Year of the Dragon

So today is the Chinese New Year and its the Year of the Dragon!!!!!

Why is that important you ask? Well, maybe its not, but its appropriate, since the last Wheel of Time book comes out this year.

If you've been reading this blog long, you know I love the Wheel of Time. My fictional crush is a character from the Wheel of Time series, and my favorite living writing is finishing the series. I've been reading it since I was eleven, so all of the characters are like old friends.

Wow, I've been reading the Wheel of Time since I was eleven. In less than a month, I turn twenty-five. I've been reading the Wheel of Time for over half of my life, and this is the year it ends.

So this is a year of excitement and trepidation, because something that's been so much a part of me will be over.

I can still remember being eleven, and my dad coming home with The Path of the Dagger, and saying this looked like a book I would like. I remember looking at the cover and thinking, "Wow, this is so cool!" And I remember sitting on the floor in the living room in the really crappy house we lived in at the time, as my mother sat on the couch and read the prologue of The Eye of the World to me out loud. (She insisted on reading the series before I could, to make sure it wasn't "too adult". But she was so impressed by the prologue, she just had to read it to me right then.)

Unlike the untold thousands of others, I will not reread the Wheel of Time this year. I reread it recently, right before The Gathering Storm came out. I'll probably only reread The Gathering Storm and then Towers of Midnight. Then once I read the final book, then I plan on rereading the series, so I can read the entire thing in light of the ending. This is basically what I did with Harry Potter and I found it extremely enlightening to reread the entire series when I already knew the end.

If you've never read the Wheel of Time before, I implore you to start now. If you start reading now, you can be done with the series in time for the last book to come out. And you should really read the Wheel of Time. It's fantastic. I love love love love this series.

It's the year of the Dragon! "Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time!"

How Star Wars Saved My Love of Reading

I don’t know if I’ve ever done my love of Star Wars justice on this website. I’ve alluded to it. I’ve listed it as my most favorite SF thing ever. But I don’t know if I’ve ever really explained how much I really, truly love Star Wars.

There is so much to love about Star Wars. The original trilogy is a classic tale. A struggle of good versus evil. A story of redemption. A story of wizards in space. What’s not to love?

But I think the reason why I love Star Wars so much is because Star Wars saved my love of reading.

When I was in the 5th grade, I had read every book in my school’s library. So I branched out to the public library, following authors I trusted and loved. But this was not a good move. Why? Because I was in the fifth grade, and just because an author writes a couple of 9 year old appropriate books, that doesn’t mean all their books are appropriate. Hence I read my first sex scene at the age of 9.

I had no idea it was coming. And thinking back, it probably wasn’t that graphic. But it traumatized me. I didn’t want to read anything like that ever again. I didn’t like it. I wanted nothing to do with it. So what could I read? Books aren’t rated and I had long sense outread anything my parents and older siblings read when they were my age. And it’s not like we had the internet to look up books I could read. And this was pre-Harry Potter, so the middle grade section of the book store was not the over abundance of books it is now.

I was such a good reader that I had outread all of my possibilities. I was stuck. My love of reading had crashed into a wall. What was I to do? Where was I to go?

Thus my uncle loaned me The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.

Luke, Han, Leia—they were all back in full force, plus new amazing characters like Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn. Had someone just made me like and sympathize with Imperials? Yes, yes they had.

Suddenly there was a section of the bookstore that was safe for me. Star Wars is and always has been rated no more than PG-13. And PG-13 I could handle. But not R.

And the Extended Universe (aka Star Wars books) was huge. So many books to catch up on! So many books to read. So many possibilities. Thus began weekly trips to the bookstore. My mom would take my brother, little sister, and me to the mall every Saturday. We’d get Chic-Fil-A for lunch and then go across the hall to the Waldens. I still remember where the Star Wars section was. Straight back in the dead center, a whole section of just Star Wars books. I would pick out two I hadn’t read every Saturday and by the next Saturday I finished reading them. I did this for two years. Star Wars was all I read in fifth and sixth grade. And then, of course, Harry Potter came out and everything changed.

Without Star Wars, I wouldn’t have survived to Harry Potter revolutionizing my world. I would have stopped reading in the fifth grade and found other pastimes. No one else in my family reads as much as I do, so I would have found something to replace reading. And reading probably would have been replaced. A person doesn’t just stop reading for two years and survive as the same avid reader she had once been.

So in middle school when everyone else was obsessed with boy bands, I was obsessed with Rogue Squadron. When everyone else was getting into makeup, I was figuring out how to build a lightsaber (in theory, not practice). Does this make me a geek? Yes, yes it does. But to this day I still read two books a week (if not more sometimes), and most of my other friends only read maybe a book a month.

I still have my geek card and my avid reader status. And I thank Star Wars for them both.

A Book Review: City of Fallen Angels

Title: City of Fallen Angels
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Urban Fantasy (YA)
Length: 424

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: PG-13

Read First: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, Clockwork Angel

Journey once more into the world of Jace, Clary, Simon, and the Shadowhunters. Despite my intense dislike of vampires, one of the aspects I liked about this book was Simon's POV. His POV came almost as often as Clary's, and it was definitely nice to have a completely different perspective, especially a perspective that isn't so enamored with Jace.

This book is considered technically a continuation of The Mortal Instruments but its more like the first book of a sequel trilogy (sort of like Sinner is to The Wayferer Redemption series). The big bad guy of the last set of books is dead (or so we hope, fingers crossed), but a bigger even badder guy comes forth for this book. We're introduced to some new characters and the story lines of our beloved characters continue. (I'm looking at you, Alec. If only he were straight so I could have a legitimate crush on him...err, as legitimate a crush you can have on a fictional character--and of course he still doesn't hold a candle to Mat Cauthon).

So basically read the first books, and if you like those, you'll love this book.

Content rating is still PG-13 though it was close to R. There are some pretty heavy sexual scenes that don't actually cross the line to sex but its getting there. There is also a brief discussion about sex, just fyi. The violence actually isn't that bad in this book, its glossed over, though there is a pretty intense vampire drinking a human scene. However, there are some creepy dead babies (but not zombies thank goodness) that are well...creepy...for lack of a better word.

A Book Review: Clockwork Angel

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Urban Fantasy with a Steampunk feel (YA)
Length: 476

Quality Rating: 8
Content Rating: PG-13

Read First: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass

If you liked the Mortal Instruments, you'll like this book. If you like Steampunk, you may like this book, which is an Urban Fantasy that takes place in Victorian England. If you can't tell from the name, it has plenty of clockwork inventions and an inventor who definitely seems like he walked out of a steampunk novel.

So you may notice that I ranked this book as liking it slightly less than the Mortal Instruments. Why is that? Well, possibly its because I really wanted Jace, Clary, and Alec to be in the book and since its a prequel they weren't and that made me unhappy. I had to go about learning a whole new set of characters. However, its also possible because these characters felt very similar to the Mortal Instruments characters. Will seemed like a little more extreme Jace. Jem was like a straight and sickly Alec. Tessa, a non-Shadowhunter Clary. They were so close to the characters I wanted to read about but not quite them. I would have been happier with completely different characters.

Of course, I still got Magnus, and quite a different viewpoint of him. It was interesting to see him in the past, dating a vampire chic.

Plot wise the story is completely unique from the Mortal Instruments so definitely worth a read from that aspect. I did like this book immensely despite feeling that the characters were very similar to the characters of the Mortal Instruments. I'm hoping that's just a first book impression and that in the sequel they're more fully realized as unique individuals. I have great hope for these characters and this novel.

As for rating, these books are PG-13. No sex, plenty of violence, and some characters are killed. So just keep that in mind.

A Book Review: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Title: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
Author: Lish McBride
Genre: Urban Fantasy (YA)
Length: 342

Quality Rating: 8
Content Rating: PG-13

I picked up this book because it was about a necromancer. Necromancers are not the most common creatures in Urban Fantasy (or Fantasy in general). That honor of course goes to vampires, and since I am currently working on my own WIP that involves necromancers, I'm trying to read as much as I can the other books about them. Thus, this book. However, I was really hesitant to read it. While in the bookstore I read the first chapter and the voice just really didn't catch me. I don't know what it was. Maybe it was the fact that Sam struck me as a slacker (which he is sort of--with good reason), or maybe it was just the fact that it started pretty mundanely at a fast food restaurant. I don't know. But I avoided reading this book for a month after I bought it.

And then the chaos of the semester reached a lull. I met my research deadlines and finally had time to read. I didn't want to buy a new book until I had read this one, so I sat down and made myself read it....

...and finished it a few hours later.

That first impression? The one that said I wouldn't like this book? It was wrong. Dead wrong. This story was fantastic. Sam is a bit of a slacker, but for a reason! He's a complex young man (and though this is YA, Sam is a college-dropout, not a high schooler) and so are his friends. In fact, by the end of the book you still don't know his friends completely. They have their own secrets. The storyline was also surprisingly complex. Though Sam's perspective is written in first person, there are other POV characters (and their sections are written in third person).

A basic plot summary: Sam is a college-dropout who thinks he's ordinary. But he's actually a necromancer, and he's found out by the local head-honcho necromancer, who also happens to be evil. Head honcho has plans that are far bigger than Sam (whose really just a side plot to him) and yet Sam somehow ends up in the middle of it all. Add to it that Sam has no freakin' clue how to use his powers, which the head honcho assures him are minimal anyway, a best friend whose willing to do anything to secure Sam's safety, a girl who gets killed and brought back as a head, and a captured hybrid werewolf/faye hound princess, and you've got a story.

As for content rating, this book is PG-13. There is violence, but its not too descriptive. There is also sex, but once again, not descriptive. Perhaps the most disturbing thing is the talking head girl and the zombies and other aspects of necromancy but its not that bad. Definitely only PG-13.

Summer Reading

So I was going to have a nice, thoughtful post on how science and religion don't have to conflict in all situations, but a thoughtful post requires thought. And due to a statistics test tomorrow and a research deadline on Tuesday, all of my thought processes are currently in use. So instead a less thoughtful post.

Every summer I go back to my co-op, which is wonderful. It's like three months of vacation. Not because I don't have to work--because I do. I go to work everyday for eight to ten hours (depending on how I feel) and then I go back to my apartment. So how is this like a vacation? Well, when I go back to my apartment--I don't have homework. I don't have to fret about school. I don't have to feel guilty about watching TV or reading a book because I have work I should be doing. I can leave work at work, and that is the most wonderful thing ever. It's a vacation from 24/7 stress. Wonderful.

So I do a lot of reading in the summer (as if you couldn't tell from the large quantity of book reviews I posted last summer). But this year I'm being slightly more intentional about my reading, I'm creating a list of all the books I want to read. And I can read a lot in the summers. Three books a week is a minimum. I've been known to devour a book a day in the summertime (I have very few friends at my co-op, so though that means I have no life it means lots of time to myself which means lots of reading).

So my current list is:

1) The Forest of the Hands and Teeth Trilogy by Carrie Ryan
2) Bumped by Megan McCaffery
3) Memento Nora by Angie Smibert
4) Dark Parties by Sara Grant
5) Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
6) City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
7) Divergent by Veronica Roth
8) The Malazan Book of the Fallen Series by Steven Erikson (I think its 10 books long)
9) The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett
10) Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
11) Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

So far my list is a lot of new YA books, an entire series of fantasy, and one non-fiction book. (I don't usually read a lot of non-fiction, but Thunderstruck is apparently really good and its a narrative which is all that really matters). This is only 22 books, which is not enough. Even if I limit myself to three books a week I still need about 22 more books. So does anyone out there in blog land have a recommendation? I would greatly appreciate it.

So please! Suggest books!

Reading Order

So I've been re-reading the Dragonrider of Pern books which brings forth an age old debate: in what order should a person read books.

For the most part its the age old chronological order versus publication order. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, let's use a movie example. Star Wars. If you were watching all the Star Wars movies would you watch them in order of episode (1,2,3,4,5,6) or release (4,5,6,1,2,3). Personally I'm a fan of the flashback order (4,5,1,2,3,6), so that you get sucked in with 4 and 5 and then when Darth Vader says he's Luke's father you can see how that came to be, as if its a flashback, before ending the series.

Some books can easily be read in both orders, since the published order is chronological, but that's not always true.

I'm a huge fan of chronological order, but I feel I'm in the minority. I have friends who swear that published order is the only way to read books. It's something I feel I have argued about and worried about a lot in recent years. Whenever I'm going to start a series, I have to look it up and figure out which book is first.

However, when I was younger I didn't worry about these things. I read the Star Wars in a completely random order, starting with The Young Jedi Knights, moving to The Thrawn Trilogy, and then whatever book my bookstore had in random. The same was true for the Dragonriders of Pern books. I read "The Smallest Dragonboy" in my seventh grade textbook, I then went to the library and got the only Dragonriders of Pern book there was: Moreta. Then I read the Harper Hall Trilogy. It was all very random. And yet none of this randomness bothered me. Strange how the times have changed.

So what about you? Are you a believer in chronological order, publication order, or random order?

Pern

One time at Dragon*Con I waited in two author signing lines simultaneously. How I managed that is a story for another time. The important thing to this post is the two lines I was waiting in: Anne McCaffrey and Tamora Pierce. Anne McCaffrey's line was full of men and women ranging in ages across the spectrum. Tamora Pierce's line was full of weepy teenage girls. (I'm not exaggerating).

While I was standing in the Tamora Pierce line the girls kept saying how her books had changed their lives and how the characters were a part of them and how much they loved her. They expected me to be saying similar things, but the truth of the matter was that I was waiting in that line for my little sister. Sure, I have read all the Tortall books, but I read them as a college student who was trying to keep tabs on my high school sister's reading habits.

At some point, I had to explain to them my simultaneous waiting. They didn't know who Anne McCafffrey was. When they asked who she was I answered, "Anne McCaffrey is to me what Tamora Pierce is to you."

What did I mean by that? Well, I started reading The Dragonriders of Pern in my crazy seventh grade year when I started Harry Potter and Wheel of Time. "The Smallest Dragonboy" was a short story in my seventh grade text book and it mesmerized me. The idea of dragons as lifelong partners, the idea of Impression, and the fact that no matter what happened you would always have a dragon who loves you...it was breathtaking and enthralling. I wanted a dragon of my own, I wanted to be Keevan, and I had to read more.

So I began to check out books from the library, and I fell in love with this world. Girls like reading Tamora Pierce books because they enjoy strong women who work to change society and do what they want--like becoming female knights--but still have strong relationships and lives. I adored Anne McCaffrey books for the same reason. Lessa and Menolly were two fictional women I could look to, women who were in a men's world and forced that world to change to accept them and let them be who they wanted to be (whether that be Dragonrider or Harper). And yet they didn't isolate themselves from others by doing it, they formed strong relationships of love and friendship--and with dragons, as the case may be.

When I was in middle school, I read Star Wars, Harry Potter, Wheel of Time, and the Dragonriders of Pern (as well as a few smaller books). Each served a purpose. Star Wars got me through the fifth, sixth, and early seventh grade, when I wasn't ready for PG-13 material, but had out read PG. Harry Potter connected me to my generation. The Wheel of Time introduced me to how epic stories could be. But lets face it, most of the cool stuff in Star Wars is done by guys. Harry Potter only had three books out, and the Wheel of Time for all its epicness takes place over the course of 2 and a half years. The Dragonriders of Pern were different. They should me how girls could be strong teenagers and grow into strong women with children of their own and later even grandchildren. In Pern I was connected to a world, to generations, to a people.

And I think most importantly it showed me everyone deserves a dragon, someone who will love them no matter what, someone who despite everything bad that happens will be there for you.

However, my heart is still set on a non-metaphorical dragon that I can ride through the skies. If only fire lizards were real and we really could genetically engineer them into dragons. :)

An Open Letter to Brandon Sanderson

Dear Brandon Sanderson,

I love your books, and I hate you for it.

It's ironic I suppose that in the Alcatraz books you clearly state that authors are evil, and I didn't believe it. But now I understand. You are evil.

You write books that are completely amazing, books that suck me in from page one, books that I can't put down--and that is the crux of the matter! I have things I need to do! I should be doing research. I should be doing homework. I should be doing a hundred other things, but instead, I'm re-reading the Mistborn Trilogy.

That's right. Re-reading. I've read these books before and yet even knowing what's going to happen, even knowing the characters and plots, I cannot put the books down. I reread The Final Empire in one day. I reread The Well of Ascension the next day. And now I'm rereading The Hero of Ages when I should be studying plasma physics and working on my control laws.

And it's not just Mistborn. Last August I said to myself "I need to reread something I've read before so I won't be distracted from my research on Kalman Filters. How about Elantris? It's been a while since I read that but I remember it clearly so it won't distract me."

Wrong. I read chapter one, and then chapter two, and suddenly I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading. I had to stay in this world, even though I had read it before!

I know you seem like such a nice guy. At every signing I've been to, you were approachable and joking with us fans. But I know the truth, the truth you yourself revealed in the Alcatraz books. You are an evil, evil, evil man. You want to suck me away from my research. You want me to not finish my thesis. You want me to not graduate. I see it now. I understand.

You are evil.

And the worst part is that you're like an evil overlord, and I'm like a willing minion. You're the Lord Ruler, and I'm a Steel Inquisitor. Despite your evil ways, I follow. Despite the fact I know your books are destroying me, I read them. Because they're amazing. WHY? Why must you write such amazing books?

Oh, Brandon Sanderson, why do you torment me so? And not just with your amazing books, but with the anticipation of even more amazing books. I wait in eager anticipation for Alloy of the Law. I'm dying to read A Memory of Light. And I have no idea what your Rithmatist book is about but I can't wait to get my hands on it.

You're my favorite author, but I don't want to fail. So right now I'm just going to have to hate you. I'm going to have to lock away all my Brandon Sanderson books. And the only key will be my degree. Because its the only way I'll survive. It's the only way I'll actually keep my focus on my work.

Thanks a lot,
Mandy P.

A Book Review: The Wise Man's Fear

Title: The Wise Man's Fear
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Fantasy (epic)
Length: like 1,000 pages*

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: R

Read First: The Name of the Wind

Patrick Rothfuss' books are somehow indescribable. I've had several conversations with friends that went something like this:

Person 1: The Name of the Wind is awesome. I can't wait until Book 2.
Person 2: I know! Right! SOOO awesome.
Person 3: What's so awesome about it?
Person 1: Uh.....I...Uh.....I don't know.
Person 2: Kvothe is just so like relate-able....
Person 1: Because you've experienced your whole family being massacred? You're an arcanist? You play an instrument?
Person 2: Um. No. He's just like-able ok.
Person 3: So its the plot? The plot is great? Right?
Person 2: Totally.
Person 1: Actually, it was kind of predictable.
Person 3: So you're telling me this is a predictable plot with a like-able character?
Person 1: No. It's like really really really really awesome.
Person 3: Why???
Person 2: Just go read it and you'll see.

The awesomeness that is The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear is really kind of indescribable. In fact Brandon Sanderson catches the feeling of being unable to describe why these books are awesome in his review of The Wise Man's Fear:

"Why do I recommend it?

Because it's awesome.

Why is it awesome?

This often stops me. Why IS Pat's writing awesome?"

Brandon Sanderson goes on to explain reasons that make these books amazing and you should really read the whole post. But in short these books are amazing because they are beautiful, and I couldn't agree more.

Yes, the story is predictable. Yes, Kvothe is somewhat a reckless, hot headed, messed up kid. But I find myself sucked in because the writing is just amazing.

How can amazing writing rejuvenate a story I feel like I've heard before? Well, that's fairly simple.

It's like an artist doing a cover of another song.

I've heard Elton John's Your Song. It's nice. I like it. But when I heard Ewan McGregor sing it in Moulin Rouge, I felt like I was hearing it for the first time. It felt like a new song.

And that's sort of what Patrick Rothfuss does. He takes a couple of old plots and melts them together into a beautiful cover that is so much better than the original.

Patrick Rothfuss is an artist, and his books are beautiful works of art.

As for the content rating, I went back and forth on this one between PG-13 and R. There is sex, but its not descriptive. I could have easily rationalized it down to a PG-13. I'm sure there are a lot of jokes and innuendos I just didn't get in the book at all, so since I didn't get them, I think younger readers won't be scarred by them. What put me over the edge to R though is the violence--the violence Kvothe himself commits. If it was a movie, this violence would definitely up it into R. So just keep that in mind. It's a beautifully written book and everything (whether its sex, violence, or Kvothe taking a nap) is done tastefully, but its there and this book has its dark moments. Kvothe is getting older, and this book reflects that.

*So I don't have this book sitting in front of me while writing this review, so I'll update this number later. But 1,000 isn't an exaggeration. I seem to remember the book ending somewhere near page 980.

Fear & Book Reviews

Despite the fact that I've been Internet connected since I was fifteen years old, I'm actually fairly new to the whole author(aspiring or published)/agent/publishing online community. Seriously, before I started reading Stuff Christians Like, I didn't read blogs. Never had any interest in them. And I really didn't know anything about the publishing industry at all. I discovered SCL and started doing research my third year in college, which is the year I also started blogging, just for fun and mainly just for my friends.

Generally, the more I know the more I realize I don't know anything (thank you Socrates), but as I read writerly blogs, I discover something else. The more I know the more terrified I become.

Mainly in the context of book reviews.

For almost two full years, I have been blogging book reviews. Sure they haven't always been regular, but I started this blog with the intent that I would review every book I read, in a short concise way. Why? Mainly because I firmly believe books should be rated and wanted to put ratings out there for other people. But also because I read more than any of my other friends, and a lot of them do come to me for recommendations. So I figured why not put them all in one easy to access place?

My reviews are generally positive. They're not always enthusiastic for every book, but I firmly believe that every published book has merit--or else it wouldn't be published. This book is some writers baby, and I respect that.

But I sometimes post bad reviews. Sometimes I'm frankly not just unimpressed but horrified by what I read. However, in all of my time of blogging, I can only remember posting one really awful probably slightly mean review. From what I hear, I don't really think Mr. Goodkind cares about my opinion anyway. However, I recently read one book that frankly horrified me, and though I don't think the review I prepared is mean, its definitely negative.

And I'm now afraid to post it.

Why? Well for the past couple of months I've begun to realize that there is a not so subtle message coming from people in the publishing world (be they agents or authors). Only publish good reviews. Never publish a negative review if you want to be an aspiring author. Only publish reviews of books you truly love.

As I say, this really hasn't been a problem for me. I mean look at my reviews from last week. They were like love letters to Cassandra Clare. But I had planned to post this bad review today, and I double checked it to make sure it was critical and not snarky and figured that would be enough. After all, this is a little known blog, its semi-anonymous, and its really just for my friends. I don't want them to accidentally pick up this awful book and then ask me why I didn't warn them.

Then something crazy exploded in the blogosphere. Truly insane, really. The discussion has been labeled as YA Mafia, and for a good recap, go here to YA Highway.

Basically the underlying message of the discussion was: don't post negative reviews or it may come back to really bite you.

So now my heart is filled with fear. I've never really considered myself a YA writer, but my current WIP is YA. And I totally get networking and not wanting to burn bridges; however, I am also really outspoken about my beliefs.

Let's put it this way. If I ever met Terry Goodkind, I would be unfailingly polite and I would honestly tell him everything I loved about his books. (Like every straight female whose read Sword of Truth, I can't help but like Richard Rahl). However, if asked I wouldn't lie to him about what I didn't like: the plot. His characterization and ability to make you love a character is stunning. But I found the plot very lacking.

I'm not looking for conflict, so if I met the author of the bad review I want to post, I would never without prompting tirade against them and their books. In fact, I'm afraid of conflict. But if it came up in conversation, if they asked me, I would not lie to them. And isn't the point of reviewing saying what you liked and didn't like about a book?

So basically, I have no idea what to do about this book review. I wrote it. I planned to publish it here today. But what if, one day, that author sees I wrote a bad review and then decides to shot block me somehow? Because despite the YA community's reassurances that there is no mafia, everyone still cautioned that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all, because it may actually hurt you.

What do you guys think? If you're one of my friends who reads this blog because you know me personally, what are your feelings on me posting negative reviews? If you don't know me in "real life" but follow this blog--what's your opinion on negative reviews? Have you been following the YA Mafia insanity? What are your feelings on it?

And I guess the underlying question is: should I post the negative review?

A Book Review: City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Urban Fantasy (YA)
Length: 541

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: PG-13

Read First: City of Bones, City of Ashes

I thought this was the conclusion to a trilogy, and it both is and isn't. It's sort of like the Wayfarer Redemption Series where there are two distinct trilogies that are very closely tied. At least, that's my understand. Regardless, after finishing this book, I can't wait for the next book to come out this April. I'm dying to read it.

This book simply continued the awesomeness of the first two, bringing together all the hinted at subplots and problems into an epic finale. And let's add a double twist to the love story. My my. I have to say I didn't see this double twist coming at all! (It's not often that happens).

But since I don't want to give away spoilers but I do want to talk about how awesome this book is, I'm going to talk about something a little vague that I think Ms. Clare did an awesome job with: background romantic subplots.

In most books you have your POV characters who fall in love. You get that romance up close and personal, so you get invested in it. But Ms. Clare went above and beyond that. She made me invested in the romantic story lines of background non-POV characters. I longed for the background hints of Alec's romance (I won't say with who so that there are no spoilers). Every time his name was mentioned in conjunction with his love interest, I perked and read voraciously. When his love interest resolved in the end, I was happier than I could imagine--especially considering its a secondary subplot.

I can think of few other authors who managed to convey a deep and real relationship without using those characters POV. David Eddings comes to mind. In his series, he usually only has one or two POV characters and yet all of his characters seem to have romances going on in the background--romances that you can follow without their POV. I love that. It shows a mastery of story telling that I'm not sure I've come close to mastering.

So read The Mortal Instruments and become invested in all of the characters, not just the POV ones.

This book is also rated PG-13 for violence, death, demons, vampires, and sexual situations.

A Book Review: City of Ashes

Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Urban Fantasy (YA)
Length: 453

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: PG-13

Read First: City of Bones

This second book in The Mortal Instruments is not a disappointment. I don't want to release any spoilers, but let's just say that the romantic plot twist from the first book is a present problem in this second book.

It's really hard to say anything about this book without completely spoiling the first book, because this book deals with the repercussions and revelations of the first book. And what I love about this particular set of YA books, as opposed to YA books in general, is how it deals family relationships. It seems to be a general rule that YA books deal only with friendship and romantic relationships, while familial relationships are the domain of MG relationships--as if family problems disappear when you hit 14. But that's not true, and Cassandra Clare deals with that. She deals with how if anything familiar relationships get more complicated when you become a teenager. How you're striving for approval and love--not just from the opposite sex (or the same as the case may be) but from your parents. And family relations are definitely a theme hidden within the awesome action of this book.

If you loved City of Bones, you'll love City of Ashes.

This book is PG-13 for the same reasons as the first: violence, sexual situations, comas, demons, and death.

Ode to Borders

If you follow the publishing industry or books much, then you know that Borders has recently declared bankruptcy. This greatly distresses me because I love Borders. In fact, I adore Borders. So today I present my ode to Borders, written in multiple stanzas of haiku:

Rows and rows of books
and books. Glistening covers
that beckon my eye.

I pick an aisle
and walk trailing my hand on
spines, feeling titles.

I look over the
tops of shelves and see genres.
So many choices.

Need assistance? No
Thank you. I can find my way.
I’m glad they offer.

I find my section.
Science Fiction/Fantasy.
Old friends, maybe new.

Alphabetical
order just seems right. I know
my way to fav’rites.

Ender’s Game? Brandon
Sanderson? They have them all.
I breathe in the joy.

Yes, these are my friends:
Ender and Vin. But new ones
await. What to choose?

I peruse with joy
to the smell of coffee and
new books. I love it.

Please, Borders, don’t die.
You mean so much to me. Not
just books. But more too.

Evening meetings with
my mentor, studying God’s
Word while drinking tea.

Hours with my friends
talking about books we love
and ones we want too.

I discovered new
books on your shelves. New friends I
took home to join mine.

Please, Borders, don't die
or I'll loose my escape from
purgatory--school.

One day I hope to
see my own books on your shelves
discovering friends.

I hear the news, but
I won't lose hope. I have faith
Borders will still live.

I will buy books from
you. I will buy coffee too.
You will live for me.

Please, Borders, don't die.
I need books to love so please,
please, Borders, don't die.

A Book Review: City of Bones

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Urban Fantasy (YA)
Length: 485

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: PG-13

When I picked up City of Bones, the first of The Mortal Instruments series, I wasn't expecting an awesome book. To be honest, I was sort of expecting a paranormal romance of the Twilight variety: stalkerish, hot paranormal boys. The cover sort of made me think that to. So why did I pick it up? Well, I've heard great things about it and as a writer I like to keep up with awesome SF/F--regardless of the age level it finds in. So reluctantly I picked up this shiny covered book, expecting to find vampires (and I really really hate vampires).

But I was so wrong.

City of Bones isn't about vampires. It's about demon hunters. It's not about a girl being strangely and inexplicably drawn to a mysterious and dangerous boy. It's about a girl who seems to see things that aren't there, whose mother is kidnapped, and she must throw her lot in with the only people who seem to know what's going on. That's right--I said people. Not one lone boy. But three teenagers and their adult tutor. But she isn't stupid about it. She lets her normal (non demon hunter) best friend know what's going on. A main character who has common sense??? I know! My mind was blown.

Of course, there is a hot boy. It's not YA without that. But this romance subplot does not resolve in a way you would expect. Let's just say, this isn't a girl meets boy, and they live happily ever after story. The characters in this story have depth, a depth that is realistic, and their relationship is equally realistic. It has ups and downs, complete misunderstandings, subtle hints, and one doozy of a twist.

I loved all the characters, for their depth and realism. And I loved the plot. Oh, it had its predictable twists (what doesn't?) and I saw a lot of things coming, but I loved the way the characters handled these plot points. I loved their human and realistic reactions.

And I loved the urban fantasy world that Ms. Clare built. A world of angels, werewolves, demons, and yes even vampires. I could image this world hidden within our own. I could imagine this secret society of demon hunters and the mind set they developed being real. And in the end that is a big part of what I look for in urban fantasy. Not just a fantastical earth--but an earth that I could believe is our own.

This book will make you want to read the next one and will leave you wishing Cassandra Clare would write faster.

This book is PG-13 for violence, death, kidnapping, demons (which are extra points for generally just freaking me out), and some sexual situations.

A Book Review: Across the Universe

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Genre: Science Fiction (YA)
Length: 398

Quality Rating: 8
Content Rating: PG-13

Beth Revis is the second member of the League to get published, and between following her on the League and the wonderful Authoress singing her praises, I couldn't resist running out to get this book. Not to mention its science fiction, and I love a good SF book. Though, I have a small confession. This book's dust jacket is reversible, with a completely different cover on the inside. The two different covers represent the two different characters, Amy and Elder. Though I am a female and should technically be ok with Amy's romantic girly cover, I really hated that cover. And I really really really love the blue-print Elder cover. So I switched it. Blame the engineer in me.

In the not to distant future, Amy and her family are frozen so they can undertake a 300 year journey to a new planet. Except Amy's mind doesn't freeze like it should. She's aware as time passes. She dreams and remembers, trying to pass the time.

In the distant future, Elder is the future leader of the people who live on the ship and is destined to be leader when the ship finally lands on the new planet. Despite his great destiny, Elder is alone. There is no one on the ship near his age, and he alone is to be trusted with the secrets of the ship.

When Amy wakes up it is 50 years too early, and it is to discover a society that is unlike anything she has ever known. Something is wrong on the ship, and its up to Amy and Elder to figure it out.

I stayed up late one night, reading this book, when I should have been sleeping. I told myself I would only read for an hour, but suddenly three hours had passed. I couldn't put this book down, as I discovered the strange society that inhabited the ship and wondered how a people could possibly go so wrong. The secrets of the ship were not what I expected at the beginning, and I love being surprised. I also enjoyed the description of the ship itself and its layout. I love seeing how people imagine space travel might be.

This book is PG-13 for a crazy intense description of being frozen in the very first chapter (that I admit scared me very much), violence, and sexual situations that include a near rape.

A Book Review: Shaman's Crossing

Title: Shaman's Crossing
Author: Robin Hobb
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 607

Quality Rating: 6
Content Rating: PG-13

The first book of the Soldier Son Trilogy was slow to start, and for a while I seriously considered putting it down (especially since Beth Revis' book had just come out when I started it). The story is told in first person, as if someone is telling their life story from the end of their life, and to me this made the story very detached. I didn't feel like I was growing up with Nevare Burvelle, I felt like I was sitting and listening to someone tell me about Nevare Burvelle growing up. However, halfway through the book, Nevare went off to the Academy to become an officer in the Calvary. Suddenly, a boring book about a boy growing up was a military academy story, and I love a good military academy story. (I blame this on too many Star Wars books). Suddenly the book was brisk and fast paced. I felt like I was with Nevare, no longer just listening. Suddenly it was a book worth reading. The book kept its brisk pace until the end and left me wondering what would become of this cadet.

This book gets a PG-13 rating for some ridiculously awful hazing, 1800s-esque violence (swords and guns), sexual situations, plague-like disease, and death.

A Book Review: The Scorch Trials

Title: The Scorch Trials
Author: James Dashner
Genre: SF (YA Post-Apocalyptic)
Length: 360

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: PG-13

Read First: The Maze Runner

After an amazing, unique first book, I sometimes worry when I pick up the second book. I don't want the second book to simply be the first book again, and I don't want to be disappointed. I want the second book to be as unique and amazing as the first book. This is the fear that I had inside of me when I picked up The Scorch Trials.

Thankfully, James Dashner did not disappoint me. The Scorch Trials was not simply a rehash of The Maze Runner. Though this book was another pre-planned challenge for the Gladers, a challenge they must survive and win in order to save their world (somehow), it is not the Maze. It is uniquely different. We are introduced to new characters, new plot, and this leads to all new character development. The dynamic among the Gladers changes and Thomas, our own dear main character, is given a challenge unlike anything else he can remember (which granted isn't very long).

Fantastic from beginning to end, I cannot wait until the third book and cannot wait to see if and how the Gladers will save their world.

This book is PG-13 like its predecessor for violence, death, betrayal, disease, and violence.

My Fictional Crush

(Sorry for posting so late today, but today ended up being much busier than I expected. Without further ado, the post)

Some people crush on actors. Some people crush on people in real life (psh...that's overrated). Me? I crush on characters from books. When I was in middle school, my love darted between Jacen Solo and Wedge Antilles, both from the Star Wars universe. But in high school and beyond, my crush lies with one fictional man, Mat Cauthon.

Mat Cauthon from the Wheel of Time. General of the Band of the Red Hand. The player of the Horn of Valere. Prince of Ravens. Pretty much awesome. Unless of course, you've never made it past the first three books of the Wheel of Time. Then you're thinking "What? She likes that dagger-crazed freak?"

Yes, Mat gets off to a rough start in the Wheel of Time, but when I first started reading it the first 8 books were already out. I read them all in a relatively short period of time so I watched Mat develop from the possessed, treasure obsessed boy into the man who leads hundreds of men in battle (and wins).

Mat has many qualities that I actually do prize in a man. He's laid back, has a sense of humor, and a strong sense of responsibility (though his sense doesn't always line up with the other characters in the book). He is loyal to his friends and to his men.

However, there are a lot of qualities that Mat has that I would not appreciate in other men.

For one, he's such a player. And he's a gambler (though to be fair--is it really gambling if you know you're going to win?). He's a troublemaker and he curses a lot. None of these things are what I prize in a guy.

But I think they work very well as qualities of Mat, and they make me love him more. Probably this is because I am in his head. I know exactly what he's thinking when he does these things I don't like. However, its possible its a little bit of a bad boy complex. I have never liked real bad boys (honestly, badness is just unattractive), but Mat is mischievous, and a troublemaker/mischievous boy is my equivalent of a bad boy.

So there you have it. My confession. I adore Mat Cauthon of the Wheel of Time.

How about you guys? Anyone out there have a book crush?

A Book Review: The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Genre: Science Fiction ( YA Post-Apocalyptic)
Length: 374

Quality Rating: 9
Content Rating: PG-13

This book is Ender's Game meets The Cube. A set of boys live in the center of a Maze, a maze they think they must solve in order to escape. But all is not what it seems in the Maze. When a girl shows up, Thomas knows this is the beginning of the end.

This book was gripping from the beginning to the end. I had to know the solution of the Maze and what the purpose of the entire thing was. I felt for Thomas as he struggled to figure out who he is and his connection to Theresa and the Maze. I learned to love the Gladers along with Thomas, I learned to become their friends. I felt fully immersed in this world. When the Gladers failed, I failed. When they succeeded, I succeeded. And that is what a novel is all about. Feeling like you are there, in the action.

Another great aspect of this YA novel is that it is one of the few YA boy books! Not to say girls can't enjoy it and love it--because I did. But if you're looking for a young adult book to get your son, brother, or friend, this is definitely an option.

I give this book a PG-13 for violence, death, betrayal, pure fear, and violence. Lots of kids die in this book. Granted, its not like the one-on-one deaths/murders in The Hunger Games, its more like death in the midst of battle. This novel is not for the faint of heart.