We’re on our second month of the new year and I only have a vague idea of what my resolutions even were. However I’m showing early success though is reading! So here’s the latest!
Basic Summary: A memoir of Felicia Day: actor, YouTube maverick, writer, geek culture maven. You might know her from The Guild, or appearances in Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or where I first saw her, on Doctor Horrible’s Incredible Sing-A-Long Blog with Niel Patrick Harris (and The Guild’s music video “Do You Want To Date My Avatar?“). She’s also the lead creative force behind a TON more things. The list is extensive and amazing.
My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book, but it felt weird to give it an actual rating, like numerically scoring Felicia Day on her memoir is not something she would appreciate or support (outside of the sales function on a site like Amazon. I’d leave a good star rating there). So that’s why there’s a gif.
Felicia Day is awkward. Painfully so. But that’s the important message in her book, is she takes you through her journey of finding that place on the internet where she doesn’t have to feel “bad” for the things that make her awkward (like being homeschooled) or for her interests. And then she goes to Hollywood and things make her feel bad again. And then she reaches a certain level of acclaim and has health problems, or #GamerGate happens, or X, or Y, etc.
This book left me feeling convicted. For the times I squash my own weirdness to blend in, and for the times I wish others would squash their own. Or worse the times when I’ve said or done things that lead to that outcome. If you look for it, you can see that Felicia Day has a strong sincerity to be who she is and to do whatever she’s doing. And she wants that for whoever she’s interacting with as well. It’s refreshing.
The Wrap-Up: Love what you love and let no person or thing interrupt that. Life is too short to pretend you’re cool. And we can all tell you’re pretending. (Because it doesn’t look fun.)
Up Next: I’mreading The Happiness Projectby Gretchen Rubin over the course of the year, so watch out for periodic updates on that. It’s a chapter-a-month type of a deal, so I’m not sure how that will translate here. My book club has also reassembled, and Great Expectations is next on our list! I have until early March to fit that in, so look to see some thoughts on that flitter through. And last, but probably next:
The Handmaiden’s Tale. I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while, and the Hulu trailers finally got me to start it. Watch out for that one to come next.
I feel it’s relevant to say, that although I haven’t posted in 7 months, I actually re-read Red Rising(by Pierce Brown) last night, in honor of Golden Son‘s release this week (mine arrives Monday) and I’m just too excited.
Here’s a book I’ve been meaning to tell you about for old time’s sake. I read it shortly after Red Rising (the first time).
Rating: Good and fun! (It’s been too long for numbers.)
Basic Summary:Civilization resides on the back of a giant turtle, with a big ol’ tree growing in the middle. Survival depends on taking care of the turtle, so it can flee your enemies, and not having any more kids than necessary, so you don’t weigh the turtle down. But things attack the turtle in the water too.
My Thoughts: This book was so odd. And it was lovely! It didn’t push the weirdness too far (in my opinion), it was an odd philosophical premise, but the story is otherwise grounded in a very simple and straightforward narrative. With just a few changes, it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine this as the story of a boy living in a little cottage dreaming of being a knight.
So Tenjat, our protagonist, lives on the turtle with his sister and a decent amount of other folk. Their parents died in the mysterious circumstances that led them to this particular small turtle town (key plot point). Tenjat wants to be a Handler, so he won’t be left with the embarrassing fate of marrying and needing to have his own children to take care of him in old age. Why add to the (physical) burden their sick turtle has to deal with, when instead he could be a Handler and fight the things in the water that attack the turtle and will lead to its death?
For unknown reasons, his sister opposes his quest to join the Handlers. Of course he does it anyway, and he shows some oddly remarkable traits. That just so happen to match the oddly remarkable traits of the only female handler. Because there are some things only men can do, and some things only women can do. Except, on a few of these, when it comes to them.
The book gets into some odd philosophical things (nothing preachy), and just creates such a well-envisioned world. It’s never heavy deep, and honestly a light read that kind of carries you along.
Bonus Section: Wikipedia article on the talking point that the Universe is on the back of a giant turtle, who is on another turtle, etc. Don’t worry, in Drift there is only one layer of turtles.
The Wrap-Up: An odd delight that sticks with me, even though I read it many moons ago. Try it out if you’re looking to mix things up, or if you’re in a rut.
So towards the beginning of this blog, I reviewedShadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, because you see Siege and Storm was about to come out and I needed to get pumped. It was worth the wait. I love this series so much, I cannot begin to tell you. I tried learning Russian for about 10 seconds because of it (I still want to learn it, but I swear each word is a minimum of 10 syllables. I’m gonna need a human instructor). I had intended to review this right after, but I wanted to leave you breathing/reading room, and then life was like BOOM. So.
If you’re wary of spoilers, you can go start with the Shadow and Bone review here. Anywho, back to the magic.
Basic Summary: One thing I love (and hate) about these books is that prior to the release the first five chapters are available as a free Kindle sample. I love it, because I like samples. The first one got me to get out of bed and physically drive to B&N to buy a copy. The second one is the reason I also hate them. Because I read it before the book released, and it was SO GOOD. So much action. So much adventure. And then the drama, the betrayals, the anarchy! Seriously, I just double checked to make sure I wasn’t overselling the first five, and I now I want to read it again.
Back to the summary.
At the end of Shadow and Bone, Alina (the Sun Summoner) and her best friend/hey-I-love-you-too Mal were fleeing the Darkling. They found Morozova’s stag, what was thought to be a mythical creature and powerful amplifier, only to be recaptured by the Darkling. The Darkling takes control of the Amplifier, using it to tether Alina, and just when everything seems hopeless she manages to escape and save Mal. Victory!
Start book 2, Alina and Mal are running away from Ravka, hoping to hide and save their lives. Of course, the Darkling can’t just let them escape that easily. Granted, his ploy for the ultimate thrown in Ravka didn’t go that smoothly, but he continues to pursue her. Alina ends up back in Ravka with Mal and the intriguing Sturmhound, a pirate/privateer and much more than he seems. Reunited with the forces of Ravka, Alina tries to work with the powers that be to protect her home and fight the Darkling. Which gets a bit difficult for Mal to deal with. So add more fighting, chaos, anarchy, adventure, and a touch of drama.
(Definitions for the confused: The kingdom is called Ravka. There is a giant pitch black evil place called the Unsea that splits the kingdom and makes things difficult. It’s basically the Darkling’s fault. The Grisha practice “magic” through the small sciences, basically they manipulate matter, and it’s a skill you’re born with. Grishas all have a specific talent area. Summoning, usually wind, fire, or water. Alina and the Darkling are the only ones with power over light/darkness. Heartrending and healers & bodily stuff like stopping hearts. Fabrikators, who have crazy weird building skills often involving explosives. The Darkling has been the leader of the Grisha, aka the Second Army. They work loosely with the First Army, made of normal soldiers. Technically he reports to the King, but he finds a way to do what he wants. Amplifiers magnify a Grisha’s power. They’re usually the bones of an animal or something. Whoever kills the animal controls the wearer of the amplifier. Not all amplifiers are created equal.)
My Thoughts: So much happens in this book. Sometimes you want to shake Alina, other times you want to applaud her. She’s come along way from the sickly cartographer in the First Army of book one, and it’s not always an easy transition for her. As usual, you want to punch characters for being stupid. Which they are. If there is anything books have taught me, it’s that communication can solve most fights. Suck it up and tell the truth people. They probably agree. It’s a bit scary to see how power transforms Alina at certain points, when you think of how annoyingly doe-eyed she could be in the first book. She definitely tries to be strong and bear her own cross though, and tries it until it’s almost too late.
I await book 3 with crazed excitement, and a bit of sadness. A series this complex and original is a sad thing to end. Maybe Leigh Bardugo will continue to write in this world…maybe.
Bonus Section: As I mentioned in the first review, this story has a heavy Russian influence. Which is rare in Western lit, especially if it’s not about Soviet spies. Leigh also has a few short folk stories she’s created for the series, and they are to die for. Read ’em here: The Witch of Duva and The Too Clever Fox
And, if you tweet at her, @lbardugo will often respond 🙂
The Wrap-Up: If you like YA, and you need something actiony yet non-dystopian to mix it up, check this out. And please love it. Because it’s great. I own it as an eBook, because I couldn’t wait for a hardcopy/an area store to have it, and as a hardback, because the cover art is delightful, and this is a series I’ll be re-reading.
Basic Summary: Starting with The Skin Map, Kit Livingstone is trying to take a shortcut to meet his cranky girlfriend Wilhelmina when he accidentally walks through a ley line and meets his long-lost Great Grandfather Cosimo, who is looking rather spry for a man of 125 years. They have tea in a rustic seaside town (somehow just minutes from the modern London alley Kit was trying to cut through), Kit decides he must be hallucinating in some way, then heads straight to his girlfriend’s flat to apologize for being maybe 30 minutes late. Thing is, it’s been eight hours. Desperate to prove he’s not THAT crazy, he takes her back to the ley line, walks through it, and instead of following him Mina ends up somewhere else entirely. And chaos ensues.
As you get into the depths of things, you learn of the Skin Map, created by Arthur Flinders-Petrie and tattooed on his very body (hence the skin part), and Burley’s men who seek to find all the pieces of the map as well. Because the Skin Map is thought to hold not only a map of ley lines and where they lead, but a secret so great it will change even the Ley Leaper’s understanding of the universe. The secret has been lost to time, as has most of the map. Why was it cut into pieces? Why are they hidden across worlds? Whatever happened to Arthur himself, and why is Burley after his secrets?
My Thoughts:I first read Lawhead’s King Raven Trilogy, which follows a version of Robin Hood. That series started slow and really picked up, but this series starts quicker and keeps a fairly even pace. The books are written with fairly passive voice, so it doesn’t always feel action packed despite the events transpiring. That said, I can be 30% into a book and think I must be halfway because so many events have taken place (that’s the mystery of reading on Kindle!). Despite the sometimes surprisingly slow pace, I’ve really enjoyed these stories. The book starts with Kit whining about how frustrating things are with Mina (Wilhelmina, who he lost on the ley line), so it was really interesting to later read from her perspective and hear basically the same things about Kit.
The narrative is woven in a very interesting way, with occasional flashbacks to provide back story. This gets a little confusing at times though, because through ley travel they often visit versions of Earth in a different time period. All the switching back and forth can confuse the reader on the sequence of events at times, which just got confounded by events in The Spirit Well even more. On the bright side, the characters share some of my confusion at that point so maybe the author is being intentional so we don’t get too far ahead of the characters. I’m very intrigued by how Lawhead has continued bringing a few new characters in throughout, but, despite the necessary repeat of certain information and events, things don’t feel episodic at all.
Early on in the books, Kit gets separated from his great grandfather as well, which leads to more chaos. I’m pretty pleased with this, as there are more trial-by-fire situations and learning on the go rather than lecture after lecture. Another fun theme is that there is no such thing as a coincidence. The characters aren’t sure if everything is ordained and controlled or if everything can be turned for the greater good, but they know that in every situation they stand a chance. No matter how dark, something good may come of it if they just look for it.
Bonus Section/Disclaimer:As it says in the “About” page, I sometimes get books for free from Netgalley/via the publishers, in hopes I’ll write a review. I received The Spirit Well this way, but I bought the other two books on sale. That being said, book 1 The Skin Map is only $1.99 for the Kindle edition at the moment. That’s the best price to try anything at, well, almost.
The Wrap-Up: This book has a much stronger religious presence than the King Raven Trilogy did, but that is really necessitated by the subject matter. If you discovered an other-worldly travel system linking all sorts of artifacts from different ages and religions, it would cause you to question everything you knew about creation, wouldn’t it? That being said, it’s often less a discourse than a declaration of faith.
Got questions? Did you read it? Are you gonna read it? Leave a comment to back me up, or save others from my lies. (Then click “follow” at the bottom of the site, because it will help me get books from more well-known authors in the future.)
Oh, the shame. It’s been more than two months since last I posted, and that’s not because I haven’t been reading. Life has been very…eventful of late. I have definitely been making time for books though, so this post will be full of random reviews, as October was with YA Dystopian Trilogy Book 3s.
Also, all book title links will take you to the Amazon Kindle book page, for the purpose of getting to the sample ASAP. I’m a huge fan of Kindle samples. But you’re still encouraged to consider your local bookstore (even if it’s a chain) like Nightbird Books.
House of Hades, by Rick Riordan – Heroes of Olympus Series (Series spoilers below)
I have no shame about loving all the Percy Jackson books. They are silly and fun and adventurous and magical. They are definitely written for a middle school audience. Riordan admits it, he writes for the audience he knows and taught for years. It pains me that now I’ve aged to the point where some of the middle school humor grates on my nerves. But despite that, the characters are growing up and the stories are gaining appropriate depth. In this story, as Percy and Annabeth journey through Tartarus, Percy is forced to look at his past in a new light. He has sent many monsters back there without a thought, and left a great many people behind out of indifference. Percy is forced to grow up a little and come to terms with some not-so-heroic moments in his past.
If the ending of The Hunger Games upset you, this series is not for you. I’ve gotta give the author credit, she’s not afraid of making crazy/tough choices. In this YA dystopian world, future Chicago (I think) is divided into five factions. Each faction is constructed around whatever they think caused the war. Those who blame selfishness become the selfless of Abegnation, those who blame ignorance because the education-obsessed Erudite, etc. etc. Watch the movie trailer below if you want an extensive breakdown. Below the trailer there will be series spoilers.
In the wrap-up to this series, we finally get to read many sections from Four’s point of view, rather than just hearing from him in the bonus scenes Veronica Roth would write. Four and Tris are not on the best of terms with the new government, formed by a tenuous relationship between the Factionless and the rebels. Frustrated with the betrayals deals being cut, they decide to escape the city with a few friends, and go find the people who created their civilization. As soon as they step outside the city, they see people they never expected to see again, and learn that nothing is what they thought. New causes to fight for, new serums to disgust you, new twists to confuddle you, it’s an insane ride. …have a happy book lined up to read next.
For additional background and a lack of series spoilers, you can check out my review of the first book, Enclave, from back in June.
Ann Agguire’s dystopian land is very enjoyable to me, because it’s based on as much fact as possible. She’s classified as a sci-fi writer, but she doesn’t rely on the type of science that powers Star Wars and lets the Millennium Falcon make the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs. (I love Star Wars anyway.) In her acknowledgements she links to facts and resources she used to make fairly educated guesses at how life would be. Somethings in this one are a little more fantastical, in my mind, but it’s built on a rock so I don’t care.
We pick up right were Outpost left off, Deuce, Fade and crew are running from the outpost to a neighboring settlement to try and gain assistance against the horde of thousands of mutie freaks threatening to overwhelm them. They arrive just in time to save some of the villagers, but not all. In their new militant home, Deuce is once again treated like a child. Frustrated, she switches into beast mode and with Fade, Striker and Tegsn, she gathers a few allies to go out and take the fight to the Freaks. And epicness/chaos ensues. A good read. Good storytelling.
Wrapping up the Legend Trilogy, I was very excited and anxious for this book. At this point, I had finished several YA dystopian trilogies (and re-read the majority of the book 2s), I cringed at the sight of love triangles, and worried how this one could end much differently than my first assumptions. Marie Lu does not disappoint. Day and June are getting pulled this way and that after Day makes the shocking decision to support the Republic’s government after their return from the Colonies. After not speaking for months, their relationship is forced and June has no idea about the serious medical problems threatening Day’s life. Peace negotiations with the Colonies fall through after a new plague begins sweeping through the front lines. The Elector begs Day to let his little brother Eden be used to help find the cure, but chaos ensues and time starts to run out as Day’s illness gets worse, the Colonies start to invade, and in general, all hell breaks loose. And Marie Lu’s ending is so artfully executed, it’s wonderful and to die for.
As for my general reads:
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy, by Libba Bray
Unlike the other trilogies above, which I was wrapping up, I hadn’t read any of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy before. I blame the cover art. It looks like a sappy teen romance. I stayed up until 3 a.m. reading these books. By the third book, I had gained enough will-power (and fear of the ending) to read it over multiple days, but not so for the first two. The story follows Gemma Doyle and the friends she makes at finishing school following her mother’s death. With some kind of magic brewing up in her, Gemma has to figure out right from wrong, who to trust, why to act and more as they journey into the realms and meet the tribes there. The girls make many stupid choices. Some that could not have been helped, and others that make you want to slap them. It’s an interesting cross between the serious decisions facing them in the realms, and the frivolous choices of their London-focused existence that will still define their futures. Throughout it all, the girls are all looking for their own form of power in the end of the 1800s world that wants them to have none.
Note: This book has almost nothing in common with the movie. Pretend the movie is called Edwin Enchanted. Ella Enchanted has been one of my favorite books since middle school, and it’s still a lovely read at 22. When Ella was born, a fairy but a curse on her that she would always be obedient, and obey every command given to her. After the death of her mother, her father (who knows nothing of the curse) sends her to finishing school and worse in his selfish pursuits. This Cinderella re-telling is delightful and gorgeous and everything lovely, with a heroine who is silly, headstrong, smart, and determined. I recommend this book to anyone, but especially any young princesses who need a story with gumption.
The Broken Empire Trilogy, by Mark Lawrence
I’m not going to say much about these books, except that they are dark and at times quite twisted. Make no mistake, the main character Jorg has evil to his bones. They’re well written and the story is well constructed, but I spent the first two books worried that certain redeeming events wouldn’t come to pass, and that I would have wasted so much time on such an undeserving and thankless character. I was not displeased when done, but what I’m trying to say is this is not a feel good story. This is dark fantasy, with a character willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, and a few more evil things just because it pleases him. It’s definitely a departure from my normal reading, and an interesting look into a dark and twisted mind. Content considerations: violence, assualt, more violence.
Some basic plot details: At 14, Jorg has set out to destroy his uncle (for the murder of his mother and younger brother), and then anyone who stands in his way of being king and then ending the war of the Hundred (kingdoms). Set in a future Europe where nuclear war destroyed our civilization (we’re the Builders) centuries before, remnants of mankind go on living in the wreckage like medieval times with a whole host of ghosts, spirits, necromancers and the like as company. The story’s explanations of these things are nice, I assure you.
I loved Stroud for the Bartimaeus books, about a snarky djinni and a young magician in training. It was delightful and thrilling, and kept me so very intrigued. Lightwood & Co. is not quite so action packed and thrilling. Don’t get me wrong, it has plenty of excitement, danger, and adventure, but it’s written for more of a potentially long series arc, whereas as most of the Bartimaeus books built to a big conclusion over just a few books.
In Lockwood & Co., over the last 50 years there has been a large number of ghost sightings and hauntings, including poltergeists. And who should be most sensitive and able to hear these spirits but children of course. As you grow older, your “psychic sensitivity” fades, and now strict curfews are enforced while tweens and teens act as security patrols and detectives, setting out to capture and release (from our world) the dangerous spirits. Lockwood himself is at times frustrating. Maybe too smart, maybe too stupid. At times Stroud uses him for dramatic reveals and information dumps. While they usually aren’t tedious, it would be nice to be able to figure out more of the information and pick up the clues ourselves, rather than find out Lockwood has known for chapters and chapters and withheld information that would help the reader draw their own conclusions. Still, the book was a great read that kept me up until 3, and I happily await the next installment.
That was exhausting. And now I have about 10 other books on my “Read ASAP” list. I’ll try to blog sooner rather than lady, but, by golly, Christmas is coming! So you’ll just have to wait and see.
Basic Summary:After a solar flare compromises Earth’s atmosphere and leads to really dangerous storms (I’m not going to pretend I understand the science. It makes sense when you read it), the world is divided into two types of people: those who were lucky enough to enter into the Pods and live a self-sustained and sheltered existence (dwellers), and those left outside (savages). The storms are growing stronger though, and unrealized by many the Pods are not holding up as well as it seems. While trying to find information about her mother, whose research team has lost contact, events spiral out of control and Aria is kicked out of her Pod, Reverie. Once she meets an outsider named Perry, they have to work together to get the outcome they both want.
My Thoughts: Having read this book, I can tell you now the Amazon description is a horrid injustice, and the Google Play description doesn’t even crack the surface. Granted, mine probably doesn’t either, but I hate to spoil the magic! I bought this book MONTHS ago on a whim, when the ebook was on sale in the Google Play store. I knew it was dystopian and recommended to me, but I forgot what it was about. I finally got around to reading it this weekend. Then I bought the second book and read it too. Because I had to.
There are so many subtleties and magical things in these books. In some ways, the characters/relationships may be better written than those in Shadow and Bone (though I still love Shadow and Bone more). Inside the Pods, they have access to every modern convenience and all the technology to match. People are carefully designed genetically, to eradicate disease and to do away with unnecessary things. Facial hair is eliminated, no girl has to have her time of the month, people are pretty and their features are streamlined. All aspects of life are treated this way. All clothes are simple and gray, sleeping areas are simple. The real kicker are the “Realms,” billed as “Better Than Real.” Thousands of virtual worlds exist, so that the dwellers never have to risk REAL pain or REAL injury. All adventure, all interaction, even most TOUCHING is just done virtually. Without these realms, they would have gone crazy long ago.
On the outside, people have changed. Living is rugged, and constant exposure to the Aether storms has lead to some mutations, they think. Some people have intense hearing, others amazing sight, others can smell tempers. Yeah. They can “smell” your moods and emotions. Awkward but true.
So when Aria gets kicked out, she bumps into Peregrine (Perry). And they’ve sort of both caused the other’s problems. If he helps her, she should be able to help him save his sick nephew. He’s got enough problems at his tribe, the Tides, trying not to fight his brother the Blood Lord (leader man).
A nice feature in these books is the dual-narrator set-up. You hear from Aria, and you also hear from Perry. Aria is not a whiny female narrator, but she also doesn’t instantly turn into Tomb Raider once she’s dumped into the wilderness. She grows over time. And Perry does too. He’s starts out QUITE hot headed, and by the end, he is…less hot headed. There are some romance and attraction elements throughout the stories, but they aren’t overpowering or over-dramatic. They’re motivators.
I really enjoyed these books. Really really. They’re a fairly original dystopian series, and the author, Veronica Rossi, is a great writer. She makes you want to punch characters SOO bad, and then she makes you turn around and pity them. It’s practically cruel. It’s excellent to read. You can tell a lot of thought was put into this world, into the mechanics of the characters and the history of the crisis that threw their world apart.
Bonus Section: The books have been optioned for a movie with Warner Bros., but nothing has made its way to production yet. The second book in the series is already out, and the third doesn’t follow until January. (If you read the first two, you will agree that is too long.) If you read these two and fall in love with them, check out these links for a little more action. There’s a $2.99 novella about Liv and Roar’s relationship here, and you can read the first three chapters of book three (and see the cover) here.
The Wrap-Up: If you love dystopian stories, you should definitely check out this series. If you don’t, you should still give it a shot. I will try and wait a month or two to buy the novella to tide myself over until the second novella comes out in November and then book three in January, but we will see how successful I am.
Let me know what you think! I’m also always looking fro book recommendations, so please leave a few in the comments. Then, if you’re feeling daring, click that “Follow” button down yonder. You’re a peach 😉
Basic Summary:In Marta Acosta’s The She-Hulk Diaries, we follow Jennifer Walters as she struggles with her She-Hulk side and tries to stick to her New Year’s Resolutions. Well, Valentine’s Resolutions. She’ll explain. Jennifer is a lawyer, specializing in super-human law, and trying to keep her life together and her inner…creature quiet. She-Hulk parties hard, so they’ve been kicked out of the Avenger’s Mansion, and Jennifer just wants to get by as a normal, non-green New Yorker. When she finally thinks things may head towards the up-and-up, it gets twisted: her new boss’s son is an old hook-up who wrote a hit song for her but never called back, and he’s also engaged to her mean co-worker, PLUS their client is “totally cute” and insists on hitting on her. Oh, the chaos.
My Thoughts: This book was an interesting/different read. I was really excited when I got the opportunity to read it through NetGalley, but I also wasn’t sure what to expect. One of the nice aspects of the book is how it’s told through Jennifer’s diary. The internal thoughts/monologuing make sense, and allows for the Type-A analysis and list making that defines the calm side of Jennifer.
The story starts slow, and drags a bit, but it does pick up at the end. Acosta is in some tricky area with this book. It’s chick-lit set in the action-dominated Marvel Universe. Acosta hasn’t mastered the balance, but she is certainly making strides. This isn’t look-it’s-a-pink-hammer-so-now-you’ll-like-it girly, or pink-makes-me-throw-up anti-girly. It’s a girl who wants to have a career, find a guy, take martial arts, but also not be fabulous all the time. (It works better when Marta does it than me.)
Bonus Section: This one does bring in some elements of romance, that get a bit cheesy/romance-genre for me. But by the end of it I found myself enjoying them and rooting her on as well. One of my biggest peeves with the title is that half the romance trouble comes from a certain hot guy getting Jennifer’s name completely wrong for multiple days. It’s the dumbest thing that happens among some otherwise smart characters.
There are some nice background details on the Avengers and the super hero world. Some telling details about Tony Stark’s personal life as well, that add some really nice touches to this book. And the emergence of She-Hulk in her scandalous and often revealing outfits are always amusing.
The Wrap-Up: All in all, not too shabby. A bit slow in the beginning, but if you like some chicky romance and the super hero romance, it’s a nice slow day’s read.
Leave your thoughts and recommendations in the comments!
Basic Summary:The world’s population has been decimated by some long-ago disaster. Deuce, as the main character comes to be known, lives in an underground enclave among the few survivors of whatever disaster ravaged the worlds many years ago. Her small home is ran by the elders, those lucky enough to make it into their 20s. You have three optional roles: Breeder (obvious), Builder (making anything from shoes to weapons), and Hunter. The Hunters are responsible not only for venturing out into the tunnels to find food, but also for protecting the enclave from the human-like feral Freaks. At 15, Deuce is now an adult, able to take her place among the Hunters. But when she and her outsider partner Fade, who somehow survived to join her enclave at age 9, encounter smarter Freaks outside the enclave things quickly spiral out of control. These Freaks seem almost to have an idea of strategy and memory. The elders refuse to take their news seriously, and Deuce begins to see her home in a whole new way. The rules and truth that have always dictated her life no longer seem certain, and she soon finds herself with no place to call home. She and Fade leave the Enclave, and attempt a journey Topside to find somewhere safe to survive.
My Thoughts: This book was well written. Ann Aguirre, the author, does a good job of describing the world. The enclave appears to be set in subway tunnels, although it’s hard to tell at times, because the characters don’t know what a subway is, or many of the abandoned items it holds, to describe things as we would. The world is well built, and the writing is solid. I’m excited to see how the series will continue. What I loved most about Aguirre’s writing style is how she moves the action along, and keeps the tension. She has a way of switching the characters goals and missions that flows very naturally. Whereas in some books the tension builds and builds only for the characters to realize they missed something obvious and that’s why everything must change. In Enclave, overall there is a very sensible development of the action. When there are twists and turns, it’s through gaining knowledge and making decisions. The characters choose to let the plot twist, it’s not just the author laughing maniacally and saying “THIS will make the story interesting!” as she throws in a handful of betrayal or a surprise invasion of people barely mentioned in the book. The characters are smart, they think about their choices and their implications. If they don’t, they know they won’t survive.
Bonus Section: If you want to read a sample of the first two chapters, go to this link, and scroll to the bottom. Here’s a bit of a breakdown of the characters:
Deuce Her entire life has been spent in the enclave, she’s always worked and trained to become a Huntress. She lives to protect others and ensure order is maintained so the enclave can survive. She’s a strong character, though not perfect. She struggles at times between doing what she knows is best for the group, and making exceptions for one that could hurt them all. At 15 years old, she’s stronger than most modern 25-year-olds, and she could hold her own against almost anyone who tries to fight her.
Fade Fade didn’t grow up in the Enclave. He claims he was raised by his father Topside, although no one believes him or the things he says about that. A party of Hunters found him in the tunnels when he was around 9, and because he seemed tough enough to fend for himself, he was allowed to join the enclave rather than being killed. He has never fit in with anyone at the enclave. He’s an outsider, a bit savage, and he doesn’t agree with their rules. But he has kept to himself and avoided raising a stink, because even he can only last so long alone and outside the enclave. He works as a Hunter, and is a fierce fighter, but life at the enclave has never sat right with him.
Citizens of the enclave Roles are not questioned. If you are a breeder, you reproduce when told and care for the brats. If you are a builder or a hunter, you don’t dare thinking about anything that could produce a baby. Food is meager, and possessions are rare. Hoarding either of these is punishable by death or exile (which is really just a slower kind of death). Hygiene is mandatory, because being dirty is just another way to invite sickness and death.
Citizens of other enclaves Other enclaves and groups in the tunnel are ran with similar rules, varying in severity. Some are less concerned with hygiene or less strict on security, or much more harsh in their “rule.” Relationships between enclaves are tense, and all are several days apart. There aren’t enough resources in the tunnels to allow them to live too close.
You can also view the book trailer down below. Honestly, I watched maybe the first 30 seconds of it before I closed it. Book trailers are a low budget thing. But maybe it got better, or maybe this will change your mind if you didn’t want to read it already?
Then, once you read the book (or get to this scene), you can read the scene where Deuce and Fade get separated from Fade’s point of view here!
The Wrap-Up: This is a well thought-out dystopian YA novel. In the author’s note at the end, she discusses the research she did on how various disasters would effect the world and society, including articles from the University of Ottawa and the BBC. If reading The Hunger Games, Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, or any other adventure/dystopian story has left you needing more, this is definitely a good series to check out.
Let me know your thoughts if you’re planning to read it! Leave a comment here, and hit “Follow” (above or below) to help make the site better!
Basic Summary: In an alternate Russia called Ravka, Leigh Bardugo creates a harsh and “magical” world. Generations ago, the kingdom of Ravka was divided from its western coast by the “Shadow Fold,” or the “Unsea.” Created by a Darkling now known as the Black Heretic, the Shadow Fold is a dry sea, a black void filled with scary scary monsters. It divides most of the country from the true sea ports, and, combined with the war on neighboring kingdoms, has led to a poor, tired, and frustrated kingdom.
Enter Alina. An orphan whose only family is her best friend Mal, she’s working as a cartographer in the army when a journey across the Fold reveals a power that she never suspected. Neither had the new Darkling. He whisks her off immediately to the Little Palace, and her life gets complicated as she is introduced to the world of Grisha, the magician-like wielders of the “Small Science” he leads. But can his motives be trusted? Is he called the Darkling just because of his power to manipulate darkness? Dun, dun, DUN!!!!
My Thoughts: Oh this book. Just read it. The sequel came out this week, so I reread Shadow and Bone as a refresher. It holds up. Might have been better this time around, because I wasn’t anticipating ways the book could disappoint me, and I was just letting it make me happy. And it did.
I loved the Russian-ness of this story, because I don’t read a lot of that. Roman, Greek, western, sure, but Russian? Bah! Alina is not an annoying narrator by far, as female narrators go, not in the slightest! I really like the author’s style and pacing. The pro- and epilogues are told in third person, compared to first person for the main narrative. I recommended this a lot when it first came out, and I stand by that now. Bardugo’s world is exciting to read about, with that contrast of the gritty poor and two-faced rich that is delightfully common in a lot of fantasy YA, like in The Hunger Games.
Some of the development could stand to be a bit more original, but it’s not horribly cliche and it is written very well to make up for any perceived shortcomings. Bardugo uses logic, reason, and betrayal to keep the strategy and war talk interesting. Their magic, as it is almost never referred to, is not a fix all. They aren’t witches and wizards learning spells. It’s more like the Force, you either have it or you don’t. But then once you have it, you only have it for a certain type of thing. Light, darkness, wind, water, fire, etc. “Like calls to like.”
Bonus Section: There are books you want to read as fast as you possibly can. And there are other books that are even too good for that. You try to get yourself to stop, because they are so good and you want the world to last a little bit longer. But then you fail anyway. Because it’s just so good. That happens here.
You can read the first 5 chapters free, courtesy of any of the Amazon Kindle apps (Computer or Mobile Device), and you should. When I did, I got out of bed and drove to Barnes and Noble to buy the book. It was a good day.
Here’s the book trailer:
I know I promised less YA for at least a bit, but this almost doesn’t count as YA because it was Amazon Book of the month in both the YA and Adult categories. Harry Potter producer David Heyman is on board with Dreamworks to make this a movie (in the indefinite future), so now’s your chance to get on the band wagon before everyone else!
The Wrap-Up: You have to at least consider reading this book. Consider = READ THE FREE PART. Here’s a short folktale set in that universe, written
Let me know your thoughts after you read this one. And click that little “follow” button down at the bottom.by the author. It is much darker and more adult than Shadow and Bone, but it is tantalizing none the less and shows what a good writer Bardugo can be.
Basic Summary: Article 5, by Kristen Simmons, is set in the not-so-distant future of America, after war has lead to a government overhaul, and the installation of ridiculously harsh moral statutes and rules. There is a national religion, a strict definition of family, and even stiffer penalties for breaking these molds. The story follows 17-year-old Ember Miller as her efforts to keep her head down and her mother in compliance with the new laws and articles quickly fails. (Amazon listing for a bigger summary here.)
My Thoughts: I will admit, as much as I enjoyed the sample and was dying to read more, the romance factor caused me physical pain. PHYSICAL PAIN. You know how some YA&teen books/movies/music just makes you want to throw up or injure yourself from how overly dramatic and sappy sticky lovey it is? Some of that happens. “The boy I loved…” My heart shriveled a little bit each time I read a line like that. The good news is that, as the book goes on and boys begin to appear, it gets much better! So. Much. Better. Maybe it’s because I don’t have patience for extra girly drama that this bothered me so much. But if it bothers you too, just know that it gets better, and it gets better fast!
I don’t want to spoil too much for you, so prepare yourself for: misogyny, “rehabilitation”, guns, a few teenage hormones, trust issues, calculating leaders (good and bad), and no tolerance. This future America is well thought out when described (granted, I haven’t been looking to poke any holes in this dystopia); it’s specific when it counts, and vague enough when it doesn’t. No one likes it when they feel like they’re reading a history book. When it comes to show-don’t-tell, Simmons shows as much as she can and then tells just a little for back story.
Bonus Section: The author has a background in social work and is a mental health advocate. I bring this up, because I really think it helps her bring grit and accuracy to the story. These characters are not living easy lives with Starbucks. Even electricity is rationed. As the story moves along, you feel the pain and confusion, you experience the changes happening in the characters’ minds. Ember Miller is not a whiny heroine that turns so many people off to main female characters. But she also isn’t made of steel. Her attempts at surviving, and the back-and-forth progress as she wraps her mind around survival, are well handled. That’s what makes you invested in the book, and in the characters. You never know who to trust or how to feel about someone, and it’s from plenty of information and character development, not from a lack of. Simmons lets you love and hate her characters, all at the same time.
The Wrap-Up: If you are still unconvinced, or wary of this female narrator, note the “BF Recommends” tag. This book was recommended to me by my boyfriend, so although he hasn’t read it (those will get a different stamp), he wouldn’t have looked at it long enough to even recommend it if the plot seemed horribly whiny. Final evidence? It has a sequel. Breaking Point. I read it the next day. (Review to follow.)
Got questions? Did you read it? Are you gonna read it? Leave a comment to back me up, or save others from my lies. (Then click “follow” at the bottom of the site, because it will help me get books from more well-known authors in the future)
Wrapping up the Legend Trilogy, I was very excited and anxious for this book. At this point, I had finished several YA dystopian trilogies (and re-read the majority of the book 2s), I cringed at the sight of love triangles, and worried how this one could end much differently than my first assumptions. Marie Lu does not disappoint. Day and June are getting pulled this way and that after Day makes the shocking decision to support the Republic’s government after their return from the Colonies. After not speaking for months, their relationship is forced and June has no idea about the serious medical problems threatening Day’s life. Peace negotiations with the Colonies fall through after a new plague begins sweeping through the front lines. The Elector begs Day to let his little brother Eden be used to help find the cure, but chaos ensues and time starts to run out as Day’s illness gets worse, the Colonies start to invade, and in general, all hell breaks loose. And Marie Lu’s ending is so artfully executed, it’s wonderful and to die for.
The Pillow Fortress Review 