Being Weird and Getting Happy

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!

You’re Never Weird on the Internet (almost) by Felicia Day

Rating:

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’m reading The Happiness Project by 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.

There’s a Turtle Involved: Drift

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).

Drift by M. K. Hutchins

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.

Sequel time: Siege and Storm, the Grisha Trilogy

Siege and Storm, by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 9 million/10

So towards the beginning of this blog, I reviewed Shadow 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.

Gettin’ Nerdy: The She-Hulk Diaries

Rating: 6.5/10

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!

Survival in the “Enclave”

Enclave, by Ann Aguirre

Rating: 7.5/10

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!

Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 8.5/10

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.

Article 5 – Kristen Simmons

Article 5, by Kristen Simmons

Rating: 7/10

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)

Outcast – Adrienne Kress

Rating:6.5/10

Basic Summary:

Outcast follows 16-year-old Riley Carver as she accidentally embraces her destiny and stands up to her town’s “angel” problem. For the last several years, these “angels” come down once a year at the same time, snatch up a few town folk, and don’t return ’til the next year. In an episode of teenage angst and probably hormones, Riley shoots one of the dark, big, and scary things down. Then it “transforms” into a smooth talking boy about her age, and she starts to freak out.

With this new source of intel, though he claims he knows nothing, Riley sets out to solve the city’s angel problem and find out what has happened to the townsfolk, all while thwarting the cult of the angels that has grown in the town and dealing with her fallen “angel.”

My Thoughts: So if the cover didn’t give it away to you, this is definitely a girlier girl narrator. Not that she’s super into lipstick and fashion, but her bit of stream-of-conscious narration is nothing if not feminine. Chatty rambling Cathy. Maybe this isn’t as girly specific as I think, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

That being said, I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would going in.  I don’t think the cover art, or really even the title go with the overall story. Riley may feel like an outsider, and get tired of people pointing out how she is different or weird, but she’s no pariah. The best parts to me were focused on so much more than the shallow romance message this cover sends me. The author does a pretty good job of building up the town, and the cult that worships the “angels.” She even gives semi-plausible reasons as to why outsiders don’t get involved and why everyone bothers staying in the town.

At this writing, it’s not listed on Amazon. But, at $2.99 for the eBook, I recommend giving it a read! Check out chapter 1 and find the eBook direct from the publisher here.

Bonus Section: This book doesn’t come out til Tuesday, June 4, so it’s pretty exciting for me to get the chance to share my first review from an advanced reviewer copy.

A lot of the Christian themes and theology discussed are (to my limited knowledge) described fairly accurately. That is to say, they are well researched and based on reputable enough theories and information out there though not on the wide spread views of the church. The author didn’t make a ton of stuff up to make her story. Just some. And I respect that.

My biggest issue with this book,  set somewhere in the deep south, is the use of the word “y’all.” Now, I’m southern, and I say “y’all” all the time. Even “all y’all” every now and again. But I swear at times the author uses y’all as a singular term. Maybe I misinterpreted, or maybe I’m just not southern enough?

The Wrap-Up: This is a nice summer read, with more depth than expected, although not the type I will be dying to reread. I promise you, I will soon be reading more “grown up” books. If I have to, I will reread The Night Circus, and write a review of it. Because that is a spectacular piece of grown up literature.

Questions? Comments? Intentions to read or steer clear of? 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)