) But if you're already a lover of steampunk as I am, you will definitely want to check this one out!

Book Review: Tris and Izzie

2011-10-11T12:00:00.002-04:00

Title: Tris and Izzie
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Origins: NetGalley
Summary: [from GoodReads] A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

My Review: I picked this one out for 2 reasons: 1) because I've liked the author in the past and 2) because I love mythology and yet know next to nothing of the story of Tristan and Isolde. I admit they were probably not the best reasons and reason #2 was actually the main cause of disappointment for me. Maybe it was just my lack of knowledge of the original myth, but I barely caught a whiff of mythology aside from the names.

Once I got over that, though I found myself enjoying the book. It was almost refreshing to have our heroine fighting the "true love at first sight" thing that comes up so often in YA these days. It was practically comical how hard Izzie tried to blame it on a potion and ignore what was really happening. I also enjoyed the mysterious elements of the story, and even though I predicted their outcomes pretty accurately the details came as a pleasant surprise.

If you're thinking of giving this one a try, I'd definitely recommend it for it's refreshing heroine and the nice blending of HS drama with magic. It comes out in stores TODAY so go find yourself a copy.

Media Monday: Doctor Who Series 6

2011-10-10T11:29:00.000-04:00

Studio: BBC and BBC America

My Review: Finally another Media Monday. It has been quite a few weeks since I've had time to see anything new but now we have the finale of Doctor Who to talk about!

First, let me just say this season was not my favorite. It was good enough and had some excellent episodes ("The Doctor's Wife," "Closing Time" and "The God Complex" to name a few) but overall it was a bit too timey-wimey and confusing to me. It felt a bit contrived to be honest. It was like someone said "What's the biggest thing we can do?" and then "Let's make it even BIGGER!" For me, that's not what it's about. What happened to the simple but poignant moments of episodes like "Human Nature/Family of Blood" or "Blink" or even "The Eleventh Hour?"

Luckily I think someone realized this. The Doctor even says at the end "I've become too big, people have begun to notice," (or something to that effect). Maybe now we can go back to no one knowing anything about the Doctor when he shows up. Don't get me wrong, unless they do something seriously drastic, I will keep watching the show. I'm particularly excited for the 50th Anniversary seris in 2013. There are rumors it will be the best season yet. I just hope they keep in mind that bigger does NOT always equal better.

Book Review: Wildefire

2011-10-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Wildefire (Wildefire #1)
Author: Karsten Knight
Origins: Bought at Borders (R.I.P.!)
Summary: [from GoodReads]
Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

My Review:

Disclaimer: I am prejudiced to like this book. It has mythology, boarding schools and other general awesomeness in it.

My first thought upon finishing this book was "wait... it's over?" My second? "MOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!1!" This book is so absolutely stuffed full of awesome! the main character Ashline recently moved to a boarding school after her delinquent sister causes a tragedy. As we all know by now, boarding school books are practically a must-love for me. But this new school thing doesn't go quite as well as planned when Ashline finds out she and several of the other students are reincarnations of Gods from religions all over the world. A book with that description might as well be a home run with bases loaded before I even open the cover!

But the thing that really made this one sing for me was the language. Knight has a way with words that makes them jump off the page. I've probably said this before but the truly amazing authors write so well that all I remember is seeing pictures. Knight did that for me. Flipping through now, I can see why. The words flow around the scenes, changing tone so smoothly to fit a new scene you hardly realize where the divide was.

I know I'm slightly behind the general squee-age for this one, but I think I am not alone in saying this is a fabulous book that is ready to take its place with the Harry Potters and Percy Jacksons of our world! Now where/when can I find me some more of this awesomeness?!

Book Review: Die For Me

2011-10-07T13:57:00.000-04:00

Title: Die For Me (Revenants #1)
Author: Amy Plum
Origins: Won from Julie on That's Swell (Thanks!)
Summary: [from GoodReads] In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Review: This was my very first zombie novel! I have to say now I am firmly Team Unicorn. I have never liked the thought of a shambling, peeling, body-part dropping monster trying to bite me. (I'll explain more in my upcoming review of Zombies vs. Unicorns). That said, I absolutely LOVED this book. There were no body parts falling off (well, except that once), no peeling skin and no screaming of "BRAAAAAINSS." So really, not a zombie story at all =)

Firstly, I love the premise. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but the explanation of who Vincent and the rest of his crew are is so poignant and original. Vincent is my perfect knight in shining armor, so gentlemanly and yet so brooding. Just writing about it makes me want to go back and read about him all over again!

I also loved the way I was allowed to come up with my own theories. I have so many thoughts about what could happen in the next book and they could all be fantastic resolutions. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the next book, if only to just find out whether I'm right or not! I have to say, major congratulations to Amy on her debut!

Book Review: Heartless

2011-10-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Heartless (Parasol Protectorate #4)
Author: Gail Carriger
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.
Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

My Review: It feels like I have been waiting for this book for ages! There were so many things left in the air at the end of Blameless I just couldn't wait to get my hands on the next one. I'm very excited for the day that the last comes out so I can read all of them in a row. It will be such a different experience than reading them with breaks between.

A lot of the things I liked about this book I've already discussed in reviews of the other books. I love the treatment of the supernatural creatures - they're accepted into society but so wrapped up in the bureaucracy of the time period. I love Lord Akeldama - he always makes me laugh.

The thing with this one is it felt a lot like a filler novel. It is a story on its own but I felt like it was only a vehicle to make time pass until Alexia has her baby. Even so, this book is definitely important to the overall story. I am so excited for the next one as well - it seems everything is about to begin and I cannot wait!

Book Review: Wondrous Strange

2011-09-28T12:00:00.002-04:00

Title: Wondrous Strange (Wondrous Strange #1)
Author: Lesley Livingston
Origins: Bought
Summary: [from GoodReads] 17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

My Review: Honestly? It's been a week or so since I finished this one, and I can't remember that much about it. I remember thinking that the mythology was rather interesting - slightly different than the typical, and definitely different than the Shakespeare version that is so interwoven into the book. I also really liked the presence of the Shakespeare as a contrast. Faerie touched mortals are so often portrayed as artists, so it's particularly interesting that Kelly is an actress.

Unfortunately, other than that I can't remember a single thing I had to say. I know I didn't have anything negative to say - while reading it, I really enjoyed it. I honestly was having a very good time. But it just didn't stick with me well as overwhelmingly awesome either.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's a good read for a fun day or two but don't expect anything particularly heavy. That said, I've also bought the sequel and I will definitely be bumping it up the TBR list a few places.

Book Review: Memento Nora

2011-09-27T12:00:00.035-04:00

Title: Memento Nora (Memento Nora #1)
Author: Angie Smibert
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] On an otherwise glossy day, a blast goes off and a body thuds to the ground at Nora's feet. There are terrorist attacks in the city all the time, but Nora can't forget.

In Nora's world you don't have to put up with nightmares. Nora goes with her mother to TFC--a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic. There, she can describe her horrible memory and take a pill to erase it so she can go on like nothing ever happened. But at TFC a chance encounter with a mysterious guy changes Nora's life. She doesn't take the pill. And when Nora learns the memory her mother has chosen to forget, she realizes that someone needs to remember.

With newfound friends Micah and Winter, Nora makes a comic book of their memories called Memento. Memento is an instant hit, but it sets off a dangerous chain of events. Will Nora, Micah, and Winter be forced to take the Big Pill that will erase their memories forever?

My Review: This book was not what I was expecting, in any way shape or form. For one thing, it was smaller than I expected. It came from the library and it felt so tiny compared to the tomes I've become used to. For some reason, that made me even more excited to read it - it was something new and different!

From the moment I cracked open this book I felt like I was in a different world. The writing style was so different, and yet I was completely absorbed in the book. It was only afterward that I realized what the style reminded me of - it was almost as if I were reading a novelization of a graphic novel. The cleverness of the style and how well it was pulled off absolutely amazed me! Whatever else this book might be, it is a work of art.

Aside from that, I have to say the subject matter is very interesting. We all have those things we want to forget, because we're embarrassed or because they're traumatic, or because we just plain don't want to deal with them. A very different take on the subject than The Giver but just as relevant. The only thing I had a problem with is seeing how this might come about in the near future. It might happen eventually, but our culture is so obsessed with the dark and violent things - there's a reason for the millions of cop dramas and vampire shows and all that on TV. We're curious. It would have to get REALLY bad for us to want to erase that.

Overall though, this is a wonderful book that should be appreciated both for content and for format. I'm excited to see where they're going with this, but more than that, I really hope they come out with a graphic novel version of the book. It would really fit the style and I know I would love to read it!

Faerie Ring Tour: Character Interview with Rieker

2011-09-20T12:00:00.001-04:00

Today I am SO lucky to have the intriguing yet suave Rieker from Kiki Hamilton's The Faerie Ring here for an interview!

1) How do you pronounce your name and where does it come from?

My name is pronounced RYE ker. When you live on the streets of London, if you want to survive, you can never have too many secrets.

2) Who taught you to pick pockets?

It was a game I played with my brothers growing up.

3) What is the biggest thing you've ever stolen? The most expensive?

I’ve stolen someone’s heart before. I don’t know about expensive, but that was the most valuable thing I’ve ever stolen.

4) From the book I'd say we can guess the worst moment of your life, but what would you say was the best?

There was a moment during a card game that I enjoyed immensely.

5) What are the top 3 things on your bucket list and why?

1. Get to know Tiki better.

2. Possess the Queen’s ring

3. Share some of my secrets

Many thanks to Rieker for those (enigmatic) answers! This post is provided as part of a Teen Book Scene blog tour. The full schedule of reviews and guest posts can be found here. My review of the book can be found here.

The Faerie Ring Tour: Review

2011-09-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

Title: The Faerie Ring (The Faerie Ring #1)
Author: Kiki Hamilton
Origins: This review is provided as part of a Teen Book Scene blog tour. The full schedule of reviews and guest posts can be found here.
Summary: [from GoodReads]
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…

My Review: I loved, loved, loved this book! The best way to describe it is the Wicked Lovely series crossed with Oliver Twist, both of which I loved so it's a pretty good bet I was going to like this one. But I was not prepared for how much I absolutely fell in love with this book!

Firstly, the setting was amazing. It was so vividly described that all I remember are the images I saw, not the words on the page. I felt like I followed Tiki on her way through London, and that dress at the Queen's ball? WANT!

Second, I loved the emotional rollercoaster this book took me on. Most of the time I read while trying to figure out the ending. I figure if the author has me stumped for at least 75% of the book, they did a pretty good job. But with this one I was so absorbed in the story that I didn't even try. No, that's not right, because I didn't even notice or want to try to figure it out. I was purely enjoying the ride.

But possibly the thing I loved the most was who Rieker is. I completely didn't see it coming AT ALL! I had to stop and reread that paragraph several times before moving on. It was completely genius and I never saw it coming!

Moral of the story is READ THIS BOOK! I've already pre-ordered my copy and it's been permanently added to my "Favorites" list!

Tomorrow, Rieker will be joining us for an interview! Trust me, you don't want to miss it!

Pottermore: My Thoughts

2011-09-15T12:00:00.025-04:00

After what seemed like the longest wait ever, I opened my inbox Monday morning to finally (FINALLY) find an email from Pottermore! Now, having had a few days to process, I have a few thoughts I'd like to share.

First things first: I think the thing I was most looking forward to was a tie between receiving a wand and getting sorted. I did this almost immediately, racing through the first few chapters just glancing at the new info briefly and moving on. (If you choose to do this, I'd highly suggest flagging the info on the Hogwarts Express for reading in detail later - VERY interesting stuff!) For the wand, I received Blackthorn and Unicorn - the unicorn core wasn't much of a surprise, but the Blackthorn was! According to Rowling, Blackthorn is best suited to warriors (SO not me!) which made me a little worried, as I've always "known" I was a Ravenclaw, but warriors generally belong in Gryffindor. As a side note, I absolutely LOVE the new info on wands. I've flagged it to go back and read over and over again, because it is so detailed and so interesting! Each time I meet someone new I go and look up their wand wood, even though I've read the whole thing through about 10 times already. So interesting! (Also, did anyone catch the mention of a wizarding school in Japan, under the Cherry entry? I'm envisioning manga style fanfics - first one to link me to some gets 100 internets! =D)

Then, of course, sorting. No midlife(ish) crisis here - I'm a Ravenclaw, and always have been. There were a few scary moments just before clicking continue. I've always been so sure that it would have been an extreme surprise, and would have made me re-evaluate everything I believed I was if I'd been put anywhere else. After reading the welcome message, though, I have no doubts. The way she describes Ravenclaw is me, down to the minutest detail. There is no way I could have been put anywhere else. That said, I'm curious - does anyone know where I can read the welcome messages from the other houses? While I know I belong in Ravenclaw, there are a few tidbits in our welcome message that are new to me, and I'd assume she did that with all the houses. I'm a curious person, I want to know! Also, anyone know if there are any hatstalls out there? Did the Sorting Hat give you a choice of houses? I was concerned I'd be one - every internet "what's your house?" quiz put me above 75% in 3 of the 4 houses, with only a 2% difference between the top two. I knew if that happened I'd choose Ravenclaw, but I'm glad it didn't!

There are, of course, a few things I'm a little disappointed about. I was hoping we would actually get to attend classes - this would force us to go through the experience much slower, and allow us more interaction. As it was I finished the entire first book in the first day, and while I'm having fun playing with Potions and Spells, I'm disappointed there isn't more to do. This may get changed though - there are a number of Spells in my spellbook that are inactive right now, and I'd love it if we were able to activate them by "learning" the previous one along with the rest of the class. As registration for everyone happens in October, I would not be surprised if they started unlocking them for us one at a time, as everyone learns them, so that it is more like a class. I'm also really excited for Wizard Duel to go back up, as I'm much better at spells than potions. I have this sneaking suspicion that once it goes back up, that's where I'll be earning the majority of my house point contributions - I'm prone to exploding cauldrons if I'm not extremely careful!

And, of course, Potions are the other fun thing. I've learned many things about Potions through a TON of trial and error. The first is don't start a potion after 3PM EST. Site traffic goes up majorly just about then (schools in the US start getting out, so that's no surprise) and I have been kicked off due to heavy traffic multiple times, and not allowed back in until AFTER my potion has been ruined. Frustrating to say the least. I've also learned that potion brewing is extremely finicky, so things like READING DIRECTIONS are important lol. I generally ruin a potion at least twice (once for before brewing and once for after) before I get it right, because I haven't done it fast enough, or I didn't realize which ingredient was which, or worst, I didn't realize how they made me add the ingredients fast enough to stop it from adding too much!

Anyway, overall, I'd say Pottermore is a HUGE success! I love all the things we've been given so far, and my only complaint is that there isn't MORE of the same!

(If you would like to add me as a friend on Pottermore, either email me at greenparrot55 [at] hotmail [dot] com or DM me on Twitter and send me your username. I'll reply with mine, so you know it's me =)

Book Review: Sisters Red

2011-09-14T12:00:00.003-04:00

Title: Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings #1)
Author: Jackson Pearce
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.
Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

My Review: Talk about a change of pace after reading Cloaked! Sisters Red is the polar opposite of Cloaked despite both being about fairy tales.

I have heard so many good things about Jackson Pearce. It seems like everywhere I turn there's another book blogger raving about her books. Honestly, this one had been on my list for a while, just for peer pressure. That said, it did not disappoint.

I think the thing I liked best about this book is the relationship between the sisters. They often describe their own relationship as being 2 halves of the same heart. While poetically this is a great description, I think it is also a great literary device. In a way, each girl is Red Riding Hood, representing different sides of her personality. Pearce uses this to explore the many facets of human nature. The way she writes it, she shows that both personality types can be good - we feel sorry for each in their turn, and at times I honestly couldn't decide which I believed was right.

I also really liked the turn around take on the story - the hunted (red riding hood) is actually the huntress. It's almost like this could be the "what comes next" story instead of just a retelling. There are so many layers to this book! Every time I think about it, I discover something else intriguing and amazing. I'm just a little bit speechless when it comes to what I liked about the book. I want to say "I loved ALL OF IT!" but that wouldn't be a very interesting review now would it? lol

I'm meandering a bit. The point is, if you're one of the few people who have been living under a rock (like me!) and somehow managed to miss out reading this one, then I'm telling you DO IT NOW! You won't regret it.

Top 100 YA books!

2011-09-14T08:50:00.000-04:00

I know, I have far too many reviews to catch up on to be doing fun stuff like this, but too bad! This list of 'Top 100 YA books' was created by Word Fiend and All the Days of. I first saw it on That Book Blog

The books I have read are in bold, those that are on my TBR list are in italics.

Total 43/100 (including each book in series, 116 books) with 17 more on the TBR list - not too bad, if I do say so myself =)

Alex Finn – Beastly

Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones

Ally Carter – Gallagher Girls (1, 2, 3, 4)

Ally Condie – Matched

Alyson Noel – The Immortals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Anastasia Hopcus – Shadow Hills

Angie Sage – Septimus Heap (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Ann Brashares – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1, 2, 3, 4)

Anna Godbersen – Luxe (1, 2, 3, 4)

Anthony Horowitz – Alex Rider (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Aprilynne Pike – Wings (1, 2, 3)

Becca Fitzpatrick – Hush, Hush (1, 2)

Brandon Mull – Fablehaven (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Brian Selznick – The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments (1, 2, 3, 4)

Carrie Jones – Need (1, 2, 3)

Carrie Ryan – The Forest of Hands and Teeth (1, 2, 3, 4)

Christopher Paolini – Inheritance (1, 2, 3, 4)

Cinda Williams Chima – The Heir Chronicles (1, 2, 3)

Colleen Houck – Tigers Saga (1, 2)

Cornelia Funke – Inkheart (1, 2, 3)

Ellen Hopkins – Impulse

Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Faraaz Kazi – Truly, Madly, Deeply

Frank Beddor – The Looking Glass Wars (1, 2, 3)

Gabrielle Zevin – Elsewhere

Gail Carson Levine – Fairest

Holly Black – Tithe (1, 2, 3)

J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

James Dashner – The Maze Runner (1, 2)

James Patterson – Maximum Ride (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Jay Asher – Thirteen Reasons Why

Jeanne DuPrau – Books of Ember (1, 2, 3, 4)

Jeff Kinney – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

John Boyne – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

John Green – An Abundance of Katherines

John Green – Looking for Alaska

John Green – Paper Towns

Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus (1, 2, 3, 4)

Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl – Caster Chronicles (1, 2)

Kelley Armstrong – Darkest Powers (1, 2, 3)

Kristin Cashore – The Seven Kingdoms (1, 2)

Lauren Kate – Fallen (1, 2, 3)

Lemony Snicket – Series of Unfortunate Events (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)

Libba Bray – Gemma Doyle (1, 2, 3)

Lisa McMann – Dream Catcher (1, 2, 3)

Louise Rennison – Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

M.T. Anderson – Feed

Maggie Stiefvater – The Wolves of Mercy Falls (1, 2, 3)

Margaret Peterson Haddix – Shadow Children (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Maria V. Snyder – Study (1, 2, 3)

Markus Zusak – The Book Thief

Markus Zusak – I am the Messenger

Mark Haddon – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Mary Ting – Crossroads

Maureen Johnson – Little Blue Envelope (1, 2)

Meg Cabot – All-American Girl (1, 2)

Meg Cabot – The Mediator (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Meg Cabot – The Princess Diaries (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Meg Rosoff – How I Live Now

Megan McCafferty – Jessica Darling (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Megan Whalen Turner – The Queen’s Thief (1, 2, 3, 4)

Melina Marchetta – On the Jellicoe Road

Melissa de la Cruz – Blue Bloods (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Melissa Marr – Wicked Lovely (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Michael Grant – Gone (1, 2, 3, 4)

Nancy Farmer – The House of the Scorpion

Neal Shusterman – Unwind

Neil Gaiman – Coraline

Neil Gaiman – Stardust

Neil Gaiman – The Graveyard Book

P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast – House of Night (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Philip Pullman – His Dark Materials (1, 2, 3)

Rachel Caine – The Morganville Vampires (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Rachel Cohn & David Levithan – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Richelle Mead – Vampire Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson and the Olympians (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Rom LcO’Feer – Somewhere Carnal Over 40 Winks

S.L. Naeole – Grace (1, 2, 3, 4)

Sabrina Bryan & Julia DeVillers – Princess of Gossip

Sarah Dessen – Along for the Ride

Sarah Dessen – Lock and Key

Sarah Dessen – The Truth about Forever

Sara Shepard – Pretty Little Liars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Scott Westerfeld – Leviathan (1, 2)

Scott Westerfeld – Uglies (1, 2, 3)

Shannon Hale – Books of a Thousand Days

Shannon Hale – Princess Academy

Shannon Hale – The Books of Bayern (1, 2, 3, 4)

Sherman Alexie & Ellen Forney – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Simone Elkeles – Perfect Chemistry (1, 2, 3)

Stephenie Meyer – The Host

Stephenie Meyer – Twilight Saga (1, 2, 3, 4)

Sue Monk Kidd – The Secret Life of Bees

Susan Beth Pfeffer – Last Survivors (1, 2, 3)

Suzanne Collins – Hunger Games (1, 2, 3)

Suzanne Collins – Underland Chronicles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Terry Pratchett – Tiffany Aching (1, 2, 3, 4)

Tonya Hurley – Ghost Girl (1, 2, 3)

Wendelin Van Draanen – Flipped

Book Review: Cloaked

2011-09-12T12:02:00.015-04:00

Title: Cloaked
Author: Alex Flinn
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.
It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.
There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.
Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.

My Review: I adore Alex Flinn. Case in point: When I returned from vacation nearly a month ago, I'd racked up something like 10 reviews to write so I put myself on a book reading ban - read slowly, if at all, reread so there's no review to write, and read multiple at once so you don't finish any of them. I picked up Cloaked and that all flew out the window. I raced through the book in a day, unable to stop myself or slow down.

One of the things I love about Flinn's books is her accessible, informal tone. Her stories read like The Princess Diaries or Anna and the French Kiss but they have magic. They tell the ancient, wonderful stories we first heard as kids, reworking them and making us believe in them.

I especially enjoyed Cloaked because it draws on some of the much lesser known fairy tales. As a fairy tale junkie myself I recognized most of them, but she pulled out a few even I didn't know! As some of my favorites are these lesser known tales (my only mainstream favorite is Beauty and the Beast) I was really excited for this one. I was not disappointed in the least. The tales worked themselves out with true poetic justice and the fairy tale flavor just lightly colors the real world love story.

With all 3 of her fairy tale books on my favorites list, Flinn has officially made it on to my "Favorite Authors" list. I will read anything she puts out as soon as I can get my hands on it. She's THAT good people!

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels

2011-09-06T09:07:00.000-04:00

Today, I decided to try something new. I'll be participating in Top Ten Tuesdays at least for the rest of the year. I'm really excited to get to know all of you! As I often work on Tuesdays I will probably not return visits until Wednesdays, but leave a comment and I can guarantee I'll come visit your blog by the end of the week (I'm curious like that). TTT is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish (love the blog name by the way, totally true of me too!) Hop on by to see the rest of the entries.

This week's list is top ten sequels you can't wait to read. Here's mine:

1) Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter - WANT NOW! I'm soooooo excited for this one! =)

2) Insurgent by Veronica Roth - So um, this one too. I don't care that there's not a summary up, I'm willing to go over to Amazon and preorder it now.

3) The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton - Yes, I am aware that the first one isn't even out yet. But considering The Faerie Ring was one of my absolute FAVORITE books of 2011, I kind of have to have this, like yesterday! (Also, look out for my review of The Faerie Ring, coming out as part of a tour in the next couple weeks.)

4) The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross - Another absolute FAVORITE of 2011, I had to put this one on there!

5) Goliath by Scott Westerfeld - Technically this is the third in the series not the sequel, but I don't care. I love steampunk, I love the Clankers versus Beasties, and I want to know what happens to Deryn and Alek! ONLY 14 MORE DAYS! =D

6) Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh - Ok, that cliff hanger? NOT COOL! Oh and that release date? ALSO NOT COOL! How can I possibly wait ANOTHER year for more Varen?

7) Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan - Slightly different than the rest of the list, but I'm still looking forward to this one. Heroes of Olympus is possibly my favorite Riordan series so far, and I am seriously looking forward to finding out what happens! (Now if only he'd write a series on Norse myth after this one...)

8) Supernaturally by Kiersten White -Technically out already this summer, but I still haven't got a copy, so it counts, right?

9) Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare -TMI may not be my favorite series ever (it's good, just not a favorite) but ID definitely is! I guess I just prefer my vamps and other shadow creatures with a flavor of steampunk. I cannot wait for this next installment!

10) Red Glove by Holly Black - Already out for a while, I know, but I haven't gotten to it yet, and I really REALLY want to!

I'm sure I could find more I'm looking forward to, but those are the first 10 that come to mind. What are yours?

Book Review: Starcrossed

2011-09-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1)
Author: Josephine Angelini
Origins: Won from Julie at That's Swell (Thanks!!!)
Summary: [from GoodReads]
How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Review:

I. Love. This. Book! It's got all my favorites - Mythology, a sizzling romance, a twisty complicated plot - I just loved it!

I have to admit it wasn't always like that. At first I did a lot of eye rolling. The first 40 pages or so read like a semi-retelling of Twilight - New guy moves into town with his strangely reclusive family and the girl "doesn't care" though you know she'll end up with him somehow. Before long, though, that "been there, done that" feeling pretty much blows up in your face.

From the time Helen meets Lucas this novel is extremely fast paced and action packed. I finished the book before I even realized it and was left turning invisible pages looking for more! And Lucas! I'd take him over a vampire any day! He's kind, thoughtful, smart and loyal, and of course absolutely gorgeous!

I realize I haven't actually said that much about what's actually in the book so far. In fact, I don't think I will. One of the things I enjoyed so much about this book was how it kept me on my toes constantly and every twist took me completely by surprise. If I say much more, I could be spoiling a wonderful experience for someone else. Suffice to say it is a fabulous book that you NEED to read now!

Book Review: Blood Magic

2011-09-02T15:51:00.000-04:00

Title: Blood Magic (The Blood Journals #1)

Author: Tessa Gratton

Origins: Bought

Summary: [from GoodReads] It starts off simply.

Draw a circle ... place a dead leaf in the center ... sprinkle some salt ... recite a little Latin ... add a drop of blood ...

Maybe that last part isn't exactly simple. Yet somehow it feels right to Silla Kennicott. And nothing in her life has felt remotely right since her parents' horrific deaths. She's willing to do anything to uncover the truth about her family—even try a few spells from the mysterious book that arrived on her doorstep ... and spill some blood.

The book isn't the only recent arrival in Silla's life. There's Nick Pardee, the new guy next door who may have seen Silla casting a spell. She's not sure what he saw and is afraid to find out. But as they spend more time together, Silla realizes this may not be Nick's first encounter with Blood Magic. Brought together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick can't deny their attraction. And they can't ignore the dark presence lurking nearby—waiting to reclaim the book and all its power.

My Review: Yet another debut! I'm going to have to stop with the debuts soon so I can get some others read!

This book is decidedly different from anything I've ever read. Sure it's a teen novel and there's romance to it, but aside from that it's got a dark flavor to it that I've never really seen before. Part of that is the type of magic it deals with - Blood magic almost always has really negative connotations, probably because it's almost always portrayed like the antagonist uses it in this one. It is almost never considered as something that could be used in a positive way. Even this novel is ambiguous on that point. There are obviously going to be sequels and I'm curious to see if it turns out it really can be used for good or if it becomes too much of a temptation to Silla and Nick.

The thing about featuring something as dark as Blood magic is it's rarely thought out in the detail that other, less unsavory magics are (probably because it can get exceedingly gory if the author isn't careful). This gives the writer tons of space to play with the specifics and give us something completely new. The image of the magic supply trunk, complete with small vials of dust and herbs and a blood-letting quill was so vivid that it is still branded in my mind.

Basically, I really enjoyed this book. If you're looking for something a little bit different, something slightly off ordinary, then this one is for you! I'm eagerly looking forward to the next book!

Media Monday: What are you waiting for?

2011-08-29T15:13:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming to an end soon, and as fall starts up, one of the things that immediately comes to mind is the Fall TV show line up! So, I thought since I've been too busy to actually go to a movie recently, today might be a good day to talk about what we're looking forward to. Kinda like Waiting on Wednesday, but about movies/TV and on Monday. So not like it at all really.

Let's start with some new faces:

I'm not usually one to pick up new shows when they first come on, but I saw a preview for Once Upon A Time at some film I went to (possibly Harry Potter) and I am intrigued. I will definitely be watching for a few episodes at least to see what it's like.

On to the returning favorites: Firstly, I am majorly looking forward to Castle coming back.

The only crime drama I will watch on a regular basis, we were left with a cliffhanger so bad, I'm STILL feeling it! Plus, I miss the funny dialogue, the obvious onscreen tensions between Castle and Beckett (which can only get worse now - if you've seen it you know what I mean!) and the excitement of having a new episode every week! Who's with me?

Second, I cannot WAIT for more of Merlin!

It's been even longer since the last episode of this one, since the BBC prefer to do only 13 episodes a season. While I think in some cases this is a good thing - less episodes means more work can be done on the episodes there are, making them better in general - it is very frustrating to be left with a cliff-hanger and know you won't get the next episode for at least 9 months! This one doesn't start until October so I will probably be rewatching Series 3 soon, just so I can remember what happened.

And finally, listed last only because it has actually started up again, and therefore I'm merely waiting a week instead of months, Doctor Who:

I have talked about the Doctor many times, and I'm sure you don't need to hear any more about how awesome he is! Go watch it if you haven't!

As a side note: I've recently picked up watching Supernatural as well, and if I make my way through all the seasons in time, I'm sure I will also be looking forward to that one starting up soon! I'm only halfway through season 3 right now, so it may be quite a while before I'm truly caught up.

I'm sure there are many good shows out there that I've missed, so tell me in the comments or do up your own post, telling me what they are. If you do a post, be sure to leave me a link in the comments so I can come visit!

Book Review: The Iron Knight

2011-08-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Origins: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Summary: [from NetGalley]

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.
Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her
irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.
And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My Review: WARNING! SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE BOOKS!

This book seems to be one of the most anticipated sequels of the year. After the way Iron Queen left off I'm not surprised. That is not the way you end an epic story like that. Even if the love story isn't the focus of the story the reader feels gipped if it doesn't get wrapped up properly.

Iron Knight is definitely the wrap up readers are looking for. It follows Ash, the winter prince, in his quest to find a way around Meghan's orders. It provides a lot of back story that didn't particularly belong in the previous books but that I was definitely curious about. It also explores the Wildwood, in my opinion the most interesting part of the NeverNever. Nothing like going to the end of a world to learn what the true limits of that world are.

The only thing I'd say about this one is it still didn't feel like an ending yet. Well, that's the wrong way to put it. It is AN ending, but it doesn't feel like THE ending. There are so many possible future problems that could make for really interesting novels. Even if the future novels don't have much, if anything, to do with Meghan and Ash.

Maybe I'm just having trouble letting go. Kagawa has created a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite places to read about, and I just don't want to put it down!

Book Review: The Near Witch

2011-08-18T09:39:00.000-04:00

Title: The Near Witch
Author: Victoria Schwab
Origins: Downloaded from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
Summary: [from NetGalley]

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life. But when an actual stranger-a boy who seems to fade like smoke-appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi's need to know- about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

My Review: Another high(ish) fantasy! I am loving this trend!

One of the things I really liked about this book was the message. It is clear from very early on that certain characters are extremely prejudiced against strangers. Throughout the book this prejudice is consistently shown as the root of the problems. This message is very timely considering certain global problems our society is facing.

Another thing I enjoyed about the book was the feel. Despite the novel format, the style and tone gave the story the air of an ancient ballad, told by some bard in the local tavern. I want to see this story as a story couched within another, like the 1001 Arabian Nights stories. The stories Scheherezade tells are just as interesting as her story itself. I'd be interested to know if the author plans to make a series out of this - not necessarily dealing with these characters ever again, but returning to this world to tell other stories about other aspects of the world.

All in all this was a very good debut novel. I'll be looking forward to her next one eagerly!

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

2011-08-17T12:00:00.001-04:00

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

My Review: If I had to think of a word to describe this book it would without a doubt be "cute!" And not in the small children and baby animals kind of way but the "They're so adorable I might have to squee!" kind of way!

First off, I love the fact that this is not only a boarding school novel but also a foreign exchange novel. I know when I was growing up "foreign exchange" was something people from other countries did to come here. That most certainly is not the case, and I fully support anyone and anything that encourages young Americans to experience other cultures. In a global economy like ours, it is important to understand other cultures, and even make friends with them, and the best way to do that is to experience them for yourself!

But what I really love, love, loved was Anna and Étienne. They have what I would consider the perfect love story. So many novels that involve romance these days are more concerned with the problems that happen after a relationship has started so they have the leading pair fall in love fast and then stay in love through all obstacles. This book focuses on the journey to falling in love instead. It feels so much more realistic to me to have Anna and Étienne be best friends before everything else, and I just loved it!

I honestly cannot find a single negative thing to say about this book no matter how I try. It really is a very fun, cute novel and I'd recommend it to everyone!

Book Review: Enclave

2011-08-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

Title: Enclave (Razorland #1)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE

In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.

My Review: This book was an interesting experience for me. I read it while driving to Chicago to catch my plane. One of the best places for me to read is scrunched into the car on a long journey, and because of that I sped through it. At the same time I kind of felt disappointed. There had been such hype over the book when it first came out and between the blurb and the reviews, I lusted after the book something fierce!

That said, I think the book was very good. Maybe my slight disappointment was merely due to the recent let down off the high of finishing Divergent in less than 12 hours. While none of the characters particularly stood out, the setting and the way Aguirre deals with the emotional and psychological problems after such a disaster is phenomenal. The zombie men also reminded me a little of the reavers from Firefly - one of my favorite shows, and therefore a major plus in my book!

In the end, I'd say this book is an entertaining and thought provoking read that is definitely worth your time, but with all the competition out there, don't expect it to be the next Hunger Games.

Mini Book Review: Divergent

2011-08-11T10:16:00.000-04:00

Title: Divergent (Divergent #1)
Author: Veronica Roth
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

My Review: There certainly are a lot of dystopian novels coming out recently! I have wanted to get my hands on this one for quite a while, especially after all the hype around its release! There was a time whe it seemed like everyone in the blogosphere had either read and loved this one or was desperate to get their hands on a copy.

Even though the hype has pretty much died down by now I am glad to say I found Divergent deserving of everything said about it. The plot was engaging and the world was detailed. The book seemed like the perfect mixture of The Hunger Games, Ender's Game, and Harry Potter. My only concern is how very long the book is. I think the length is necessary and the plot is fast-paced enough to keep the reader interested, but some readers might be put off. I'm telling you now, don't be! It is well worth it!

Book Review: Ruby Red

2011-08-09T10:27:00.000-04:00

Title: Ruby Red (Edelstein Trilogie #1)
Author: Kerstin Gier
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

My Review: First, let me apologize if my gushing and dribbling comes out of the screen and hits you in the face. Not sorry for the gushing, but sorry if you got wet.

This book has been added to my Favorites of 2011 list - the list is only 3 books long so far, so it's pretty exclusive. That is how amazing this book is. It grabbed me soon as I started it and I could not put it down. I had it finished withint 12 hours and at least half that time was devoted to sleep! Then, soon as I set it down I went searching for the sequel, and, finding it was only in German, desperately turned to Twitter to find someone to teach me German, so I could read it now! It's THAT good people!

Firstly, there's Gwen, the Ruby of the title. She is so painfully normal at first you can't help but like her. You feel her pain as everything she knows falls apart around her. It is easy to imagine yourself in her shoes, floundering through this new skill and hurting when she gets blamed for something she couldn't possibly have known about.

Then we have Gideon, the antagonist/love interest. He starts out as such a jerk! At the beginning I couldn't imagine Gwen ever liking him, despite the hints in the blurb on the back cover. Slowly though we begin to see another side to him. Sure he's still mostly a jerk at the end of this book but I can see how he might be redeemed and I'm desperate for the rest of the books to find out how they're going to do it!

And of course I can't go without mentioning the plot, for what would be an amazing cast of characters without interesting things for them to do? I love time travel stories but I have never seen one like this. The laws of the world are extremely well planned, accounting for the typical problems of time travel with seeming ease. The plot is complicated enough to keep you on your toes, but not so complicated that you have to work to keep up.

And, of course, I must congratulate the translator. The story and language flowed smoothly and I didn't ever have to step back from the narrative to realize that the story wasn't originally in my language.

In short, this is a fabulous book that you must find and read, sooner rather than later!

Media Monday: Captain America

2011-08-08T21:53:00.000-04:00

Title: Captain America (The Avengers Collection #5)
Media Type: Feature Film
Director: Joe Johnston
Studio: Marvel Studios
Genre: Superhero

My Review: It's hard to believe that summer is almost over already! I've been waiting for Captain America ever since I saw Thor and realized that they were making a series of these things. I was intrigued by the idea of a period superhero film. It has never been done as far as I know - Superhero films have almost always been made as "current time" even though some were set in that time period originally, they were filmed in that time period.

One thing I really enjoyed is that they did such a good job of keeping to the canon and keeping to the time period. I was expecting the occasional reference to the other Avengers films, but the links were quite frankly ALL OVER this one. I went to the movie with one friend who has seen all the rest of the films and one friend who hasn't, and the one who hasn't laughed at us the whole time because we spent practically the whole movie freaking out about this or that way they connected them up. Captain America is really obviously the prequel, with many previous characters mentioned or actually showing up, and the groundwork laid for so many things that are unexplained in the other films.

I'm not much of an expert on period pieces, so I can't really comment on whether this one was perfectly accurate or not. The thing I enjoyed is that it felt like the atmosphere was accurate. I enjoy period films a lot for their atmosphere and this one felt right, as if it belonged in the time it was set. The film was modern enough to allow for the technology that superheroes are usually called on to fight, but still allowed itself the limitations of the time, which is part of the fun of any period piece.

The plot itself is interesting enough. Someone who had never seen any of the other films would be able to understand this film, and find it enjoyable I think. But the film is that much more enjoyable for all the references to other Marvel films. While Thor is still my favorite of the Marvel series, Captain America comes in a close second, and I would definitely recommend it.

Book Review: Sapphique

2011-08-06T14:20:00.000-04:00

Title: Sapphique (Incarceron #2)
Author: Catherine Fisher
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don't even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique.

My Review: It seems like forever ago that I read Incarceron. With how fast and how much I read it can become difficult to keep books straight, and so going into this book I only just barely remembered the premise of the first book, much less the plot.

Perhaps because of this, I had trouble with Sapphique. Often times when reading a sequel I rely on the first chapter or so to remind me of the important things
- oddities about the world, major plot points and cliffhangers from the previous book etc. While Sapphique did that, it also threw you very quickly into the action. It was just complicated enough that I had to struggle to catch up. I often stopped reading and found I had a headache from trying to work out all the plot twists and whose side everyone was on.

On the other hand, when I could keep up, I found the story interesting and inventive, rife with intriguing concepts and original ideas. For all the plot was complicated, the writing itself flowed smoothly, helping the reader keep going when things got difficult to understand. I really admire that in a writer and I will definitely be lookign for her further books, despite the complication of her plots.

Book Review: Cold Magic

2011-08-04T14:44:00.001-04:00

Title: Cold Magic (Spiritwalker #1)
Author: Kate Elliott
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] It is the dawn of a new age... The Industrial Revolution has begun, factories are springing up across the country, and new technologies are transforming in the cities. But the old ways do not die easy.

“I was not a bard or a djeli or an historian or a scribe and I was certainly not a sage, but that didn't mean I wasn't curious…”

Young Cat Barahal thinks she understands the world she lives in and her place in it, but in fact she is merely poised, unaware, on the brink of shattering events. Drawn into a labyrinth of politics involving blood, betrayal and old feuds, she will be forced to make an unexpected and perilous journey in order to discover the truth, not just about her own family but about an ancient secret lying at the heart of her world.

Cat and her cousin Bee are part of this revolution. Young women at college, learning of the science that will shape their future and ignorant of the magics that rule their families. But all of that will change when the Cold Mages come for Cat. New dangers lurk around every corner and hidden threats menace her every move. If blood can't be trusted, who can you trust?

My Review: I wanted to love this book, I really did. For one thing, it's Steampunk, one of my absolute favorite genres. For another, the symbolism of the story sounded very interesting! But for some reason my reading dragged through this one.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. There were many very interesting parts that caught my attention. The plot was twisted and complicated satisfying my liking for the mysterious. The setting had all the elements of the steampunk that I love, and furthermore came at it from the fantasy side of things (Fantasy + Victorian trappings instead of Victorian era + Magic) which I have only seen once before and have found very intriguing.

I also really liked the main character. Cat is feisty, smart and slightly rebellious. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. All the same, I soon found myself rooting for her captor Andevai! It was easy to tell he was being forced into this same as her and I felt sorry for him. I wanted him to be redeemed, wanted her to really fall for him.

In the end, I guess I'd say this is a decent book, but those looking to pick it up should be aware that it's not an easy read. It takes a lot of concentration and time, and the reader should be ready for that.

Vacation!

2011-07-24T12:00:00.014-04:00

So as you read this post (if scheduling works correctly this time) I'm probably a long ways away. Well, not quite yet, I suppose, but I'm in the car on the way to a long ways away. This is because, after a long wait, I'm going back to England! For the most part, this is a business trip - I've had research accepted to a conference and I'm presenting it as well as attending some of the rest of the conference. I'm also excited that I get to meet up with many of the friends I had while studying abroad, AND I get to meet a friend who lives in the internet! I'm very excited about all of this, but sad as well that it means I must leave you all alone for a whole week.

Posting should continue as normal - I am 5 reviews behind my actual latest book read and I hope to schedule at least some of these reviews to post while I'm gone. But I will be unable to reply to comments or blog hop while I am there. The most I can hope for is a chance to check my email once or twice. So, feel free to email me if you need me, but otherwise I'll be MIA here and on Twitter for a little bit. Have a wonderful week, and I'll see you when I get back! (Don't worry, I'll take tons of pictures to share =)

Book Review: Enchanted Glass

2011-07-21T12:12:00.000-04:00

Title: Enchanted Glass
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]
When the magician Jocelyn Brandon Hope died he bequeathed Melstone House to his grandson Andrew. He also left his ‘field of care’: an area of strangeness surrounding the land around the house, whose boundary Andrew must walk in order to preserve its power.

Andrew had always loved the house, but he finds owning it a lot more complicated, aside from all the magic. There is Mrs Stock, the tyrannical housekeeper who won’t let him move the furniture and punishes him with her terrible cooking. Just as bad is the obsessive gardener who will only grow giant inedible vegetables. To add to his troubles, twelve year old orphan Aidan Cain suddenly arrives on the doorstep begging protection from magical stalkers, and Andrew’s sinister rich neighbour, Mr Brown, begins to encroach on the ‘field of care’. The one compensation is the gardener’s beautiful niece, Stashe. Things become stranger and stranger until all is made clear with the help of the enchanted glass itself.

My Review: I've probably already said this, but Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors ever. When she died earlier this year, we lost one of the greatest minds that I have ever admired. Enchanted Glass is the last book she ever wrote, and while I'm grateful to have it, I will be feeling the loss of her new works for many years to come.

One of the things I've always admired about Diana is how she always builds a completely new, beautiful world with each work. They all feel as if they might be related, because her style is so distinctive, but they're all fresh and new, each with its own rules and its own quirks. Enchanted Glass is no exception. The rural England setting makes for a charming mixture of modern day with quaint old-fashioned small town, allowing for an entirely new brand of magical mischief.

Though the plot was slightly predictable - I had worked out who everyone was and who would win in the end by about halfway through - it was the reading experience itself that made this so truly enjoyable for me. Picking up any of Diana's books, for me, is like reacquainting myself with an old friend that you haven't spoken to for years. True, the cover may have changed and the plot may have lost (or gained) a few parallel universes, but that spark that created the original friendship is still there, waiting for you to rediscover it.

Book Review: Abandon

2011-07-19T13:43:00.000-04:00

Title: Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1)
Author: Meg Cabot
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]
Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

My Review: One of the things I really love about summer is the amount of reading I get done. During the summer I actually have time to spend on my obsessions, so typical speed for me is approximately a book a day. While this is a wonderful feeling while I'm doing it, it certainly makes for a major review backlog! Sorry!

As I'm sure you've all gathered by now, I love mythology. There's just something about the beauty of these stories and the way people used to truly believe in them that just makes me shiver with excitement. So, even though I was leery about someone like Meg Cabot doing something as dark as the Persephone myth, I was ready to give it a try. (Admittedly my view is a little bit prejudiced since all I've ever read of hers is Princess Diaries.)

The first thing that struck me about the novel is that it is so different from Diaries. I had trouble telling it was the same author because everything about the book was so much darker than I was expecting! The Hispanic flavor and the gothic setting added interesting touches, blending several mythologies into one very interesting story.

But I think my favorite thing about the book was John. He (in my imagination at least) is so gorgeous! He is wonderfully mysterious and delightfully flawed. He does have his moments of evil, and they are terrifying, but for the most part he's just a tormented sould forced into a job he doesn't want. I felt so bad for him, all I wanted to do was help. Honestly if I were Pierce, I might have gone with him in the first place instead of trying to escape.

Bottom line: This is a fun book that is a must read for anyone who likes mythology. I will be eagerly awaiting the second book - I need more!

Media Monday: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011-07-18T11:20:00.000-04:00

*warning: This post is rated PG-13: contains some slightly unseemly language.*

Yet another Media Monday! I may start making this a regular meme, what do you guys think?

This week we'll be focusing on what everyone's talking about:

That's right Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2!

This isn't really going to be a review. I think the work really defies reviewing, because of the amount of emotional baggage that comes with it for so many of us. I went into it not knowing what to expect. I am very good at separating books from movies, and so I wasn't as worried as some about what they'd get right and what they'd miss. Even so, I've invested so much time and love into this series (both books and movies) that I still had some expectations.

The very first thing that came out of my mouth after the credits hit, tears streaming down my face, was "They got it right!" I could not believe how right they got it. For me, as long as they got it close, it would have been good enough. I would have been ok with a little disappointment as long as they made a good film, because I understand that a film can't do everything. But there was no disappointment people. They got every single one of the important lines in, plus some lines that totally weren't in the books but are my new favorites ("Harry talks in his sleep, had you noticed?")! Neville was a BAMF, Ron was actually quite attractive, and Dumbledore said the line! I was so hurt and yet glad to see Hogwarts, the place I'd come to love, so absolutely defiled. It was as it should have been, and it was so well done that it physically hurt me to see it that way. (I'm also obliged to note that the friend who went with me was extremely excited that they actually redeemed the Malfoys - she's a huge Draco fan.) Plus, the 19 Years Later scene was incredible! Hats off to the costume/make-up department.

But no matter what you loved the most, Alan Rickman completely stole the show. Now, I knew he was a good actor, cause I've seen him in other stuff. But the thing with playing Snape is that he had to be completely straight faced, unyielding in his hatred for Harry and just, well, the same all the time. That's what makes the transformation so very striking. I almost hate them for what they did, because I was fine, right up until the pensieve scene. Then I started crying and couldn't stop. I have never cried in a movie before, people. NEVER! But that scene was so moving, I just couldn't help it (at least until the b**** two rows up started laughing at the shot of Remus and Tonks - you know, THAT shot. I swear I almost threw something at her. Even if you're not here cause you love it, respect what it is for us, lady! RESPECT THE THING AND STFU!)

And of course, it can't be a film review from me without a mention of the soundtrack. Despite how involved in the film I was, there were many places that the soundtrack was so well done I just couldn't help but notice it (plus I've been to see it twice now - I always catch more on the second time around). The music was so haunting and empty - matching the way I felt about the last book the first time around - and then the places where they left it silent were perfect as well. I cried just as much because of the beautiful, hurtful music, as the beautiful, hurtful scenes it accompanied.

In the end (and I suppose it is the end) I am so very proud of what they have done with the story. Yes, there were some bad moments, and some films that I just won't watch unless it's a marathon. But as a whole this thing they have created is a beautiful, wonderful thing that will still be relevant for many years to come. If you haven't seen it yet, you must. It is the closure we all needed to move on to the next chapter in our lives. Though Pottermore is coming up soon, the Harry Potter we all knew and loved is going to change once again through it. We can never get back this time, but it was so beautiful that it's hard to be sad about that. So goodbye for now, Mr. Potter. In the words of Professors Dumbledore and Snape:

"Really? After all this time?"
"Always."

Review: Harry, A History

2011-07-14T16:13:00.000-04:00

Since today is the final day of our Harry Potter waiting madness, I thought it would be an appropriate day to post the ramblings I wrote just after finishing Melissa Anelli's Harry, A History. Please keep in mind that the majority of these ramblings were written very late at night a few weeks ago. While they're not a review, per se, I'm categorizing it as one - for anyone who is confused at the end, I loved the book.

*Skip to two weeks ago*
Having just finished Harry, A History, I have a lot of Harry related thoughts running around my head. As it is after 1 am and thoughts are not particularly conducive to sleep, I thought I'd share.

Firstly, Harry Potter saved my life. I know, we all have our own versions of this story. But picture this: A 9-year-old only child whose only friends are the books she reads has run out of "children's" books to read. I'm not even exaggerating that much - as someone who grew up with adults I had no idea how to interact with children. I'd been struggling for weeks with incredible boredom. I was lost. This was a huge turning point for me. I can't even imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't been introduced to Harry. I can still remember that day - late in fall 1998, before Harry was the Harry Potter, before we even knew J.K. stood for Joanne and not Joseph, when my school librarian suggested it. I ordered the book on inter-library loan and got it within two days (later releases had wait lists more than a year long before the embargo even lifted). I devoured the book in a mere few hours. Suddenly I loved reading again. I would try harder to find books to read. I picked up copies of The Hobbit and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in the months following, both of which had covers that had previously scared me away. Without Harry Potter, I might have stopped reading altogether and the thought of what that life would be now is just unbearable.

Reading Harry, A History was like reliving that time in my life - a time when more magic was waiting just around the corner and when what would happen in the next book was just as important to me as what would happen to me tomorrow. I remember I kept a tally of how many times I re-read the first book inside the front cover - there are at least 10 hash marks now and I stopped counting somwhere around when book 5 came out. I grew up as a part of the Harry Potter generation and it drastically affected my life.

Though Harry, A History is not a part of the original 7 books I think it should be required reading for all with an interest in Harry's story. Part of understanding the love of Harry is understanding the phenomenon. I will certainly be making this book available to my possible future children when they're old enough to read Harry's story themselves.

Book Review: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn

2011-07-07T11:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon #1)
Author: Alison Goodman
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] 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...

My Review: Another High Fantasy YA! I'm loving this new(ish) trend!

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for dragons. They are and always have been my favorite mythological beast. (When asked the quintessential "Zombies vs. Unicorns" question, the answer is always Dragons - they can burn the Zombies up before they eat you and their blood, when freely given, is much more magical than Unicorn blood/horns) These dragons have a distinctly oriental feel to them. They follow the Chinese/Japanese zodiac - which I admit I mostly know only through Fruits Basket - and each dragon has certain qualities based on their sign. I found the entire mythology of the dragons extremely intricate, interestingly exotic and just plain fun!

Though the basic plotline - girl pretends to be boy to get what she wants - has been done a million times, never has it been done so drastically. Besides that, this classic plot has never had such significant twists and turns based on the simple gender issue. The book raises many questions about the way women and men are viewed stereotypically, both in feudal societies and now. And, like the best novels, it gives no hard and fast answers but allows you to find them yourself.

A word to the wise - if you're not used to the large fantasy tomes like I am, this book may seem a little daunting. Don't worry. Despite it's length, I flew through it at nearly twice my normal pace. It is a thoroughly enjoyable book with a good moral and it comes with my highest recommendation.

Book Review: The Emerald Atlas

2011-07-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Title: The Emerald Atlas (The Books of Beginning #1)
Author: John Stephens
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Kate, Michael, and Emma have suffered through ten years of odious orphanage "care"; now they have slipped into the care of the eccentric, disturbingly mysterious Dr. Pym. While exploring their new home, the children discover a magical green book. With that discovery, a decade of tedium dissolves into cascades of dangerous time travel adventures and struggles with a beautiful witch and decidedly less attractive zombielike Screechers.

My Review: Sometimes the books we love are huge bestsellers we hear about for weeks before they're published. Then again sometimes we pick something on a whim, based on title, blurb or whatever, just to see. For me The Emerald Atlas was one of the latter. I'm actually really surprised, with so many people doing the Debut Author Challenge, that I haven't seen one single review of this book yet, good or bad. This is especially surprising considering how much I loved the book!

Of course, it's not all that surprising that I loved the book in the first place, since it really is a mixture of all my favorite YA/MG series' rolled into one. Take Harry Potter, add in a good dose of Series of Unfortunate Events and Percy Jackson, and just a touch of Faerie Wars, Peter Pan, and The Mortal Instruments and you'd have something very similar to The Emerald Atlas. Stephens gets the blend of reality and fantasy just right to create my own personal Neverland. (As an aside, I love it when authors create a world so well that it seems to explain other stories as well as their own, and this seems like the perfect explanation of Peter Pan too!)

But the thing I love the most, I think, is that there's someone and something for everyone in this book. Younger readers will identify with Emma and her need to be different from her siblings, while older readers will identify with Kate, who feels a responsibility to protect Michael and Emma, despite their best efforts at getting into trouble. Those of us much older than the intended audience will see the similarities to the novels we grew up with - Harry Potter and His Dark Materials among others - while reveling in the new and interesting ways these tropes have been put together.

The point, if you haven't guessed already, is that this book, and it's sequels, are books to look forward to, to read and to cherish. Find yourself a copy, if you haven't already, and help spread the word!

Gailean Quartet Blog Tour: Guest Post

2011-07-01T12:00:00.003-04:00

Today we have Christine Schulze with us as part of Teen Book Scene's Blog Tour. For a full schedule of posts please click here. I'm so excited for her to share with us her top ten playlist of songs she listened to while writing her quartet. Without further ado, I give you Christine!

Top 10 songs I listened to while writing The Gailean Quartet:

1. “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven: The music playing in my head during all the stuff that happens
in chapter thirteen of The Prism of Ashlei, “The Caves of Aquanitess”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT7_IZPHHb0

2. “Scarborough Fair” by Celtic Woman: Inspires the concept of the Siren of the Wood as she plays
her mysterious violin to lure unsuspecting strangers into the wood in The Silver Stag:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_45W-Lq7ftw

3. “Siren of the Wood/Reflection”: Okay, so I actually composed this one after the fact, but it
accompanies The Silver Stag, and you can listen to it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwWEd-dbE60

4. Zelda music: Both the games and their music have always inspired. I especially love the songs
from Ocarina of Time and also the opening/trailer music to Twilight Princess. I do remember
Twilight Princess inspiring some of the scenes towards the end of Elantra: Song of Tears, Lady of
the Dawn, including the side story with Adrian. Listen to a sample here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVnsY9VRb9s

5. “The Song of Tears”: Another inspiration of mine, made while the books were under way and
accompanying Elantra: Song of Tears, Lady of the Dawn. You can listen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKmBHko6Gso

6. “Blue Eyes”: And yet another song composed during the writing of the books. Also known
as “Gail’s Song”, it is the song Chamblain composes in Gail’s honor in The Prism of Ashlei. Hear
it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6tiiaG__I

7. I know I was listening to music from The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King around this time. I
can’t think off-hand what this music might have inspired for The Gailean Quartet, but I am sure it
did, just as it influenced The Hero Chronicles. A favorite piece is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SUiCGR5JHqA&feature=related

8. Another song I composed at this time was “Ah Lum Deo” or “Ah Lum Amiel”, which is the
song the Octavial Eight battles Moragon with in The Last Musician and the Pool of Lorelei.
Unfortunately, it being a song full of both orchestral and human voices, its complexity has kept
me from putting it down on paper as of yet. However, it does allude to some of the music from
Mozart’s Requiem (don’t watch if you’ve never seen Amadeus and don’t want to spoil it!): http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROllcRNrGI4

9. “She Moved Thru' The Fair”, also from Celtic Woman. I actually listened to a lot of Celtic Woman
at this time, but this is another song inspiring the siren’s character in The Silver Stag: http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCpajl7UH3w

10. Music from The Pirates of the Caribbean: After all, the vampires in The Silver Stag aren’t just
vampires; they’re vampirates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=729i-eh-6uY

Thanks so much for visiting Christine! Readers, keep your eyes open for a review of her book(s) coming soon!

Book Review: Department 19

2011-06-28T14:20:00.001-04:00

Title: Department 19 (Department 19 #1)
Author: Will Hill
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Jamie Carpenter's life will never be the same. His father is dead, his mother is missing, and he was just rescued by an enormous man named Frankenstein. Jamie is brought to Department 19, where he is pulled into a secret organization responsible for policing the supernatural, founded more than a century ago by Abraham Van Helsing and the other survivors of Dracula. Aided by Frankenstein's monster, a beautiful vampire girl with her own agenda, and the members of the agency, Jamie must attempt to save his mother from a terrifyingly powerful vampire.

My Review: Yet another debut novel. Officially my twelfth, so YAY I completed the Debut Author Challenge, though of course I will continue to read debuts as they present themselves to me.

The best way to describe Department 19 is a combination of James Bond and Dracula. At the age of 14 Jamie Carpenter watches as his father is gunned down for terrorism. 2 years later he discovers just what kind of group his father was in, and it wasn't terrorists! Jamie soon meets Frankenstein (yes The Frankenstein) and the descendants of several famous characters from the original Vampire story, Dracula. The mix was so interesting - the mixture of spy thriller and paranormal makes for an action novel that can appeal to all.

Just one disclaimer: this novel is extremely violent and gory. More than once I found myself gagging and passing over several paragraphs. So, if you have an easily turned stomach, this is NOT the book for you, no matter how good it sounds. Sorry.

Media Monday: Green Lantern

2011-06-27T12:00:00.003-04:00

Title: The Green Lantern
Media Type: Feature Film
Director: Martin Campbell
Studio: Warner Brothers/DC entertainment
Genre: Superhero

My Review: Summer blockbuster season is in full swing and this is just the latest in a great summer lineup! Green Lantern is another superhero film that I knew nothing about before walking in. As you've probably figured out I was not allowed comic books as a kid, and they're fairly difficult to find on the library catalog now. All I knew was what the trailers told us: 1) it's a superhero with a green ring and 2) Ryan Reynolds is hot.

Visually, this is a gorgeously done film. The CGI doesn't seem fake and the costumes were wonderfully detailed. The world was colorful and beautiful - I almost would watch it again just to see the sets. But the best part for me was the metaphorical implications of the story. For those who don't know, Green is the color of "will" in this film. Hal is chosen by the Green Lantern ring to wield the power of will, supposedly because he is fearless, and he fights against Hector, representative of Yellow, the color of Fear. I won't spoil it for you but the significance of the two colors and how events work out is actually a really good moral.

Having just seen and loved Thor this one wasn't quite as impressive - I'm a sucker for stories that are set in the same universe and have little in-jokes in them (Captain America's shield showing up in both Iron Mans, that type of stuff. I mean, come on, who doesn't love that? lol). But it is a very well done film, and I'm looking forward to the second film they set up!

Book Review: White Cat

2011-06-25T11:14:00.000-04:00

Title: White Cat (Curse Workers #1)
Author: Holly Black
Origins: Bought
Summary: [from GoodReads]
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.
Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

My Review: I always seem to forget how unique and entertaining Holly Black's novels are. I read Tithe and Ironside many years ago and enjoyed them but never got around to reading the rest. Then, after all the hype surrounding Red Glove, I decided I'd better see what all the fuss was.

The first thing that really caught my attention on this one was the setting. Cassel comes from a family of "workers" that live to serve their Mob boss overlords. Even though he's not a worker and isn't of any use to the crimelords, everything is about the con for him. He even runs a small gambling pool at school to keep his hand in. Holly Black's edgy style and modern voice fit this setting perfectly, lending to an extremely interesting Urban Fantasy setting.

I tend to divide the books I read into 3 categories: ones where I can see the ending a mile off, ones where I can see the ending but have no clue how to get there, and ones where I have no clue what's going on in the first place. They can all be good reads, depending on how well they're written, but the first can get boring and the last can be frustrating. The most interesting, and yet probably the hardest to write, is the second of the three, and I would unreservedly put White Cat in that category. I could see what had to happen coming but I had no idea how they were going to make it happen without screwing over the future books. I was amazed every time she revealed a tidbit and several times I had to stop and read a section over again.

If you're still on the fence about reading this book, then I'll tell you it comes with my highest recommendation. This fantasy is a masterpiece and you won't regret it!

Disclaimer: Some of the facts I've told you about the book turn out to be blatant lies. I just couldn't bring myself to spoil it for you. The opinions on the other hand, are still and will always be 100% truth.

Book Review: Princess of Glass

2011-06-24T10:24:00.000-04:00

Title: Princess of Glass (Princess #2)
Author: Jessica Day George
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances—and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale—until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince.

My Review: After so many heavy books it is so nice to read one where the fate of the world doesn't hang in balance! This book is the sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball (review here) and it follows one of the younger sisters, Poppy as she goes on exchange to repair the damage the curse on her family has done.

One of the things I thing George has done wonderfully is keeping the world consistent through both fairytales. She has a very distinctive style that comes through in both. Not only that but there is a strong sense that the stories are related. So many times in retold fairytale series' even if all the stories are set in the same world, they are only distantly related, a character vaguely referenced from another book, or another book said to be a fairytale from 100 years ago. That's not the case here. Princess of the Midnight Ball and Princess of Glass are very clearly related both by closeness in time and reuse of characters and themes.

Despite the closeness, I found it interesting that she chose to have the actual fairytale happen to a side character. The main characters are all observers with only minor parts to play in the fairytale portion of the story, which makes for a very interesting take on the whole thing. They're necessary to the main plot, and sometimes the fairytale takes a side plot to their story, but in a way the main characters are all side characters at some point. This is an interesting trick, and kept the story fun and easy to read.

Overall I'd say this was a light, sweet retelling of the Cinderella story that's definitely worth a read!

Updates!

2011-06-23T15:51:00.000-04:00

To my wonderful, loyal readers: I am soooo sorry!

Just a quick note to say that I am not dead, kidnapped or missing. I've been taking some time away from blogging for a while to concentrate on my reading, and it's doing me a world of good! Also, I've been working on my research - remember back in November when I disappeared for a long time because I had a conference to go to? Well, that same research was accepted for presentation in England at the end of July. I'm so excited and so grateful for the opportunity! The only downside is they want the paper to be half as long, which means some major editing needs to happen. (As a sidenote, this NEVER happens to me. In high school I was lucky if I came within half a page of the minimum page requirement! Ergo, this is going to be difficult.) I'd been putting it off because of school, and then because of work, but I can't put it off anymore. If I'm going to have time for the 5+ drafts it took me to write the d*** thing in the first place, it has to start NOW!

In the meantime, because I have been reading up a storm, I do have several reviews almost ready. Starting tomorrow, I'll be posting them for your viewing pleasure!

Thank you all so much for sticking with me through the hard times, and for the wonderful, supportive community you have created. YOU make this all possible!

Book Review: Shadow Hills

2011-06-15T12:00:00.002-04:00

Title: Shadow Hills (Shadow Hills #1)
Author: Anastasia Hopcus
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] After her sister Athena's tragic death, it's obvious that grief-stricken Persephone "Phe" Archer no longer belongs in Los Angeles. Hoping to make sense of her sister's sudden demise and the cryptic dreams following it, Phe abandons her bubbly LA life to attend an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA — a school which her sister mysteriously mentioned in her last diary entry before she died.

Once there, Phe quickly realizes that something is deeply amiss in her new town. Not only does Shadow Hills' history boast an unexplained epidemic that decimated hundreds of its citizens in the 1700s, but its modern townies also seem eerily psychic, with the bizarre ability to bend metal. Even Zach — the gorgeous stranger Phe meets and immediately begins to lust after — seems as if he is hiding something serious. Phe is determined to get to the bottom of it. The longer she stays there, the more she suspects that her sister's untimely death and her own destiny are intricately linked to those who reside in Shadow Hills.

My Review: Yet another boarding school book! (I told you I loved those right?) This one had a slight flavor of Greek Mythology with a tinge of Salem Witch Trials to it, both big plusses in my book!

The premise is pretty typical, but then again not. Phe goes to Devenish after finding a journal of her sister's that talks about it. She has no clue about anything at this school except that it may be the answer to the strange dreams she's been having. I thought the mystery of the whole scenario was really interesting. I'm still working it all out in my head, but I loved the fact that it was based in science. The closer and author brings their "magic" to a real possibility, the better. So having her explain it all with completely modern and scientifical terms is extremely exciting. Devenish could actually exist!

And of course there's always the plus of a gorgeous male lead - Zach sounds too good to be true! He is totally my type, from her descriptions, and he has the charm and gentlemanly manners that I would want from a man. Move over Phe, Zach's mine!

Anyway, I would highly recommend this book to anyone, and especially those who liked books like Haven or Fallen!

Book Review: City of Fallen Angels

2011-06-14T19:57:00.000-04:00

Title: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever.

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Review: Have you ever had one of those books where everyone loves it and you want to too but you just can't? I mean, it's not that I didn't like the book, I did. I just don't have a very strong opinion about it either way. I've been feeling a little burnt out recently so it may be my fault. No matter what the problem is it's making it extremely difficult to write a review.

Unfortunately, for me, I felt like this was a filler book. This often happens when a series is extended past its original intention (wasn't TMI supposed to be only 3 books long?) It certainly wasn't on par with Clockwork Angel, my favorite of hers. Then again even Cassie Clare's worst book would be better than many authors' best books, so what am I complaining about, right?

All that said, there were some things I really liked about this book. It focused a lot on Simon, who has always been my favorite character. (Jace is too angsty and Clary is too drama-y for me.) I thought that the story did move forward, plot-wise which was the intention, though I don't feel the characters grew as much as they could have.

I guess the bottom line is that this one is essential to the story line so please do read it if you're into the series. I just didn't find it quite as good as the rest.

Girl in the Steel Corset Tour: Guest Post

2011-06-10T12:00:00.019-04:00

Today we are soooo lucky to have Kady Cross, author of The Girl in the Steel Corset with us for a this or that list with our favorite characters! This post is provided as part of a Teen Book Scene blog tour. For a full schedule of events on this tour click here. For my glowing review, and why this is possibly one of my favorite books of 2011 so far, click here.

1) Rain or Snow?
Griffin: Rain
Finley: Rain
Sam: Snow
Emily: Snow
Jack: lol -- Jack would prefer to remain indoors!
Jasper: Snow

2) Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate?
Griffin: Coffee
Finley: Tea
Sam: Coffee
Emily: Hot Chocolate
Jack: Hot Chocolate
Jasper: Coffee

3) Vampires or Werewolves?
Griffin: Werewolves
Finley: Vampires
Sam: Werewolves
Emily: Vampires
Jack: Vampires
Jasper: Werewolves

4) Cats or Dogs?
Griffin: Cat
Finley: Cat
Sam: Dog
Emily: Cat
Jack: Cat
Jasper: Dog

5) Is the glass half empty or half full?
Griffin: Half Full
Finley: Depends on the day
Sam: Half Empty
Emily: Half Full
Jack: Whichever best serves his purpose
Jasper: Half Full

6) Would you rather die in a fight, or of a disease?
Griffin: Fight
Finley: Fight
Sam: Fight
Emily: Disease
Jack: Fight
Jasper: Fight

7) Would you rather go blind, or go deaf?
Griffin: Deaf
Finley: Deaf
Sam: Deaf
Emily: Deaf
Jack: Blind
Jasper: Deaf

8) Maths and science or liberal arts?
Griffin: Science
Finley: Arts
Sam: Arts
Emily: Science
Jack: Arts
Jasper: Arts

9) Do you believe in fate or coincidence?
Griffin: Coincidence
Finley: Fate
Sam: Fate
Emily: Coincidence
Jack: Coincidence
Jasper: Coincidence

10) Choose a superpower: Invisibility, Telepathy, or Flight? (really curious about Griffin and Finley here!)
Griffin: Telepathy
Finley: Flight
Sam: Invisibility
Emily: Invisibility
Jack: Telepathy
Jasper: Invisibility

11) Right or Left Handed?
Griffin: Right
Finley: Both
Sam: Right
Emily: Left
Jack: Left
Jasper: Right

Finley and/or Emily:
12) Nerd or bad boy?
Finley: Yes, please
Emily: Bad Boy

13) Blond/blue eyes, or tall dark and handsome?
Finley: Does dark and handsome include reddish brown hair and gray/blue eyes? :-)
Emily: Tall, dark and handsome

So very interesting! Thank you to Kady for visiting today!

Shadow Dancer Tour: Review

2011-06-08T12:00:00.004-04:00

Title: Shadow Dancer (Shadow Dancer #1)
Author: Courtney Rene
Origins: This review is provided as part of a Teen Book Scene blog tour. The full schedule of reviews and guest posts can be found on this page.
Summary: [from GoodReads] Sunny has a gift that she has no idea how to use, until she meets Leif, a boy from the kingdom of Acadia, on the other side of the shadows.

Leif teaches Sunny about Shadow Walkers and how to use her new found gifts. As they grow closer and their gifts grow stronger, a threat arrives. The Shadow Guard has been sent to bring Sunny back to Acadia, to determine if she is a threat to the king as the rightful ruler of Acadia.

As Leif and Sunny prepare to defend themselves, Sunny finds that Leif has also been sent to bring Sunny back to the kingdom but for very different reasons. As a battle for possession of Sunny wages, she is struggling to come to turns with her feelings of inadequacy regarding controlling her gifts as well as the hurt regarding the lies and deceit of everyone around her.

My Review: Shadow Dancer is the most recent in a long line of YA paranormal novels on my TBR pile. In many places it reminded me very strongly of Twilight while in others it reminded me more of The Mortal Instruments or Paranormalcy. But, I really appreciate the mixture of things. It's almost like a collage in art - sometimes putting pieces together in a new way can make something really beautiful.

I'll be honest, at times this really wasn't my thing. I was very close to putting it down several times because I was having difficulty getting through the style. I felt like Rene would occasionally go off on tangents that detracted from the emotion of the scene, or that were just irrelevant. I am glad I stuck with it though, because it really wasn't that bad of a book. Once you get past the occasional tangent the story itself is fairly interesting. I found myself curious about the mythology Rene sets up behind the story and I was indignant right along with Sunny when she finds out she's been lied to.

Overall, I'd say this is a decent read. Give it a chance if you choose to read it though, as it may take some getting used to.

Shadow Dancer Tour: Author Interview

2011-06-06T12:00:00.012-04:00

Today we have Courtney Rene, author of Shadow Dancer here as part of her tour with Teen Book Scene. For a full schedule of posts and reviews please visit this page.

1. What would you like your readers to know about you before reading your book?

Not much to tell really. I’m a wife, and mother and all that comes with that. I’m kinda boring
actually. I don’t sing or dance and I am far from being artistic. I’m clumsy as all heck and shy
which makes me being clumsy all the worse. Nothing like drawing attention to yourself by
falling off the fourth row of bleachers at a softball game. Ah yes, that’s my life.

As for the book, I wrote it on a whim, not sure it would even go anywhere. The idea came
to me, bugged me for a while before I finally decided to sit down to write it. Then once I
got started it poured out of me. Writing the story was easy and fun. Editing it was the hard
part. Oh how I hate to edit. It’s a real struggle. Even now all these months later I see
where I could have changed it, made it better, fixed it. Why didn’t I listen to my English and
composition teachers when I had the chance? In the end, I love the story. I hope my readers
do as well.

2. What kind of books did you read growing up? What, of those books, inspired you to start
writing?

I was a horror story fiend growing up. Stephen King, Anne Rice and Dean Koontz littered
my room and covered every flat surface. I couldn’t get enough. I also had a thing for V.C.
Andrews for a time. They didn’t always have happy endings, which I liked. They seem more
real because of it. I know you are saying “real?” It’s Vampires and Monsters, how real can
they be? I just had an aversion to happily-ever-after for some reason.

I don’t know that any of them inspired me to write. I had been a storyteller since I was very
small, before I could even write in real sentences I was telling stories. If I had to pick one of
the above, it would Stephen King, as he was my favorite for a long time.

3. Do you draw inspiration for your characters from real life, or are they completely made from
your imagination?

Its funny actually as they start out as completely made up characters, but as they grow and
progress and evolve, they take on traits of people around me. Yes, even the bad guys. I’m
not saying they are the actual people, they just take on the mannerism of them. No, I’m not
telling who….

4. What advice do you have for aspiring young writers?

I always give the same answer when asked this question. It’s the same advice I was once
given and I think it helps me all the time. Just write the story. Don’t worry about the grammar
or the structure. Just write it. After you have that, then go back and worry about all the rest.
People don’t want to read the grammar and structure. They want to read the story, so write
the best story you can, take care of the rest later.

5. What's next for you, after Shadow Dancer?

I have several things going, but mainly, I’m very excited to announce that the second book in
the Shadow Dancer series, titled Shadow Warrior, is finished and will be coming out as soon
as my publisher and I can manage it. It will take you on a journey to the other side of the
shadows, to the kingdom of Acadia, were you will meet both old and new characters. I have
been told that Shadow Warrior is even better than Dancer, which makes me very happy as
that was my goal. Once I have a release schedule I will be shouting it out to the world and
posting it on my website and blog and anywhere else I can squeeze it in.
I am currently finishing up a shape-shifter novel. It’s in the editing phase, and as you now
know, I loath that part. As soon as I can get through revisions, I will see what I can do with it.

Courtney Rene lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. She
is a graduate and member of the Institute of Children’s Literature.
Her writings include magazine articles, short fiction stories, several
anthologies, and her novel, Shadow Dancer, published through Rogue
Phoenix Press. Please feel free to contact her at ctnyrene@aol.com or
www.ctnyrene.blogspot.com.

Interested in my review of the book? It'll be up on the 8th!

The Chosen Blog Tour: Guest Post

2011-05-31T10:00:00.013-04:00

Today we have with us Andrea Buginsky, author of The Chosen. For more posts on this blog tour, please visit this page.

Into the Past

I loved to read when I was a kid. Now that I’m writing books for young adults, I have a much better idea of what it takes to produce books for children of all ages. Though I haven’t published any books for younger children, I have tried my hand at writing stories for them, and I can tell you from first hand experience that it’s quite hard to come up with characters and plots that will keep a child interested, especially in this age of computer and video games. It seems more kids today sit in front of a screen than a book. Hopefully, with the amount of attention ebooks are getting, they’ll start sitting in front of an ereader screen too.

If I were to meet my past self today with the way things are now, I would definitely want to introduce her to books and the wonderful world of reading. There were some wonderful books I loved to read growing up, as there still are today. Here are some books I would recommend to myself at my past ages:

Age 5:

“Good Night Moon”
“Corduroy”
“Where the Wild Things Are”
“The Pokey Little Puppy”
The entire “Magic Tree House” series
Dr.Seuss books

Age 11:

The entire “Harry Potter” series
The “Ramona” books by Beverly Cleary
Rick Riordan’s books (“Percy Jackson,” “Heroes of Olympus,” “The Kane Chronicles”)
“Charlotte’s Web”
Judy Blume books
“The Popularity Papers”
“Priscilla the Great”

Age 16:

“Twilight” saga
“The Vampire Diaries”
“Eragon” series
“Sweet Valley High” series
“Little Women” series

Age 20

Danielle Steel books
Nicholas Sparks books
John Grisham books
Nora Roberts books

Some of these I did read, and would want to make sure I read again. Some I didn’t read, and wish I had, like “Little Women.” Some weren’t around when I was a kid, and I wish they had been, like the “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” series.
There are so many incredible books available, both new and old, that helping a child find one he or she will like shouldn’t be hard. Just look for books based on their interests, and set up a specific time of day for them to read. Shut off the electronics, find a comfortable chair with good light and watch their imaginations soar.

Thanks so much to Andrea for joining us today! If you would like to win a PDF copy of Andrea's book to read for yourself, we are running a scavenger hunt May 25-31. Just answer any of the questions on THIS FORM. Any correct answers will count as entries, up to 8 entries total. The winner will be announced on July 3 at Lost For Words. Good Luck!

Media Monday: Thor

2011-05-30T17:11:00.001-04:00

Title: Thor (The Avengers collection #4)
Media Type: Feature Film
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Studio: Paramount Pictures/Marvel Studios
Genre: Superhero

My Review: Show of hands, how many of you look forward to summer because of the abundance of good movies that come out? I know I do! (That's not to say that good books don't come out in the summer. They do, they just also come out year 'round. The really awesome films, however, get saved for the summer.) Well it's that time of year again folks and I am super excited about so many things that are coming out this summer!

Now, I'll be honest, it's a little early in the season for the really epic stuff - there's a reason they're waiting 'till July for Deathly Hallows Part II - and I am not really a comics fan, so I didn't really know that much about Thor going into it. All I had was a friend's recommendation that I "had to see it" and a vague knowledge of Norse Mythology. But I figured it would at least be a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Turns out, I am a superhero junkie! Thor was soooo GOOD! It followed the mythology of the Norse Gods, but at the same time they explained it in a way that could make sense, if I had to think about it too much. Thor's powers were logically explained (for the most part) and realistically dealt with. The story dealt with big issues that are true of all humans, not just the ones with unusual powers and the characters were relatable despite their obvious differences.

But, let's be honest, the real reason I loved the film? The eye candy! Both Thor and Loki are absolutely gorgeous! In this one case, I'm seriously Team Whoever-will-have-me! So much pretty!

Bottom line? Go see this movie! If you're a guy there's plenty of action scenes to keep you happy. Girls? Bring on the eye candy! It's a win-win, for both!

The Chosen Blog Tour: Review

2011-05-26T14:00:00.038-04:00

Title: The Chosen
Author: Andrea Buginsky
Origins: This review is provided as part of a Teen Book Scene blog tour. The full schedule of reviews and guest posts can be found here.
Summary: [from GoodReads] A young dwarf leads a quiet life until she learns of her true calling and becomes a hero of her world.

My Review: One of the main things I really appreciated about this book is it's one of the very few YA/MG high fantasies out there anymore. Despite my strong love for the genre my biggest complaint is that it's rather obsessed with Paranormal and Urban Fantasy right now. The closest we get to high fantasy is Steampunk, and that really counts more as historical fantasy than high fantasy. This book, though, is an all out questing high fantasy, meany for the YA/MG crowd, and I found it a refreshing change from everything else I've been reading.

I will say that this book is definitely not for everyone. The names are hard to pronounce, if you like to read out loud, there are lots of strange animals and places, and there's lots of battles along the way. This is world-building writing and if you know you don't like those things, then don't read it. And I will admit it reads a little like an account of a Dungeons and Dragons game. I appreciated the references that I recognized (I've never played myself, but I had friends in high school who talked about it all the time). Those who don't have that basic knowledge might be a little confused.

Overall, this was a refreshingly different read. It was fast and easy to read too - just what the doctor ordered after a long stretch of heavy dystopians!

If you would like to win a PDF copy of this book to read for yourself, we are running a scavenger hunt May 25-31. Just answer any of the questions on THIS FORM. Any correct answers will count as entries, up to 8 entries total. The winner will be announced on July 3 at Lost For Words. Good Luck!

Book Review: Darkest Mercy

2011-05-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

Title: Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5)
Author: Melissa Marr
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.
Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.
Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

My Review: Finally, after far too long a wait, I have been able to read the final installment in the Wicked Lovely series. It was a long wait, but it was well worth it. I have loved this series since I opened the very first book last fall, and it continues to be one of my absolute favorite series' of all time! That said, this will probably be a rather short review. It is unbelievably easy to spoil earlier books just by talking about this one, and I hate to spoil any book if I can avoid it.

The gang's all here for one final adventure. It must have been some kind of juggling act keeping up with all the story lines she set up in the earlier books, and I'm well impressed with the result. By the end of the book I found that my curiosity about all the storylines was finally sated, and despite feeling sad that a good thing had ended, I felt that this was the perfect ending to a wonderful series.

If you haven't read the rest of the series, don't start here. You'll be far too confused. Start at the beginning and work your way here, though, it is well worth it!

Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset

2011-05-24T10:00:00.014-04:00

Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1)
Author: Kady Cross
Origins: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Summary: [from NetGalley]
In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her...
When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a fullgrown man with one punch....
Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she’s special, says she’s one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.
Griffin’s investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.
But The Machinist wants to tear Griff’s little company of strays apart, and it isn’t long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she’s on—even if it seems no one believes her.

My Review: As those of you who have been around here for a while may know, I'm kind of obsessed with steampunk anything right now. Something about this genre really speaks to me, for some reason. But Kady Cross's Girl in the Steel Corset has outstripped many others for me. This book was truly Amazing with a capital "A"! There are so many wonderful things about this book that I hardly know where to start raving! (You'll have to excuse me gushing all over myself. It really was that good.)

One of the many amazing things about this book was how wonderful all the characters were. I really, honestly had very strong pictures of them in my mind, and even started a dream cast, from very early on in the book. For example, especially towards the end, Sam and Emily reminded me very strongly of Marshall and Lily from How I Met Your Mother based on how they were described physically. But the best part was, even though I could picture them so vividly, was how original these characters were. They felt like real people to me, people that I desperately want to meet someday.

I also loved the way Cross brought in so many other works. There was the obvious Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde reference, but there were flavours throughout the book of other relevant stories. It is clear that Cross reads across many genres and knows how to incorporate elements she loves into the stories she writes.

There are so many more wonderful things I could say about the novel, but I'm starting to risk spoilers, and you wouldn't want that. The book is so much more satisfying when you go into it knowing next to nothing! I am so excited about this book. I can guarantee I will treasure it for a very long time!

Book Review: Wither

2011-05-23T14:05:00.000-04:00

Title: Wither (Chemical Garden #1)
Author: Lauren Destefano
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

My Review: More than anything else, Wither reminds me of The Handmaid's Tale. True, it's less graphic and less frightening overall, but Wither seems like what Handmaid's Tale would be if it were a YA novel.

Despite the strangeness of the future setting, Rhine is very normal-seeming. Of course, she's mostly normal in comparison to other dystopian heroines like Katniss from The Hunger Games and Vera from The Water Wars, but these strong-but-reluctant heroines seem to have become the norm. Not that it's a bad thing, though it does make me wonder at the cultural implications. Either way, Rhine reacts to the situation in the same way I'd like to think I would in such an awful setting.

But the thing I liked the most is the way Destefano treated Rhine's husband, the House Master. Even though Rhine was being forced into an unwilling marriage, it was very clear that her husband was not the one to blame. He may have been clueless and guilty by association, but it was very obvious that he should not be considered "the bad guy." The one to watch out for is the Governor. That man is not only evil, he's downright creepy! Here is the real mastermind of all the troubles. Even if he personally didn't create the virus, he is the one you want to blame for everything. He's the perfect villain, keeping me scared and angry and defiant all at once.

Overall, this was a great read. It explored all the ways society would change if we began dying so young and through that it was a wonderful cautionary tale. Let us hope the right people take heed!

Book Review: Haven

2011-05-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Haven (Haven #1, I hope!)
Author: Kristi Cook
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.

But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,' they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.

Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying each other first.

My review: OK, so I know I'm a little behind on this but I simply must add to the Haven love going around the blogoverse right now. Short version: Haven is AMAZING!

First of all, I'm sure we all know by now I have a weakness for boarding school stories. But a boarding school for the psychically gifted? Uh, yes please! I am so there! I want to know all about it, from how it was started to what classes are offered and all the different "Gifts" over the years. Heck, forget wanting to know all about it, I want to live there!

I also found the cast of characters really enjoyable. I don't think I loved any one character so much as loving their interactions with each other. They remind me of my group of friends in high school, and even more of the group of friends I wished I had. These girls seem just like normal girls, just with some unusual quirks.

My only complaint, and it's not really one at all, is that the romance happened just a tiny bit too fast. That said, when I finished the book, I was not upset about it at all. Cook gave us a very reasonable explanation for the sudden initial attraction and the progression of the relationship from there seemed natural. So, like I say, not really a complaint at all.

I'm so looking forward to the next book that I went hunting for release date of book 2 to mark on my calendar (couldn't find it though - anybody know?) Where will you be?

Book Review: Delirium

2011-05-16T20:44:00.000-04:00

Title: Delirium (Delirium #1)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My Review: I'm having a hard time pulling my thoughts together on this one, so I apologize if I seem less than coherent (or less than normal anyways). Delirium was definitely not what I was expecting. Somehow I'd forgotten everything I'd read in the reviews because all I knew was it was a society without love, going into it. What makes the book so intriguing is how centered on the theme of love the book actually is. Sure we have other love-less societies in dystopia; all the adults take pills to cure it in The Giver and in Ayn Rand's Anthem, they're brainwashed out of it. But in Delirium, love as a disease is so prominent it's almost a character.

The scariest thing about this book for me is how logical the whole thing sounds. I doubt we could really connect love as the cause of all those diseases directly, but love causes stress which does cause a lot of diseases. When the crazy theories of the "bad guy" governments start making sense to me, I get real scared, because there are lots of people out there it would be even easier to convince! On the other hand, could we really convince all of society to give up love? For all we're a "post-modern, disillusioned" society, we really are quite obsessed with the idea of "true love."

Overall, though, an amazing read that makes you think! I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

Book Review(ish): Howl's Moving Castle

2011-05-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

Title: Howl's Moving Castle (Castle #1)
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Origins: Bought at local bookstore
Summary: [from GoodReads]
In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.
After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.
The Hatter sisters--Sophie, Lettie, and Martha--and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.
In this giant jigsaw puzzle of a fantasy, people and things are never quite what they seem. Destinies are intertwined, identities exchanged, lovers confused. The Witch has placed a spell on Howl. Does the clue to breaking it lie in a famous poem? And what will happen to Sophie Hatter when she enters Howl's castle?

My Review: I love Diana Wynne Jones. Why? Because every single book or series is different. Sure, there are some I can't stand but that s because she's done everything and I don't like everything. Howl's Moving Castle is a favorite of mine second only to the Chrestomanci series, and I decided to re-read it in honor of her passing away recently. But go read them both, like yesterday, if you haven't. SERIOUSLY!

Since I almost always have trouble with reviewing re-reads without gushing all over myself, I thought I'd do something fun and different today. Though there has been an animated movie made, this book is so good it deserves to be made into a Live Action film, so I decided to share my dream cast. (Keep in mind that the story is set in an alternate UK so I tried to keep it an all British cast)

Howl: This is the first read-through that I've actually been able to cast Howl, he's so difficult and quirky. But, finally, I think I have the perfect choice (at least for me).

Quirky and lovable as the 11th Doctor, I could actually hear Matt Smith saying Howl's lines in my head.

Sophie Hatter:

Emma Thompson is a wonderful actress and I think she could really pull off both young and old versions of Sophie.

Calcifer: (no picture for this one, because it's just about the voice) Either Andy-Lee Potts, known for his roles in Primeval and Syfy's Alice, or David Tennant, known for the title role of Doctor Who (though I prefer his scottish accent for this particular role).

The Witch of the Waste:

For those who have never seen Emilia Fox in anything, she does an AMAZING beautiful bad lady. Look her up in Merlin as Morgause. Pretty, yeah, but so evil!

Lettie Hatter:

I actually haven't seen Holliday Grainger in that much, but I think she's perfect for the gorgeous younger sister Lettie.

Martha Hatter:

And finally, for Sophie's youngest sister Martha, Talulah Riley, known for her roles in Pride and Prejudice and St. Trinian's. It is only too bad that Martha wouldn't show up as much, because Talulah is an amazing actress.

I could go on (Maggie Smith as Mrs. Pentstemmon, don't you think?) but that's the main characters. What are your thoughts on casting?

Book Review: Timeless

2011-05-11T10:00:00.003-04:00

Title: Timeless (Timeless #1)
Author: Alexandra Monir
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

My Review: I have always loved out-of-time love stories. I was rather obsessed with Kate and Leopold and The Lake House when they came out, and I love the Doctor Who episodes like "The Girl in the Fireplace." So when I heard about Timeless I got really excited!

The story itself was fairly interesting. I loved Philip! I always feel like I should have been born in another time because I cannot stand modern boys (for the most part). I want gentlemanly behavior and chivalrous treatment, and frankly boys look better in suits. (This is probably why I love steampunk as a genre - I'm too attached to my modern appliances to truly live back then, but I want to live before chivalry died.) I also thought she solved most of the convoluted-ness of the situation fairly well, but in some ways she explained everything, while in others nothing.

This brings me to my second point. While I wanted to love the book, it felt like a prequel. It didn't grab me and suck me in the way I wanted it to, because I spent the whole time waiting for something big to happen. Then, the last few pages finally felt like the start of the real story, but it ended! I think this is a result of what she chose to explain. In my mind, a prequel explains all of the little details in the backstory that weren't absolutely essential to the original story, while the true "first book" explains all the really big important stuff. I wanted to know how Irving/Henry figured out how to time travel, and why he chose Michele's mom and more of that story, but instead I got the side story of Michele's romance.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, and I will definitely be looking for the second in the series. It's a great book, especially for a debut! If you think you'll like it, try it. If not, maybe wait until the rest of the series comes out and then try it.

Book Review: The Faeman Quest

2011-05-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

Title: The Faeman Quest (Faerie Wars #5)
Author: Herbie Brennan
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] When Mella, the daughter of King Consort Henry and Queen Holly Blue accidentally travels to the country of Haleklind, she discovers rebel forces preparing an invasion using a terrifying new magical weapon.

My Review: I think first I need to ask has anyone heard of this series besides me? It's one of my favorites, but every time I talk about it I get such blank stares! (Including internet *blank stares* which just makes me sad. This wonderful community should have at least one other person in it who knows the wonder of the Faerie Wars!) I'm considering a read-a-thon re-reading these, would anyone be interested in joining in?

I was a little surprised at the time skip from the end of the last book, even though I knew it had to happen. I think it was really well done though. We now get to see Henry as a grown-up - he has a 16-year-old daughter so he has to be at least 35, and is probably 40. It's rare that we see a character (especially a main character) age that much in a YA or MG series (Faerie Wars is sorta borderline - think Harry Potter mixed with Artemis Fowl). The amazing thing is that Brennan still kept Henry the same and yet believable. He was still the Henry I loved originally but he's become a father figure while I wasn't looking.

I also loved the addition of Mella to the cast. She is such a mixture of Henry and Blue that she couldn't possibly be anyone else's daughter. She's spunky independent and slightly quirky and completely loveable.

I'm so glad this isn't the last book (it better not be!) and I eagerly await the next installment! (ASAP please Mr. Brennan. That wasn't a very nice place to stop!)

Random Acts of Kindness - May

2011-05-09T21:04:00.000-04:00

I've been watching this event for quite a while, but I've never been quite brave enough to join in. Today I decided it was time to do something different so I bit the bullet and put my name in the ring. I'm really excited for this, I always love Secret Santa and surprises, so this event seems perfect!

If you want to join, here are the rules:

Rules:
• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)

• Create a wishlist and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wishlist and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!
{Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!
Lets's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.
Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Just click the button above for the original post and a chance to sign yourself up!

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society

2011-05-09T19:47:00.000-04:00

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society #1)
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Origins: Bought at local bookstore
Summary: [from Amazon] After Reynie Muldoon responds to an advertisement recruiting "gifted children looking for special opportunities," he finds himself in a world of mystery and adventure. The 11-year-old orphan is one of four children to complete a series of challenging and creative tasks, and he, Kate, Constance, and Sticky become the Mysterious Benedict Society. After being trained by Mr. Benedict and his assistants, the four travel to an isolated school where children are being trained by a criminal mastermind to participate in his schemes to take over the world. The young investigators need to use their special talents and abilities in order to discover Mr. Curtain's secrets, and their only chance to defeat him is through working together.

My Review: This book was a little out of my comfort zone, but I'd heard good things about it, so I decided to give it a try. It is most definitely an MG novel, which I don't mind so much as long as it's well done, and I think this book was one of the best MG novels I've read. As an adult reader, I still had some questions, but they weren't so pressing that they overwhelmed my enjoyment of the book. I think that's the true test of a novel for a younger genre (either YA or MG) - can the book be enjoyed without all the answers.

Part of the enjoyment, of course, was the cast of characters. I found Reynie very easy to relate to, despite our difference in age. Kate and Sticky were the perfect Ron and Hermione to Reynie's Harry, and Constance... well Constance was a nuisance as she is supposed to be, but it makes sense once you find out how old she is. And Benedict, dear old Mr. Benedict, is so cute! He really personified that "tired old man" vibe that we get from all the great mentors; Merlin, Dumbledore and all the rest.

But perhaps the best part for me, and one of the reasons I will definitely be recommending it to all ages, is the tone of the novel. One of my hugest pet peeves as a kid was being talked down to just because I was young. I wanted to be treated as an equal by adults, and I hated people, and novels, that just assumed because I was younger, I was ignorant, and unable to understand. This novel not only avoids that tone, it acknowledges the problem. This is the novel I wanted to read in Elementary School, because I would have felt just as put-upon as Reynie when his orphanage master didn't even let him try to get into another, better school. Granted Reynie is the extreme, but the main point is still one worth listening to: Children are nowhere near as dumb as adults often make them out to be.

If you haven't read this one yet, then I suggest you immediately put it on your TBR pile. Besides being educational, it's pure fun!

Media Review: Doctor Who Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon

2011-05-07T14:14:00.000-04:00

Titles: The Impossible Astronaut and The Day of the Moon
Vague synopsis: [from the BBC website] The Doctor is engaged on quest that takes him from the visually stunning Utah desert to the White House where he's enlisted by President Nixon himself to assist enigmatic former-FBI agent Canton. His mission - save a terrified little girl from a mysterious spaceman.

My Review: As River Song says:

SPOILERS!

If you have yet to watch the episode think twice before you read my review. Even if you like spoilers, I can guarantee you won't want them this time around. Seriously. Not even kidding. Spoilers generally amuse me, and I was so glad I hadn't found any accurate ones this time around.

Still with me? Good. Now let's be honest, this is more likely to be a squee fest than anything else, because I think that Doctor Who is amazing pretty much no matter what they do (I think I can honestly say I didn't like 2 episodes, and come to think of it, I can't even remember what the second one is. They've been going 6 seasons now. A 98% batting average is pretty awesome!)

So, on to my reactions. First of all WHAT?!?!?! Please tell me they did not do what I think they just did. I mean, talk about starting with a bang, but I think this was too much of a bang. Are they hinting that the series is over once Smith is done? Cause I'm soo not okay with that! But on the other hand, I don't think the series would be completely over. I mean, he says "I thought I'd never get done saving you," and knowing the Doctor he wouldn't leave us completely unprotected, right? Plus, where was his (future) TARDIS? That is really not something I would want to get into the wrong hands. Something just does not feel right about this, and I would not be surprised at all if Moffat turns around and gives us some timey-wimey stuff that says IT never happened (see how I'm at least avoiding the big spoilers there? But seriously go watch it if you haven't!)

Thought 2: The Silents are soooooo creepy! Great idea for a monster, and great explanation why we (and the Doctor) have never seen them before! That said, really? That's it? We spent the whole of last season wondering what the Silents/Silence was and you wrap it up in two episodes at the very beginning of the series? Come on, Moffat, I know you're a better writer than that. Prove me right please? (Ooh, plus remember the lyrics of Abigail's song at Christmas? "When you're alone Silence is all you'll see?" Something like that. I think we still need to watch out for whenever a character is alone. The Silents can't be gone yet.)

Thought 3: Love the swearing on Fish Fingers and Custard! So doing that for the rest of my life lol

Thought 4: It seems like every episode recently has had a lot of timey-wimey stuff in it. While this isn't a bad thing, it's starting to seem like a drug - now that the Doctor has used it to save his skin a few times, he's more willing to use it again. What happened to the whole "going back on your own timestream implodes the universe thing?" Like Rory said, "The universe did explode." Perhaps, Doctor, we need to have an intervention?

Thought 5: Who the HECK is she?!?! Actually, both shes. (I have my theories. I'm so excited to see if I'm right!)

Thought 6: Most amazeballs first episode EVAR! Also, I hate Steven Moffat. He's just doing it to mess with us, I know he is, but I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT! And that's driving me bonkers!

Tune in tonight for the latest episode, The Curse of the Black Spot! I know I'll be watching!

Media Review: Rio

2011-05-06T10:04:00.000-04:00

Title: Rio
Media Type: Feature Film
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Studio: 20th Century Fox

My Review: This is going to be more of a collection of opinions than a review - it's been a while and all I have are my few notes on what I thought.

Thought 1: The movie felt like Madagascar, but with the benefit of a completely original story. It was like if they did a sister movie to Madagascar and set it in Rio. (I loved Madagascar btw, I definitely mean this as praise!)

Thought 2: Blu is so cute! And Linda, his owner, owns/lives in a bookstore! Obviously I'm going to relate to her. I wish I was her!

Thought 3: The animation was very well done, and very colorful. You can tell it was made for a younger audience, but it is still enjoyable for those of us who haven't been kids for a while.

Thought 4: There was a lot of physical humor, but it wasn't overdone. I laughed a lot more than I expected to.

Thought 5: I thought the love story between Blu and Jewel was really cute! Jewel was so fed up with Blu for not being a proper bird and Blu was so in awe of Jewel that it seemed like it was never gonna happen (and therefore I knew it would) but the way they got there in between was soooo cute!

This is definitely something I would recommend to others. I may not buy it when it comes out, but I would not be opposed to seeing it again regularly, because it's soooo cute! (Apparently the word of the day is "cute." But it applies, so I'm not going to fix it.)

Again, sorry my posts have been so sporadic lately. I should be getting my life in order soon (graduation is tomorrow, then life can go back to normal. EEK!) and then I promise there's some really awesome stuff coming your way!

Book Review: Fallen

2011-04-27T21:42:00.000-04:00

Title: Fallen (Fallen #1)
Author: Lauren Kate
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads]There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

My Review: It took me a very long time to pick this book up. I'd seen it around the blogosphere for a while but after reading the blurb I hesitated. I'm not much one to go in for true love stories. I'd like to believe in it, but I'm so skeptical that it has to be really well done for me to buy into it. Now that I've read the book, I can honestly say I'm glad I did. Kate did a very good job of setting up the romance without overdoing things, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Probably my favorite part of the book was the setting. I have a weakness for boarding school stories (Harry Potter anyone?) and I love the dark atmosphere at Sword and Cross. At the same time, that darkness is mixed with the St. Trinian's type attitude of the students, making for a very interesting overall read.

My only complaint, and it's not really a complaint at all, is that I wanted to see more of Luce gradually falling for Daniel. The exposition happened so quickly that I didn't quite trust Luce's infatuation with him - it felt more like puppy love than true love to me. On the other hand, Luce gradually falling would probably have ruined the story because Daniel would have caught on and pushed her away or left. Kind of a Catch-22 really.

Final verdict: This is a must read for fans of Nightshade, Twilight and other paranormal romances. I am so excited to get my hands on the next book!

Media Review: Hop

2011-04-26T20:37:00.000-04:00

Title: Hop
Media Type: Feature Film
Director: Tim Hill
Studio: Universal
Genre: Children's

My Review: This is just going to be a really short collection of opinions, as it's been more than a week and I'm a bit behind on reviews.

First of all, let's be honest about what this film is. In essence, it's Alvin and the Chipmunks, minus the singing. Not that that's a bad thing, I enjoyed Alvin and the Chipmunks, it was very cute. But I do get slightly annoyed when someone goes "Hey, this film did really well, let's change one little thing, and BAM we'll have an instant best-seller!" (<---that's actually a major reduction of what happens. I think Hop was slightly more original than that. But it still annoys me that this is probably what happened).

Second, bunnies are cute. So is James Marsden. Automatic plus for me =)

Third, I didn't laugh at many of the jokes, but I can see how a kid (the original intended audience) might. And the jokes that I laughed at, well, I laughed pretty hard.

Fourth, yeah, I'd recommend the movie, especially to anyone with small children or looking for a reminder of their childhood. No, I probably won't ever watch it again, if given the choice of a new film.

OK, so now comes the part where I apologize profusely for not posting often enough. See, funny story, I got a job. And while it's only part time, until school's over, I usually have 12 hour days and by the time I get home at 10, all I want to do is drop into bed and sleep. But I am 5 reviews behind at the moment, and I promise as soon as I get a free minute I will write them up and you will have them! Thanks so much for sticking with me!

Book Review: A Tale of Two Castles

2011-04-24T10:00:00.024-04:00

Title: A Tale of Two Castles
Author: Gail Carson Levine
Origins: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: 5/10/2011
Summary:

Twelve-year-old Elodie dreams of becoming a mansioner--an actress. She journeys across the sea to the town of Two Castles in hopes of becoming an apprentice to a mansioning troupe, but things do not go according to plan. In spite of Elodie's great talent, the troupe already has plenty of apprentices. Elodie is out of luck: She has no money, no apprenticeship, and no home.

But an opportunity arises. The wise dragon Meenore is in need of an assistant to proclaim ITs powers of deduction and induction. Elodie is in need of a position. And so she becomes the dragon's assistant. When the town's hated ogre, Count Jonty Um, seeks the dragon's help in finding his stolen dog, Elodie is sent to the ogre's castle to get to the bottom of the mystery. More is afoot than just a missing dog. The ogre is in grave danger, and Elodie must use her mansioning skills and her powers of deduction to discover the source of the threat.

My Review: I have loved Gail Carson Levine for a very long time. Ever since I read Ella Enchanted back in elementary school I knew I had to read anything I could manage. So, when I saw this book up on NetGalley for review, I jumped at the chance.

I will admit, I've grown out of MG novels, in general. Even when I was the right age for them, I was very picky - I hated books that were condescending (or that I thought were condescending) just because they were geared toward a younger audience. Levine never does that, and that was why I loved her. And I still love her, but it did take me a while to readjust to a MG novel after not reading any for many years.

This book did not disappoint. Levine sets up her cast of interesting characters well, leaving just enough mystery to keep us interested. I particularly enjoyed the character of Meenore - hints of Sherlock Holmes ran through it's characterization, but they all seemed to fit really well. I also really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the "monsters" and the "people" and how the definitions of both change through the book.

But the best thing about this book for me, was the story. I genuinely enjoyed this book simply for the pleasure of hearing a story told (or reading one, rather). I enjoyed the twists and turns of the mystery, felt sorry for Jonty Um the ogre, and felt hurt with Elodie. This book was pure fun all the way through, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a decent story!

Book Review: The Ghost and the Goth

2011-04-20T10:00:00.006-04:00

Title: The Ghost and the Goth (Ghost and the Goth #1)
Author: Stacey Kade
Origins: My Local Library
Summary: [from GoodReads] Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

My Review: I started this one looking for a light fluffy read. After the trouble I had (and shouldn't have had) with The Iron Thorn I knew I needed something different. This book certainly had a different feel to it, but it wasn't the fluff piece I was expecting.

Firstly, I loved the characters. Alona may have been so far from who I was in High School, but I could really relate to her in ways that sometimes don't work for cheerleader types in stories. Plus I found Will, also very different from me, and the type of person I hung out with, extremely attractive. I have a new book boyfriend! (added to about 100 others, but they don't know so it's ok! lol)

I also found the story very engaging. It was kind of a cross between Nevermore and Just Like Heaven (this really cute RomCom with Reese Witherspoon and the guy from 13 going on 30). I love the idea of people who are meant to be together and end up getting a second chance - for a while I was obsessed with the movie The Lake House because I love that kind of storyline. I'm so excited to see where she takes this one, though, since the second chance seems doomed to failure simply because Alona is dead.

In the end, I would definitely recommend this to anyone open to the idea of paranormal romance. It's so fun, and yet so meaningful at the same time!