Review: The Raven Boys

Title:  The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1)
Author:  Maggie Stiefvater
Pages:  408
Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Obtained:  Book Signing
Summary:  "There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love...or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them--not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all--family money, good looks, devoted friends--but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

The Dish:  I cannot always put into words how I feel after reading one of Maggie Stiefvater's books.  They always leave an impression on me once I close the cover and mull over what I thought about the story.  While I loved Shiver and The Scorpio Races, there is something entirely different about the writing in The Raven Boys.  And I think I loved it even more because it shows how much Stiefvater's writing has grown.

As with most books, what I really enjoyed was meeting the characters and watching their development.  Blue is one of those girls that I'm sure most people knew in school as the "odd girl" but rather than let her "oddness" get her down, she lets it define her.  Given her family's peculiar set of skills as psychics, particularly her own mother Maura, her worries when she isn't thought of as odd seem justified.  I would have liked having her as a friend when I was a teen. 

What I found most intriguing was the unique medley of Raven Boys that Blue comes into contact with by what some would call sheer chance though her family would disagree.  Hot-blooded and alcoholic Ronan, studious yet resentful Adam, calm and soft-spoken Noah, and obliviously condescending Gansey.  By all normal rights, these boys would have no reason to be seen with each other, but they are friends because of Gansey and his ambition.  Fortunately, like Blue, the reader is treated to a small unraveling portion of the enigma that is Gansey's group, and that really drove me further in my reading. 

The going felt a little slow at first when I started reading the book, but after about one-third of the book, it began to pick up gradually.  With all of the introductions needing to be made within Blue's household and then with the Raven Boys, the slow reading felt real.  The reader needs time to learn about each character and their background, and I appreciated the time Stiefvater took with each person and even when describing 300 Fox Way (Blue's home), Monmouth Manufacturing (Gansey's apartment), and the Pig (Gansey's 1973 Camaro).

Readers should definitely look at The Raven Boys as a beginning to a greater story, and while a few questions are answered by the last page, there are many that remain a mystery.  And personally, I'm looking forward to the journey Stiefvater will take her readers on in order to solve those mysteries.

Purchase your own copy from:  

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Review: Carnival of Souls

Title:  Carnival of Souls
Author:  Melissa Marr
Pages:  306
Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Obtained:  Purchased at Signing
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Summary:  In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

The Dish:  This is my first novel by Melissa Marr, and in all honesty, it's one of my absolutely favorite books read this year.  In two different worlds, the lives of Mallory, Kaleb, Aya, and other characters are intertwined into a story that sucks readers in, bringing them to the edge of their seats and wanting to know the outcome of everyone's actions.

The background stories and development of all of the characters from Mallory and Kaleb to Aya, Belias, and even Zevi was by far one of the best parts of reading Carnival of Souls.  There was so much going on with all of these characters, I couldn't help becoming close to each of them, and I can see how much readers would definitely enjoy getting to know them.  With all of the layers possessed by the main characters, even those that readers might question their motives earlier in the story will soon have the same readers cheering for them in later chapters.

While reading I couldn't help breezing through the pages without needing any breaks, and this was probably due to the pacing and various changes between character perspectives.  I was a little surprised that the majority of the story took place in The City with Kaleb and Aya; the summary led me to believe it would be more in the human realm with Mallory.  However, the transitions between the two worlds were flawless, and I found the setting of The City to be darkly exciting in contrast to the "safe world" Mallory's father tried to mold for her in the human/witch world.

I think most readers will enjoy the camaraderie of the characters, the intense life of The City, and seeing the prejudices among both Daimons and Witches begin to break down within just one small group.  It is with much anticipation and a pounding heart that I await the next part of Carnival of Souls.

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Title:  The Girl of Fire and Thorns
(Fire and Thorns #1)
Author:  Rae Carson
Pages:  424
Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher:  Greenwillow Books
Obtained:  Library
Summary:  Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

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

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

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

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

Most of the chosen do.

The Dish:  Princess Lucero-Elisa does not believe she is the one who should bear the Godstone, the gift bestowed upon God's chosen once every one hundred years.  She's not good with royal politics, she's not graceful or lithe, and she's terrified of horses (her only true flaw in my opinion).  While she believes her elder sister would be a more suitable bearer of the Godstone as well as a more suitable match for King Alejandro of her country's ally, it is Elisa who is led down the aisle in a marriage that any self-doubting sixteen-year-old girl would hesitate to enter.

These reasons are why she is one of the most amazing fantasy heroines.  Elisa knows her flaws, or at least what she thinks of as flaws, and she doubts herself constantly throughout the story, but she keeps moving forward despite having these reservations about herself.  One could say this is due to those around her that offer support and belief in her, but it is also Elisa's own determination to rise to the task of bearing the Godstone that makes her such a remarkable heroine.

Rae Carson created and brought to life amazing and life-like supporting characters, and I say "supporting" both in the casting sense and in what they do to help Elisa find her path to grow.  Starting with Ximena and Aneaxi, Elisa's nurse and lady-in-waiting, they have been there for the princess ever since she was a baby.  Then, there is the stoic Hector, King Alejandro's man-at-arms, who proved to be a great councilor to Elisa sometimes without even speaking.  The desert escorts were by far some of the most earnest characters from the unreadable Cosme to her brother, Humberto, who became devoted to Elisa.  The two that I'm awaiting to learn more about are Ximena and Hector, both of which give me the impression that there is far more to their story than we've heard thus far.

While The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a rather lengthy book, the story didn't feel as such.  Between the transitions for Elisa going from one realm to another, the pace was energetic, and I certainly felt the energy flowing from the pages.  Carson's writing has an amazing use of description without going into a tangent, and this makes the reader aware of Elisa's ability to notice the details that are often missed.

Those who are destined for greatness will not often find it while in the comforts of the familiar.  No one knows that more than Lucero-Elisa, bearer of the Godstone and hope for her people.  I can't wait to read the continuation of Elisa's story, so look for The Crown of Embers on September 18th!

Book 5

Review: Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

Title:  Dreaming Anastasia
Author:  Joy Preble
Pages:  310
Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy, Russian Folklore
Publisher:  SourceBooks
Obtained:  Purchased
Summary:  Anastasia Romanov thought she would never feel more alone than when the gunfire started and her family began to fall around her. Surely the bullets would come for her next. But they didn't. Instead, two gnarled old hands reached for her. When she wakes up she discovers that she is in the ancient hut of the witch Baba Yaga, and that some things are worse than being dead.

In modern-day Chicago, Anne doesn't know much about Russian history. She is more concerned about getting into a good college--until the dreams start. She is somewhere else. She is someone else. And she is sharing a small room with a very old woman. The vivid dreams startle her, but not until a handsome stranger offers to explain them does she realize her life is going to change forever. She is the only one who can save Anastasia. But, Anastasia is having her own dreams...

The Dish:  What did happen to Anastasia Romanov, the youngest daughter of the Russian tsar?  That is a mystery that has plagued historians for years, but in Dreaming Anastasia, Joy Preble has managed to integrate the mystery into a fairytale that readers will feel is more real than originally thought.  While the focus is not on Anastasia (at least not entirely), she is the key at the heart of the quest that brings together Ethan, a man who has been searching for the one girl who will help him free Anastasia, and Anne, a modern girl just trying to make it through high school.

I adored both Anne and Ethan.  Both of them developed as characters quite well considering the short amount of time they spend with each other.  It was a great big plus in my book to be able to get inside both of their heads as well as Anastasia's in chapters of alternating points of view.  For Anastasia, I feel as though I knew her more through her letters to her family, and how hard it must have been for her to write each of them.  There were a few chapters where I forgot who was talking and became a little confused, having to go back to the beginning of the chapter and remember whose point of view I was reading from.  However, once I dove further into the book, Preble's transitions between our three main characters were seamless.

Seeing the villain of a fairytale like Baba Yaga being used as a force for good puts the entire "good vs. evil" arguement in perspective.  There are always areas of gray matter in which a hero might be forced to do something wicked and a villain might do something beneficial for someone beyond themselves.  Characters that break the molds of their stereotypes draw my interest and curiosity, so I'm eager to see how Preble will utilize Baba Yaga in the next books. 

While Russian folklore isn't studied or read as often as other fairytales, I'm glad to see an author like Joy Preble thinking outside of the box with her Anastasia trilogy.  I'm looking forward to reading the continuation of Anne and Ethan's story in Haunted and Anastasia Forever (which is due to be released in August). 

Book 4

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Title:  The Scorpio Races
Author:  Maggie Stiefvater
Pages:  404
Genre:  Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Summary:  Some race to win. Others race to survive. It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition--the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

The Dish:  Wow.  I'm not quite sure how to begin my review of The Scorpio Races except to say that it was not what I had expected.  Judging from the summary as well as the amazing book trailer, I had a completely different story in my mind when I first heard about Maggie Stiefvater's "secret novel."  But as with Shiver, Stiefvater did not disappoint with this story, and I am supremely glad I finally read it.

First off, Stiefvater pulls off multiple points of view quite successfully, and with characters like Puck and Sean, it's easy to see how she was able to do it.  Both main characters made great transitions within the story, opening up much more than either of them had before.  Puck was always used to it being just her family without really reaching out to "outsiders."  It was great to see her come out of her shell even if it meant participating in the most dangerous of races.  I was quite taken with Sean Kendrick, the mysterious boy who has a way with the capaill uisce, the powerful and deadly water horses.  To read about his relationship with Corr, the red capall uisce stallion captured first by his father and then again by Sean, was nothing short of remarkable and a little reminiscent of The Black Stallion, at least to me.

Secondly, the pacing of the book was incredible, and while I didn't feel rushed, I did feel the need to keep turning the pages to read what was going to happen next.  It definitely had something to do with the short chapters, and I've seen this means of "pushing the reader to read" in other books.  This is a technique that Stiefvater has mastered in how she was able to completely immerse me in the story without feeling bogged by so much information being thrown at me.  I was able to breathe even when it felt as though my stomach was turning in knots at both Puck and Sean's situations right to the very end.  Stiefvater's storytelling is nothing short of incredible.

Overall, this was an amazing story about a dangerous and thrilling race that lasted all of several chapters.  With magnificent plot build-up, believable and gradual character development, along with beautiful storytelling, this is one story you do not want to miss out on reading.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Touch of Power

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's Waiting On Wednesday selection is: 

Touch of Power

By Maria V. Snyder

Publish Date: December 20, 2011 by Mira

From Goodreads~

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince--leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

I was already uber-excited about this novel's release simply because I love Maria's fantasy work.  Poison Study was my first and is still my most favorite title by Maria, but it was great to see how Yelena grew over the entirety of the Study trilogy.  Also, after reading Marla's review at Starting the Next Chapter, I'm even more eager to read Touch of Power as soon as possible.  Here's hoping Santa's got a surprise under the tree for me so I can buy my own copy!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?  I'd love to hear about it!

TGIF Follow Friday (3)

TGIF is a weekly feature created and hosted byGReads! that re-caps the week’s posts and has different question each week.

This Friday's Question:

Gateway Books: Which particular books opened you up to a new genre?

For a long time during college and grad school, it seemed as though most of what I read was graphic novels and manga. While these are great books unto themselves, I missed being able to just sit down and read a book. College will definitely burn you out on reading, let me tell you.  I think it was actually three books (given to me by the same person) that opened me up to Young Adult Literature.  

First was Maria V. Snyder's Poison Study, which rekindled my love of fantasy books. In addition, I think that might have influenced my desire to bake, thanks to all the cinnamon swirl references. Then, there was Annette Curtis Klause's Blood and Chocolate, an amazing werewolf love story that really helped me delve more into the werewolf novels. After that was Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, and I was blown away by this particular genre. So I have to say thank you to Karen of Books Beside My Bed for getting me to branch out into YA through these novels. ^_^

Special Side Dish: Speaking of YA books, check out Marla's Bump in the Night Giveaway going on now at Starting the Next Chapter!

Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Title:  Abandon
Author:  Meg Cabot
Summary:  Pierce knows what it's like to die.  Because she's done it before.  Though she tries returning tot he 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.

The Dish:  A warm day in a field of flowers.  The ground suddenly cracks.  A chariot as dark as midnight and the dark lord behind it snatching a young girl before the earth swallows both of them up.  Kind of dramatic, isn't it?  Meg Cabot's Abandon isn't quite like the Greek myth people know, but she does create an amazing updated story with her own twist.

After having died and then been brought back to life, Pierce Oliviera just wants to have a normal life.  But how can life truly return to "normal" with all that she has seen during the brief time that she was dead?  I really grew to admire Pierce as the story progressed even when she was "trapped within her glass coffin" as she puts it.  Originally, it was for her initial bravery of being able to come back from a place that most would fear.  You can't fault her for running from a place like the Underworld especially when she had died so young.  But it's when she chose to stop running and instead face her problems that I really began to like her.

Despite all of his angst and beating around the bush with Pierce, I really loved John Hayden.  Readers only get to see Pierce's point of view, but Cabot also manages to show more of John through Pierce's observations and reactions to him.  He did ask a great deal of her when she first died and I think anyone would be a bit freaked out if someone asked them to remain forever with a person they barely knew.  But you have to feel for John's situation, too.  Living alone within the bowels of the Underworld and having to direct souls to their final resting place would have to grate on a person over time.  Yes, the guy does need to work on his communication skills, god of death or not, but John was always there for Pierce when she needed him even if she didn't want to admit it.

As I'd never read one of Meg Cabot's books before now, I was amazed at the pace Cabot set for the story.  It progressed steadily, quickening where a major part of the plot was happening and then slowing down for a breather.  I think that was partially due to the way Cabot switched between Pierce's present and gradually revealing more of what happened in her past.  Going back and forth between past and present can sometimes be confusing and frustrating because the reader has to reorient themselves in where they are in the story.  But Cabot pulls off this interchange flawlessly without breaking the story's flow.

Overall, this is an incredible start to a trilogy, and already I'm wanting the second book to come as soon as possible.

Review: Ada Legend of a Healer

Title:  Ada Legend of a Healer
Author:  R.A. McDonald
Summary:  No sickness, no injuries, no pain, no limits.  If you had the power to heal, what would you do?  For fifteen-year-old Ada discovering that she can heal feels more like a curse than a gift.  When she learns of the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance, and sees the indifference of so-called friends, she sets out for Paris to find her.  The power to heal protects her, but also has her hunted by a man who sees her as nothing more than his fountain of youth.  Ada realizes her true power is her will to survive, and that her only chance at freedom is to become the best at escaping.

**Disclaimer: A copy of the book was provided to me by the publisher, and I received no compensation in exchange for my honest review.**

The Dish:  Who wouldn't want to rid themselves of any and all sickness or heal any injury the moment after it happens?  To be free from such pitfalls as getting winded while running or healing muscles to help them grow stronger.  It would sound like a good deal to most people.  But for those with such abilities, like Ada, it is as much the dark side of the coin as it is the light especially when others want that skill for themselves alone.  No one should be forced to do something against their will, and Ada refuses to let anyone, even her aunt who is also a healer, tell her how she should use her gift.

At first I found it a little difficult to relate with Ada.  Granted, she has been shuffled around foster homes for most of her life, her mother disappeared when she was little, and she has the bizarre skill of being able to "see others' sickness."  That alone would probably make for a surly teenager.  Still sometimes her negative venting became a bit tiresome though I have to admit that trait adds to her realistic nature.

Ada also does a few things I thought were too risky given the situations she was in at the time, particularly when she was practicing her healing ability.  I know practice helps boost improvement, but doing so in a public place among a group of people wasn't the smartest thing to do.  I'll just chalk that up to her being a teenager and a novice when it comes to judgment.  It was a nice change to see her assisting those who at least helped her even if that in itself was a risk.

The supporting characters that were introduced once the story took Ada overseas were what really enabled her to grow as a person.  She had been denied real kindness for so long in her life, it was great to see Ada treated so well even by people she had only just met.  I really liked Madame Jardin and her willingness to give Ada a home in a strange country while she searched for her mother.  McDonald even adds hints of romance into Ada with the introduction of Daniel, a young man who instructs Ada in parkour, free running.  That was a unique touch as well since I haven't heard parkour used in another novel before, and McDonald was thinking outside the box with that addition.

Overall, the pacing was nice and steady, and I felt really drawn into the story.  There were some intense parts where I was on the edge of my seat while reading, and I have to say those parts added to the urgency I felt for Ada as she tried to stay one step ahead of those pursuing her as she searched for her mother.  Now, I just have one question for R.A. McDonald: When will the next part of Ada's story be ready for we readers???

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Hounded

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Hounded

By Kevin Hearne

Publish Date: May 3, 2011 by Del Rey

From Publishers Weekly~

Hearne, a self-professed comic-book nerd, has turned his love of awesome dudes whacking mightily at evil villains into a superb urban fantasy debut.  Staying alive for 2,000 years takes a great deal of cunning, and sexy super-druid Atticus O'Sullivan, currently holed up in the Ariona deser, has vexed a few VIPs along the way.  High up on that list is Aenghus Og, the Celtic god of love.  It's not just that Aenghus wants his sword back--though it is a very nice magical sword--but that Atticus didn't exactly ask permission to take it.  Atticus and his trusty sidekick, Irish wolfhound Oberon, make an eminently readable daring duo as they thwart his schemes with plenty of quips and zap-pow-bang fighting.

I don't know if it's the fact that the main character is named Atticus, that he is a druid, or that he has an Irish wolfhound named Oberon.  But this book sounds awesome and mysterious, and it makes me think of The Dresden Files.  Here's hoping that's true. ^_^

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Exciting News!

OMG, I can't believe this week is finally here!  As a librarian and especially a reader, I'm very excited about an author's visit down here.  Maria V. Snyder is going to be in Texas this week, and I can't wait to attend one of her book signings. :D  Below is her first fantasy book trilogy:

Choose: A quick death or slow poison.  About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve.  As a food taster, she'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace--and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.  As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting.  Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control.  Her life is threatened again and choices must be made.  But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...

Yelena is on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago. Although she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways, and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better. Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magical training. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince, and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians. If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with her new enemies. 

Yelena's new role as Soulfinder has made the Sitian Council uneasy. Worried that her new powers will corrupt her, the Council debates her fate. Yelena, though is trying to keep Sitia and Ixia from going to war. In the middle of political wrangling, Yelena receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by Ferde, the Soulstealer who murdered eleven girls and has escaped from prison with Cahil Ixia’s help. Cahil believes if he joins with the new Daviian Clan, he will have enough support to regain the Ixian throne. Testing the limit of her skills, Yelena becomes embroiled in the desperate fight to stop Ferde and the Daviian Clan from siphoning enough power to unleash a Fire Warper on the world. That would be worst than war between the northern and southern lands. Especially since, of all the powers Yelena possesses, she couldn't set fire to a candle wick if her life depended on it. And there is more at stake than just her life. 

It's always exciting having an opportunity to meet an author. ^_^

"Waiting On" Wednesday: The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

The Dragon's Path

By Daniel Abraham

Publish Date: April 7, 2011 by Orbit

From Publishers Weekly:

Abraham starts this rich, exciting, and fresh epic fantasy series opener in a fairly standard fashion: an orphaned girl and a once great general escape from a city under siege with the help of a traveling theater troupe.  But that's where the cliches end, for Marcus Wester would far rather guard humble caravans than cruel kings, and Cithrin bel Sarcour's loyalty is not to her long-dead noble parents but to the Medean Bank that took her in.  Cithrin and Marcus must smuggle the treasury of the lost city of Vanai through a war zone in which every army seeks new sources of funds and every king wants this dead.  With a deft and light hand, Abraham questions and explores the fantasy-world assumptions that most authors take for granted, telling an enjoyable and genuinely innovative adventure story along the way.

It's been awhile since I've read a novel considered "epic fantasy," and I think this book might be the one to get me back on that path.  Although I don't mind certain cliches when used properly, it's refreshing to see characters who want to do what is right.  Even if the odds are against you tenfold as with Marcus and Cithrin's situation.  And I'm happy to say this one is being released this week, so awaiting it's arrival in the library's collection!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? ^_^

Thought for Thursday: A Need for Magic

Do you remember a time when you played “Let’s Pretend” or a similar game as a kid?  You would pretend to be something different, sometimes something ordinary (like a dog or a horse) and sometimes something ferocious (like a lion or a dinosaur) and sometimes something fanciful (like a fairy or a unicorn).  My group of friends at daycare loved this game, and it was especially fun to play at recess after watching a movie during “nap time” (well “nap time” for those who were sleepy and “movie time” for those who wanted something to do in the darkened room).  After seeing The Last Unicorn film, all I wanted to pretend to be was a unicorn, something so beautiful and magical that it could only exist hidden secretly in some wood far away from people. 

Now my dear readers are probably wondering how this moment of nostalgia relates to books.  ^_^  It regards the most-read and most-present genre on my bookshelves: fantasy.  For the longest time, that was the only genre I ever wanted to read, and I read many fantasy books back in school as I still do now.  Anne McCaffrey, Robert Levy, Tanith Lee, so many other authors that I can’t even recall all their names or even the titles of the books I’ve read.  I still love that genre most of all as I’m sure my readers know by the books I review.  But the fantasy genre has really branched out under many different labels.  Paranormal, supernatural, and speculative fiction are just another way of saying ‘fantasy.’  Books falling under these labels still have the fantasy element of magic.  It may not even be explained in the books instead just an underlying and understood presence involved in the story, and perhaps that is what really draws so many readers. 

It’s hard not to notice the rise of paranormal/supernatural/fantasy books in bookstores and libraries, and I think it’s great.  Not just because it’s my favorite genre, but because I think there is an unconscious need for magic in the populace today.  True, a lot of the books have to do with the extraordinary being found in the ordinary along with familiar elements of romance, mystery, and action.  But you could find those elements in novels listed under any of those separate genres or even in general fiction.  What is different about a paranormal book such as Aimee Carter’s The Goddess Test, Carolyn Turgeon’s Mermaid, or Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches?  Magic, as simple as that. 

I think people need magic and that they need to see the extraordinary and the special in the everyday.  Science and doubt have a way of taking away what people once thought of as magic.  Don’t get me wrong, I love science and technology and learning new information, but there is a certain spark that comes with the belief in something magical.  Think about a time when you saw a magician performing his trade either at a carnival or a daycare or library event.  Did you sit there, thinking that what the magician is doing can be proven using scientific facts?  Or were you so transfixed in awe by the idea that the magician is doing what was thought of as the impossible? 

As we get older, our childlike faith and belief starts waning, and we have to look at things logically and with fact.  The everyday world is just that, every day is another ordinary day.  I believe we get tired of that train of thought, and there’s some part of us that seeks out magic again even if it’s through the eyes of a storyteller.  We read and we escape the ordinary day by living the life of a sorceress, a werewolf, a vampire, a dragon, or even a human being taken into a fantastic realm.  Maybe we see ourselves in the familiar human elements, especially of a human being made to see the surrounding magic that they never noticed before.  We can remember that belief we once had and hopefully smile at the memory of how we not only wanted to chase unicorns and dragons… we wanted to be them. 

Think of this as a big ‘thank you’ to all old and news authors of paranormal, supernatural, speculative, and fantasy books.  Keep the magic alive within your words, and help future readers to see that magic, too. 

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Born at Midnight

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Born at Midnight

By: C.C. Hunter

Published on: March 29, 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin

From Amazon.com~

Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen… One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.  Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.  Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

This has the makings of a fascinating and amazing book.  Paranormal and supernatural books have always been one of my favorite genres, and the added element of a camp dedicated to these paranormal teenagers is an even bigger plus.  Also, I'm amused to say that for once the love triangle doesn't involve a vampire and werewolf as rivals!  I can't wait until we add this to the library's collection!

Review: The Princess's Dragon by Susan Trombley

Title:  The Princess's Dragon
Author:  Susan Trombley
Summary:  Flanked by two lovely and graceful sisters, Princess Casiondra Falanell Cristalona Ariva - Sondra to her family - doesn't feel confident or beautiful. In fact, she's an unconventional princess who spends her days trying to disprove the nonsensical ideas of magic and myth. As she stands on achieving the life she has only dreamed about, Sondra's handsome suitor, Derek, prepares to propose, and her poverty-stricken kingdom of Ariva uncovers a valuable resource that will change it's future forever. Everything seems perfect in Sondra's life until she encounters a wizard who transforms her into a monstrous dragon. Forced to flee from the man she adores, Sondra blunders into the territory of Tolmac, a powerful and ancient black dragon. Instead of killing her as she anticipates, Tolmac takes her under his wing, unknowingly training the human princess in the fine art of being a dragon. As Sondra soon discovers, she must constantly sacrifice to make the right choices as she grows to love and admire her new mentor. With her homeland poised on the brink of war, Sondra finds herself facing an unbearable decision; she must choose between her heart and her duty to her country.

(Edit: Due to a serious “story high” when I first wrote this review, I decided to rewrite it because I felt this book deserved a different review than originally penned.)

The Dish:  It's amazing what you can come across when looking for something totally different. I think my disappointment at not getting into Touched by Venom made me start looking for other dragon books. In my search, I came upon The Princess's Dragon by chance and read the summary. Then, I read the first chapter on Amazon, and soon I was buying a copy of the ebook for my Kobo. Susan Trombley certainly knows how to grab a reader's attention, and I was barely able to put the book down in order to sleep. If I hadn't had work the next day, I would have most likely stayed up through the night to finish.

What really drew me to the story was the concept of having a princess transformed into a dragon. How often do you see that in stories? It’s refreshing to see this kind of take which allows a person the opportunity to see a completely new perspective. What was even better was having an actual teacher in the form of a dragon show the princess what it was to be a magical creature.

The Princess's Dragon claimed all of my attention, and I loved every bit of it, even after the story returned to the kingdom of Ariva and away from the draconic Sondra and her mentor, Tolmac. Trombley divided the novel into two portions with the first half focusing on Sondra and Tolmac after her transformation and the second half revealing what happened within Ariva following her "death" to her family and Derek. Both halves work to tell different parts of the story that took place at the same time, which can sometimes be confusing if not done right. It caught me a little off-guard when the focus went not only back to Ariva but back to the time just after Sondra had transformed and “died” to her people. Once I gained my bearings within the first few paragraphs of returning to Ariva, I was interested to see the impact that Sondra’s “death” had left upon her loved ones.

The concept may have brought the book to my attention, but it was the characters and the plot that kept me turning the pages. Trombley has a way of really showing her characters rather than just telling about them, making each of them more realistic. I felt really close to Sondra with the way she was constantly researching and trying to discover the “truth” behind the magic that her family and kingdom believed. Even after her transformation, she was always curious about new things as a dragon, asking her mentor, Tolmac, many different questions. Sondra was so endearing, I could understand why so many people in her kingdom adored her.

Tolmac was by far one of my favorite characters simply because he was such a duality. On the one hand, he was gruff with the draconic Sondra when she first arrived and suspicious about the reasons for disturbing him. But there was a soft side to him that Sondra also brought out in Tolmac, revealing him more as the noble protector rather than the fire-breathing villain of Thunder Mountain the people of Ariva thought he was. Even when he believed that Sondra betrayed him, Tolmac was always there to help her when she was in trouble, which just made him even more likeable.

Almost all of the supporting characters were endearing, and although they were well-developed at their introductions, Trombley still found a way to reveal even more depth to their characters, especially Elona, Sondra's eldest sister. I was still up in the air about my feelings on her when she first arrived in Ariva, pregnant and haughty, but there was much more revealed about the eldest princess that made me admire and like her even more than the kind-hearted Sarai. One character who changed in a more negative fashion was Derek. He just seemed to have an inferiority complex that really bogged down his character and made him less likeable when the story returned to Ariva.

This is a story for those readers who love fantasy with a bit of updating to the writing style and for those who are hopeless romantics. My delight and fervor with this ebook is so great, I am bent on buying a hardback copy for my personal library, I love it that much.

What books have grabbed your attention that you were determined to finish it as soon as possible?

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Sakura Hime Volume 1

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's "Waiting On" Wednesday selection is:

Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura

By Arina Tanemura

Publish Date: April 5, 2011 by VIZ Media LLC

From Publishers Weekly and Amazon.com~
Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword.  All her life, Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why.  Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her...

It's been awhile since I've had a manga series to anticipate the release, and I'm happy to be returning more to the Japanese graphic novels.  I adore most of Arina Tanemura's works, and this new title looks like a promising series.  Her art is one of the biggest draws for me along with the fantasy and legend elements, and I really hope this one delivers a great story. If you're unfamiliar with Tanemura's previous series, here are some of her titles. 

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Books I Just HAD to Buy...

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, a state that you don't have to worry about being deprived of more books as long as you're near a library. ;) This week's Top Ten is:

Top Ten Books I Just HAD to Buy...But Are Still Sitting on My Bookshelf

1. Fell by David Clement-Davies

Reason: I'll admit it was a shallow reason, but I absolutely love the cover for Fell. When I saw it at the bookstore, I had to read the summary and found that it was a sequel to The Sight. Curses, it has a prequel! I mean...Yay, it has a prequel! So until I read it's prequel, Fell will remain on my bookshelf.

2. Queen of the Orcs: King's Property by Morgan Howell

Reason: I've never seen much in the way of literature involving orcs, especially in a more positive light aside from the World of Warcraft novels. After reading Steve Nicholls' Orcs trilogy, I began searching for other titles like it and came across the Queen of the Orcs trilogy. I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but it IS on my TBR list for this year so that shows some hope.

3. The Mountain's Call by Caitlin Brennan

Reason: The summary drew me into the book along with the fact that the main beings of magic are white horses. I mean, what's not to love about magic, beautiful horses, and the forbidden call that pulls the main character, Valeria, towards the mountain housing the gods? Still, wild horses cannot drag me away from this book forever.

4. Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link

Reason: Karen of Books Beside My Bed recommended this one to me at least a year or two ago. I was even able to get it for a good deal during one of Borders' post-holiday sales. Being an anthology, it should be easy enough to pick it up and read maybe one or two stories at a time, but alas not yet, though soon.

 5. Through Wolf's Eyes by Janes Lindskold
Reason: When I started really getting into wolf literature, I was searching for fantasy series focusing on wolves portrayed in a new light. I thought I found that in Jane Lindskold's Through Wolf's Eyes, and I'm sure it's still there. Now I just must make time to read it. 




6. 13 to Life by Shannon Delany
Reason: I had heard a lot of good things about this new werewolf series debut, and so I decided to buy it rather than wait until it was ordered for the library. It's still on the shelf right now waiting to be read but it will hopefully get read this year. 





7. Touched by Venom by Janine Cross
Reason: A friend recommended this trilogy to me because it has a strong female character and involves dragons, two excellent traits in a novel to me. However, I suppose I haven't been in a "dragon" sort of mood, thus it's being on the shelf so long. It will come down from the shelf this year though, I'm confident in that. (And it did this week! ^^)



8. Traveler by Richard Adams
Reason: I absolutely loved Watership Down and Tales from Watership Down, so I thought, 'Adams writing about horses in the same vein?  Sign me up!' I did start reading it, but for some reason I lost interest and put it back on my shelf. Hopefully, I'll give it another shot soon.



9. Hellboy Odd Jobs by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Reason: My beau recommended this anthology as well as Odder Jobs to me, and when I found both of them at a recycled bookstore, I had to snatch them up.  I do adore Hellboy, both the movies and the comics and Bones of Giants. I just have to make time to read a little of Odd Jobs at a time even if I don't read all of the stories in one fell swoop.  



10. Body of a Horse, Heart of a Man by Rhonda L. Davis
Reason: This one was literally sold to me by the author as she was a local from the area I was living in during library school. I visited Hastings one night and saw Davis sitting at a table set up with her book, and we started talking. Greek mythology has always been a favorite subject of mine, and she did sell me on the story about a god changed into a centaur and a woman he has rescued and harbored.
I just need to read it now.