Blog Tour » The Lost and the Found [Giveaway]

It's a pretty well-known fact that I have an eerie addiction to crime shows. Nightmares didn't stop me from binging all 9 available seasons (at the time) of Criminal Minds. Right now I'm watching Netflix's The Killing which stars Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan. . Perhaps I'm a bit disturbed, because I've been fighting of a bizarre attraction to Jamie Dornan (our serial killer) ever since.

Anywho, my point is that I love my crime shows. But I always wonder what happens afterwards. For a girl who has been gone 10 years, what is it like to reintegrate into her family? I've read Jaycee Lee Dugard's memoirs on the subject, but my fascination remains. The premise of The Lost and the Found was unique to me, because I had never read a fictional account of this situation before.

The Good

As you guys may have noticed, Ellen and I have been AWOL recently. In my case, it's been because I've started classes and I participate in a ton of volunteer work. I'm always busy and barely have enough time to read. That's why The Lost and the Found was such a great read for me. I could barely set it down, so every spare minute I had was devoted to this book.

Faith, our main protagonist, was a wonderful character. She was equal parts caring and devoted, but also frustrated and selfish. Her relationships with her family, friends, and boyfriend was real and nuanced. I loved her relationship with her stepfather. He was kind and understanding, and there for Faith in a way her parents could never be.

The author also spent a great deal of time dealing with the media coverage of the situation and the frenzy that arises after a kidnapee like Laurel is found. She mentions the journalists, the tv interviews, the book deals, and the strain that Faith and Laurel's parents have gone through in terms of curating their image to the public all in hopes of finding their lost daughter.

The relationship between Laurel and Faith was interesting to read about. Especially how it slowly grew from being strangers to sisters. That is sisters who fight and can get jealous but also laugh together and combine forces against their parents. It's the definition of true sisterhood after all.

There's also a brief moment when a character in the book discusses how popular Laurel Logan's case was in comparison to that of lower-class or non-white kidnap cases. It's not something I've really thought about too much, but it did affect how I've been thinking of this situation. The argument presented was, was it fair for the police and media to devote this much attention to Laurel Logan when nothing even close to that was devoted to other missing children that were non-white and/or lower-class. It's definitely a tricky situation to address, but I appreciate that the argument was presented so that we can assess it for ourselves.

Not As Good

While I did enjoy the book, I only gave it 3 stars. While I was riveted by the story, I pretty much guessed exactly how it would go. I wasn't truly surprised by anything and I must say that I'm a little disappointed with where it ended up. It's almost like the book dealt with more issues than it could realistically handle. By straddling two main storylines, neither of them could be fully developed or expressed.

While I understand Faith's decision at the end of the book, I disagree with it. [spoiler]She should have told her parents about Laurel's death.[/spoiler]

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Cat Clarke

Cat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.
Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.

Links: Website || Twitter

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Giveaway!

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Follow the Tour!

Week 1

9/12: Such a Novel Idea - Review
9/13: The Story Sanctuary - Q&A
9/14: Avid Reader - Review
9/15: Who RU Blog - Novel Secrets
9/16: Novel Ink - Review

Week 2

9/19: Here's the Happy Endings - Guest Post
9/20: Blue Books and Butterflies - Review
9/21: Take Me Away to a Great Read - Mood Board
9/22: Quest Reviews - Review
9/23: Curling Up with a Good Book - Top 10

I Hunt Killers » Book Review

Apologies for our mini-hiatus! I have been engrossed by various murder-mystery shows on Netflix and Hulu and we all know what a long drawn-out rabbit hole that can be. Naturally, that led me to desire a book called I Hunt Killers, which I discovered through My Guilty Obsession. See Ali's review HERE.

I Hunt Killers

This novel has a fairly unique premise. The child of a serial killer? What sort of crazy, fucked-up shit will we get to see?! Ahem, did I sound too excited there? Oops.

It's supposed to allow us an inside perspective on the mind of an organized serial killer, and how they see the world. As a dedicated viewer of Criminal Minds (though Thomas Gibson, WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN ANGRY FOOL), I've developed a bizarre obsession with serial murders. However, I assure my dedicated readers out there, I have never contacted one or willingly spoken to one. I haven't reached that level of insanity yet.

Jazz Dent

Jasper, or Jazz as he is known to his friends (though this immediately brought to mind, TLC's show about a transgender teen 'I am Jazz'), is the son of the most prolific serial killer America has ever seen. Even though Jazz was raised to follow in Billy's footsteps, Jazz has managed to live a relatively normal life. Kill-free.

It is no secret that I tend to loathe contemporary novels that primarily features a teen male's point-of-view. But I really liked Jazz. While I couldn't relate to him (and hopefully none of you can), I truly felt for him.

When a teen is involved in solving a crime, a certain suspension of belief is typically required. I didn't feel that way at all. The entire story was plausible, provided that the reader accepted the premise.

Everyone Else

Howie is Jazz's hemophiliac best friend. I enjoyed their banter and appreciated their strong bond. That being said, Howie's perspective would have driven me nuts, so I was glad to see him in the best-friend role. Connie is Jazz's girlfriend. I liked how their relationship was portrayed because it was (finally!) a realistic teen relationship. You know, as realistic of a relationship with a serial killer's son can be.

Since this is set in the sleepy town of Lobo's Nod, we also get to know many other characters including Jazz's crazy grandmother, the sheriff that caught Billy Dent, and many more. All of that added to the ambience of the serial crime spree. I shan't touch on the mysterious murders too much because I think it's best to not know too much about it.

I enjoyed how the story progressed and how the overall story arc for the trilogy was developed. I raced to the library to pick up the next book, Game, immediately. I can't wait to read more!

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Do you have a favorite serial-killer mystery book to recommend to me? Let me know in the comments below!

My Lady Jane » Book Review

My Lady Jane was a strongly hyped book written by three well-known YA authors. I believe it was also an Owlcrate book for the month of May. I was feeling a little apprehensive going into the book because while I was familiar with all three authors, I couldn't say that I particularly adored their previous works.

Cynthia Hand is the author of the Unearthly trilogy, Brodi Ashton is the author of the Everneath trilogy, and Jodie Meadows is the author of the Newsoul trilogy and The Orphan Queen series. I've read the first book of both the Unearthly and Everneath trilogies, but the love triangle didn't inspire me to continue. I read a brief sample of the first Newsoul book and chose to stop there.

Thankfully, My Lady Jane didn't suffer any of those issues.

Tudor England

For most of us, the historical setting will be very familiar. Who wasn't fascinated by King Henry the VIII's various marriages and break from the Catholic Pope? It was one of the few times my class perked up during our history lessons. Even though our focus is on Lady Jane (made obvious by the title), we are initially introduced to Edward. From then on, our perspectives switch between Jane and Edward.

Edward is a teen boy who doesn't focus too much on his kingdom. All of his work is done through his privy council and his advisors, including Lord Dudley. He enjoys the company of his half-sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, and his cousin, Jane. Even though Edward wonders what it would be like to marry Jane, he is convinced by his advisors to marry her off to a Gifford Dudley, and to allow Jane's male heirs to be Edward's successors should he not be able to provide his own heir.

Most of that seems to be historically accurate as far as I can surmise from my AP History class and brief research. Now comes the interesting part...

Magic?

In this version of history, magic exists. More precisely, shapeshifters exist. Naturally there are two factions. Those who are shapeshifters and those who are not. They do have precise terminology within the novel itself. But it has been a little while since I've read the book and I've already returned it to the library so I can't recall them offhand.

We learn that Edward's father could turn into a raging lion if he was displeased. Edward and Jane spent much of their time as children wishing and practicing to be a shapeshifter themselves. The addition of these fantastical elements does allow a historical fiction book to appeal to a wider range of readers. It also allowed certain tweaks to be made to our version of history.

Romance

I did mention that Edward had considered what it would be like to marry Jane. However, there is NO love triangle in this book which I was deeply appreciative of. Instead, we get to see the romance between Jane and her new husband Gifford develop. This is actually one of my favorite tropes in historical romance novels. For whatever reason, I do love to see a marriage of convenience or a marriage of hatred to turn into a marriage of true love and affection.

This romantic story did not disappoint. I adored Jane as a character. She was intelligent and smart, focused and driven. I enjoyed her sense of humor and nothing fazed her for too long. Her interactions with Gifford were sweet and I was really rooting for both of them throughout the novel.

We also get to see romances develop with other key characters as well, but I'm feeling a little too lazy at the moment to expound upon that further.

My Rating & Why

I did really like this book. Even though it is close to 500 pages, I could read it relatively quickly. My only complaint is that it felt too juvenile. I would say that it fell closer to the middle-grade end of the spectrum rather than the mature YA that I was expecting.

The romance is VERY PG. The plot is quite simple even for someone unfamiliar with the historical time period. While I enjoyed the sense of humor from the characters as well as the omniscient narrator, it didn't set the book apart for me in any way.

With Malice & You Know Me Well » Mini-Reviews #2

Meh?

With Malice is supposed to be a suspenseful, psychological thriller. Ellen already wrote up an excellent review a little while ago (HERE). I didn't have much to add, so I thought a mini-review would work out best.

At its core, With Malice is a story of 2 girls and their love for each other, and how important of a part the media can play in determining the innocence or guilt of an individual. Jill is a quiet, bookish girl who is focused on her studies while Simone is an outgoing personality who is more focused on having a good time than thinking about college. The other major difference is their families. Jill's parents are divorced but well-off while Simone's parents are religious and still married, but struggle with their finances. Despite these differences, Simone's and Jill's friendship thrives from the time they were little.

Since this had been marketed as a thriller, I was expecting a lot more out of this novel. For one, I didn't realize that most of the book would be Jill recovering from the car accident in the hospital/rehab. We get bits and pieces from her memories as she slowly recovers them. It is interspersed with interviews, transcripts and any other evidence collected by the Italian authorities. It was interesting enough, but it lacked actual action.

Perhaps it is as Ellen said in her review. I'm too old for teen angst and drama. I suppose more importantly, I'm too old to invest and believe in teen angst and drama. Nothing came as a surprise to me.

I rated it 3 stars because I didn't have very high expectations. It was a quick and easy read. After having written this review, I am considering lowering my rating to 2 or 2.5 stars. But I will let my original rating stand for now.

I am glad that I chose to borrow it from my library, however. I don't foresee ever re-reading this one.

[rating stars="three-stars"]

[book-info number="1"]

This was unexpected. It's the only way I can describe my reaction to reading this book. Ellen (as always) has written up a wonderful and more coherent review (HERE).

You Know Me Well is not a work of genius by any means. If I had picked this book up at any other time, I would have given it the requisite two to three stars and moved on. I still decided on the three stars because while I could relate to the book, I didn't feel the magical spark for the entire novel, just for very specific bits and pieces of it.

Kate & Mark

I can see why a lot of people wouldn't enjoy Kate's character. However, I could relate to her. The running away, the questioning of friends and relationships. I'm in a similar position myself, so I could sympathize with the alienation she was feeling with her friends. I could Understand.

And Mark just broke my fucking heart. I'm sure many of you out there have gone through the process of unrequited love. It's awful. It's always there nagging at you in the back of your mind and you just wish you could STOP. It appears at the most inconvenient times. It pops up as a painful reminder just when you wonder if you're finally getting over it all. As you might be able to tell, I'm in the midst of that process myself.

Mark's sadness made me relive my own sadness. It was cathartic, and much needed.

It's time for me to go wallow in ice cream guys...

A Study in Charlotte » Book Review

I was prepared to have A Study in Charlotte occupy my literal and figurative favorites shelf. After all, I'm an absolute nut when it comes to anything Sherlock Holmes. But sadly, this book just didn't do it for me.

Charlotte & Jamie

Charlotte Holmes is the descendant of Sherlock Holmes. Though is anybody out there (besides me) astonished at the fact that Sherlock managed to spawn children? I'd just as well believe that he somehow cloned himself rather than go through the icky ordeal of procreation.

Jamie Watson is the descendant of Dr. John Watson. Seeing as how John was a bit of a ladies' man, this part is more believable. Jamie is sent to a boarding school in Connecticut after acquiring a rugby scholarship. And lo and behold, that's where Charlotte happens to be!

Mycroft Holmes: Oh, Sherlock, what do we say about coincidence?
Sherlock Holmes: The universe is rarely so lazy.
- BBC's Sherlock "The Sign of Three"

Jamie has a strong fascination with his counterpart, Charlotte. He also hopes to be a writer like his ancestor, and wishes for a bond with Charlotte like his predecessor had with Sherlock. He finds out that Charlotte has been solving crimes for Scotland Yard since the age of 10 and has been well-trained in deductive and reasoning skills.

Fascinating, right? But I found it all SO dull. To me, this was essentially a retelling. Even with the change of setting, the contemporary time period (both of which had already been done before), the Holmes and Watson families, and changing Holmes to a female character, nothing felt fresh. Everything was recycled from the original Sherlock Holmes stories. Even down to the existence of the Moriarty family.

Friendship & Romance

My friend's little sister is named Jamie. So when I skimmed through the synopsis, I thought ooh, female friendship! Alas I realized that not to be the case. I always worry when either of the main characters are female. In fact that was the very reason why I refused to watch Elementary. I did not want a romantic dynamic to come into play at all. Luckily romance between Watson and Holmes did not come into play in Elementary (at least as far as I've watched). I sadly cannot say the same for A Study in Charlotte.

Luckily romance didn't play a central role in the story. But I found myself SO BORED. Honestly, I have very high standards when it comes to Sherlock Holmes. I need it to be clever. BBC's Sherlock did a wonderful job in modernizing Holmes and Watson, by creating strong yet likeable characters with a bond everyone can't help but root for, and updating the stories to fit the contemporary time period. And let's face it, Season 3 was basically fan fiction come to life *fans self*.

Last Thoughts

NOTHING surprised me in this book. The mystery should have intrigued me, but I just didn't care. I should have been cheering on the friendship that develops between Watson and Holmes but again, I couldn't care less. My favorite character was Milo, only because he was almost an exact replica of Mycroft (aka Mark Gatiss) from Sherlock.



I should have just re-watched Sherlock instead. I may give the next book in the trilogy a try when it releases next year. But I sure as hell won't be re-reading this one.

Imprudence » Book Review

Egads! Imprudence is the first physical book I have ever received from a publisher. Here's me gushing on Instagram and barely holding myself together.



My sister will attest to the fact that I was practically hyperventilating when I saw the package in our mail. I'M TOO POOR TO ORDER ANY BOOKS FROM AMAZON. When I saw that it was Imprudence, I almost fainted. But I didn't!

BECAUSE HOW ELSE WOULD I BE ABLE TO READ THIS BOOK.

Where They Are Now

After the events of Prudence (see review HERE), Rue makes her way back home where she receives a firm admonishment from Queen Victoria for her part in creating a separate treaty with the Varanas and the Shadow council. The Crown's legal protection has also been revoked from Rue as punishment.

That's not the only thing that's going wrong in London. I can't go into details, but I almost wept. One of the things I love about the way Gail Carriger writes her books, is that she keeps her focus on the world at large. Characters that we have loved through many series will continue to sneak in and out of the book, and we get to see how they have changed and evolved throughout the years.

In this installment, we watch Rue grow into an adult. Not just in terms of age, as she is officially 21 years old and has reached her majority, but also in maturity. She is finally confronted with some painful truths about her parents (all 3 of them) and starting to understand them as adults, not just as her guardians.

Rue & Crew

As always, I adore Rue and her crew members. Prim and Rue's friendship is as solid as ever, Spoo remains our delightful deckling (can't wait to see how she grows up), Percy our grumpy navigator, Quesnel our charming Frenchman, Aggie our curmudgeon, gorgeous Sekhmet, and Footnote! Every ship needs a cat after all. Sometimes even two.

My brief complaint about the book is that I never really grew to love Quesnel as I did Percy or Prim or Spoo. I really tried, especially since I knew that the romantic pairing would be between Rue and Quesnel. Their romance is definitely quite different than the traditional Victorian tale, and I adored the reactions of her parents. I must not have been won over by Quesnel. However, that didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the story. The romance is definitely not the focus, and Rue handles it in a very mature manner.

Percy was SUCH an idiot in this book. I could have smacked him around for all the stupid decisions he made. I understood why he made those choices, but a smack was coming his way nonetheless. I love that Carriger can make me feel such strong emotions for her characters. I am also DYING to know what happens in Prim's future. For everyone who has read the book already, DON'T YOU SHIP IT?! Because I am the captain of that ship.

Colonialism

I found this to be a strong installment to The Custard Protocol series. Some of the issues I had in her previous book regarding colonialism was put to rest. As Rue travels and interacts with people that aren't British, we see her understanding of the world and the Empire's activities transform.

I almost want to go back and omit that section of my review in Prudence. But looking back with all the information that I have from Imprudence, it was clearly a process of growth for Rue. As a metanatural, she doesn't have normal citizenship rights and that has also impacted her view of supernaturals and their value to the Crown. She definitely isn't a mindless drone of the Empire. I think that was the greatest gift Queen Victoria could unknowingly give Rue as she removed the legal protection of the Crown.

Final Thoughts

I am DYING for a sequel. I originally assumed this to be a duology since no other books have been announced. Imprudence doesn't end on a cliffhanger by any means, but a few things have been set in motion and I'd love to see them come to fruition. Not to mention, I NEED TO KNOW HOW MY SHIP WILL SAIL.

The saddest moment for me in the whole book was when [spoiler]Rue was getting ready to leave London, and Conall had to give up being Alpha. We all knew this was coming, but I felt devastated for Conall as he lost his pack. When Rue showed her belly to Biffy in wolf form, and he rejected her, I felt her pain at losing her family. I'm just not ready (as a reader) to let the pack go either.[/spoiler]

According to Carriger, she hopes to publish a sequel in 2018. Only 2 years away!



I'm not crying!! There's just something in my eye...

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I'm excited to announce that I will be seeing Gail Carriger in person in Chicago next week! My sister and I will be going together and I am beyond thrilled to meet my favorite author of 2016.

The Witch Hunter » Book Review

Disappointed doesn't even begin to cover my range of emotions upon completion of The Witch Hunter. I wanted to love it! I was completely ready to jump on the bandwagon. But I sadly could only wave as the bandwagon passed me by along its journey to the squealing fandom.

Elizabeth - Our Witch Hunter

The setting of the book isn't anything new, surprising or special. Our main character is Elizabeth and she happens to be a witch hunter. She is pretty damn good at her job but unfortunately gets accused of witchcraft herself. Whoops.

Luckily she gets rescued! Unfortunately it's by a wizard. That isn't going to do her reputation any good.

I really enjoyed the first 100 or so pages of the book. But I quickly started losing interest after that. I can't exactly explain why. Maybe it's because I had left my hotel in Ohio and I could no longer read by the pool. Maybe the first 100 pages were only made interesting by the fact that I had THIS to look at (via bookishpeach @ Instagram).


I genuinely liked Elizabeth. She was strong, hard-working, and loyal. However, most of the characters surrounding her seemed dull and lifeless. Call me crazy, but it got to the point where I felt that book was seeping energy OUT of me.

Romance

We do have a teensy love triangle in the works. It didn't bother me too much because the two love interests were kept separate from each other and there wasn't a whole lot of mooning on Elizabeth's part. Her first love interest is Caleb. He introduced her to Blackwell and the world of witch-hunting but can't seem to see Elizabeth as anything other than a sister or a dear friend. So we do have some pining to deal with. Luckily it wasn't overwhelming and I found it quite relatable (since I do occasionally find myself in the pining stage as well).

Then we have John, the healer. I liked him, he seemed nice and sweet. But I FELT nothing. I wanted a romance that I could really get behind, something I could root for. All I felt was a lot of 'meh'.

Our Crew & Villain

I'm lumping these two categories together because I have the same complaint.

(Just so you guys know, I recited the rest of the lines in my head)

Elizabeth ends up going on a quest with a John, George and some girl whose name I can't remember because of a prophecy. What a wonderful opportunity for me to fall in love with these characters!

Nope. NOTHING. I have NO feelings.

We instead end up at a really bizarre juvenile party that reminded me a terrible YA high school contemporary instead of a fantasy story with real stakes. The change in tone really threw me off and I couldn't make myself recover from that.

Onto our villain, Blackwell. He was SO BORING. Nothing about his character surprised me at all. Apparently, I had guessed the big reveal right after reading the synopsis (which I must say, must be some kind of record for me). He was just a standard villain. There was nothing interesting about him.

There wasn't anything interesting about anyone, really.

I do have the next book, The King Slayer, already checked out from the library. I will probably give it a go in a few days just so I can complete this duology. Maybe it will be a little better than The Witch Hunter.

I know some of my blogger friends out there really enjoyed this one. I'M SORRY GUYS! I really did try, I promise.

PS: There is NO political intrigue. Absolutely none. Don't fall for the Game of Thrones comparison!

The Forbidden Wish » Book Review

The Forbidden Wish is a beautifully written book filled with exactly the kind of magic I needed. I shall do my best to be coherent, but there might be more swooning and gushing than one might except from a romantic cynic such as myself.

Now, I will be the first one to say that I am tired of the fairy-tale retelling genre. But Khoury did an amazing job with this one. This is a fantastic stand-alone fantasy novel that is a retelling of the story of Aladdin. At this point, I can't even decide which version I love more.

Our Jinni

Our protagonist is Zahra, the jinni. Formerly known as Genie voiced by our beloved Robin Williams. There are some major differences between the two. For one, Zahra is a woman. For another, she possesses an entirely different kind of humor.

Aladdin stumbles across Zahra's lamp deep in a cave surrounded by a beautiful garden made entirely of gems. He manages to escape with the help of Zahra and forges an unlikely friendship beyond that of master and jinni.

I loved reading from Zahra's perspective. She is a flawed character, witty, manipulative, and sometimes painfully insightful. Her life experiences have warned her against love in a way that is entirely realistic and plausible. I've read/watched too many heroes refuse to show or have emotion out of pure stubbornness and selfishness instead of having a justifiable reason.

The story is told in first person and is addressed to Zahra's old friend Roshana, also referred to as Habiba. Roshana used to a previous master of Zahra's but they formed a deep and abiding love for each other that transformed their bond into that of sisterhood. When Zahra spoke of Roshana, it was as if Khoury had weaved a spell around my heart. I could feel that love and connection resonate within myself, and it was a very powerful moment for me.

Everyone Else

The princess of our story, Caspida, is freakin' badass. She is a warrior princess with her own band of warrior-maidens. How amazing is that?! I loved every single moment with her and her ladies. Khoury did an amazing job creating a vast array of strong female characters with their own strengths, weaknesses and personality. Every character was distinct from each other and had their own role to play within their insular society.

The interactions between Zahra and Caspida had me pumping my fist in delight. Two strong women coming together to discuss politics and the fate of the kingdom? SIGN ME UP.

The romance that slowly developed and simmers between Zahra and Aladdin was absolutely swoon-worthy. Their relationship is built on friendship and mutual trust. There were moments when I would skim over some of the political intrigue in the story to get to an Aladdin and Zahra section. Of course, I made sure I went back and re-read what I missed.

Magic and the Jinni

I found the descriptions Khoury used to describe Zahra's brand of magic to be breathtaking. I am typically not a visual imaginative reader. By that, I mean that I don't picture things in my head. But when I was reading about Zahra, I couldn't help but imagine the swirls of smoke that would erupt around her as she practiced a certain aspect of her magic and giggle over her ability to turn from a cat or a bumbling peacock to a tiger at a moment's notice. I know I keep saying the same things over and over again, but this book was just beautiful.

If you're interested in learning a little more about Zahra's background, Jessica Khoury has written a free short story (HERE) on Wattpad aptly titled The Jinni.

I couldn't recommend this book more. I strongly urge you to pick it up and give it a chance yourself.

The Scorpion Rules » Book Review

I wasn't expecting much from this book. I remember being really excited about The Scorpion Rules as a new-release last year, but so many people I follow on Goodreads (except Emily May) did not care for this book. By did not care, I mean fervently despised. Hence with a sad sigh, I took it off my pre-ordered list and didn't think about it again.

I've only read one other book by Erin Bow, and sad to say, I really didn't care for it. Sorrow's Knot had a unique premise, but was just so confusing and dull to read. I appreciated the focus on friendship and the magic system was memorable, but I barely finished it.

Surprisingly for me, I really enjoyed The Scorpion Rules. But I can understand why others would have had a problem with it.

The World

This was what lured me in. The world has seen wars, and countless tragedies have occurred because of it. The UN started developing Artificial Intelligence machines, and one of them (Talis) was in charge of conflict resolution. After making his analysis, he realized the problem was *drum roll* humans!

He takes over the weapons system, demolishes a few cities, and sets himself up as the new head honcho. He is the instigator of peace. Anyone who wishes to rule their land (whether via monarchy or political parties) needs to have a child to be eligible. He/she must trade that child with Talis. The children will be kept as hostages to ensure peace. If a country decides to go to war, the child's life will be forfeit.

This isn't a new concept. In fact, it was relatively common for kings to demand or trade sons to ensure that both parties would enforce their treaties. Historically, it actually happened with Vlad the Impaler and his brother, Radu. They were traded to the Ottoman empire. That was also the same premise for the historical fiction book I read recently, And I Darken, about a female Vlad the Impaler going through the same thing (review HERE). Talis brings back this concept, and it's working quite well.

The Characters

Our main character is Greta. She is the crown princess to a duchy and very well-versed in history. She has excelled during her time at the Precepture school. She just has to make it to her 18th birthday and she will be set free. Her best friend, and roommate, is Da-Xia (or Xie). Han, Grego, Atta and Thandi are some of the other hostages that round out the rest of the cohort.

We are soon introduced to Elian, a new hostage, who wasn't prepared for life at the Precepture. All the other hostages knew from birth where they were meant to go, and were taught to handle it with dignity and grace. Elian, on the other hand, screams and fights and tries to claw his way to freedom.

I really enjoyed reading from Greta's perspective. She was calm, thoughtful, and intelligent. And unlike most YA novels, Elian's presence doesn't flounder her because of his UH-MAHZING good looks, or his ability to be a jerk one second and disgustingly sweet the second. He flounders her because of his inability to accept his new life. He rails against the unfairness of being a hostage for his people. He doesn't believe in the concept of being a hostage for peace. That forces Greta to examine her own beliefs and her training. Is she really willing to give up her life if her kingdom is forced to go to war? Is it fair? And above all, is Talis doing the right thing?

Throughout the book, we are peppered with Utterances, which are phrases lifted from Talis. I found his childish ways and sarcastic quips amusing and it provided a much needed dose of humor in an otherwise serious dystopian fantasy.

Critiques

As I mentioned earlier, there are several reviewers out there who despised or simply didn't care for the book. Some of their critiques were that nothing happened, the characters were wooden, there were too many familiar tropes and what the hell was up with their fascination with goats?!

The pacing was slow. There's no doubt about that. However, I really enjoyed it. In the beginning of the book, we really get to experience life with Greta and Xie, witness the growth and evolution of Elian, and learn about what is happening in their world. It is only in the second half, that the pace picks up. I didn't feel panicked or rushed, which can happen to me when I read the more traditional quick-paced books. I think it is a testament to Bow's storytelling that she could write a book that meanders, and stops to admire goats and still have me clinging to every page.

I do have some issues with the characters. I wish Greta's other classmates were given a little more time and backstory, and were more integrated into Greta's internal life. They definitely existed around her, but I wanted to feel more camaraderie among them. I was hoping for a true sense of siblinghood.

I also wasn't sure how exactly Greta became the de-facto leader of their little group. That part of it sprung out from nowhere, and it didn't seem like Greta truly earned that position and that level of respect from her peers. I did do my best to forgive that flaw, so I could enjoy the rest of the book.

I think the romance in the book was handled pretty well. I usually can't stand a love triangle of any kind, but since Greta's focus remained with her kingdom and the world at large, I could handle the presence of more than one love interest. And I absolutely adore who she ended up with.

One reviewer compared the book to the Hunger Games series, especially during the section when the media was incorporated as part of the story. I definitely agree with her, and there were some Coin/Plutarch elements thrown in there as well. It didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book, but I can see why that would be a problem for others.

Goats???

And last but not least... Goats. I will admit that I was a little weirded out by their focus on goats when it was first introduced. But I grew to really enjoy those feisty animals as we progressed through. After all, who am I to judge. I come from a family that still speaks of one of our deceased cows (Nandini) with a great deal of love and deference.  *sigh* I never stepped on poo when I was on her watch.

All in all, I am really excited to read the next book The Swan Riders, which is set to release this year in September. The ending of The Scorpion Rules took it in a completely different direction than I expected, so I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next!

PS: September is going to be batshit guys. SO MANY NEW RELEASES.

Mirror in the Sky » Book Review

I cannot stress this enough, Mirror in the Sky is NOT in any way a science-fiction novel. I typically don't like to delve too deeply or research books before picking them up. I saw that Penguin was hyping up this book, realized that it was written by an Indian author and featured an Indian-American protagonist and decided to pick it up from my local library. I also made the mistake of assuming that there would be stronger sci-fi elements to the book.

Yeh Tara Woh Tara

Our protagonist's name is Tara Krishnan. Tara means 'star' in Hindi and happens to be part of the title of one of my favorite Hindi songs (hence the sub-heading). Tara is half-Indian with an Indian father who runs a restaurant and a white mother who teaches ballet. She is entering her junior year at Brierly without her best friend, Meg, who has decided to study for a year abroad.

Their world soon discovers the existence of a mirror planet, where things seem similar and yet a little different. This sparks a lot of spiritual and philosophical debates amongst Tara's family and friends. That is the extent of the science-fiction premise in the novel. The rest reads like a contemporary high-school story about Tara, and her family, and her friends. In fact, Khorana calls it a contemporary speculative novel, which describes the atmosphere of the book very well.

Family & Friends

I loved Tara and her family. Her relationship with her parents was genuine and wonderful, but not suger-coated. All three of them have dealt with serious disappointments and that has had a substantial impact on the family. I thought Khorana did a great job depicting the loving bonds that existed and persisted through their hardships and struggles. It was woven together with the appearance of the mirror planet, and the self-reflection that came along with such a discovery.

Without Meg, Tara felt absolutely bereft at her high school. She hated her school and feared having to sit in the library for lunch. There were moments that I felt she was just being a little over-dramatic. But then, I thought about my high school years and remembered the holy terror I felt having to walk into a cafeteria when I knew absolutely no one, and realized she wasn't being all that dramatic after all. Lucky for her, she happened to accidentally become friends with the popular crowd. Even better, one of them is Nick, her crush. Only he's crazy in love with Halle.

Halle is the Queen Bee. Everyone in the friend group revolves around her, especially Nick. Tara then spends the rest of the time trying to deal with her crush, and navigating the new friendship dynamics she finds herself in.

Being Indian

This book addresses what it is like to be a brown teenager in an all-white school. As such, Tara has always felt like an outsider even after she is deemed a part of the popular crowd. She often feels stereotyped because of her skin color, and has some struggles with her guidance counselor because of that. I thought it was an interesting topic to read about especially since I have never felt discriminated against for being in Indian in America (at least the places I've lived). I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but I often take advantage of the stereotypes.

People assume that Indians are smart and great at school. I happen to enjoy that inherent assumption. When I first moved here at the age of fourteen, numerous people remarked upon my perfect use of American English down the accent. Many more told me how surprised they were that I could speak and write so well. I took it as an opportunity to disavow my Indian heritage since I had spent the majority of my life out of India anyway. I hated being thought of as backward, and I disliked living in India anyway, so I didn't embrace that part of my identity. For these reasons, I couldn't relate to Tara's struggles with racism, but I am glad to have gotten to opportunity to read and understand her perspective.

Pacing

I wasn't very pleased with the pacing of the book. Mirror in the Sky kept my attention, but I found the first two-thirds of the book to be a little too slow for me. Towards the end of the book, we get to see Tara and her friends celebrating their friendship with child-like joy. That was the moment when I realized how much I enjoyed these characters and I wished we could have spent more time with them in that state of being. The last third of the book felt a little rushed. A ton of things were happening at once, but that was when I truly felt engrossed in the book. It's just a pity that it took so long to get there.

I wanted to address the romance aspect very quickly. I LOVED how the author chose to write it. It is one of the more realistic depiction of a high school crush/romance that I can think of. I think Tara handled herself with true maturity, while remaining a 16 yr-old girl.

Last Thoughts

I believe Mirror in the Sky is a promising start to Khorana's writing career. I look forward to reading more of her stories!

Wink Poppy Midnight » Book Review

You need to be in the right mood for Wink Poppy Midnight. Unfortunately, I wasn't. I looked at my stack of library books and thought, Wink Poppy Midnight is the shortest of them all. I'll read it, review it, return it, and the librarians won't hate me!

I wasn't having a great day, and I needed a book that would take me away from it all. I had this frantic sort of energy, the desperate need of an engrossing novel, but what I got was pretty words and a whole lot of nothing. If I had been in a softer and calmer state of mind, I daresay I might have enjoyed Wink Poppy Midnight a tad bit more.

Ellen reviewed it a little more favorably than I. Here is a link to her review.

Wink, Poppy & Midnight

The story is told in three alternating perspectives of varying length. We have Wink who is a strange red-headed girl who has many brothers and sisters and a mother who can read palms and tarot cards. Then there is Poppy, our resident mean girl. She is beautiful and cunning, and filled with a rage and sorrow she can't control. Lastly there is Midnight. He is an uncertain boy, torn between Poppy's beauty and Wink's whimsy.

As the description reminds us,
Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

It is up to the reader to figure it out.

Writing & Pacing

The writing is intended to weave around your mind and bewitch you. At least that's what it seemed like was the purpose. My energy was too frantic to be soothed in that manner. I was just profoundly irritated. JUST SAY WHAT YOU BLOODY MEAN.

For a short book, it dragged on quite a bit. Nothing really happened in the first half of the book. The author took a long time to set up everything up. I found it difficult to stay focused and hold my interest. The 'action' only began much later and I wasn't very surprised by anything that happened. At that point, I didn't care for any of the characters anyway.

Last Thoughts

Surprisingly, I enjoyed Poppy's story arc the most. And while I didn't care for the characters, I could say that I had some semblance of understanding for Wink, Poppy and Midnight. After all, I'm a little like Wink. I am always searching for a captivating story, hoping to be the hero in my very own epic.

 

Prudence » Book Review

Prudence was everything my heart desired. I had been holding off on reading this series because I worried that it wouldn't be as good as The Parasol Protectorate and wouldn't evoke the same sense of love and nostalgia. I needn't have worried.

For those who are unaware, all of Gail Carriger's works (with the exception of a few short stories) take place in this alternate steampunk history where werewolves and vampires have been integrated into British society. Timeline wise, the books start with The Finishing School, followed by The Parasol Protectorate, and then The Custard Protocol.

Please keep in mind that my following review will contain spoilers for The Parasol Protectorate (though I shall endeavor to keep them to a minimum).

Rue & Crew

My favorite aspect of Carriger's books have always been her trademark wit/humor and her characters. Rue is no exception. She isn't a carbon copy of her mother, Alexia, either. And her relationship with her best friend, Primrose (Ivy's daughter), isn't at all like the relationship Alexia had with Ivy in The Parasol Protectorate. This is a relationship between equals and based on a twenty-year devoted friendship. I adored them.

Ivy's twin brother, Percy, is also a part of the crew. He is an academic, and lured aboard to accept the post of Chief Navigator. He brings along Footnote, his cat, and an entire library (which my soul appreciated). And as Rue believes, every ship needs a cat. Hear hear!

Rounding out the crew, we have Quesnel Lefoux, who is the son of Genevieve. He is hired on as the Chief Engineer. He is a ridiculous flirt, and we see a spark of interest flying between Rue and Quesnel. I look forward to seeing how that will progress. I love the way Carriger has developed the romance between characters throughout all her novels, so I am sure this one will be no different.

"Rue gave a little mental sigh. No one would ever describe her as deadly attractive. She brightened a bit. Perhaps she could aspire to just deadly?"

Rue & Family

Rue is the biological daughter of Alexia and Conall Maccon, but she was 'officially' raised by our favorite vampire, Lord Akeldama. Lord Akeldama is one of my absolute favorite characters in this Victorian world. I giggle when I picture his sense of fashion, I chuckle when I read his dialogue with his daughter and other valued companions, and I admire his ability to hide his keen mind behind a sense of frivolity.

I love practical Alexia, who referred to her pregnancy within The Parasol Protectorate series as 'infant convenience'. The relationship between Alexia and Rue is just as complicated and fraught with tension as any regular mother/daughter relationship would be.

"I must say, like most daughters, I resent being accused of emulating my mother."

Rue in India

Rue is metanatural, sent on a mission to India by her adopted father Lord Akeldama to acquire a special kind of tea. I was delighted with this premise for two reasons. Firstly, because I adore Indian chai and I wanted to know what Rue would think of it, and secondly, because I was curious about how they would depict India

This quote very accurately sums up Rue's abilities and her relationship to supernatural creatures that are not part of her family:

"Rue raised her bare hands. Her best threat to any supernatural was her metanatural state. Few immortals could face the idea of being mortal, even for a short space of time. It was what made Rue's preternatural mother so universally despised. The idea that not only would he lose his form, but someone else would have access to it, was adding insult to injury. Where a soulless was merely the enemy, a soul-stealer was dishonorable, a defiler of the supernatural state. Rue was not just despised, she was vilified."

In India, we meet vampires (also known as Rakshasas), English soldiers, and some familiar werewolf friends. I was delighted with the intermingling of Indian folklore with the traditional tale of vampires and werewolves. However, as a born Indian, I do have an inherent dislike of British colonial rule that did come up after I concluded the novel. Particularly after Rue did this one thing...

[spoiler]The Varanas (the were-monkeys) and Rakshasas are at an all-out war. Within Hindu mythology, Rakshasas are demons while Varanas fight against them. The eternal enmity makes sense. However, because the vampires and werewolves can co-exist in Britain, Rue expects the same out of these two factions. But the Varanas refuse to be on the same treaty with the Rakshasas and hence, are at a stalemate. Rue talks them into allying with the Shadow Council, and since that is closely aligned with Queen Victoria, essentially means that they are on the same treaty after all. Rue gains the outcome she wants through a semblance of trickery without making a genuine effort to understand the culture. [/spoiler]

While I understood it within the context of the story, upon further reflection, it did aggravate me. Another situation of white people coming and telling another culture what to do, what is right, and what is wrong.

Fashion & Tea

As any fervent Carriger reader would know, fashion, food, and tea play a significant role in all her novels. Hence, there is an exquisite amount of detail paid to dresses, parasols and (my absolute favorite) hats. Tea is required at all times, and delicious goodies are frequently mentioned. I always need a delicious goodness while enjoying a Carriger book. I mention this because I'm aware that there are those out there that find these details frivolous and unentertaining.

I recommend Gail Carriger's books for all those out there who enjoy a healthy dose of whimsy and silliness with their Victorian steampunk.

The next novel Imprudence releases July 19th, 2016.

I'll Give You the Sun » Book Review

I'm giving I'll Give You the Sun 2.5 stars, because while I liked it, I wasn't blown away.

I wanted to be.  It's like that scene in Pride and Prejudice: "Bingley was ready, Georgiana eager, and Darcy determined, to be pleased."

I was ready, eager, determined to be pleased with this Printz winner, I'll Give You the Sun. I wanted to fall in love with it.

But I wasn't and I didn't.

Most of it is the characters and how they thought...

The book is narrated by twins, Noah and Jude, three years apart.  Together, their stories weave together to form a complete picture of a mysterious event.

Noah starts us out, narrating to us when the twins are thirteen.  He and Jude have always been close, but they find themselves growing apart...  Jude wears red lipstick and short dresses, hangs out with popular kids and surfs. She also makes cool sand sculptures, sews wacky dresses, and is obsessed with her dead grandmother.

Noah, on the other hand, doesn't hide his weirdness as well.  He loves to spy on people, and draw them the way he sees them (often unflatteringly).  He doesn't speak much, but keeps up a dark, intense inner monologue inside his head.  He seethes with resentment and jealousy.  I mean seethes. 

And I think this was the reason I didn't love the book.

Even though the prose was stylish — artistic and wacky...

Even though the stakes were high and compelling...

Even though he pace was intricate and well-crafted...

The characters were ultimately unlikable.  

There were so many questionable words, emotions, thoughts, and actions in this book. I compiled a list of them, actually.

It is NOT Okay to...

• [spoiler]Destroy a piece of artwork because it's better than yours.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Rip up someone's art school application.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Favor one child over the other in an obvious fashion.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Play two kids off one another.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Be consumed by jealousy [/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Out a gay person against their will[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Have affairs. [/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Drive recklessly on a motorcycle.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Jump off dangerous cliffs repeatedly, tormenting your family and friends with your suicidal ideations. It's not artistic and cool. That's a mental illness that deserves professional help.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Trespass on private property.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Look at naked people without their permission.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Wish evil upon others[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Be severely passive aggressive, instead of communicating[/spoiler]

All of these crimes are committed at some point by a character in I'll Give You the Sun.  It was too much for me.  Sure, each character in this novel does a lot of good things, on top of their despicable things, but overall, I just got fed up.

You're too much for me, manic pixie dream book.  Too much.

 

Nimona » Review

I found Nimona at my library, tucked into those little display stands that librarians use in lieu of shaking you and saying, read this!  Those displays always catch my attention, and Nimona caught mine doubly because of the striking girl on the cover — the eponymous Nimona.

I saw her and immediately thought of Eleanor, from Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park.  Eleanor, with her wide hips and big boobs — a future bombshell body in its awkward, early stages.  But nothing about Nimona says awkward.  She's dressed in a chain-mail accented mini-dress, proudly showing off her knee dimples.  She has a punk rock haircut, the kind that's mostly buzz-cut that you need confidence to pull off.  All of that, and she's standing in the center, slightly in front of, two grown men.

Her expression is fierce, and joyful at the same time, like she's saying to you, Betcha don't have the guts to pick up my story! 

Needless to say, I picked up the book and checked it out.  What I discovered was a graphic novel full of "humor and heart," as Rowell herself puts it in her blurb of the book.

Artist and author Noelle Stevenson creates a world that combines classic fantasy elements with science fiction.  (It works better than you might think!) In that world she's planted Ballister Blackheart and Ambrosius Goldenloin, two former boyhood friends and schoolmates who whose relationship turned sour after a gruesome jousting "accident."  Now men, Blackheart has become a loathed villain, while Goldenloin is a celebrated knight for the 'Institution.'  Then, their world of bad-guy-and-hero spins off its axis with the arrival of Nimona on Blackheart's doorstep.  She's his new sidekick, "sent from the agency!"

Nimona looks and acts like a rambunctious girl, but she quickly proves to be more than she seems...

[caption id="attachment_1433" align="aligncenter" width="399" class="imagepro-polaroid "] These rough panels are taken from the original webcomic. The artwork in the book has been sharpened and refined.[/caption]

She's a shapeshifter! It's the perfect metaphor for Nimona's character, too, because just when you think you've got her figured out, she evolves.  She's a wonderfully complex character, constantly shifting while staying consistent.  I'd love to discuss her character in more depth, but I also don't dare to give anything away!  All I'll say is that Nimona was more than I could have imagined.

As for the art... I loved it!  It's presented to us in a sketchy style, with exaggerated shapes and figures.  The backgrounds are simple and muted, letting the colors and lines of the characters pop. What I'd like to know is — can Noelle Stevenson do more, or was she drawing at her best?  If the former, I'd have liked to see her push herself a little farther.  If the latter, then she did well working within her skill boundaries.

In regards to the storyline and writing, that is where Nimona could see some improvement.  The plot, aside from everything Nimona, was quite simple... "classic" if you want to put it nicely, and "cliched" if you don't.  I found some of the names and titles in the book to be a little too simple and slapdash for my tastes.  The 'Institution.' Really? And as for Blackheart and Goldenloin... well, I would have liked their characters to be a little less predictable and categorized.

But, overall, if you love graphic novels, this won't be a title you'll want to miss, especially if you want to read about a diverse and complex female character.  I hope Nimona steals your heart as much as it did mine.

 

My Heart and Other Black Holes Review

Right now, novels about teen suicide are everywhere.  Just in the last few weeks, we've seen four high-profile ones — All the Bright Places, I Was Here, The Last Time We Say Goodbye, and My Heart and Other Black Holes.  I wasn't sure if I was up to reading another suicide book so soon after All the Bright Places, the ending of which really frustrated me, but Jasmine Warga's debut came in at my library, I sat down to browse the opening pages, and then I couldn't stop reading.  I read the whole thing at my library, while sitting in a horribly uncomfortable wooden chair.

This really speaks to the excellent flow of My Heart and Other Black Holes.  I haven't read through a book so smoothly in some time.

The general subject matter is nothing new under the sun, but Warga does focus on a concept I haven't come across before — suicide partners.  The idea of suicide partners is that by teaming up to plan and execute your suicide with another person, your chances of successfully killing yourself go up.

This is dire stuff, right?  It's so starkly bleak that I almost couldn't believe I was reading such dismal content in a book marketed towards young, impressionable readers.  It's not that I believe in censorship.  Just that I'm alarmed by the thought of depressed kids being sucked down even farther into despair by reading a high-profile, critically affirmed YA.

Thankfully, if troubled individuals read through the end of My Heart and Other Black Holes, they might actually be positively bolstered by the book's message — that severe depression, although it can seem utterly insurmountable, is something that can be fought against.

Overall, this positive message, along with the brisk pacing, compelling characters, and realistic depiction of major depression make My Heart and Other Black Holes an above-average read that I really enjoyed.

I give it four stars and recommend.