Book Review: Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fireis a human monster living in the Dells, a land of monsters in all forms. The monsters are impossibly beautiful and powerful, and Fire is the last of the human kind. She must live with the legacy of her cruel father's deeds and assist the king of the war-torn Dells in fighting mutinous lords, all with a power she fears will turn her into a monster just like her father.



Things I Liked:
I thought this book had a beautiful story. It is definitely more character driven than Graceling. I thought Fire was a more relatable character and I liked her more than Katsa. The setting was beautiful and I loved the intrigue and politics. Cashore has a way with words and an ability to create beautiful fantasy worlds:
"A monster drew out all that was vile, especially a female monster, because of the desire, and the endless perverted channels for the expression of malice. With all weak men, the sight of her was a drug to their minds. What man could use hate or love well when he was drugged?" p,145
"She took the instruments from the steward one by one, each more beautiful than the last. Welkley waited patiently while she played them, testing their feelings against her neck, the sharpness of the strings on her fingertips, the depth of their sound. There was one she kept reaching for, with a copper-red varnish, and a clarity like the point of a star, precise and lonesome, reminding her, somehow, of home. This one, she thought to herself. This is the one." p.174
Things I Didn't Like:
Once again, I was bothered by one small aspect. I hated the way Fire treated her friend Archer. She seemed rather careless with his affections. She kept calling him "friend" when they were more than that. I was just annoyed at how easily she dropped him and basically crushed his feelings. It was also definitely not as action-packed as Graceling, but I thought it was better in some ways.

Read-alikes:
This is a prequel of sorts to Graceling by Cashore - I would read Graceling first or it might ruin some surprises there
The intrigue reminded me of Crown and Court Duet by Sherwood Smith

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a very few

mrg-factor: XX
innuendo mostly

v-factor: ->->
there were fighting and battle scenes

Overall rating: ****

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Too Much Turkey

Hello friends, welcome back to real life. I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday (in the US anyway) and got plenty of away-from-work/school time.

I did not get nearly enough of my reading done - too much eating and hanging with family - but it was a nice break. I did manage to get a few posts up during the weekend, my library loot for the past two weeks and then my review of North and South for the Classics Circuit Elizabeth Gaskell tour.

Most of the "reading" I did last week ended up as skimming. I've had some unfortunate book choices (not that the books are "bad" just that I don't like them). So, I thought I'd let you know, I won't be reviewing the books that I ended up just skimming, unless it is a review book I've promised to write a review for or one that I nearly finished. If you are interested in knowing about those books, I'll be posting my thoughts in goodreads, so you can find those there (under the skimmed label).

Watch for my review of Fireby Kristin Cashore a little later today (which was NOT an unfortunate choice). Hope you are all recovering from the holiday and the shopping. Anybody got any awesome holiday stories?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Look at me, I's readin' my classics again! Ms. Gaskell is on tour for the Classics Circuit, which gives me a very good excuse. For other stops on the Gaskell tour, check the Classics Circuit blog.

North and Southare as different as night and day, or at least that is what Margaret Hale feels when her family is unexpectedly uprooted from the beautiful, warm south of England to a northern manufacturing town, Milton. Her first impressions are to scorn their dirty, cold way of life, but she soon learns more about the town and the people, in particular Mr. Thornton, a mill owner whose ambitions and strength of character have made his fortunes. Can she overcome those initial reactions to understand and even love the North?

North and South

Things I Liked:
Oh, I am such a sucker for the love stories! I guess I'm a romantic at heart, because the love story in here was just beautiful. But, it is so much more than that. I love the writing, especially the way Gaskell expresses things so beautifully like feelings and emotions of all kinds of different people. They feel like individuals with very different personalities and reactions. I love how Margaret changes slowly, she doesn't just instantly think the North is awesome and love the people. The characters she meets and interacts with slowly change her opinions. I just gotta admit that I haven't read much of anything written today that can quite capture life the way Gaskell and Austen and Dickens could. I loved this quote, because it struck a chord with me:
"There are days wi' you, as wi' other folk, I suppose, when yo' get up and go through th' hours, just longing for a bit of a change - a bit of a fillip, as it were. I know I ha' gone and bought a four-pounder out o' another baker's shop to common on such days, just because I sickened at the thought of going on for ever wi' the same sight in my eyes, and the same sound in my ears, and the same taste i' my mouth, and the same thought (or no thought, for that matter) in my head, day after day, for ever." p.136
I also loved this little phrase that kind of sums up much of what Gaskell tried to portray:
"Margaret the Churchwoman, her father the Dissenter, Higgins the Infidel, knelt down together. It did them no harm." 233
Things I Didn't Like:
Sometimes the dialect for Darkshire people was difficult to follow. I had to read it more carefully and slowly than other parts. I was also really annoyed by Margaret's parents being so indecisive and also not very concerned with her feelings - she pretty much takes care of everything and they often forget about her. This quote shows a bit of what I got mad about:
"It was astonishing, almost stunning, to feel herself so much at liberty; no one depending on her for cheering care, if not for positive happiness; no invalid to plan and think for; she might be idle, and silent, and forgetful, - and what seemed worth more than all the other privileges - she might be unhappy if she liked. For months past, all her own personal cares and troubles had had to be stuffed away into a dark cupboard." p.344
Read-alikes:
It definitely felt like a Dickens novel, describing the way poor people lived, like Oliver Twist
And the story felt a bit like Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austen

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
several scattered throughout

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
some minor incidents

Overall rating: *****

For those of you who have seen that excellent BBC version of North & South do you think Mr. Thornton rivals the BBC Colin Firth portrayal of Mr. Darcy?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Falling Behind



It seems that the books I check out of the library all start piling up until I realize I have four books due back in four days and I haven't started any of them. And let's not even get started on the (fairly small) review book pile. I am becoming a very slow review book reader, probably because the deadlines (ie due dates) for my library books seem to push every other less-scheduled book out of the line. I have been trying to not check out books that aren't on hold for me, but here I am with four books to read by Saturday. We'll see how it goes.

Here is my stack of holds for the last two weeks:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Daysby Jeff Kinney (hooray!)
Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Haveby Allen Zadoff
Splendor: A Luxe Novelby Anna Godberson
Eyes Like Stars: Theatre Illuminata, Act Iby Lisa Mantchev
The Miles Betweenby Mary Pearson

And these beauties came in the mail:
The Swiss Courierby Tricia Goyer (a goodreads first read win)
Skeleton Creekby Patrick Carman (won in a contest from The O.W.L. blog)

How do you balance your library reads with your review books with your won books with your purchased books with, etc?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Sea Glasscontinues the story of Opal, who has discovered new and powerful uses for her glass magic. Though she has been commanded by the council to return immediately, she delays that return, seeking out Ulrick, hoping he will want to have his soul returned to its body. When she does return to the Magician's Keep, she is kept under house arrest and the council is doing its best to control her, but even her friends seem to have turned against her when she tries to explain about Ulrick. Will she convince them in time, or will she become a victim of her own magical power?

Sea Glass (Glass, Book 2)

Things I Liked:
Oh, Snyder, you have done it again! Despite my somewhat annoyance with Opal's first story (Storm Glass), I really enjoyed this book. The story is fast-paced and Opal is a lot more confident this time around, which is something that annoyed me in the first book. I absolutely love the supporting characters, Janco in particular, not to mention Leif. I really enjoyed them more than Opal, I'm afraid. But, I liked the plot, with its intrigue and the complex problems that arose. And, of course, the writing.
"Time dripped. Each second hung as if it were on the end of an icicle, fattening until t grew too big to hold on. Then splat - another second gone." p.53
A taste of my Janco love:
"Sandseed horses are very intelligent, and he's one beautiful, bright boy."
"And he allowed you to saddle him!" I said in an excited whisper. "How?"
He shrugged. "I introduced myself, and told him what was going on. Guess meeting the greatest swordsman in Ixia awed him into submission."
"A swordsman who can't handle a horsewhip. He probably felt sorry for you." p. 66
Things I Didn't Like:
Some sections seemed totally unrelated, though they are probably being used to set up future books. Still, I found them disrupting to the plot of this book. It also seemed like there were too many stories going on at once.

Read-alikes:
Start with the Study trilogy by Snyder and then the first about Opal, Storm Glass
They remind me of Robin McKinley's The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a handful

mrg-factor: XX
some implied situations, nothing explicit

v-factor: ->->
fighting, blood, etc

Overall rating: ****


Who is your favorite character from Snyder's series?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Societyis a group of top secret agents - children with peculiar talents and skills who passed a series of mysterious tests. The four children who manage to survive the tests - Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance - find themselves going undercover on a dangerous mission. Can they figure out what strange things are happening at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened before they are caught?

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Things I Liked:
I loved the story - it is interesting, exciting, and, of course, mysterious. I don't want to say much about the actual plot, since I wouldn't want to ruin it for you. The characters and their interactions were just plain fun. It has kind of the tongue-in-cheek type humor that I love so much. I think middle graders (and older kids) will really enjoy this series. Here are a few of my favorite passages:
The crying boy had begun flipping through the test now - there appeared to be several pages - and with each new page his sobs grew louder and more desperate. When he reached the end, he began to wail.
"I'm afraid loud weeping isn't permitted," said the pencil woman. "Please leave the room." p.21
"I tied her shoelaces to the desk," she whispered. "With my toes." p.211
In horror, the boys watched her raise the slimy, dirty, half-chewed glob of candy above the table top to examine it. Reynie's eyes swiveled to the Executives, who, having been disappointed in Kate's shoes, were now asking her to show her empty hands, then checking for stickiness under the edge of the table. He looked back to Constance and saw the realization hit her, her eyes widening in alarm. And then, an instant before Martina glanced up to see it, Constance popped the licorice into her mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it. p.393
Just reading them again makes me remember how much fun it was.

Things I Didn't Like:
It seemed a bit long, which may turn off some kids from it. There seemed to be a lot of information included, but could possibly have been left out.

Read-alikes:
Got the same kind of humor as:
The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
The Alcatraz books by Brandon Sanderson
A Series of Unfortunate Eventsby Lemony Snicket

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
(that I recall)

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
a short fight sequence, not really described

Overall rating: ****

How much of the humor do you think kids get out of these kinds of books? Do you think the authors include some of it for the enjoyment of adults?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Foundis a story about Jonah, who grew up knowing he was adopted and not thinking much of it. When he and his friend Chip start receiving strange letters about how they are "missing," they think it is just a prank. Until Chip learns he's adopted too. They are soon caught up in a strange and dangerous search to figure out just what happened to them before they were adopted.

Found (The Missing, Book 1)

Things I Liked:
Haddix sure knows how to create suspenseful and interesting stories! It was an intriguing premise and I had to keep reading to figure out what happened. This is a fun new page-turning series for middle grade readers and probably younger teens. It's a good start to an exciting adventure that will keep you guessing what will happen next.

Things I Didn't Like:
The characters are a little simplified and sometimes the dialog was a bit odd, particularly some of the things Jonah said, but these things didn't detract from the entertainment value of the book. Since it is first in a series, there was a lot unexplained, but will probably be developed in later books.

Read-alikes:
A bit like When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Reminded me of Haddix's Shadow Childrenseries, beginning with Among the Hidden

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
a bit of action

Overall rating: ****

What kinds of minor details do you find make you not like an otherwise good book?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

The Chosen Onetells the story of Kyra, a thirteen-year-old girl who has grown up in an isolated polygamous colony. She has had no real contact with the outside world, until she begins to read books checked out from a mobile library - books she is forbidden to read. She finds herself questioning more and more their way of life, especially when she is chosen to be the seventh wife of her much older uncle. But, when the boy she likes is driven from the compound, will Kyra have the strength to leave too?



Things I Liked:
This was a powerful story, packed with emotion. It was gripping and terrifying and very sad. I was very drawn in and became attached to Kyra and her family. I liked the complex ending, how things did not work out perfectly. This is a book that will get you angry about abuses to women and children - be prepared to be so mad you want to throw the book! It definitely inspired a lot of emotional reactions.

Things I Didn't Like:
I would have liked a note somewhere in the book on how much was based on true stories. I had to do some digging to find out what research she'd done, because I really wanted to know if that is what some polygamous compounds are like. I was also slightly annoyed by the questions left unanswered at the end. It was a compelling ending, but left the reader rather uncertain about Kyra's future. I wondered also about how likely it would be for her to have contact with a mobile library.

Read-alikes:
I've not read a lot of stories like this, but it kinda reminded me of Speakand Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
And possibly If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few minor ones

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some violent scenes

Overall rating: ****

What kind of book always makes you get angry?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

A Season of Giftsis the third Grandma Dowdel book. When a new preacher and his family move in next door to Grandma Dowdel, they never expected their ancient neighbor would be quite so much help - or is it trouble? Complete with haunted pumpkin patches, outhouse pranks, and Elvis, this hilarious collection of Grandma Dowdel stories will keep you laughing.



Things I Liked:
I just have to say, this book is nothing without Grandma Dowdel. She makes the book. I love the way she thinks and how no one knows quite what she intends, until she's finished whatever she is doing. I also became a fan of Ruth Ann - especialy trying to imagine a child imitating Grandma Dowdel. Here's a taste of the fun to be savored:
"Dad had already killed a hog snake coiled in the choir loft. He and the snake met up by chance, and all Dad could think of to do was drop a box of hymnals on its head." p.12
"I'm about a squat jump away from a loaded Winchester 21," Mrs. Dowdel replied, "and I'm tetchy as a bull in fly time." p.16
Things I Didn't Like:
I've got to admit I didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the previous two. The stories were not quite as gut-busting, but it was still excellent.

Read-alikes:
Definitely get your hands on A Long Way From Chicagoand A Year Down Yonder by Peck
Reminded me of the fun to be had in The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
new favorite word: hoo-boy
mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

What are some of your favorite funny books?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Book Review: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

The White Queen: A Noveltells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, a young woman whose husband died during the wars between the Lancaster and York houses for the throne of England. Left with two small boys and virtually no property, she appeals directly to the new York king, Edward IV. Her beauty and charm captivate him and they eventually marry in secret. What follows is her stormy history of ups and downs, fighting to retain the throne, and to place her son upon that throne.

The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War)

Things I Liked:
This book was full of interesting history. I know next to nothing about the wars of the roses or anything from this time period. I really thought the action parts were well done and the suspense definitely kept me on my toes (probably because I didn't know what happened). The sections of the book where they are threatened by traitors and rebellions kept my attention. Elizabeth was often hard to read, but sometimes she felt very real and I could understand what she was thinking and feeling. I particularly loved the part where she sees war first hand and is disgusted with it.

Things I Didn't Like:
All that said, I thought the book was way too long. The amount of information was simply overwhelming. Huge sections of the book were just plain dull. There were too many plots, too much information, and too many people to keep track of (many of them with the same names or with multiple names). I am sure a true historical fiction fan would enjoy it more, but I just struggled through it, mostly so I could know what happened. I was a little disappointed with the ending not being satisfying. I also wish she'd included a family tree for those actually alive in the book!

Read-alikes:
There are so many English royalty historical fiction books out there, I couldn't begin to name them all (and I haven't read that many), but Philippa Gregory has written a lot more
Read the comments on this post for more historical fiction reads
Some younger, non-royal, medieval stuff I enjoyed:
Catherine, Called Birdyand The Midwife's Apprenticeby Karen Cushman

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
some

mrg-factor: XX
mostly implied situations

v-factor: ->->
wars - what do you expect?

Overall rating: **

Do you like to know the history behind historical fiction books or do you prefer to find out while you're reading?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Pay It Forward Pays Off

Thanks for commenting on my Pay It Forward post and allowing me to give away some books! The winners are:

nomadreader who won my copy of Ruined: A Novelby Paula Morris

Aarti who won my copy of Candle Man, Book One: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilanceby Glenn Dakin

Terri B. who won my copy of Rocket Boysby Homer Hickam (thanks to Britt, who has already participated in Pay It Forward goodness)

I've sent you three an email, so go quickly and check your inbox.

Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments! Hopefully I can have another giveaway in the not-so-distant future! (But don't hold your breath for an e-book reader.)

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage

Thanks and Giving

I love this time of the year because it is just full of giving! I've noticed an increase in the number of giveaways going on right now, have you? In particular, e-book readers have been flooding the book blogging giveaway scene. This has only fueled my so-far moderate interest in e-readers. I have read a few e-books recently through NetGalley and much as I enjoy staring at my computer screen all day, I am not certain it is healthy. So, when several of these all showed up at once, I signed myself right up. Let's be honest, my librarian salary ain't gonna be getting me one any time soon.

First, there's the Noobie Kindle Giveaway. All you have to do is fill out a form. Very easy.

Then, we have Bibliofreak's Great Kindle II Giveaway (which has opportunities for getting lots of extra entries).

And most recently Trish from Hey Lady! Watcha Readin'? is offering a Sony Reader Pocket Edition.

I'm pretty sure there are others out there as well. As I pondered on these quite generous giveaways, I remembered my recently failed attempt to give stuff away. I wondered if my readers all simultaneously missed said post. Or if they were afraid of the "special surprise gift" that I promised. Or perhaps everyone who possibly could have read that post has already been a recipient of the pay it forward fairies. Anywho, I couldn't think of any other possible scenarios (at least that were intelligent enough to write here), so I thought I'd give it one more try.

And my apologies if you thought I was going to offer a free e-book reader. Note the above-mentioned librarian salary. But, I will be giving away books. Real ones. I haven't decided which ones yet, but I promise they will be in very good condition. And did I mention the surprise gift will be books?

Ok, ok, you want to know what books. Fine. Here is a list of possibilities.

Ruined: A Novelby Paula Morris
Beingby Kevin Brooks
Invisible Linesby Mary Amato (ARC)
Candle Man, Book One: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilanceby Glenn Dakin (ARC)
Primitiveby Mark Nykanen (ARC)
Spellbinderby Helen Stringer (ARC)
The Smart One and the Pretty Oneby Claire LaZebnik
Legacyby Cayla Kluver
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel: A Novelby Maureen Lindley
Between Me and the River by Carrie Host
The Possibility of Everything by Hope Edelman (ARC)
Rocket Boysby Homer Hickam (basis for the movie October Sky)

All you have to do is comment on this post. Please please please help me do some giving! I will give a book of your choice from this list to the first three commenters. Don't forget that if you win, you should do your part to pay it forward.

And one final thing...

THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!

If you buy through my Amazon linkage,
I will get a very small percentage
 
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