The Fuma Files: 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Top 10 Books of 2014

Getting this in just under the wire, check out my Top 10 Books of 2014! And Happy New Year!!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Let's Get Together: We Should Hang Out Sometime

We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist
Little Brown, 2014

*e-Galley provided by publisher via Net Galley - thank you! This in no way impacted my opinion of the book.*

Josh Sundquist was 25 when he realized something pretty extraordinary about his life so far. No, not the fact that he only had one leg - that was amputated when he had cancer as a child. No, this was something that was just as mind blowing to him: he'd never really had a girlfriend. He almost had one, once, but for less than a day before she broke up with him through a friend.

Yeah. Ouch. And so, armed with curiosity and an appreciation for the scientific method, Josh sets out on a quest: to get in touch with all his almost-girlfriends of his past and find out what exactly went wrong. Over the course of several years and many awkward meetings, Josh learns that his path to finding romantic love necessitates first loving and accepting himself. All parts of himself. Even the parts that have been amputated.

It's an interesting journey that readers go on with Josh. While I don't know what it's like to be an amputee, Josh is able to explain his life, his views, his perfect pick-up line of "We should hang out sometime (he has deep thoughts why it's impossible to say no to) and the way he interacts in a world without ever seeking (or getting) pity. Instead, he got a lot of me nodding along, completely identifying with all the bumbling, stumbling, nerve-wracking, occasionally wonderful feelings that come along with growing up and dating.

My criticisms of this memoir are few. By the end, the pattern established of how Josh examines each of his past "relationships" felt a bit redundant, but mostly I was disappointed that we didn't have more to the conclusion with Ashley, Josh's first real girlfriend and now fiance. While I understand the desire for privacy (which they of course deserve), as a reader I wanted to know more about why this time, things were different. And I just love happy endings, so come on! Give me more! :)

Fans of Josh's previous memoir Just Don't Fall or his YouTube channel should absolutely give this book a read. And even if you've never heard of him before, even if it seems like on the surface you may have nothing in common with this guy, give this a read anyway! This book's conversational style feels like a long talk with a friend who, by the end, you'll wish you could hang out with sometime.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Josh Sundquist's Website
Josh Sundquist on Twitter

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Defy the Dark, Sleepstalk

Welcome to Short Story Saturday! Each week, I'll talk about a different story from the collection I'm working my way through and offer up some thoughts. I'm currently reading Defy the Dark.

Story: Sleepstalk
Author: Courtney Summers
Summary: Despite the fact she's been told to stay away, one night a girl absentmindedly walks to Jed's house, discovers he's a sleepwalker, and makes a habit of following him on his nighttime strolls for several nights after, desperate to be acknowledged by her ex.
Thoughts: I've never read any of Summers' novels, but she has a reputation for writing about the grittier side of life. That is very much showcased here in a story of obsessive love and a girl who was both wronged by the boy she loved, but who also cannot let go. While the end left me a bit turned around plot-wise, I did enjoy that this story kept me on my toes.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Short Story Saturday Extended Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer

Welcome to Short Story Saturday, Special Edition! Normally each week, I talk about a different story from the collection I'm working my way through and offer up some thoughts. However, with it being the holiday season, I'm going to do a mini-review for these 12 days leading up to Christmas! I'm currently reading My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories.

Story: The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer
Author: Laini Taylor
Summary: When the town minister - an evil man who already has three wives in the ground - targets Neve to be his next wife, she summons Wisha, the old spirit, the Dreamer, for help.
Thoughts: This is the second time I've come across Laini Taylor's work in a short story collection, and for the second time it was outstanding. I love how she puts magical and wondrous twists on historical type of stories, infusing them with just enough magic that I find myself wanting to believe that something like that really could have happened and could maybe happen again. A fantastic finale to a well put together anthology.

And that's it for this extended edition of Short Story Saturday! To those of you who celebrate, have a very Merry Christmas, and to everyone, may your days be merry and bright!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Star of Bethlehem

Story: Star of Bethlehem
Author: Ally Carter
Summary: Lydia, eager to escape her life for a while, trades tickets with Icelandic girl Hulda at the airport and ends up spending Christmas pretending to be her with Hulda's boyfriend in the small town of Bethlehem, Oklahoma.
Thoughts: Oh my stars did I love this one! While the ending was a smidge rushed in my opinion, this story does so much right. The holidays are a difficult time of year for a lot of people, and I love how Carter shows this but also leaves readers with hope, with family, with love, and with the possibility that in time, we can heal. Adored this, truly and completely.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Welcome to Christmas, CA

Story: Welcome to Christmas, CA
Author: Kiersten White
Summary: Maria is counting down the days until she graduates and can leave her dying town of Christmas, California once and for all, whereas Ben is a new arrival to the town and diner where she works and has an uncanny ability to know exactly what customers want.
Thoughts: LOVED this one! The perfect combination of serious and sweet, Maria and Ben are two characters who each stand on their own and compliment each other so well. This tiny town with its quirky diner grew on me just as it grew on Maria and it has a cute little nugget of honesty and truth at its core. One of my favorites in this collection for sure.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus

Story: Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus
Author: Myra McEntire
Summary: Vaughn - a guy with a reputation for his love of pranks gone awry - is sentenced to community service at the local Methodist church when he accidentally burns down their storage right before the annual holiday pageant and spends time with Gracie, the minister's daughter and his exact opposite.
Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this story of hijinks and mishaps, of second chances and getting the opportunity to make a fresh start, of people who believe in each other more than they believe in themselves. Vaughn really isn't a bad guy, and Gracie isn't a saint (though she is very sweet). The two balance each other out really well and I thought this was simply adorable.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Short Story Saturday Extended Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?

Story: What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth?
Author: Gayle Forman
Summary: Sophie has been regretting coming to a rural college pretty much since the moment she arrived, yet when she meets Russell at a Christmas caroling event on the last night of Hanukkah, she starts to see that maybe this place and people are exactly what she needs after all.
Thoughts: I absolutely adored this story in its somber moments, in how it honors the fact that rural colleges can sometimes feel like another planet and that I wasn't the only person who can be overwhelmed by moments when I put my foot in my mouth or think "What the hell am I doing?" The plot is simple, the characters are complex, and I wish I could give this story a hug. Well done!

Friday, December 19, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Krampuslauf

Story: Krampuslauf
Author: Holly Black
Summary: Hating how her town has ruined Krampus the Christmas Demon and how her best friend Penny is obsessed with her boyfriend and his other girlfriend, one teen finds her world a lot darker and a little more magical at their New Year's Eve party.
Thoughts: I had never heard of Krampus before last year, so to read a story that featured him so prominently was fun for me - I knew what she was talking about! This addition to the collection was dark and twisty, so for readers who seek out those kinds of stories, this one's definitely for you.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Your Temporary Santa

Story: Your Temporary Santa
Author: David Levithan
Summary: Connor's boyfriend isn't wild about the idea of dressing up as Santa for the sake of Connor's youngest sister - he's Jewish, after all, and does Connor think he's fat? - but as he dons the red suit on Christmas Eve, it becomes clear that this whole family needs something to believe in.
Thoughts: This is the most realistic of the stories in this anthology so far. Not in that I think a whole lot of Jewish boyfriends are necessarily dressing up as Santa to make six year olds happy, but in that Connor's family's situation is realistic. These people have been rubbed raw, their world shaken, and each one of them is coping in different ways. This story was tender and while it hurt a little, I loved how completely honest it was.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown

Story: It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Summary: Marigold doesn't have a crush on brawny Christmas Tree Lot Boy, she just needs his amazing voice for an animated film she's working on. At least, that's what she's telling herself when she buys a tree she can't really afford from him.
Thoughts: I am a puddle of warm, gooey feels after this story! Marigold and North both have circumstances stacked against them, which is why the fact that they find each other is that much sweeter. Their personalities are distinct, their banter is fresh and witty, and their chemistry is electric. If I could draw well, I'd be starting on fanart for this one immediately. I want a full length novel, a movie I can curl up with under an afghan and watch over and over again. Or I can just keep rereading this one (and believe me, I will!).

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Polaris is Where You'll Find Me

Story: Polaris is Where You'll Find Me
Author: Jenny Han
Summary: Natty is the only human to have ever been to Santa's North Pole, let alone live there. But this adopted daughter of Santa longs for the one gift her father can't make in his factory: the love of Flynn, the elf.
Thoughts: Oh, Natty. I feel for this girl in a classic tale of liking a guy who does not/might not like her back. I love the adoption angle here, and how Flynn and Natty are friends despite their differences. The ending is open ended (and potentially sad), but I look at it as hopeful. Natty has a choice to make, but in my head, she chooses the path that leaves her and Flynn happy (and together).

Monday, December 15, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Angels in the Snow

Story: Angels in the Snow
Author: Matt de la Pena
Summary: Shy is dirt poor, without food, cat/apartment-sitting for his boss, and alone on Christmas in New York City, missing his family and wanting to drop out of NYU so he can reunite with them and return to his old life in California. Then Hayley knocks on the door.
Thoughts: This is not my first time reading de la Pena's work - he's popped up in quite a few of the short story anthologies I've read in recent years. His style is something I'm growing fond of, a great combination of grit, honesty, and sweetness. The build up in this story was slow and tender, and Shy is perfectly named. This ending, full of hope and the possibility of something, made me smile.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, The Lady and the Fox

Story: The Lady and the Fox
Author: Kelly Link
Summary: Miranda has spent every Christmas with the celebrated and eccentric Honeywell family, and each year she longs to see the mysterious ghost-like spirit of Fenny, a man from long ago who can only appear when it's snowing on Christmas Day.
Thoughts: This story took a while for me to get into. Or rather, I was getting into it, then it took a twist and I felt like I had to start over with wrapping my head around it. While the magical elements go largely unexplained, I liked Miranda and seeing her try to figure out herself, her friendship with Danny, her longing for Fenny, and the rules that keep them apart. Not my particular cup of tea, but it was still interesting.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Short Story Saturday Special Edition: My True Love Gave to Me, Midnights

Story: Midnights
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Summary: Mags and Noel have spent the past three New Year's Eves together, always going to a party at their same friend's house, but this fourth year, Mags is hiding from Noel because she can't watch kiss another girl at midnight again.
Thoughts: Sa-WOON! I adored this story and what a way to kick off this collection! I loved how readers get to revisit the same characters year after year, coming back to the same place, seeing how they've changed. I'm also a complete sucker for the "best friend becomes something more" scenario, and it was done adorably here. Well done! Loved it!

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Anchors Away: Stern Men

Stern Men by Elizabeth Gilbert
Mariner, 2000

Ruth has spent nearly her entire life on a small, practically forgotten island in Maine, its inhabitants all quirky and resistant to joining "modern" times. They're lobster fishermen, stern men through and through. But Ruth has never quite completely fit in with them, and no one quite takes her seriously when she comes home after completing her fancy mainland education and claims she wants to work the boats too. But Ruth isn't one to give up without a fight, especially when she has something to prove. Yet it is ultimately meeting the curious Owney from the neighboring (and rival) island that pushes the girl to make a change once and for all.

When I first heard about this novel by Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love fame , I thought it sounded sort of plucky. Charming. A bit Romeo and Juliet meets a Gilmore Girls/Stars Hollow-esque cast on fishing islands in Maine. And it was those things, to a degree. But the blurb inside the book jacket puts much more emphasis on a budding romance and island rivalries than the novel does. More than anything, this is a story about one island, it's history, and how the choices of Ruth's various ancestors - from her parents to generations back - have all lead up to this moment she now finds herself in. And, all in all, I didn't mind that that's what the story was, I only wish it had been more accurately advertised as such.

My biggest criticism of the book comes from its pacing. A relatively short novel, Most of the book felt like backstory. Though the pace of the plot did pick up in the second half, the conclusion felt comparatively rushed, lacking the careful attention to detail that the first 2/3rds received. It also left me with a lot of questions about the characters I'd just invested so much time in. For example, readers are introduced to the challenges regarding the marriage of Ruth's parents, but with the book's abrupt ending (the conclusion was crammed into an epilogue), there was no resolution or even mention of what became of them.

All in all, I liked Gilbert's writing style. I found the setting and premise to be interesting, but the pacing did leave something to be desired. Still, I do intend on continuing to read more of Gilbert's writing in the future. If you're in the mood for a cozy book with an intimate setting that looks at the world on a small, but not unimportant, scale, check this out from your library. I found it to be a fine one time read.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Elizabeth Gilbert's Website
Elizabeth Gilbert on Twitter

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, Many Happy Returns

Welcome to Short Story Saturday! Each week, I'll talk about a different story from the collection I'm working my way through and offer up some thoughts. I'm currently reading Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love.

Story: Many Happy Returns: A Generation Dead Story
Author: Daniel Waters
Summary: After four teens die and one is in critical condition after a car accident, parents brace themselves for the possibility that they might come back to life, but is that what they really want for their children?
Thoughts: Another piece to this anthology that is a spin-off from a contributor's series of novels I haven't read, this one was fairly straight forward and easy to fill in the blanks: in this version of reality, teens who have died sometimes come back (in a zombie-esque sort of way) up to a week after they die. After a week passes, any chance of a return is gone. This story looks at familial love, at acceptance, and how people handle both hope and grief. I thought it was okay, not my particular cup of tea, but still fine.

And that's it for Kiss Me Deadly!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Great Advice for Alleged Grown-Ups: Grace's Guide

Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to be a Grown-Up by Grace Helbig
Touchstone, 2014

For how long have people said that there's not a guide book for how to be a grown up? Well, now there is! Coming of age in the digital age has been full of ups and downs, and frankly, at 26, a lot of the time I still find myself not quite feeling like an adult. I mean, I do when I'm at work, helping mold young minds and all that jazz, but there's still always been that part of me who feels more like the I'm still 16 years old, hopelessly lost on things like how to interact with other people (not just guys. People. Guys may as well have been from another planet).

But never fear, Grace Helbig is here!

Known for her hilarious videos on YouTube, Helbig dishes out plenty of food for thought five days a week on her channel it'sGrace to her 1.9 million subscribers. In a guidebook tailor-made for Millennials (though you don't have to be one to enjoy this), life gets broken down into easy-to-manage chunks, each section's advice resulting in a hashtag acronyms to help you remember. The guide is both practical and humorous as it is dotted with plenty of anecdotes from Helbig's life, both things her viewers may have seen before as well as secrets coming to light. It's not enough to count as a memoir, but again, it enhances the conversational feel of the entries.

All in all, I can't say enough great things about this book or Grace herself whom I was lucky enough to meet when she was on tour for this release. At an event with over 200 people, she took selfies with everybody and though she's a self-proclaimed introvert and "the Internet's awkward older sister", she seemed at ease and made every person feel special, like a friend, like we weren't alone.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Grace Helbig on YouTube

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, The Hounds of Ulster

Story: The Hounds of Ulster
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Summary: Bryant and her best friend Sullivan are Irish punk music gods and are well aware of the fact that music can have power over people, but she never realized how it would change both of them and their friendship.
Thoughts: Sometimes when Maggie Stiefvater writes a short story, it feels much more like a conversational anecdote. She's not one for tidy endings or explaining everything - she leaves a lot of room for readers to draw their own conclusions - and such is the case here. In this piece, various kinds of love are at play - romantic, familial, fantastical, and painfully platonic - and in the end, we are left with more questions than answers, namely which kind of love is really the most powerful of all?

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Fairy Tales with Feminist Twists: Poisoned Apples

Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty by Christine Heppermann
Greenwillow Books, 2014

I consider myself fortunate in that I grew up in a time where being a princess was something I always saw as an honest-to-goodness Job rather than only being about handsome princes and happily ever afters. Thanks to the likes of Princess Diana, Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series, and now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, it was always clear to me that fairy tales, while lovely stories to get lost in, may not always be quite as they appear. I've been thinking about this a lot ever since finishing Poisoned Apples, a collection of 50 poems by Christine Heppermann inspired by classic fairy tales, but given contemporary and feminist twists.

While there are plenty of people out there who see fairy tales as detrimental to the minds of young girls, Heppermann's collection shows how the princesses in these tales are very much people too. Dealing with the pressures put on us by society and ourselves, some of the roots of these poems are more obvious than others, but each one packs a punch. The artwork that accompanies these poems adds to their emphasis, an additional reminder of how what we say, what we think, and how it looks on the outside can all be drastically different things.

I don't typically consider myself much of a poetry person - I can usually only appreciate it in small doses - but when I find something that speaks to me, it does so loud and clear. This is very much the case for many of the poems in these pages. Two in particular stand out, "The Woods" and "Nature Lesson", but I made copies of many others so I can draw from them in times of need.

Even if you don't consider yourself a particular fan of poetry or fairy tales, I highly encourage you to give this book a chance. It may be small, but it is fierce.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Christine Heppermann's Website
Christine Heppermann on Twitter

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, Vermillion

Story: Vermillion
Author: Daniel Marks
Summary: When the undertaker in Vermillion is suspected of joining the growing revolution and has gone missing, Velvet and her boyfriend Nick are recruited by the Station Agent to search Purgatory's other boroughs for him.
Thoughts: This story was not my particular cup of tea, but then again, I've always had trouble with mysteries. It took me a while to sort of figure out the world and people's roles in it, so in focusing on that I wasn't paying as great attention to the clues and red herrings as I should have. If you like stories where paranormal meets mystery/detective flair, then this is for you.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Hang on to Your Heart: Crown of Midnight

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #2)
Bloomsbury, 2013

*As this is the second book in a series, there may be spoilers for previous books - you have been warned!*

Maas takes readers on another emotional and action packed roller coaster in Crown of Midnight, the second book in her Throne of Glass series. Celaena Sardothian has won her place as the King's Champion and over the last few months has begun to adjust to her new role as the royal assassin. Watching her fight for her survival is one thing, but seeing how she takes the lives of others is something else entirely for Prince Dorian, Captain of the Guard Chaol Westfall, and visiting Princess Nehemia. Yet there are all kinds of suffering that each of them endures, many of them in the form of terrible secrets, as the evil king rules from his glass castle. When tragedy strikes, where will Celaena's loyalties lie and will she strike back?

Maas continues to build her intricate fantasy world in book two of this planned six book series. The stakes, which were already high, continue to rise. However, this time around I felt that urgency not just in Celaena, but in her peers as well. It quickly becomes clear that all of them have a lot to lose, and while the highs are great (they are truly wonderful and fantastic, leaving my heart pounding and my knees weak), the lows are devastating. This is one of those reviews when I'm not even sure what to say because I'm still trying to process all that has happened, all the questions that are now on the table, and what lies ahead for everyone's favorite fantastical killer with a conscience (well, mostly haha). This book has an arc of its own, yet Maas is clearly thinking long term here, especially when she still has four books to go.

There was so much growth, so many twists and turns that kept me guessing, and I'll definitely be coming back for more in the Throne of Glass series. And if you're a fantasy lover, I'm betting you will be, too.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Sarah J. Maas's Website
Sarah J. Maas on Twitter
Sarah J. Maas on Tumblr

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, Fearless

Story: Fearless
Author: Rachel Vincent
Summary: Sabine, a delinquent in the eyes of the Texas justice system, has been sentenced to six months at Holser House and get her act together, but it's easier said than done if only people knew the things she saw whenever she touches another person.
Thoughts: Ms. Vincent, you can't end a story like that! I NEED MORE! This was such a refreshing and different paranormal story, from Sabine's powers to the setting, to the well thought out abilities of others' and how they all come together in a perfect storm. I loved this, except for the ending because I want more. So if you could please finish this novel (because this is clearly a cut-off novel, not just a short story), that'd be great.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

There's Something About Her: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Harper Collins, 1934

I usually do my best to read the book before I see its film adaptation, but Mary Poppins is an exception to this rule. Not only was I a young child when was first introduced to this fascinating character, but I must admit that I never even knew she was based on a book until recent years. And so since recently seeing the film Saving Mr. Banks which chronicles the challenges of Walt Disney getting Poppins author P.L. Travers to agree to sell him the film rights to her story, I was curious. I'd learned that there were numerous changes between.the beloved novel and its equally beloved film.

Blowing into Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane on an East Wind, Mary Poppins is unlike any nanny the Banks family has ever known before, but she couldn't have better timing seeing as their other nanny just quit. Charged with the care of the Banks' four children - yes, that's right. In the book, Jane and Michael have twin younger siblings James and Barbara - Mary Poppins takes them on fantastical adventures and does her job well.

However, Travers' Mary and Disney's Mary aren't exactly identical. While both are firm, determined to get the job done (and done right), and incredibly orderly, they each go about things in their own way. In Disney, she's also extremely kind and caring, a source of sunshine in the lives of everyone she meets. In the hands of Travers, however, she is not one for sentimentality. Often after these magical adventures, she will insist to the children that they never happened and they are being ridiculous. She's also a bit vain, taking great pride in her appearnce and often stopping to admire her reflection in shop windows.

Many of my favorite scenes from the movie are also here, albiet they transpire differently such as the journey into the chalk drawing with Bert, the tea party on the ceiling, and the woman who feeds the birds at St. Paul's Cathedral. And of course, this being a book, there was plenty more happening as well.

All and all, I can see why children of past generations were interested in these stories. While I'm not so sure it'd be my top pick for kids anymore, I think for those who loved the movie and want to know its origins or for children wanting to explore chapter books, this is something they may enjoy. This wasn't my particular favorite read ever as I explore more classics, but I'm glad to have read it once.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, Familiar

Story: Familiar
Author: Michelle Rowen
Summary: Brenda, a reluctant witch-in-training, goes to the local magic store to pick out a cat to be her familiar but instead of getting a kitten, she picks out and is Bonded to a shape-shifting boy named Owen.
Thoughts: I. LOVED. THIS! This story was fantastical and fun and I loved the snarky banter between Brenda and Owen. I thought each of their circumstances was interesting and how the Bond worked between them. Add in a dash of werewolves, some stolen jewelry, and this is a story I'd love to keep reading. I'll definitely be looking for more by this author!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Life and Death: Mortal Heart

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers (His Fair Assassin #3)
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Release Date: November 4, 2014

*ARC provided by the publisher at BEA and picked up by Rachel of ReadWriteRamble - thank you! This in no way impacts my opinions expressed in this review. Also, as this is the final book in a series, there are some spoilers for the previous books in the series - you have been warned!*

I remember when my library first got a copy of the first book in Robin LaFevers' His Fair Assassin series - in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who put it on the order. Nuns who serve the ancient Brittany god of death, St. Mortain (who is actually their father), by becoming highly skilled assassins? Sign me up! Yet there it sat, a premise I was always interested in, yet just didn't pick it up and start reading. When I finally did, I was hooked on this historical series. I inhaled Grave Mercy, then Dark Triumph, and finally Mortal Heart.

Annith has been at the convent of St. Mortain her entire life and is still waiting for her chance to leave the abbey's walls so she may finally carry out the will of her god with her own highly skilled hands. Her dearest friends Ismae and Sybella have already been sent out, as have younger girls with far less training. So when the abbess declares that it is the will of Mortain that Annith become the new Seeress, a role that means never leaving the abbey for the rest of her life, this daughter of Death takes her life into her own hands and leaves to join her friends. The journey unites her with unlikely people, long buried secrets come to light, and it becomes clear that Annith's destiny with Death is far different from anything she could have imagined in the abbey's walls.

This was a very satisfying ending to LaFever's trilogy. I've been interested in Annith's story ever since meeting her back in book one. While this novel has fewer action sequences than its predecessors, here readers get a lot in terms of the ancient beliefs of Brittany, backstory about the abbey, and the followers of other saints. The abbess also plays a much bigger role here, and while I still hate her more than ever, learning her story was illuminating. Seeing Ismae and Sybella again was like visiting old friends, but I think my favorite parts are ones involving new characters. I won't say more than that because the surprise was so much fun and I don't want to spoil it for anyone. For readers of this series who like the dashes of romance included before, never fear, you'll find that here as well. My only criticism is that since it's been a year since I read book two, I was hazy on remembering the political details of this world, so a bit more in terms of helping refresh my memory would have been helpful.

Though the story of these three handmaidens of Death is over, LaFevers has ended her saga in a way that still allows room for the story to continue should she choose. All in all, if you liked books one and two, pick up Mortal Heart. I'm so glad I got to read it early, but even if I hadn't, I'd say this book was worth the wait.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Robin LaFevers's website
Robin LaFevers on Twitter
Robin LaFevers on Tumblr

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, Hare Moon

Story: Hare Moon
Author: Carrie Ryan
Summary: Tabitha has been raised to believe that her village is the last of humanity, yet learns this isn't so when she breaks the rules and ventures into the Forest of Hands and Teeth and falls in love outsider Patrick.
Thoughts: Though I'm not the hugest fan of when works in short story collections are extensions or spin-offs of authors' other series, this story is an exception because it stands on its own. I've never read Ryan's historical zombie series, but had no trouble following this tragic tale of Tabitha and the choices she must make. I was hopeful for a happy ending, but, alas, zombies have a tendency of making that kind of impossible. Still, a very engaging story.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Poppies and Politics: Across a Star-Swept Sea

Across a Star-Swept Sea (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #2)

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund
Balzer & Bray, 2013

Centuries after the wars that wiped out most of the world's civilizations, the lone survivors of New Pacifica remain deeply divided. Both the island nations of Galatea and Albion bear the long term effects of the Reduction generations before, but handle it in much different ways. On Galatea, a revolution is rising up against the aristocracy they blame for their ancestors' suffering. Not only are people dying, but the upper class is being Reduced themselves. Except some are being rescued by the mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy. Meanwhile on Albion, a young princess-regent struggles to maintain order in a court that limits her power. Luckily she has supportive friends, like Persis Blake, even if that girl is a spoiled and silly socialite. Except she isn't - Persis is the Poppy and far more clever than she can let on to keep her cover safe. When Persis's path crosses with that of Justen, a young Galatean medic seeking to distance himself from the revolution for more than a few reasons, he becomes her most important mission, but will all of their combined secrets cost her her country, her heart, or both?

This companion to For Darkness Shows the Stars is much more intricate than its predecessor. A retelling of the classic story The Scarlet Pimpernel, this tale is one not just of relationships, but of complicated political circumstances. As such, I had to read this book more slowly than the first. There's a lot to keep track of here - readers get in the heads of many different characters on both sides of this conflict, they all have secrets, and there's also the world building and science fiction aspects to keep straight.

The world Peterfreund has built here is a luscious and rich one, with layers of thought and intrigue. At times I did find it a bit overwhelming, but I eventually got the hang of it. The characters are what kept me engaged here. Persis is a remarkably smart girl and an adept spy in a nation that tells her because she is a woman - despite her aristo rank - she's not important. Her struggle with maintaining a facade as a stupid, silly thing was heartbreaking, especially in front of her parents who know how brilliant she really is. Justen too is at war in himself, feeling guilty over something he discovered and trusted to the wrong people.

While readers do not need to read Peterfreund's first book in this"series," I highly recommend that they do so - things will make much more sense if they do. (That book can stand on its own, whereas with this one, several prominent ccharactersfrom that novel come back in more than just a mere cameo appearance.) While Peterfreund confirmed to me on Twitter that there are no plans for a third book, I sincerely hope she changes her mind. I'm intrigued in this world and how it continues to evolve, and the ending of this novel certainly lends itself to more adventures.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Diana Peterfreund's Website
Diana Peterfreund on Twitter

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Short Story Saturday: Kiss Me Deadly, Behind the Red Door

Story: Behind the Red Door
Author: Caitlin Kittredge
Summary: The first time Jo goes up to the abandoned Ash House, it's on a dare during a hot summer day in their boring small town, but in the months that follow, she finds herself drawn back again and again by a ghost with a secret.
Thoughts: This story! This story was well crafted and delightfully creepy! I had no idea where it was heading and got completely wrapped up in it. I'm usually a huge pansy when it comes to ghost stories (though I'm also fascinated by well-told ones), but this one had me completely engaged. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for other works by this writer.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

More Magic and Mystery: Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (Raven Cycle #3)
Scholastic, Expected Release Date: October 21, 2014

*e-Galley provided by the publisher via NetGalley - Thank you! This in no way impacted my opinions of this book.*

*Since this is the third book in a series, there may be minor spoilers ahead for books 1 and 2 - you have been warned!*

Blue Sargent never could have guessed how much her world in Henrietta, Virginia was going to change when she met Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah - the Raven Boys - a few months ago. But now, parts of her world are unrecognizable. Their combined quest for Glendower continues as they try to understand what the mysterious Cabeswater wants from them. Now autumn, school is back in session bringing with it concerns about real-world expectations and what comes next. Because nothing about any of their lives is certain anymore.

In the newest installment of her Raven Cycle series, Stiefvater continues to keep readers guessing. Nothing lasts forever, stories can be misleading, and some answers only lead to more questions. While I'd say that The Raven Boys is mostly Gansey's and Adam's book and The Dream Thieves is mostly Ronan's, Blue Lily, Lily Blue gives much more focus to Blue's story. Life at 300 Fox Way has never been normal, but things are so much more complicated and harder now than they were even a few months ago when she was "just" the daughter of a psychic.

I particularly loved seeing all of the various relationships in her life become more complex. She's no longer a child in this house full of women, but very much becoming a woman in her own right. And she walks an interesting path with each of the boys. Before this book, I never really realized how much she has in common with Ronan. Through Blue, readers see a different side of Noah. Adam and Blue continue to dance around each other, trying to figure out how to move forward given their past. And then there's Gansey. Heavens above was the tension here turned up to 11! Sa-woon!

All in all, I was happy with this book. Well, by happy I mean I was hanging on every word and the wait for the finale of this series will be excruciating and unbearable. This is what happened when I finished it:

Fans of the series have a lot to look forward to when Blue Lily, Lily Blue hits shelves on October 21st.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Maggie Stiefvater's Website
Maggie Stiefvater on Twitter
Maggie Stiefvater on Tumblr

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