Addiction to Fiction

CLOCKWORK ANGEL

2010-06-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

This week I had a HUGE surprise waiting for me in my mailbox! Cassandra Clare mailed me an ARC of Clockwork Angel for my birthday!

Let me preface this by saying this review is spoiler free! I wouldn’t dream of taking one drop of surprise away from you, so rest assured you can read on without fear.

Now, I’ve made no bones about the fact that my absolute favorite book of all time is CITY OF GLASS, and that my favorite author is -you guessed it - Cassandra Clare. You have to realize then, that I had very high expectations for the first book in her new THE INFERNAL DEVICES trilogy, CLOCKWORK ANGEL. Add to that knowledge that this book incorporates elements of Steampunk! (a fixation of mine for ages) and you’re starting to see that the expectations I held were not only very high, they were ridiculously high, insurmountably high, so very VERY high that it seemed completely impossible CLOCKWORK ANGEL could skim the surface of what I was hoping and expecting it to be.

It wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. It was SO MUCH BETTER!

You may doubt me right now. I’ve heard and read a lot of different people say they worry they won’t love this series the way they loved THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS books. (And if you haven’t yet read those, I shoo you forcefully away with the strict instruction to buy and read them IMMEDIATELY… don’t bother checking them out from the library. You’re going to want your own copies. Trust me.) Here’s the deal. What was it you so loved about the TMI books? Whatever your answer was, I can almost guarantee you that element features in CLOCKWORK ANGEL, too.

I’m not going to bother with a broad summary of the intro or hook of this story line. Doubtless you’ve read those already. You know that the story centers around a young warlock named Tessa Gray who travels from her native New York to London to find her brother in 1878. What you don’t know, and what I am going to tell you, is the reason WHY you’re going to love this book. The answer to that lies in the prose of CLOCKWORK ANGEL, itself:

“There was something particular and beautiful about the way the stele scrawled – not like ink flowing from a pen, but more as if the lines had always been there, and Will was uncovering them.”

When I read this, it made me pause. Not just because I enjoyed the imagery it evoked, but because it seemed such an apt description of Cassandra Clare’s writing itself. It’s exactly the way reading her work feels: not as if she’s creating this fantastical world with ingenious plots, unforgettable characters, and glittering prose, but as if she is simply uncovering these things for the reader. Her characters are so alive – so real and round – it’s impossible not to love and hurt right along with them. The themes and the plot are perfectly balanced: gritty and modern without ever having to try too hard to be edgy. The romance and relationships are just as complicated in this series as the last (though that probably sounds unlikely to you, trust me!) and the twists will have you speeding to the end of the pages and then cursing the publishing industry that the wait for book two is so painfully long!

So you can stop worrying now, and give your readership trust over to Cassandra Clare. She hasn’t let us down yet, and CLOCKWORK ANGEL is no exception. My advice? Clear your schedule for August 31st, you aren’t going to be able to put this one down!

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

2010-05-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, is probably one of my favourite authors. In the Percy series he did such a good job of weaving together educational facts, humour, plot, and good characters.

And he's done it again with The Red Pyramid.

The story starts off with Carter Kane, a 14 year old boy who's had to travel the world, living out of a suitcase, with his ever since his mother died six years ago. He's always felt jealous of his sister, Sadie, who gets to live with their grandparents in London and have a normal life, going to school and making friends.

The ending had just the right amount of tying up lose strings, while leaving things open ended, so that you felt you'd read a complete story

Sadie, of course, has always felt jealous of Carter who gets to spend so much time with their Dad.

The siblings, who are basically strangers, have to band together after their Dad blows up an important Egypt artifact and releases five dangerous Egyptian gods.

Rick does so many things right in this book. There's action, adventure, a plethora of fun characters, and a lot of cool Egyptian mythology. And, in the same style as the Percy Jackson books, Rick combines actual history and mythology with a fantastic plot, making the books entertaining and educational.

The book switches between Carter and Sadie as narrators, which helped keep the book fresh, and with a female narrator widened the prospective audience. Both characters are intelligent but still children and do stupid things, and reason things out the way people their age would. And the book does a good job of leaving the kids on their own realistically. The adults don't just abandon them but they were taken out of the equation in ways that weren't too devastating to the young heroes.

The ending had a good balance of tying up lose ends while still leaving things open so that the reader felt they'd read a complete story but was still knew there was more to come.

The Red Pyramid was fun, fast-paced, and a terrific read. I'm very eager for more in this series.

Sister's Red, A Contest

2010-04-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

So, there's this author Jackson Pearce. She writes books. And she blogs, and tweets, and vlogs.

Oh, and she hosts contests, which is what this post is really about.

I want to win her April contest. And the rules say I must talk about her forthcoming book, Sisters Red. But as it is forthcoming I can't really review it, can I?

Although, I can say it has a very pretty cover, and thats all most of us need to buy a book. A pretty cover, and a good blurb.

Wait, let me go check the blurb.

Scarlet 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?

Huh, that sounds interesting.

I guess the only thing left to do is read an excerpt on the website, here

Oh, and if you're still intrigued, pick up a copy when it comes out on June 7th.

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

2010-04-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

Now, I read a fair number of books. I've been known to read upwards of three in one day. So, when I say this is the best book I've read this year believe me when I say it had competition. And it blew that competition out of the water.

Finnikin of the Rock is a political fantasy in a style all its own. It is about a country that in five terrible days was torn asunder in murder, intrigue, and magic. It is a story of refugees trying to find their way home. And it is a story of a young man and a young woman, determined to save their people and how their ideas in how to do so, clash.

I don't even know where to begin on describing what I loved about this book. The main characters, Finnikin and Evanjelin are so wonderfully written. Finnikin is such a good balance of determined, indecisive, strong, weak, brooding, smart, funny...I could go on. He has such a passion for his homeland and his people but has lost faith in ever returning home. But he still has this part of him that is reluctant. A part that is afraid of returning home, of discovering who he is as the path back to their homeland threatens to make him more than he ever wanted to be.

Young adult literature likes to use the words "strong female lead" to describe their leading ladies. I never quite understood the phrase until reading this book. Most of the main characters in this book are male. They're all tough warrior types who have been forced to lead hard lives in constant travel. Then Evanjelin joins their group and,without saying a word, takes over their plans, and proves to them that she has a better understanding of what is going on. Her tenacity and strength are really what made this book for me. From the very beginning she knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it.

These two characters play off each other so well. Watching them grow through the story, and seeing the doubts they had and the regrets they harbored was like watching two real people. They jumped off the page and captured my heart and made it so it was impossible to put this book down.

They are many other fantastic characters, but when I think back on the book, it is Finnikin and Evanjelin that I remember the most. The book is about their journey and their discovery of themselves and each other.

When I reached the end of the book, my greatest wish was to forget it completely so that I could go back to the beginning and read it all over again, fresh. If you can only read one book this month, or this year, make it this one. You will not regret it.

The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

2010-03-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

Back in September, I posted my very first ever review on this here blog. I raved about how much I loved Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth and how excited I was for the sequel. The Dead Tossed Waves is technically released today, but I was fortunate enough to find it in my local bookstore yesterday and, again, could not put it down until I’d finished.

Though Dead Tossed Waves is technically a sequel to Forest, you don’t need to have read Forest to enjoy it (though please, for your own sake, read it…it’s probably the best YA book that came out last year). Time flashes forward, probably ten years? Fifteen? I wasn’t entirely positive on this point, and I liked that. Mary’s daughter Gabrielle lives as safe a life as she thinks can be lived in a town called Vista, nestled between the Forest and the ocean. Gabry’s world is so much different than her mother’s – the unconsecrated are now Modu, there is a town council instead of a sisterhood, and there is a very definite outside world with a protectorate to run it and Recruiters to protect it against the hoards of zombies who want nothing more than to spread their infection.

This book hits the ground running and doesn’t stop even once you hit the end. In a lot of ways, this book is the inverse of Forest. Where Mary was trying to find the outside world and the ocean, Gabry has to flee it. Read together, the books are a really well-done example of how the grass is always greener in someone else’s life. More htan that, it’s a great juxtaposition as to how two very different societies can essentially handle a problem in the same wrong ways.

Just like Mary was the anchor of Forest, Gabry really shines, and is perhaps even more amazing than her mother was. What makes her such a compelling main character is the fact that she starts off the novel terrified. She likes the safety and security that Vista can provide her - she doesn’t want to find out anything about the outside. All Gabry wants to do is live out the future she’s imagined for herself with her best friend Cira and Cira’s older brother, Catcher.

But Gabry can’t be scared forever, and when her fears are tested she shows a pretty inspiring strength. She’s a leader like her mother, but she also lacks a lot of the selfishness that made Mary frustrating and wonderful all at once. Gabry cares more about other people than she does herself and her own fears, but she tends to take too much on herself, which keeps her relatable. She has doubts about what she’s doing, and you just want to give her a hug and tell her she’s doing a great job.

The minor characters were all excellent, as well. Cira was an excellent foil to Gabry, and it made their friendship very real. Mary was still Mary, headstrong and a little selfish but so brave. Elias was strong and intriguing and you could feel the tension between he and Mary with every page. My favorite, though, was Catcher, who drew perhaps the shortest stick of any literary character I’ve ever read. He was sweet and loyal and so intensely likable, and then your heart just shatters into a million pieces for him. He is a character who wants to be strong and wants to be normal and wants to just live out his life and love Gabry, but he can’t do that. Every single thing he ever wanted is snatched away from him, but he still tries to protect Gabry and Cira and to do the right thing by everyone. If I could pull him from the pages of this book and keep him with me always, I would.

Despite having heart-pounding tension and a sense of danger that kept me turning the pages as fast as my eyes could move across the (beautifully written and haunting) prose, there was a less definite plot to Dead Tossed Waves than there was to Forest. In the latter, Mary has a clear destination: the ocean, outside. But in Dead Tossed Waves, Gabry just wants to get away from Vista and protect Catcher and Elias and Cira. She doesn’t have a specific goal except to flee. The lack of a goal didn’t bother me for the most part because I was so caught up in the characters’ terror, but once I got to the ending it seemed a little bit random and rushed. I still loved it - it still managed to catch that open-ended hope and the same sense of fear that there is so much more to the world than the reader or the characters can know – but because Gabry isn’t going anywhere but away, you are left feeling like this story isn’t at all over. I loved the indefinite ending in Forest and I loved it here, but a little more clarity as Gabry’s new goals and plan might have helped. Hopefully there is going to be a sequel.

The love triangle was a little odd for me, too, mostly because any kind of resolution or focus on it came in the last thirty or so pages and felt a little bit crammed in. I had a feeling which way things were going to go from the beginning, but the way Gabry made her decision just felt strangely fast for someone who over-thought things as much as she did. That said, I wasn’t displeased by what she decided and I was so excited by a resolution to something that lingered in my mind from Forest that I was willing to overlook this. So long as there is a sequel. Please, please let there be a sequel.

My one gripe about this book is actually nothing any author could change. I bought Forest of Hands and Teeth because I loved the cover and thought it really fit the book. Then, the stinking publishers changed the cover style for Dead Tossed Waves and made a new cover for Forest to match. Now my Dead Tossed Waves doesn’t match my Forest, and I don’t think the cover matches the book as well as the original cover of Forest matched its plot. Irrelevant rant, I know, but I can’t help myself.

Overall, Dead Tossed Waves owned me. It’s primary flaw was that I was left aching for more about the characters and the story, and that is pretty much never a bad thing. If there isn’t a sequel, I am going to cry (I can’t emphasize my need to read more about Gabry enough). Everyone needs to rush out and buy this today, because I want to hear what y’all think of the ending.

And...and...I just went to check out Carrie Ryan's twitter and there is going to be a third book! Phew!

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

2010-03-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

I bought Incarceron by Catherine Fisher right when they released it into US bookstores (it was already released in England 2 years ago), but I had some other stuff I wanted to read first and I kind of forgot about it. Big mistake. I’m going to do my best to talk about this without spoiling things, because one of the best things about this book is that, for the most part, it slowly gives the reader clues and lets them piece together all the mysteries themselves.

Incarceron tells the story of two characters whose lives couldn't be more different. Trapped in a prison with no way of escape is Finn. He can’t remember his childhood outside of tiny pictures that come to him in flashes, and he has terrifying dreams that one of the wise-men in his clan thinks are visions. He is convinced he comes from Outside, but the Scum band he is a part of try to convince him that Outside is just a myth. Only it isn’t, because living in the Outside is Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. Claudia lives a life of luxury, or as luxurious as the era that the queen has determined that all subjects live in can afford. She wants desperately to avoid an arranged marriage, but even more desperately to find the way into Incarceron. Her desire to get in and Finn’s need to get out bring them together with grave consequences for both.

If I had to compare this book to others, I would say it is one part Ella Enchanted, one part Maze Runner, one part Hunger Games, and one part Kristen Cashore. I already said that I loved the plot of this book, but what makes it such a good read is the characters. The contrast of Finn’s story inside the prison and Claudia’s story Outside is compelling and gives the novel a depth that a lot of YA books can sometimes lack. Finn is not perfect, but he does his best to be honest and fair and loyal, and watching him struggle in the prison broke my heart a little. Claudia is a strong female lead. She is smart, strong, daring, but also fiercely loyal and has enough compassion and insecurity that she stays likable and relatable.

More important than just Finn and Claudia, though, are the way the villains of the story have been crafted. The prison itself seems real, with eyes watching all the time and a strange way of seeming to be in all of its inhabitants’ heads. The Queen and her insipid son are both well drawn for their brief appearances. And then, of course, Claudia’s father. He is especially interesting because of Claudia and how she sees him. She hates her father for the man he is and the things he wants her to do, but she loves him just the same. He reminded me of a strange combination of Fire’s father from Fire, Valentine from The Mortal Instruments, and Ella’s father from Ella Enchanted.

My biggest complaint about the novel was the increase in point of view changes. In the first half or so of the novel, the points of view were limited to Finn and Claudia, which worked well to show the sad state of the world both in and out of the prison. In the second half of the novel, Finn’s companions began getting their say, as did Claudia’s tutor and even Claudia’s father. I found the additional points of view a little distracting and they took away some of the tension that had been built up by giving too much information.

The ending also felt a little bit rushed, but knowing that there is a sequel explains that for me. The last page was a good stopping point, but was also a big cliffhanger and I was left with a lot more questions than answers in some respects. This, however, wouldn’t have bothered me if the sequel were already out. Unfortunately, Sapphique won’t be released until January 4, 2011 in the US. If, like me, you get to that last page and are bereft that you don’t get to know how it ends, fear not. As I said, Incarceron and Sapphique have both been out in the UK for two years, so you can get your hands on it if you just can’t wait. And trust me, I don’t think you’ll be able to.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2010-03-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

I was recommended Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver on twitter well before it was released. I immediately trotted off to Amazon to check it out and fell in love with 1) the cover (obviously) and 2) the premise. I was fortunate enough to find it at my local Barnes & Noble last Thursday (since it technically comes out today) and couldn’t put it down.

Before I Fall tells the story of Samantha Kingston, whose life couldn’t be more amazing – she’s popular, has great friends, is dating a hot guy, and is about to have sex for the first time ever – until one night, one party changes everything for her. An accident – tragic and poignantly written – takes Sam’s life. Or so she thinks. When she wakes up the next morning, it’s like the day has never happened. The rest of the book is a heartbreaking version of Groundhog Day that will stick with you long after you’re done reading.

When I first started reading, I wasn’t sold right away. Sam is one of “those” girls – popular, self-centered, and pretty much a sheep. She and her friends are callous, pick on kids less popular than they are, think they’re better than everyone else, and generally do things because everyone else is doing them, not because they want to. Sam is willing to sleep with her boyfriend, not because she loves him but because she doesn’t want to be the last to do it.

It was this original dislike that ultimately drew me in to the novel. The characters are written pitch perfect for high school girls (and guys). Oliver’s characters don’t seem like they should be graduating college instead of high school, and they don’t seem like freshman either. It was a good balance between smart kids from good families at a god school and typical high school lack of experience.

The thing that makes Before I Fall so amazing though, is that Sam grows and changes without becoming perfect. You watch her try on all of these different versions of herself. She becomes a better person and sometimes a worse person, always mirroring how much hope she clings to when she wakes up for that particular version of her last day. She realizes these mistakes she’s mad and her friends have made, but she doesn’t turn her back on the people she cares about. My favorite thing about Sam is that she doesn’t abandon her friends for being “bad” people; instead, she starts to realize and recognize things in them that their former friend code had demanded she ignore and never bring up.

It’s hard for me to review this novel without spoiling it, particularly because several of the things that I am still a little unsure about rotate around the ending. In the end, though, I loved it because of the fact that I was left unsure. Before I Fall makes you think, it makes you contemplate the very nature of the life you’re living and the tiny details you think are so meaningless but can mean so much to someone else. It’s a beautiful novel and I highly recommend it.

I’m going to talk about the ending in the comments, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, stay out of there!

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

2010-02-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

Hate List by Jennifer Brown is yet another book I bought because I loved the cover. I almost didn’t, because I don’t like books about school shootings. So often they’re written from the point of view of the shooter or with excerpts from the shooters, and I just…I can’t get behind that for any reason. A personal flaw, I know.

What makes Hate List so interesting is that it isn’t about a shooter, but it’s also not about a “victim.” Yes, Valerie Leftman is a victim in the traditional sense. She was one of the students in the school when a senior named Nick opened fire; in fact, she took a bullet to her leg. But Valerie Leftman isn’t just any student at the high school – she’s the shooter’s girlfriend. More importantly, she is the co-author of the Hate List, a notebook she shared with Nick.

The Hate List is exactly what it sounds like: a list of all the things and people Nick and Valerie hate and why. Teachers, students, classes, everyday people. Everything they hate they write down in this notebook. Unfortunately for Valerie, that notebook is a huge part of the police investigation into the shooting because it ended up being a sort of kill-list for Nick. But Valeria had no idea he was going to do it. Sometimes she still can't believe he actually did.

What I loved about Hate List was the way Valerie’s grief was illustrated. I could see it in everything she did and every place she was. The way she sat, the clothes she wore, the things she said, the way she kept her room…all of it added up to a very confused, very scared, and very depressed protagonist. I could feel her suffering, and I could feel her guilt about that suffering.

Because of this grief, Valerie isn’t always likable. I found myself getting annoyed at her selfishness and her moping, and that really worked. Too often, novels about grief are saccharine and Nicholas Sparks levels of beautiful sadness. But grief doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes it’s ugly and sucks people down into that ugliness.

Valerie’s story is so interesting because she knows that the boy who shot everyone in their school isn’t just that. He’s something else too, someone she loved. The point isn’t that Nick was just misunderstood and he was mistreated and teased and that’s why he shot a bunch of his classmates. The book isn’t a lesson in the idea that school shooters should be pitied and that kids should all try to get along and be nice to everyone. The book is about one girl’s grief and her realization that sometimes you don’t know someone as well as you think, and that sometimes people can do things you could never have imagined them doing. It’s about how you can see someone in a way no one else can. It’s about…it’s about so much I just can’t list it all.

Hate List was powerful. It stayed with me for a few days. Hell, it stayed with me for a few months since I’m just now writing this review. Don’t let the school shooting plot distract you from this novel’s powerful message of grief and hope and growth. This book goes down as one of my favorite YA books, and one that I highly recommend.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

2010-01-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

I was hesitant about The Dark Divine by Bree Despain. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t love the cover all that much, and I’m still questioning what the heck it has to do with the story it was supposed to sell. Plus, I’ve been feeling a little burnt out on YA lit lately. I read a long line of books I pretty much hated, and so I had to take a little break for a while. Dark Divine was just what I needed to break that streak.

The book tells the story of Grace Divine, daughter of the local Pastor (and not just any local pastor – the guy everyone counts on to fix their problems and their lives). Her life seems cookie-cutter perfect – the perfect, popular older brother, his cute “triple threat” friend who’s into her, her best friend, her good grades, and her art. But there’s something missing, and that something shows up unexpectedly after a three-year absence. His name is Daniel, and he shows up to send Grace’s world into total chaos. Of course, Daniel has a secret, a secret dark enough to unravel everything Grace knows.

What I loved the most about Dark Divine was Grace. She didn’t feel preachy. She didn’t seem weak. She was smart and together and willing to change her mind. She actually took the time to consider her actions. She stands up for herself and for others, and she does it in a way that is straight-forward and refreshingly honest. She wants to be a good kid – but she wants to help everyone else too. So often in YA books we’re told a lot about a character being self-sacrificial, and it was nice to see a girl who actually was – who had the strength to know her own mind and follow her own heart and make hard choices for herself. A likable protagonist was something I’d really been missing in the more recent YA books I’ve read, and Grace was the perfect remedy for that.

The other thing that works so well in this book is Daniel. Too often the hero is brooding and handsome and mysterious, but also pretty much a total jerk to our heroine. Not so here. Daniel seems conflicted. He wants to protect and help Grace, but he also knows that she can protect and help herself. He has his foibles, but they’re relatable – they’re things any teenager might have done themselves when they like someone. But most importantly, I could see why Grace loved him. They had a history. There was a fleshed out back-story. We see he and Grace interacting in a variety of ways and can feel their connection; its existence is shown to us, not told to us.

That’s not to say the book was perfect. My biggest disappointment was Grace’s relationship with her best friend, April. I was sad when April did all the things Grace originally loved her for not doing. And I was sadder that there wasn’t any kind of resolution to the rift that had formed in their friendship. In some ways it was very true to real life – boys show up and friendships change. But I would have liked to see that talked about, for that to be a concern for Grace. I would have liked there to be something more to the ending than the resolution between boy and girl.

But, like most YA novels now, the story was fundamentally about our Heroine finding herself a hero. The ending, though, paved the way for an interesting twist on that. I don’t want to spoil anything because I want you all to go read the book. All I’ll say is that I really, REALLY want there to be a sequel. Or several.

Here is the Trailer:

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

2010-01-12T21:05:00.001-08:00

The Prophecy of the Sisters is one of those books that I had never heard even a whisper of before glimpsing it on the bookstore shelves. The title grabbed me, and the cover looked promising and I liked the flap. But it was a hardcover that I didn't know about so I dithered about it for awhile.

I am so glad I decided to take a chance on it.

The book opens with main character Lia at her father's funeral. It is the early 1900s and she, her twin sister, younger brother and Aunt live in an estate home just outside of New York City. Oh, and a mysterious mark has appeared on her wrist following her father's death.

What follows is a good mystery, mixed with coming of age and family dynamics.

My favourite part of this book was the writing style. It's told in first person, present tense, which isn't anything different or unique but the language felt right for the character and the time period. I don't recall to much said about the setting or the time it takes place in but I have a vivid picture of it in my head. Everything was very clear and detailed without being at all tedious.

The quest part of the story, the search for the mysterious keys I found a little predictable. It was still enjoyable but there were times I was yelling at Lia that the answer was obvious.

Another thing I loved about the book was the family dynamic. It would have been easy to have made Alice, the other sister, completely and utterly evil. She is dealing with evil beings and evil outcomes. But still, the family love is there. You believe her when she does something good. And you believe her when she does something terrible. I like that, although the sisters know they are on opposing sides, they are still sisters.

All in all, an fantastic read and I'm eager for more of the story.

Romance Stories

2009-12-14T08:41:00.000-08:00

A little while ago, we got an email asking for book recommendations, and then because we were all so busy (and I think I'm the only one who checks our email) it was left unanswered.

But no longer! This post is here to rectify that, so without further ado, the question:

So, I wanna ask you some advise. I'm "new" to the reading world in a way, I didn't use to like reading but now I spend every second I have free reading, it's like a passion! I'm relatively young..... lol well I'm 18! So I was wondering if there was some book you could recommend.... I'm not really into action stories, but that's because I never really tried reading one, I prefer romance stories, things like that....

Personally, because of the type of books I like to read, I have trouble coming up with good romance stories that don't have any action.

The Mortal Instruments - has action
Graceling/Fire - has action
The Hunger Games - has action
The Forrest of Hands and Teeth - has action
Rampant - has action

After thinking on this a bit and not being able to come up with a single book of romance that didn't have action (although, I expect this is a purple elephant type of thing, as the post below this one talks about an author whom I love, who is fantastic at non-actiony romance...although my favourite by her has action...) I began to get very...excited.

It's a bit of a stereotype, isn't it? That girls like to read romance and boys like to read action.

Or, more generally, females like to read about relationship dramas and males like to read about adventure.

I really like that, at least in the YA genre, these stereotypes are being ignored. I want more like this. I want more awesome action mixed with well written romance and well rounded characters.

I don't really have a point with this, I didn't even mean to dwell on it, I just enjoy that it is a trend and I want more of it.

Back to the original purpose of this post, recommendations.

Other than anything by Maureen Johnson, I'm pretty much coming up blank for romance without action. The above books are all fantastic and I do suggest you check them out.

Beautiful Creatures is also very good and has...less action than some of the books from above.

Anyone else have any recommendations?

13 Little Blue Envelopes By Maureen Johnson

2009-12-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

Maureen Johnson is one of my favourite authors ever. I enjoy her wit, her humour, her well-rounded characters, and her ability to portray teenagers in a realistic manner that makes them intelligent and likable, but still confused and imperfect.

My favourite of her books is probably Devilish. Mostly because it makes me want a cupcake every time I read it. But the first book I ever read by her was 13 Little Blue Envelopes. As someone who mostly reads fantasy books, this book, more than any of her other ones, appealed to me for the journey, and the mystery in it. The story sounded as if it would be just as magical, if not more magical, then a lot of the fantasy I had been reading.

And it was.

So, when Maureen (can I call her by her first name? Well, I'm going to.) announced on twitter that she was giving away an old ARC copy of the book, one of the last ones in existence, I decided it must be mine. In order to win it you had to submit a picture or a catchphrase advertising the upcoming sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

I knew I had to enter, and I knew I had to stand out. I decided to appeal to Maureen's humour, as well as her love of snuggie's and made this (with a little help from a friend):

It's horrible and awesome at the same time isn't it?

And, don't ask about the cigarette...I have no idea what's up with that.

Either way, I won the book! It arrived yesterday, and to celebrate I thought I would write up a review and tell anyone reading this to go read it, right now.

13 Little Blue Envelopes is the story of american teenager Ginny who has recently learned that her slightly wacky, artist aunt has died of cancer. The begins when Ginny receives an envelope from her aunt containing a letter with rules and instructions and $1000 cash. Shy, quiet Ginny, who prefers to go unnoticed is being sent on a quest through Europe, she is not allowed to bring any of her own money, or any electrical devices.

No computer, no phone, no camera, no money. Just herself, a backpack, and 13 little blue envelopes full of instructions.

What I really loved about this book is that it is clear from the beginning that Aunt Peg wants Ginny to go on this adventure to help her break out of her shell, to help her discover herself. Ginny wants to go on the adventure simply to feel close to her aunt. These two motivations, not that they're the only ones, shape the whole book and I think without them, its very easy to get annoyed with the characters.

Ginny is basically on an all expense paid trip through Europe but she doesn't really care. She doesn't go out of her way to see or do things, she just does what each letter tells her to so that she can get to the next one, in the desperate and ultimately useless hope, that at the end her beloved, crazy aunt will be waiting for her.

Peg doesn't want Ginny to make the same mistakes she has. And although they are both very different people, outwardly, it is clear that they have both been running from things all their lives.

Another thing I loved about the book, and that I think is a terrific example of Maureen's ability to write great characters, is how alive Aunt Peg was. Despite being a fictional character that had died before the beginning of the story, the letters, and Ginny's memories of her make her a real person. And we see her go through a journey, a self-discovery along with Ginny.

Now, I don't want to ruin too much, but, well, you never get to see the 13th envelope. Ginny never gets to see it. And I really like that. It leaves Ginny to discover her own finish, her own ending. Maureen has said that we will get to see the 13th envelope in the sequel and I'm unsure how I feel about this. I like that it's a mystery. That Ginny can make it whatever she wants it to be.

I haven't said anything about the males in this story, and be assured there is a little romance for both of our female leads, but it happens to the side. It isn't the main focus. In fact I think the only thing I disliked about this book was that we didn't get to see more of Keith, the kilt-wearing playwrite who stared in Starbucks: The Musical.

I'm still giddy over winning the ARC. I read the book again this morning, and loved it just as much as the first time.

You should check out Maureen Johnson's blog, it is hilarious and informative about the world of publishing and writing. And, of course, lists all of her books, all of which should be read.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

2009-11-24T23:41:00.000-08:00

After weeks of carrying the book around in my bag and not having any chance to read it, I finally put other things aside and used every spare minute today to finish it.

This book was most entertaining, and very original. I loved the idea of killer unicorns. Before I started the book, I was envisioning sprawling battles with swords and crossbows and majestic yet terrible beasts that are ravaging the unsuspecting population.

And I was not disappointed in that regard. What I didn't expect was how honest the book was going to be about teenage girls and sex. I had completely forgotten the old myth of unicorns being attracted to virgin females, but this book takes it and runs with it. And sex itself it talked about in such an honest and real way. It feels like teenage girls talking about sex. Not an adult having teenage girls talk about sex the way she wishes they would.

And, as much as I loved the battles and the mystery, what I really loved was that the author was willing to have these girls talk about sex candidly. A lot of current YA novels use fantasy transformations as a metaphor for puberty* and changing into a young adult. Peterfreund instead uses the supernatural transformations as a metaphor for the pressure young people feel to have sex. And the way their world is different afterward.

At least, that was my interpretation.

The story itself is obviously very planned and thought out, with a lot of research going into it. Which I always appreciate. In this world there are four different species of unicorn. The zhi are the smallest and the one we see the most of. They are about the size of a goat and when confronted with a virginal hunter the zhi are attracted in a cute and cuddly way. The girls keep one as basically a pet and it is easy to forget that it is a meat-eating, man-killing monster.

The next bigger one is called a kirin, it's about the size of a horse. These ones are attracted to hunters in a non-cuddly way. In fact all unicorns other than the zhis are attracted to hunters to kill them. These unicorns are so dark they blend in with the night, and are almost invisible. And very deadly.

The Re'en, the second biggest, similar in size to an ox, we only see briefly and don't really know much about. The Karkadann is the biggest. Comparable to an elephant. And, well, I'm still not quite sure about the Karkadann and it's role in this world. I could explain a little more, but I don't want to ruin it.

All of the unicorns have a deadly poison in their alicorn (the horn) and all of them like to eat the flesh of humans.

Virginal descendants of Alexander the Great are brought to Rome to live in old decrepit cloisters and train to hunt these unicorns. Seriously.

What really made this book was how the author brought all these characters together, in this almost ridiculous setting, and then had them react the way modern teenagers would.

Astrid, the main character, does not want to be there. She doesn't not want to kill things. She would much rather be at home, at school, with a date to prom.

Phillipa, her cousin, doesn't really seem to get it. They are modern teenagers, modern women, after all. They can make up their own minds, do their thing. No man controls them.

Cory, the first hunter we meet besides Astrid, is almost blood thirsty in her need to kill unicorns.

More girls arrive after them and despite the growing cast of characters, each one always feels like their own person. None of the supporting cast feels flat or undeveloped or not needed.

The book had the awesome battles and violence and "girl power" I had been looking for, but what I really loved about it were the scenes when the girls were all together in a room discussing why they were still virgins. How being a virgin affected their interactions with boys.

One of the girls is nineteen and she talks about how everyone just assumes she is saving her virginity for something special. Marriage or her "one true love." When really all she wanted was someone who wanted her more than they wanted sex.

There was so much else I wanted to talk about (the animal rights side of things, having a love interest when sex is denied, the mystery, the panacea...) but I feel I've spoiled enough of it. I will briefly mention that I found some parts to be slow but as I can't remember what those parts were, I'm sure it wont affect your enjoyment of the book. They didn't affect mine.

And I will leave with my favourite line: "Every time we went out was like some complicated game. What he'd try, when he'd try it, and how I'd stop him without making him mad or doing something I didn't want to do. That's the only thing I thought about every time we were together. Not about the movie we were watching or what we were talking about. Just waiting for him to make a move. It wasn't dating; it was preparing for battle."

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

2009-10-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that I have not read Uglies. I own it and have read the first chapter three times. I'm even intrigued by the characters and the introduction to the plot but for some reason I cannot get into it.

So, I was surprised at how excited I was to read this. I didn't even pause to think I wouldn't be buying it. Maybe because its steampunk and I love steampunk, maybe because it has that awesomely beautiful cover, or maybe because it rewrites the history surrounding WWI. I'm not sure, but I'm so glad I did.

The book centre's around two main characters, Aleksander and Deryn. Aleksander is the fictional son of two real people. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Princess Sophie (I think I got that right, their weird marriage and titles are a little confusing), and the book starts off the night they are murdered, the beginning of the Great War.

Just as in actually history Westerfeld has WWI be more about weapons and the leaders of countries showing off. But the type of weapons have changed. It's no longer tanks and machine guns. The Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungry, and Italy, in this book sometimes called The Clankers, have steam-powered iron machines. Some of the machines look vaguely humanoid, some like giant insects that scuttle across the ground. All are fast, heavy and heavily armed.

Deryn is a fifteen year old girl from Scotland who wants to fly. Her, now deceased, father used to take her up in an air balloon and she has never loved anything as much as flying with dad. And now she wants nothing more than to join the Air Service so she can fly all the time.

The only problem being they only accept males. So, Deryn becomes Dylan and is quickly made a midshipman on the great living airship, Leviathan.

The Triple Entent of the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire do not use giant iron machines. They are Darwinists, and use genetically manipulated animals as weapons. The Leviathan is a living, breathing animal.

I enjoyed Westerfeld's representation of the weapons conflict that actually did happen in Europe. His fictional one, of Darwinists versus Clankers almost makes more sense than what actually happened, as WWI was the war of "I have more tanks than you, nanner, nanner, nanner." In Leviathan we see that the two sides don't trust one another's technology. Westerfeld weaves the history and sci-fi together seamlessly.

Despite all of the history intermingled with fantasy and science-fiction, what I loved most about the book was the characters. Alek the spoiled rich kid who isn't a snob and Deryn the commoner determined to go after her dreams. Their journey's were intriguing and kept me turning the pages, eager for more.

Westerfeld's description of the weird science in the story was very artfully handled. The details made sense, were informative and didn't take over the story. There has been so much steampunk where the plot is just a tool to describe the authors mechanical ideas. That did not happen here, thankfully.

I had one pet peeve, and it probably isn't something most people would pick up on. Near the beginning of the book, Deryn goes for a ride on something similar to a hot air balloon. But instead of being in a basket she's is free hanging from a harness, her legs dangling. And because of gravity affecting a person's circulation, if one were to actually do this for as long as she did, they would probably be dead. Or at least have severe brain damage. And this wasn't really addressed at all.

But like I said, most people aren't aware of this.

All in all, it was a fast paced, enjoyable read and the ending definitely left me wanting more.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

2009-10-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve mentioned here my tendency to judge a book by its cover. It’s bad, I know. I’ve also mentioned my tendency to pick books by their titles (Never Slow Dance with a Zombie…come on, you HAVE to read a book with that title). And I find most books I’m judging by these standards on the new teen release shelf at Barnes and Noble. Last week, I was perusing and came across The Maze Runner, by James Dashner. The cover looked cool, but it was the title that grabbed me. I love mazes – Halloween is awesome just for corn field ones. So I bought the book and read it last night. All of it.

Maze Runner opens with Thomas standing in a box. He can’t remember anything but his name, and he has no idea how he got there. From this box, he is pulled into the world of The Glade. There, at the center of a large, always changing maze, a collection of boys (all of whom appeared mysteriously just like Thomas), have formed a society with their own jobs and tasks and rules. The number one rule: Don’t Go Into The Maze. Because waiting out there in the ivy covered walls are Grivers, strange, robotic slug like creatures whose sole purpose is to kill Gladers.

When I reviewed Michael Grant’s Gone a few weeks ago, I talked about how much I loved a book that was built around plot and a character rather than a romance. That was one of my favorite things about this book. It was nice to again see a character who had a romantic inclination, but it wasn’t the sole purpose or function of his life. Maze Runner actually has a lot of similarities with Gone. It’s another sort of dystopian, Lord of the Flies on speed set up, with no discernible way out of this prison that the characters live in. But Maze Runner is Gone two years down the road, once order had been established. It shows that with determination and grit, kids will band together and do what it takes to survive. And it is Gone without the sometimes children’s lit feel.

Talking about the characters in this novel is hard for me, because I loved all of them. I loved Thomas. I loved Teresa, even if she was more of a presence than anything else. I love, love, loved Newt and Alby and Minchoo and oh God did I love Chuck. I even loved Gally, the semi-villain of the novel’s beginning. I loved how different each of these characters was while still having a sort of root strength inside of them. I loved how they were all tied together so well despite being so different. And I especially loved how Gally was genuinely messed up. He had a very real trauma and very real suspicions, and watching his mental deterioration was almost heartbreaking even as he was being a total ass.

One of my favorite things about this book, though, was that the setting became a character in itself. The Maze is tricky and dangerous. The walls move, there are terrifying beasts and dangers within, and it seems to be mocking its captives throughout the novel. And…it offers no way out except over a cliff. More than the maze, though, are the creators of the maze. These creators are a total unknown to the characters, but you get a sense of who they are and what kind of things they’ve done and you get a sense of unease with them while still wondering if maybe all isn’t quite as it seems.

I’ve talked a lot about how important suspense is in a plot-driven novel, and Dashner doesn’t disappoint. There are so many clues dropped throughout the novel - little hints, tiny snippets of conversation that turn out to be so important for the later puzzle. Again, as a novel targeted toward young adults, there is a certain amount of predictability in this, especially when Thomas is trying to remind you that something has been mentioned before, even if he can’t remember what it is. But the mystery was still enough that things slipped past my notice, and at the novels conclusion, I had no idea what was going to be happening next.

The ending of the novel was perfect. Maze Runner is the first of a trilogy, but the ending still felt like an ending. The epilogue set up the sequel brilliantly, establishing a whole new level of suspense without feeling like a cliffhanger. And it went so fast. When I first read it, I thought it was too fast. But, having gone back and looked at how long the ending actually is, I just realized that it felt fast. It felt intense, and I really liked that.

Maze Runner was another smart book. It took the idea of kids trapped and took it to another level – it let them actually take care of themselves. They didn’t degenerate into pig hunters or junk food eating disasters. These kids are survivors, and I loved that more than anything. Even when total panic would be the default, there was always someone around to keep control and help others stay sane. And this ability was admired and rewarded. Hard work was rewarded too, as was skill. It’s good to see such examples for the actual young adults reading this book. Hell, I felt like a lazy bum reading about the hard work these kids did on a day to day basis.

I highly recommend The Maze Runner to all of you for a good, suspenseful, and thrilling read. I'm eagerly anticipating the next two books.

You can read more about the novel here. Enter to win a signed copy on Jenn Johansson's blog here!

Fire by Kristen Cashore

2009-10-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Fire by Kristin Cashore, the sequel to Graceling and I loved it.

I found upon first starting the book that I had a fear I was unaware of. I was afraid Cashore would write Fire as a carbon copy of Katsa. I could even see where the appeal would be. Katsa was a strong young woman determined to take control of her life. Who wouldn't want to write about a character like that?

But I, thankfully, found Fire to be very different from Katsa. She already was in control of her life, or as much of it as she could be, as much as anyone is in control of their lives. And her struggle wasn't about being strong, and surviving. Fire's struggle was much more about trust and friendship. About opening herself up to people.

The book starts out with Fire living on an estate she inherited from her father in a kingdom called the Dells. Her father was a monster. Literally. In the Dells creatures and humans are sometimes born with extraordinary beauty. Their hair or feathers glinting in vibrant colours and the very sight of them causing people to stop and stare in wonder. These creatures are called monsters. Fire's father was one, and so is Fire.

Her beauty is such that she has hidden away every mirror in her home because she thinks it is ridiculous that she herself is made breathless by the vision of her beauty. Men and woman follow her around, or attack her, or attack each other with her beauty as motivation.

Soon into the story we meet the King of the Dells and his brother, Prince Brigan who is also commander of the Dellian armies. And Fire is whisked away to the capitol for she can provide a service no one else can. As a monster she has the ability to reach out to the minds of others and manipulate them. And as the country is on the brink of war, her skills are greatly needed.

I really liked that Fire grappled with this decision and wouldn't be bullied into manipulating minds. Her father, who relished causing pain in others and enjoyed using his ability, had taught her to be cautious and careful with her powers. She did not want to be corrupted by them. And as the story goes on and Fire begins to trust more and more people, she also begins to trust herself.

Her journey of self-discovery was fluid and enjoyable. Nothing about Fire felt out of place for her character and I ached for some of the sacrifices she made. Her relationships with Archer and Prince Brigan worked well as foils, as did the characters themselves, and I, once again, appreciated the against the norm take on romance Kristin takes in her books. There are many royal and noble characters who have sex outside of being married and are not censured for it more than anyone would be today. That is, they are expected to be responsible about it. And nothing bad happens to anyone in response to having sex to young, as a lot of entertainment aimed at teenagers likes to do. Although, it is arguable that one character was offed after having too much irresponsibly sex. But I really don't think that is why that character died.

The one thing I thought was weird about the book was the inclusion of Leck. It wasn't necessarily a bad inclusion, in fact I enjoyed the seeing into his mind as much as we did, but he seemed out of place in the story. Leck's presence would only really matter to someone who had read Graceling and Fire is being marketed as a book that can stand on its own. One can tell Leck has the makings of a main villain and to only be used as a distraction and an out of place threat feels weird in the story.

But, as I said, I was glad to learn more of him. He was creepy and evil from his first moments and truly sent a shiver down my spine.

All in all, a fantastic book. I'm always so glad when sequels (or prequels as the case may be) live up to the original books. And Fire certainly did.

2009-10-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

Never Slow Dance With a Zombie. I mean, come on. How could I not want to read a book with a title like that!? I dare you to read the title and not snerk just a little bit. And the cover (see right) is pretty! I’ll fully admit that I bought this book because of the title, the cover, and the fact that the zombies were, GASP, gross. (No, I’m not still bitter about Generation Dead being such a letdown. Why do you ask?).

The book, written by E. Van Lowe, tells the story of Margot Jean Johnson, intrepid high school junior who, like all geeky high school junior girls, desperately wants to be cool. She’s finally given her chance when, with no explanation and completely out of the blue, every student in the school shows up as a zombie. And these are proper zombies, complete with flesh eating urges, crumbling/decomposing bodies, grotesque smells of funk, and weird, green pallor. Suddenly, Margot is chair of the Homecoming Committee, the Prom Committee, the Christmas Festival Committee, and the Caroling Committee…all of it. Her arch nemesis, Amanda Culpepper and former It Girl of Salesian High, is stuck scrounging for raw meat. As a result, Margot, along with her best friend, Sybil, decides this will be her best semester ever.

I loved this book. So much. It was real, the voice was relatable (and appropriately obnoxious), and, most of all, it was smart. This is a smart book. As I was reading I was reminded, strongly, of Kafka. Specifically The Metamorphosis. Except instead of Margot waking up and suddenly discovering she’s a bug, everyone else is the bug. Margot has become Gregor’s sister, the one really being tested.

The rest of the students are zombies and this means that Margot is officially the coolest girl in school, so the question is: is being popular worth it? Despite being the coolest girl in school, Margot still has to go along with the pack. She can’t show originality. She can’t be unique. She can’t show any individuality lest she be eaten by her classmates. Literally. But Margot doesn’t care. She’s living her fantasy high school experience.

This is another real strength of this book. Margot is incredibly relatable. She’s not a delicate snowflake who doesn’t realize that she looks like a supermodel…she’s a real girl who, while not ugly, isn’t gorgeous either. But she’s quirky. She’s hysterical. And you can’t help but root for her. Being Margot in high school (and let’s face it, most people are), is hard. High School teaches you that you want to be with the in-crowd. You want to be the person people like. Even if you know it’s ridiculous and even if you know that the people who are the It Crowd maybe kind of suck.

That said, Margot is so real and so relatable that you can’t help but find her annoying. I’ve been through that awful seventeen year old girl stage, and I was a twit during it. But I grew up and got past that, and so I couldn’t help wanting to grab Margot by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. Knowing the things Margot struggles to figure out can make her seem petty and weak and just plain stupid. But as Margot starts to get a clue, you remember that moment when you realized how ridiculous you used to be, and your fondness for her only grows. You feel sorry for her as you see just how pathetic she is at her lowest point, and that just makes you root for her even harder.

As I began reading, I was disappointed at the cut-out-esque qualities of the “villains” in the social structure. You have the beautiful blonde who doesn’t care about anyone but herself and lives to make other people miserable so she can feel cool. But the more I thought about it, the more I liked this portrayal of the villain. That’s what high school is like. The mean girls are almost always petty and superficial and just that…mean. But that’s what they’re like in school and that’s what people see. That doesn’t mean that’s all there is to them, something Margot will learn for herself.

The genius of the book was the characterization of the good guys. Margot. Sybil, her eccentric and adorable best friend. Baron, the boy who is crazy in love with Margot and not afraid to show it. And Milton, the boy version of Margot.

The biggest weakness of this book was the ending. Not that the ending wasn’t great, because it was. but because it felt rushed. This was one of the shortest YA books I’ve read in a while, and I think it could have benefitted from another 25-50 pages. The action at the end is intense, but there isn’t a lot of time to come down from it and I would have liked that. It wasn’t a set-up for a sequel, either (though I’d love to read more about Margot, even without the zombies), so it was a little bit frustrating to know that there was no more.

My only other quibble was that, despite Margot seeming so relatable, there were a few instances when I felt like she was a little older than she should be…places where the author maybe peeked through the prose to say hi. Still, these were few and I was so busy giggling at what Margot said/did next that I didn’t care.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It’s funny and smart and does a great job at poking fun of what YA literature has been reduced to lately. There are twists and turns and actual plot to go along with Margot’s personal struggle, and I couldn’t put it down until complete.

Read more about Never Slow Dance With a Zombie here.

Stuff I've Already Read and Really, Really Liked

2009-10-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend, my little brother got married. Not only was I in the damn wedding, but I was responsible for all of the desserts for the rehearsal. As a result, I’m still only halfway through my most recent read (Here, There be Dragons). I’ve decided that instead of posting nothing, I’m going to institute a “Stuff I’ve Already Read and Really, Really Liked” series. This week I want to talk about Gone, by Michael Grant. If you're like me and not at all ashamed of judging a book by the cover, please, don't do so here. I almost did (because let's face it, this cover is crap), and I'm so glad now that I looked for its inner beauty.

The first thing that readers need to know about Gone is that, though it is classified as a YA novel and centers around young adults, it is written by an author whose primary focus up to this point has been children’s literature, specifically the Animorphs books. This means that the book can at times feel younger than their target audience.

In Gone, fourteen year old Sam is sitting in class one day when POOF, everyone over the age of fifteen disappears. There’s no explanation, no reason that anyone can figure, and absolutely no warning. Worse still is that anyone left disappears once they too turn fifteen. Left behind are a group of children, some of whom have begun to develop strange abilities, who must suddenly fend for themselves.

The problem is, with the disappearance of the adults came a new threat – and not just the Lord of the Flies-esque power struggle among the remaining children. All around the California town that provides the novel’s setting, a strange , impenetrable wall of energy has appeared – a wall that traps them where they are and prevents any outside assistance.

The real strength of Gone is the plotting of the mystery and the action. The true genius about the way the book is set up – and the thing that really made me feel the tension that was building the most – was that the chapter titles are a countdown. This is a major unifying element in a book that explores multiple points of view. Every time I turned the page to a new chapter and saw that time had barely moved or that a big jump had happened, I’d feel that little tightness in my stomach and that urge to read on and find out what the hell was being counted down to.

The multiple points of view in the book could have ruined it. I myself tend to hate multiple points of view because, for me, it spoils the mystery of what the other characters are thinking. However, Grant has handled the issue intelligently. Technically, the book is third person, so these jumps between characters seem less jarring. Mostly, though, the points of view all highlight very different aspects of the novel’s plot.

The villain and his compatriots are obvious from the beginning, which was something I wish had been hidden a little more and drawn out a little longer. As this is the first in a series, the ultimate climax is not any kind of resolution or explanation about what’s happened, but rather a showdown between the hero and his counterpart. This was one portion of the book that could have been more tightly packed with action. Unfortunately, the villain was not as well drawn as the good guys, which made it harder to feel anything about what he was trying to do or who he was.

My favorite thing about the book was Sam. Sam emerges as the leader in the Fayz (the Fallout Alley Youth Zone inside the dome) early through both his fairness and his heroism. But what makes Sam special is that Sam doesn’t want this. Sam wants to figure out what the hell is going on with his body and what it means. He wants his mother back. He wants to figure out what’s going on and how to fix it to get everyone’s old lives back. And he wants to figure out if Astrid, the crazy smart girl he’s had a thing for, has a thing for him. (Yeah, there is some romance, but it’s not the focus.)

The biggest problem with Gone stems from Grant’s background as a children’s author. The major difference that I’ve noticed between these two genres is that in one you have to explain all the messed up things going on and in one you don’t. Grant has tons of really crazy things – flying snakes, talking wolves, special powers – without ever really explaining them. It’s only the first book in what will ultimately be a series (the sequel is out, but I’m waiting for paperback so it’ll match the first book because I’m OCD that way), but at times, as an adult reader, you can’t help cocking your head and thinking “Flying snakes? Really?”

The younger voice of the book also can make things predictable. While you can’t quite figure out what’s going on, you can figure out the small things. You can call the villain almost immediately. You can tell what’s going to happen between the characters early. And the problems the teens are facing privately sometimes seem clichéd (a character has an eating disorder, there is the stereotypical bully, the typical jealous best friend etc.).

Overall, Gone makes for a good, suspenseful read that kept me interested through all 558 pages. It certainly contains bizarre elements (see: flying snakes), but, much like The Last Apprentice series, the pages seem to fly by and the simplicity of the writing works well to complement the mystery of the plot. I’ll definitely read the sequel.

A book trailer for Gone can be found here. Information about the sequel Hunger, can be found here.

What I've Been Reading this Week

2009-09-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

You'd think with the glowing review below this, I would finally have gotten around to reading The Forrest of Hands and Teeth. But, well...no.

I did read Devilish by Maureen Johnson, which was fantastic. I believe it's the only paranormal book she has written and I wasn't sure if it was actually going to be paranormal until it was absolutely proven that it was. Each character is written with such personality and realism, as I find true in all of her books, that I couldn't believe it was in a fantasy setting.

Jane, the main character, goes to a catholic private school and is a genius. Her best friend Allison is quiet and shy but always eager to fit in. So, when a new student comes along and offers her everything she's ever wished for, she sells her soul in a moment.

Literally, Allison sells her soul to a demon. And now has beautiful clothes, and beautiful new hair cut, and is fitting in with everyone she always wanted to fit in with. Oh, and almost killing herself.

Jane who has always taken care of Allison, always sacrificed for her, steps up to rescue Allison from the demon and what ensues is a battle of wills with one clear goal. Sacrifice everything, but save your soul.

Maureen Johnson crafts a tale about friendship in high school that is funny, and charming, and suspenseful and, despite the paranormal aspects, so very real feeling. She is definitely one of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint at all. It was almost as if she sat down to write a book that explained why Twilight would become as popular as it is before it was popular.

I also read the first eight chapters of Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation.

This book has good characters, and an original idea which I enjoy but it is so slow. The pacing feels as if it is moving along at the speed of a snail, and despite funny and engaging characters, and a well set-up mystery, I find myself not caring.

There are some very good things about this book, don't get me wrong. The family that Bran lives with is hilarious. And the circumstances of the town that he is in is very interesting. And the mystery of who Bran is and where he came from and why he had to be hidden is intriguing. It just feels like this book would have benefited from more editing. It makes it difficult to concentrate on the good things in the book when the pacing is so very slow.

Bran is an orphen living with an odd family in a town named Dunce, where nothing magic is allowed. The town lives on modern technology, and resembles the real world. Except that everyone knows magic exists outside of the town, and will stop at nothing to keep it from getting inside.

Which begs the question, why was Bran hidden there by a mother who was obviously a mage? And who are these people that are after him? And, most importantly, why does everyone hate gnomes so much?

I'm looking forward to finishing the book and, hopefully, getting answers to these questions. All of the ideas in this story are excellent, I just feel the writing could have used some honing. But the author is quite young and I am very happy for him, for getting published so young. I'm looking forward to seeing how his writing grows.

My one other complaint was Bran's situation with the family he lives with. It felt way to much like Harry and the Dursleys. In fact, it's almost exactly the same except in this instance, the family doesn't know he is capable of magic.

And, lastly, I read the first book in The Good Neighbors series by Holly Black, illustrated by Ted Naifeh.

Yes, it's a graphic novel. Yes, my copy is signed by the author.

I love Holly Black! She writes modern teenagers so well and isn't afraid to write them realistically. Drugs, and sex, and violence, confusion, and fantasy all mix together so well in her books.

I'm not that big a fan of graphic novels, so there are some things about it that I didn't enjoy. The minimalist features, the sentences that always feel as if they come out of nowhere, that sort of thing. But mostly I think that is just personal preference.

Rue's mother has been missing for three weeks, her father has been accused of murdering one of his students, and, to top it all off, she's been seeing...things. Creatures lurking around town. Beautiful, terrible creatures.

Which, if you know Holly Black's writing at all, you will know right away are faeries.

I'm enjoying the story in this one, the characters are a little generic. At least, they are compared to other characters of Holly's that I have loved. I am definitely looking forward to more though.

The artist is really really good at drawing the faeries. At making them beautiful and terrifying at the same time. I find his regular looking human characters to be weird looking though. But it is possible that he did this on purpose.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

2009-09-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend, while I sat on the couch waiting for my fellow bridesmaids to finish their two hour getting-ready-for-a-night-of-bachelorette-debauchery rituals, I read Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Unlike my fellow YA bloggers, I didn’t love it. I wrote up a whole review and couldn’t decide whether to post it. To distract myself from actually making a decision, I read The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. I was up until 5am finishing it, and fell so deeply in love with this book that my decision became suddenly easy.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is like some crazy-awesome combination of The Village (if it hadn’t sucked) and I am Legend (had another 250 years or so passed and had Will Smith not been a badass and saved mankind…again). In the middle of the forest, there is a town run by The Sisters and The Guardians whose purpose is to protect the villagers from the Unconsecrated’s attempts to get closer to the delicious flesh living inside. And, according to The Sisters and The Guardians, the town is all there is. There’s nothing else.

Mary doesn’t believe that. Mary remembers her mother’s stories of the ocean and a time before The Return and The Unconsecreted, and so Mary believes there is more. Mary’s belief in this Outside, this other world, is the book’s real strength. From the beginning of the novel, you fear for Mary and you sympathize with her plight. You feel her frustration at being comfined inside the Forest. You feel her despair as she wonders if she’ll ever have a life instead of just living one that’s been decided for her. You feel her agony as the dreams she’s clung to seem to slip from her fingers. And, more than that, you feel the flashes of hope and joy she is given through her painful struggle to chase down what she wants (even if it means dying for a chance to achieve it).

More than just feeling Mary, you feel the suspense of the novel. Ryan has created a secondary cast that is well-rounded and likeable while at the same time staying mysterious, for you’ll only know them as well as Mary does and the town seems built on secrets. You find yourself caring for each of them. Jed, Mary’s stubborn brother whom I spent the beginning of the novel wanting to punch in the face. Harry and Travis, the two brothers – one of whom Mary loves and one to whom she is supposed to be betrothed. Cass, Mary’s best friend, intricately tied with the two brothers as well. Even Argos, Mary’s valiant dog.

Maybe it was just that it was 3am as I plowed through the plot of the novel. Maybe it was the fact that the branches on the tree outside my window brush against it with a horrifyingly slow screeching noise when the tiniest wind blows through. Maybe it was the fact that I’m still a little freaked out by dark and quiet. Or maybe this book just created a suspense the likes of which I’ve never felt. All I know is that my pulse raced and I feared as I plowed through the pages. I genuinely worried for each of the above characters. I feared who would die, if anyone. I picked the character I thought I could stand to lose only to turn the page and have to change my mind. I felt like I was Mary, and being Mary was intense.

The book wasn’t absolute perfection. At times, I found the love story confusing and frustrating. And, at times, Mary’s headstrong desire to find what else is out there – to make a better life for herself – came across as selfish. There was a particular section that found Mary sitting around, waiting for someone else to come to her and all I could wonder was why she wasn’t going to him – why she wasn’t acting like the strong, independent young woman I knew her to be. But this little flash of insecurity, frustrating though it was, only made me end up loving her more.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth was one of the best books I’ve read this year. It is another step in the new (and heartily reassuring) trend in YA lit to make strong, independent, but still relatable heroines who show that what you want is worth fighting for, and that you can be more than what society says that you have to be. I loved it, and I hope y’all will too.

A sequel is coming, so be sure to look out for The Dead Tossed Waves on March 9.

I Swear This Is Absolutely True!

2009-09-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Humor & the Teenage 'Tude

So, I recently read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. First off, despite the total eleven-year-old boy factor present in the cover, I'd one-hundred percent recommend that everyone, including women over the age of thirty go ahead and check it out. Despite my initial interest, I did avoid purchasing it the first time I saw it in the book store, but the second time I went, the National Book Award won me over, and I scooped it. Genius decision, that.

Second, if I were to compare this book to any other media, I would compare it to Juno, the movie starring Ellen Page and screenplay by Diablo Cody. Both Juno and Junior, the protagonist in True Diary, have what I like best about protagonists in teenage comedies: they are confused, angsty, good-hearted, and yet grounded with a healthy dose of teenage attitude. What is more impressive is how difficult it is to achieve the forementioned balance with teenage fiction. Often the "tude" descends to a state of total petulance. The reader finds himself incapable of relating to a character that is obviously lost to their own insecurities, but what makes both Juno and Junior so relatable is the total realness of their life's hurdles. Just as Juno finds herself knocked up, Junior finds himself being "the traitor" for attending the white school instead of the tribal school, and must pay the consequences for his decisions.

Oh, and did I mention there are cartoons? Simple at first, further examination would bring unexpected tears or bursts of guffaws when you least expected it.

Anyway, I wanted to compare these two jolly works, because even if they are told by two different people from such completely different backgrounds, they both achieve this amazing grace through this basely jerkish humor.

It's frickin' awesome.

We Are All Time Travelers

2009-09-21T00:04:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make.

I am a time traveler. You are—most likely—a time traveler, too. Don’t look at me like that! I’m not crazy, we really *are* time travelers! We may not disappear as spectacularly (or nakedly) as Henry in the Time Traveler’s wife, or in a rockin’ DeLorean with Michael J Fox, but the truth is this: lifelong readers don’t need machines to go back in time. We need only to pick up a copy of a well loved (or even loathed) book, and we’re instantly transported back to when we first fell into its pages.

You all know the “where were you” questions that everyone asks:

“Where were you on September 11, 2001?”

“Where were you when they found O.J. Not Guilty?”

But you, dear reader, have a whole other set of memory triggers. What if I asked you these:

“Where were you when you first met Harry Potter?”

“Where were you when Edward took Bella to the meadow?”

“Where were you when Margaret first asked God if he was there?”

Do you remember? I do. Sometimes the answer is actually a place. Reading the first few chapters of Twilight takes me back to a March afternoon I spent with the windows open sprawled out on my bed. Sometimes the answer is more of an era. I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when my now husband and I were planning our wedding, and reading it is like looking in the pensieve at a time when my thoughts were occupied with frosting flavors and bridesmaid dresses.

This happened to me tonight when I was browsing my shelves trying to decide which book to review. I confess that I haven’t read many new books lately, most of my free time goes into writing my own novel, and I couldn’t decide on a recent read to gush about. Then my eyes fell on a very worn out paperback spine with a barely legible title: Remember Me by Christopher Pike. The sight alone made me smile.

Don’t misunderstand me, I love new books—adore new characters—but books long cherished are sacred. Delving back into them triggers a longing for the way books used to make me feel, before I had read hundreds of them, when stories themselves were novelties, and I first fell in love with reading. Christopher Pike was my first literary obsession, and when I return to the first books I became obsessed with, I'm taken back in time. It’s my 12^th birthday, and I’ve taken all $150 of my birthday money to half price books and spent every last penny of it on books.. Im back in the chaise lounge beside the pool, my face not getting tan with the rest of my body because the book is blocking the sun. I’m the freshman aide in gym class, spending the class periods in the locker room sprawled out on the uncomfortable bench oblivious to the pain in my back and the odor of smelly socks because I’m somewhere very far away absorbed in a story I already know by heart. I'm in the backseat of my Mom's car, barely registering her irritation with me because I haven't heard a word of her twenty minute speech about our family's vacation plans. I'm back in college, not studying for tomorrow morning's A&P final because I finally unpacked that last box in my dorm room and found a book that had been read so many times that the cover was no longer attached to the pages. I love this book. I hold it, and I remember. I open it, and I’m scattered in time. Favorite books remind us of who we are better than our own handwritten journals could ever hope to.

So tell me, what books take you back? When you time travel, where do you go? What books are you reading now that will someday bring you back to this day and grow a smile on the face of a much older you?

What I've Been Reading this Week

2009-09-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

I delayed my Friday post because I wanted to wait until I finished the Underland Chronicles, which took longer than expected because school reared its ugly head.

So, firstly, I want to say that my favourite thing about these books and all of Suzanne Collin's writing is that she writes for and about children as if they are capable and intelligent people. Even the two year old is treated as a character with depth and growth and understanding. The scene in the fourth book, where Gregor finally realizes he has to explain death to his youngest sister is tragic and beautiful.

The world these books take place in so vastly different from ours it almost couldn't be anything but a metaphor for ours.

The story begins with Gregor and his two year old sister Boots (I believe her real name is Margaret, but no one ever calls her that) fall through a grate in their laundry room, fall and fall, and fall. When they finally land, carried gently to the ground by air currents, they are among giant cockroaches.

They are quickly brought to the Underland city of Regalia, where the humans dwell and are thrown into events surrounding an ancient prophecy.

As the books progress and more prophecies happen understanding who are the bad guys and who are the good guys becomes more and more difficult. And it is this dilemma that makes the books as fantastic as they are to me. This honesty, this integrity that the writing has to real life is resonating and poignant. I love that in the languages of the other creatures in the Underland humans are called "killers" and the most atrocious act (well one of the two) performed in the books is performed by a human.

I hated this human for two books. Would have been happy to see her die. And then she did die. Quietly, with nothing anyone could do to help her. And it was tragic and sad. And I felt her loss.

I also loved how deaths in this book were sudden and plentiful. Which sounds weird in a children's book. After all most of the deaths in Harry Potter were these big climatic moments that shook that world on its hinges. But so often in life death happens when you can't afford to stop and grieve. Death is like that here. It happens suddenly, and stupidly, and heroically, and at the most inconvenient time.

The characters are all different and never seem to get along for more than brief periods of time which keeps things interesting. And I am continually impressed with Collins ability to make even the briefest of characters have depth and motivations. A small that I really enjoyed was how she gave each race a different cadence of speech. As if they really were from different lands and had accents and such.

And I loved Temp (the cockroach) he was awesome.

Throughout the books Collins demonstrates her ability to write fast paced, entertaining stories while displaying an empathy to war torn cultures and soldiers hardly ever seen in adult books, let alone children's books. If I had young children, I would make them read these simply for the fact that she challenges the reader to not think of wars as good guys and bad guys but as two societies doing atrocious things to one another. And how, ultimately, everyone suffers and no one gains.

What I've Been Reading this Week

2009-09-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Did I meet my goals from last week?

Well, I met one of them.

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan was finished. And I have mixed feelings on it. I enjoyed the plot quite a bit. It was original and gripping, and I never knew how much some of the characters were hiding.
But I did find it hard to really get into any of the characters. One of them I outright despised, because of how much he kept hidden and all the lies he kept telling. I will read the rest of the series as it comes out but I do hope the characters become more likable.

I also started the Gregor the Overlander series by Suzanne Collins. I finished the first book and am about halfway done the second.

Gregor the Overlander was fast paced with enjoyable characters and really good dialogue. It was definitely aimed at a younger audience then The Hunger Games and Catching Fire but still had a similar feel to both. Collins is very good at paying attention to little details in a way that adds to the story.

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane is just as fast paced and intricate but now that we know all the main players in the story we're getting more character development and interaction. Which I love. In both books, in a similar fashion to The Hunger Games, Collins manages to tell highly entertaining stories that say something about society and humanity without sound at all preachy or like she set out to teach you something.

This week I will finish the Gregor series, they're easy reads, and I WILL start The Forest of Hands and Teeth...or possibly Devilish by Maureen Johnson.

Podcast Episode #4 - The Princess Academy

2009-09-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Our fourth episode features our new host, Marcy!

Subscribe to us on iTunes
Download directly here

Show Notes

-Our new name!
-Our new host!

The Princess Academy

-why we chose to read it

Non-spoiler section

-how does it compare to other fairy tales?
-Did Miri cheat?
-The characters, and their masks.

Spoiler Section

-Britta
-Miri and Peder
-Tutor Olana
-Prince Steffan
-How did we feel over all

Our Next book will be Paper Towns by John Green

What I've Been Reading this Week

2009-09-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, I read quite a bit this week.

The most important, of course, being Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
I'm not going to say too much about as we are planning a sequels episodes for October, but I will say I liked it. I was not disappointed, although I did want more of Gale. And I wouldn't mind getting to see some of the other female characters take leading roles in the events. I had trouble even thinking of a female character other than Katniss earlier when trying to think of people Peeta could get with. Because, as I'm sure you agree, he and Katniss do not belong together. And I cannot wait for the third book. It is physically painful that I have to wait a year.

Also, I read The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale for the podcast.
I liked the main character and the originality of the story. Some characters, like Tutor Olana, felt predictable but I was mostly pleased with it. I really enjoyed the slow and steady self-discovery the main character went through. It was a good reflection of the setting and fit very well into the story. It wasn't my usual fair and had we not been podcasting on it, I probably never would have read it. More on this in episode 4 of the podcast, which will be out this weekend.

I re-listened to the last two chapters of The Two Travellers by Mark Jeffrey.
I actually find myself listening to these two chapters more than any other. They are definitely my favourite. I enjoy learning Max's secret and learning more about Enki from Ninti. And the image of the crows pulsing in the archway before exploding outwards is so wonderfully crafted.
Also, a horrible thought occurred to me. Well, a bittersweet one. I'm very happy for the author to have gotten a publishing deal for the first book. Very, very happy. BUT what does this mean for the third? Will we have to wait four or five years?
The very thought makes my fingers freeze on the keyboard. Five years of not knowing? I'm not thinking about this anymore.

And finally, I started reading The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan.I'm on page seventy-five and I like it so far. I like the characters and the mystery she's building. And the story feels original. I'm looking forward to reading the rest. Unfortunately I fell pray to my own weakness and peeked at the end. And if one of the characters is going the way I think he is, well, I'm not sure if I like that. But I do like that it is now making me examine every little thing he does. And helps in convincing me that I need to work on that little problem of mine.

My goals for next week are to finish the Demon's Lexicon and start The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Let's hope it happens!

Addiction to Fiction - The Podcast

2009-09-01T23:31:00.000-07:00

To kick off the beginning of our own blog, we are re-releasing the first three episodes of our podcast.

You can also subscribe to us on iTunes

#1 - An Interview with Mark Jeffrey
In which self-published author, Mark Jeffrey, gave us an interview about his books and about the ways the publishing world was changing.

#2 - Graceling
In which we discussed Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

#3 - The Hunger Games
In which we discussed the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Expect our fourth episode out within a week. Hope you enjoy.