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Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases.
This week I'm waiting on…
By V.E. Schwab
Published by Tor Books
Release Date: 2/24/15
From V.E. Schwab, the critically
acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure,
thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.
Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians
with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he
can choose where he lands.
There’s Grey London, dirty and
boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London,
where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a
flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to
the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights
back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was
Black London...but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red
Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the
monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell
is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses
of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for
accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard,
a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, who first robs him, then saves him from a
dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a
proper adventure.
But
perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the
worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving
trickier than they hoped.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic: Characters I wish would get their OWN book.
1. Hassan Harbish from An Abundance of Katherines by John Green - I love this character, I think he's hilarious, and I'd want to see him find love and success in college.
2. Valentina from The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black - I'd like Valentina, a transwoman, to be the star of either a sequel or prequel to this novel. The prequel could be her journey to Coldtown, the sequel about making a decision to become a vampire (or not).
3. Lindsey Lim from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - I feel this character, an aspiring detective with a mystery novel obsession, the Nancy Drew to Lola's Ned, was underused in this book and needs a romantic adventure of her own. Lindsey and the Meet Cute Murder Mystery.
4. Angela and Holly from The Lynburn Legacy series by Sarah Rees Brennan - This couple deserves to take center stage in their own book.
5. The Marauders from The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - I'm obsessed with the Marauder era of Harry Potter and I'll own up to reading some fan fiction back in the day. Since Rowling is filling in bits and pieced of her universe, why not some stories about young Lupin and co?
Monday, November 10, 2014
by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by Scholastic Press
Release Date: Oct 21, 2014
Disclaimer: Received for review consideration from the publisher via NetGalley.
There is danger in dreaming. But
there is even more danger in waking up.
Blue Sargent has found things. For the
first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can
belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems
have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found
things though, is how easily they can be lost.
Friends can betray.
Mothers can
disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.
(I try to be vague, but as this is the third book in a series, mild spoilers may be present. My reviews of the first two novels in the Raven Cycle are here)
Review: There’s a certain mild
worry mixed with excitement I experience when reading a new installment in a
beloved series. The need to know what happens next is mixed with the feeling
that the novel can’t possibly live up to expectations. Thankfully Blue Lily, Lily Blue was such a good read
my fears were put to rest as I was happily transported once again to Henrietta with Blue and the Aglionby boys as they continue their search for
Glendower.
This
book returns to closely following Adam, Gansey, and Blue while Ronan is very
much involved in the plot the reader is not privy to his thoughts). Then there’s Noah, still ghosting around and
acting as a barometer for trouble. Blue, whom I’d missed hearing from in The Dream Thieves, is central to the
plot this time around. Dealing with personal loss, she begins to question what
she really wants from life, both in her relationships and her future, and
whether achieving those things will be possible. Adam, perhaps the character
who has evolved the most from his beginnings was in The Raven Boys, must deal with the consequences of his magical
bargain in addition to facing his abusive father once again. Ronan, despite being more in the background, has clearly been affected by the events in The Dream Thieves. As for Gansey, his
weaknesses are made more apparent, as are his motivations for starting the
search for Glendower. These characters grow from book to book and their
relationships with each other are fascinating and complex. It’s rare that such
a large cast of characters is as well rounded and portrayed so skillfully.
Another great thing? While this is one part
of an overarching mytharc, Blue Lily, Lily Blue tells a complete story. Goals
are achieved and closure is given, with enough threads dangling to make me
eager for the sequel but not cause the frustration that comes when a novel ends
in the middle of the action (all too common with series these days). Another positive? The setting: Henrietta is so grounded and so real feeling yet the magical
elements in the story feel organic, not jarring. It’s a refreshing blend of
realism and fantasy.
Finally,
what elevates this book from an entertaining fantasy story to a five star book
for me is how it does not shy away from issues of class. Gansey, generally a
good guy, is highly privileged and this can cause him to be condescending,
hurtful, or oblivious. Ronan is similarly privileged and this allows him to act
out with minimal consequences, while Adam must work several jobs while keeping
his grades up in order to ensure his future. Then there’s Blue, whose choices
are limited due to her family’s monetary situation. I find Blue’s frustration
over her college plans and her uncertainty over her relationship with Gansey just
as compelling as any magical cave jaunts or dream creatures. I must also
mention the villains, a comically over privileged super couple who obsess over
gourmet cheese and yoga classes while causally ordering someone’s murder.
All in all, this is a wonderful entry in this series and I can hardly wait for the next one.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee's View & Alison Can Read
This week's question: Craziest thing you'd be willing to do for an ARC you are dying to read (aka what would you doooo-ooo for that ARC you want? *think of the Klondike bar music*
To be honest I'm kind of ambivalent about ARCs because I'm a mood reader. It's great when I'm allowed access to something I'm interested in on Netgalley, but I try to keep my requests selective because if they pile up the reading & reviewing becomes more of a stressor than a pleasure. Also if I don't get access to an ARC, oh well, it'll be released eventually. That being said, there are always new releases I'm dying to read and right now these two top the list:
 |
 |
I was lucky enough to get chapter samplers for these two books the last day of NYCC, it's only made me more anxious to read the rest. Uprooted seems to only have a selective few physical ARCs, I'm hoping it'll go up on Edelweiss at some point. It comes out June 30. JUNE! BEA 2015 will have come and gone by then. Shadow Scale may only have a very limited ARC release due to the popularity of Seraphina (an excellent book).
Nevertheless, for these ARCs I'd be willing to do any social media promotion Random House asked, and as for going extreme lengths, I wouldn't say no to holding a advertisement in Times Square for a few hours, perhaps in costume. I'd fit right in with all the Elmos, Spidermen, Naked Cowboys, etc. wandering around there.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
By Gail Carriger
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: 11/4/14
Disclaimer: Copy received from the publisher via Netgalley. This does not affect the content of the review.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Class is back in session...
Sophronia continues her second year
at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of
her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy
when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming
Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her
werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find
aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens
to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie,
once and for all.
Gather your poison, steel tipped
quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's
proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New
York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail
Carriger.
Review: This third installment in the
Finishing School series is as charming, funny, and action-packed as its
predecessors. I find these books to be
a lot of fun; a farcical comedy of manners blended with spy vs. spy thriller
and set in a steampunk world inhabited by supernatural creatures. The light,
humorous tone, the contrast between the strict social rules of the Victorian
age and the madcap adventures undertaken by the spies in training make for very
entertaining reading. That said, it’s the heroine, Sophronia, that really makes
this series.
Sophronia
is a competent, intelligent character who excels at being an “intelligencer”
yet can still make mistakes and is uncertain about what she wants. She’s a fully
fleshed out character who matures with every book. After being forced to face
the tragic consequences of her actions in Curtsies
& Conspiracies, Waistcoats & Weaponry has a more mature Sophronia
pondering her future as she must someday decide what side she is on when it
comes to the espionage game.
Complicating this decision are
Sophronia’s feelings towards her friend Soap, a worker in the engineering room
of the floating finishing school, and her flirtation with Lord Felix Mersey, a handsome nobleman with close ties to her enemies.
Yes, there is a love triangle, more central to this book than in any book
previously, but I feel it’s written well, gives the boys some added depth, and
rather than cause the narrative to stall Sophronia’s struggle with her feelings
allows for great character development (plus I was very happy with her ultimate choice).
The
other characters, particularly Sophronia’s friends Dimity and Sidheag (strong
female friendships, another thing I love about this series) are given time to
shine, though I would have liked more of Sidheag's story, even knowing what the future holds for her in The Parasol Protectorate series. The plot provides plenty of action in the form of a train heist, a game of chicken with a dirigible, assorted disguises, etc. and it wraps things up nicely yet leaves plenty of threads dangling for future installments.
Recommended for those who enjoy
historical romance, particularly the Victorian era, humorous adventures,
awesome heroines, and the idea of a mechanical dog named Bumbersnoot.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon is taking place October 18 and I'm happy to be able to participate. Here's a stack of books I'll be choosing from:
I've been in a bit of a slump lately, hopefully this will shake me out of it.
Anyone participating in this read-a-thon? What books will you be reading?
Update #1: Hour 8: Finished Authority and am halfway through Acceptance, the Southern Reach books were a great choice for the read-a-thon. Took a break for a run at hour 4 and listened to Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy on audio.
Mini Challenge: Name Your Reading Challenge at The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
The Accidental Authority Acceptance Box
Update #1: Hour 8: Finished Authority and am halfway through Acceptance, the Southern Reach books were a great choice for the read-a-thon. Took a break for a run at hour 4 and listened to Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy on audio.
Mini Challenge: Name Your Reading Challenge at The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
The Accidental Authority Acceptance Box
Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? Finishing Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer
2. How many books have you read so far?
Just one, soon to be two.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the
second half of the Read-a-thon?
I'll probably pick up Holly Black's The Darkest Part of the Forest, I've been looking forward to reading for a while.
4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with
those? A few, mostly phone calls and laundry that won't fold itself, etc. It's good to rest my eyes a little. Also I spent a surprising amount of time on twitter.
5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I'm surprised how relaxed I've been about meeting reading goals this year. Though, I am going to try to read into the night, I have a stock of tea to help me maybe finish one more book.
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Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Waiting on Wednesday: Waiting on A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases.
This week I'm waiting on…
By V.E. Schwab
Published by Tor Books
Release Date: 2/24/15
From V.E. Schwab, the critically
acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure,
thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.
Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians
with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he
can choose where he lands.
There’s Grey London, dirty and
boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London,
where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a
flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to
the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights
back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was
Black London...but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red
Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the
monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell
is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses
of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for
accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard,
a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, who first robs him, then saves him from a
dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a
proper adventure.
But
perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the
worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving
trickier than they hoped.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters Who Deserve Their Own Book
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week's topic: Characters I wish would get their OWN book.
1. Hassan Harbish from An Abundance of Katherines by John Green - I love this character, I think he's hilarious, and I'd want to see him find love and success in college.
2. Valentina from The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black - I'd like Valentina, a transwoman, to be the star of either a sequel or prequel to this novel. The prequel could be her journey to Coldtown, the sequel about making a decision to become a vampire (or not).
3. Lindsey Lim from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - I feel this character, an aspiring detective with a mystery novel obsession, the Nancy Drew to Lola's Ned, was underused in this book and needs a romantic adventure of her own. Lindsey and the Meet Cute Murder Mystery.
4. Angela and Holly from The Lynburn Legacy series by Sarah Rees Brennan - This couple deserves to take center stage in their own book.
5. The Marauders from The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - I'm obsessed with the Marauder era of Harry Potter and I'll own up to reading some fan fiction back in the day. Since Rowling is filling in bits and pieced of her universe, why not some stories about young Lupin and co?
Monday, November 10, 2014
Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3)
by Maggie Stiefvater
Published by Scholastic Press
Release Date: Oct 21, 2014
Disclaimer: Received for review consideration from the publisher via NetGalley.
There is danger in dreaming. But
there is even more danger in waking up.
Blue Sargent has found things. For the
first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can
belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems
have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found
things though, is how easily they can be lost.
Friends can betray.
Mothers can
disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.
(I try to be vague, but as this is the third book in a series, mild spoilers may be present. My reviews of the first two novels in the Raven Cycle are here)
Review: There’s a certain mild
worry mixed with excitement I experience when reading a new installment in a
beloved series. The need to know what happens next is mixed with the feeling
that the novel can’t possibly live up to expectations. Thankfully Blue Lily, Lily Blue was such a good read
my fears were put to rest as I was happily transported once again to Henrietta with Blue and the Aglionby boys as they continue their search for
Glendower.
This
book returns to closely following Adam, Gansey, and Blue while Ronan is very
much involved in the plot the reader is not privy to his thoughts). Then there’s Noah, still ghosting around and
acting as a barometer for trouble. Blue, whom I’d missed hearing from in The Dream Thieves, is central to the
plot this time around. Dealing with personal loss, she begins to question what
she really wants from life, both in her relationships and her future, and
whether achieving those things will be possible. Adam, perhaps the character
who has evolved the most from his beginnings was in The Raven Boys, must deal with the consequences of his magical
bargain in addition to facing his abusive father once again. Ronan, despite being more in the background, has clearly been affected by the events in The Dream Thieves. As for Gansey, his
weaknesses are made more apparent, as are his motivations for starting the
search for Glendower. These characters grow from book to book and their
relationships with each other are fascinating and complex. It’s rare that such
a large cast of characters is as well rounded and portrayed so skillfully.
Another great thing? While this is one part
of an overarching mytharc, Blue Lily, Lily Blue tells a complete story. Goals
are achieved and closure is given, with enough threads dangling to make me
eager for the sequel but not cause the frustration that comes when a novel ends
in the middle of the action (all too common with series these days). Another positive? The setting: Henrietta is so grounded and so real feeling yet the magical
elements in the story feel organic, not jarring. It’s a refreshing blend of
realism and fantasy.
Finally,
what elevates this book from an entertaining fantasy story to a five star book
for me is how it does not shy away from issues of class. Gansey, generally a
good guy, is highly privileged and this can cause him to be condescending,
hurtful, or oblivious. Ronan is similarly privileged and this allows him to act
out with minimal consequences, while Adam must work several jobs while keeping
his grades up in order to ensure his future. Then there’s Blue, whose choices
are limited due to her family’s monetary situation. I find Blue’s frustration
over her college plans and her uncertainty over her relationship with Gansey just
as compelling as any magical cave jaunts or dream creatures. I must also
mention the villains, a comically over privileged super couple who obsess over
gourmet cheese and yoga classes while causally ordering someone’s murder.
All in all, this is a wonderful entry in this series and I can hardly wait for the next one.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Feature & Follow Friday: What would you do? Edition
Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee's View & Alison Can Read
This week's question: Craziest thing you'd be willing to do for an ARC you are dying to read (aka what would you doooo-ooo for that ARC you want? *think of the Klondike bar music*
To be honest I'm kind of ambivalent about ARCs because I'm a mood reader. It's great when I'm allowed access to something I'm interested in on Netgalley, but I try to keep my requests selective because if they pile up the reading & reviewing becomes more of a stressor than a pleasure. Also if I don't get access to an ARC, oh well, it'll be released eventually. That being said, there are always new releases I'm dying to read and right now these two top the list:
|
|
I was lucky enough to get chapter samplers for these two books the last day of NYCC, it's only made me more anxious to read the rest. Uprooted seems to only have a selective few physical ARCs, I'm hoping it'll go up on Edelweiss at some point. It comes out June 30. JUNE! BEA 2015 will have come and gone by then. Shadow Scale may only have a very limited ARC release due to the popularity of Seraphina (an excellent book).
Nevertheless, for these ARCs I'd be willing to do any social media promotion Random House asked, and as for going extreme lengths, I wouldn't say no to holding a advertisement in Times Square for a few hours, perhaps in costume. I'd fit right in with all the Elmos, Spidermen, Naked Cowboys, etc. wandering around there.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Release Day Review: Waistcoats & Weaponry (Finishing School #3)
By Gail Carriger
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: 11/4/14
Disclaimer: Copy received from the publisher via Netgalley. This does not affect the content of the review.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Class is back in session...
Sophronia continues her second year
at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of
her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy
when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming
Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her
werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find
aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens
to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie,
once and for all.
Gather your poison, steel tipped
quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's
proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New
York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail
Carriger.
Review: This third installment in the
Finishing School series is as charming, funny, and action-packed as its
predecessors. I find these books to be
a lot of fun; a farcical comedy of manners blended with spy vs. spy thriller
and set in a steampunk world inhabited by supernatural creatures. The light,
humorous tone, the contrast between the strict social rules of the Victorian
age and the madcap adventures undertaken by the spies in training make for very
entertaining reading. That said, it’s the heroine, Sophronia, that really makes
this series.
Sophronia
is a competent, intelligent character who excels at being an “intelligencer”
yet can still make mistakes and is uncertain about what she wants. She’s a fully
fleshed out character who matures with every book. After being forced to face
the tragic consequences of her actions in Curtsies
& Conspiracies, Waistcoats & Weaponry has a more mature Sophronia
pondering her future as she must someday decide what side she is on when it
comes to the espionage game.
Complicating this decision are
Sophronia’s feelings towards her friend Soap, a worker in the engineering room
of the floating finishing school, and her flirtation with Lord Felix Mersey, a handsome nobleman with close ties to her enemies.
Yes, there is a love triangle, more central to this book than in any book
previously, but I feel it’s written well, gives the boys some added depth, and
rather than cause the narrative to stall Sophronia’s struggle with her feelings
allows for great character development (plus I was very happy with her ultimate choice).
The
other characters, particularly Sophronia’s friends Dimity and Sidheag (strong
female friendships, another thing I love about this series) are given time to
shine, though I would have liked more of Sidheag's story, even knowing what the future holds for her in The Parasol Protectorate series. The plot provides plenty of action in the form of a train heist, a game of chicken with a dirigible, assorted disguises, etc. and it wraps things up nicely yet leaves plenty of threads dangling for future installments.
Recommended for those who enjoy
historical romance, particularly the Victorian era, humorous adventures,
awesome heroines, and the idea of a mechanical dog named Bumbersnoot.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books to inspire Halloween spirit!
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's topic: Top Ten books to put you in the Halloween spirit. Here are some of my favorite books that will send shivers up your spine:
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Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Dewey's Read-a-Thon Sign-Up
Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon is taking place October 18 and I'm happy to be able to participate. Here's a stack of books I'll be choosing from:
I've been in a bit of a slump lately, hopefully this will shake me out of it.
Anyone participating in this read-a-thon? What books will you be reading?
Update #1: Hour 8: Finished Authority and am halfway through Acceptance, the Southern Reach books were a great choice for the read-a-thon. Took a break for a run at hour 4 and listened to Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy on audio.
Mini Challenge: Name Your Reading Challenge at The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
The Accidental Authority Acceptance Box
Update #1: Hour 8: Finished Authority and am halfway through Acceptance, the Southern Reach books were a great choice for the read-a-thon. Took a break for a run at hour 4 and listened to Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy on audio.
Mini Challenge: Name Your Reading Challenge at The Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
The Accidental Authority Acceptance Box
Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? Finishing Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer
2. How many books have you read so far?
Just one, soon to be two.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the
second half of the Read-a-thon?
I'll probably pick up Holly Black's The Darkest Part of the Forest, I've been looking forward to reading for a while.
4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with
those? A few, mostly phone calls and laundry that won't fold itself, etc. It's good to rest my eyes a little. Also I spent a surprising amount of time on twitter.
5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I'm surprised how relaxed I've been about meeting reading goals this year. Though, I am going to try to read into the night, I have a stock of tea to help me maybe finish one more book.
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