Twisting a Tale as Old as Time: A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
Bloomsbury Kids, 2015

*ARC provided by the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2015 - thank you! This in no way impacted my opinions of this book.*

I guess you could say that it took me a while to get my thoughts in order about this book because I read it months ago but never wrote my review. Why is that? Well, largely because I have been recommending this book to fantasy lovers left, right, and center. In the first installment of her newest series, Sarah J. Maas crafts a dark, seductive, and enchanting faerie story rooted in one of my personal favorite tales as old as time: Beauty and the Beast.

In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre has no idea the trouble she's about to unleash when she kills a wolf in the woods near her home. Her thoughts are on survival, not just her own, but her father and sisters'. As she soon learns, it was no ordinary wolf, but a faerie in disguise, and one who served one of the fae lords at that. As punishment and to protect her family, Feyre is dragged across the border into the faerie lands and the estate of Tamlin, a faerie whose lands are subjected to a cruel curse. Feyre's feelings for Tamlin change from harsh hostility to pure passion, but if she's not careful, Feyre could be the one who lifts the curse as well as bring about even bigger dangers.

I flew through the pages of this novel, eager to see what happened next and desperate to keep up with the intense feelings flying between this faerie and fair human. I particularly loved how Maas twisted in aspects of the Beauty and the Beast story we know and love - I could clearly see what she was referencing in the traditional story, but she took aspects and made them her own, fitting and molding them to the world she's building. The narrative had a satisfying arc, making the book feel whole unto itself, but it also leaves a satisfactory number of questions lingering to be answered in future installments. If you're a fantasy lover and haven't read this yet, what are you waiting for?!

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading.

Sarah J. Maas's Website
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Full Force: Heir of Fire

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #3)
Bloomsbury, 2014

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

Celaena has left everything she knows and everyone she loves behind. Devastated by the death of her best friend, she must continue in her charade of serving the tyrant King of Adarlan if she has any chance of justice. Traveling to Wendlyn, she searches for answers and faces her darkest demons. Back in Rithfold, Chaol is willing to sacrifice his freedom and inherit a title he doesn't want if it means keeping Celaena and Dorian safe. However, he's pulled into dealings with the rebels and a fight he's desperate to avoid. Meanwhile, Dorian suffers with his own secrets and a dangerous group who has also been wronged prepares to take to the skies.

The stakes continue to rise in this third installment of Maas' epic fantasy series. The biggest in the series so far, the plot continues to thicken. In regards to characters we've come to know, some get more page time than other. Celaena continues to shine as a protagonist, a fierce young woman who this time around is forced to face an enemy unlike any we've seen her pitted against before: herself, her darkest secrets, her worst nightmares. Along side her for this literal but arguable more emotional journey is a new character, Rowan, someone who I was always excited to see because he too suffers, but there's a quiet and impressive strength that I can't wait to learn more about. Her chapters were by far my favorite ones, and her growth and pain was the most inspiring and heart-wrenching I've seen yet.

What sets this book apart from its predecessors is that the characters I've come to think of as the main three - Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian - spend most of the book apart from one another. As much as I'm a fan of their interactions, the separation gave them each space to grow (in some ways I liked, in others that make me nervous but there are still three more books to come in this series, so who knows what will happen?). A fourth major point of view also came in this book from the witches who are preparing for war.  While their plight was set up from events set in motion in Crown of Midnight, I did have a bit of trouble really getting into their story because it's still fairly separate from the others.

All in all, this book was a masterful continuation of a story that got off to a tremendous start. Emotionally gripping, action packed, and full of a fantastical mythology in a land where no one is safe and everyone has something to lose, Heir of Fire was a wild ride of a read and I cannot wait for book four, Queen of Shadows, to come out later this year.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Sarah J. Maas's Website
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Twisted Sister: Fairest

Fairest by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles Prequel)
Feiwel and Friends, 2015

Yes I know this book just came out yesterday, but I already inhaled it and can't contain my excitement!! Cinder may be the first book in Marissa Meyer's epic Lunar Chronicles series, but the events that set our favorite cyborg's story in motion actually started long before she was even born and far away from New Beijing. It starts with an unhappy princess who hides from mirrors and is desperate to be loved, something she's never had before. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Levana.

Fairest is the story of Levana, the woman readers have come to know as the evil queen who has quite a twisted past. While this story is not long by this series' standards - 220 pages - it breathes a whole lot of insight into what made Levana into the horrible woman she is. The novel holds a classic question at its core: was Levana always evil, or did circumstances make her that way? It is my firm opinion after reading that it's a little of both. At times I was sympathetic to this young girl. Her older sister Channery is careless and heartless towards her and she has no friends, and these facts contribute to the choices she makes for the rest of her life, choices that she sees as justified and necessary, but any sane person can see are certifiable.

This novel is a welcome addition to the Lunar Chronicles universe, adding a lot to it. Though it is a prequel, especially given the first three chapters of the final book in the series Winter that are included here, I wouldn't recommend reading this book until after reading Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress. Doing so would mean spoiling some wonderful surprises that comes in those books. However, tucking Fairest in between Cress and Winter feels like perfect placement if you're reading this series for the first time.

I know this review is short and incredibly vague, but as a devout lover of this series, I don't want to spoil anything, it's that good! And now I'm even more excited for Winter, which I didn't think was humanly possible! Like I've been saying for years now, if you haven't read the Lunar Chronicles yet, what the heck are you waiting for?

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Marissa Meyer's Website
Marissa Meyer on Twitter

A New Kind of Night Life: Dream a Little Dream

Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier (The Silver Trilogy #1)
Henry Holt, Expected Release Date: January 6, 2015

*ARC provided by the publisher - Thank you! This in no way impacted my thoughts on this book.* 

Liv Silver and her little sister Mia are used to an unstable life. Ever since their academic parents got divorced, they've been passed back and forth between them while they go to and from different jobs around the world. But when Mom gets a job at Oxford, it looks like they'll finally get to settle down and have a life they've only been able to dream of: a house with a yard in the English countryside. Except when they land in London, they're in for a shock. They'll be living in the city with Mom, her new boyfriend, and his two kids, one of whom is a boy Liv not only recognizes from school, but from the strange dreams she's been having. Suddenly thrust into the world of dreams where the regular rules don't apply, can Liv - a sucker for mysteries - figure out what's going on?

Gier does a great job in this novel kicking off her latest trilogy of seamlessly moving between the real world and the dream world, both of which are interesting and engaging. She sets up a mythology I haven't seen before, and Liv is a girl who is both very smart for her age and is aware that she has a lot of growing up to do. I also really enjoyed that this book felt balanced in terms of the protagonist having challenges both in her own life and in the bigger picture. Sure she's trying to figure out what's going on in the dream world along with the mysterious blond boys Arthur, Jasper, Henry, and almost step-brother Grayson, but there's also her sister to think of, her mom, their longtime nanny Lottie, and adapting to another new school among plenty of other things. Just like real life, she can't just focus on one thing at a time - they all demand her attention.

I felt like the pacing was a bit slow in the first half of the book for my taste, but it picked up nicely in the second (I felt similarly about Gier's previous trilogy, Ruby Red). Gier seems to be a writer who doesn't mind taking the time to set the rules and groundwork for her world right away, that way later on readers can be more focused on the characters and the story. I also felt there were a few times where Liv was redundant in that she'd show what was going on, then tell readers explicitly what had already been clearly implied.

Readers in search of a fun fantastical/paranormal-ish read will no doubt enjoy Dream a Little Dream. Reminding me a bit of Kiersten White's Paranormalcy series, I think younger readers especially will especially gravitate towards Liv (however, be aware that as Liv is growing up in Europe, teens/people there tend to be more mature and discuss issues like sex and drinking quite frankly - I had no problem with this, but parents of a younger crowd may want to know this in advance). This was a fun one-time read for me on a gray winter day, and I'll definitely be ordering it for my school's library.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

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

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

Fantasy and Fight: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #1)
Bloomsbury, 2012

The salt mines of Endovier are a death camp, a prison, the place where the King of Adarlan sends those he hates. And Celaena Sarothien is the only person ever sentinced to a fate there to leave alive. Not because she has escaped, but because she has been chosen by the Crown Prince himself to compete in a competition. If she can defeat 23 other killers, thieves, and warriors from across the continent, win the title of the King's Champion, and serve him for four years, she will finally have her freedom. She may only be 18 years old, but it's a good thing that Celaena is the most feared assassin in the land. But in a land where magic has been almost completely eradicated and something is killing off contestants, Celaena isn't just fighting for her freedom anymore, but her survival.

Now that I've finally read this book, I'm kicking myself for not having read it sooner! Of course Throne of Glass, Sarah J. Maas's debut novel is a good example of a book you need to be in the right mood to read. While high fantasy can absolutely be escapist, it also takes a bit of work on the readers part (maps, colorful names, etc). When I first tried reading this, I just wasn't feeling a strong connection to Celaena, but once I read the prequel novellas published together as The Assassin's Blade, I couldn't wait to get back into this story.

Celaena is not terribly likable. She is an incredibly flawed person, and I'm not just talking about the fact that she's a professional killer. She's vain. She's arrogant. She's got a mouth on her that gets her into trouble more often than it helps her out of it. But then again, she's an 18 year old girl, and a lot of girls that age do have a tendency to focus on boys, romance, trying to make friends, and deal with the consequences of the circumstances life has thrown at them so far. By the end, I really did like Celaena because she's a person who absolutely will not say she's sorry unless she really means it, and I think there's something admirable in that.

Once I got a handle on this sharp Celaena, I devoured this novel, reading over half of it in one day. This book has action, adventure, a dash of romance (I predict a love triangle coming as the series progresses), an evil king, killings that will make you squirm, and a magic that all thought was lost forever which comes in the most unlikely of places. While some may find the pacing to be a dash on the slow side, I think that considering this is to be a six book series, it was spot on. This novel had an arc on its own, but it's clear to see that many of the themes brought up here have staying power and will not be resolved any time soon.

Should the mood strike for some high fantasy, I'd absolutely recommend Throne of Glass. But first I say read The Assassin's Blade if you haven't already - it's like a great running start into this saga and you won't want to slow down.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

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

A Heart (and Gut)-Wrenching Beginning: The Assassin's Blade

The Assassin's Blade: The Throne of Glass Novellas by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #.5)

Bloomsbury, 2014

Celaena Sardothien is one of the most feared assassins in her kingdom, but she didn't just become that way overnight. It took a lifetime of training under her master Arobynn Hamel to become such a deadly weapon. It's a life that has been simultaneously glamorous and gruesome, and it only gets harder when she's sixteen and makes a choice that will change the course of her life and that of Sam, her fellow killer and the only person she truly trusts. The high risks could lead to a great reward, but could also result in a terrible downfall.

On a recent trip to my favorite independent bookstore, Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL, I was so excited to see Sarah J. Maas on the schedule for an upcoming author visit (it was September 7th and it was Awesome!). It was just the kick in the pants I needed to start reading her Throne of Glass series! However, a few chapters in to book one, I wasn't quite feeling a connection to Celaena. I didn't get her. And for me to not connect with a fantasy book, one of my favorite genres ever especially since I'm from the Harry Potter generation, well, that's weird. Around this time, my friend Brittany over at The Book Addict's Guide posted her review of The Assassin's Blade, Maas' prequel novellas, and highly recommended reading this before Throne of Glass. I'm so glad I listened because now I can't wait to get back into book one!

In this collection spanning five novellas and about two years of Celaena's life, I got a much stronger sense of who this girl is. What drives her. What irritates her. What makes her tick. What makes her finally stand up to the cruel man whose only kindness was saving her from a life on the streets (but was it really such a kindness?). Each novella focuses on a different mission or journey, each one peeling back the layers of this complicated woman. Suddenly, the girl I had met in Throne of Glass was making much more sense, but I won't say any more than that because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.

For now, I'll just say this: this book was both heart and gut wrenching (seriously, this girl's an assassin. Blood and guts feature pretty promenently.) While I liked some installments more than others, put together they make a compelling story and history. I highly second Brittany's recomendation that people read this before book one - it will make your experience that much stronger.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

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

Well Worth the Wait: Ruin and Rising

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Grisha Trilogy #3)
Henry Holt, 2014

*As this is the final book in a series, there are some spoilers about previous books - you have been warned!*

It is almost impossible for me to believe that the Grisha Trilogy is Leigh Bardugo's first series, and that Shadow and Bone was her first book. That debut was incredibly strong, the second installment Siege and Storm was even more complex, and so to finally arrive at Ruin and Rising, I'm in complete and absolute awe. As a novel on its own as well as the end of a series, this book does everything right.

Picking up several months after the events of book two, Alina is physically weak from her ordeal but still committed to her goal of finding the third of Marazova's amplifiers and destroying the Darkling and the Fold once and for all. The losses have been great, but those who are still by her side prove themselves in interesting and surprising ways. Their journey takes them across Ravka, pushing Alina past her limits. She knows she is Ravka's only chance for survival, but when long buried secrets and truths come to light, will Alina be able to pay the price that is required if it means destroying everything she loves, including Ravka itself?

I'm so happy I decided to reread the first two books before diving into the third because all the details

Me with Leigh at the Fierce Reads Tour
stop at Anderson's Bookshop (Naperville, IL)

of the previous installments were fresh in my mind, making me see exactly what a master of her craft Bardugo is. Off-handed comments from book 1 suddenly became pillars of importance here. Ruin and Rising is also a shining example of character growth. Alina has come so far from the small, sickly map maker in the First Army that we met all those years ago. Now as the Sun Summoner and the face of a revolution, she is still hugely flawed but incredibly strong and full of feeling. I have always admired this character in that she is imperfect and she knows it, she struggles every single day, she has self-doubt, which is to say, she reminds me of me -  a real girl who wants so badly to do what's right and to be happy, but knows that sometimes to have one means giving up the other.

And Alina is not the only incredible character on display here. Her relationship with Mal has grown so beautifully over the course of the series, and here it is put to the test more than ever before. They have both been scarred by this war, and the two of them always tug at my heart strings. Genya is a woman transformed, David gets some time in the spotlight, Nikolai continues to be captivating, and then of course there is the Darkling, as sinister as ever. Of course, he really is just a man underneath it all, and yes, readers finally learn his name. I applaud Bardugo again here for how she so expertly handled his plot line, character growth, and background mythology.

All in all, I completely loved this book. While I was a bit nervous at the pacing of the first 50 pages (a smidge slow for my taste), there was absolutely no reason to be. As soon as I read the final page, all I wanted to do was go back to the beginning and start it again. And if you've loved this series and aren't ready to let go of the Grishaverse, never fear: Bardugo's next series, The Dregs, will be taking place in the same world. If you love fantasy novels and have read the other two books in this series, pick up Ruin and Rising as soon as possible. This is one of my favorite books of the year, one of my favorite series of all time, and I can't sing its praises enough.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading.

Leigh Bardugo's Website
Leigh Bardugo on Twitter
Leigh Bardugo on Tumblr

Wishing and Wizards: The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic

The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker
Viking, 2013

Reader's stumble from reality into another world full of magic (and misogyny) in Emily Croy Barker's debut novel. Nora's doctoral dissertation is going nowhere and she's just run into ex-boyfriend (who recently got engaged to someone else) at a wedding. Desperate to clear her head, she goes for a walk and ends up in another world. At first, it seems great. She's beautiful here, adored even, and has a whirlwind romance with a prince. Only problem is, it's not real. Nora has actually been put under multiple enchantments by the evil Ilissa (who is now her mother-in-law). Thanks to the help of the reluctant and ornery magician Arundiel, she escapes, becoming a fixture in his household. She's determined to learn magic herself so she can get home, or at least survive, but does she have what it takes to master it? And does she have time with Ilissa hunting her down?

Barker has clearly put a lot of thought into the world Nora finds herself in. The best word to describe it is layers: the differences between mere wizards and magicians, class distinctions, types of magic, and even gender politics. As an academic, Nora experiences culture shock in many ways, the strongest of which is not the presence of magic or lack of electricity, but the misogyny. Women are very much second class citizens, with dowries to be arranged and a woman's purity the difference between life and death. In these ways, I found the novel to be interesting. Not only is it as if Nora has traveled to a different world, but also backwards in time.

Arundiel, the magician who saves Nora and begrudgingly becomes her teacher in the magical arts, was the character I was most interested in. Is he perfect? His past and hands are blood-soaked, but I respected his intelligence. His arc and growth were subtle, but definitely present, and he's the person I was most interested in hearing from.

The biggest criticism I have about this book is the length, and subsequently, the pacing of the plot. I'm not opposed to long books, so this novel's 563 pages did not daunt me at first. However, I believe that no matter how long a book is, every scene should have a point. That was where I struggled with Thinking Woman. While fantasy and science fiction novels tend to be longer by nature due to the intricate world building that must often take place, the pacing of this novel was often slow. The second quarter of the book was especially hard for me, and I felt that exposing the falsehoods of Nora's "fairy tale" could have happened much more quickly. The plot didn't truly pick up in my eyes until literally halfway through when Nora finally starts to study magic herself. The ending was left open, which makes sense as it is indicated on the author's Goodreads profile that she is working on a sequel.

If you are a fan of fantasy novels and don't mind books that take their time, then check out The Woman's Guide to Real Magic.  I borrowed this from my library and might be willing to check out a sequel from there in the future if the description strikes my fancy and the writing seems tighter (aka shorter), but that's a big if.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Emily Croy Barker's Website
Emily Croy Barker on Twitter

A Lovely Sort of Dark: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
William Morrow, 2013

It's not often that I sit down to write a review and have no idea what to say because I've encountered a story so exceptional that any words I provide will surely fail it. But this is one of those times and it's a great problem to have. In this book, readers learn the story of an unnamed man in his 40s who has returned to his childhood home for a funeral. While there, he finds himself drawn to the old house where the Hempstocks lived and where his life was altered forever when he was seven years old. That was when a man killed himself and set off a chain of events leading him to become friends with 11 year old Lettie Hempstock, her mother, and her grandmother, and encountering things so dark and strange and terrible and magical that few people should ever have to face, let alone a little boy.

In less than 200 pages, Gaiman paints a picture that packs a punch, but in a subtle sort of way. The language and sentence structure he uses is simple, but put together this prose feels much more like poetry in that it's not about using big words, but using the exact right ones. This surface-simplicity also makes the book feel like a dark bed time story, with strange evils and magical forces gently unwinding and wrapping around everything, pulling tighter and tighter almost without notice until it's too late. Only a masterful storyteller could craft a novel that is short and powerful and even a bit dangerous.

The Hempstock women are all fantastic forces and my heart quickly formed a soft spot for Lettie, a girl with gumption who makes mistakes but does everything out of the goodness of her heart. Her mother and grandmother were also spots of light in this dark story, both for myself and for the narrator who so desperately needed understanding and care. The narrator's perspective, looking back at strange events and recalling them as seen through the lens of a child was well balanced as well with its understanding of what we see when we're young and how it changes as we grow.

My only struggle with this book was an inability to understand the sort of magical 'rules' governing the forces at play - I like to know what can and can't be done - but upon thinking about this book (which I have done a lot of ever since finishing it) it makes sense that it is not defined. The narrator did not, could not know those things, and the scary pushes and pulls at work wouldn't be as strong if the truth were revealed.

This is only the second Gaiman book I've ever read, the first being Coraline several years ago, and I'm so happy that I finally picked it up. I was in the mood for a "grown up book" but nothing so long, something that would make me think but that wouldn't leave me exhausted or reaching for a dictionary. It's been a long time since I've encountered such a pure fantasy and a story I was completely lost in. I'm running out of shelf space and this isn't usually the type of book I'd buy, but I find myself not wanting to return this to the library. Not just yet.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Neil Gaiman's Website
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Neil Gaiman on Tumblr

Charming and Kick-Ass: Cress

Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)
Feiwel and Friends, 2014

*ARC provided by publisher at ALA 2013 - THANK YOU!*

*This book is 3rd in a series, so there are some spoilers about books 1 & 2 ahead - you've been warned!*

When I was at ALA last summer, two of my roommates and I were completely on the same wave-length about one thing: If for some reason we could only get one ARC at the entire conference, it was Cress. We woke up extra early to get in line and the three of us were part of the first lucky 100 in line who got to walk away with this amazing, thrilling, heart-pounding, heart-wrenching, swoon-worthy third installment of Marissa Meyer's series which puts a science fiction twist on beloved fairy tales.

An outcast among Lunars because she's a shell, Cress's life has been isolated and lonely with only her netscreens to keep her company. A talented hacker, Queen Levana allows her to live only as long as she is useful living alone in a satellite and spying on the people of Earth. But Cress isn't exactly loyal to the royal - in fact, she's been helping Cinder, Scarlet, Wolf, and Carswell Thorne. When a daring rescue mission goes awry, Cress finally gets the freedom she dreamed of but the group is separated. With Kai's wedding to Levana growing nearer, these three girls may be the world's only defense.

It's impossible for me not to fangirl about this book because it just does so many things right! Our old cast of characters from Cinder and Scarlet have returned, and fantastic new personalities are introduced or expanded on here. Cress is a fascinating leading lady because she's the closest so far to a 'traditional' princess - or at least, that's how she sees it. Not that she's incapable - far from it - but that she dreams of having companionship and being saved by her crush, Thorne. While at first this put me off a little bit, I had no need to be nervous because Cress shows amazing growth over the course of the book as she learns that she has what it takes to save herself and others. She's charming and cute and totally kick-ass once she comes into her own. And of course she's right along side Cinder and Scarlet, making for a dynamic pack of protagonists. Each of them has a fantastic story in her own right, and they all intertwine masterfully.

Readers are treated to new settings and the depth of this saga continues to astound. Meyer moves seamlessly between characters and is a master of getting inside of everyone's heads. Though I read this book months ago, I still have strong reactions as I thumb through the pages. Every scene matters, every characters makes readers feel, and nearly every twist left me simultaneously shocked and awed. There's romance, intrigue, action, and awe on every single page of this book from start to finish.

Cress continues in the excellent tradition readers have come to expect from Meyer and my only complaint is that Winter, the fourth and final book, will not be coming out until 2015. I'll do whatever it takes to get my hands on one of those ARCs once they exist because I simply cannot wait that long! Consider this post my official plea. Like I said before - if I can only get one advance copy of anything for the rest of the year, that one is it.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Marissa Meyer's Website
Marissa Meyer on Twitter

Knowledge and Nightmares: The Dream Thieves

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (Raven Cycle #2)
Scholastic, Expected Release Date: September 17, 2013

*ARC provided by the publisher at ALA - Thank You!*

If you thought that Maggie Stiefvater pulled out all the stops in The Raven Boys last year, hang on to your hats. You ain't seen nothing yet - just wait until you take on The Dream Thieves, book two in planned four book series The Raven Cycle. I'll try to keep Raven Boys spoilers to a minimum, but you have been warned!

This book picks up right where readers left off as the hunt for long-dead Welsh king Glendower continues, but the stakes have been raised now that a dark secret has been revealed. While The Raven Boys spends a lot of time focusing especially on Blue and the psychic women that make up her household, then The Dream Thieves is Ronan Lynch's book. Readers learn about his past, his family, the nightmares that plague him, and the truth about how he plays a much bigger role in finding Glendower than just being Gansey's friend.

Everyone is going through changes in this installment, and no one is safe. I loved seeing how the relationships between Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah continue to evolve from the first book, and new characters come into play as well. Readers are introduced to Joseph Kavinsky - another Aglionby boy who makes Ronan's brand of dangerous look downright tame - and the Gray Man - a mysterious fellow looking for the Lynch brothers.

Stiefvater's writing style is an acquired taste that isn't for everyone. I'm not sure if I would have read it when I was younger, but the books of hers that I've read so far seem to suit me now. It's often dark and eerie, and her talent for imagery blows me away page after page. She toys with your emotions as often as possible, so much so that by the end of this book I was at a total loss for words. Every voice is distinct, every scene counts, and every single word matters in putting together this story. Weird is wonderful in this case. I had to take my time reading this book (I made the mistake of rushing with book one and ended up confused) and as a result, I was fully able to appreciate this fantastical world Stiefvater is bringing to life.

Also, thanks to this book, this happened:

So if you are in the mood for a fantasy that blends history, the supernatural, the unexplainable, fast cars, Latin, psychics, new loves, lost loves, kisses, almost kisses, nightmares and new wonders, then The Dream Thieves is absolutely the book for you. Stiefvater pushes imagination and this cast to the brink, then goes over the edge in a spectacular fashion.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

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

Museums and Mysteries: Starry Nights

Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney
Bloomsbury, Expected Release Date: September 3, 2013

*ARC provided by the publisher at ALA - Thank You!*

Daisy Whitney tries her hand at magical realism in her fourth novel, Starry Nights.

Meet Julien, a Parisian teen who spends his days giving tours at the Musee d'Orsay. He loves art - always has - and his life changes when the subjects of the paintings start to leave their canvases and come to life at night. With the help of some friends old and new, Julien discovers the art is reacting to Clio, a real girl who Renoir cursed and trapped in a painting. As Julien and Clio fall in love while the famous paintings of the world start to fade, the young pair must choose between the greatest loves of their life: the art, or each other?

The strongest point of this novel was the descriptions of the art and art history. As someone who loves the Impressionist era almost as much as Julien, I appreciated this, and readers can trust that Whitney knows what she's talking about here: she got her degree in art history from Brown University.

Yet for a relatively short book, there's a lot going on. While all the pieces were there for me (I love art, Europe, museums, and Whitney's previous works), for me this story didn't quite hit the spot. Not only is art coming to life, but there's the mystery of Clio's painting, questions of a forger, elements of Julien's school life, his friends, and a whole other slew of things I don't want to spoil on top of a love story that was very, very fast. I also didn't feel like I knew some of these characters or places very well. It took me a while to realize Julien is French, if I'm honest, and though there was a lot of talk of French food, I never felt like I got a strong sense of Paris.

One aspect that strikes me the most about this book is how it's being pitched as magical realism when, to me, this is much more in line with the fantasy genre. In my reading experience, magical realism is when one aspect of reality is changed, often without explanation. However, here there were a lot of rules. Julien has a gift and he can't explain where it comes from, sure, but then there was a whole mythology that made it all feel more like a fantasy or perhaps supernatural.

If you are looking for a quick read with quirky characters, nights at museums, love, and an edge of mystery and mythology, then Starry Nights is probably a book you will really enjoy. The novel is very clearly a love letter to art, especially the Impressionists, and that comes through with every page. I liked this book enough for a fast one-time read, and if it sounds interesting to you, I'd say check to see if your library has a copy you can borrow should the mood strike.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading.

Daisy Whitney's Website
Daisy Whitney on Twitter

A Modified Myth: The Abandon Trilogy

The Abandon Trilogy by Meg Cabot (Point Publishing)
Abandon, 2011 (bought copy)
Underworld, 2012 (ARC from Blog-O-Rama - thank you!)
Awaken, 2013 (ARC loaned from Literary Lushes - thank you!)

Meg Cabot takes readers to the land of the dead in her Abandon Trilogy, a reimagining of the Persephone myth. While I usually don't review a series as a whole, this time I feel like I can make an exception. This blog started after this trilogy did, and now having completed the whole series, I feel that it's best to look at all three of these books together as one unit.

The premise: Pierce was 15 years old when she died. She arrived in the Underworld and reconnected with John - a death deity she first met when she was a child and her soul mate - but she escaped and came back to life. The trilogy follows their romance when they meet again 2 years later and her struggle with becoming queen of the Underworld and spending eternity there, being targeted by evil spirits known as Furies, and trying to keep her family safe.


Now I love Meg Cabot's writing generally. The Princess Diaries books felt like they had been written just for me, I adore many of her other YA novels, and as I've grown up I've enjoyed the handful of her adult novels that I've read. However, if I'm honest, this series was a tough one for me. In series, there is of course an over-arching saga that ties the books together, but to me a strong series means that each installment has an arc of its own. Here is where the Abandon Trilogy struggles.

If read in quick succession, the story makes more sense. Abandon is mostly backstory, explaining the connection between Pierce and John. Underworld is a typical second book, filling in more details about the world, introducing more new characters but seeming to leave a lot of the old ones we just got to know in the first book behind. Then finally Awaken brings back things we haven't thought of since book one, mashes them up with plot points and characters from book two, and thus wraps up (mostly) the story of the lord of the Underworld and his beloved.

The premise is interesting, but to me this is a case of a trilogy that is actually one book drawn out over three books. With some editing and condensing, this could have been a really fantastic stand-alone novel in my mind but as a series, it didn't quite hit the spot for me. What I can say positively is that this is a trilogy that mostly redeemed itself in the third book. Much of the tension in the relationship between the protagonists stems from lack of communication, but at least much of that is resolved by Awaken's conclusion. Old characters and newer characters blended together to form a colorful and quirky cast. Not everything was fully explained, but the main points were so I was mostly satisfied.

Overall, if you are a fan of Cabot's and haven't read this series yet, borrow it from your library if the mood strikes. It wasn't my cup of tea, but this trilogy was the reason Meg Cabot came to town a few years ago and I got to meet this rockstar author I've looked up to for a very long time. She even declared that I was the best librarian ever! For that I am eternally grateful.



Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading.

Meg Cabot's Website
Meg Cabot on Twitter

A Touch of Magic: Wonder Light

Wonder Light by R.R. Russell (Unicorns of the Mist #1)
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2013

*ARC sent by the publisher - thank you!*

In a weird twist of fate, I came home one afternoon to find a package containing this book. I didn't ask for it, I haven't read middle grade novels since I was in late elementary school/junior high myself, but since it was there I figured I'd go ahead and give it a read.

In her debut children's novel, Russell introduces readers to 12 year old Twig. She's been sent to an island in the Pacific Northwest to stay with a family on their secluded ranch where they take care of other 'troubled girls' like her, giving them a chance at a fresh start. It looks fine enough, but there's something in the mists that Twig doesn't quite trust. Despite the fact that Twig is terrified of horses, she finds herself secretly caring for a newly born unicorn and working with the mysterious boy Ben who lives in the woods. A magical and dangerous war is taking place among the unicorns and Twig must face her fears to save this creature, place, and people she has come to love.

All in all, this was a cute fantasy mixing a contemporary world with ancient magical elements. The idea of unicorns having their own sort of society while still interacting with people in their own world was a twist I've never seen before. It took a while for me to fully wrap my head around it, but once I did I was good to go. The only criticism I have about the story was some pacing issues. Within the first few pages, you learn Twig has been branded as 'bad' but you don't learn why for a really long time. Also, the first half was a lot of building up and background while the second half was more action, but this seems to be pretty typical of books that set up a series. After all, in Harry Potter, Harry doesn't even get to Hogwarts until halfway through book one.

This book was a fine and fast reintroduction to middle grade writing, so if that's your target age group, it's worth checking out from your library. If you know young fantasy fans or readers that don't mind a twist on the contemporary, they'll probably love this. I gave this very ARC to the 9-year-old girl who lives next door and she's been gushing about it ever since, so in this case I think you better take her word over mine.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading.

R.R. Russell's Website

Dragons and Danger: Seraphina

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1)
Random House, 2012

In the mood for a young adult series with elements of high fantasy and a reimagining of dragons unlike anything you've ever seen before? Then look no further than Seraphina, the debut novel by Rachel Hartman.

For forty years, an unsteady peace has existed between the humans and dragons. They don't understand each other, but at least dragons can take human form and there are still ways of telling who they really are. But it actually only emphasizes that nothing is really as it appears, especially for Seraphina. An extremely gifted musician to the royal court, she works every day to literally cover up her worst secret: she is half dragon, and her very existence is illegal making it impossible for her to truly belong anywhere. When a well-liked royal is killed in a manner that looks highly draconian, Seraphina finds herself in the middle of a mystery as people search for dangerous truths.

Hartman has a strength for world building, and it is clear that she thought long and hard not just about the physical setting of the kingdom, but how all the seemingly insignificant details of this world are actually crucial to making it come together. There's a very clear culture among humans and a separate belief system among dragons. Values, appearances, manner of speaking all come into play. And this book also goes deep. While there are dragons, there are not wizards or spells or enchantments. There are, however, questions and mysteries on politics, ethics, and the nature that relationships and laws are never cut and dry, black and white. In the two days that it took me to read this 450 page tale, the blending of these elements was done in a way that made it clear to see what was important and what was on the line.

However, like I just said, at 450 pages this book is big one. There's a glossary to help readers keep track of the terminology that comes along with this world along with lists of who characters are. In that sense, the book was a bit heavy. This isn't to say I don't like to be challenged when I read - I do, I love it! - just that at times I had to stop the flow of my reading to think "wait, who are you again?" There were instances of the pacing being uneven, too, but things picked up towards the end setting readers up nicely for the adventures to come in book 2, anticipated to come out in in early 2014.

Overall, I really liked this book and will probably continue to check the series out from my library to see where it goes next. If you like traditional high fantasy with a twist, then this is a series you don't want to pass up.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Rachel Hartman's Website

Hope and Helplessness: Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (Grisha Trilogy #2)
Henry Holt, 2013

*ARC won in a giveaway hosted by Brittany at The Book Addict's Guide - thank you!*

Since this post is about a sequel, some spoilers are inevitable. I'll try to keep them to a minimum, but you have been warned.

Brace yourself for a fantasy that's certainly not afraid of delving into the dark side. In Siege and Storm, the second installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy, readers are plunged back into a world battling power, greed, and the Darkness itself.

Alina and Mal make a run for it and try to escape her life with the Grisha and role as the Sun Summoner, but their freedom is short lived. Before long, they're both back in the world of the Darkling and the next step of his plan: obtaining a second amplifier for Alina to make her powers even greater so he may continue to exploit them. Alina finds herself more torn than ever before - power and the Darkling call to her as like calls to like, but there's also the kind of person she wants to be and the love of Mal, the one person who wanted her just the way she was. Enter a privateer with plenty of secrets, an ancient legend of an impossible saint, and a royal family with a small war going on among themselves and you have a sequel that hits the ground running and never stops.

While I absolutely had to inhale the first book in this series Shadow and Bone, with this sequel I took my time. By doing so, I was able to see things differently and could actually pause to contemplate and consider the choices made in this story. The setting continues to be enchanting and specific - world building is one of Bardugo's strengths. She also provides a cast of characters in which the secondary players are all as distinct as the protagonists. And if you want action, you're in luck. Plenty of battles, mysteries, fights, and questions come page after page keeping readers on their toes.

Another thing that this book does quite well is proving that a character does not have to be likable to be the lead. Don't get me wrong, I like Alina. I envy her strength and her strive to do more, her willingness to sacrifice herself in more ways than one if it means a chance at saving Ravka. But there were also plenty of times where I wanted to slap her, to plead with her to reconsider because she was making a huge mistake, sometimes blinded by her desire for power, other times by love. In this way, Alina is incredibly complex and realistic - it's why I'm hardly surprised at the success of this series or why so many people connect to it. Mal continues to be the boy who has claimed my heart, mostly again because he is far from perfect, but I also was completely charmed by Sturmhond, the privateer with an agenda of his own who is much smarter than anyone gives him credit for. I truly hope to see more of him in book 3.

All in all, this was a fantastic followup to a tremendous book (which was a debut novel at that - that fact still blows me away). If you're looking for fantasy, then look no further.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Leigh Bardugo's Website
Leigh Bardugo on Twitter

Cast Away: Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Little, Brown 2009

Nothing ever happens in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina. It's like time and opinions have been frozen since the Civil War, and 16-year-old Ethan is tired of being stuck with these small minded people. But nothing could have prepared him for the arrival of Lena Duchanes. It's evident from the start that she's no ordinary girl, but it's more than that. Lena is a Caster and on her 16th birthday, she will be claimed for either the Light or the Dark, good or evil. What could a mortal boy like Ethan have to do with any of it? Everything, it turns out, especially when he falls in love with her.

Over the course of about a week, I was wrapped up in this Southern Gothic world that Garcia and Stohl have built up. A lot of things are done right: Ethan, the mortal boy, being the narrator was a smart move and a pleasant departure from the usual female narrators in this genre. Many secondary characters are deeper and more complicated than they initially seem, the pace of the story fits perfectly for the south, and these writers clearly thought long and hard about the Caster world and the rules that it must abide by.

For those reasons, I really liked this book. I'll probably pick up the next books in the series at some point, but I don't feel a rush to this very second. Some pieces didn't quite fit together in my mind. There were times when I felt like some plot points were dragged out and redundant (mostly when everyone in school was ostracizing Lena because she's an other, different, an outsider). And there were lots of questions I had which are probably answered in later books, but for right now I feel like they're a bit unnecessarily open.

If you like fantasy, want something with some paranormalcy, romance, and the flavor of the south, then the Caster Chronicles is the series for you. Like I said, I really liked it, but maybe I wasn't in the perfect mindset for falling in love. I'm certainly interested to see how the movie compares, though.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Kami Garcia's Website
Kami Garcia on Twitter
Margaret Stohl's Website
Margaret Stohl on Twitter

Brave and Bold: Scarlet

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #2)
Feiwel and Friends, 2013

*A HUGE thanks to MacMillian for sending me an ARC of this novel!*

In early 2012, I was lucky enough to win a copy of Marissa Meyer's debut novel Cinder, a sci-fi retelling of a fairy tale posing the situation of what if Cinderella were a cyborg. I read it, completely loved it, and have been insisting to everyone I know that this is a series that is not to be missed.

So when I was selected as a winner of an ARC of Scarlet, the next installment in The Lunar Chronicles, you can bet I knew how fortunate I was. There simply aren't words to express how much I have wanted to, needed to know what happened next. No second-book slump here for Meyer - people who loved Cinder will absolutely not be disappointed.

There's a whole new country and cast of characters joining those readers already met in book one. Scarlet lives in the European Union, not too far away from Paris, and her beloved grandmother is missing. But despite her best efforts, no one seems to care. No one, that is, except for Wolf, a street fighter who is as mysterious as he is lethal, and he may know who took the old woman. For some bizarre reason, it's believed Scarlet's grandmother could have information about the long-lost Lunar princess, but Scarlet knows Grandmere is just a farmer...right? Meanwhile on the other side of the planet, Cinder is trying to come to terms with the truth about her past, teams up with an American ex-soldier Captain Thorne to get out of New Beijing, and is determined to figure out a way to stop the evil Queen Leavana and keep Emperor Kai from making the worst mistake of his life.

Action, suspense, twists and turns with dashes of romance and tension here and there, this book has it all. Meyer has so masterfully merged these two story lines together in a way that it's still very easy to keep track of this large cast of characters and the plot. It will be interesting to see how this will hold up in the remaining two books of the series Cress (due out in 2014) and Winter (2015), but I have no doubt it will continue to be remarkable. It's agonizing to think that we'll have to wait so long to know how it ends, but I was lucky that my wait for this installment was two months shorter than a lot of others'.

As I've said on this blog before, sci-fi usually isn't my forte, but this series makes me reconsider that stance. This is sci-fi for the fantasy lover, with strong girls, charming princes, and a lot of action that makes it impossible to stop reading until you get to the final page. This is a five-star book in my mind, no doubt about it.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading!

Marissa Meyer's Website
Marissa Meyer on Twitter