Top Ten Tuesdays - Book Club Picks

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

For book club picks, books really have to be a bit deeper than the sort of thing you could easily breeze through, and they have to appeal to a wider audience.  It's that, or they have to be something completely different.  So I've tried to pick books I've enjoyed, and that I think might work.

1.  The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

I know this one’s primarily a fantasy novel, but it’s one of those that I think a lot of people could read, even if they’re not necessarily fantasy fans.  It’s well written, there’s a lot of story there to get your teeth into, and it’s the first in the series, so no worries there about people not having read the first one.

2.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

I admit, I only recently read this one myself, but it totally screams book club read to me.  It’s deep, it’s accessible to a lot of people, and there’s quite simply a lot to be discussed.

3.  The Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

There’s a reason this book is a classic – it’s such a clever book.  I know that by spouting about microcosm’s and human nature I’m going to end up sounding like my Secondary School English Teacher, but I actually ended up really loving this book. 

4.  The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger.

Again, this book is a classic, and something a lot of people end up reading in secondary school English.  I actually read it on recommendation from a teacher, because they felt it might be something I’d relate to, and it’s another book I love.

5.  The Mists of Avalon by Marrion Zimmer Bradley.

This one’s really interesting, it’s Arthurian legend, but written from the points of view of the women in Arthur’s life rather than the man himself.  Having read a lot into Arthurian legend, I found this interesting, but I think it’d also make a good starting point for those who don’t already know the story. 

6.  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling.

Okay, I doubt there are that many people who haven’t read this, but I know there are a lot of adults who have written this off as a children’s book.  But as we all know, it’s one of those series’ that's appropriate for everyone, and as a book club pick, it might actually convert the non-believers, and for those who already love, it’d be a nice revisit.

7.  Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki.

A lot of people have read Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha.  Well, this is the story it was based on.  A lot of the book was based on Golden’s interviews with Iwasaki, who didn’t like the way Geisha ended up being portrayed, and so wrote her own book.  Given it’s an autobiography, I found it fascinating, as it opens the eyes of the Western audience (and even a Japanese audience!) to the hidden world of the Geisha. 

8.  The Godfather by Mario Puzo.

This one’s another movie adaptation I think a lot of people would enjoy, even if they don’t think they’d enjoy it.  It’s a long book, but it’s enjoyable, fast-paced, and tells a memorable story.  I think it’s got a little something in there for everyone. 

9.  The 13 ½ lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

I got given this as a present.  I thought it was a children’s book, and was consequently less than impressed.  But it’s an adult’s book, and it’s hilarious, complete with illustrations.  Enjoyable, and something completely different. 

10.  Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk.

This book’s pretty much a comment on human nature, and how we can sabotage ourselves, and yet, it’s somehow also about understanding.  Definitely one for the book clubs. 

So that’s my top ten, what have the rest of you chosen?

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher/format: Dutton Books, Hardcover

How I got this:  Purchased

Challenges: 2012 YA Reading Challenge, LTAL – contemporary

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:

This is another one of those titles that I’ve been ridiculously slow to pick up, so again, not a ‘proper’ review this time, more a summation of my thoughts and feelings whilst reading the book.  I’m going to say as well that given this is a companion to Anna and the French Kiss it’s going to be pretty much impossible not to draw comparisons between Lola and Anna, and I’ll probably end up doing that.

I was worried that there would be more similarities between the two than there were, actually, especially when I read that we see more of Anna and Etienne in this book.  Actually, Anna and Etienne became ideal complimenting characters, without overshadowing the new characters in this one, and I liked that.  Also, it was good that Lola and Cricket were distinct from Anna and Etienne and had their own complete story. 

I didn’t think I liked Lola too much at first – somehow she seemed like a little girl trying to be older, with the clothes and the older boyfriend, but I gradually grew to like her more and more the further through the book I got. 

As for the men in the book – well.  Max fulfills everything any girl has ever dreamed about in the older-rocker-boyfriend department.  He’s a bit of an ass, but really, I think he perfectly illustrates this crazy thing us girls seem to have for guys we know will be bad for us.  And then Cricket – oh Cricket.  Why do boys like you not live next door to me?  He’s loyal, friendly, tall (I preferred him to St Clair for this!) and very, very into Lola.  Basically, I need a Cricket in my life. 

I’m going to admit, I think I preferred Anna over this book, though I can’t really explain why.  That said, I still read through this one in a day, pretty much in one sitting, so it definitely did something right!  Stephanie Perkins has definitely made a steadfast fan out of me, especially with her ability to conjure up guys I end up feeling like I need in my life. 

Because I’m using this for the Let’s Talk about Love challenge, I’m just going to go into the relationships in this book in a little more detail. 

In terms of Anna and St Clair, it was really nice to see these two again, and see that they’re still every bit as adorable as they were in the previous book.  I loved how St Clair was planning on saving for their future, and how he clearly kept his promise to see Anna whenever he could.  As I’ve previously said, I’m a romantic at heart, and it made me smile just reading about it. 

Max and Lola were an interesting couple, but it was clear even when he was being nice to her that he had major being-an-arse tendencies.  I was pretty much willing Lola to break up with him before she did, but I guess I can see how young love could make you blind and whatever.  I wish she’d also been more upfront with him about the Cricket thing as well – I suppose that’s because I like things easy and honest, but I can also see the necessity in it. 

Now for Cricket and Lola – this was cute, and all the build up was cute, and I suppose whilst I didn’t like Lola stringing him along whilst still seeing Max, it made it all the sweeter when they did get together.  I liked all the little things he did for her, and the way he acted around her, and seriously, I need a guy to do those things for me.  Definitely hoping these two make a cameo in the next book – because I need to know more! 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

My Enjoyment: 4/5

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher/format: Scholastic, Paperback

How I got this:  Purchased

Challenges: LTAL – Dystopian, 2012 YA Challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

In a dark vision of the near future, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live TV show called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Review:

There’s honestly not too much point in me writing a ‘proper’ review of this, because let’s face it – this book is pretty well known.  However, I will say that I’m pretty annoyed with myself that I hadn’t read this before.  For whatever reason, it didn’t sound like my sort of thing (too much potential gore, maybe?) but actually, I completely loved it. 

This book was everything I feel a dystopian novel should be – a world with an overpowering ruling body, which makes things different to our current world, but with enough similarities that it’s somehow unsettling to read. 

The world building in this novel is fantastic – though the future as described by Collins in this novel is not somewhere I’d like to visit, much less somewhere I’d want to live.  The former North American continent is ruled by The Capitol, the ruthless rulers in charge of the 12 districts, each of which are responsible for a specific function.  Every year Hunger Games are held, and two children from each district are randomly chosen to participate – and only one out of the twenty-four will survive. 

I have to say, the characters were also brilliant.  I loved Katniss – she’s so authentic, and you can really see for yourself the way she thinks, and why she acts the way she does when confronted with certain situations.  Her motives are clear and well thought out, and somehow she’s likable even when she’s being bloody-minded, or complaining, or obtuse, or whatever else, really.  I liked Peeta – again, he was the typical nice guy, which makes me feel that he’s going to massively get screwed over when the time comes (I have the other two books on stand-by, so I will be finding out soon!).  I kind of wish I could have seen more of Gale to make a proper judgment, especially with the clear love triangle that’s occurring here. 

Basically, if you, like me, have been living in a hole and ignoring this book, it’s definitely one to stop.  Also, it’s perfect for anyone who’s been feeling a bit ‘meh’ about dystopian novels, because honestly, it’s completely fantastic! 

Because I’m using this in the Let’s Talk about Love challenge, I’m going to talk a little more about that, actually.  As usual, this part may contain spoilers.

Basically, Katniss gets told to act like she loves Peeta (who has also declared his love for her) as a strategy to obtain sponsors – it will make them stand out, and instantly more likable to these people, meaning that they stand a chance of gaining gifts that may help them when they’re in the Games.  That said, it’s pretty clear to everyone but Katniss pretty early on that it’s not so much of an act for Peeta.  He loves her – and I think there’s something on her side too, especially the way she uses him as a sort of secure base, and of course, the incident with the berries. 

The way the audience watches the pair of them fall in love in the arena is described in the book, and you kind of get that as a reader.  I think you do see Katniss start to fall for him, but all the while she keeps thinking of Gale in the back of her mind.

Gale, of course, is her childhood friend/illegal hunting partner from back home, and she’s pretty sure she couldn’t live without him, but he’s never been anything romantic to her. 

I’m pretty much looking forward to seeing how all this pans out in the series, and of course, seeing what happens to Katniss next – given she’s clearly not going to get away with what she did.

Overall rating: 5/5

Writing: 5/5

Style: 5/5

Originality: 4.5/5

Characters: 5/5

Let's Talk: Childhood Favourite Books

Let's Talk is hosted over at I Swim for Oceans.

What Childhood Book do you Cherish to this day?

As a kid, I loved to read.  I read back then about as much as I do now – my Dad still jokes that as soon as I went to school, he never saw me without a book in my hands.  He was probably about right.  Some of the books I read, even back then, were library copies, so I don’t own them (which, in hindsight, is a shame).  But the ones I do own are still on my shelf now, albeit rather battered and well loved.

Firstly, Enid Blyton.  I’ve read every Famous Five book, most of them multiple times.  I loved George as a kid – she reminded me a lot of me, never wanted to sit still, wanted to do it if the boys were doing it, thought Anne was a bit of a wet blanket sometimes…  But it wasn’t just the Five I read.  I read The Secret Seven books, though I preferred the Famous Five, I read a heck of a lot of the short stories.  Basically between the ages of about six and ten I loved these books. 

Roald Dahl was another author I loved as a kid.  I think my favourite book was probably the BFG, or maybe James and the Giant Peach.  The stories were all so fun, and full of adventure, and just generally enjoyable.  I remember being so excited when the James and the Giant Peach film came out, I was so glad when my Mum took me to go see it.  Again, this was probably between about seven and ten in terms of age range. 

I also read a lot of Goosebumps books, and Margaret Mahy, as well as Judy Blume, though these came later. 

It was after that I started to read fantasy more than just general fiction, and discovered the world of Tortall, as created by Tamora Pierce.  Again, I loved those books, and a part of me still wishes I had a copy of these myself. 

Of course, I can’t forget to give an honourable mention to the Harry Potter series.  I grew up almost at the same rate Harry did, or it feels that way, and even now, those books occasionally get re-read.  They’re kind of timeless – my grandparents have even read them –so they’re obviously enjoyable to more or less any age group. 

So what are everyone else’s’ favourite childhood reads? 

Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher/format:  Margaret K McElderry, Kindle Edition

How I got this:  Bought from Amazon UK Kindle Store Sale

Challenges: 2012 YA Challenge, 2012 Ebook Challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

When Clary Fray witnesses three tattoo-covered teenagers murder another teen, she is unable to prove the crime because the victim disappears right in front of her eyes, and no one else can see the killers. She learns that the teens are Shadowhunters (humans who hunt and kill demons), and Clary, a mundie (i.e., mundane human), should not be able to see them either. Shortly after this discovery, her mother, Jocelyn, an erstwhile Shadowhunter, is kidnapped. Jocelyn is the only person who knows the whereabouts of The Mortal Cup, a dangerous magical item that turns humans into Shadowhunters. Clary must find the cup and keep it from a renegade sector of Shadowhunters bent on eliminating all nonhumans, including benevolent werewolves and friendly vampires.

Review:

Clary’s life starts out at normal, and goes very, very quickly down into paranormal – unraveling everything she thinks she knows along the way.  The long and short of it is that Clary has been living a lie without even knowing it, and the more insight she gains, the more everything changes. 

She soon discovers that she comes from a family of Shadowhunters, or people who hunt demons, and when her mother is kidnapped she needs the help of these Shadowhunters to get her back. 

I have to admit, I’ve been putting off reading this.  I’ve read Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare before, and I didn’t enjoy it even slightly as much as I enjoyed this.  In hindsight, maybe it would have been better for me had I read this book first.  However, this book went down to bargain priced in the Kindle Sale over Christmas, and I couldn’t say no. 

I’m so glad I didn’t!  Cassandra Clare weaves the Shadow world (or Downworld?) into the modern day world almost effortlessly – it feels like everything is explained, right down to how mundanes (or non magical people) manage not to notice demon activity and everything else. 

The characters were brilliant – I liked the fact that not all of them immediately loved Clary, and the fact that even main characters, like Jace, were inherently flawed – it was all a part of their charm in the end.  Even Clary herself was a good character.  She’s supposed to be fifteen – and for the most part Clare has that down – Clary argues with her mother and storms out, she feels guilt, she cries sometimes – I found myself liking her more and more. 

The story moved along at a really good pace, there was never a point where I was bored, or wondering if or where the next bit of action was coming from – I was thoroughly impressed! 

Honestly, if there’s anyone left who hasn’t read this book, please do, it’s a good read, and it’ll definitely keep your attention!  Plus, it has a lot of twists and turns you don’t necessarily see coming, which is definitely a good thing!

Overall rating:4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

My enjoyment: 4/5

Top Ten Tuesdays - Top ten heroines!

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is a Freebie, meaning that we’re allowed to pick whatever topic we want!  The backstory to my list is a conversation with The Bookish Ex, who basically said he doesn’t read stories with female protagonists often because he finds them whiny and/or that they make stupid decisions.  So, I’m writing a list of my Top Ten Female Book Characters who are completely awesome. 

1.  Alanna of Trebond from the Songs of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce

Okay, we’ve gone through before how much I love this series, and how it’s the series that got me into Fantasy.  Alanna kind of reminds me of a younger version of myself – every bit the tomboy.  I think it takes amazing courage to do what she did – deceiving everyone, then having to confide in one person, through to eventually leaning to trust a whole group of people with one of her biggest secrets.  For a younger me, she showed that girls can do everything the boys can do, and just as well, especially when she eventually becomes the King’s Champion later in the series. 

2.  Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by J K Rowling.

This one doesn’t need too much explaining, other than Hermione gets a bit of a tough time of it, but manages to come over it, and is probably one of the smartest female book characters going.  Also, Harry and Ron would have been completely screwed on several occasions without her.

3.  Leesha Paper from The Painted Man by Peter V Brett,

In this, Leesha is completely awesome in her own right.  She’s strong, she’s capable, and she doesn’t need a man to define her, unlike the other girls her age from her village.  She’s quick witted, strong willed, and generally awesome. 

4.  Yeine from the Inheritance trilogy by N K Jemisin.

Yeine has some pretty messed up relatives – the kind who would sick an angry god on her, just because she’s different.  She’s a great example of overcoming racial prejudices and an underdog victory, and I love her for it.

5.  Lady Morgaine from The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Normally in Arthurian fiction, Morgaine isn’t portrayed as the main character – nor does she often get portrayed in a positive light.  However, in this retelling, both occur, and though I’d previously written Morgaine off as the villain in the whole thing, this suggests that there may have been more to her than previously met the eye. 

6.  Paksennarion from The Deed of Paksennarion by Elizabeth Moon.

This girl goes from sheep farmer to Paladin – what more needs to be said?  She has some serious battles and sticky situations on the way, and makes it all the same. 

7.  Meghan Chase of the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa.

This might seem like a weird one, especially after the rest of the books I mentioned, however, throughout the series, we watch Meghan grow up, and I can’t even criticize the fact that she relies on Ash and Puck a lot, because eventually, she learns to rely on herself (not going further due to spoilers!).   I ended up loving her as a character, and almost appreciating her more for everything she goes through, with little to no complaint. 

8.  Sydney from Thief of Hope by Cindy Young-Turner.

Again, a book I’ve expressed my love for in the past.  Sydney’s another character who hasn’t had it easy, and I was actually glad when she lets her heart rule her head for a little while at the end of the book, because otherwise she’s almost overly sensible. 

9.  Cinder from Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

She’s an awesome mechanic, she has a sense of humor, even the Prince loves her, and I loved Cinder as a character.  For a cyborg, she was certainly full of life, and I enjoyed reading through her voice, and the controversies of her life.  She’s so strong, even when everything is going wrong, and makes decisions for the good of others above herself – what’s not to love? 

10.  Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

Karou kind of goes through a journey of self discovery throughout the book, and I want to see how it ends so badly!  She was a likable character, and I’ve included her in this list, because I’ve got a feeling she’s going to become absolutely awesome in the subsequent novels! 

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Author: Jennifer E Smith

Publisher/format: Poppy, Hardcover

How I got this:  Bought from Amazon UK Store

Challenges: 2012 YA challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it

Review:

This book was really sweet, and fairly short, and I pretty much did just sit down and read it over the course of a Sunday. 

Hadley is on her way to England for her Father’s second Wedding, to a woman she’s never met.  Of course, she’s fairly stubborn, and she’d rather have dentistry done than actually attend – she’s still very angry at her father for his break-up with her Mother, and generally dislikes the idea.

However, she manages to miss her flight, and ends up having to wait for another, in the course of which, she meets Oliver, apparently cute British guy, whose calming influence makes the plane ride all that much better. 

The whole story takes place over a twenty-four-hour period, and involves Hadley supposedly finding true love, making up with her father, and finding that things can actually be okay again. 

Admittedly, I enjoyed the book – however, it’s nowhere near as fluffy as I’d kind of hoped it might be (yes, I’m mushy at heart!) and I felt that sometimes Hadley was a little too self-centered for me.  Sometimes it felt a bit like the British-isms were crow-bar’d into the story, and whilst I hate drawing comparisons between characters in non-related books, Oliver is no St Clair.  I’ve said as much before, but I don’t really fall for the whole British guy deal, being British myself, but for me, Oliver was mildly amusing, moderately intense, but nothing overly special. 

Somehow, Hadley’s behaviour seemed somewhat crazy for a girl who was seventeen, in London for the first time (I don’t live there myself, and I find the London public travel system terrifying!) and all over a guy she’d barely met, on her father’s wedding day.  I mean, I know they weren’t close, but could you honestly do that?  Maybe I’m being too cynical, but that’s my point of view. 

This all said, the book does have some lovely sentiments – some of the things Hadley says/thinks are fairly profound, and there are some brilliant romantic analogies in this book.  I really enjoyed these, and some were thought provoking.  Really, despite acting kind of strangely sometimes, Hadley had a nice voice, I’m just not so sure I agreed with some of her actions! 

As I’ve stated, however, I did enjoy the story, and it was a nice lazy Sunday afternoon read, and I feel like I’m one of the only people who felt that way about this book. 

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 3/5

My Enjoyment: 4/5

In a similar vein…

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Book Buying Ban!

It’s official.  I’ve had to implement a book buying ban. 

We’ve all done it, and said it – I am not buying any more books!  But how often have we stuck to it?  I’ve normally got a book or two lurking around that I bought then didn’t get around to reading, but quite frankly, my current pile is ridiculous. 

It all started when I got myself the box set of the Game of Thrones books.  I’d watched the TV series and I was really curious, especially as they seemed right up my street.  Of course, I’m a sucker for a bargain, so I got the box set instead of buying all the book individually.  The thing is, I bought it in September, it’s now January, and I’ve only got through the second book.  It’s forgivable, given there are so many, and the fact I don’t like reading series books one after the other, but that’s besides the point. 

Then I got a few books in between, but that was kept under control, because I was working my way through them. 

Then the Kindle Sale happened over Christmas, meaning I loaded my poor Kindle up with everything and anything all in the same of fantastic deals.  Unfortunately, I haven’t really got through too many of those either. 

And then there’s the January sales books, and the books I bought because I just needed them, and yeah, you can guess.

My current TBR pile has over 20 books in it, and until I get through them, I am not allowed to buy any more.

Of course, I can already foresee the cheating that is going to occur.  I ‘acquired’ it. (I.e. via borrowing).  It was a free download – surely that doesn’t really count?  It was too good an offer to refuse!  And so on and so forth. 

I’m really going to try to stick to it, but I’m pretty weak-willed when it comes to books!  Has anyone else put themselves on a buying ban?  And how did it go?  Let me know!

Book Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Title: The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Publisher/format: Black Swan, Paperback

How I got this:  Bought second hand copy

Challenges: 2012 YA challenge

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Death, a sardonic and articulate character who is afraid of humans, narrates this WWII coming-of-age story about faith, love, hope amidst tragedy.

Zusak has created a work that deserves the attention of sophisticated teen and adult readers. Death himself narrates the World War II-era story of Liesel Meminger from the time she is taken, at age nine, to live in Molching, Germany, with a foster family in a working-class neighborhood of tough kids, acid-tongued mothers, and loving fathers who earn their living by the work of their hands.

The child arrives having just stolen her first book –- although she has not yet learned how to read -– and her foster father uses it, The Gravediggers Handbook, to lull her to sleep when she's roused by regular nightmares about her younger brother's death. Across the ensuing years of the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Liesel collects more stolen books as well as a peculiar set of friends: the boy Rudy, the Jewish refugee Max, the mayor's reclusive wife (who has a whole library from which she allows Liesel to steal), and especially her foster parents.

Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward. Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details, giving Liesel's story all the nuances of chance, folly, and fulfilled expectation that it deserves. An extraordinary narrative.

–Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Review:

Wow.  Just Wow. 

I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this before.  I bought my copy of this book way back in September, when there were a lot of really good reviews for it out and about, and I consequently kept picking it up, and then putting it down in favor of some ‘easier’ reading. 

I admit, I was worried by this book because it’s completely out of my comfort zone – I haven’t read much fiction (or much anything, really) set in WW2, and that scared me a little, not to mention the fact that so many people think so highly of this book. 

I really shouldn’t have been. 

The story in this book, for me, seemed to be about human nature itself, and the ways people help and hinder each other, as well as being a story about survival in the roughest of times.  The whole thing felt fairly bittersweet to me, because whilst points were really touching, there was some really horrible stuff there – but I guess that’s the flavour of the time the book is based on.

I liked the fact that the book is narrated by death, portrayed as a fascinated onlooker.  The slightly caustic writing style was enjoyable for me, though I can see why some people wouldn’t like it. 

This is definitely one of those books that some people will really love and be touched by, but it’s almost like you have to get to a certain point first, and I can understand why some people wouldn’t get that far.  It’s difficult to explain, but there’s some aspect to the book which I found almost difficult to get on with, but I was captivated enough to keep on going, and I’m so glad I did, even though the ending isn’t the happiest I’ve ever read.

Foreshadowing is used fairly heavily in this book, and I think it’s to possibly the best effect I’ve ever seen in a YA novel.  It’s there, and it’s always in the back of the reader’s mind, but it’s not overpoweringly obvious what’s going to happen. 

The characters were fantastic throughout – everyone was well-described, and as a reader I actually felt like I knew the inhabitants of Himmel Street by the end of the novel.  Even Death himself was an enjoyable character, for me, and I was impressed, because it’s not often you find a narrator in books that is as well personified. 

I’d recommend this for both YA readers and older readers, but this is definitely one for older teens.  It’s a good book for those looking for something different, but if you don’t tend to like books that don’t have a happy ending, this probably isn’t the book for you.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

My enjoyment:  4/5

Book review: Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Title: Jessica Rules the Dark Side

Author: Beth Fantaskey

Publisher/format: Harcourt, Hardback

How I got this:  Bought from Amazon UK store

Challenges: 2012 YA challenge/LTAL Challenge – Romance in a series

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

It’s one thing to find out you’re a vampire princess. It’s a whole other thing to actually rule. Newly married Jessica Packwood is having a hard enough time feeling regal with her husband, Lucius, at her side. But when evidence in the murder of a powerful elder points to Lucius, sending him into solitary confinement, Jessica is suddenly on her own. Determined to clear her husband’s name, Jessica launches into a full-scale investigation, but hallucinations and nightmares of betrayal keep getting in her way. Jessica knows that with no blood to drink, Lucius’s time is running out. Can she figure out who the real killer is—and whom she can trust—before it’s too late?

Review:

The first book in the series, Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (my review here) started the story, with Lucius Vladescu, Romanian Vampire Prince courting Jessica Packwood, the world’s most unlikely Vampire Princess.  Think Twilight meets The Princess Diaries and you have a fairly accurate representation.  This book continues on, following the Dragomir/Vladescu wedding (which you can read forfree here!) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

At the beginning of the book, Jessica is struggling as the newest Vampire Princess.  She can’t speak Romanian, doesn’t know her way around her own castle, and looks meek and helpless besides the powerful figure of her new husband.  However, when he is accused of destroying (killing) another Vampire Elder, it’s Jessica who has to test her mettle and try to prove her husband’s innocence. 

This is one of those books that could easily have been all post-marital bliss and schmexing (don’t expect that – these books do read as a fairly young YA, but that doesn’t detract from how enjoyable they are, honest!).  But that’s not the case at all.  In terms of storyline I actually enjoyed this one more, because it’s a departure from the typical Vampire courtship storyline there is a lot of in the genre at the moment. 

The storyline of this really grew Jess as a character, changing her from Pennsylvania farm-girl vegan teenager through to Princess Antanasia Dragomir Vladescu (her birth name – she was adopted by the Packwood’s for those who don’t know the series).  I have read that this was Beth Fantaskey’s intention with the book, and I very much feel it was accomplished.  Lucius doesn’t change too much from the previous book – he’s still sexy vampire leader with clear ambition and a penchant for fair rule.

The addition of Mindy’s POV added a lot to her character, and she changes from being Jess’ somewhat annoying friend through to being a character in her own right, and I ended up really liking her.  Likewise, Raniero as a character was brilliant, and it was good to see the clear sides of him, as Vampire Assassin and as chilled-out Surfer. 

Basically, I couldn’t complain about the characters in this book, and the new characters really did make the story that much better for me.  And the fact that the story was that much more complicated in this one made me think a lot more of Fantaskey’s writing style and skills.  Massive thumbs up!

I really did enjoy this book, and I’d recommend it for anyone who read the first book and enjoyed it, or to anyone who likes vampire stories in general.  Definitely not one to be read as a standalone though, I don’t think.      

One of my only criticisms is that I kind of saw the ending coming miles off, and that’s why it doesn’t get the full 5/5!  However, this was a fun and relaxing read, and I’d recommend it!

Now, because I'm using this for the LTAL challenge, I'm going to take a minute to discuss the relationships in the book, which as I normally do, I'll do by pairing.

Lucius/Jessica: Okay, so this is the obvious place to start.  The last one was full of tension between the two, and it was nice  how it's changed in this book to pretty much a back-burning general affection.  It's nice how protective of Jess Lucius still is, and the way he's not scared to show her he loves her.  They seem genuinely happy in one another's company, and even with Jess' shortcomings at the beginning of the book, Lucius doesn't get annoyed - he merely worries for his wife's well-being and shoulders the concern himself rather than telling her.


Raniero/Mindy: I loved this romance - it was a nice way of keeping the romance in the book without focusing it all on Lucius/Jess again, which might have got tedious.  This one's definitely a fun sort of romance, though it's nice to see it's not all as plain-sailing as Lucius/Jess.  I liked the will-they-won't-they throughout the book (I was totally rooting for them!) and the way they both seemed totally crazy about each other.

Raniero/Ylenia: This one wasn't really a romance per say, but I feel I should include it, because it was pretty much obvious that it was all acting on Raniero's part all the way through.  Ylenia was obviously besotted with the guy, and he played along well, but Fantaskey did a good job of making it fairly clear that there just wasn't that "spark".

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Style: 4/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

In a similar vein…

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Top Ten Tuesdays - books for people who don't read fantasy

Top Ten Tuesdays is a feature hosted by TheBroke and the Bookish.

This week’s theme is books I’d recommend for someone who doesn’t read X, and I’m filling X with fantasy – so this is my Top Ten Books for people who don’t read Fantasy.

1.  The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

This is pretty much the crème-de-la-crème of fantasy being written right now.  It’s definitely got all the components of typical fantasy – magic, quests, a really long, building storyline, and that’s more or less why I love it.  I love the characters, and the world that Rothfuss has built, and this is one of those books I could read multiple times and not get bored of.  If you like Fantasy and you haven’t picked this one up yet, do it, and even if you don’t, this book probably has something for you.

2.  The Painted Man by Peter V Brett. 

Don’t like traditional fantasies? No problem.  This one takes the typical fantasy world, and kind of turns it on its head, adds in a reluctant savior and an unlikely love story.  This one’s a real page turner, and it’s not written in oldey-worldey language, which I know sometimes puts people off of fantasy books, but it still has a quest-like storyline that’s easy to get into and get behind, and again, the characters are fantastic.

3.  The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N K Jemisin.

Again, this is another good example of a completely different fantasy idea – in this, the gods and their godlings have been imprisoned by the Arameri, who consequently are the leaders of the world.  This one can be read as a standalone, so if you’re put off by the long series’ often involves in reading fantasy as a genre, this might be a good pick.  Basically, whilst there are other books in the series, they’re not the same story, and not focusing on the same characters, so they could all be stand-alones, but this was probably my favourite.

4.  The Kinshield Legacy by K C May

This one’s one for anyone who wants to pick up a cheap fantasy novel on their kindle and get a real flavor of what a lot of the genre is like.  It’s fairly typical fantasy, but again, the characters are good, and it’s an enjoyable read without being too long.

5.  The Black Prism by Brent Weeks.

I loved this book.  The magic system was different to anything I’ve read, and there’s a really clever component to the story that I’m loathe to give away – you have to read it!  But again, this one’s in contemporary language, and fast-paced.

6.  Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce.

This was the book that got me into fantasy – it’s aimed at slightly younger readers, but it’s just good. I loved Alanna as a heroine, and it’s kind of nice to see a really strong female lead in a fantasy novel, I’m going to admit.  And, this one is a really good introduction to the world of Tortall, where a lot of Pierce’s books are set

7.  Thief of Hope by Cindy Young-Turner

I thought I’d add of one my Indie favourites into this list.  I got sent a copy of this one for review, but honestly, it was one of those books I pretty much immediately fell in love with.  The characters were very good, the sense of urgency for their quest was believable, and of course, there was the love story.  Definitely a good choice.

8.  The Redemption of Althalus by David Eddings.

I couldn’t have a list about Fantasy without some Eddings being on there, and this one’s one of the few books he’s written that haven’t been long series’.  Again, it’s  story of good overcoming evil, but has some really creative elements, as well as believable and just plain mean bad guys.  Again, it’s got a really sweet love story in there, which as you all know, I’m a complete sucker for.

9.  The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkein.

Again, a book (well, series) that couldn’t not be on the list.  I don’t really need to say much about this one, but I know the movie meant a lot of people who normally aren’t interested in fantasy picked up the book, and that’s a good thing in my opinion.

10.  The Magicians by Lev Grossman

This one is pretty much so contemporary, you won’t even realize you’re reading a fantasy novel, and that’s part of it’s charm.  A lot of people don’t tend to like the main protagonist, Quentin, but I think his whiny, self-absorbed ways are all a part of his charm. 

So that’s pretty much it – what are everyone else’s lists?   

Series: A discussion

We’ve all done it – picked up the first book in an established series, gotten to the end, and yes, there’s a cliffhanger ending.  Do you immediately pick up the next book in the series, or do you read something else in between?

I think there are a few factors that influence this.  One is obviously how much you enjoyed the book – and how good the cliffhanger is!  If you’ve really ‘clicked’ with the characters, and invested in their story in some way, you’re a lot more likely to pick up the books one after another.  If they’re alright but kind of… you’re not sure whether you really care, you might pick it up later, but you might read something else in between. 

I think the reading style in general is important – for example, I have a short attention span and an eclectic reading style, meaning that if left to just do one thing for too long, I tend to quickly become bored.  That generally means that whilst I might blast through a series on occasion, it’s more normal for me to read a book in a series, then something else, then go back to the next book in a series.  The Bookish Housemate, on the other hand, managed to read all of the Game of Thrones books one after the other. 

I’m still waiting to start the third one. 

Which brings me onto another point – the length of the books in a given series makes a difference to me.  I just can’t imagine doing all of the Game of Thrones books at once, because it seems to daunting, and the same can be said for other epic fantasy series, because they tend to be long books.  However, reading the Vampire Academy books one after the other doesn’t seem to bad.  And I suppose that isn’t just because they’re shorter, it could also be because the language in those makes them easier reading. 

I know the fact that a book that a part of  series never seems fully ‘wrapped-up’ bothers some people – in fact, I have friends who actively seek out stand-alones for that reason.  I like to read series – if I enjoy a story and it continues longer, all the better, though I can see why people get annoyed with starting so many that they may never finish. 

So what do you guys think?  Do you prefer series or stand-alones?  And can you eat your way through a series one book after another?  Let me know!

Book Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Title: Wicked Lovely

Author: Melissa Marr

Publisher/format: HarperCollins, Kindle Edition

How I got this:  Bought from Amazon UK Kindle store

Challenges: 2012 Ebook Challenge, 2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge, LTAL – beautiful creatures.

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com):

Wicked Lovely takes place in modern-day Huntsdale, a small city south of Pittsburgh whose name evokes the Wild Hunt of mythology. High school junior Aislinn and her grandmother have followed strict rules all their lives to hide their ability to see faeries because faeries don't like it when mortals can see them, and faeries can be very cruel. Only the strongest faeries can withstand iron, however, so Aislinn prefers the city with its steel girders and bridges. She takes refuge with Seth, her would-be lover, who lives in a set of old train carriages.

But now Aislinn is being stalked by two of the faeries who are able to take on human form and are not deterred by steel. What do they want from her?

One is Keenan, the Summer King, who has been looking for his Queen for nine centuries, bound by the rules and rituals that govern his quest. The other is Donia, a victim of those rules, consigned to the role of Winter Girl when she failed Keenan's test, yet still in love with him. Certain that Aislinn is the woman he must marry, Keenan shows up as a charismatic new student at her high school, unaware that she sees his true form. He's determined to court her and is puzzled by her rebuffs. Suddenly, none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe is working anymore, but things aren't going as Keenan expects either. Both will have to change, make startling compromises and enlist surprising allies if they want to break free from the wicked game that has ensnared them.

Their greatest challenge will be to avoid the fatal traps laid by Keenan's mother, the Winter Queen. She will lose her power if Keenan finds his mate, and she will do anything to stop this.

Review:

I picked up this one because for some reason, the third book of the series is on my shelf (and has probably been there a fair while) but I’ve never actually read the rest of the series.

Basically, the story follows Aislinn, who is the chosen Queen of Keenan, the Summer King of the fairies.  Of course, this leads to all sorts of situations wherein Keenan is pursuing Aislinn, though of course, it’s not as simple as it seems.  Throw in the fact that Aislinn already has a love interest (Seth) and Beira, the evil Winter Queen, and you have this story. 

Even before Keenan showed up, Aislinn has been able to see fairies.  It’s an ability her Grandmother has, and her Mother clearly had before her.  When you’re introduced to Aislinn, she has already accepted this, seeing as she’s had it all her life, and therefore isn’t freaked out by it. 

However, due to the fact that these fairy sightings appear to be more frequent and malicious than usual, she shares her power with her would-be boyfriend, Seth. Who doesn’t freak out, or even really question it.  Yeah, okay, this aspect of things bothered me a bit, I’m not going to lie – I mean, surely you’d be a bit bothered if the girl you like tells you she can see what are meant to be mythical creatures?  But either way, Seth takes it in his stride, and helps Aislinn deal with them. 

Now Seth himself… he’s definitely everything the 16-year-old Tara would have wanted in a boyfriend.  He likes 90’s metal music, he has his own place, and he has piercings.  Oh, and he’s intelligent and he sounds like a genuinely nice guy.  Who can cook.  Yeah, it’s a shame they don’t make Seth’s in the real world.  Seth was definitely one of my favourite parts.

As for Keenan, aka Aislinn’s other love interest, well.  Let’s just say that I kind of spent a lot of the time thinking that he should have a friend who loves Orange Soda.  Anyone who grew up in the 90’s will probably get the reference, and it’s not that the name bothered me or anything, but that kept springing into my head at inopportune moments! 

Aislinn, however, was fairly kick-ass throughout. She wasn’t a whiny teenage protagonist.  I liked her.  She took things in her stride (I’d have had massive freakouts given what she had to deal with) and grew into someone who could deal with the Summer King, having previously been scared of him, and could accept him, and her duty.  Serious respect to the girl for the lack of tantrums and/or sulking. I definitely liked her.

I did enjoy the book, not exactly a favourite, but it was alright.  I had fun reading it, and there were only a few things that bothered me, but not enough to ruin the story. 

One thing I would say is that despite the language which would appeal to the younger teen, there’s a few sexual references and sexual themes throughout the book, and some of them surprised me because of it – however, it definitely kept me reading! 

This is definitely one for fans of all-things-fairy, but for me, Kagawa’s The Iron King was much better.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Writing: 3/5

Style: 4/5

Originality: 4/5

Characters: 3/5

In a similar vein…

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa