REVIEW: Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_20?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=your+scandalous+ways&sprefix=your+scandalous+ways&x=0&y=0

Source: Bought

James Cordier is an English spy who is more than ready to come home for good; stealing back royal emeralds from crazy Marta Fazi was to be his last mission. But then he ends up in Venice because Francesca Bonnard, English divorcee and notorious prostitute, has some very incriminating letters about her husband that the British government is very interested in. Having already tried to get them from her and failing, it is now up to Cordier to obtain these letters quickly and without fuss. But the two meet, sparks fly, and you know how the rest goes.

After being so disappointed in My Spymaster's Lady, I very much hoped that I would like this book, and I am very happy to say that I did. One of the elements I really enjoyed was the sense of humor present throughout, particularly Francesca's. A running joke throughout the story concerns the putti, the little cupids, painted on the ceiling of her parlor. Here's how Francesca thinks of them: "They were all boys, all naked. Thus the view overhead was of many little penises-forty at last count, though there seemed to be more today. Were they reproducing spontaneously or were the more buxom females and virile adult males getting up to mischief when the house was asleep?" Having always considered the putti seen in my art history classes to be distasteful at best, I thought this was hilarious (and, of course, Ms. Chase then turns this into a wonderful plot twist).

Francesca herself was a wonderful character. I liked her at once because of her humor, but, knowing she was a prostitute, I was a little worried the plot would revolve around her being world-weary and sick of her lifestyle, and then Cordier would be a burst of fresh air and "save" her from this lifestyle. It bothers me when heroines are fully capable of handling their own affairs, but they become boneless ninnies once they have sex with their love interest. Francesca had way more depth to her character, though. Cordier notices that she can shut herself off from others, which is what makes her so frustrating to him, since he needs to break down her barriers so he can figure out where the letters are. As they begin to fall for each other, he begins to see the little kernel of her that is repressed all the time, where she is more innocent and looks at him like a young girl in love. It was still the same-old "fresh air" kind of plot, but it had a new spin on it. Plus, Francesca was more than capable of taking care of herself to the very end; she jumps into the canal to save the man she loves.

Speaking of, Cordier was just as strong a character. He's able to withstand torture and pretend to be someone else (there's another funny scene where he pretends to be a clueless Spaniard (?) with slicked-back hair and a pointy moustache). He can climb in bed with a woman, steal what he needs, and be out with no trouble. However, Francesca is able to crack through him, so that he finds himself utterly mesmerized by her. It was also interesting that, like Francesca, he's part Italian. I haven't read any other romances with a half-Italian male lead, but I was pleased that he succumbed to passionate bouts of temper just like Francesca. I'm curious to see if other men in romances do that, too, because I was expecting the man to be cool and the woman to be passionate, which would then be one of the things that attracts him to her. It wasn't the opposites-attract story; instead, they find the commonalities between each other, which lets them fully understand each other in a way that other people cannot.

The story itself was lots of fun. The romance was amazing; the first love scene takes place on the top of the Campanile, at night, with them looking over Venice and singing scraps of Italian opera. I can't think of anything more romantic. Venice was the perfect setting for a romance. There was also plenty of action (fighting off Fazi's ruffians, mainly). Plus, the plot itself contained a few twists and turns, and all the elements that helped you understand the story in its entirety aren't given all at once, but as the story develops. It was very skillfully plotted, and I enjoyed the story immensely. Usually, romances can drag in the middle, before the big finale, but the story never slowed down.

This was a different romance than I am used to, and I really enjoyed it. The story was lots of fun, it was fast-paced, and the characters are wonderful. For me, this author is definitely a must-read.

Grade: 4.5/5

REVIEW: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_browse-b_mrr_2?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Athe+dark+and+hollow+places%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A618073011&bbn=283155&keywords=the+dark+and+hollow+places&ie=UTF8&qid=1306383307&rnid=618072011

Source: Bought 
This is the third book in the Forest of Hands and Teeth books (click here for reviews of first two), a series I have enjoyed immensely. Needless to say I was very excited to get this book in the mail. I didn't like the second book as much as expected, mainly due to the main character, Gabry, but I am so very happy to say that the third book was even better than the first one.

********EXPECT NECESSARY SPOILERS FOR FIRST TWO BOOKS*********

Ever since Elias left Annah to join the Recruiters, she has had to rely on herself for everything and has learned to not trust anyone. Still, she thinks about her twin sister Abigail, whom she left behind on the Forest of Hands and Teeth, and she waits for Elias to come back, like he promised. After a disturbing encounter with an infected woman, Annah decides to take charge and leave the Dark City to find her sister. On the way out, she sees Abigail, who is with a man who is infected. The man jumps over the bridge, and Abigail is taken by the recruiters.  Annah gets back into the city, desperate to help her sister.

Heading back into the city, Annah meets the supposedly infected man, who helps her escape to the only place left, the old underground subway system, where downed plague rats wait for one whiff of human that will reanimate them. Here, Catcher reveals his identity and his knowledge of both Elias and Abigail (Gabry, from book 2, of course). Once they rejoin with Elias, it becomes clear that the slumbering horde in the valley is fast approaching the Dark City. With the island of the Recruiters as the last safe haven, and Catcher being the Immune that the Recruiters are desperate to get, they manage to gain access to the island. Unfortunately, such a safe haven is just as dangerous as the dying city.

Like I said, this book rocked. First of all, I did like Annah much more than I did Gabry, mainly because of her independence. Like the previous characters, Annah has a major flaw (in this case, she can't trust and struggles with the scars that cover about half of her body), which is slowly resolved through the events of the story and the character development that results from that. This is fine, but it did become a little repetitive (remember, I fell into barbed wire? And I took care of myself for years after Elias left?), especially because phrases like "The night Elias made me feel beautiful" occur over and over, sometimes on the same page. This did make Annah come across as less complex, since the focus of the story was so narrow. Still, there was much less of Annah contemplating her flaw(s) than there was with Gabry; whereas Annah must take action to survive, Gabry was the opposite. I feel like Annah's way of seeing the world just propels the story forward more than did Gabry's.

Once again, there's a love triangle, sort of, since Catcher is also involved. Basically, all the romance from the previous book must be resolved now that Annah is part of the group. I was pleasantly surprised that Annah let Elias go fairly quickly; the main conflict was her issues with letting Catcher close, and Catcher's fear that he'll infect her. This I definitely appreciated, because the same basic plot for a third time would have been too much, especially since the book already has elements repeated too often for my taste.

Now, what about the actual zombies? Well, if you thought a giant gorge full of them wasn't crazy enough, get ready, because there were some truly terrifying moments (especially the last scene…very scary). Like the other two books, there's lots of action packed throughout, although it was much more consistent than in the previous books; even in the middle section, when they were safe from the horde, they were facing other threats, since the Recruiters are really sadistic jerks who bait live people against the infected in a giant cage for entertainment (which was very disturbing).

Overall, I think that this book is the strongest in the series. Although some repetitive elements grated on my nerves, I still felt like Annah and the other characters were well-rounded overall. The story itself was fantastic, and the action wasn't concentrated towards the beginning or the end, but remained constant throughout the story. It was a terrific end to an awesome series.

Grade: 4/5, leaning strongly towards a 4.5-the repetitiveness was distracting from what was otherwise fantastic

Double Feature

REVIEW: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher



http://www.amazon.com/Incarceron-Catherine-Fisher/dp/0142418528/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2

Here's the extra Double Feature that I've been putting off and putting off, mainly because I couldn't find the right words to describe these books.

Incarceron, designed to house the poor and unfortunate, was meant to be a utopia that turned into an utter hell; still, regular society doesn't want them, and there is no way out. Finn is a child of Incarceron: he remembers waking up in a cell and crawling out into the vast labyrinth of hallways until he was adopted by a gang. Still, he knows, deep down, that there is an Outside and that he was there once. He has seizures, and the flashes of images come to him. A Sapienti, or scholar, is convinced that Finn might lead them out, although his oath-brother, Keiro, thinks it's ridiculous.

Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. She has no idea where the prison is, or if her father even goes there. All she knows is that her father's study is always mysteriously locked. She is sure, though, that the façade that is her world is nothing but computer-generated graphics. After a massive revolt, the king decided to halt progress in order to keep the kingdom in a stable place, so all the technology that exits is hidden and creates the image of something like 18th century England. But she is about to be placed at the center of this world, for she is engaged to the heir to the throne.

As Claudia begins to investigate the mystery of the prison and her father, she finds a key in her father's study that turns out to connect to its counterpart in the prison itself, which Finn has. They begin to communicate, revealing more secrets than either had originally bargained for.

For starters, this books is just plain awesome. The idea of a prison so vast that no one has any idea where it begins or ends is fascinating, and as Finn and his hangers-on begin to move towards escape, more wings are revealed, many of which are just plain bizarre. There was definitely an epic sense to Finn's quest, including the grand scale, the high stakes, and the touch of prophecy, which is cool considering the fact that it's set in a prison, not some majestic place. The prison itself is the coolest setting I've ever seen; I want to see more of it, but then I'm disturbed every time I get to.

But Claudia's world is just as fascinating. I had a hard time getting around the concept that everything is computer-generated (how is it solid/blocking heat and cold?), but I liked the setting where the entire world is fake. How much of the world is real, and how much fake, is definitely something that applies to both worlds, and really comes up in the second book.

The book is pretty fast-paced. There are lots of tight spots the characters must get out of. Speaking of the characters, I liked Claudia and Finn; they were likeable and well-balanced, and both really came into their own. Perhaps the most wonderful character of all is the prison itself, of course.

Overall, this is a really fun read. The setting is awesome and there's lots of action throughout. I loved how different elements come into play (there's lots of standard fantasy plotlines, but it's a mechanical world) to create the story.

Grade: 5/5

REVIEW: Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphique-Catherine-Fisher/dp/0803733976/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

***************SPOILER ALERT*******************************

Picking up right where Incarceron left off, the action of Sapphique is no less gripping. In Claudia's world at last, Finn is trying to adjust to his new place in court, particularly to the harsh reality that life under Protocol is just as confining, if not more so, than life in Incarceron. Everything becomes difficult when a look-alike steps forward, claiming to be the lost prince, and Finn's perception of himself begins to shatter, which Claudia steadfastly maintains her belief in him.

At the same time, Attia and Keiro are still stuck in Incarceron and are searching for Sapphique's magic glove, which is apparently how he escaped (Sapphique being the only person to escape from Incarceron). The hunt for the gloves locks them in a battle with the prison itself.

Like Incarceron, this story is really two simultaneous stories that merge, which, but the second book, got a little tiresome. There were a few times when one story paused in the middle of the action to go to the other one. Even though I knew the next chapter would pick right back up, I didn't like having to switch gears, especially because the two stories were both gripping, but for very different reasons. Still, it is true that this story is even more captivating than Incarceron, and there's tons of adventure, battle, etc. The ending dragged a little for me. It almost reminded me of how The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman got, almost philosophical in tone, since all the big issues of the books had to be dealt with. It's not bad, just different, and I didn't want to put this book down, so I sort of charged through what I should have taken some time with. I feel like this series (like the His Dark Materials trilogy) will be fantastic to re-read, because I'll get so much out of it again.

This isn't a cookie-cutter happy ending/nice characters kind of book. In one way or another, all the characters bug me on some level, because they all have flaws. The characters were masterfully drawn. They all develop and change in different ways, especially the prison itself. With Keiro and Attia travelling in the prison, more wings and inmates are revealed, even more bizarre than previous areas. Because there isn't a clear happy ending where everything is easily explained, the last quarter of the book takes some time. I think what made the book frustrating at times also made it a great book, because it's not an easy read.

This duology is just amazing. There are tons of fantasy elements, in a dystopian setting, which I loved. There's plenty of action, fascinating characters, even a touch of romance. Definitely look into this series-the mythology of Sapphique, and the questions of what really makes one world better than another, might get slow and confusing, but there's still plenty to highly recommend these books!

Grade: 4.5/5, leaning towards a 5

REVIEW: Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest

Source: Bought

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/merchandise/0,,278574,00.html

This is technically the fourth installment in my Women in Fantasy challenge reading. Technically, I'm supposed to have read and reviewed Prospero Lost by L. Jagi Lamplighter, but since it's some kind of retelling of The Tempest, and I'll be reading that play at the end of the month for school, I decided to postpone reading the book until I finish the play. However, here's April's selection, Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest.

This is my first taste of Southern Gothic. I don't really have too much experience with modern Gothic novels, so my only point of comparison is from 18th century British literature (including what is considered the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto). It was definitely cool to see what elements were used (most especially, the moves used with setting to signal different events: like the creepy house is where the mean old aunt lives).

First of all, I loved the setting. My longest stretch living anywhere as a kid was in Mississippi, and most of my family comes from the Memphis region, so I'm definitely more familiar with the South than anywhere else in the country (although I certainly don't sound like it). Chattanooga is one of my favorite cities to drive through; it's really pretty, and I've always wanted to actually spend some time there.

Anyways, Eden Moore, born and raised in Chattanooga, is plagued by something more than just an upsetting family history. She's been seeing the ghosts of three sisters for most of her life. Although scary at first, they end up as quasi-guardian angels when they help save Eden's life after someone who turns out to be her cousin goes on a shooting spree against her. Wrapped up with her desire to figure out why he's so determined to kill her is her search for information concerning her mother, who died during childbirth in an asylum that housed troubled teens. Wading further into the truth reveals an even more disturbing truth than Eden was prepared to face.

The Gothic elements in this story were well-drawn. Like I said, my favorite was the creepy house, with the horrible aunt, that becomes a place where some not-so-nice things happen, and some cases where a storm coming heralds negative events. Then, of course, there's plenty of creepy moments with ghosts (particularly one encounter involving a girl Eden meets at camp who deals with an incredibly unpleasant specter), and the scene where Eden goes to visit the abandoned asylum (definitely the creepiest moment in the book, I think). Like the other Gothic novels I've read, the supernatural elements are not meant to scare you (like, say, a horror film, which does try to make you jump out of your seat). Instead, they create a really rich setting for the story, which Ms. Priest's really gorgeous prose facilitated.

I liked the characters. The family tree, though, is hard to keep track of as Eden uncovers more information. I loved Eden's guardians, her aunt Lulu and her uncle Dave. In a twisted way, I even liked her crazy aunt Eliza, who was the typical mean-as-a-snake old lady, alone in her big house.

The only thing that bothered me about this book was the pacing of the story. There were some different story lines that had to converge into one, but I felt like the execution was a bit choppy, and the ending became kind of rushed. It was even more jarring considering how well written the book actually was. Plus, the ending left me more confused than anything (I mean, I think I got it, but…it was bizarre enough that it wasn't entirely resolved for me). Having said that, it was almost impossible for me to put the book down, and it was a very enjoyable (and creepy) reading experience.

I'm not 100% sure why this was included on a fantasy book list, though. Yes, there's magic, in the occult that is in the book, and there's supernatural elements, but it's not at all something I'd consider fantasy. I'll be curious to see what other readers have to say on the discussion board.

[And just a random aside, but important enough I felt like adding it. Ms. Priest did not write in dialect. It's just that they're from Tennessee, there's only one person from the North, and the accents weren't written in every line, just explained or assumed. And, honestly, maybe Eden didn't have a super-heavy accent, but I could assume either way (as in, y'all wasn't in every other line). I really appreciate this: reading the accent in every line gets super tiresome (Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams is a great example-I got through a page), and, seriously, I know her background, it's totally unnecessary and would have completely killed the flow of the book. So, yeah, thanks for that.]

Grade: 3.5/5, leaning heavily towards a 4-the plotting was a bit choppy, but the writing and settings are gorgeous

REVIEW: Feed by Mira Grant

Source: Bought

This book was an accidental good find. It wasn't on my book list, meaning I bought it not really 100% sure what it was about or whether I had read a strong review in its favor, but I had vaguely remembered it and assumed I wanted it. I love these moments, when I accidentally discover what turns out to be a really awesome book.

So, it's 2039, and we have cures for the common cold and cancer. Unfortunately, the viruses that are these cures combined cause humans to die and rise again. At least there are perks to zombies shambling around. Georgia and Shaun Mason, news bloggers, have been selected to cover the story of a potential Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency. Although things start out great, as they follow a story that's going to completely change their lives, things deteriorate as they begin to uncover a vast conspiracy that's costing innocent lives.

This is a really fast-paced, exciting book, and that's taking into consideration the fact that it's really more a political thriller more than a horror story about zombies. Both elements were really well-balanced, actually, with plenty of zombie outbreak moments that had me at the edge of my seat, along with the work that came with covering the campaign and, later, the conspiracy.

Even with all the action, there was plenty of time for the characters to be really well-drawn. I especially liked Georgia and Shaun, who were both adopted by a couple who used them to further their ratings (which I thought really horrible and creepy, although their kids definitely turned out alright, all things considered). At first their co-dependence was slightly off-putting, but it began to make sense: in a world where danger lurked around every corner, it would be great to have someone whom you could always rely on and trust, which made the ending all the more heartbreaking.

On that note, I really felt like Ms. Grant captured the human element in all this. It's not all about action and zombie-shooting. Instead, the horror in how fast an outbreak can happen and affect everyone in the vicinity, including the people you care about, really became an important element. It was almost cruel, how democratic the infections were: everyone is somehow affected. It was also really cool that the effect on American culture as a whole was included. For example, you can easily tell who grew up in the era before the Rising, because they interact much more easily in spaces with windows and in crowds of people. For those who grew up after the Rising, a situation like a crowd just makes your skin crawl. There was tons of info on life post-Rising, the blood tests, and how people were forced to act in different situations, etc., which was really interesting.

I will say, though, that sometimes the explanations/technical-type language could be a little much. In general, it was really interesting, but Georgia had a tendency to go off on a long, detailed explanation about her equipment, or how she was uploading something, and I had no idea what she was talking about, except in a very vague sense. I wasn't even sure if it was a futuristic computer system, or if I was just that clueless about computers that people who have really big blogs/sites actually do stuff like this. Honestly, I'm fairly inept, so it was like something from a sci-fi story. At times, the plot was slightly interrupted because them sitting down to work would take half a chapter, and you'd get slammed with tons of info about their sight. Generally, this tapered off towards the last third of the novel, so it was actually well-balanced, but it was hard to follow at moments.

Overall, this book was a really fun read. The plotting was well-done, I loved the main characters, and seeing the alternate version of an America riddled with zombies was super interesting. Other than the info-heavy moments that were hard to follow at times, I enjoyed every moment of it.

Grade: 4/5

REVIEW: Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Source: Bought

Melissa Miller has a strange way to deal with her emotions: she cuts herself. After one particularly rough day, when kills her cat, she takes it too far. Before she slices her artery open, Death gives her the chance to become War, the Red Rider. Missy ignores him, but then her ex-boyfriend humiliates her, and she does go too far. As she begins to bleed out, Death prompts her to take the package he gave her; sword in hand, Missy begins her rocky career as War.

Rage doesn't exactly pick up right after Hunger, and it can be read as a stand-alone, although I definitely recommend reading these books in order, because the plots parallel each other really nicely, and there are some scenes involving Famine that were both amusing and interesting to read through given the context of what happened in the first book (and, seriously, that scene was absolutely fantastic). Speaking of plots, this story is very narrowly focused on a pretty specific period of time, as was Hunger. The story revolves around Missy's humiliation at a party and the weekend and the school day after. Within that weekend, Missy's dealing with real-life conflicts and grappling with what being War requires of her. The plot is parallel to Hunger in that balance and control are predominant ideas, and her conflict with her power (here, her conflict with War/the sword completely taking her over and blocking out rational thinking) combined with her struggle to control her urge to cut.

Another cool thing was the scene between Missy and Pestilence, who was only briefly introduced in the last book. He seems like a really interesting character, I must say-in the scene, he was having a bad day and was basically babbling nonsense, so I'm really curious to see what his story will be like. On that note, though, it's important to note that world-building isn't really a priority. These are definitely character-focused books, so details on the Horsemen, their function, how the system works, etc., aren't really in the book. I felt like I had a better concept of what they did, though, after reading the conversation between Famine and Missy, although it's still a little confusing. I really get a lot out of the emotional development of the characters, and how they grapple with their issues, so I'm able to not get hung up on figuring out how everything works. Still, there was one plot detail that did bug me (how she actually killed her cat), which was explained at the end; I just didn't understand why it wasn't initially explained, mainly because Missy thought about the cat often. It got irritating to read about someone who was obviously an incredibly important part of her life for a long time and not know how she died.

Like Hunger, the issue at stake in the story is one that makes people uncomfortable, and is often inaccurately portrayed. Self-injury being something that is used as a coping mechanism for incredibly powerful and overwhelming feelings was really well-portrayed. In the afterword, Ms. Kessler talked about how she did a lot of research on self-injury to portray it accurately, and I thought she did a fantastic job. There are definitely some tough scenes, including one where Missy is bleeding out on the floor, and there's lots of description of her scars. If the concept of blood or cutting through flesh makes your skin crawl, steer clear!

Missy was an incredibly refreshing character. I must say, I get sick of characters who tend to wallow in self-pity, or who shut down or get depressed. It seems like that's used much more than a character who gets furious, especially in YA. There are definitely characters who've had epic angry moments (like Daine from Tamora Pierce's Emperor Mage), but I feel like I don't see them too often. Missy's entire world is focused on keeping her emotions in check enough to function in her school and at home (there's a really nice way this is described, the glass jar that she forces her emotions into, so she can put on her "dead face"). Like Lisabeth, Missy has a major show-down with her issue/role as Horseman, although it was done in a different way, which was not quite as cool as the War vs. Famine showdown. Also, this isn't an all-is-well ending, as Missy dealing with her need to cut as a coping strategy doesn't magically go away by the end.

Overall, I liked this book. The plotting was similar to Hunger, although I was frustrated a few times with lack of details. I feel like the Horsemen are being fleshed out more, and there are more interactions between them all. Again, I mainly read this for the raw emotions and the development of the character, so I really got a lot out of the book. I definitely can't wait for Pestilence's book (and, of course, Death's).

Grade: 3.5/5, leaning towards 4

Double Feature

So this is technically last month's Double Feature, but chaos ensued, and so April will have two Double Features. For this one, the first two books of the Salt trilogy by Maurice Gee.

Book 1: Salt

Source: Christmas present I'm finally getting to

Life before Company was good; but Company came with guns and destroyed the city and built their own on the ruins, leaving the citizens to live in the rubble left. Hari lives in the destroyed city with his father Tarl, in Blood Burrow, where eating rats and crawling through slimy holes is an everyday occurrence. Then Company clerks come to collect workers, and Tarl is caught. When he tries to escape, he is branded as a worker meant for Deep Salt, the mine that no worker ever comes out of. Hari decides to follow to free Tarl before it is too late.

On the other side of the coin is Pearl, whose family is Company. She is fleeing from a forced marriage to a randy old goat with her maid Tealeaf, who is a Dweller and has taught her how to speak with her mind and control others, something Hari has also learned to do. The two meet accidentally as they flee the city and join forces (reluctantly at first). Together, they plan to reach Tealeaf's village and launch a rescue for Tarl.

This is a very cool book. The idea of Salt is absolutely freaky (especially the mutant rats that chase them through caves, gross!). I haven't yet read a book that involves the negative after-effects of imperialism, but it certainly echoes the ideas of European colonialism. White-skinned Company comes across the sea with guns to destroy the lives of the dark-skinned natives. Hari has to get over his natural instinct to kill anyone white-skinned, and Pearl has to get over belittling anyone who isn't Company. Both undergo significant development and mature as they continue along their journey. This was a story as much about coming of age as it was a story about a dystopian future. Even though the writing and plot itself seem simplistic at times (the world building, for instance, is very basic), there is plenty for you to think about. There is more to this story than initially meets the eye; I love that this book made me think about it after I read it.

Pearl and Hari were great lead characters. Their meeting was really rocky to begin with, but it wasn't all magically fixed once they realized they were working towards the same basic thing. Hari especially has a lot of emotional scarring from how he grew up, and they had to grapple with some big trust issues before they became loyal to each other. Tealeaf was the mediator and helped them learn how to live off the land (i.e. they would have died in a few days of starvation without her) and how to find themselves in such a miserable world.

It took a little while to adjust to the writing. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. I'm not totally fond of it, but I was able to adjust. It's appropriate in its seeming simplicity (for lack of a better word: basically, not really rich and luscious, but to-the-point), since their world is stripped to the bare essentials. Everything is focused on Hari's drive to find Tarl, and on sealing Salt and keeping the mysterious substance from the power of Company. I do like really sumptuous world building and story-telling, but this was a really refreshing read.

Overall, Salt is a bizarre and fascinating story. I liked the characters, and that the entire plot was driven by their drive for changing their world as much as possible. Pearl and Hari underwent significant development as they matured and came to care for each other. The story was well-paced. It wasn't my favorite read of all time, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Grade: 3.5/5

Book 2: Gool

Source: Also a Christmas present

 

As if Salt wasn't a freaky enough invention, the Gool is from a completely different world (literally). Hari and Pearl have built a life of peace for themselves and their children, a village made of people who hear the same voice that they do. This peace is ruined when they discover the Gool, a monstrous thing that attacks and eats anything that comes near. Hari is touched by it, and a piece wraps itself around his throat and begins to kill him slowly. Based on a story Tealeaf tells them, Xantee and Lo, Hari's children, and Duro, their friend, set out to the city from their parents' past to find books that might help them kill the Gool.

Like Salt, this book is fueled almost solely by the characters' drive to fix a life-or-death situation involving their father and by the need to fix a great wrong in the world. The plot of this story had a little more traveling in it than did Salt; it was a little less action, but it also helped flesh the world out a bit more. Once the action picked up, though, it was fast-paced until the end. I really liked how the story both continued the first book's story and also echoed it, without it being really overdone. I didn't feel like this was Salt retold with the kids.

What I liked about Salt, I also liked about Gool: the characters, their development, the pacing, the story itself. For some reason, though, I liked the writing style slightly less, maybe because the middle section of the story was less action-packed (again, it's not just a repeat of the first book). Still, it wasn't too hard to look past.

I can't think of an elegant way to describe the Gool, other than it is really freaking whacky. As if the thing itself wasn't crazy enough, the reason it exists is really nuts (it's really cool, once they piece the puzzle together). Then there's the icky part where they fight the thing…God, the visual images I got from the descriptions were disturbing. It was an absolutely fascinating scene, although I rushed through to get to the end (I couldn't help it) and I didn't sit and grapple with everything that happened in that scene-the ending is definitely something to reread and ponder over, which is cool.

Like Salt, the story is deceptively simple, especially at first. The issue echoed here is the harmful effect of men's hatred, and you can just stick with the story, or read it with this in mind and really think about it. I'll admit, I was in the first camp, mainly because I was too eager to reach the end to give the book the amount of thought it really deserves. This is a series that definitely merits rereading, and I feel like, every time I reread it, I'll get something else out of it.

Grade-3.5-very good, but the writing style isn't my favorite, so I can get annoyed at points

REVIEW: The Spymaster's Lady

Source: Bought

Annique Villiers, a French spy known as the Fox Cub, is trapped in a prison. And not just with any other prisoners, but with two premier English spies: Robert Grey, one of the leaders of England's spy network, and a high-ranking spy called the Hawker. Still, they all want out and make a temporary alliance to help each other. Grey wants nothing more than to capture the Fox Cub and bring her back to London for questioning about the much-desired Albion Plans (Napoleon's plans for invading England). Taking advantage of a moment of weakness, Annique is bribed with water and captured by Grey and his henchmen. On the road to England, though, Annique becomes aware of a budding attraction to Grey, complicating matters considerably. Locked in a battle of wits, Grey and Annique get closer to each other.

OK, here's the thing…I really thought I'd like this book, and it didn't work for me. Which was super disappointing. I mean, there's a positive blurb on the cover from Diana Gabaldon (who is one of my favorite authors). So I was totally bummed. Here's what I did like. The plotting itself was very, very well done. The only reason that the ending dragged for me was due to my dislike of some of the characters (more on that later). Starting from the beginning, there was plenty of action, including an absolutely awesome scene where Leblanc, a French spy trying to get to Annique before the English can question her, open fires at the English spy headquarters. There's romance, fighting, politics, and they're all well-balanced throughout.

The romance itself between Grey and Annique developed well, and I liked that they were engaged in a battle of wit and skills that began to turn into a romance. Their attraction didn't seem forced, and it was not a love-at-first-sight kind of thing (which can work, but can also be a dull plot device). Instead, it's based on their appreciation for each others' intellect and skills as much as physical attraction.

Unfortunately, I need to like the main characters (especially in a romance), and I just didn't like Annique. At first, I did like her skill and smarts, and she's certainly one of the most independent romantic heroines I've seen. But, jeeez, this woman talked none stop. Every time she was explaining something or responding to something, she just went on and on. It got to the point where I couldn't even figure out her point, there was so much crap in there. I think it was a sort of cover; if she's chattering away, no one knows her mind is busy calculating. It sounds good in theory, but I just couldn't see Annique being able to do it. I definitely think she's one smart gal, but there were moments when she makes incredibly stupid mistakes (like falling for Grey's initial trap). True, Grey makes mistakes, too, but they seemed more like a way to make them seem more equal. I don't know, she just seemed a little less resourceful and clever than others made her out to be. But even that wouldn't have bugged me, if she hadn't chattered constantly. Plus, Ms. Bourne makes the effort to have the dialogue sound French (apparently she lived in France, so I assume it's pretty authentic), which is fine, but it became tedious because she talked way too much.

I did, however, like the English, especially Adrian and Doyle. I liked how easily they interacted with each other and with Annique, and my favorite part of the novel is when they're on the road to England. There's a lot of joking around, despite the seriousness of them trying to escape, and it was a lot of fun to read. They made up an interesting team, and the parts where they got to work (like when they posed as Germans on holiday) was really cool to read. This is where I could see how competent Annique was; for some reason, she just seemed to fade as a cool, competent woman and turned into a compulsive chatterer. It was an odd development, and her character didn't seem consistent to me. The last part of the novel is based on Annique coming to terms with who she is (which, by the way, was a so-so plot twist to me…I was expecting something grander, the way they went on about it), so the ending focusing on her and less on the entire cast made the ending drag for me. I just wanted it to end so she's stop talking.

Overall, the story is well-plotted, the writing is excellent throughout, and most of the characters were interesting. I just couldn't stand Annique, which just ruined the entire experience of reading the book. I do plan to read the next book, to see if some different characters change my experience of reading Ms. Bourne's books. I do really like her writing. I'm still bummed that this one didn't work for me. Still, definitely give this book a try; Annique is a cool character, and the story is excellent. Plus, you might really like her.

Grade: 3/5-only because I wanted to smack Annique on a number of occasions

REVIEW: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Source: Bought

Lisabeth Lewis was interrupted during her suicide attempt by none other than Death himself, who informed her that she was now Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She thinks it's just a dream until she wakes up to find a horse that no one else can see eating her mother's shrubs, and a set of ornate scales that vanish and appear at random. As Lisa struggles with her new office, she also struggles to maintain the appearance of normalcy, for she's not just a Horseman, she's also anorexic.

When I first heard about this book, I was so excited, because I thought the premise was really cool, but I wasn't really sure about how the anorexia would be treated. Nothing drives me more crazy than inaccurate depictions of serious psychiatric conditions, particularly in movies (seriously, guys, the DSM isn't a tough read, it really isn't), but I was pleasantly surprised. I don't have any personal experience with anyone with this disorder, but many of the really scary changes (missed periods, hair loss, fatigue, feeling cold constantly) were described vividly. Through it all, Lisa can only focus on the fact that she could do more (the "Thin voice", as she calls it, eggs her on). Not only that, but the way her disorder completely highjacked her life was also clear, since she had stopped speaking to her former best friend and was fighting almost constantly with her boyfriend. I got the sense that the author really did her research, since both the facts and the emotional impact of anorexia were presented accurately.

SLIGHTLY SPOILY PARAGRAPH FOLLOWING:

Onto the story itself-even though it's a really short book (174 pages), there was a really well-told story in there. I didn't feel like any single scene was just glossed over. I would have liked a little more info about the Horsemen, and who everyone was, but maybe it's something that will develop as the series continues. The plot unfolded nicely, and the final scene was just awesome. The way that Lisa's struggle with anorexia mirrors her struggle with War (let's just say they get off to a rocky start) was really nicely done; plus, that final scene was a cure-all, everything's better type of ending, either, which was great! Lisa had to do the real work of getting better herself. Again, that's the author's respect of how complicated the disorder is.

I liked everything about this book. Lisa was a great character, really tough and smart, and the writing was lovely. It's a pretty tiny book, but I felt pretty satisfied when I finished it. I really can't wait for the next book, Rage, which is due April 4, I think. It's about a girl who self-injures. I know the author had personal experience with eating disorders, which probably helped her get the thinking behind Lisa's actions, but I'm pretty confident she'll do her research to get the mindset behind self-injury right. Plus, part of the proceeds of both of these books go to the National Eating Disorders Association, which is pretty cool.

Grade-4/5

REVIEW: Initiate by Tara Maya

Source: Free review copy from author

http://www.librarything.com/work/10924931

Dindi wants nothing more than to be chosen by the Tavaedies, the society of dancers, but she can't even manage to stop dancing with faeries long enough to complete her chores. Still, she hasn't had her Initiation yet, and she won't give up hope. In another part of the world, Kavio has been exiled for performing a taboo dance and must now find his own way in the world. Both are outcasts in some way.

Now, this book is a perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The cover I see on the Kindle app seems really, well, Disney princess. My initial glance through the first chapter seemed like this would be a cheery fairy story, but I was curious. Although there are certainly some nice moments, there is a much darker undertone, because the world in which Dindi and Kavio live is fraught with civil wars, clan disputes, and other evils that plague society. Even the Initiation, to which Dindi looks forward to, has a darker element to it, since not everyone lives through it. It seemed to me that the book started out quite innocent in tone, but became darker and darker until the climax-I thought this was a great backdrop for a coming-of-age story. As Dindi and Kavio leave the world they knew, they really see that the world is a much less friendly place.

There were actually some really, really dark elements, which I was not expecting (seriously, not matching the cover at all). When Kavio first runs into some other exiles, they have captured an old man, and proceed to cut of hunks of his flesh, roast, and eat it. Goodness. Then there were the Deathsworn, who collect the sick and condemned to kill them for society. Even all the faeries aren't good-the Blue faeries in the water wait to drag humans to their deaths. All these elements grounded the world and made it seem much more real. I wasn't expecting to enter a world where clans were at war, clans willing to capture children to make into slaves. Definitely not a happy-go-lucky world. But this means that characters are going to be facing real conflict, and conflict is what drives the story.

Speaking of plot, I felt that the pace of the story was pretty well-paced. It's a tad confusing until about halfway through, because the novel is divided into sections within chapters that focus on specific characters, and it's somewhat tricky seeing how they'll all come together, but it came together smoothly. I felt like this element worked, especially because the story is still told in third person, so a unique voice wasn't necessary for each person. Basically, the narrator was able to keep the same way of talking, but each character felt unique in personality/actions, i.e. the uniqueness of each character felt natural, not forced, and switching between characters' first person narratives would have been very exhausting to follow. It was well-balanced.

I will say, though, that I have mixed feelings about the ending. I won't say what it is, just that it can be seen as a cliffhanger (I think it is). Technically, the plot of the novel is resolved, but in such a way that it's clear that not everything has been taken care of. Yes, it's a series, so of course there has to be more story to move on to in the next book, but I really like it when a book feels complete by itself, without leaving issues for the next book. I think I want to see how the story continues before I make a final opinion about the ending, because it might work nicely in context of the next book. Having said that, if you're the kind of person who can't stand unresolved issues and what to know everything that happens, you might want to wait until you have the next book before reading this one, or you might feel frustrated. I did, because I felt that the scene stopped halfway through, and that was the end; it was too quick for my taste.

As for the characters, I liked Dindi and Kavio. What's pretty cool is that romance wasn't a huge element in this book (not that it's bad, but every YA novel doesn't need overly passionate romance). I assumed, once Kavio was introduced, that they'd end up together. Of course, romance in later books would work, but this book actually stayed focused on Dindi's experiences leading up to her Initiation, and Kavio dealing with exile and helping avert a massacre. These are Very Big Events, and forcing a full-fledged romance into all that action wouldn't have worked. Both characters are figuring out where they belong, and I liked that that was the focus throughout. I really liked Dindi, because she had trouble fitting in but wasn't self-pitying or whiny, and she was unique. I keep seeing the same female leads over and over: pretty and stupid, ass-kicking and unappealing to men, awkward yet pretty. Dindi's independent, a very skilled dancer, but socially awkward and aware of her flaws. She accepts them, and doesn't whine about them. Kavio had plenty to complain about, but he was very much about moving on, and I liked that he had a strong moral compass that both led him to help others, but also got him into trouble. The characters were much more complex and interesting than I was expecting, which was really great.

Finally, the writing in this book was excellent. Another, rather unfortunate, trend in YA fiction is an overabundance of lackluster, even completely sloppy, writing. I feel like part of the writing process is chewing over words and phrases, then editing over and over to make sure that all the elements are working. I don't appreciate reading a novel where it seems like the author couldn't be bothered to do this, and I am always delighted to read a sentence that creates a vivid description or emotion. Take this:

            "Their voices hummed hypnotically, enticing her forward step by step. The lullaby lure of the faery ring shimmered all around her, a mixture of light and song. The fae clasped hands together, closing the circle about her. A chain of pixies undulated in the air, the sprites linked up, and then, in the last gap in the circle, a heron-winged kinnara soared toward the dancers to close the circle. 'Come dance with us, Dindi. Come dance with us forever…'".

            That's a lovely paragraph, and the writing stayed consistent throughout the entire. That, plus characters with depth and a plot driven by very tangible conflict, created a wonderful story.

Grade: 4/5-very enjoyable, but I'm still a little bummed by the ending

REVIEW: Elfland by Freda Warrington

Source: Bought

This is the second installment in the Women in Fantasy Challenge, and another absolutely fantastic one, at that. In this world, Aetherials live alongside humans, although the Gates to the Otherworld are usually open so that the Vaethyr (Aetherial living on earth) can get back to their roots and reconnect with their true selves. However, the Gatekeeper, Lawrence Wilder, who controls when the Gates are to be open, has shut them and kept them shut, telling everyone that it's for their own good.

With this background, we are introduced to two very different families: the highly dysfunctional, dark family of Lawrence Wilder and his sons, Sam and Jon, and the tightly-knit, loving family, the Foxes. I don't want to go into all of the plot details: there's love, adventure, a fantastically beautiful world to discover-basically, everything I love in a good story! The characters and their relationships drive the story, which I always like in a story (as opposed to Lord of the Rings, which is plot-driven, with characters I don't relate to, which I found terribly dull at times).

Some of the tragedies that happen along the way were a little too extreme and created some soap opera drama, but I also felt like they worked in the story. It is a different world, after all, and the tragedies were necessary for the plot to move along as needed. One tragedy in particular (don't want to spoil it, but, trust me, you'll know it when you get there) was disconcerting, but it was rather necessary to allow the romance between Rosie and Sam, and it involved a character's image to shift.

Having said that, on to the characters, since I don't want to vaguely ramble about the plot in an effort to not spoil the story: the story is told by all the characters, switching the focus from character to character multiple times in a single chapter. This never bothered me, because it followed the action well (as in, a fast-paced scene wasn't interrupted by some unrelated conversation happening miles away, although it sometimes took a while to see how everything linked together). There were a few cliff-hanger moments, which was frustrating at times when the action was really picking up, but it was never halted for too long, and the aside was necessary to the plot of the other scene. I can't remember grinding my teeth as the perspective shifted to another character.

The most interesting characters were the ones whose roles weren't well-defined at the beginning. First, there's Sam Wilder, who goes from complete psycho to Rosie's secret love, and there's Sapphire Wilder, the wicked stepmother, who might be evil, but whose actions might also be justified in another light. Even the characters who are traditionally "good", like Rosie Fox's almost perfect parents, Auberon and Jessica, don't remain static and have secrets of their own. This made the story much more interesting (and the plotting was already wonderful, as it was); it added another layer of richness to the story.

The main element that I loved was the romance between Sam and Rosie. Now, yes, it does create utter chaos and ruins Rosie's marriage, which she never should have consented to. If you aren't a big fan of romance, and lots of drama centered around a love triangle bugs you to no end, this book won't work so well for you. But this was another interesting element-the love triangle that seems to be really common (especially in YA books) was there, but it wasn't like the Twilight love triangle, with teens gazing longingly after each other. These characters are in their early 20s, so the complications they faced were so much different. Marriage and duties to the family created complications that seemed much more realistic than characters with infinite time to weep and wail over their love lives. There is some element of that to the story, of course, but the tragedy was real, as a marriage fell apart and another relationship got off to a rocky start. The romance was wonderful, but there was also a realism to it, too, that helped ground it.

Then, there was the wonderful Otherworld that Sam and Rosie are forced to travel through. It was so beautiful, and I could so easily visualize it, since Ms. Warrington creates vivid descriptions. The world was very cool. Now, here is where I admit that I have never actually read a book focused on faeries (not sure how it's been so long since I finally read one, but, there it is). This world might not be completely original, I wouldn't know. It is completely new to me, and I found it just wonderful. The adventure, which really didn't pick up until the very end, with a very fast-paced climax, made the pacing a tad odd, since it was romance, romance, then, boom, crisis. In fact, I wasn't 100% sure that all the plotlines would be resolved, until it became clear in the last 50 pages that they were. The ending was very satisfying, which cemented my enjoyment of the book.

Here's an aside concerning the reaction other readers from this challenge have discussed. I can completely understand why this book might not work for everyone (see the review from Jawas Read, Too!, and the great discussion below it). I was perfectly happy for there to be a romance at the center of the story, and fantasy/magic elements just serving as a backdrop, but I also read a lot of romance. I was very content, because I had interesting, likeable characters, wonderful prose, and a fantastic world, plus a very, very satisfying ending. Although there were a few elements I didn't like as much (I'll admit, the soap opera drama did get a little tiresome), the main things I look for in a good romance were there. I think it also helps that I don't read enough fantasy to expect a certain amount of elements beyond the romance story, though; I think my background possibly helped me enjoy it more than a really avid fantasy reader might (but if you read lots of fantasy and like the romance element, that's cool, too!). I'm working off the comments left-it seemed like some people were bothered that the romance took over the story, and the world of the faeries was less important, for the most part. This makes sense, and I do agree that seeing more of the Otherworld would have been very cool. Still, I'm always happy with a good romance!

Grade: 5/5-absolutely wonderful, I loved every second of it! I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel!

Next up: The Initiate, which I'm half-way through! Again, so sorry for the delay!

Quick Update

OK, so I've been crazy busy with school, and am now greviously behind in my reading, but reviews are coming, I promise. Coming up, my reviews of Elfland and Tara Maya's debut novel The Initiate, part of a new series, which is my first (drum roll, please) free review copy!!!!!! I am so very excited about this, and a big thanks to the author for contacting me and giving me this opportunity!

So, yes, Good Things are forthcoming. In the meantime, here's something happy-beagle dinner time:

REVIEW: The Wake Trilogy by Lisa McMann

Source: Library

I've decided to group all three into one review, since I basically read them all in together like one big novel, but I'll separate them by book…maybe that'll make up for it being so damn long. Sorry 'bout that.

Book 1: Wake

Janie has an unusual gift, and, as cool as it sounds, she's pretty damn sick of it. She falls into other people's dreams, totally against her will. Although she sometimes can get out of trivial dreams (especially those icky sex dreams that guy on the football team has when he falls asleep in study hall), she can't get out of nightmares, and they usually leave her paralyzed, numb, and blind after. Needless to say, she has enough to worry about, between high school and an alcoholic mother.

Enter Cabel, the weirdo Goth kid who lives a few streets down. He seems kind of nice, but he has a secret, which she only begins to figure out once she falls into his nightmares. As Janie gets closer to Cabel and to a blind woman at the nursing home where she works, she begins to understand more about her gift/curse, and about how she can shape it to suit her needs.

OK, I'm feeling slightly mixed about this first book, and I think it's because it sort of feels unpolished to me. The way the book is narrated took a few pages to adjust to, but I don't think that was it. The story is arranged tiny segments with the time as a heading, and short, declamatory sentences, which worked well, since Janie's world is always broken up by dreams. Here's an example of how it sounds:

"Janie Hannagan's math book slips from her fingers. She grips the edge of the table in the school library. Everything goes black and silent. She sighs and rests her head on the table. Tries to pull herself out of it, but fails miserably. She's too tired today. Too hungry. She  really doesn't have time for this."

Although it did work on one level, I also felt that this led to things I wanted to be stated left out, particularly in dialogue, which sometimes came across as way going way too quick, particularly when issues were being resolved. This was particularly a problem in the last third of the book, when the plot comes together, and it's more Janie talking to others than her making her way through dreams. The ending was what really bugged me: it was so rushed, and everything came together so perfectly at the last second. Considering how complicated everything in Janie's life is (like, super-duper complicated), Cabel's secrets and their relationship issues were resolved in about 50 pages. How convenient.

The final reason that the writing style bugged me was that there seemed to be little character development (in this book). I never really got a handle on who Cabel was, and I knew a lot more about other people's dreams at some points than Janie's thoughts and feelings. Again, some key moments in the story were too rushed, which is probably why I felt like I was left hanging.

Still, the concept of Janie's dream-catcher curse was soooo cool. I loved the story, in that it included both Janie's struggles at dealing with her family and her gift, as well as her budding romance with Cabel. So even though the narration worked for me at some points, it bugged me at others, and the ending really didn't work for me. Still, I thought that it was still a pretty fun book. I was eager to get to the next book.

Grade: 3.5/5

Book 2: Fade

*****SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers for first book, you've been warned!********

Now that Janie and Cabel are on board with the police department (I'll refrain from saying how it happens, so it's not super inundated with spoilers), and Janie is learning to control her powers, they are really put to the test. A tip that a sexual predator is in their high school leads them to team up to solve the mystery. And Ms. Stubin left a notebook for her successor which involves some dire news about dream-catching, which Janie must deal with, as well as new skills that she can use to further help her assignment.

This book was so much more exciting than Wake. Geez, Ms. McMann really puts her characters through hell in this book. I mean, I was biting my nails at the end. The pacing was so much better, and the plot was much more together. The story had multiple threads, and they were very skillfully tied together. The ending was much more satisfying, and everything was explained in a much more detailed way, without the quickly-paced narrative being dragged down.

Plus, the other main quip I had with Wake, a seeming lack of character development, was not a problem in Fade. Janie and Cabel always make the effort to sit and talk through their problems (which I really liked, more on that in a second), and there's one scene I loved, where they were having trouble expressing what was bugging them, and communicated really eloquently through emails. That's where I felt I really got a better handle on what was going on in Cabels' head, which was great, because it's really important later on in understanding how he feels about Janie.

Janie and Cabel's relationship really developed. I loved that their relationship was so much more natural and healthy than is seen in other YA novels (cough, Twilight, cough). Cabel's always concerned about Janie, but it's partly due to the trauma he experienced as a boy, and he recognizes when he's overbearing and tries to back off. As in, he's responsive to what his girlfriend is saying. Janie tells him when to back off, and when she wants him to hover. They communicated really well, for the most part, and they seem to be on equal footing (as in, Cabel is the kind of guy who can cry, and he even cooks!). It was so great that their relationship, and their characters, didn't just confirm stereotypes. They both have strengths and flaws, without any of it being overbearing. Maybe it's because they matured as characters, and maybe it's because the writing itself seemed to mature, but I felt like the characters and their relationship was much more well-drawn, which was great to see.

Everything about the second book was so much better. I could not put it down, even though there were definitely some moments that were hard to get through (again, this book involves sexual predators and rape, and Janie gets into a pretty sketchy situation). Still, there wasn't an excess of awfulness. The narrative style and the characters were more well-established, and the pacing of the novel was very well done. I'm so glad that the series is improving so dramatically! On to the third book!

Grade: 4/5

Book 3: Gone

********Once again, SPOILER ALERT!*************

Graduation's done, the three teachers are in jail, and Janie and Cabel can finally be together. So everything should be great, right? But Janie feels like Cabel's feeling lingering doubts about staying with her as she goes blind that he won't talk about. Then, she gets a call that ruins her vacation: her friend Carrie had to drive her mother to the hospital after she found her stumbling drunk in the front yard. Turns out, her mother was upset because a former boyfriend is dying. Not just a former boyfriend, but Janie's father. Janie's torn about this new development, especially after she's sucked into his insane nightmare.

I felt like the action of the series was all contained in the second book, with the first book introducing the action and the final book tying up loose ends. Not entirely, but it's certainly true that the third book was not nearly as exciting. Basically, the entire thing is Janie contemplating the decision before her: isolate herself, leave Cabel, and stay healthy (although that gets complicated in the end), or stay with her friends and family and lose her sight. Her figuring out her dad's history by entering his nightmare helps her figure this out.

Now, although there was not nearly as much action as the second book, I was still riveted in figuring out all the final mysteries concerning the dream-catching gift. New dimensions were added to it, and there were a few new mysteries added, which solidified and enriched the entire concept of the dream-catching. This was great, because it kept the series from becoming stagnant (and, seriously, the ideas were so cool, especially with what her dad is seeing as he gets sick, and why he is sick). It was great that the series kept strong in plotting the whole way through, and I appreciated that Ms. McMann trusted us to keep up with the ideas she presents and adds new ones to it.

I only had one major beef with the book, although it's something that's kind of bugged me throughout, and it was mostly resolved by the end. I do not understand her mom at all, and their relationship. She's completely absent in the first two books, and Janie does as she pleases. OK, if the neighborhood is aware of the problem (that her mother is usually staggering or comatose, she's so damn drunk), and she's still in high school, why the hell does no one call child services? Is the school so clueless that they don't know one of their students is dealing with complete awful crap at home? I mean, yeah, OK, she lives in the poor section of town, but I still feel like it was a really bizarre situation. Then, in the third book, because Janie has to get information about her dad, she forces her mom to talk. I was shocked at how sick her mother is…jeez, the woman can barely speak English! And Janie just yells at her and is totally disgusted that her mom acts like a child. Now, I totally get that she's mad, since her mom seems to resent her and doesn't give a damn. But by the end, it's sort of left in the open about what, exactly, she's going to do (I guess help her, but it wasn't as specific as I'd have liked). Plus, I sort of got a blame-the-victim vibe for a few pages…I might be reading this totally wrong, and I felt, once she went to an Al-Anon meeting, she understood her mom's disease a little better, so that redeemed her for me. It's nit-picky, sure, but her relationship with her parents was key in the third book, and, again, because the narration is so clipped, it's sometimes hard to see how characters are developing until the end. This is really a blessing and a curse, since it's a cool style and a refreshing change, but it also leaves some plot points unresolved.

The final book was like the first one in terms of action (well, lack thereof, actually), but the writing was as strong as in the second book. It was basically in-between the two in quality. I was fairly well-pleased with it, and the series overall; they were all fun reads, and the idea of dream-catching was awesome.
Grade: 3.5/5…it was lacking enough in action to knock it back down

REVIEW: The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Source: Bought

I don't remember where I heard about this book, but I forgot I had bought it used until it came in the mail, and I read the back and decided it sounded really cool. I'd never really read a modern ghost story (or is it…?), so I was really excited to try something new.

Sarah Crowe, a writer struggling for inspiration and motivation, has moved up to an old house in Rhode Island, leaving behind Atlanta and the baggage of her now-dead girlfriend. What seems like a decent situation (solitude and affordable rent) turns into something spookier, after she uncovers an old typewriter and an incomplete manuscript. This brings to life all this back-story about the huge red oak located a few hundred yards from the house, including stories of human sacrifice, murder, demons, and werewolves. As Sarah progresses through the manuscript, she starts her own journal on the typewriter, cataloguing the events concerning the tree.

The story is told in a combination of Sarah's journal entries, Harvey's manuscript, and even a short story by Sarah. I really liked Sarah's voice: she's sarcastic, smart, and direct. There were, however, a few moments where I wasn't quite sure where the story was going (as Sarah herself says more than a few times, she has a problem with digressing). At first, the story seemed like it was just her working through her health problems, issues with writing, and the grief she feels from her girlfriend Amanda's suicide. Not that it wasn't interesting, I just sometimes like to get hints; at times, I wasn't even 100% of what genre we were in. But as it was confusing, it was also refreshing, and I kept with it. A cool, albeit strange, way to forward the story was Sarah's tendency to narrate her dreams, to the point where reality and dream became incredibly blurred. This later led to some absolutely bizarre and freakin' creepy events.

Sorry if this is a tad rambling, but I'm having some trouble organizing my thoughts about the book. It makes since, as the book itself was a tad unfocused at points. Whether she's being truly haunted or is just seeing things (she's epileptic, after all) is never fully explained. Plus, the entire thing is in first person, so if Sarah was never sure about something, it won't ever be cleared up for us. On the same thread, there was one really key moment (which I can't reveal details of, I don't want to spoil the spookiness) involving the basement, where she sees something, but we never figure out what it was, because it freaked her out so much, she decides to leave it (she stopped when she has a seizure while writing). Which bugged the crap out of me!

Another element that sometimes made the story drag when it could have been exciting was the fact that Sarah was the narrator, writing in her journal. Where a sense of immediacy would have made the story really exciting, her writing about the event the next day takes it away. There are even times when she adds that she has a fallible memory and, since the habit dies hard, fills in gaps in the story with fictitious details. So she's telling us everything after it happened, and it's not even necessarily true. At the same time, though, her voice really drew me in. It made for a very interesting reading experience, following such an unreliable, yet fascinating, narrator. That, plus the mildly unresolved ending (no grand explanation, to me, although you could very well take it as a complete ending; it depends on how reliable you think Sarah is), left me baffled.

What I found super, super cool about this book was the way traditional Gothic elements were used. Finding a manuscript in the basement, bones near the tree, leaves in the house that didn't blow in, etc. Then, there was the way the book was presented: a manuscript discovered by an editor and printed, without someone changing the story, and the editor giving the back-story and details seemingly verifying the authenticity of the document. It reminded me so much of what is considered the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, who first presented his novel like an authentic manuscript found in a decaying Italian castle.

Overall, I found this book a very interesting, albeit spooky, experience, and I really enjoyed it. I'm currently studying lots of Gothic novels and their successors in my British literature classes, and seeing how those elements are still being used was very cool. I loved that the classic elements are still out there, 200 years after they were first used. I also liked Sarah, even though she's a very unreliable narrator, which made the novel both confusing (even rambling at points), but incredibly personal. It was very rich in details, and I was able to picture many of the scenes. Ms. Kiernan is a phenomenal writer, and even though the plot sometimes bugged me, I really enjoyed the novel. I definitely plan to check out her other novels.

Also, check out her website for some very cool evidence here.

Grade: 4/5

DOUBLE FEATURE

This is a monthly feature I'm going to try out, where I'll review two books together. Most likely, it'll be the first two books in a series I just started, or two books by an author that go logically together.

This month, The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan.

Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

Source: Bought

Mary grows up knowing three truths: the Sisters know the truth, the Guardians protect us, and the Unconsecrated will always be there to infect, always. Plus, their tiny village is all that is left; they are the only humans who have lasted since the Return. Still, this isn't enough for Mary. Her mother told her stories about the ocean, about huge cities that once existed. Surely, someone is still out there.

Then, Mary's world is shattered when her mother is bitten and thrown into the Forest of Hands and Teeth once she returns as one of the Unconsecrated. Her only choice is to become a Sister, since no male seems to want her. Now that she's seen more of the Cathedral, she begins to understand that maybe the Sisters know more than they're telling. Then, she sees footprints in the snow that lead from the gate and path to nowhere (which are forbidden) to the Cathedral: the Sisters were wrong, there are others, and they've been lying!

But then the strange girl disappears, and suddenly Mary and her friends are left of the paths leading to nowhere. They are left with no information, other than the rumors of oceans and other villages, and only one option: move on.

This book might have started out a little slow for me, but once the action picked up, it was nonstop tension, mainly created by the fact that, no matter where they go, there are always Unconsecrated. The main reason the beginning bothered me was because it was mainly Mary talking: questioning the truths she feels she should accept, questioning her feelings for the boys she grew up with, questioning her place in the village. She feels like an outsider. Once the action picked up and I realized the entire book wasn't going to focus on Mary telling us about everything happening around her, it was just setting up the world, which is fine.

I liked Mary's character, particularly her relentless drive for truth. She suspects the Sisters are lying, and she wants to know why. A particularly cool scene involves her sneaking downstairs to the catacombs to find where they took the strange girl, and but once she gets through an ancient door, her candle blows out (a lovely traditional Gothic element, I must say). She's really independent and strong, but she's more aware of her weaknesses than anything else. Sometimes YA heroines/main female characters are too, well, bad-ass. Not that it's a bad thing, but it's refreshing to find a female character who is strong, but also very aware of her failings, and questions her own abilities, but is able to overcome that, as well.

What got a little tiresome was the love triangle between her and Travis and his brother, Harry-basically, both love her, she wants Travis, but is Harry's betrothed…basically, it carries through most of the book, and they're always skirting around the issue. I got frustrated that they couldn't all just sit down and talk about it. Now, it's true, they grew up in a village where the only way things went was that marriage isn't about love, it's about commitment, but Mary's the only one to question it, and she doesn't really push the others into questioning it, either. It seems, under the circumstances, they could just agree that maybe making their own rules could work. Now, it does kind of happen that way, but it's more an accident than anything else, and it's not until well past the halfway point of the book. So, once we got over that point, again, it was fine, but I felt like the love triangle, and Mary worrying over it, really slowed down the story at a few points…on a path, hungry, constantly surrounded by moaning zombies, would you really have that much time to focus on your love life more than anything else?

Still, other than the few dragging moments (which were few, I promise), the pacing was excellent. There were some absolutely awesome moments where they have to get out of really sticky situations that had me biting my nails. Ms. Ryan did an excellent job of highlighting how completely impossible it seemed to get out. Her descriptions of the Unconsecrated were very spooky, and there were some moments when it's also heartbreaking, since it's a reality for them to perhaps find a family member or friend turned and be forced to kill them. The prose was wonderful, although adjusting to present tense, which is used throughout most of the novel, took a moment, but it worked for me, since it really sounded like Mary was just telling us the story as it happened.

Although there were a few dull moments, there was enough action  that I was able to thoroughly enjoy this story. It was spooky, heartbreaking, complex, and a very fun read, leaving me with plenty of questions about what discoveries in this world were left.

Grade: 4/5

Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Source: Christmas present

****WARNING: There are spoilers for the first book, so avert your eyes if necessary!*****

Gabry is not like her mother, who escaped from the Forest and the hordes of Mudo to reach the ocean. Still, she's sure that there's nothing back there, and the thought of leaving her home in the lighthouse, of going past the safety of the fences, absolutely terrifies her. Still, her best friends Catcher and Cira convince her to pass the Barrier to the ruins of the old city for a bit of fun. When they realize the ugly truth, that Mudo can breach the old fences, her entire world is turned upside down. Catcher, her one true love, has been bitten, and she runs home, leaving her friends, to escape the punishment of breaking one of the biggest rules: never go past the Barrier.

With her friends either dead, turned, or imprisoned, Gabry is miserable. She betrayed her friends, and it's obvious that she's a coward. Still, when Cira tells her to find Catcher, that he must be alive, Gabry reluctantly leaves safety to find him. There, she finds an entire bizarre world of its own, and a new boy, Elias, who lives outside the safety of a village and rules. Then, her mother reveals a truth even more shattering, and Gabry finds herself on the same road her mother once tread, facing the same dangers and questions.

OK, I really liked the first book, and the things that bugged me about it (a drawn-out love triangle and a really long opening involving a teenage girl telling us about her problems) were so drawn-out in the sequel. Which is really unfortunate. Now, it's true that Gabry's relationships with Catcher and Elias are much more complicated by factors beyond her control, but I felt like I was watching New Moon, and Bella's constantly oscillating between Jacob and Edward (and I suppose I'm Team Elias, here). And again, her choice is more out of her hands, but it becomes more than obvious that Catcher realizes he can't really be with her, and yet she insists on going back to him, since she's desperate to restore as much of her old life as possible. OK, understandable, she's been through hell, and a lot of things she thought were constant have changed…but, really, at the two-thirds mark, and she's still after him, when Elias is clearly interested…come on. Again, the Mudo are all around, Cira's really  sick, why  is there so much time for you to think about this?

Now, as for the really slow beginning…Mary's opening might have been slow, but I needed the explanations, and she was questioning her world as much as telling us about her life, so that was fine, but, I'm sorry, Gabry just…well, whined. Her being afraid of leaving safety wasn't a bad thing at all (seriously, it's a pretty well-known fact that there's Mudo in the ruins, I'd be scared as hell to go out there, totally understandable), but then it turns into her telling us over and over and comparing herself to her brave, strong mother. Then, later, even after she's done all these pretty brave things, she's still telling us what a coward she is, and Elias literally has to spell out why she's not a total coward and failure as a human being, and her mother later does the same. Basically, something happens, she's questioning herself, and her mother or Elias tells her why she was awesome, and she then has this aha moment, and everything's OK. Jeez, are you really so slow you couldn't figure a single thing out for yourself? She's was completely self-involved at points, and constantly going over everything that happened, and she still couldn't figure any of this out? Plus, it was right after they said something to her that she got it…at least a little pondering would have made it realistic. I just didn't like Gabry all that much, and that really killed my enjoyment of the story.

Plus, there was very little action as compared to the first book, except at the end (which was totally awesome, I was freaking out!), and I was, at times, incredibly bored and questioning if this story was going to ever come to a climax. I absolutely hate to say that, especially considering the fact that I liked the first book so much, but, really, I was starting to question whether I could finish the book. I'm really glad I did, since I want to read the third book (which I really hope is a strong finish), and I really wanted to know more about the world. That we did was great, and questions that her mother Mary raised in the first book were answered, so I really felt like I was beginning to flesh out their world more. But, still, it was way too much of Gabry talking. It's true that she had a lot to think about, and that's fine, she was thinking over things she needed to, but much of it was the same thing over and over. The unevenness is what bugged me the most-she would go over something a thousand times, then her mother would say one thing, and the entire thing was resolved. I saw very little of Gabry thinking critically and coming to her own conclusions. I don't mind a character with flaws, and some of her flaws were fine (being scared, running and leaving her friends, not being strong enough to save them), but I had a huge problem with her lack of perception, because she didn't seem aware of it. She wasn't stupid, necessarily, but a lot of what she figured out seemed so obvious, and everything she said just started grating on my nerves.

Still, the writing was just as lovely. The story arc reflected the story of the first story, but in reverse (not exactly), which was a very cool effect. The world began to take more shape, and the Unconsecrated/Mudo scenes were just as harrowing. The thing that really saved the book was the ending, which was AMAZING! I still can't wait for the final novel, which will definitely introduce a character I can't wait to meet, and hopefully explain even more about what the world looks like. I just hope it's as strong as the first novel.

Grade: 3/5