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Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne
published March 2009 by Harper Collins
272 pages (paperback), YA
YA Reading Challenge ; Shifter Challenge

A little while ago, I had a serious werewolf book craving. I haven't been reading very much lately as life has kept me plenty busy, so having any sort of literary craving was good news to me. Except that I couldn't believe how difficult it was for me to find the kind of story I was looking for - that I hadn't read already. Has there not been a werewolf craze yet? Really? There's a handful of our furry friends in contemporary YA novels, and the rest are all adult romance - which I like too, but it wasn't what my mood called for. Anyhow, I was happy to find this series, the Dark Guardians, by Rachel Hawthorne because it was unique and exciting enough to captivate my attention.

So, I use the term werewolf incorrectly because in this story, the characters label themselves as shifters - even though they do in fact change into wolves. This pack lives and works in a national forest, where they preserve nature and their own secrets. Kayla visited the park last year with her adoptive parents in order to deal with her devastating past - when she was very young, her parents were killed by hunters in that forest. This year, she has come back on her own as a summer employee to enjoy the beauty, make friends, and continue to heal. The group ventures deep into the forest, leading a group of academics doing research, unaware of the danger that awaits them.

Hmm, a synopsis isn't quite enough for this story. I liked it quite well. It was fast-paced when it needed to be and slow and thoughtful at other times. I do want to read the rest of the series because each book follows a different character, which I do appreciate.

Huntress by Malinda Lo
published April 2011 by Little, Brown
384 pages (hardcover), YA
YA Reading Challenge

I remember really loving Ash by Malinda Lo when I first read it. I recommended it to just about everyone and could not stop gushing about it. I didn't re-read it because this book takes place centuries before Ash, even though the setting is the same.

Huntress is the story of a kingdom that is slowly dying - the Xi (the Fay) have been toying with magic and upsetting the balance of the earth. The seasons are off kilter, which disrupts food production, leaving the people hungry, poor, and a little angry. So the King sends his son and two girls who are studying to be sages (one with quite a bit of talent and the other with fairly none at all) on a journey to meet with the Fairy Queen, where they will hopefully figure out what is causing this unbalance in their world. Kaede is the untalented one, though she has spirit and some basic fighting skills. She is forced along on this trip because Taisin, the gifted sage-in-training, saw her in a vision of this quest, an upsetting vision in which the prince and Taisin must leave Kaede alone to paddle across an icy river to a foreboding fortress of ice. 

I read an absolutely beautiful review of this book recently, over at Reading in Color, and I recommend that you go read it too. Admittedly, I didn't love this book as much as Ash, and I know it's unfair for me to compare. I'm not really into the quest storyline, so this book was slow going for me. I liked the characters but wanted to know them better. It took me over a week to read it, but what I loved is that I was instantly transported back into the story every time I picked it up. That's something serious! I just wish I could have connected more to it - but that also has a lot to do with me and not necessarily a flaw of the writing.

In other news...
I've been away so much because the end of the school year is rapidly approaching (five more days!), and I have tons to do. And instead of being a lazy bum this summer, lounging around my town and reading all that I didn't have time for before, I decided to spend two months in Italy. I leave in a week and a half! I'm excited and fretful and a bundle of nerves, and one of my major worries was actually - how am I going to read without my public library!?

So, my mom generously bought me a Kindle for my birthday, and while I won't be doing all of my reading on it, it is so nice to know that if I run out of print books, I have a backup! Is that horrible to consider my Kindle a backup? Sorry e-reader enthusiasts, but I still love me some paper. I have a handful of books that I plan on taking with me, if I can make those luggage weight limits. So if it seems like I've fallen off the face of the planet, I haven't - I'm just across an ocean, enjoying my summer. :)

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
published January 2011 by Simon & Schuster
512 pages (hardcover), YA
YA Reading Challenge ; POC Challenge

Kit and Fancy are the daughters of the Bonesaw Killer, living in Portero, Texas, where reality and fantasy (or rather, horror) are confused easily. Fancy's the baby of the family, and at fifteen, she has yet to learn how to properly dress herself or experience emotions like a real-life human teen. Kit and Fancy have been the closest of sisters, sharing secrets and animal anatomy experiments, but Kit's got a boyfriend, and that means that Fancy is no longer privy to every detail of her life. Sure, their dad's in jail for hacking people up, and perhaps they have a knack for the family trade too, but the girls aren't immune to the hazards of growing up.

Other reviewers get into the gory details of this story, but that's not what it's about for me. I'm okay with the torturing, the killing, the twisted dark sides that Kit and Fancy possess, so plot-wise, I have no trouble reading about the disturbing ways of life for these Portero residents. Kit can communicate with the dead and Fancy can create a "happy place" to transport the evildoers of their town to. So what? What intrigues me are the characters themselves - their motivations, self-perceptions, and attempts at growth. This, Ms. Dia Reeves does well. Fancy hates people beyond her family and is so child-like that it's almost comical - until she gets a good look at herself and nearly unravels. Kit is such a flower, blossoming in her strange world, trying new things and spending more time away from the comfort of her home. This is a story about two sisters paving their own paths in life, while still attempting to hold on to each other.

I loved this book. More than I loved Bleeding Violet. But like I said about that one, it's not a book for everyone. People have compared it to Dexter, and I guess if you need to compare it to something, that works. Except that Portero is nothing like Miami.

Five purple crayons because I'm still a little dumbfounded by how much I love love loved this book. Will read again. Need to buy my own copy. 

Reviewed elsewhere:
La Femme Readers ; Dear Author ; Steph Su Reads ; Good Books and Good Wine

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
published January 2010 by Simon & Schuster
454 pages (hardcover), YA

Hanna has issues. She's manic-depressive. She talks to her dead father. She's run away from home because she nearly killed her aunt. And now she's on her mother's doorstep, a mother who wants nothing to do with this teenage daughter of hers. Here we are in Portero, Texas, where the world is not quite the way it should be. Evil spirits more than just lurk; they are deadly. Portero is a portal to many other places and worlds, with hidden doors littering the entire town. Nothing is impossible in Portero. Odd as it may be, Hanna actually feels at home in this town that defies reality - mostly because it's weirder than she is. But Portero folk are not that accepting of outsiders, and Hanna must prove that she can fit in if she wants to stay with her aloof mother.

I love this book. I needed this book. I read it at exactly the right time - the weather finally turned chilly, I was curled up in bed ready for the kind of creepy, spooky book we all want to read this time of year.

Let me just say again that this is definitely a creepy, spooky book. Blood. Gore. Violence. Nudity. Sex. Drugs. Monsters. Just the kind of book I should be reading during Banned Books Week - but shhh, don't say I said so. It has that weird Going Bovine feel to it, where you're not quite sure if what you're reading is actually happening in the story or if it's just a hallucination trip, and it's creepy in that Girl, Interrupted way because people who are not quite mentally stable are apt to do unpredictable and very dangerous things. Add the likes of the City of Bones, with portals to other worlds and otherworldly creatures, and you've got most of the elements of this book.

But what I loved most was not the strange story or fantasy setting or troubled characters but instead the way they were seamlessly intertwined. There was no moment of suspending disbelief for me here; I just went with each twist and turn as if it was all normal. That's how much Ms. Reeves pulled me in from the start. Wow. Just wow.

There's not much else I can really say about this book. You'll love it or hate it. The story will grab you or repel you. I will say this, don't be fooled by its length. If you love it, you'll fly through it. I did not want to put it down! One late night and early morning later, and I was finished. Sad but sated.

Four purple crayons for the wow factor and fresh perspective.

Others said it better:
Book Gazing; Reading in Color; Bookworming in the 21st Century; read what you know; Presenting Lenore; Bloody Bookaholic; The Neverending Shelf; Pure Imagination

Readathon book reflections

Last weekend, I participated in the 48hr Book Challenge, and I feel like I spent this week recovering. I never quite realized how particular I am about how often I read, how often I prefer to read, and how much I can read at once. I've noticed in the past few months of Reading Recaps that I average about 3,000 pages read each month, and this seems like a good number for me. I am definitely a slave to routine and balance, which keeps me sane most of the time. :)

Anyhow, since I haven't done much reading this week, I thought I'd mull over some of last weekend's reads.

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
published December 2008 (c2006?) by MIRA
448 pages (paperback reprint), YA

This is the second book in Snyder's Study series - I absolutely loved the first, Poison Study. If you haven't read the first, then spoilers are inevitable, but if you're anything like me, you won't remember them by the time you read it anyway, so please continue.

Yelena is en route to her supposed home in Sitia, but she has no memories of her childhood or family. She is exiled from the only home she's known as well as her former mentor and current love, Valek. With Master Magician Irys' help, Yelena adapts to life in Sitia, reluctant but willing to learn to control her magic. She briefly meets her family--mother, father, brother, and a clan filled with cousins, aunts, and uncles--then immediately sets off to reach the Magician's Citadel where she can begin her magic training. At the Citadel, a rogue magician is on the loose, murdering innocent girls in a way that is all too familiar to Yelena. Of course, Yelena leaps in without thinking, providing much-needed assistance but also revealing a little something about herself that she had yet to discover on her own.

What can I say? It's a complicated book. And I'll admit that I was most interested in the parts where Valek made an appearance. I was shocked at how different this book was from the first, and it took me a little while to get into it. I feel like the first book focused very much on Yelena's character, and this one went for the action-packed approach. Yelena doesn't have much time to reflect on all that she's learned about herself and her past because she's chasing a crazy, serial killer magician. I'm almost halfway through the third book, Fire Study, and my interest is waning because it seems that the same is happening in this book - less about the characters (and so many new characters!) and more plot-based, which is a little disappointing. I think Poison Study is great as a stand-alone novel, and the next two can be considered optional companions.

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

published March 2010 by Random House

416 pages (hardcover), YA

I won't say much about this one. It is the companion novel (second in a trilogy) to The Forest of Hands and Teeth, in that we are introduced to Mary's daughter, Gabry, who this story follows. I've read tons of criticism that Gabry is weak and annoying, afraid and whining, and I suppose that's fine because, well, she is, but that didn't really affect my enjoyment of the story. Not all main characters are strong. They're not all invincible. And they're not all perfect. I'm okay with the fact that Gabry is terrified of breaking the rules, is paralyzed with fear at encountering a Mudo - in a world where zombies roamed the earth, I'd be constantly afraid too. What I didn't initially enjoy was the ridiculous love triangle, but I did eventually get over it because I could see it happening. You love who you love until you don't (or can't) anymore and someone else comes along. Especially in extreme circumstances, this is common. All in all, I liked this book, and I'll probably read the third, The Dark and Hollow Places, when it comes out next spring.

A Spy in the House (The Agency #1) by Y.S. Lee

published March 2010 by Candlewick

352 pages (hardcover), YA

Goodness, how I loved this book! Think Enola Holmes for YA. This is a new Victorian mystery series, with criminal-turned-lady Mary Quinn as our main character, who has joined the exclusive and elusive Agency, an organization of women spies, after completing her education at its cover, Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. Her first assignment is to be a lady's companion to the daughter of a merchant who seems to be losing a few too many cargo ships at sea. She is merely to acquire useful information about the potential fraudulent claims, but Mary is a take-action kind of girl, so she sets out to do some detective work of her own. She finds herself in some sticky situations, with a love interest in a partner in spy, James Easton, who is also investigating this family for his own reasons. This was a delightful read! Mary is anything but a lady, though she does try. She's clever and headstrong with a blossoming flirtatious side. I'm looking forward to more in this series, with The Body at the Tower coming out in August.

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler

published February 2010 by HarperCollins

245 pages (hardcover), MG

You know me, I'm a sucker for retold fairy tales. Can you guess this one? Yep, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. In which there is a thirteenth princess named Zita who grows up as a servant in the castle, unknowing of her true parentage until she's twelve years old. When she finds out that she too is a princess, she's elated and she immediately attempts to get to know her twelve sisters, who embrace her and welcome her into their room at night, when the king won't see. Because the king is furious to have thirteen daughters, not one son to be his heir, and not even willing to acknowledge his thirteenth daughter. After all, she is the one who killed the queen in childbirth. While Zita is discovering her new life, the princesses begin to fall ill. They are exhausted and confined to their room, with worn out slippers each night. It's up to Zita and some new friends to find out what's going on in the palace, where magic has been banned but is clearly at work. 

I've recently read Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George, which is also a retelling of this tale, so I thought that I would be bored with this one. Not the case at all. Introducing a thirteenth princess was such a clever idea that really worked with this story. I was happy for all of the background information at the start of the book and still wanted to find out how the princesses would be lifted from their spell.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
published December 2008 (c2005) by Mira
416 pages (paperback reprint), YA/adult

Yelena is in prison for murder. In Ixia, an eye for an eye rules the land, and Yelena merely awaits her eventual execution. Until she is afforded a choice - either she can die for her crime or she can become the new taste tester for the Commander. The choice is simple, and so she begins her training with Valek, the Commander's right-hand man, learning to identify poisons by smell and taste. Her life depends on it. She begins her new life in the castle with no friends or money or much hope for escape, and she is burdened by demons of her past. Perhaps a quick death would have been preferable.

I left out a lot from that description because although quite a bit happens in this book, ultimately, it is driven by Yelena's character. She is a survivor. Orphaned at an unknown young age, she is brought up with other children by a General. One whose kindness led to the murder of his son, which is how we learn Yelena came to be in prison. Was she justified in her actions? I do believe so, but you can disagree with me if you wish. She is strong in mind and body, and she is continually forced to make impossible decisions. Living in the castle, as a murderer, is no easy task - many would love to see her dead. And a few do try.

It's no surprise then that I loved this book. But loved it in a way that's reserved for the kind of literature that's painful to read because its content is disturbing and rather unpleasant. Milder than others of a similar nature (I'm very sensitive), it explores a world where right and wrong are absolute, and the consequences of disobedient actions are non-negotiable. Hmm, I've been reading a lot of dystopias recently. Nonetheless, this is a trilogy I would add to my favorites, and I haven't even read the next two yet. Magic Study is next, and I can't wait. Oh, did I forget to mention that there's a bit of magic too? :)


Others wrote:
GreenBeanTeenQueen; Read Into This!; Parajunkee's View; Dear Author; Grasping for the Wind; Reading Rocks; The Story Siren + many more

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly by Alex Flinn
published October 2007 by HarperCollins
320 pages (hardcover), YA

Kyle Kingsbury has it all - money, good looks, hot girlfriend - and he knows it. One day, at his NYC prep school, he notices a strange, green-haired girl for the first time in English class as she is attempting to make a point about how superficial outward beauty is. Feeling sorry for her, but really just wanting to make a joke out of her, he asks her to be his date for a school dance (she's not exactly pretty as a picture), for which he has no intention of picking her up let alone being seen with her. A cruel prank. A Kyle thing to do. At the dance, the girl expects Kyle to ditch her, but she also has something planned for him - a curse which will turn him into a beast and which can only be broken by a true love's kiss. And we have a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, from the Beast's perspective.

Beauty and the Beast is one of those stories with endless variants (an Author's Note at the end of the book will point you in the right direction for more) because it is timeless. Both vanity and love will always exist. And what better setting to showcase these characteristics than a modern-day New York? I won't lie - I had the Disney version stuck in my head for comparison because I absolutely loved it as a kid. After Kyle's transformation into Beast (or Adrian, as he prefers to be called), the similarities are actually quite striking but still fresh and unique. There are roses in abundance, a magic mirror, an imprisoned father traded for his fair daughter, and a friendship and later love that blossoms between Beauty and the Beast.

A sixth-grade girl recommended this book to me many months ago - oh, how she gushed about it! Her eyes lit up, and she said repeatedly, "You HAVE to read this!" Well, I finally did! And I'm happy to say that it is completely gush-worthy. I love a fleshed-out fairy tale, especially now that I've read so many of Grimm's, which, to me, just seem like the bare bones of our favorite fairy tales. And fleshed-out, this one is. The transformation from Kyle to Adrian in this book feels genuine and complex, as he learns to accept his fate as a hairy, ugly beast of a man, and slowly finds hope that someone can see past his appearance and maybe even love him. The moments he shares with Lindy, his prisoner and former classmate, are inwardly tense but gentle and precious. They both have much to learn about each other and themselves. Although I wasn't completely thrilled with the way the happy ending played out, I was glad to experience a happily ever after, as it should be.

I have a small confession to make. I moved this one up on the to-read pile because of this:


As much as I loved the book, the sap in me says that I'll like the movie even better. While I'm a little iffy on the casting choices (Mary-Kate as the ugly witch? hmm...), the updated look for the Beast fits better with the NYC landscape, and I'm a fan of the soundtrack already. Do I have to wait for summer?

More reviews:
La Femme Readers; Steph Su Reads; Books and Movies; read what you know; Today's Adventure; T.V. and Book Addict; I Heart Monster; All About {n}; Readingjunky's Reading Roost

Once Upon a Time Challenge

This new (to me) challenge makes me giddy! The Once Upon a Time challenge is

an opportunity to band together as a community to celebrate story, in this case the kind that fits roughly under one’s own personal definition of four categories: fantasy, folklore, fairy tale and mythology.

I'm ecstatic that I have stumbled upon the Once Upon a Time challenge so early in the game, as it runs from March 21 to June 20. There are various levels of participation, which are explained on the Stainless Steel Droppings blog and which I couldn't begin to describe. I haven't decided what type of "quest" I'll be having, but I am excited about Quest the Third as it involves a June reading of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a book that's been sitting on my to-read pile for far too long. How can I profess my love for all things faerie without having read this book? I know, I'm a fraud.

Here are some books that I may be reading. I'll update this post with my progress.

To read:
Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
The Runaway Dragon by Kate Coombs
The Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull


Currently reading:
Grimm's Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm 



READ

FANTASY:
Picture Books
Princess Hyacinth by Florence Parry Heide - read 05/28/10 
Leonardo, the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10 
Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems - read 05/28/10


Novels
The Iron King  by Julie Kagawa - read 03/28/10
Falling In by Frances O'Roark Dowell - read 04/25/10
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder - review - read 05/12/10  
Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon - read 05/15/10 
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund - read 05/22/10 
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead - read 05/26/10  
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - read 05/29/10  
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr - read 06/01/10
Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder - review - read 06/05/10
The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan - review - read 06/05/10



FOLKLORE*
Picture books 
Hansel and Gretel retold by Rachel Isadora - review - read 04/07/10
The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald - review - read 04/15/10  
Koi and the Kola Nuts: A Tale from Liberia by Verna Aardema - read 04/18/10 
Mrs. Chicken and the Hungry Crocodile by Won-Ldy Paye - read 04/18/10 
Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa by Niki Daly - read 04/18/10 
Luba and the Wren by Patricia Polacco - read 04/18/10 
Jack and the Beanstalk retold by E. Nesbit - read 04/19/10 
Jack and the Beanstalk retold by Richard Walker - read 04/19/10 
Jack and the Beanstalk retold by John Cech - read 04/19/10
Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale by Helen Ketteman - read 04/27/10
The Princess and the Beggar: A Korean Folktale by Anne Sibley O'Brien - read 04/27/10 
Tony's Bread: An Italian Folktale by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10 
Little Grunt and the Big Egg: A Prehistoric Fairy Tale by Tomie DePaola - read 04/29/10 
Papa Gatto by Ruth Sanderson - read 04/29/10 
Count Silvernose: An Story from Italy by Eric A. Kimmel - read 05/02/10

Novels 
Beastly by Alex Flinn - review - read 04/29/10
The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler - review - read 06/06/10

Graphic Novels
Calamity Jack by Shannon and Dean Hale, Nathan Hale - read 05/05/10 


MYTHOLOGY:
Zeus: King of Gods by George O'Connor - read 04/20/10




*I chose not to include Fairy tale as a category because I believe it's a subcategory of Folklore.

Amulet 1 & 2 by Kazu Kibuishi

Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi
published January 2008 by Scholastic
192 pages (paperback), middle grade

Back cover:

After a family tragedy, Emily, Navin, and their mother move to an ancestral home to start a new life. On the family's very first night in the mysterious house, Em and Navin's mom is kidnapped by a tentacled creature. Now it's up to Em and Navin to figure out how to set things right and save their mother's life!

What's missing from this summary is that the family finds itself in an alternate world by way of their new home's basement, an alternate world in which Em and Navin's presumed lost great-grandfather resides with a secret that will change all of their lives.

The story itself is quite engaging and action-packed. And I absolutely love the illustrations. I don't presume to know how to write about graphic novels. I don't know why this book appealed to me particularly - no more than the happy feeling I get when I read it and pore over the illustrations. It's all very mysterious to me, the process of drawing it all out, the decisions made regarding style and layout and colors. All I can say is, they were good decisions in this case! But I can talk about the story and that I did enjoy very much. Oh, how I love to think about alternate universes and realities! Emily and Navin, sister and brother, are likable and relatable children who are merely trying to save their mother from a large, squishy octopus-looking monster. Who knew that their new basement was a portal to another world? They're brave and unphased by the strangeness all around them, determined to free their mom and get back home.

Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi
published January 2009 by Scholastic
224 pages (paperback), middle grade

Yes, Emily and Navin save their mother, but unfortunately she's been poisoned, and they need to travel to another town to see a doctor for a possible antidote. The journey would take too long on foot, and they do not have any vehicles left - except of course, their house. Their house! Um yeah, that's ridiculously cool.

While The Stonekeeper introduced us to the Amulet series' characters, The Stonekeeper's Curse delves deeper into the story of the amulet itself (which was found by Emily in Book 1) and the powers it can have over its keeper. Not to mention the keeper's role in saving this town from the rule of the Elves!

This book was much more striking in its illustrations than the first. There was more variation and saturation of colors - blues and greys for the Elves, bright white tinged with pink for the amulet's power, and tons of reds and oranges for the village scenes. And four awesome pages of black with eye slits for a return to consciousness - this was too cool.

Overall, I would highly recommend this series to upper elementary/middle school students. I don't think I need to say it, but I will anyway - fans of Bone will definitely gobble this one up. I don't normally pick up graphic novels that are drawn in this style, but I'm glad I read these two. I'm only sorry that the third volume isn't out yet!

Other reviews:
100 Scope Notes, A Year of Reading, Read About Comics, Omnivoracious

Korgi (Book 1): Sprouting Wings! by Christian Slade

Korgi (Book 1): Sprouting Wings! by Christian Slade
published May 2007 by Top Shelf Productions
84 pages (paperback), all ages

I fancy wordless graphic novels. This one does not disappoint. The adorable korgi pup on the cover sitting next to a waifish girl in the forest at sunset was enough for me to pick this slim volume up. By way of an introductory note from Wart, "Scrollkeeper and Historian of Korgi Hollow," we find ourselves in a magical world where the special Korgis live peacefully and collaboratively with the Mollies, the woodfolk. Ivy is the cover girl and Sprout is her Korgi cub - the two characters we follow in their adventures exploring the wood.

Although I liked this book, I wanted to like it more. Or perhaps I just wanted more of it. Sprout sets off chasing something like a dragonfly and Ivy runs after him. They come to a cliff where a disturbing picture is etched into the overhang, then fall through the earth to a dwelling of monsters, where Sprout exhibits some of his magical powers. The two friends escape, but more adventure ensues. The illustrations are pencil-drawn, in a sketcher's style, with lots of lines but not so much cross-hatching. The effect is soft and lovely. Though, I was sad to reach the end! It's a quick read, and I wonder if it would have pleased me better to have the second volume attached to this one or to maybe expand on some of the existing scenes.

The inside flap suggests this book for Tolkien fans, readers of Bone by Jeff Smith and Andy Runton's Owly enthusiasts. I definitely agree. Now I just need to pick up the second volume from the library!

Oh, and I read this for the Animals in Comics February Mini-Challenge at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On...  And I couldn't resist using this custom button. :)

On not-so-positive reviews

I've read a few books recently that I didn't love. That, at times, I didn't even like. And I've been debating on whether or not to write about those reading experiences. I hesitate because I don't want to deter someone from reading a book just because I didn't like it. But if I say that this blog is comprised of my bookish reflections, then I should include those of books that I didn't particularly enjoy as well. I mean, I love books, but I am certainly not going to love everything that I read.

I took the plunge yesterday with a graphic novel that I didn't fancy so much. I had never heard of the book, no one else has been talking about it (that I know of) in the blogosphere, and I didn't disparage it that badly, so I felt okay about not giving it a glowing review. I hope that others appreciate my honesty because I'm not in the habit of sugarcoating.

What am I getting at here? Okay, fine. I didn't love these two books:

Need by Carrie Jones
published December 2008 by Bloomsbury
320 pages (hardcover), YA

Zara has witnessed her father's death (by heart attack) and hasn't been her same spunky self since then. Her mom sends her to cold Maine to live with her grandmother for a change of scenery and hopefully a spark of life. Here, Zara notices a man who seems to be stalking her, for she saw him back at home, at the airport, and now at her new school. She makes some unusual friends at school, where the new gang tries to figure out who this creepy stalker guy is and if it has anything to do with a boy who has recently gone missing. Oh yeah, and there are pixies and weres involved.

I do appreciate all things faerie, and I have developed a love for werewolves, but this story just didn't do it for me. I wasn't emotionally invested in any of the characters because I didn't feel like there was more than meets the eye there. And could it be any more predictable? Sure, I got a little thrill when my suspicions were confirmed, but after a couple of these occurrences, I got a bit bored. I want to be surprised. I don't actually want to know what happens in the story. Maybe I've read too much in this genre that nothing seems original anymore, I don't know. I just didn't love it.

Other people said:
The O.W.L.
Reading Rocks
Confessions of a Bibliovore
Fyrefly's Book Blog
J. Kaye's Book Blog
The Book Muncher


Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
published December 2009 by Little, Brown
563 pages (hardcover), YA

Ethan Wate lives in a small town in South Carolina, where it's easy to get stuck and everyone knows your business. There is no way to be different in this town and certainly not at school, where Ethan is labeled a jock (he's on the basketball team) and is expected to participate in all things jock, including taking a cheerleader to the Winter Formal and showing up for Roll Call in the mornings. Then, Lena moves to town. A girl who has been haunting Ethan's dreams, and a girl who is nothing like the squeaky clean cheerleaders and cheerleader wannabes. Yes, it's a love story. And a ghost story. And a witch story. And it's set in the South. The end.

Truly, the story is interesting. But I just couldn't get into it. I didn't appreciate not knowing anything about Lena. Yes, I understand that she didn't know much about herself or her heritage, but that doesn't mean the reader can't know a little more than the characters themselves. I could never connect with her, which is unfortunate considering she was a co-star of the novel. The setting? I can't relate. I can't relate in any sort of way, and as much as I try, I don't understand the South. My favorite character was Amma - Ethan's adopted grandma, the woman who took care of him most of his life - because that I can relate to. And it really shouldn't be about what I can or cannot relate to because there are plenty of books that I have loved that are very far from my personal experiences - but their stories were so vivid that I was transported to a different time and place and completely immersed in the setting and action. Not so much in this book. It wasn't my cup of tea, but others have raved about it, so there you go.

Other people said:
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YA Books Central
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The Story Siren

Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew

Wonderland written by Tommy Kovac and illustrated by Sonny Liew
published January 2008 by Disney

160 pages, YA 

Told through the voice of Mary Ann, the White Rabbit's housemaid, this graphic novel picks up where Alice's story ends. Mary Ann is compulsive about her cleaning, after all, she is a maid, and that is precisely what amused me so much about this book. While Wonderland is the same as Carroll's original creation with appearances from the Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts, the Jabberwock, and others, it's Mary Ann's docile personality that grounds the ridiculous happenings of the story - and I love the contrast.

The story begins with Mary Ann frantically trying to launder a spot off her apron because she detests uncleanliness and insists on a crisp, clean outfit. She is late in attending to the White Rabbit, who is oblivious to the fact that the Queen of Hearts is after his head for associating with the Alice Monster and who is about to show up at his door. After the Queen barges into the White Rabbit's house and accidentally dirties Mary Ann's now clean apron, Mary Ann bops her on the head in a fit of rage and must flee to safety with the White Rabbit. Thus, their adventures begin.

The illustrations in this book are pencil drawn and digitally inked - with magical, muted yet vibrant colors to convey all that is Wonderland. I could flip through (and smell - oh, how good they smell!) the pages all day every day; they are that pleasing to my senses. The story itself is suffused with Carroll's witty, wry humor that will be appreciated by teens and adults alike. At parts, I could not suppress my giggles of delight. Mary Ann is such an ordinary character in a world of chaos, peculiarity, and indulgence. And of course, that is why I love her and the comedic genius of Kovac. I would recommend this book to just about anyone.

I expect that there will be renewed interest in Carroll's original tale as well as the myriad of spin-offs and retellings since Tim Burton's version will entrance us all come March 5, 2010. I might just have to re-read the classic myself! 

Link love:

The Written World: Buddy Review, Part 1

things mean a lot: Buddy Review, Part 2

 

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
published October 2009 by Hyperion
506 pages (hardcover), YA

First, I'd like to apologize to myself for having waited so long to read this book. I admit that the length scared me and that I returned it to the library a few times without reading it. Young adult novels are just too darn long - my happy place is at about 250 pages, so I think my hesitation was at least a little justified.

Except that I read, I devoured, this book in a day and a half. Besides eating and a little bit of sleeping, I devoted myself to this story, and I can't imagine having read it in any other way. For a short though incomplete plot summary, check out my Goodreads review (scroll down to my updates) because I can't do that here. Here I must just gush.

There are some books that are totally captivating - can't put them down, forget about the real world, this is more important. I should not be surprised that Chima has done it yet again for me. Her Warrior/Wizard/Dragon Heir trilogy hooked me. I knew that The Demon King would be good. But I didn't know that it would be THAT good. I have to confess that I probably don't give fantasy stories and authors as much credit as they deserve. In the end, I'm happy with a story where I can escape to new worlds, meet fairies and princesses, and travel back home safely and at a distance from it all. I don't consider these books life-changing, other than the fact that they give me peace and comfort, and when I think about award-winning books, fantasies don't generally make it. But those opinions are behind me now, and I hope that others can begin to see the value of these stories based on the creativity and skill it takes to create such complex situations and characters.

Back to the book, The Demon King is a story with many stories. It takes place in the Seven Realms where magic and earth-bound gifts must balance each other. Where a queen may rule with a High Wizard at her side but where wizards must be limited in their power by the clans and their matriarchs. Princess Raisa is the young heir to the queendom, dually interested in play and duty. She has spent her whole life in Fellsmarch Castle, rarely drifting past its walls. One act of kindness sends her into a shady neighborhood, and then kidnapped by a former streetlord who is trying his best to keep himself and his family alive. Han Alister sees himself as a nobody, but everyone else recognizes him as a somebody - someone to fear, someone to catch, and someone to believe in. These are mere glimpses into The Demon King, meaningless without context, without the superior word-work of Chima. How she weaves together these two characters' stories so seamlessly is beyond me. Just as I was getting to know Han and his meager life, I was swept away into the Castle to meet Princess Raisa, a sweet girl with good intentions and also with a strong head on her shoulders and instinct for trouble. She's powerless but cunning, and she won't sit back and let things happen around her. Such depth in these characters! I feel I'm getting to a rambling point, so I'll just say that I loved this book in more ways than I can convey and will undoubtedly read it again before the second book in the trilogy is released. Yeah, it's a trilogy. Oh, how I love those trilogies.

And I was right - this book does indeed make it to my Best of 2009 list.

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
published August 2009, Egmont USA
357 pages (hardcover), grades 5-8

My Goodreads review:

This book pleasantly surprised me. Of all the faerie books I've read recently, I can't remember one that actually took place nearly entirely in the land of the Fey, or Feyland as it's called in this book. Zaria is a young fairy about to come of age, but she is special. She is an orphan with no knowledge of how her parents and brother "died" and she learns that she is a Violet, Level 100 fairy - which basically means she can wield more and more powerful magic than other fairies dare dream of. Unfortunately, she gets stuck with a shady mentor who can only be described as "diabolical." Zaria gets tangled in her mentor's schemes and must fight with all that she has in order to take her down and learn the truth about her family.

This book was action-packed, yes, as I could not turn the pages quickly enough, but it was also quite descriptive of Feyland and the fairies and genies themselves. Each chapter began with an excerpt from "Orville Gold, genie historian of Feyland," which included information about the world, its inhabitants, and their practices. Generally, I find quotes at the start of chapters rather annoying, but I enjoyed getting the inside story apart from the actual plot sequence in the book. It actually reminded me a lot of Harry Potter - witches and wizards are replaced by fairies and genies, but essentially the magic is still there and hey, there's an orphan and a bad guy must be defeated. And of course, friendship is at the heart of this story.

Ash by Malinda Lo + additions to the catch-up pile

Ash by Malinda Lo

I am a sucker for retold fairy tales. Ash is a Cinderella retelling, but it's its own unique story, so much its own that at times I would forget its origins.

Ash is the Cinderella in our story - a girl in love with fairy tales living in a country town filled with old superstitions. As she is orphaned, she must move in with her late father's recent wife, a lady with two daughters of her own, and is reduced to being merely a servant in the house. At the beginning of her new situation, Ash wants nothing more than to have her mother back, so much that she considers striking a deal with a faery, which will more than likely cost her her life. As the story progresses, Ash is wrapped up in dreams and the Wood - and then she meets the King's Huntress, who slowly changes her mind about life and love. It's their blossoming relationship that allows Ash to re-learn how to live her life as her own.

This is a beautiful story that demands to be read with an open heart and mind. More than a tale of a girl falling in love with a prince and living happily ever after (which doesn't exactly happen, by the way), Ash delves deep into our protagonist's soul and exposes her fears and desires. While I was not completely satisfied with a few plot points and scenes (especially the end - when a faery merely succumbs to Ash's will), I was left with a contented sigh of appreciation for this story.


I went to the library to pick up a few more books that I had put on hold many moons ago. These, too, will easily make it to my favorites list of 2009.

Darklight by Lesley Livingston
The sequel to Wondrous Strange, which I enjoyed quite thoroughly. Have I recently mentioned my love for all things faery?

Splendor by Anna Godbersen
The fourth (and final?!) installment of the Luxe series. Early twentieth century New York never seemed so glamorous.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
I'm most excited about this book. Probably because I ate up The Time Traveler's Wife. But this story sounds rather intriguing as well - twin 20 year-old gals from Chicago head to London to live in their late aunt's flat, uncovering secrets and mysteries about her neighbors and her past.


And I'm still waiting for these to show up with my name on them on my library's hold shelf...

Catch-up January

Looking back on my YA favorites of 2009, I noticed that there are quite a few books published last year still sitting on my to-read pile (and waiting for me at the library). So, I decided to play catch-up this month and read these fine books which are sure to find their way to my favorites list as well.

Ash by Malinda Lo (currently reading)
Cinderella retelling. Too bad the CIP gave away a major plot point - Ash doesn't fall in love with the prince but instead the King's Huntress.

Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley
Faeries!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Southern goth? I don't know, but lots of people are talking about it. The 500+ pages do intimidate me though.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
I've avoided this book for months because I am never in the mood for mind games. Is the whole story a lie? When is she lying? How am I supposed to know?

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima
I really liked her Heir trilogy, so I'm excited for this new series. But again, the size of this volume does worry me.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling. Dragon Slippers got me hooked on this wonderful author.

Need by Carrie Jones
Pixies! And the sequel, Captivate, is out, so I need to read this one first!

Two down, many more to go...

I went to the library today to return Fire and Shiver because I read them both over the weekend. That's 744 pages. Woo!

I love reading books back to back because I can rather unfairly compare my reading experiences of the two. In this case, Shiver wins. Okay, fine, it's not a competition, but when I think of which experience I enjoyed more, which book captivated me the most, it's Shiver, no contest. It had several things going for it at the start, though, so again, it's an unfair match. First of all, I love books told in alternating points of view. Especially when one of them is the voice of werewolf boy - oh, how my heart melts instantly. And I'm not a Jacob fan. But this story was so... soft... sweet... gentle. Those words don't quite capture the essence of the book.

You know, now that I think of it, Shiver had a Time Traveler's Wife feel to it. The woods behind the house where the girl finds her one true love - though, in this case, it's a wolf she bonds with and doesn't realize he's actually human until she's in high school. I loved the romance in this story - not quite explicit (this is where "sweet" comes in), just a boy and a girl who spend lots of time together and know that that's all they want to do - be together. Grace and Sam are wonderful together, and yes, I was sobbing by the end of the book. This is one that could have easily been marketed as an adult novel too, had the characters not been in their late teens.

As for Fire, oh what can I say? I wanted to love it. I loved Graceling. But I just wasn't feeling this one. So much war! Fire is an intriguing character, one that I would have liked to know better, but I just felt like all of the war planning and politics got in the way. The romance in this story is sweet too and most of the reason why I kept reading the book. I would have put it down fairly quickly had I not been curious as to who Fire would choose and whether or not her love would be returned. But this was only a subplot to the book, I think, so I can't really love the book for it. There were too many other parts that I would have liked to skip. And maybe it's just because I despise so greatly anything to do with war that I couldn't enjoy it. I don't know. And I also don't know who to recommend it to, which is an even worse problem. Will fans of Graceling like it? Some people seem to think so, but I think it's so far from Graceling that I wouldn't even consider it. Hmm...

Oh, and I couldn't help myself but leave with three more books from the library today...













Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods #4) by Melissa de la Cruz
Violet Wings by Victoria Hanley

That's two faeries and a vampire. I can't help myself.