Book Review: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.

Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

Pages: 557
Author: Rick Riordan
Add It: Goodreads
Series: Heroes of Olympus (#1)
Publisher: Hyperion
Rating: 4/5

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

The Lost Hero is the first book in Heroes of Olympus, a companion series to the popular Percy Jackson novels. I was a big fan of the Percy Jackson series. The first books read a bit young since Percy was just a kid when the novels began, but the series was still so much fun to read, and I loved all of the bits of Greek Mythology. The same is true of The Lost Hero. The characters are also older when this series begins and we get to bypass the awkward middle school phase that dragged down the PJ series at the beginning. I do think the characters still tend to come across a bit younger than other YA characters but it didn't really bother me.

The Lost Hero is told from the perspectives of three different half bloods: Leo, Piper and Jason. I thought that each character had their own unique voice, which I think is so important when it comes to a novel with multiple perspectives. The three half bloods go on many adventures in this novel and all proved to be just as amusing and interesting to read about as the adventures of Percy and Annabeth. The humor is still a little cheesy but it actually grew on me after awhile. It was refreshing after reading so many novels that seem to take themselves too seriously.

A few of our favorite characters from Percy Jackson are back at Camp Half Blood. By far my favorite scenes from both this series and PJ are the scenes that take place at Camp Half Blood. There's just something about the camp that reminds me of Hogwarts. Perhaps it's that each half blood is grouped together with their other siblings and they all compete against each other. Just like at Hogwarts each of the students tends to exemplify certain characteristics of their house; each half blood is similar to their God parent in some way. Aphrodite's children tend to care a lot about beauty. Hephaestus' children are good at fixing things. Ares' children are eager to go to war. There is something so fun about trying to guess which God each half blood belongs to before they are claimed by their godly parent.

Also, ten extra points to this book for including a flying mechanical dragon and making him into a loveable character all his own. Maybe I just like dragons.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read. I think people who are interested in Greek Mythology will get more out of this series than others.

Book Review: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Yeine will learn how perilous it can be when love and hate - and gods and mortals - are bound inseparably together.

Pages: 427
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Add It: Goodreads
Series: The Inheritance Trilogy (#1)
Publisher: Orbit
Rating: 4/5

N.K. Jemisin is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the fantasy genre. Her ability to craft an exciting and imaginative fantasy world is evident from the very first. The story of the gods is both unique and unpredictable. I would venture to say it is the most original use of gods in a story that I have ever seen. Jemisin's gods are everything you would imagine a god to be. They do not get weighed down by humanity because they are not human. I think this is one of the book's greatest strengths.

Another credit to Jemisin, and perhaps the biggest one, is her ability to write. This woman can write the pants off of many fantasy writers and many writers in general. Her phrases are lyrical and raw and inspiring. I immediately wanted to write them down and share them with others. The stream of consciousness style of writing was the novel's greatest strength and its greatest weakness. I thought it was strongest when Yeine's narrative was being overtaken by Enefa.

“I gather her body to mine and will all of creation to make her live again. We are not built for death. But nothing changes, nothing changes, there was a hell that I built long ago and it was a place where everything remained the same forever because I could imagine nothing more horrific, and now I am there
Then others come, our children, and all react with equal horror
in a child’s eyes, a mother is god
but I can see nothing of their grief through the black mist of my own. I lay her body down but my hands are covered in her blood, our blood, sister lover pupil teacher friend otherself, and when I lift my head to scream out my fury, a million stars turn black and die. No one can see them, but they are my tears.”

I also found the stream of consciousness style to be frustrating and melodramatic at times. Yeine would often begin a story only to swear she'd come back to it later and start telling another one. While it certainly was a unique way to tell the story, it was also very distracting, and confusing for me as a reader.

While I think that this novel was beautifully crafted, and such an original addition to the fantasy genre, I didn't absolutely love it. In fact, I found myself uncaring about the outcome and the fates of the characters and the plot. I think this is because the characters never felt relatable to me, and I couldn't say that I truly liked any of them. Sieh seems to be a favorite among readers but I thought he was actually a little creepy and unpredictable. I suppose that's as it should be, since he is a god, and they live their lives in shades of gray. I think that it was just hard for me to get outside of my own head and view the gods as non-human creatures who clearly don't play by our rules. If I had been able to do so his behavior would not have seemed so odd to me.

Yeine was my favorite but there was something about her that always kept the reader at a distance and didn't allow for intimacy. Perhaps it was because she was slipping away? Characters seem to make or break novels for me. If you can make me care deeply for at least one character then you've got me, but if you can't, then it's going to be hard to grab my attention much at all.

I'd definitely recommend this to fans of the fantasy genre looking for something worthwhile and unique.

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl... Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

Pages: 387

Author: Marissa Meyer

Add It: Goodreads

Series: Lunar Chronicles (#1)

Publisher: Macmillan

Rating: 4/5

When Cinder first came to my attention I was completely enamored with the idea for the book, and even more so for the concept of the entire quartet, which will also focus on other fairytale heroines. After finishing Cinder's first story I am happy to say that my expectations for this series were more than met.

Cinder is a cyborg. This was such an interesting spin on the story of Cinderella that I was captured by her character from the very beginning. I think fairytale retellings need to find a way to leave their own mark, to find a way to differentiate themselves entirely from the original story. Cinder certainly did that. I haven't read too many retellings prior to Cinder, Ash by Malinda Lo comes to mind, and while I more than appreciated Malinda's attempt to modernize the character of Cinderella (More LGBT characters in literature, please!) I felt that the rest of the story fell flat and failed to deliver anything exciting or new to the tale. Where Ash failed for me Cinder rose above and beyond. Cyborgs, robots, and aliens from the moon brought life and twists to this classic story.

Cinder herself is tough, amusing, and full of heart. She is a first class mechanic and highly intelligent. She will fight to protect those she cares about even if she has to do it without one of her feet. She dreams big dreams and is haunted by her past. Together with her robot sidekick, Iko, she was a pleasure to read about. I enjoyed her relationship with her sister Peony as well; it was nice to see Cinder have a true friend in the house aside from Iko. Cinder's relationship with her stepmother was nothing new but was made even more horrifying by the fact that Cinder was a cyborg. The evil stepmother was given more opportunity to be cruel in new and imaginative ways; she could hold Cinder's body parts hostage! I also enjoyed Cinder's relationship with Kai. It was slow to develop and realistic. Neither character was willing to put aside important things for the other and throw everything away for "love" as some YA characters do nowadays. Cinder and Kai both know that there are more important things than a budding romance; like survival, a kingdom, and family.

I did feel that a certain "twist" was so obvious from the early pages of the story and wish it had been a bit more subtle. It didn't bother me until we reached the ending. The ending seemed rather anti-climatic because it relied so heavily upon the reveal of a secret many of us had seen coming from the beginning. The story did feel a little incomplete and unresolved. I would have rather seen Cinder's story end in this book and had the other books in the quartet focus on the other heroines being introduced. I don't think this is only because I am growing so tired of cliffhangers and series in general, but also because it would have served the story better. Focusing on a new heroine each time would give plenty of time to give new life to the classic characters, instead of spending so much focus on just one. I wish the YA market would start going in the direction of companion novels (like Kristin Cashore's Seven Kingdoms Series) which would allow us to visit the same worlds again but also let us read about new and interesting characters, instead of dragging out the stories of the same characters over and over.

I would definitely recommend Cinder to others. It's a fun book that stands out amongst the other debut novels of the year. We need more Science Fiction (non-dystopian) on our shelves. More cyborgs and robots too.

Book Review: Cold Fire by Kate Elliott

Finished: January 3, 2012

Pages: 512 (Paperback)

Author Kate Elliott

Add It: Goodreads

Series: Spiritwalker (#2)

Publisher: Orbit

Source: Purchased

Only one thing is certain: when Hallows' Night comes, the Wild Hunt will ride - and it feeds on mortal blood. Cat and her cousin Bee are caught in a maze of intrigue, treachery, and magic. Everyone seems to want something from them: the Cold Mages are trying to take them prisoner, and the warlord who wants to conquer all of Europa seems sure they have a special destiny to aid him whether they want to or not. Worse, hidden powers deep in the spirit world are rising, and they are the most dangerous of all. Cat must seek allies and figure out who she can trust in order to save the ones she loves. For if she doesn't, everything will be lost.

There will be spoilers for book one of the series: Cold Magic. To see my review of Cold Magic instead read it here.

Quote: “I can’t endure these constant protestations about the chains women bind on men. In truth, the chains all bind women at the feet of men.”

His eyes opened, corpse-still one moment and full of ire the next.

“Bold Taranis spare me from the compaints of virgins!” His voice was resonant, as lovely as a caress, even in anger. “Especially ones whose black hair is a snare to entwine the helpless and whose dark eyes provoke the tenderhearted to grief. How I despise the beauty of women!”

“Only because you feel entitled to something you have no natural right to possess!”

Cover Love: For some reason I really love the covers for this series. I like that the girl isn't white washed and that the Cold Magic cover was blue and Cold Fire has an orange/red theme.

Thoughts: After Cold Magic got off to such a rocky start for me, I was very much hoping that the sequel would not go down the same path. Delightfully, it did not. Cold Fire picks up where Cold Magic left off. While the first half of Cold Magic was weighed down by awkward amounts of exposition, Cold Fire doesn't suffer the same fate. Since much of the detailed world Kate Elliott was building was already set up in Cold Magic, we are allowed in this installment to focus more on the characters and the action. New characters and magic are introduced but I did not feel that it was too much, or find it confusing. We are thrown right along with Cat on to an island inhabited by zombies and fire mages. I found the new storyline to be exciting and never dull.

I liked Cat and Bee in the first book but I must say I absolutely fell in love with them here. They're very strong women. It's nice to see females who can be both romantic and gullible but also strong and logical too. I think too often female characters get written as too much one or the other, falling into a certain role, instead of standing on their own two feet. We watch Cat make mistakes. We watch her get drunk and act in ways she'd like to forget. We watch her swing a sword like a genuine badass and approach situations rationally. It's wonderful...

"He said nothing. Yes, he was physically handsome, and attractive in some other intangible way. After those first disastrous days, he had made an effort to help me. His kiss had certainly pleased me in a most startling manner. But I did not love him. How could I? I didn't even know him. And whatever he might think, he did not truly know me. He only believed he did."

I like that above all else Cat stays loyal to her cousin Bee and that is not lost in this book. Having grown up together and relied upon each other through it all, Bee and Cat do not dump each other when it's convenient, or when they'd rather be with a man. They are not catty toward each other or in competition. Even if blood does not necessarily tie them together they never even dwell on it. They know family is not defined by blood and that's something I really respect. We also finally learn more about Cat's parents in this installment. I liked the twist.

My favorite thing about this book was probably the romance. I don't swoon too often. It takes a lot for a romance to impress me. I found myself deeply invested in Andevai and Cat's relationship. I thought it was passionate and respectful. Built upon something important. I liked that neither character sacrificed who they were or expected anything of the other that they did not want to give.

I am immensely glad that I stuck it out after the rough start of book one in the series, because the world Kate Elliott has built and the characters here are way too good to miss. Like Cold Magic, this book definitely isn't a light read, Kate Elliott's book are lengthy and detailed and full of heavy world building. This book was more fast paced than the first though and I hope that the third book is even more impressive.

Recommendation: Fans of rich Fantasy stories who enjoy slow burning romances and tough heroines.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Cold Fire is on sale now in paperback. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository and other retailers. The final book in the trilogy, Cold Steel, will be released in September of 2012.

Book Review: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Finished: January 11, 2012

Pages: 304 (Ebook)

Author Nova Ren Suma

Add It: Goodreads

Publisher: Penguin

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby. But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

Read the first four chapters of Imaginary Girls here.

Quote: When something big happens, you don't immediately point the finger at one person. A bridge collapses, and maybe that's what people call an act of God, not of the little girl in the backseat of a passing car wishing something would happen to keep her from having to stay the weekend with her creepy uncle. A plane loses its propellers and crash-lands on water, and no one blames the guy sitting in 13B who can't get a date and wants to die over it and doesn't care if he takes the whole damn plane with him. No human being could take credit for changing fate. Except for Ruby.

Cover Love? Absolutely. This cover is not only lovely but perfectly fits the novel. The girl floating underwater. The sort of creepy quality to it. I wish they had kept this cover for the paperback.

Thoughts: Imaginary Girls is my favorite novel in which nothing at all happens. It is also my favorite novel that includes an entire cast of pretty unlikeable characters. Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement? It is.

I've had some trouble committing to books at the start of this year but Nova Ren Suma pulled me in and soon I was drowning in the spooky setting of this book. I wanted to know just what was going on in this ghost filled world. This isn't a mystery though, this novel is a member of the "magical realism" genre. If you're not familiar or keen on that sort of thing then this book won't be for you. Because truly, almost nothing happens. This isn't another action packed dystopia. You probably won't fall in love with the characters. What you'll find in this novel is something different than a lot of what is out there today. This story is quiet. It is slow. It feels a lot like sinking*. It's not a trilogy. It's not even a romance. It's love, ghosts and magic. A whole town of ghosts trapped forever beneath.

It's the story of two sisters who are obsessed with each other in a very unhealthy way. Loyal until death. Attached at the hip in an unhealthy way that makes you want to reach out and shake Chloe. Wake up, Chlo. Ruby is the Regina George of your world. She always gets what she wants and we're all left to wonder why. The writing in this novel is so beautiful though, that none of that even matters, and you feel like you are floating in the water of the reservoir yourself; filled with anxiety over what may just grab your ankles in the pages to come and pull you in.

Looking for something a little different from YA? Imaginary Girls is your story. Nova Ren Suma is a beautiful writer and I can't wait for her next book. 

* I really just wanted to throw in as many bad water references as I could here. No shame. Plus it's true. This novel does feel like sinking, right?

Recommendation: Those who like magical realism and ghosts. Lovers of pretty prose. Anyone looking to get away from your usual YA romances. Those who don't mind developing irrational fears of reservoirs and balloons.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Imaginary Girls is on sale now in hardcover. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository and other retailers.

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy. Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

Finished: December 11, 2011

Pages: 464

Author: Website

Book: Goodreads

Publisher: HarperTeen

Series: Unearthly

Quote: “I won’t be that girl who lets the guy treat her like crap and still fawns all over him.”

Thoughts: Unearthly is a great example of a book I found and really liked that was entirely out of my comfort zone. From the synopsis, I didn't think I would like it, but I pushed forward due to all of the reviews saying the same thing I'm saying to you now. People seem to be surprised that this novel worked. On the surface, Unearthly is very much a novel that relies on your usual cliche YA paranormal elements. The angel mythology didn't really offer anything different, and I didn't feel that Hand brought anything new to the table there, such as Susan Ee did with Angelfall. This is by no means a life changing read, at least not for me. That is why I was surprised that I enjoyed this book so much that I was unable to put it down.

While not exactly offering anything new, Cynthia Hand's writing and the great care she gives to crafting her entire cast of characters, make this an easy book to fall in love with. Clara's inner voice is sarcastic and self-deprecating. I never thought I would like a book that included a word like adorkable, but here we are. Despite being a supernatural being predisposed to being great at things, Clara still manages to be a normal and awkward teenage girl. I especially enjoyed Clara's interaction with her family. Her relationship with her younger brother was entirely realistic and reminded me of the relationship I have with my eldest younger brother. Her relationship with her mother was also nice to see; it's nice to see a badass supernatural parent for a change.

My favorite part of this novel was the romance between Clara and Tucker. Perhaps I am just a little sick of the bad boy trope that runs rampant in YA these days; but it was nice to see a nice guy finally win the day for a chance. Tucker is a southern gentleman, and not one that would usually appeal to me, but oh how he does. He is playful and sweet and it seems like he could be any guy you meet on the street. See, YA authors, the guy doesn't have to be a mysterious supernatural being to be attractive to your readers! The romance was realistic and slow to develop. No Instalove! I will say that I do not like the implications of a love triangle presented toward the end. I dislike it so much I wrote it in my notes twice. Who knows, maybe the overused love triangle will be another thing that becomes enjoyable to read in Cynthia Hand's capable hands.

Another thing worth mentioning is the love I have for Cynthia Hand's sense of humor. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, which is not something that happens often for me. I love that this book doesn't take itself too seriously, which is a trap that a lot of these sorts of books seem to fall into nowadays. I hope the same holds true for the rest of the series and am very much looking forward to picking up the sequel.

Recommendation: Anyone looking for a light and fun read.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Unearthly is on sale now in paperback. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository and other retailers. The sequel, Hallowed, will be released January 17, 2012.

Review: Pure by Julianna Baggott

Finished: December 9, 2011

Pages: 448

Author: Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Book: Goodreads

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Hachette)

Series: Pure (#1)

Synopsis: We know you are here, our brothers and sisters…

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers…to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash…

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it’s his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her. 

You can read an excerpt from Pure at the book’s website. Click on “The Opening Pages” to read.

Thoughts:

Pure is one of the most original post-apocalyptic stories I’ve come across. Patridge’s world inside the dome reflects a more familiar setting, the sort of dystopia story we are used to, with residents of the dome living under a strict new set of rules put in place by the new leaders, to supposedly protect them from repeating their tragic history. The citizens of the dome listen to only sanctioned songs, dine on soytex pills for their meals, and only those selected as genetically superior are allowed to breed. Life outside the dome, however, is much different. Both sides of the Dome are filled with characters who long for the littlest bits of the past, and both lives are horrifying, in their own way.

Outside the Dome, the word “good” doesn’t mean what you think it means… Pressia’s world is suffering the after effects of an unusual cocktail of atomic bombs. It hurts the heart to think that my very own country has used atomic bombs against people. These are not things that we can afford to forget. Pressia’s story is not entirely unrealistic, and I think that’s why this story hits so close to home, and felt more terrifying to me than other dystopian plots.

Pressia was definitely my favorite character in the novel. Her personality was endearing. In another environment, Pressia would probably be a quieter character. You see a lot of that in her inner voice. Pressia’s world forces her to be more pragmatic, a survivor, much more than the normal sixteen year old girl that she so desperately wants to be. Pressia was seven when the detonations hit. She does not know what handshakes are and she doesn’t remember eggs or lemonade. Pressia’s journey isn’t one of rebellion. Like all of the kids in this novel, she is just trying to survive in a world gone horribly wrong.

I found the parts of the plot that focused on who got into the Dome to be very interesting. Without giving too much away, those who got into the Dome were very rich, very religious, and very powerful. Before the end, church attendance was a matter of public record, and a group called the “feminine feminists” gave off a very Handmaid’s Tale vibe. The leaders in the Dome choose to describe the people left behind as sick in the head and criminally insane. This is frightening given the state of politics in our world.

Many comparisons are drawn in the novel between Pressia and Partridge’s worlds. What is the definition of beauty? Can it exist inside the Dome walls when most of life inside is fabricated? Can it exist outside where the atomic bombs have caused such destruction and created such deformities? Lyda, a resident of the Dome, spends time looking out a window that has been created to represent the scenery outside, but is not actually real. The window makes Lyda feel manipulated. Outside, Pressia makes beauty out of recycled parts and turns them into birds and other little creatures, despite being ashamed of her own mutation. I think the conclusion is, life outside the Dome will always be more beautiful, because despite everything else it’s real. The survivor’s scars and mutations are beautiful because it means they have survived.

As a side note, I am even more afraid of motherhood after reading this novel. If you’ve read, you will see why! Also, I may never wear gaudy jewelry again.

Recommendation: I do think that Pure will appeal to only a certain reader. Others will find it too dark or too grotesque. The people in Pure tend to have mutations that will make you rather uncomfortable. There also isn’t a whole lot of rebellion here, for those of you who prefer the more action packed “fist pump” dystopias. There is action here, but it’s of a different kind, and much time is spent unraveling how this world came to be and the character’s roles in that. To sum it up: you should read this if you are looking for something different from the genre, you can appreciate a slower story, and you aren’t easily unnerved. It’s worth it.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Pure will be released February 28, 2012. You can Pre-Order it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, and other retailers.

I received an egalley of this title from the Publisher (Grand Central Publishing) via Netgalley. This has in no way affected or influenced my review. I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to provide an early review of this release.

Extras: Want to check out some other perspectives on Pure? Find other early reviews at Ravishing Reads and Reading in the Corner.

Looking for other books similar to this one? You might also like The Hunger Games, Unwind, and Oryx and Crake.

Since there is a bit of a wait until this title is available, this review will be posted again on the release date.

Review: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett

Finished: November 13, 2011

Quote: “They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.” 

Thoughts: Discworld is a very large series. It can be overwhelming to know where to start. There are numerous charts available on the internet that list what books in the series tie together. I decided that my first Discworld novel would be the first book in the series of books centered around the witches of the Discworld.

The main characters here are two very strong women. One old and very wise woman (and if she doesn’t know something - she’s going to pretend she does so that you don’t suspect otherwise!) and one young girl who thinks herself very wise. This is a story about Granny Weatherwax and Eskarina Smith. Granny is a witch. She is present for the birth of Eskarina (Esk) and when a wizard comes calling to give her his powers. It is said that all wizards are the eighth son of an eighth son. Only… surprise! Esk is a female. This leads to Esk becoming the first female wizard. Only everyone tells her such a thing is not possible. Females simply cannot be wizards or attend Unseen University. Esk and Granny plan to change that.

The thing I really enjoyed about this story were the characters. Granny is very funny and doesn’t care a thing for what anyone thinks she should do. Esk is very much like Granny in this way. She is determined to go after the things she wants and not to let anyone tell her that it’s impossible.

Terry Pratchett has created a funny little world filled with humor and interesting characters. I’m excited to meet more of them as I continue reading this series.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Review: Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Finished: October 4, 2011

Synopsis: Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away… a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. [via goodreads]

Thoughts: Graceling did not immediately capture my attention, I’ll admit, and it took a little longer for me to read this book than others I’ve given the same rating to. I found the world building to be intriguing from the start. The idea that different people have graces, basically super human skills in whatever area they are graced, and that these people can be recognized by having two different colored eyes is awesome.

Despite the appeal of the seven kingdoms, at the beginning I had a hard time getting a reading on Katsa. Eventually I did warm up to her. Katsa is that rare heroine in YA these days. She isn’t willing to sacrifice herself for a companion and she considers herself perfectly capable of surviving on her own. While at times this made her seem a little arrogant, I thought it was rather refreshing in a world filled with YA heroines who constantly feel that they need to be saved by someone else, and consider themselves weak and helpless. Katsa doesn’t ever want to be married or have children, and she does not set these principles aside when she falls in love. I felt that Katsa’s reasons for feeling this way were well explained. If a woman doesn’t want to get married or have children that is her right, and it irritates me that in other reviews I’ve seen, people are saying that this is not so. They are surprised that Katsa didn’t change her mind when she fell in love. People cannot fathom the possibility that some women just don’t want to marry or have children. Her partner, Po, accepts Katsa’s choices and the romance in this book is built upon mutual respect, which is nothing to frown at.

I also don’t understand the claims that this book is filled with negativity toward men. There were only two “evil” men in this book and the rest of the male characters that Katsa encounters are characters who Katsa respects and admires.

King Leck’s abilities were absolutely terrifying. I thought his story felt a little incomplete once it had reached its conclusion, and that perhaps the conclusion had occurred too early in the book. Leck is a character in the prequel and companion novel “Fire” and I have to say that I am even more excited about that book than I was to read Graceling. The synopsis sounds even more unique and interesting than Graceling’s. I would definitely recommend looking into that book as well if you enjoyed this first novel in the series.

Rating: 

Four out of Five Coffees

Review: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Finished: September 14, 2011

Synopsis: In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born. But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.
Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenaged boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history. His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive. [from goodreads]

Thoughts: Boneshaker was the first Steampunk book that I’ve read. It was definitely very action packed. I could not put it down. I found the character of Briar to be very interesting and likeable. I also loved the side characters and would love it if they popped up again later in the series. I found Zeke’s character to be very realistic. In a lot of books nowadays fifteen year old boys are written to seem older than they really are. Zeke was appropriately scared when he should be and looked to his mother for guidance. He made several stupid decisions that irritated me but that is to be expected of a teenager. Though I did think that his bad choices were at times a bit too convenient for the story. That was my only real complaint with the novel, and the only thing that keeps me from calling this book a favorite, or giving it a five star review, is that I felt a bit disconnected from the two main characters, and cannot say that I cared about them a lot. I cared more for the side characters than the main two.

Putting the characters aside, the world building was great. I could really imagine this town and the wall that surrounded it. I also found the end to be satisfying and did not predict the twist. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an introduction to Steampunk novels.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Finished: September 17, 2011

Synopsis: As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. [via goodreads]

Thoughts: I absolutely adored this book. The creepy vintage photographs (real photographs that various collectors have found) were a wonderful addition to the story. I am so glad that the author came up with that idea for this book. They fit so perfectly in between the pages that it’s hard to imagine the story being told without them.

While I didn’t feel very connected to the main character (which could just be because I’m a female in my mid-twenties and he is a teenage boy) I was so intrigued by most of the kids from Miss Peregrine’s Home. There is a moment where some of their back stories are mentioned in passing, and I couldn’t help but think what a missed opportunity it had been, to ignore the possibility to explore these children’s lives further. I’ve read that there will be a sequel and I am very excited to see what that brings to the table. I am hoping that it might even be told through the perspective of one of the other Peculiar characters. I think Emma would make a very interesting narrator and would be able to give us more insight into the other children from the Home as well.

This book has a few minor flaws (the romance is a little bit… awkward? odd? peculiar?), and it isn’t the very best book I’ve ever read, but I would definitely recommend it. It’s a very enjoyable read and reminiscent of X-Men, but the photographs make it into something much more interesting, despite the similarities. 

Can’t wait for the sequel. Unfortunately, it appears it won’t be out until 2013? Such a long wait.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Review: A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Finished: July 31, 2011

Synopsis: Rosalinda Fitzroy is locked away in a stasis tube in an abandoned basement for sixty-two years before she is discovered. She has gone into a chemically induced sleep and has been forgotten. She wakes up to discover everyone she has ever known is dead and gone and after going through the “Dark Times” the world itself is entirely changed.

Thoughts: A Long, Long Sleep reached “page turner” status for me. The set up was very intriguing. It reminded me a bit of Beth Revis’ Across the Universe. At its core this novel was about something else entirely. I thought the way the emotional abuse was displayed was very realistic. This book will hit home for anyone who has ever been a victim of emotional abuse at the hands of a relative (or at the hands of anyone really). It certainly brought up some emotions in me and caused me to look at myself from an outside perspective. I found a lot of myself (good and bad) in Rose.

I also have to give the author props for the way the romance was handled in this book. The boy does not instantly fall for the girl the moment he looks into her eyes. He’s a normal teenage boy who hardly knows her and this isn’t one of those bullshit “instant love” YA novels where the girl is swept off of her feet. Don’t come here looking for that. In fact, there are multiple people in Rose’s life that she cares for, as in usually the case in real life, and none of these relationships are singled out by the author. She does an excellent job of displaying Rose’s relationships, past and present, and there isn’t even a love triangle to be found. Nor is Rose treated as if every boy she knows will instantly fall at her feet. She is just a normal girl with normal relationships and she knows rejection as well as the rest of us do.

Even if she doesn’t believe it at first, Rose doesn’t need to be saved, she can save herself. This wasn’t a perfect book (debut book for the author) and the writing wasn’t spectacular but I think the story shines through that.

Rating:

Four out of Five Coffees

Review: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

 

Finished: July 30, 2011

Synopsis: Tristan Thorn has promised the lady he loves that he will go beyond the Wall and retrieve for her the falling star that has just fallen from the sky. If he can accomplish his task she promises him his heart’s desire. Hoping for her hand in marriage Tristan immediately sets out on his journey. No members of their town ever venture beyond the Wall except to attend the enchanted flea market that is held every nine years. During his adventure he meets several interesting characters along the way in the magical land of Faerie.

 Thoughts: I went into Stardust with high expectations. I had heard a lot of praise for this book and I think it definitely lived up to its reputation. I thought it was whimsical and clever and also horrific at times. A book with this premise could easily have fallen into the trap of being too cutesy for its own good, but Gaiman walks this line easily, and never pushes the reader into eye-rolling territory.

Neil Gaiman is a superb writer. He definitely has his own style that sets him apart from other writers and I can see why he is so adored. This is only my second novel from him (Coraline was the other) and I think I will be picking up another from him very soon. Perhaps Neverwhere.  

Rating:

4/5 Coffees