Curses! Foiled Again (Foiled #2)

  I thoroughly enjoyed Yolen's first graphic novel, Foiled, and really hoped there would be a sequel since the first volume leaves you with many questions after Aliera's real destiny is revealed. I was thrilled to find the advanced reader's copy of the sequel available on Netgalley thanks to the publishers. Please note that this review is based on the advanced reader's copy.

Description (from Goodreads): Aliera Carstairs is back. This time she's got her cousin—and best friend—Caroline in tow, and the stakes are higher than ever. The realm of Seelie, the fairy kingdom of which Aliera is the hereditary defender, is under attack, and only Aliera and Caroline can set things right. Caroline, fragile and wheelchair-bound, may seem like more of a liability than an asset, but Aliera knows there's more to her quiet cousin than meets the eye.

Review: Curses! Foiled Again is a follow up to the delightful graphic novel, Foiled. It starts right where the first book ended, but there is also a great recap of what previously happened in the introduction. This volume had a grown up vibe to it. Aliera is still a really enjoyable character. She is snarky, intelligent, but as this volume shows she doesn't have all the answers. Curses! Foiled Again goes a little deeper to the fantasy realm that it briefly touched upon in the first volume. We are introduced to new characters, some which are unexpectedly helpful while others deceived and betrayed our heroine.
  I also loved that we got a chance to see how the Aliera and Avery relationship steadily develop. There are some hurt feelings between the two after Avery's real identity came out and I'm glad that Aliera took the time to see if she could trust him again. The banter between these two characters were fantastic and had me grinning throughout the entire time they appeared on the page.
  For the most part, there is enough action and humor to keep the reader occupied but there is a small lull in the middle of the book which I thought could get shorten and tightened up. The panels are very easy to read and follow. The monochromatic art style with a few bursts of color that distinguishes between the fantasy and real world that Mike Cavallaro used in the first book is continued and well used.
  Though the bigger story arc is solved and wrapped nicely in this book, the ending is open to another volume which I would gladly read since it features Aliera's sweet and mysterious cousin Caroline. I'm curious to see what Caroline's story line is and I really hope the publishers will encourage Yolen to release a third volume. I would definitely recommend this graphic novel series for those readers who want to read a graphic novel but are a bit hesitant because of its format.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is minor language and some fantasy violence.  Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Legends of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke, Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch, Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel

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Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce

  I have been told to read the Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce for quite sometime. I was told that I would absolutely love the heroine, the action, and the romance. I also had to meet this mysterious George Cooper and Prince Jonathan that seemed to win so many hearts. I read all four books in the span of a week during the summer and I couldn't decide how to review them as they all connect to one another. I thought the best way to avoid spoilers would be to review them as a series instead of individual books. The order of the books are: Alanna: The First Adventure, In the Hand of the Goddess, The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, and the Lioness Rampant.

Image from Bookbuzzz as found on  Amazon.com

General description of the series: Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys. When she and her twin brother, Thom, come to age they must uphold their traditional occupations. Alanna must learn the art of magic while her brother becomes a knight. When they both realize that they truly wish is the opposite, they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page. The road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.






Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the Song of the Lioness Quartet. I know that the middle school me would have devoured these books had I knew they existed instead of being in the constant haze of the formulaic YA horror Fear Street series by R.L. Stine.
   The heroine, Alanna, is someone you can admire for her pluckiness, determination and bravery. In more ways than one, she is a revolutionary character. Written in the early 1980s, a strong female protagonist written for young adults and children is not always easy to find. Simply put Alanna is vocal and ahead of her time period. She is is a girl with a simple dream: to become a knight. She doesn't care that her dream is deemed impossible in the eyes of her society. She refuses to abandon her vision and dons on the disguise as a boy and sets out to fulfill it.
  Though the book is filled with adventure, quests, and prophecies, at its very heart it is Alanna's coming of age journey from a young girl to a woman. While undertaking grueling lessons on swordplay and self defense, she goes through puberty. She makes incredible strides in accomplishments, but is still wrecked with self doubt that plagues us all. I loved how in the first book, Alanna: The First Adventure, Alanna realizes that being a knight isn't a simple task. She falls down and gets hurt repeatedly, but she continues to struggle and jump through hurdle after hurdle. I was a bit disappointed that after the first book, her journey just seems a bit too easy for her as she discovers hidden talent and powers, but I still rooted for her.
   For the romantic reader, romance does play a big part of the story, however, it does not overshadow the characters nor plot of the books but rather it helps develop the characters and moves the plot forward. Alanna has many suitors in the book and she takes her time finding out who is right for her and who will love her just the way she is. The two suitors that stood out to me the most are Prince Jonathan, every girl's dream of a handsome and charming prince, and George Cooper, the roguish and equally charming King of Thieves. I have to say that George stole my heart right away when he first appeared and I've been on his team throughout the series.
   The books are funny, exciting, and engaging. It has a wide cast of memorable characters, some of whom I would have love to see more fleshed out. I was disappointed on the lack of complexity regarding the quartet's plot arc. The villain is very easy to identify and it was a bit annoying to have all the characters finally come to the same conclusion that you did a few books ago. Nonetheless, I would strongly recommend this series especially to readers looking for an unapologetic strong female who believes she can do anything like a man and have the same rights as him.

Rating of the series: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Though regulated off the page, there is discussion of female puberty and sex does occur though it is not described in any details. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this series try: Seven Kingdoms Trilogy by Kristin Cashore, Seraphina by Rachel Hartmann, Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith, Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

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Vessel

 Ever since I've seen the beautiful cover of Vessel and read the intriguing premise of the book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of the book. Often times beautiful book covers had led me astray, but Vessel did not. Brilliantly riveting and completely unique, Vessel, is one of my favorite fantasy reads from 2012.

Description (from Goodreads): Liyana has trained her entire life to be the vessel of a goddess. The goddess will inhabit Liyana’s body and use magic to bring rain to the desert. But Liyana’s goddess never comes. Abandoned by her angry tribe, Liyana expects to die in the desert. Until a boy walks out of the dust in search of her.
   Korbyn is a god inside his vessel, and a trickster god at that. He tells Liyana that five other gods are missing, and they set off across the desert in search of the other vessels. For the desert tribes cannot survive without the magic of their gods. But the journey is dangerous, even with a god’s help. And not everyone is willing to believe the trickster god’s tale.
  The closer she grows to Korbyn, the less Liyana wants to disappear to make way for her goddess. But she has no choice: She must die for her tribe to live. Unless a trickster god can help her to trick fate—or a human girl can muster some magic of her own.

Review:  On the surface, Vessel is a fantasy novel about a girl whose destiny is thwarted and must now find  her own way to help her people, but it can also be read as a parable about one's rite of passage to adulthood. Liyana, like everyone else in her clan, has accepted her tribe's way of life, their beliefs and traditions. She fully accepts her responsibilities of becoming a vessel allowing her goddess to possess her body in order to save the lives of her clan from the Great Drought that has plagued their land. Though she does not want to die, Liyana is fully aware that her one sacrifice can save many and isn't that a good reason enough? Despite a flawless summoning dance with a pure heart and intention, the goddess Bayla doesn't come as expected and thus puts everything that Liyana has been taught and told into question for the first time.
  The world building of Liyana's world is astounding. I applaud the author for going outside of the Euro-centric box for the setting of her novel. The idea of gods using human bodies as their vessels may be completely off putting, but Durst crafts compelling folktales that not only enhance her premise but draws you into her story. Take for example how the idea of Vessels came to be: A thousands of years ago, the people of the turtle made the desert their home and divided into several clans. As you can image living in a desert isn't very easy and many people died in the harsh climate. Those souls of the first dead wandered around our world until they found the Dreaming, i.e. the afterlife, where they remained and could not rest in peace because they saw how their people suffered in the desert. And so the souls of the dead ancestors, using the magic of the Dreaming, created the Gods – one for each clan. And now, every hundred years they send the Gods’ souls to walk around their people so they can help them survive and the only way for the gods can come to their clan is through the bodies of a vessel, a person who has connections to the Dreaming and to magic. It is this set up that makes us understand why it is extremely vital that these vessels must believe that the desert clans cannot survive without the magic of their Gods and they must die so that the clans can carry on living, but can these statements be upheld?

 As the story progresses, we not only discover why the gods are absent, but also meet vessels and of course the gods themselves. The vessels themselves are of various faiths: there are those who are blind followers, devout believers of their Gods, and even those who do not want to die or even care about their Gods. The Gods are also depicted in a similar fashion, some are benevolent while others who see their vessels as just an object to be possessed. Although we get to see a lot of the various gods throughout the story, the better developed deity is Korbyn who balances the desires of the gods and the vessels quite nicely. I found myself fascinated with these characters and I couldn't help but wonder if the gods even needed the bodies of the vessel to work their magic? Aren't gods suppose to have unlimited power? 

  The premise of Vessel lends itself to great discussions about tradition, faith, destiny and survival. The presence of the Emperor, a young, charismatic leader, brings a bit of politics to the table as well: should all the peoples unite against a common enemy? Or should they fight for their independence no matter what? What sacrifices are you willing to make as a leader and to whose benefit? There is no easy solution to these questions and as such none is presented here.
  There is also an incredible amount of importance given to stories and storytelling within this world. The tales refer back to how we use myths and stories to make sense of our world, but are they suppose to be taken as truths or lessons? And if so, what lessons are you suppose draw from them?

    In addition to the incredible premise and masterful world building, the characters are phenomenal: our protagonist Liyana, the big-hearted trickster god Korbyn, the other vessels Pia, Fennick, Raan, and the mysterious Emperor himself. Liyana is a heroine that I instantly loved and it was so hard to see her being tested constantly in so many ways throughout the book. Right from the start, she is abandoned by her clan (but given the tools to survive by her loving family) and abandoned by her goddess. Though it was very easy for her to given up hope and accept her fate, she fights to stay alive. Even when she is joined by the trickster god Korbyn, Liyana remains calm and in control, grounded in her own sense of self and always remembering her job as a vessel. While some readers disliked Liyana for being so practical, I loved this about her. I'm so tired of reading heroines who make stupid decisions to put themselves in harm or who are recklessly impulsive. Liyana thinks things through, evaluating different situations and then takes logical steps. I also loved how her perceptions of both her world and herself change over the course of the novel. The once fatalistic Liyana now clings stubbornly to her desire to live along with coming to terms of her faith.

  The other vessels are brought to life and given depth. Fennick is the stubborn and brawny warrior with a heart of gold. Pia is the beautiful and ironically blind songstress who is a spoiled princess at first, but a true pure and perceptive soul.  Korbyn is the beguiling trickster who never fails to charm us with his charismatic personality and who also comes to care for Liyana as more than just the vessel for his beloved Bayla. Raan is the fiesty and the realist of the group and serves as the catalyst to Liyana's own personal growth. Raan is the only one that voices her defiance of being a vessel, who questions why she must die and plays an important role during the book's pivotal climax. The mysterious Emperor is an interesting leader who is a foil to Liyana's own leadership skills. While I did like learning about the Emperor, I wished he was a bit more fleshed out which prevented me from giving this book a five star rating. 

   Like the plotting, the romance of Vessel is complicated yet satisfying as feelings and relationships shift throughout the story. While the romance angle is present, it does not overwhelm Liyana's important journey. Thankfully, she remains a level headed, intelligent heroine who doesn't give up her senses because of a good looking boy. The pace of the book gradually increases as you learn more about Liyana's world and her true limitations. If you put aside the fantastical premise, Liyana's eye-opening journey, both literal and metaphorical, is something that any reader can identify. Vessel is a fabulous book that wraps up nicely in the end, leaving us a bit disappointed about not being able to revisit Durst's wholly original and utterly memorable world.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images and sensuality. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Seven Kingdom series by Kristin Cashore, Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

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Tiger Lily

  While I love a good love story with a happy ending, there is a part of me that is drawn to the darker, subdued romance found in tragic love stories. There is something captivating and realistic about a love that could have been. Tiger Lily is an enthralling and haunting story of a girl who may be obscure in other retellings of Peter Pan, but now leaves an eternal mark on those who meet her in this novel.

Description (from the Publisher): Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.
Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.
    With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

Review: Thanks to Barrie's bittersweet classic tale of Peter Pan and the many different film adaptations of his book, we are always expecting Neverland to be a magical place full of fun, danger, and adventure. What is hidden behind the scenes is the mud that accompanies the white sandy beaches and gorgeous sunsets, the mosquitoes, and croc-infested swamps. Anderson's enchanting book, Tiger Lily, opens our eyes to every light and dark aspect of Neverland where the good guys don't always win and love does not conquer all.
  Though the novel is dark, it still retains its lyrical beauty through exquisite descriptions and searing honesty that goes straight to your heart, which our heroine, Tiger Lily, perfectly embodies. Neither a traditional girl associated with femininity nor a boy, Tiger Lily is cursed to never be accepted. It's not that no one cares for her, but they are puzzled as to which label to give her. She refuses to change herself even if it would make things easy on her. She has long battled bullying from the children and elders of her tribe of not quite being accepted. After one transgression too many, she is told she must marry Giant, a violent oaf who mistreats her whenever the chance presents itself. It is only natural that Tiger Lily would fall in love with a boy who reflects her emotions and have him be Peter Pan, someone who she must avoid at all cost.
  With a clever narration choice, Anderson has Tiger Lily's story told by Tinkerbell's point of view. In this rendition of Peter Pan, Tink is unable to speak but we can hear her thoughts. Having Tinkerbell as the narrator, we accomplish many things at once. Not only are we are able to hear it on a very personal level and get a close look at all the characters individually whilst having a wider scope than normal 1st person allows, but it's also a reflection on the tension and metaphor in this post-colonial fable. Before reading Tiger Lily, I was honestly at a lost of who she is and whether or not she is a real character in Barrie's story. I actually had to look her up and there's not that much information about her, except for the one line in the Disney's Peter Pan. I really think that's a reflection of the narrative choice. Tiger Lily also touches upon other important issues that brim to the surface such as wilderness and civilization, gender and power, time and change. These themes are discussed but they aren't forced or repetitive. Tiger Lily is not just an ordinary love story, which is something I extremely admire about it. 
  Like Tiger Lily, Peter is also hard to identify. While he may physically look young and characteristicly known for his reckless behavior and irresistible charm, there is a vulnerability to him too. He is lost, unsure of his purpose in Neverland and not suited to guide the Lost Boys though he refuses to give up the leadership role. I think one of the most touching scenes in Tiger Lily shows how the Lost Boys take care of a small infant, which really exemplify their concerns.
  The villains in this story are as complex as everyone else. Anderson offers new and interesting interpretations for familiar characters. James Hook is a sad, old man who came to Neverland on dreams to pursue eternal youth, but has failed in his mission. He has since then descends into alcoholism and his obsession with Peter Pan is actually a reflection of his own self hatred. Although Hook is the star villain, I couldn't help but become memorised by Smee who murders those he admires for their strength and beauty but then mourns their deaths. It's almost as if he's trying to absorb his victims goodness into himself.
  I initally gave Tiger Lily 4.5 stars when I finished reading the book, but after reflecting on it and writing this review I realized that's doing this book a diservice. Intoxicating, dangerous, and emotional, Tiger Lily's tale isn't easy to forget. Yes, it is melancholy and while it may not bring a happy contented sigh after we close the page, we have to remind our selves that Barrie's tale didn't have a happily ever after either and a happy ending would undermined all important character growth.  

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There is a hint of sexual assault that takes place of the page. There is also a few disturbing images in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Lament by Maggie Stiefvater, Ash by Malinda Lo, Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, Mermaid by Carolyn Turgeon

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Tricked (Iron Druid Chronicles #4)

  Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne is a series that you should definitely check out if you are in the mood for a humorous, action-packed thrilled ride filled with mythological and paranormal creatures.  Many thanks to publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book so I can provide my readers with an honest review.

Description (from the publisher): Druid Atticus O'Sullivan hasn't stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they've chopped up his body in the Arizona desert. But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he's been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he's got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won't be fooled again. Famous last words.

Review: Now that Atticus and company have complete one plot arc, we are now poised for the next one. We switch our focus from Norse mythology to Native Amerian mythology in Tricked, where Coyote as you might have guessed plays a very large plot of the book. I know some readers complain that Hearne veers off from his plot and does a crash course in mythology, but as someone who loves mythology I don't mind it a bit.
  Tricked is filled with a series of consequences after the major turning events that transpired in Hammered. The book is not as heavy on the gods or action, but strengthens the relationship between teacher, lovable dog/sidekick, and Druid apprentice. The humor as always is top notch and one of the best things that I love about this series.
 As the series progresses, we gain insight as to what it must feel like to live several millenias like Atticus. His vulnerability shows which is not to say makes him weak, but reminds us that his life isn't all fun and games. He too has suffered loss and is hesitant to move forward especially with building relationships to anyone in fear that he would lose them. I thought it was interesting that Atticus didn't always save the day, but his trainee and Oberon, his adorable dog, also pitch in and even help save Atticus's life.
 In an interview, which took place at the "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" read-along, Hearne mentioned that there is a start of a love interest for Atticus. There is a glimpse of this new budding relationship, but it is very subdued. I'm guessing as these characters grow, there may be more development in this aspect of the story. So readers looking for a full blown romance will be disappointed. As a fan of Atticus, I'm happy to know that the potential of romance is there. Overall, Tricked is a solid continuation of Iron Druid Chronicles and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Trapped, very soon.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Strong violence, some disturbing scenes, and language. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Trapped (Iron Druid Chronicles #5) by Kevin Hearne, The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman,  Child of Fire by Harry Connollly

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Excerpt of Red Serpent Trilogy + Giveaway!

  Can't get enough of vampire fiction? Looking for something different than your run of the mill vampire fiction? Check out Rishabh Jain's Red Serpent Trilogy that blends science fiction and paranormal into a unique story.  Be sure to checkout the giveaway at the bottom of the post for a chance to win a copy of the book!

Here's a brief description and cover of the book:

The Red Serpent Trilogy presents a highly evolved vampire to fear: cold and callous, powerful and dangerous, possessed by mystic promises and destroyed only by silver. It is the year 2021 — the human world has degraded, its inhabitants unworthy of the supernatural gifts bestowed upon them. Compelled by ancient prophesy, an ancient vampire army takes the human race by force, sparing few lives. They await the second coming of their king, Anaxagoras, which will hurl the world into a final battle that will free the vampires from their infinite hiding. But by the hands of fate, there is one human who may save his entire race.
    The Red Serpent Trilogy is a celestial fusion of science fiction and fantasy, unfolding conflicting intentions for the survival of both the human and vampire races. But in a world ruled by supernatural and mythological forces, there is only room for one race, and neither will go easily. The few survivors of the fatal vampire onslaught escape to an asteroid space station, Regnum, where they thrive as they keep an attentive watch on the vampires on the earth below. But unbeknown to himself or anyone else, Alex, half human half vampire, holds the keys to secrets that will help him realize his duties and cement his fate as either a human or a vampire.

Mr. Jain was kindly enough to give us a glimpse of his book with an excerpt from the first chapter of his book:

Chapter 1
Blessed Mother and Child
The year 2025

It was past young Alex's bedtime and his mother came by his room to tuck him in. He said to his mother, "Mom, since it's my birthday, will you tell me a story, please?"

"Yes, dear, I will," she said sweetly to him, patting his back as he lay down on his bed, and she tucked him in. "This is a legend about a world different from ours. It was a world filled with people like us, and was bigger than the Monolith of Faith, and had a great big round shape."

Alex's eyes widened; he had never known of anything bigger than the Monolith of Faith. It was the largest monument in his world.

"It had large amounts of water, which separated places as big as our world. The people there were many, who dwelled in peace and harmony, until one day flying humans, the vampires, killed them and took over their world."

"Mommy," interrupted Alex, "What are vampires?"

"They're these monstrous creatures, who have long teeth and—"

"As long as my teeth?"

"No, even longer." Alex was perplexed. Everyone at his school made fun of him because of his long teeth, but now he was amazed that there were people who had longer teeth than his. Unfortunately, such people existed only in his mother's myths and legends, not in real life. "Anyway, they also were able to use powers, which burned the trees, and kill humans by drinking their blood."

"Wait a minute, what are trees?" he asked in confusion.

"They are like O2s*," answered Minerva.

"Are they still alive?" asked Alex curiously.

"Yes, they are," said his mother, with anger and sadness in her eyes.

"What happened to the other humans?"

"Go to bed, it is too late now," she said in a hushed voice, and then kissed him on the forehead.


* In Alex's world, the trees were given a special name due to their extraordinary properties.
 

GIVEAWAY

  Thanks to Tribute Books, I have one (1) paperback copy of The Red Serpent Trilogy to giveaway to one (1) lucky reader! This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only per the publisher's request. To enter simply leave a comment with your name/alias along with an email address so I can contact you if you win. The giveaway will run until SATURDAY, SEPT. 29th at 11 PM EST. The winner will be selected by Random.org and will be announced on my blog on SUNDAY, SEPT. 30th. Good luck!

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7 Things That People Don't Tell You About Being a Merperson by Ciye Cho + GIVEAWAY

 Books featuring mermaids and mer-people have been very popular lately. Today I'm excited to introduce to yet a new book that also spins a new take on mer-people. Indie publisher Ciye Cho is here to talk about her book, Florence, and maybe we should reconsider somethings before wishing to be a mer-person. Be sure to check out the bottom of the post for your chance to win a copy of Florence!

7 Things That People Don't Tell You About Being a Merperson

Most people have a deep fascination with mermaids and mermen. Some
people even dream of life below the waves. And why not? Merfolk are
colorful, whimsical, and swim among dolphins. Yet, all things come with
a price, and the majesty of having a tail can come with some unexpected
hiccups. Here are some things that people don't tell you about life as a
merperson:

1) You'll get seaweed stuck between your teeth. A lot of it.
2) Raw fish is a human delicacy. Sashimi 24/7 is just a whole lot of
cold fish.
3) Sleep in a bad neighborhood and you could get eaten by a shark or
covered in barnacles (note: it is rumored that mermaids use special clam
tools to scrape off barnacles--and it's about as painful as it sounds).
4) Talking to animals can be fun. The conversation? Not so exciting.
5) Painting your fingernails underwater can be very, very messy.
6) Ariel gave up legs to be a human. You'll have to give up your
iPhone.
7) Ever tried drinking coffee underwater?

Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

GIVEAWAY

  Ms. Cho is very generous to giveaway 1 (one) ebook copy of Florence to 1 (one) lucky reader! To enter, simply leave your name/alias along with an email address so I can contact you to win. Giveaway will end on Saturday, September 8th. The winner will be chosen by Random.org and winner will be announced on my blog on Sunday, September 9th. Good luck to all those who enter!

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Mini Childrens Reviews: Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Familiars, and Dark Life

  School registration is currently in full force. Thankfully, I survived the first day.  I've read and finished quite a number of children's books. My reviews of these books are starting to pile up so I thought I would do a few pithy mini-reviews for you. All of these books are found on this year's Illinois School Library Media Association's (ISLMA) Bluestem Reading Award and Rebecca Caudill. For the full list of books nominated by school librarians, teachers, and students, click here for Bluestem Awards and click here for Rebecca Caudill Awards. Today I'll be reviewing The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger, Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein, and Dark Life by Kat Falls.

Description (from the Publisher): Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

Review:  Tommy and his friends think that Dwight is a weirdo who's always talking about robots or spiders or something. In true Dwight fashion, he shows up at school one day with his latest creation, a little origami Yoda finger puppet. Origami Yoda is not like Dwight at all as it doles out bits of wisdom to Tommy and his friends. The mystery of the book is whether the Yoda is just Dwight talking in a funny voice or if it actually has mystical powers. Told from a collection of stories gathered by Tommy and told by kids who either believe or don't in Origami Yoda. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is a quirky, fast paced book that sure to please many Star War fans.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: Mild boy humor, but otherwise relatively clean. Recommended for Grades 3-6.

If you like this book try: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger


Description (from the Publisher): When a scrappy alley cat named Aldwyn passes himself off as a magical animal companion to Jack, a young wizard in training, Aldwyn and his fellow "familiars," a know-it-all blue jay and bumbling tree frog, must save the kingdom after the evil queen of Vastia kidnaps Jack and two other wizards.

Review: The Familiars is a great choice for young readers who may be too young for Harry Potter. Just imagine Harry Potter and other popular fantasy series where the animals or familiars take center stage. The book contains your usual trope of a children's fantasy book. Characters who are trying to prove themselves and gaining self confidence as well as coming together to fit a big evil.  The consistently suspenseful narrative moves quickly and is full of twists and turns. The great combination of action and humor will keep readers' attention. For me, I don't really take an interest in animal driven stories, but I do several kids who would eagerly line up and read this one.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 to 7.

If you like this book try: Secrets of the Crown (Familiars #2) by Adam Jay Epstein, Warriors series by Erin Hunter


Description (from the Publisher): When fifteen-year-old Ty, who has always lived on the ocean floor, joins Topside girl Gemma in the frontier's underworld to seek and stop outlaws who threaten his home, they learn that the government may pose an even greater threat.

Review: Dark Life is essentially your typical western that takes place in the ocean. Sixteen-year-old Ty is the first child born to the pioneers who live in the depths of the ocean. He has little to no patience for topsiders (aka land dwellers) until he meets feisty Gemma, who immediately enlists his help to locate her missing older brother. The heroes and villains are fairly easy to detect and the plot was too predictable for me, but those who are interested in marine life and what would it be like living under the sea would find this book worthwhile.

Words of Caution: PG violence otherwise pretty clean. Recommended for strong Grade 5 readers and up.  

If you like this book try: Riptide by Kat Falls, Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi, Stuck on Earth by David Klass

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Black Heart (Curseworkers #3)

  I was eagerly anticipating reading Black Heart, the third book, in the Curse Worker trilogy. My only qualm with the book is the cover. I really wish they stuck to the original cover as it matches the mood and tone of the book. This new cover does absolutely nothing and doesn't showcase the awesomeness of this series. Readers looking for a good, solid YA urban fantasy series to read should definitely pick this one up.

Description: Cassel Sharpe has been a con man for all of his life. He's been used as an assassin in a dastardly plot, but he's move beyond that glitch in his life. He's trying to be good and to do the right thing, even though the love of his life is inextricably connected with crime. How can you distinguish between truth and lies when things become blurry? With his life, future, and love on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet. This time he is playing with his heart.

Review: Black Heart is a solid conclusion to the Curseworker series. I loved this unusual world where magic, reality are intricately interwoven. To fully enjoy the solid world building and a terrific cast of complex characters, be sure to start with the beginning of the series with White Cat and Red Glove.
After going through the ringer, in more ways than one, it's surprising to believe that Cassel is up for one more adventure. He's figured out the truth about himself and his abilities as well as made the decision to no longer con people, but of course things don't go as planned. It's hard to let go of the game especially if that's all that you really know. Throughout the book there are lots of interwoven cons Cassel has either set in motion or disrupted but their ripples are still being felt. At times the government and the criminals are hard to distinguish with each driven by their own goals and manipulate the system to get exactly what they want.
  What makes the Curseworker series work for me is Cassel's voice. It never falters yet there is a certain type of vulnerability mixed with charm and sarcasm that makes him likable. He's actually the normal one in his twisted and disturbing family. When he says he wants to be good and get away from the con, you want to believe him especially witnessing his past, however, you know you're going to miss the rush of getting a way with a con or solving one.
  The pace of Black Heart is done quite well. I've gotten pretty good at figuring out a YA book's plot within the first 50 or 100 pages, but with Black Heart I like not knowing how things will end as the plot twists and turns. Along with a twisty plot, there is also a great balance between mystery and romance. There is romance where Lila, Cassel's best friend and the love of his life, is concerned. They are not on the best of terms with one another yet you can feel the romantic tension between them. The romance doesn't overtake the story, which is great because it can appeal to both female and male readers. The book's conclusion, while somewhat surprisingly happy but certainly not a pretty bow wrapped up altogether too nicely. I'm just sad to see Cassel and company go and I do hope that Black plans on doing a spin off series. If you haven't read anything by Ms. Black, do give this series a try. If you hated her faerie series, this series is really different. It's fun, smart, and very entertaining.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, underage drinking, and a small non-explicit sex scene in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Heist Society series by Ally Carter, Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich, Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale

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Bitterblue

  Like many of Kristin Cashore's fans, I was impatiently waiting for the release of Bitterblue. I wanted to know what happened to the adolescent who fought tooth and nail to survive. I also was super curious what happened to Katsa, Po, Fire, and a whole slew of characters that I've grown to love in this series. Though Bitterblue takes place after Graceling, I would highly recommend reading Graceling and then Fire before tackling Bitterblue as a lot of important plot events and reoccurring characters reappear and have important roles in Bitterblue not to mention that the world of the Graceling realm is incredibly intricate.

Description (from Goodreads): Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.
  Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

Review: Like Graceling, Bitterblue takes place in the Seven Kingdoms, where Queen Bitterblue rules over the realm of Monsea. To your ordinary landscape of castles, villages, mountains, and kingdoms comes a unique layer of fantasy. There are people who are born with a grace, an extraordinary ability (some may call it superhuman) to perform a task, which can range from a expert fighter to a lie dector. People with graces have two different eye colors. People either embrace their grace or run away from it. Bitterblue's father, King Leck, had an awful grace that he used to rule his kingdom with an iron fist. After eight years after his death, the kingdom is in rumbles and his eighteen year old daughter, Bitterblue has fully become the Queen of Monsea.

  We are immediately told from the stark and direct opening line of the first chapter that we are on a  journey in search of truth. Though she was technically a queen at the age of 10,  Bitterblue begins her responsiblity as a ruler. Unlike Katsa and Fire before her, Bitterblue doesn't have a grace to rely on. She must use her instinct, intellect, and struggle in earnest to find her way through the fog of secrets hidden within her kingdom. Cashore expertly weaves mystery, suspense, and revelation into her story. Some reviewers have commented on the slow pace and the circuitous route that Cashore took her characters to find the truth, but I loved the slow burn plot and found the story utterly absorbing.
  While Bitterblue may lack the action sequences or the focus of romance unlike Graceling and Fire, it is a story about reconstruction. The enemy isn't a physical being, but rather an idea and memory. How do you rebuild a kingdom where trust, loyalty, and the truth have been so manipulated? There is a tangible cloud of confusion that inhabits each and every corner of the kingdom— the nature of the terrible depravity of her dead father, Leck; the condition of her court and her subjects; the true identities of her companions; the ciphers (which were so compelling that I had to reread them to figure out the clues hidden inside) she must recognize and solve.       

  There’s also an element of romance in Bitterblue, but not the sole focus of the story. Bitterblue doess fall in love for the first time, and it is unconventional. Here, as in her previous novels, Cashore handles sexuality in a very unique way that stays true the personality of her charcters rather than the how they are suppose to be because they are a lord or a lady.      

 What I find interesting with the Graceling Realm trilogy is that the books don’t form your conventional trilogy. Though similar characters may appear, the events aren't sequestial but rather interlocking that span well over fifty years, which is why I recommend that you read Cashore's previous books to enjoy Bitterblue to its fullest.    

  I absolutely loved how the theme of power comes a full circle in Bitterblue. Since Bitterblue is not responsible for or needs to watch her limits of extraordinary power, that doesn't make her powerless. Bitterblue's strugle is to accept her obligation of having power and using it correctly in order to rule her kingdom. She is forced to embrace her station with limitations and all. She must come up with her own system of law virtually from scratch.

  Bitterblue is high fantasy at its best. While Bitterblue and company may live in a far removed world from us, they all deal with very real issues which is why they are very appealling when it comes to their stories. Cashore creates a mesmerizing world of complex characters where good and evil may be on the same flip of the coin. I'm already determined to do a reread of all three books just to uncover new gems that I might have missed the first time when Bitterblue comes out in paperback.         

 I can't recommend Bitterblue higly enough for readers who love strong female characters that carve out a future for themselves. It's nice to have a series where begin a female isn't seen as a weakness but rather different aspects of the gender is celebrated.
Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images, some language, and sexuality which is implied and not explicitly described. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce, Star Crossed by Elizabeth Bunce, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, Study series by Maria V. Snyder

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Night Circus

  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern has been a popular book at my public library for quite some time. I had planned on reading it when it was listed on the ALA's Alex Award, a resource that I often use when I'm stumped to read for adult fiction. I was excited and curious to read the book after hearing such enthusiastic responses to it. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.

Description (from the publisher): The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Cirque des Reves and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway - a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Review: I have no idea who wrote the above description for The Night Circus, but the book I read had none of the epic selling points. No huge duel, no sweep off your feet romance, and while there were a myriad of characters I wasn't able to tell if they were extraordinary or not because they went in and out of the story at arbitrary times.
  I read The Night Circus for a book club that I recently joined. It was met with plenty of positive reviews except from me. I didn't love it or hate it but was rather confused as to why everyone seemed to get something out of the story which I did not. I couldn't get comfortable with the story nor the characters. It was as if I was looking through a misty window that failed to clear up no matter how much I try to wipe it down while trying to see what was outside.
  After much thought, I think I understand why this book didn't work for me. I really do think your enjoyment of the book depends on what type of learner you are. Why does it matter? Well, The Night Circus is written entirely in third person omnipresent with an occasional interludes of a second person narrative. The book heavily relies on visuals. The book is almost entirely composed of description. While I thought the description is very cinematic and beautifully done, as a reader I felt immediately alienated. You already begin the book knowing that you're an outsider, a spectator of the events that unfold in front of you. You can only watch from a distance but not touch or come any closer. After a few lovely passages, the narrative became contrite, dull, and indulgent. I don't mind great imagery, but I'd rather have imagery to support the novel instead of becoming the novel. The writing style severely impaired my reading ability and I really had to push myself to finish it. I had already spent a few hours reading it, what more could a couple of more do to actually finish it?
   As someone as a visual and auditory learner, none of the characters became three dimensional people to me. I never got a chance to hear their own voices. I knew about them without really getting to know them per se. Sure, I could tell you who they are superficially, but they didn't mean anything to me as a reader. I can also tell you want the games were about, but I thought the whole point of it was long winded and frankly, boring. With the exception of timer periods noted at each chapter which I really didn't understand their significance because we are told virtually nothing about what is happening outside of the circus, there weren't many context clues, to give me much sense of the character's personalities. I felt the book could really have been written at any time period.
  People who I've talked to who didn't like the book often say it's because they don't care for the fantasy genre, but for me it's not the genre that bothers me. Perhaps if I listened to the story instead of reading it, I might have liked it a bit more. I know that the book rights have been bought by Summit Entertainment but there's probably going to be a lot of tweaking with the plot and pacing for the story to have action. In the case of The Night Circus, maybe just maybe the movie might be better for me than the book.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, a small non-explicit sex scene, and disturbing images. Recommended for teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: The Art of Disappearing by Ivy Pochoda, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanne Clarke, Vaclav & Lena by Haley Tanner

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Hammered (Iron Druid Chronicles #3)

  If you are in the mood for a humorous, action-packed thrilled ride filled with mythological and paranormal creatures alike, you should definitely pick up the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. There are currently four books out in the series thus far with more books to follow. I've yet to become disappointed with this series.  
 
Description (from Goodreads): Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully—he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare.
   One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plain of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer-wielding Thunder Thug himself.

Review: Unlike Hounded and Hexed, Hearne turns a bit more introspective, dark, and serious in Hammered, but still retains its spectacular humor and action. Though we've traveled and battled alongside Atticus, we didn't get a chance to know him on an intimate level. Throughout the series thus far, we have been given glimpses into his long lived life. We know that he is capable of overcoming many obstacles and has been successful in being the oldest druid alive. In Hammered, we are introduced to the human Atticus who has made mistakes, loved and lost people he's cared for. Atticus's saddness becomes your own thus making you all that more connected to him. 
  For me the draw of the Iron Druid series has always been the perfect balance of Atticus's character. He’s a guy’s guy, who tries to think logically and long term without going crazy. He is blunt and honest, never to hide his emotions. He may not have all the answers and he does make mistakes along the way. He is fiercely loyal (especially to his wonderful, screen stealing irish wolfhound Oberon. Love him!) and a man of his word. Atticus is someone you want to have your back in times of trouble. Despite his very, very old age, he retains his humanity. 
  Since Atticus has promised Leif and a few others he meets along the way to finally kill Thor, Atticus is warned by none other than Jesus (over beer, fish & chips) to be reconsider, warning him that his move to the Norse god will have serious repercussions. Determined to keep his promise no matter the cost, partly out of a code of honor and partly out of pride, Atticus sets his path. He organizes his affairs in Tempe, Arizona, and set sails for a tumultuous odyssey. I have to say that I had two thoughts running through my head while reading Hammered. My first thought: I kept asking Atticus (yes, I know he's not real but still) whether or not he was really sure he sure about him committing deicide. My second thought: Why would you want to hurt this face? I did have to remember that I was meeting a completely different, unlikable Thor in Hammered who took satisfaction is causing people pain for no real reason. Hearne does a great job in giving a glimpse into the lives of those whose that Thor has hurt, especially Leif, which not only make you step back and view the actions and very some huge surprises but truly feel their anguish and anger. 
  Hearne continues to do a great job in exploring the theme of power, particularly with the mythological gods as the issue of keeping power in check versus behaving like spoiled little children. Questions of what makes us truly human, to the choices we tend to make shape our lives and the effects. It's very easy for Atticus to go down the dark road of a god complex, but he has learned the hard way of balancing his powers. We do, however, see how others deal with this same situation through Thor and Lief.
   Just a heads up, there is a slight, kinda big cliffhanger at the end of the book. One part of the plot arc has finished while another one leads to the next book. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, some language and sexuality in the book. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Tricked (Iron Druid Chronicles #4) by Kevin Hearne, The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman,  Child of Fire by Harry Connollly

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Seraphina (Seraphina #1)

 I've always had trepidations when it comes to reading high fantasy. I often get too overwhelmed by the rich, complex world building and a wide variety of characters from different backgrounds which why I had to pause and wait to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy as a film before diving back into the books. While Rachel Hartman's debut fantasy series is high fantasy, I can't help be drawn to the characters and the world.

Description (from the publisher): Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high. Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered-in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Review: Dragons have always been fascinating fantasy creatures that have captured our imaginations for quite some time. Hartman proves dragons are more than flying beasts who can spit fire. The Kingdom of Goredd has had a rocky peaceful treaty amongst between human and dragon kingdoms for forty years. The defamed treaty is on the verge of collapse and  tensions are high with an influx of dragons, who reluctantly shape-shift to their lessen human forms, arriving for their ruler Ardmagar Comonot’s anniversary. The anniversary comes at an ominous time when Prince Rufus is found murdered in the fashion of dragons (i.e. his head has been bitten off) and things reach a fever pitch as dragons and humans being pointing figures at one another.
    I was absolutely enthralled with Hartman's world building in Seraphina. The world seems to be heavily influenced by the Renaissance. The arts, philosophy, learning, and religion are given great importance in the society. Instead of believing in one deity, the people of Goredd believe in a variety of saints. There is a rigid social hierarchy amongst the citizens of the kingdom. Humans are the rulers while dragons are second class citizens, and the quitl are virtually the untouchable.
  In addition to the social order, the dragonlore of Seraphina is very tangible and easy to understand. The dragons only understand logic and order. Emotions are considered one's greatest weakness. Love, in particular, is viewed as a disease that must be avoided at all costs. I loved how throughout the book humans and dragons are trying to understand one another though they refuse to work together as each believes they are the superior creature who ought to rule.
  Our heroine Seraphina, a gifted and secretive court musician, bridges the gap between humans and dragons. I found Seraphina extremely likable. She desperately tries to go unnoticed as the investigation of Prince Rufus's murder draws close. Seraphina knows that her real identity must never be revealed since she is considered an abomination by her society. Her plight throughout the book is finding her own place in her world and trying to educate people about their prejudices to the different races without revealing herself. Some readers have called Seraphina cold, but I thought she was very resourceful (one can argue manipulative), smart, courageous yet vulnerable at the same time. Her emotions made sense to me after learning about who she is. 
  In addition to Seraphina, the secondary characters are important and fully realized as they represent different parts of society. Out of the many secondary characters, my favorite is Orma who reminds me in some ways as Snape from the Harry Potter series. Though he has no malice towards Seraphina, he struggles to identify with his human emotions, especially when he shape-shifts from dragon to human.  
  Though marketed as a fantasy, Serphina could work as a political thriller, murder mystery, bittersweet romance, and coming-of-age story. Since Seraphina is the daughter of high esteemed lawyer and a worker at the court, she is fully aware of the investigation. When Prince Lucian Kiggs asks for her help with the murder investigation, she has no choice but to become involved, even if Kiggs’ acute perceptiveness is a danger to her. The romance is slow burn and for once I didn't want to hit the love interest with a frying pan for being overly alpha.
  The only flaw that I can see preventing readers from fully enjoying Seraphina is its slow plot. The first hundred pages moves very slowly but I didn't mind too much as Hartman establishes her intricate world, but I know I was a bit surprised by the lack of action in the first half of the book. Once political intrigue started to develop, I though the book moved much faster. Soon I found myself involved with the characters and waiting to know what would happen next. Though this is the first book in a series, I'm happy to say there isn't a cliffhanger but I'm eagerly awaiting to see how the story progresses.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Dragondrums by Anne Caffrey, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Dragon's Bait by Vivan Velde Vande, Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey, Alanna series by Tamora Pierce

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Bloodrose (Nightshade #3)

  Thanks for your kind wishes while I was away at vacation. I had a blast and it was much needed, but the re-entry back to the real world can be harsh. I don't know about you but summer is going too fast for me. Before I know it, the chaos of school registration will be here. Yikes!
  I avoided reading Bloodrose, the last book in the Nightshade series, because it received a polarized fan response. I know major plot spoilers were revealed online, but that just fueled my curiosity. I had to know why so many people were upset. Unlike the first two books, Bloodrose was my least favorite in this series and there were quite a few things that bothered me in the book.

Description (from Goodreads): Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnameable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

Review: Reviewers have commented on the middle book syndrome of a series, where virtually nothing really happens in the second book until the last few chapters that connect to the book that we really want, which is (in most cases) the third and final book. Some readers can tolerate a filler book as long as the series ends well (i.e. how the reader wants it to end). Personally, I think the book's best ending is what feels true to the characters and things don't necessarily have to be spelled out. With Bloodrose, however, I felt as if I got a half baked ending.
  Without giving us a moment of a quick recap, Bloodrose immediately starts where Wolfsbane ends and our characters are forced to make decisions. The war between Keeper and Guardians is inevitable where characters will either survive or die. The love triangle fraught with tension must be solved. Fractured packs must now come back and work together for a possible future that will change everyone's lives for better or for worse.
   The draw of Nightshade for me has always been Calla, a female alpha pack leader, who wrestles trying to carve out an identity for herself while fighting expectations of what she is suppose to do as dictated by her werewolf culture. While she is an alpha by title, she is not guaranteed to hold power like her male counterpart, just being female limits her abilities. I've always liked Calla. I admire her tenacity in facing difficult scenarios, her willingness to change how her world views a female alpha, and her endless love and loyalty for her pack. In Bloodrose, I felt like I lost that Calla that I loved and she was replaced by a whiny, wishy-washy girl who placed herself first ahead of her everyone else. This is clearly demonstrated on how Calla approached the love triangle. Calla claims to feel torn, however, it's pretty clear who she has chosen to be with. What I don't understand is how she was willing to string both guys along with heavy make-out and/or bedroom scenes.
  I've been puzzled by the love triangle in the Nightshade series. If you look closely at the love triangle from the point of view of romance, it falls apart and there really isn't one. If you look at the love triangle as a symbol of pre-destiny vs. freewill, and independence vs. dependent in terms of power it becomes a bit more interesting. I'd like to delve in this aspect a bit deeper, but I can't since it involves huge spoilers.
  My biggest disappointment in Bloodrose is not seeing more of Ren's character development. I would have been fine with his destiny if I got to know him on a deeper level. I know he was far from perfect and possibly not a great match for Calla but I wanted to give him a chance. So I was really upset that Ren never rose to his full potential in Bloodrose. While he does accomplish large goals, he also loses so much in the book while Shay seems to gain everything and everything came so easy to him. Things were definitely unbalanced.
  Bloodrose is a bittersweet ending in more ways than one. I was taken aback on how many people do not survive in this book. Some of the deaths were truly heartbreaking that happened within a few short sentences.There wasn't much of a mourning for these characters, which is surprising considering who died.  I was not thrilled about any of the deaths and I did have to close the book to get over my grumblings before I could pick it up again.
  Cremer is a talented storyteller and I did find it hard to put the book down because there were plenty of actions scenes and great moments in the book, but I'm not happy with some of the concluding threads in the book. I can understand where the characters and author are coming from, but I felt many of them were a bit too rushed and/or abrupt to make any lasting impression. So I guess the big question is whether or not to read Bloodrose. Honestly? I don't know what to tell you. I really don't. The only advice I can give you is this: be prepared for the book to possibly not end the way you would like it. If you're okay with that and like these characters enough to get some closure, then read it. If not, then skip it. It's been a few months since I read Bloodrose and I still feel ambivalent about it.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, some language, heavy make-out scenes, and allusion to sex.

If you like this book try: Dark Divine series by Bree Despain, Raised by Wolves series by Jennifer Barnes, Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

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Good as Lily

Just a quick note: I will be on vacation when this review posts. I may not or may not have internet access during vacation, but I will play catch-up with your blogs and comments when I get back. 

 Most stories that I've read are generally about people competing with others, but Derek Kirk Kim asks us a different question: what if the person you're trying to up is actually yourself? What kind of person do you want to be and if you saw future self, how would you embrace yourself? All of these philosophical questions and more are discussed in the part coming of age/fantasy, romantic comedy graphic novel called Good As Lily.

Description: Following a strange mishap on her 18th birthday, Grace Kwon is confronted with herself at three different periods in her life. The timing couldn't be worse as Grace and her friends desperately try to save a crumbling school play. Will her other selves wreak havoc on her present life or illuminate her uncertain future?


Review: Grace Kwon's friends throw her a surprise 18th birthday party with a picnic in the park. There they meet a strange vendor who refuses to sell them ice cream, but sells them a pig-shaped pinata instead. When it finally breaks after falling on Grace's head, she learns that it's empty much to her disappointment. Later that night, when she returns to the park, she meets a little girl, a young woman, and an old woman who look eerily like her. It turns out that all of them are named Grace Kwon at different parts of her life, a six year old toddler, a woman in her twenties, and an elderly woman. Now Grace must deal not only with the philosophical concept of encountering her past and future selves, but also with the day-to-day chaos that they create. Each of Grace's selves are dealt well for the most part as the child stealing snacks, the senior citizen smoking cigarettes, and the young woman hitting on Grace's drama teacher. I would have liked the three selves interact more with Grace herself but they are kept at a distance. Grace, the teen, is naturally confused and exhausted seeing her past and future go out of control. The black-and-white pictures are simply drawn, but manage to convey all the emotional highs and lows of this story. The title refers to a subplot so small that readers might not recognize the reference until they've finished the book and taken some time to digest it. Part coming of age, part magical realism, and part romance, Good as Lily has different things to offer different readers.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some sexual innuendos in the book. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

 If you like this book try: Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim

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Graphic Novel Reviews: Smile, The Last Dragon, and Alia's Mission

  I'm taking a mini-break from manga as I realized that I haven't put up any graphic novel reviews lately. Today I'll be reviewing three graphic novels, two of which I read last year and one I read this year, that can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages. The three graphic novels that I'll be reviewing are Smile by Raina Telgemeier, The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen, and Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq by Mark Alan Stamaty.

Description (from the publisher): From the artist of BSC Graphix comes this humorous coming-of-age true story about the dental drama that ensues after a trip-and-fall mishap. Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.

Review: I think we all have gone through a big event in our childhood that defined our lives. For author Raina Telgemeier that moment is when she randomly fell and lost her front tooth at the tender age of 12. Her recovery included painful surgery, implants, headgear, false teeth, and a rearrangement of her remaining incisors. As you can image, being a young kid who is already struggling with the roller coaster ride we all call puberty where boy confusion, changing bodies as well as expectations from family and friends isn't easy to deal with one its own. Telgemeir's storytelling is straight forward and honest, expertly portraying her mercurial moods. The full color illustrations transport you into the author's shoes allowing you to play through her emotions, insecurities, and self depreciating humor. What I loved about this graphic novel is that both adults and kids that surround the author's life are vividly and rapidly portrayed, giving its reader a quick reminder that things do turn around with perseverance and self confidence. Though the book may be about a girl, I've seen boys and adults pick up this graphic novel and enjoy it. It gets two big thumps from me.  

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There's a bit gush of blood after the accident, but other than that it's pretty clean. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

 If you like this book try: Drama by Raina Telgemeier (available in Sept 2012), How to Survive Middle School by Donna Gephart, Popularity Papers series by Amy Ignatow, Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell


Description (from the publisher): Master storyteller Jane Yolen ("Owl Moon" and "Sword of the Rightful King") and celebrated fantasy artist Rebecca Guay ("Swamp Thing" and "Magic: The Gathering") weave a textured and lyrical tale of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way. Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew - with only a healer's daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way.

Review: Jane Yolen's The Last Dragon is a beautiful graphic novel that bring us back to the fairy tales we were drawn to as children where there was a hero that saved the day by killing a terrorizing dragon.  The book uses the tropes of a traditional hero's journey, where a man who claims to be heroic is put to the test. While it's true that the male hero succeeds in slaying the dragon, the star of the story, however belongs to the real heroine, the hard headed, unique, and talented girl named Tansy. 
  The narrative is told well through great description that brings the illustrations to life. The serious overtones of the story may be a bit much, but there are few bits of humor that lighten up the mood. Since I read the e-galley of the graphic novel courtesy of Netgalley, the pictures were big and the text was a bit hard to read but I think that was fixed in the print version of the book.  I'd definitely recommend this graphic novel to those who like fairy tales and dragons.


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Some tongue and cheek humor, which would give it a PG rating. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Dragon Heart series by Jane Yolen, Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede

Description (from the publisher): The inspiring story of an Iraqi librarian's courageous fight to save books from the Basra Central Library before it was destroyed in the war. It is 2003 and Alia Muhammad Baker, the chief librarian of the Central Library in Basra, Iraq, has grown worried given the increased likelihood of war in her country. Determined to preserve the irreplaceable records of the culture and history of the land on which she lives from the destruction of the war, Alia undertakes a courageous and extremely dangerous task of spiriting away 30,000 books from the library to a safe place. Told in dramatic graphic-novel panels by acclaimed cartoonist Mark Alan Stamaty, Alia's Mission celebrates the importance of books and the freedom to read, while examining the impact of war on a country and its people.

Review: Alia's Mission is one of those rare graphic novels where I like the narrative much more than the actual drawings. We are narrated a story of a civilian heroine by an anthropomorphic book as it dramatically recreate Alia Baker's efforts to save the books of the Basra library in Iraq. Alia Muhammad Baker, chief librarian at the Basra Central Library, always had a lifelong passion for books and her country's history. Events in the 13th-century in when the Mongols invaded and a fire destroyed the Baghdad library have played a sense of foreboding and foreshadowing as to what could happen to her own precious library as her country is once again at war. We witness Baker requesting the government's permission to remove the collection from the building but gets denied. Refusing to quit, she begins to sneak books out of the library herself. Baker manages, with help from friends, to remove 30,000 volumes from the library, transporting them to private homes for safekeeping. With explosions in the background, Stamaty effectively captures the danger of the moment. We feel deeply saddened when the library is engulfed in flames and Baker's resulting. The author ends his graphic novel with a hopeful note that a new library is in developments. We are once again reminded that heroes can be everyday people and their work is just as important and inspiring.
  As I mentioned a bit earlier, I wasn't a fan of the illustrations in this book. All the panels were created in what seems to be in pen and are black and white. I didn't think they matched the intensity and passion of Baker's work. I would have liked to see little bits of color to show the various emotions that were well described by the text. Overall though a good story that is important to learn.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: Few depictions of war including bombs, depictions of guns, etc. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: The Librarian of Basra by Jeanette Winter, Nasreen's Secret School by Jeanette Winter

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Shades of Honey and Milk (Shades of Honey and Milk #1)

 Thanks to a particular lascivious book, you can't say the words shades or grey without having a few people raise their eyebrows. Let me assure you that's not why I was drawn to Shades of Honey and Milk, but I happened to stumble upon it while looking for some urban fantasy series. The tagline promising a Jane Austen-like ambiance with a dash of magic, and a nod to Beauty and the Beast is what made me pick this one up.

Description (from Goodreads): Shades of Milk and Honey is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth, a woman ahead of her time in a version of Regency England where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. But despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester’s society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody’s lives still revolve around vying for the attentions of eligible men.
   Jane resists this fate, and rightly so: while her skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of face, and therefore wins the lion’s share of the attention. At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Jane has resigned herself to being invisible forever. But when her family’s honor is threatened, she finds that she must push her skills to the limit in order to set things right–and, in the process, accidentally wanders into a love story of her own.

Review: Shades of Honey and Milk definitely delivers as an Austenesque read. The scenario is typical as two middle class sisters wait around to be married off to a man of nobility or at least some money to his name. The sisters are the plain on the outside but extremely talented Jane and the beautiful and fair Melody. Readers of Austen will immediately pick up the nods throughout the book, but irony, social criticism, as well as complication of character that make Austen's novels so loveable are not present in this book. Instead we are adding a neat magical system, which unfortunately isn't explored and seems little integrated with the world. 
  The characters, whose character traits seem to be picked from various Austen novels, are enjoyable. You have your obvious bad guys (I always thought Austen's villains were completely obvious), the love interest, the plain but in her own way extraordinary that takes people a while to recognize. I would have liked to know each of the characters a bit more, especially Jane and Vincent.
  The story takes time to warm up and is a bit obvious. I did notice a few period glitches found in the book, but it didn't take me out of the book. I chuckled a few times at the dead pan humor and was a bit surprised to see how the book's quickly ends given the slow start. 
  Kowal is a talented writer and Shades of Milk and Honey is a lovely tribute to Jane Austen, which she acknowledges in her author notes. I do plan on reading more of this series at some point, but I'm not rushing to it. I think the series has great potential and I'm curious to learn more about the world and hopefully, the next books won't seem as unfinished as this first book.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy a clean romance with a dash of fantasy and magic.

If you like this book try: Glamour of Glass (Shades of Honey and Milk #2), The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey, The Native Star by M.K. Hobson

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Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1)

I really hope this review posts. Blogger has been glitchy for a few hours last night. I've received many recommendations to start Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series. This new series is set in the same world as her Mercy Thompson's world but it focuses on different, secondary characters with rules of its own. I finished and really enjoyed the first book, Cry Wolf.

Description: Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer- and son- of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.
   Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf- a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

Review: Cry Wolf continues the story found in the anthology On the Prowl, where we are introduced to Anna, a reluctant and new member of the Chicago Pack werewolves. Three years ago, she was turned against her will and since then went through emotional, physical and sexual abuse by her Pack. The purpose of the abuse, which thankfully wasn't shown but discussed briefly, was to 'break' Anna and make her submissive around dominant wolves. Anna is unlike many wolfs in the sense that she has a special ranking as an Omega, which means she is protective and brings peace to a pack with her natural ability to soothe the animal part of the werewolf. She has been made to believe that she is weak, but in reality she's fierce, strong willed, and incredibly determined to move beyond her brutal past. 
  When Charles Cornick, the enforcer and son of the Marrok (the leader of the North American Werewolves) and brother of Samuel, comes to Chicago to investigate the issue, he has an immediate attraction to Anna. Anna's and Charles' wolf counterparts pretty soon see each other as "mated". The human counterparts however, want to take their relationship slow, which is where Cry Wolf begins. Anna goes back to the Marrok's territory in Montana with Charles and tries to find her place in her new life, a chance to start over again on a relatively clean slate. In the mean time there's a rogue werewolf on the loose that is causing danger and needs to be dealt with.
 I really enjoyed Cry Wolf because the book's focal point is more on the character development and relationship between Anna and Charles which differs from the Mercy Thompson novels, where action and paranormal politics take center stage. With Cry Wolf, I follow the happenings of the other, secondary characters that are vital to Mercy's world but make a brief appearance such as the Marrok and Charles, who really come to life in this book.
     The love story was very well done. Though they are mated according to their wolves, Anna and Charles are at the beginning of their relationship, where they are learning things about one another and trying to become comfortable with having another person in their lives. There is lots of awkwardness, tension, misinterpretation of feelings going on between them. The distance between the characters isn't your typical hate/love relationship or the annoying "does he/she like me now? what am I doing wrong" running inner dialogue that cause a reader to groan, but rather a plausible conflict as each character have built defensive walls around themselves that will take time to break.
   Charles has been employed as his father's assassin for over 150 years. He is a not the first person you would think of if you're having a rough day. He is not good with words and keeps his distance. It's not that he doesn't like people or isn't personable, but he simply afraid to be close to anyone in fear that he'll have to harm them if they step out of the pack's rules. Being in a new, solid relationship is very foreign to him. Though he physically appears to be intimidating, he is incredibly patient, gentle and sweet with Anna. Similarly, Anna's walls are built from fear which makes sense given the horrors that she has experienced. She has to learn all over again to trust her instincts and needs time to rebuilt her trust, though she shares mutual attraction to Charles. Though the characters make strides in their relationship, there is still a lot of development needed. There is no doubt that my favorite parts of the book are when we see Charles and Anna spend time together, whether it's through dialogue or just being together. I think they both compliment each other very well.
    The mystery surrounding the rogue werewolf wasn't very action packed and unfolded leisurely. I wasn't bored with it, but I also thought it was more like a subplot of the book. I know that the mystery aspect is considered the weakest part of the book, but honestly, I was more interested in reading about the relationship amongst the characters to take notice. I liked meeting new characters and learning a bit more about background information on the Marrok, a character that I always found to be enigmatic.
  Briggs' writing style is simple, straightforward, but also has the right touch of emotions. You get a chance to tag along the characters, get to know them on a personal level without ever being intrusive. The paranormal and human aspect to the characters are balanced, which makes them very appealing.
   As a side note, I don't know if you should read the Mercy Thompson books before starting this series, as they both stand alone, however, I felt very comfortable in jumping on one to the other with having knowledge of the Mercy universe already established. I did pick up on the hints of what's happening outside of Montana. Overall, I really enjoyed this first book and I plan on reading the rest of the series. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, violence, and a brief non explicit sex scene that fades to black. Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega #2) by Patricia Briggs, Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Skinwalker by Faith Hunter, Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neil

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